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First Nintendo IQue Reviews

Major Payne writes "I have found two reviews for the exclusively in china released Nintendo IQue Player which is capable of emulating Nintendo64 as well as SNES Games hardwarewise. English one is located over at Dextrose.com and is a bit more technically advanced than the German one. Both reviews are very detailed though and interesting to read. I also think those two are the world first reviews for this new hardware and there is also some interesting leads on how to hack the device to make it even more interesting to the rest of the world."

261 comments

  1. How about NES games as well? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    For the ultimate cartridge-based nintendo system, with the ability to play any nintendo game from the n64 to the original NES. That would be sweet.

    1. Re:How about NES games as well? by Thedalek · · Score: 1

      Or, you could create a handheld system with a control system which could handle everything from NES to N64, load it with the right processors or some reliable emulators, a 30-40gb hard drive filled with all the ROMs, and then you can have a system which handles every pre-GameCube Nintendo system. Of course, it would be about the size of a brick...

      Honestly, I'm surprised such a thing hasn't already been created in the black-market back alleys of Hong Kong, what with all the clone systems out there.

      --
      Happiness is relative, Based upon the way we live.
    2. Re:How about NES games as well? by tepples · · Score: 1

      Or, you could create a handheld system with a control system which could handle everything from NES to N64, load it with the right processors or some reliable emulators, a 30-40gb hard drive filled with all the ROMs, and then you can have a system which handles every pre-GameCube Nintendo system.

      Is the Virtual Boy properly emulated yet? Of course, the system would have to show only the left eye's view because VR goggles are rare. Besides, games are still being released for one of Nintendo's pre-GCN systems (the GBA), in both homebrew and commercial scenes.

      Of course, it would be about the size of a brick...

      Then keep the storage in a second device connected to the handheld unit via FireWire.

    3. Re:How about NES games as well? by slusich · · Score: 1

      They do make such a device. I forget the name of it, but it plugs into the top of an N64, and allows you to play NES, Famicom, SNES, Super Famicom, N64 and JP N64 games all on the same unit. Seems like lik-sang used to carry this, but I'm far too lazy to go look up the link.

    4. Re:How about NES games as well? by curtisk · · Score: 1
      Is the Virtual Boy properly emulated yet?

      Properly? Thats relative... Fully, not as of yet....but its getting there

      Click Emulation/Programming link on left

      --

      Sehr geehrter Toilettenbenutzer!

  2. Ugh. Nice idea but... by Amiga+Lover · · Score: 5, Insightful

    That thing looks horrible. It's very cool keeping old tech alive for so many reasons. The games were good, the price can be good now, 10 years later, and it's VERY good to have newer geeks see what was possible on limited hardware

    But damn, for a device that's going to sell in the millions, getting the design right first go doesn't cost any extra afterwards.

    Games may have a reputation of being just "kids toys" but they don't have to look like a fisher price gadget

    1. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by Guppy06 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "That thing looks horrible."

      You're not supposed to look at it, you're supposed to hold it and watch the TV. So long as it's comfortable to hold in your hands, why do looks matter?

    2. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Anyone who believes that aesthetics only have a place on a wall probably own a wide and diverse range of black t-shirts.

    3. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by TruelyGeeked · · Score: 3, Informative

