Why a GBA port and no GC port?

[Zubiac666]

So I was shopping through some electronic stores yesterday and I thought when looking at the GBA section:" WTF?"

I mean can anyone tell me why the GBA has some games that only "should" fit to non-portable consoles.
GBA has ports of:

Silent Scope (A Snipergame for a handheld.huh? Yeah it's a pretty good conversion but why the heck don't they (konami I think) release it for GC instead/too? Noone can tell me that it would sell less on GC than on GBA!)

Britneys Dance Beat (Why? I guess it would sell better on GC too!)

Max Payne

Jet Set Radio

Virtual Tennis (why no GC port?)

and several fishing games

Is it so much cheaper to produce a GBA game/port?
Why don't they just port games like "Silent Scope" to GC (like they did with PS2)? NOOOOO,it's better making a GBA port and draw this game new with (harder to create)bitmap graphics!!

weird
:?

your thoughts please

[Zubiac666]

So I was shopping through some electronic stores yesterday and I thought when looking at the GBA section:" WTF?"

I mean can anyone tell me why the GBA has some games that only "should" fit to non-portable consoles.
GBA has ports of:

Silent Scope (A Snipergame for a handheld.huh? Yeah it's a pretty good conversion but why the heck don't they (konami I think) release it for GC instead/too? Noone can tell me that it would sell less on GC than on GBA!)

Britneys Dance Beat (Why? I guess it would sell better on GC too!)

Max Payne

Jet Set Radio

Virtual Tennis (why no GC port?)

and several fishing games

Is it so much cheaper to produce a GBA game/port?
Why don't they just port games like "Silent Scope" to GC (like they did with PS2)? NOOOOO,it's better making a GBA port and draw this game new with (harder to create)bitmap graphics!!

weird
:?

your thoughts please

[Bratwurst]

It is VERY cheap to make a GBA game compared to a console port, and quicker too.

I would wager the market is larger for the GBA than the Gamecube, additionally.

[Bratwurst]

It is VERY cheap to make a GBA game compared to a console port, and quicker too.

I would wager the market is larger for the GBA than the Gamecube, additionally.

[Ze_ro]

I would wager the market is larger for the GBA than the Gamecube, additionally.

I'd say that that's probably the kicker... As for costs, I would think that GBA cartridges would be more costly to produce than Gamecube discs.

However, I'm surprised that Hudson is making Gamecube versions of Bonk and Adventure Island, yet ignoring the GBA. I'd love to get a "Bonk All-Stars", or "Hudson Classics" cartridge!

--Zero

[Ze_ro]

I would wager the market is larger for the GBA than the Gamecube, additionally.

I'd say that that's probably the kicker... As for costs, I would think that GBA cartridges would be more costly to produce than Gamecube discs.

However, I'm surprised that Hudson is making Gamecube versions of Bonk and Adventure Island, yet ignoring the GBA. I'd love to get a "Bonk All-Stars", or "Hudson Classics" cartridge!

--Zero

[Bratwurst]

Yeah, I meant developing the software as opposed to the medium.. I'd like to see some figures on the materials cost for a GBA cart versus the Gamecube disc though.

[Bratwurst]

Yeah, I meant developing the software as opposed to the medium.. I'd like to see some figures on the materials cost for a GBA cart versus the Gamecube disc though.

[Ed Oscuro]

Yeah, I meant developing the software as opposed to the medium.. I'd like to see some figures on the materials cost for a GBA cart versus the Gamecube disc though.

On the plus side, you've got a cheap plastic shell for a GBA cart versus a mini-DVD style case. Neither's exactly off-the-shelf-components, but still pretty cheap to produce at the rate they must be making them. I do think that the insides of a GBA cart must eat up a little of that profit margin, but how much?

[Ed Oscuro]

Yeah, I meant developing the software as opposed to the medium.. I'd like to see some figures on the materials cost for a GBA cart versus the Gamecube disc though.

