Out to Launch: The Controversy

[ShadowMarth]

So, 1up did a pretty good article on system launches. Pretty good, I agreed with most of it, however, some I didn't quite agree so much.

For the DS, they said the following:

Nintendo DS
Date: November 2004
The Lineup: Super Mario 64 DS, Feel the Magic, and a load of crap.

Our Take: The DS, on the other hand, is hardly the system one would have expected from its launch. The system's U.S. debut was a dull thud, with the one truly notable title being a port of Super Mario 64 with compromised control and jaggier graphics. (It also popularized the lamentable concept of "launch windows.") Chalk this up to the fact the developers only learned about the system's existence half a year before its debut. Fortunately for early adopters, the system has gone on to accumulate a killer lineup.

2 stars. Fine with me, the DS launch was indeed less than spectacular, in fact lkr has said to me replaying some of the launch games, it's almost like a different time in our lives for those that bought it in 04. However, my problem stems from their assessment of the PSP in comparison:

Sony PSP
Date: March 2005
The Lineup: Lumines, Ridge Racers, Wipeout Pure, Metal Gear Ac!d, Need for Speed Underground

Our Take: Sony knows the importance of a good launch, and the PSP was another demonstration of that fact. Its lineup was so impressive, in fact, that one suspects Sony played its cards a little too early -- PSP releases since the system's debut have been a bit thin on the ground. That should be resolved in time (we hope), but there's no denying that back in March we were blown away by the breadth and quality of the PSP's offerings.

4 stars (with "holy handhels" in brackets). Bull. The launches for NEITHER system were great, and that is widely recognized. I might have given PSP 3 stars, but four is just insane. Nonsensical even.

I also dislike thier assessment of the GC launch. 2 stars, and the only games they noted were Wave Race and Luigi's Mansion. Not the greatest fighter of all time, SSBM? Not Rogue Squadron or Pikmin? They were all in the launch window. Can't really condone giving the 360 a pre-emptive 4 stars either. Especially since the three games they cite are a shooter, while great, that has been out on PC for some time, another shooter with little real gameplay experience and from a developer that hasn't proven that they've still got it, though I expect Kameo should be a fine option.

http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager....=0&cId=3145578

You have to admit, though: The 360's launch is like a casual's dream (i.e, it's an EA-fest!).

Although, for the PSP, I'd personally give it 2 stars. Around here, at least, there wasn't much excitement for the PSP until around mid-to-late April. Not exactly a spectacular launch. Oh, and about the GameCube launch: they are just morons. What... the... fsck? HOW IN GOD'S NAME COULD THEY HAVE NOT PUT IN SUPER SMASH BROS. MELEE IN THAT LIST OF GAMES?!

1up can suck it for all I care.

1up does suck it, all the time

[Pilot_51]

DS sold millions in a short time, running out of stock everywhere, while PSP sold a few hundred thousand and probably met about the same "sold out" problem. It's clear in my view that Sony set it up to make PSP look popular, seeing that most of their customers aren't deep enough into the gaming business to pay attention to sales numbers and instead look at all the "sold out" signs.
True, DS had a weak lineup, and PSP had a stronger lineup, but that was just numbers. I think DS equaled about as much quality in the launch titles as PSP, at least that's what I understand from most PSP owners I personally know, that most PSP launch titles were crap and only a couple were quality titles.

There's no question about it, 1up is anti-Nintendo in one way or another, especially considering they compared only what PSP was a bit stronger at and called most of the DS lineup "a load of crap". I still have Asphalt, and I'll say it now, it's not crap, I like it enough to play through a second time and still enjoy it (not a lot of single player games have that much replay value for me), I give it about 7.5 which most of you should know is a decent rating.