Sega Sports Drops Nintendo

I remember this from a few months ago, though I couldn't remember if it was Sega or EA. I think at they were "contemplating" it at that point. I know you warned me not to read to much into Elysium, but I'm going to anyways.

I bought the N64. "Fun Machine" my eye! It was like being a Mac owner watching all the games come out for PSX, and me waving around my copy of Mario Kart or Zelda. Nintendo exclusives make all the months of skimply new release lists and defending "teh kiddie box" worthwhile. Who needed a new Square or Square-ish RPG every few weeks when I had Banjo Kazooie? I remained a Nintendo fan, amassing quite a collection of N products...4 controllers, 2 rumble paks, the extended RAM, and an extensive library of...dare I dredge up old controversy...catridges.

Out of Sony's technowomb and into your stores for a record-breaking 3 bills came the PS2. Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to process old man face polygons and some weird wiggly feather structures according to their tech demo, it sold out, repeatedly. The PS2 flew out of stores despite only having Fantavision for the first 9 months or so. I wasn't going to be suckered into buying this! Nintendo has already issued vague press releases and at least on sketch on the back of a napkin about their new system coming right around the corner. Microsoft said they were going to be making something, but nobody was really paying attention to them. I think people thought it might just be a new version of Monopoly where you buy up segments of computer related markets instead of properties.

I played some Perfect Dark and tried to convince myself and some others that Nintendo was growing up. "Well, yeah....some of the aliens are kinda' cute and funny, but those others! Now those are scary, right!? Adult scary! Not kiddie scary!" Everyone else was emptying their wallets and playing their hearts out on some technologically mighty impressive stuff.

Eventually my little purple pal showed up at my doorstep. I saved myself SO much money just being patient. Sure I could have been gaming all this time for only another $100, and I probably could have still sold it on ebay for close to retail, but I didn't care anymore...I had my Gamecube...and, boy, does it look cute...I mean powerful! I also had a glut of exclusives right off the bat. I had Luigi Vacuums, Rogue (not Rouge people!) Leader, and Wave Race. You can't get any more mass appeal than Star Wars, right?! Those gamers will be flocking to the Cube any minute when they realize the N stands for "Not just for kids".

You guys all know the story. I'm back in the exact same boat I was in with the N64. I've got 4 controllers, one of them is cordless. I have a broadband adapter. I've got a rack of games. I still love the exclusives, but Nintendo is not making any leaps toward winning over the older (I prefer mature) gamer. Pikmin were cute enough to eat. Zelda looks like an escaped Pokemon. The Square project stars little people or kids who apparently went through puberty way too early. Mario was....man that game is just weird! Metroid is not going to cause legions of PS2 and XBox owners to convert. It's just going to cause them to go visit their little cousins and play it there.

Now Sega is looking at both of us who purchased a sports game for the Cube and slipping quietly out the door. I don't blame them. We clearly only want more shiny bouncy things. Sonic is a cutie pie. Give us Sonic! I'm a little embarrassed for believing the revolution was coming at the next release. I can almost imagine that before long someone will come over to my house and see my Gamecube and say, "Wait. You don't have kids."

Just before the SuperBowl started, I was at my buddy's house, my Gamecube in the middle of the floor, playing 4 player NBA2K3 in progressive mode (thanks to component cables) on a 50 inch widescreen, with 3 other guys even older than me. I now realize I should have taken a picture.

Yeah, I love my Gamecube. I've got Zelda preordered, and I'll play through the free Ocarina of Time again, even though I finished it on the 64. I'll still buy plenty of games. Ikaruga is coming soon. 1080 White Storm looks like it's got a release date. And who knows what weirdness Mario 128 will unleash upon us? These are easy decisions. But one hard decision remains. Which should I buy for my second console, PS2 or XBox?

Yeah. I feel much better now. Thanks guys.

Despite what the Xbot on EA think I'm not a Nintendo fanboy. I just really enjoy their games.