      A new Nintendo System?
      When Nintendo announced a lowcost-videogamesystem for China in September 2003 freaks from all over the world wondered what type of hardware they planned to release. The very first rumours expected sort of a 'GameCube Light' but on TGS 2003, a few weeks later, Nintendo stated that they will release a system to distribute localized classic SNES and N64-Games in China on 21st November 2003.
      The Name of that videogamesystem is 'IQue Player' (roughly translated: God's Toy)
      Nintendo's strategy is quiete simple, they want to sell lowcost hardware and cheap games to the chinese whose economy is going very well over the last years. More and more chinese people earn good money and want to spend it, still, they dont earn as much as the usal worker in western countries. Thats why the idea is to sell a affordable hardware and classic games. The Games can be transfered to an IQue flashcart in a lot of stores in the big cities in China where they only cost around $6 per download. By using a digitally signature they lock a flashcart to the bought unit. That fact, together with the ridiciolous low prices on the game downloads is Nintendo's strategy to prevent people copying the games. If you think about it, its a good idea to offer games for download at only 10% of the usal price. Its about to be prooved though, that this distribution channel is being accepted by the chinese people.
      We ordered the System from import gamers first choice store, Lik-Sang.com. They sell two versions of the system which differ in the content on the bundled flashcart. In the Bundle priced $99 you would receive the full games Dr. Mario and Mario64 as well as 3 trial editions of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Wave Race and Starfox64. Bundle #2 costs $199 and features the full versions of all 5 games. The games are the good old Nintendo64-Versions but in chinese language.
      Why would this IQue Player be of interest to western gamers?
      IQue combines some very neat features on a very small space. Actually the complete system is integrated in the controller unit, this means. there is the reader for the bundled 64Mbit-flashcart, a multi I/O-port for video/audio and a USB-connector, probably supposed for linking-capability. All you have to do, is to connect the device directly to the TV-Set. Technically its an advanced Nintendo64-System which is capable to hardware-emulate SNES-Games too. However, don't cheer too early. Before we can call this a portable V64/SWC with integrated N64/SNES there is going to be some hacking required by someone.
      Let's take a look first at everything and speculate afterwards about possibilities some people might already thought about including a few starting points.
      When ordering at Lik-Sang.com, you get a package with the following:
      - IQue Player
      - 64Mbit Flashcart with the pre-stored games (differs depending on the type of bundle you have chosen).
      - Power Supply
      - chinese instruction manual
      (we have a scanned version of that manual on Dextrose)
      - one AV/Sound-cable (incl a neat power supply connector)
      - four scratchcards you would use to download new games in china
      Funny thing is, that the controller pretty much looks like a Dreamcast-controller rather than a N64-controller. One also notices that the former Z-Trigger has moved from the bottom of a N64-Controller to lower left side of the IQue Player beneath the shoulder button. The flashcart is being inserted in the slot at the frontside of the IQue while the AV/Sound-Cable is being connected to the backside where it doesnt disturb the gaming experience at all. Above the Multi I/O-Connector there is small USB-Connector. The rest of the button layout has been transfered from the N64 and extended by a on/off-button which is also being used to reset games and exit to the main menu of the IQue Player.
      After connecting the IQue to the TV-Set, you will notice that all menus are in (simplified) chinese language. Its not a big problem though, since there are only two menu options. First one leads to th

    4. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      The same with anything

      You're supposed to drive a car
      You're supposed to seek shelter in a dwelling
      You're supposed to listen to speakers
      You're suppored to wear your clothes
      You're supposed to fuck your partner

      Hope you never EVER consider what any of those look like, else you're a hypocrite.

    5. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by greygent · · Score: 4, Interesting

      It probably looks nice to the Chinese. Nintendo has a good habit of developing different case designs for specific markets.

      For example, the Japanese version of the NES was a rounded, shiny cherry red case. The US version was a more conservative boxy gray.

      The Japanese version of the SNES was an ugly... well can't even describe it. I owned one and didn't like the shape at all. The American version was much more appealing to me (an American).

    6. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't care what any of those first four look like. The last one doesn't really belong there anyway, since partners aren't just sex toys anyway.

    7. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Selling a product that doesn't look like a cheap piece of shit might entail some economic benfit to the seller.

    8. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They are if you make 'em. Don't think it doesn't go both ways.

    9. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by carpe_noctem · · Score: 4, Funny

      You're not supposed to look at it, you're supposed to hold it... So long as it's comfortable to hold in your hands, why do looks matter?

      That's not the first time I've heard THAT this weekend!

      --
      "Quoting famous computer scientists out of context is the root of all evil (or at least most of it) in programming." - K
    10. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by Wolfier · · Score: 3, Interesting

      That's the thing. When I saw the US version of the SNES I went "WTF is this ugly box".

      To me the Japanese design of the SNES box is way more aesthetical.

    11. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by Guppy06 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      "Hope you never EVER consider what any of those look like,"

      Oh, quit bitching and go back to playing with your Ngage already (you know, the system for people who don't want to look like they're playing kiddie games).

    12. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by nervous_twitch · · Score: 2, Insightful
      But damn, for a device that's going to sell in the millions, getting the design right first go doesn't cost any extra afterwards.