On the plus side, you've got a cheap plastic shell for a GBA cart versus a mini-DVD style case. Neither's exactly off-the-shelf-components, but still pretty cheap to produce at the rate they must be making them. I do think that the insides of a GBA cart must eat up a little of that profit margin, but how much?

[Slipdeath]

they are making four swords on the gc

[Slipdeath]

they are making four swords on the gc

[hydr0x]

they are making four swords on the gc

not up-to-date: N decided do merge Four Swords and Tetras Trackers into one GC game

[hydr0x]

they are making four swords on the gc

not up-to-date: N decided do merge Four Swords and Tetras Trackers into one GC game

[Duncan]

they are making four swords on the gc

not up-to-date: N decided do merge Four Swords and Tetras Trackers into one GC game

Had not heard that yet, strangely. Thanks for the new info!

[Duncan]

they are making four swords on the gc

not up-to-date: N decided do merge Four Swords and Tetras Trackers into one GC game

Had not heard that yet, strangely. Thanks for the new info!

[zmweasel]

Noone can tell me that it would sell less on GC than on GBA!)

Third-party GameCube games, with rare exceptions, are poor sellers. Of the top 100 sellers in the first half of 2003, according to NPD, the highest-rated third-party GC title is Rogue Squadron II, ranked 51st. And there are only four third-party GCN titles in the entire top 100.


Virtual Tennis (why no GC port?)

Because traditional-sports games REALLY don't sell on the GameCube.


Is it so much cheaper to produce a GBA game/port?

Yes.


Why don't they just port games like "Silent Scope" to GC (like they did with PS2)? NOOOOO,it's better making a GBA port and draw this game new with (harder to create)bitmap graphics!!

Actually, 2D bitmap graphics are considerably easier and cheaper to create than 3D graphics. There's a reason why graphic artists now outnumber programmers in the game-development field; it takes tons of talent to create detailed 3D imagery. By comparison, a couple of artists can bang out any number of 2D tilesets and sprites.

-- Z.

[zmweasel]

Noone can tell me that it would sell less on GC than on GBA!)

Third-party GameCube games, with rare exceptions, are poor sellers. Of the top 100 sellers in the first half of 2003, according to NPD, the highest-rated third-party GC title is Rogue Squadron II, ranked 51st. And there are only four third-party GCN titles in the entire top 100.


Virtual Tennis (why no GC port?)

Because traditional-sports games REALLY don't sell on the GameCube.


Is it so much cheaper to produce a GBA game/port?

Yes.


Why don't they just port games like "Silent Scope" to GC (like they did with PS2)? NOOOOO,it's better making a GBA port and draw this game new with (harder to create)bitmap graphics!!

Actually, 2D bitmap graphics are considerably easier and cheaper to create than 3D graphics. There's a reason why graphic artists now outnumber programmers in the game-development field; it takes tons of talent to create detailed 3D imagery. By comparison, a couple of artists can bang out any number of 2D tilesets and sprites.

-- Z.

[Ze_ro]

the highest-rated third-party GC title is Rogue Squadron II, ranked 51st. And there are only four third-party GCN titles in the entire top 100.

So, Nintendo has released 96 titles that were better than pretty much everything else? I can't even name 96 Nintendo-made Gamecube games. Where is this information from?

--Zero

[Ze_ro]

the highest-rated third-party GC title is Rogue Squadron II, ranked 51st. And there are only four third-party GCN titles in the entire top 100.

So, Nintendo has released 96 titles that were better than pretty much everything else? I can't even name 96 Nintendo-made Gamecube games. Where is this information from?

--Zero

[Duncan]

...according to NPD...

...apparently. So who is that?

[Duncan]

...according to NPD...

...apparently. So who is that?

[zmweasel]

...according to NPD...

...apparently. So who is that?

A three-second Google search would've answered your question, but: NPD is the most reliable source of videogame sales figures in North America, cited as gospel by retailers and publishers alike. "Subscriptions" to the NPD database cost thousands of dollars a year, which no one would pay if the information wasn't accurate.

