DOLPHIN
GAMESDOLPHIN
GAMES
Gamespot today found out what Konami's secret Dolphin project is. Often rumored to be a new Castlevania game - a Castlevania title this is not. Instead, it is an odd combination of a
strategy-sim and a dancing game called Shinjuku Happy Jumpers.
As the first installment in Konami's new Bemani subdivision, Jumani, Shinjuku Happy Jumpers puts you in the dual role of stock-market manager/rescue-squad psychologist. It's your
duty to manage the stock market to the rhythm of Caribbean calypso music and keep investors' spirits high. If you do a good job, you make more money, unlocking an additional day on
the stock exchange as a reward for your efforts. If you start to do badly, investors will start jumping out of windows, in which case you must make up for your poor showing at the stock
market by talking the suicidal investors off the ledge.
Via an onscreen "emotion guide," you can see how well you're doing. If you're doing badly, the meter will turn red (from it's neutral yellow), and the crowd gathered around the base of the
building will begin to chant, "TO-BE, TO-BE!" which is the Japanese word for jump. Apparently the Japanese encourage this sort of thing. If you're doing well, your meter will be green,
and the crowd will chant "I-KI-RU, I-KI-RU!" which is the Japanese term for "live" (as in "live another day, jerk!").
Shinjuku Happy Jumpers will apparently look something like Space Channel 5 in concept, with high-resolution FMV spooling off the DVD, while polygonal characters roam about the
environments. As with all things Dolphin at this moment, we can't show you any screens, but as soon as we get some official details from Konami CET, we'll be sure to let you know.
Source: Gamespot
Super Mario 2000
"And I absolutely don't want it to be an adult game, but I don't either want
people to be ashamed of playing it."
- Shigeru Miyamoto
For two decades now, the Super Mario gaming series has captured the
imagination of many game players. It has been four years now since we
have seen Mario and his friends take on his arch nemesis Bowser, the
King of Koopa's, but soon, Nintendo will once again call upon the talents
of their plump little plumber.
As any of the past Nintendo platforms, Nintendo and EAD are readying
up Super Mario one more time to showcase their next-generation
gaming console code-named Dolphin. It's Mario's responsibility as a
company mascot to take on whatever they system can handle for its
debut. However, this time around, things will be different with the new
Super Mario title, as not only the plot of the game will be different, but
the style of the game as well.
"Lately Mario has been too cutesy in his appearance," says Mario
creator Shigeru Miyamoto. Anyone that has been keeping up with
Sony's Crash Bandicoot can agree that the plumber is a little too
childish for this age. This is why Miyamoto and his development team
are going to take things a little more unique this time around. Miyamoto
was also quick to add that it will be only a "one time thing" unless it
goes over well with the consumers. So, what can we expect to see
changed different about Mario in the Dolphin game? "For example, right
now, Mario always does the V (Victory) sign with his fingers. I think
that's a little too childish now. For the Dolphin version, I'd like to
replace the V sign with an entirely new pose." Along with the new pose,
you can also expect a new attitude for Mario as well. Don't expect the
plumber to run around and swear like a drunken sailor though. He will
maintain his image as a highly respectable mascot during the game.
Just as you, we want to know what the plot of the game will be and who
will take place in the future epic. Unfortunately, Miyamoto, the
development team and Nintendo all together are keeping their lips
sealed. However, we do know that a certain sidekick will be making his
first full three-dimensional appearance in a Mario adventure game. Yes,
we are talking about Mario's brother, Luigi. For those of you who do not
know, Luigi was meant to also have a role in Super Mario 64, which
showcased the Nintendo 64 in 1996. He was taken out because there
just wasn't enough time to include him and the limitations of the
cartridge memory didn't help any. Right now, Luigi even has a larger
role than Mario does in the game, with more abilities and more game
play options. "If an onlooker were to see the game in our development
room, he'd probably think that Luigi is the main character."
I would also like to add that the game might even take a different role
during marketing. As you know with the Sega Dreamcast launch last
September 9, 1999, Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega's mascot) was not the
key game to be marketed. It was in fact Namco's Soul Calibur that
actually racked in most the cash. Not to say that Sonic Adventure was
not an bad game at all, just not as anticipated. This may be the same
for Dolphin. As an in-house title, Nintendo will surely use the game to
showcase the hardware capabilities, but there may be even more
anticipated games ahead of the Mario Dolphin title.
What I want:
The above area was given as fact of the game and speculation, now I
would like to place what could possibly be featured in the game as far
as characters, plot and game play options.
The graphics in Super Mario 64 were great for its time. We can all
expect a major update visually, but unfortunately, there are no
screenshots of the actual game to compare the two games. Great
lighting effects, water transparencies, explosions and any other effects
could put the icing on the cake.
As far as plot goes, there is not much I can go off of. However, I would
not like to see the returning of the "Power Stars" at all. An update of the
old plot would not go over well. Who would like to play the same game,
just with ten times the amount of stars to collect? I would not mind
Bowser returning and even the whole "kidnap the princess" bit, because
it's just classic in Mario games. They should elaborate on it more
though.
More power-ups are also needed this time around. Super Mario 64
didn't even feature the highly used "Flower Power" which would have
been a great addition to the game play. Remember the character suits
in Super Mario Bros. 3 for the NES? The return of the Hammer Bros.
Suits and the Frog suits would fit the game nicely. Overall, we can
expect that there will be a flying ability in the game, and maybe the
return of the Star Power as well, which gives invincibly as the Metal
power did used in Mario 64.
The return of Luigi is already a given, which would be my largest
request. Also the ability to ride around on Yoshi this time would be
great after Nintendo teased us with him in Super Mario 64. We expect
the Princess and Toad to return and even Bowser. Old enemies that
didn't make it into the 64-bit version such as the Koopa Para-Troopa's,
Hammer Brothers and more could also make appearances.
When it comes down to game play options, there is so much Nintendo
can do. They certainly are the "King of Innovation," and they will more
than likely find a unique way to play the game. Connectivity with their
next-generation portable, the Game Boy Advance, is also not out of the
question. Maybe a two play cooperative adventure mode, a battle arena
and more options could give to the replay value of the game.
Last but not least, we have the sound and music options. Dolphin will be
equipped with the MusyX sound tools, which are the best of its kind for
sound development on consoles. We will see some greatly composed
music for the title and the wonderful sound effects returning. Will Mario
have a voice or be limited as in Super Mario 64? Well, I would say he
would return with the limited, but non-overly used quotes as in the
previous games. Maybe new sayings will pop up from time to time.
We can all conclude that Mario will be a quality title and one to get at
release. Until there is more on the game itself, this is all the information
that has been available to the public. Expect more to be released within
the coming months.
-by Anthony Fitzwater