      Think of how long it was before Nintendo made a Game Boy System with a lighted screen. :P

      --
      Trees everywhere, and not a forest in sight.
    13. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by cfuse · · Score: 2, Funny
      It probably looks nice to the Chinese. Nintendo has a good habit of developing different case designs for specific markets.

      How 'bout a red star?

    14. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by line.at.infinity · · Score: 1

      The Japanese NES also had microphone on the controllers.

      On the contrary, I thought the US version of SNES was uglier... more boxy, and purple.

    15. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      There's person in this world who prefers the look of the US SNES? OH MY!! I do not believe it.

      The Japanese Super Famicom and European Super Nintendo are far more aesthetically pleasing.

      However, the US SNES has one advantage over the Japanese/European versions - the plastics stay grey! Quite a lot of SFC's and EU SNES consoles are turning yellow with age..

    16. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by WoTG · · Score: 1

      Don't forget, it's also a lot of circuits to put in the controller! Sure, the technology has improved a lot from the orignal N64, but it's still not easy to squeeze it all into that little space - looking at the photo of the circuit board proves that. So, at least part of the "bad design" (which doesn't look too bad to me) is probably due to space constraints.

    17. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by Black+Hitler · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I've heard rumors Nintendo used a "boxy" shape for the U.S. version of the SNES/Super Famicom (instead of the rounded Japanese/European versions) because they figured players would set drinks on top of it. Supposedly they were worried that folks in the litigation-happy U.S. would accidentally spill their drinks and sue Nintendo for it; by making the system box-shaped they could claim they had already done everything they could to prevent spills and thus inoculate themselves from lawsuits. That's what I've heard, anyway -- it sounds too ridiculous to be true if you ask me.

    18. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by Guppy06 · · Score: 1, Interesting

      "There's person in this world who prefers the look of the US SNES? OH MY!! I do not believe it."

      Personally, I liked the way the power switch and reset button worked, but the eject lever gets tired after a while.

      "US SNES has one advantage over the Japanese/European versions - the plastics stay grey! "

      Nope, ours discolor as well. They start out as white with a blueish hue and turn into something... well, about the same color as your typical Super Famicom (a beige/gray kind of color). But the really strange thing is that the different pieces discolor differently; the bottom half of mine is discolored while the top half is fine, and I've also seen ones where the cartridge door is the only part the original color. I'm still not sure how that happens.

    19. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by orthancstone · · Score: 1

      The thing looks like a combo between a Dreamcast controller and a Xbox controller...not too bad I'd say.

    20. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You mean, "aesthetically pleasing."

      I agree. The Japanese Super Famicom lookS like an updated gray Famicom. Very cool, with the multi-colored logo and controller buttons. The power switch and the eject and reset buttons look cool in a consumer electronics kind of way.

      The American SNES looks like a garish, squarish, purple toy. I'm used to the design now, but I thought it was so ugly compared to the Super Fami.

    21. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      "Think of how long it was before Nintendo made a Game Boy System with a lighted screen. :P"

      Yeah, the GameBoy Light came out in what, 1998? Not great time-wise, but still long before the GBA hit and rocketed handheld gaming through the roof.

      Maybe you're talking about the GBA SP, in which case Nintendo waited just long enough for WLED technology (for front/side-lighting) to become cost effective WRT manufacturing costs, battery life, and gaming performance.

      Backlit color LCDs are still expensive, still eat away at battery life, are still relatively poor displays for fast sprite movement, and definitely look worse in the sunlight than an unlit color LCD (which what a GBA SP screen is, when you turn the light off - a feature that is itself unavailable with backlit LCDs).

    22. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sure, but that description takes away from what it is truly derived from.

      It is an N64 controller, with the center handle removed and both interfaces from that handle (analog stick and z button) shifted to the left side of the controller. Then, the analog stick and the d-pad are swapped. That's it.

    23. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      You probably read the Nintendo Power interview which described why the top of the cartridge slot was curved. The reason you state is mentioned as the exact reason why they curved it.

      That same interview detailed why the SNES controller has two concave buttons along the thumb's tip and two convex buttons under the rest of the thumb: instant blind thumb positioning. Great idea, something I thought was a definite improvement over the orignal Super Fami controller's design.

    24. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I am the same AC as the direct parent to this post.