-- Z.

[zmweasel]

...according to NPD...

...apparently. So who is that?

A three-second Google search would've answered your question, but: NPD is the most reliable source of videogame sales figures in North America, cited as gospel by retailers and publishers alike. "Subscriptions" to the NPD database cost thousands of dollars a year, which no one would pay if the information wasn't accurate.

-- Z.

[zmweasel]

the highest-rated third-party GC title is Rogue Squadron II, ranked 51st. And there are only four third-party GCN titles in the entire top 100.

So, Nintendo has released 96 titles that were better than pretty much everything else? I can't even name 96 Nintendo-made Gamecube games. Where is this information from?

--Zero

See the above post for a brief description of NPD, and why only the most willfully ignorant fanboy would dispute its numbers.

As for the top 100, I was referring to the top 100 sellers for the first half of '03 across all home-console formats (PS2, Xbox, Cube).

-- Z.

[zmweasel]

the highest-rated third-party GC title is Rogue Squadron II, ranked 51st. And there are only four third-party GCN titles in the entire top 100.

So, Nintendo has released 96 titles that were better than pretty much everything else? I can't even name 96 Nintendo-made Gamecube games. Where is this information from?

--Zero

See the above post for a brief description of NPD, and why only the most willfully ignorant fanboy would dispute its numbers.

As for the top 100, I was referring to the top 100 sellers for the first half of '03 across all home-console formats (PS2, Xbox, Cube).

-- Z.

[SoulBlazer]

What if we take first party games into account, Zach? How would games like Zelda, Metroid, Eternal Darkness, Halo, and.....uh, I can't think of any major games that Sony themselves released this year for the PS2. LOL Anyway, how did they do? And what was nummber one for the first half of 2003? Let me guess....GTA 3. :roll:

[SoulBlazer]

What if we take first party games into account, Zach? How would games like Zelda, Metroid, Eternal Darkness, Halo, and.....uh, I can't think of any major games that Sony themselves released this year for the PS2. LOL Anyway, how did they do? And what was nummber one for the first half of 2003? Let me guess....GTA 3. :roll:

[zmweasel]

What if we take first party games into account, Zach? How would games like Zelda, Metroid, Eternal Darkness, Halo, and.....uh, I can't think of any major games that Sony themselves released this year for the PS2. LOL Anyway, how did they do? And what was nummber one for the first half of 2003? Let me guess....GTA 3. :roll:

I mentioned only third-party GC releases since they were the implied focus of the thread-launching question, but I'll gladly jack the thread with sales stats, since they're endlessly fascinating.

Of the top 100 games across all home platforms (GCN, Xbox, PS2) for the first half of '03:

* The highest-ranked GCN game is Super Smash Bros. Melee, at #10. SSBM is also currently the all-time best-selling GCN game in North America. God bless the U.S.A. and its insatiable thirst for violence!

* Other first-party Nintendo games on the top 100 include The Wind Waker (#23), Super Mario Sunshine (#28), Metroid Prime (#34), Luigi's Mansion (#35), Mario Party 4 (#47), Starfox Adventures (#74), Pikmin (#77), and Animal Crossing (#80).

* Counting both first- and third-party releases, GCN titles hold 13 spots, Xbox games hold 12 spots, and PS2 games hold 75 spots.

* PS2 games hold 8 of the top 10 spots, and 18 of the top 20.

* Grand Theft Auto III was the #2 game for the first half of 2003; Vice City was #1.

* Halo is the highest-rated first-party Xbox game (#5). Others include Project Gotham Racing (#40), NFL Fever 2002 (#67), Amped (#86), and Mech Assault (#100).

* The highest-ranked first-party PS2 game is Gran Turismo 3 (#3). Others include ATV Offroad Fury (#13), Jak and Daxter (#17), SOCOM (#18), ATV Offroad Fury 2 (#39), Twisted Metal: Black (#42), The Getaway (#44), Dark Cloud (#66), and Ratchet & Clank (#94).

-- Z.

