31st August 2006, 4:59 PM
Xenosaga I & II? Doubt that's ever coming out here... as for those others, yeah, sure (though many of those are already out in Japan), but you can make a list of upcoming games for any current platform...
Part of the issue is that it's a portable, of course. They always get less attention than the major consoles from third parties... Nintendo too, but they seem to put more effort into their handhelds than anyone else does, for sure. But the PSP comparison... while I would definitely rather have a DS than a PSP, when I look at the games on the shelves I see plenty of PSP games I wouldn't mind owning if I had the money... it's not like the thing has no games. It's just expensive and they are Playstation-style games, not Nintendo-style games, as you would expect... not sure about the upcoming lineup though. Aren't the systems themselves selling okay (but nowhere near as well as the DS) but the games not so much so?
The fact that the DS is beating the PSP really shows two things: that handheld and console markets are very different, and that Nintendo's non/casual gamer focused strategy in Japan has worked. I know that's obvious, but looking at the actual games on each system, the DS has GC-like games, and the PSP has PS2-like games, yet the situation is going the exact opposite way from that one... it's just an interesting contrast.
You're wrong there. Casual games are not necessarially lame cashins and stuff like Madden. Note that I said "like US PC gaming". PC. Think about the PC sales lists... dominated by casual games like SimCity, The Sims, Rollercoaster Tycoon, The Sims, The Sims, Tycoon Knockoff #534542, World of Warcraft, and two or three random FPSes and/or RTSes. The Sims isn't a bad game... it's just not for gamers. Same goes for most of that stuff on top of the DS charts.
As for Mario, as I said, like Final Fantasy, it's the analog of World of Warcraft -- a huge franchise that sells well even in casual-dominated times.
You're right that NSMB's Japanese sales have been amazing, though (somewhat less so here though, I think? I mean they have been good, but not "rivalling Super Mario World" good for sure. Not even close... though that's not fair since SMW was a packin in the US. :)). You know what that means... there WILL be a sequel. Gauranteed. :D
Part of the issue is that it's a portable, of course. They always get less attention than the major consoles from third parties... Nintendo too, but they seem to put more effort into their handhelds than anyone else does, for sure. But the PSP comparison... while I would definitely rather have a DS than a PSP, when I look at the games on the shelves I see plenty of PSP games I wouldn't mind owning if I had the money... it's not like the thing has no games. It's just expensive and they are Playstation-style games, not Nintendo-style games, as you would expect... not sure about the upcoming lineup though. Aren't the systems themselves selling okay (but nowhere near as well as the DS) but the games not so much so?
The fact that the DS is beating the PSP really shows two things: that handheld and console markets are very different, and that Nintendo's non/casual gamer focused strategy in Japan has worked. I know that's obvious, but looking at the actual games on each system, the DS has GC-like games, and the PSP has PS2-like games, yet the situation is going the exact opposite way from that one... it's just an interesting contrast.
Quote:New Super Mario Bros. is selling better than any other Super Mario Bros. title since Super Mario World. So to answer to answer your question, yes, I think people that buy Brain Training and Cooking Mama are also picking up NSMB and maybe FFIII as well.
And most of those aren't really "casual" games per se, as that implies that they are mainly being sold to the same kind of people who buy Madden and licensed shlock. These are mainly being sold to people that have never really played games before, such as girls, older adults and lapsed gamers.
You're wrong there. Casual games are not necessarially lame cashins and stuff like Madden. Note that I said "like US PC gaming". PC. Think about the PC sales lists... dominated by casual games like SimCity, The Sims, Rollercoaster Tycoon, The Sims, The Sims, Tycoon Knockoff #534542, World of Warcraft, and two or three random FPSes and/or RTSes. The Sims isn't a bad game... it's just not for gamers. Same goes for most of that stuff on top of the DS charts.
As for Mario, as I said, like Final Fantasy, it's the analog of World of Warcraft -- a huge franchise that sells well even in casual-dominated times.
You're right that NSMB's Japanese sales have been amazing, though (somewhat less so here though, I think? I mean they have been good, but not "rivalling Super Mario World" good for sure. Not even close... though that's not fair since SMW was a packin in the US. :)). You know what that means... there WILL be a sequel. Gauranteed. :D
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