      I should note that it was due to the flat-topped nature of the NES that they did this, not any design issues with the Super Famicom (which is already fairly curved on the top). The overall design change from the Super Fami was purely for marketing reasons, but this one consideration in the re-design was for usability and safety reasons given experience with the NES.

      Also, it should be noted that I sometimes miss concave buttons, but other systems use different means of instantly identifying buttons blindly, mainly handle grips (like on the N64 and Playstation) that line your hand up with the buttons and provide a point of reference for your hand to gauge thumb position. The Dreamcast controller also has irritating button nubs. The N64 and GameCube use different button sizes. So forth.

    25. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by NonSequor · · Score: 1

      Yeah, like the way that they changed the buttons on the controllers from being labelled right to left to being labelled left to right.

      Oh wait.

      (Using one of the few canned jokes I don't totally hate)(I feel like David Spade)

      --
      My only political goal is to see to it that no political party achieves its goals.
    26. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by WWWWolf · · Score: 1
      The Japanese version of the SNES was an ugly... well can't even describe it. I owned one and didn't like the shape at all. The American version was much more appealing to me (an American).

      Phooey. I'm happy they released the Japanese design in Europe. The American SNES was just plain ugly. (Did it really have icky blue/purplish buttons? Ewwwwww!)

      But contrarivise, I thought Famicom was really ugly and NES was a decent-looking thing (not perfect, perhaps a bit dull and uninspired, but it worked).

    27. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you don't care about the first four, then you're nothing more than an ugly uber-dork loser. And if your partner is 'more than sex and looks', then he/she/it (if there even is one) is more than likely a perfectly fugly match for you.

    28. Re:Ugh. Nice idea but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      God's toy, eh? That's what the ladies call my johnson.

  3. Nintendo's Winning Strategy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    With ideas like this, Nintendo's shaky position in the console game world will be strengthened. Look for them to follow this up with a version that places Original 8-Bit Nintendo games, which is just what the gaming world is clamoring for.

    Saving up for a PSX? Forget it. Nintendo is the future of the gaming world.

    1. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by Troed · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Nintendo's shaky position in the console game

      Nintendo's position in the console game is extremely strong. They're collecting heaploads of money on the GBA and on games for the GC.

    2. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by Troed · · Score: 5, Informative

      1) Nintendo has sold more Gamecubes than Microsoft has sold Xboxes. Official numbers are available from Nintendo and Microsoft.

      2) The top selling games for the GC are outselling the top selling games for Xbox. There's nothing to do about PS2 and GBA.

      3) Several multiplatform games sold better on the Gamecube than other consoles, and for a hard core gamer there are several exclusive non-Nintendo titles not found on Xbox or PS2.

      4) In Europe, the average buyer of a Gamecube at launch was 23 years old. Mature games like Resident Evil sold above Capcom's expectations.

      I can back up everything above, it's easier if you just admit to being clueless and posted what you _thought_ was true.

    3. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by someguy456 · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Yes, but that's Nintendo's *only* source of income. Unless they have a Plan B somewhere in headquarters, they are hanging by a thread.

      Consider Sony. The PS2 is only a fraction of their assets. They also have other electronics (dvd, tv, discmans), optical drives, music and movie studios, and even little robot dogs!

      Consider Microsoft. Enough said about Microsoft.

      What else does Nintendo have?

    4. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by Troed · · Score: 5, Informative

      The games-part of Sony is about just the only one supplying them with money. Nintendo has 8 billion dollars in the bank and have a positive cashflow. Their first ever loss was due to the weak dollar - since that's now adjusted for they'll keep on making money.

      Hanging by a thread? Really - why post when you don't know what you're talking about. Guess why they were voted one of Japan's most successful companies ever ... ?

      Now consider Microsoft - losing money on the Xbox, only making money on Office and Windows. If there's any one company of these three that's going to stop making consoles it's Microsoft.

    5. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by NanoGator · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "Yes, but that's Nintendo's *only* source of income. Unless they have a Plan B somewhere in headquarters, they are hanging by a thread."

      When did this myth that Nintendo is dying start to proliferate out there? Is it because Nintendo's not in the lead anymore? If so, why's it so difficult to believe that you can be quite successful even though you don't have your game machine in every household?

