Nintendo's news of selling Rareware to Microsoft made me laugh. That is, the first time. The rumours piled up. Many Rareware sites closed, saying "they know Rareware is good and gone". The next day, on Friday the 13th, all the rumours became real. Rare had been sold.
Nintendo's Bad Side
Nintendo has made a bad decision. Rareware has given Nintendo some of their greatest games, even though Nintendo says in the past years, Rareware has made up less than 10% of Nintendo's profits. So maybe it is all "money" in this business. Rareware appealed to older gamers, an appeal than Nintendo needed.
Rareware's Bad Side
Rareware is part of selling. Rareware likes to be "secretive" and joke with their customers and taunt them in their site's mailbag, Scribes. That's o.k., as long as you make games. All of their games had mysterious unexplainable things, such as in Banjo-Tooie, Grunty claimed she'll get her revenge in Banjo-Threeie. But, to be a fan of a company, the company must make games. Rareware hasn't made a lot of games in 2001 and 2002. But I'm sure Star Fox will be great and everything, but Rareware must make other games too. When back on the N64, Rareware's job was to "fill in the gaps" between great Nintendo titles. And they sure did a good job. But on the GCN, Nintendo has a promising lineup till the end of 2003. Nintendo says that "their need for Rareware has depleted" since Rare wasn't making any games.
In conclusion, Rareware will always be a special memory in the game company. Goldeneye, Banjo-Kazooie, Jet Force Jemini, Perfect Dark, Diddy Kong Racing, Donkey Kong 64, Conker's Bad Fur Day, Banjo-Tooie, Blast Corps, and Killer Instinct. All great. |