[zmweasel]

What if we take first party games into account, Zach? How would games like Zelda, Metroid, Eternal Darkness, Halo, and.....uh, I can't think of any major games that Sony themselves released this year for the PS2. LOL Anyway, how did they do? And what was nummber one for the first half of 2003? Let me guess....GTA 3. :roll:

I mentioned only third-party GC releases since they were the implied focus of the thread-launching question, but I'll gladly jack the thread with sales stats, since they're endlessly fascinating.

Of the top 100 games across all home platforms (GCN, Xbox, PS2) for the first half of '03:

* The highest-ranked GCN game is Super Smash Bros. Melee, at #10. SSBM is also currently the all-time best-selling GCN game in North America. God bless the U.S.A. and its insatiable thirst for violence!

* Other first-party Nintendo games on the top 100 include The Wind Waker (#23), Super Mario Sunshine (#28), Metroid Prime (#34), Luigi's Mansion (#35), Mario Party 4 (#47), Starfox Adventures (#74), Pikmin (#77), and Animal Crossing (#80).

* Counting both first- and third-party releases, GCN titles hold 13 spots, Xbox games hold 12 spots, and PS2 games hold 75 spots.

* PS2 games hold 8 of the top 10 spots, and 18 of the top 20.

* Grand Theft Auto III was the #2 game for the first half of 2003; Vice City was #1.

* Halo is the highest-rated first-party Xbox game (#5). Others include Project Gotham Racing (#40), NFL Fever 2002 (#67), Amped (#86), and Mech Assault (#100).

* The highest-ranked first-party PS2 game is Gran Turismo 3 (#3). Others include ATV Offroad Fury (#13), Jak and Daxter (#17), SOCOM (#18), ATV Offroad Fury 2 (#39), Twisted Metal: Black (#42), The Getaway (#44), Dark Cloud (#66), and Ratchet & Clank (#94).

-- Z.

[Ze_ro]

As for the top 100, I was referring to the top 100 sellers for the first half of '03 across all home-console formats (PS2, Xbox, Cube).

Ah, that makes sense then... I thought you were talking about the top 100 Gamecube games or something.

So out of 12 Gamecube games on the list, 25% of them were third part... that's not quite as bad as I thought.

--Zero

[Ze_ro]

As for the top 100, I was referring to the top 100 sellers for the first half of '03 across all home-console formats (PS2, Xbox, Cube).

Ah, that makes sense then... I thought you were talking about the top 100 Gamecube games or something.

So out of 12 Gamecube games on the list, 25% of them were third part... that's not quite as bad as I thought.

--Zero

[WiseSalesman]

Zach: Would you get in trouble if you just posted the whole top 100? If not, will you do it? Please?

[zmweasel]

Zach: Would you get in trouble if you just posted the whole top 100? If not, will you do it? Please?

I would indeed get in trouble, but a little Google-ing will locate any number of naughty NPD sharers on website forums.

I've edited my earlier post, as I miscounted; it's 13 GCN titles in the top 100, not 12, with 4 of those 13 being third-party. (It's only 75 PS2 games in the top 100, not 76.)

-- Z.

[SoulBlazer]

Interesting stats. :-P

Kinda sorry to see that GTA holds both spots -- it's a fun pair of games, but yes, it does speak volumes for the game playing majority in this country. I thought that almost half of all game players were over the age of 25?

The NPD does'nt do PC games, do they? There's a number of other groups that report on those, however. Does anybody track handheld sales?

[zmweasel]

Interesting stats.

I *love* NPD. It's amazing and depressing to see what sells and what doesn't.


Kinda sorry to see that GTA holds both spots -- it's a fun pair of games, but yes, it does speak volumes for the game playing majority in this country. I thought that almost half of all game players were over the age of 25?

The industry-funded studies which claim a significant percentage of adult gamers and female gamers are a crock, as they generally include grandmas who play Windows Solitaire.


The NPD doesnt do PC games, do they? There's a number of other groups that report on those, however. Does anybody track handheld sales?

