TGS 2007: Final Thoughts on the Tokyo Game Show

So I just wanted to give a collection of random TGS thoughts that I had, but I gave myself one week to make sure that only the most memorable would make their way into my rant. Actually, I'm just lazy and my editor kept nagging me to do this.

The food court at TGS is crazy. As a foreigner, I would highly recommend making your way as far as possible away from the hall when you need a meal, as you will not fit in. At all. I walked by and looked at everything available, looked at the numerous "tables" (all packed), and the countless hordes of Japanese waiting around for their food to know that I needed to head out of the facility briefly for my eats. Even the McDonalds that was close to the facility had a line of about 200 waiting there. I opted for some Shabu Shabu (another experience in which I felt completely clueless and I either made a fool of myself or insulted the restaurant or both).

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TGS 2007: Has Sony finally figured it out?

Most readers of this site are aware of the PlayStation 3's lackluster sales so far. As of the end of August in the USA and Japan, Sony has sold 2.9 million of its latest generation console, compared to 6.7 million of its main rival Xbox 360s (which did have a one year head start) and 7.4 million units of the less powerful (and cheaper) Nintendo Wii. Many financial analysts and marketing firms, such as the Japanese company Enterbrain (the source for the preceding figures), believe that a price cut would help solidify the PS3's sales, and somewhat expected that announcement to come at the Tokyo Game Show.

Sadly, no such announcement was made. However, the recently appointed head of Sony's videogame division, Kazuo Hirai, did make another important announcement: Sony is re-committing itself to help third-party developers do whatever is necessary to make GOOD GAMES. We've seen in the past that it is the games that make the most difference in a consoles' sales performance. The previous incarnation of Microsoft's Xbox kept competitive because of a few key exclusive titles, most notably the Halo and Knights of the Old Republic series. The long run for Sony and the PS3 may depend on such titles.

Although the PS3 has been losing some exclusive titles to cross console availability (more often the Xbox 360 than the Wii), they still maintain several key franchises which have yet to cross the console gap on their initial release date, such as the Metal Gear Solid series, Final Fantasy XIII, Unreal Tournament 3, Star Ocean and etc. With Sony publicly re-committing itself to the third party developers, perhaps they will be able to retain the exclusive titles they still have, and perhaps add a franchise or two to the list.

In other business news, The Wall Street Journal recently reported that game review sites have become VERY important to developers. So much in fact that game makers such as Activision, Inc. and Take-Two Entertainment have made reviews part of their staff's bonuses!!! It's great to think that sites just like this one can have an effect in either recognizing great staffers or punishing those who fall short of mediocrity. Having recently played Halo 3 (yeah, I know only mere days before its release), I am recommending Bungie to give EVERYONE raises!

Information from the Wall Street Journal was used in this article.

Klemtime: Why I love the Nintendo DS

The portability. My DS goes with me everywhere. It fits simply in my pocket and is the always there for me…be it at the carwash waiting for my automobile to be cleaned...or the doctor's office, while waiting an hour after my appointment time for the rich bastard to show up…or even the bathroom, where magazines used to rule, but now I can waste that time with a more interactive form of entertainment. The DS is my best friend. It allows me to tolerate the various waiting rooms of the world, where I am not allowed to be productive in any other way other than gaining experience for my COs in Advance Wars: Dual Strike or unlocking new karts in Mario Kart DS or even fishing for rare catches in Animal Crossing: DS. The DS goes every where I go, and it keeps company well.

GameCube is for Kids? The Myth Dispelled

When you bring up Nintendo in a conversation, most are going to immediately think of one of three things: Mario, Zelda, or Donkey Kong. Some may scoff, "I don't need that kid stuff anymore, I've got Halo on my Xbox and GTA on my PS2. Why would I need some cartoon characters?" Well, Mr. Scoffer, I have the answer for you. The Nintendo GameCube has the CLEAR advantage in one important aspect of gaming for grown-ups: The drinking game.

Old School RPGing

Before limit breaks, materia, junctions and all that mess that the Final Fantasy series has given us, there used to be four options in most RPGs. Fight, run, spell, item. Dragon Quest (released as Dragon Warrior in the USA on the NES) was a pioneer in the console RPG genre. Dragon Quest also gave hope to the multitudes of children such as myself that loved video games, yet may not have had the eye hand coordination or dexterity required to beat the Contra 3s or Devil May Cry’s of the gaming world. Recently, SquareEnix has given me a time machine back to my childhood, in the form of Dragon Quest VIII, for the Playstation 2.