NPD tracks GBA sales, as well.

-- Z.

[SoulBlazer]

Well, I believe from my own personal experience that a large number of adults DO play both PC and console games, though I suspect the PC market is a big bigger.

They include GBA games sales? What's been the best selling GBA game? If I had to make a educated guess, I'd say it was one of the Mario re-makes.

[zmweasel]

Well, I believe from my own personal experience that a large number of adults DO play both PC and console games, though I suspect the PC market is a big bigger.

Oh, there are definitely more grown-ups in the PC world. Indisputably true.

I haven't encountered too much console/PC-gaming crossover, however; PC gamers, at least in game-reviewer circles, are very snobbish, whereas console gamers are jes' plain folks.


They include GBA games sales? What's been the best selling GBA game? If I had to make a educated guess, I'd say it was one of the Mario re-makes.

You are an educated man. Top ten GBA titles for October, in order:

Super Mario Bros. 3.: Mario Advance 4
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
Pokemon Pinball Ruby & Sapphire
Pokemon Ruby
Pokemon Sapphire
Donkey Kong Country
Kirby's Nightmare
Sonic Advance 2
Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide
Mega Man Zero 2

#1 through #7 are all Nintendo-published.

I can't believe anyone still wonders why Nintendo hasn't done a retro-collection. Why the hell would it, when it can instead sell each moldy-oldie as a $30 GBA cart?

-- Z.

[SoulBlazer]

Thanks for posting the October stats, Zach. Any chance you know what the OVERALL best selling GBA game has been?

PC gamers snobbish? Really? Well, myabe the young ones. :) I've played both PC and console games for years, though, and most of my friends do. I just feel that there are some games better done on a PC (strategy and FPS) and some games better done on a console (RPG). Sports are mixed -- I have the PC version of Madden 2004 but most of my other sports games are console.

And I don't see anything wrong with Nintendo taking their old games, updating them a little, and selling them again full price. If the public is willing to buy it, then it's a great move. Sega has bundled their games together (Sonic and Phantasy Star) cause they knew the games alone would not sell good enough as stand alones. Hey, the games are still popular -- SMB 3 was STILL the best selling video game in history. :) Nintendo just is getting better at learning what the costumer will pay for.

(Something Sony is learning about launching it's PSX in Japan......)

[zmweasel]

Thanks for posting the October stats, Zach. Any chance you know what the OVERALL best selling GBA game has been?

That, I don't know offhand, but I'll do some research and find out for ya.


PC gamers snobbish? Really? Well, myabe the young ones. :) I've played both PC and console games for years, though, and most of my friends do. I just feel that there are some games better done on a PC (strategy and FPS) and some games better done on a console (RPG). Sports are mixed -- I have the PC version of Madden 2004 but most of my other sports games are console.

Again, most of my experiences with PC gamers are those of the game-critic kind, but I've always sensed a general contempt. Not that, given the current sorry state of the PC gaming market, there's much to be contemptuous about.

I myself play many more console than PC games these days, as consoles are where the freelance moolah is at, but I played plenty of PC games in the olden days of the '80s -- probably because the C64 and Amiga were game consoles in computer disguise.


And I don't see anything wrong with Nintendo taking their old games, updating them a little, and selling them again full price.

Hey, I didn't say there was anything wrong with it, either! You tryin' to get the Nintendo fanboys mad at me? Heh. I think it's a testament to the greatness of Mario 3 et al that the GBA versions sell as well as they do.

-- Z.

[WiseSalesman]

I can't believe anyone still wonders why Nintendo hasn't done a retro-collection. Why the hell would it, when it can instead sell each moldy-oldie as a $30 GBA cart?

-- Z.

Believe me, I don't wonder at all. :D It's plain enough to see that they make mad money on their GBA remakes. But I still wish they'd make a GCN collection or two...there could be a bunch....one disc all zelda games (nes = n64), one all mario games (again, nes - n64), and I'd pay the full price of a new game for either.