      Nintendo is making money hand over fist. They're surviving quite nicely. Are they vulnerable? Sure. If thye fail to keep innovating, they'll be forgotten. I've got news for you, though: Sony and Microsoft are in the same boat. They're completely vulnerable to anybody who comes along with whizzbang hardware. Niether company makes their own games, and has NOTHING to maintain brand loyalty. The closest thing they have is the backwards compatbiliity.

      --
      "Derp de derp."
    6. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And a note on number one... although no official numbers are available, the majority of Nintendo's sales are at a lower loss per system than Microsoft's sales of X-Box.

    7. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by zumbojo · · Score: 0, Troll

      Yes, the average buyer of a Gamecube was over 23 years old. Just think of the hundreds of thousands of 45 year old parents buying Gamecubes for their 9 year old sons and daughters. Gamecube is, in my opinion as a techie and a gamer, a crappier console (games considered). Nintendo's only salvation in current generation consoles is the younger user market (and I GAH-RON-TEE that the average user is much younger than 23) which is drawn to more simplistic, cartoonish games.

    8. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Nintendo already has a product which plays NES games, which is to say the e-Reader accessory for the GBA. I wouldn't be surprised if when nintendo brings out their next handheld in the US, they bring out the GBA in their secondary (tertiary?) markets.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    9. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by irritating+environme · · Score: 3, Insightful

      PS2 is a fraction of their assets? Maybe in accounting land, but in the heydey of the PSone, the profits from that division were solely responsible for the profitability of the entire company.

      I haven't seen things on PS2, but I imagine it is on the same scale.

      --


      Hey, I'm just your average shit and piss factory.
    10. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by Maul · · Score: 1

      Exactly. Most console sales does not equal most profit.

      IIRC, At launch the GC lost the least money per console when compared to the PS2 or XBox, plus Nintendo has a lot of loyalty in their first party games. A true Nintendo fan is likely to buy many of the big first party games Nintendo releases.

      This isn't even putting the GBA into the picture, nor is it putting into accont that Nintendo does have some other ventures besides simply games. I wonder how much they've made off of the Pokemon TV shows, movies, and related merchandise?

      --

      "You spoony bard!" -Tellah

    11. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      " Gamecube is, in my opinion as a techie and a gamer, a crappier console (games considered)"

      Dude,

      You're such a tool. From a capability standpoint, there is no substantive difference between GC, PS2, or XBox. Only people who are "fanboys" seem to think one system is better than another.

      Plus, if you like Mario/Zelda/Wario and the other exclusive Nintendo characters, then you buy a GC. Nintendo makes money on the console, the games, everything Pokemon, and all that merchandising from their exclusive stable of characters.

      I think you completely misunderstand the dynamics of the video game market.

    12. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by 1iar_parad0x · · Score: 1

      I've always thought Nintendo's games were creative. Mario and Zelda 64 were classics. I'm not a stock holder in a video game company, so to be honest I don't keep up with the cashflow of big 3. However, I can tell you that in a world of overly violent and sexual video games, Nintendo offers a welcome alternative. Of course most of this is due to Shigeru Miyamoto. He's perhaps one of the most creative game designers in the business. If more games were designed by people like him, I believe gaming would become as mainstream as most game developers pretend that it is.

      --
      What do you mean my sig is repetitive? What do you mean my sig is repetitive? What do you mean....
    13. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      I shouldn't worry... so far as I can tell Nintendo is only dying in the BSD sense so far. ;)

    14. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by anonymous+loser · · Score: 1
      Niether company makes their own games, and has NOTHING to maintain brand loyalty.

      Since when did Microsoft stop making games? They've been publishing games made in-house (by subsidiaries) and through developer agreements for a very long time. Halo, for example, was made by Bungie, who was conveniently purchased by MS before the release of the X-Box. Of course, you don't want to bring that up with the Mac crowd because they're still pretty bitter over that whole fiasco.

    15. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful
      Look for them to follow this up with a version that places Original 8-Bit Nintendo games, which is just what the gaming world is clamoring for.
      *ahem*... 'scuse me, but it does play 8-bit games in emulation. It ships with a number of them, including Dr Mario according to one of the reviews. A game's playability is not necessarily a consequence of using the latest technology or the flashiest graphics - the 8-bit Zelda games are a good example of this IMO, as was Solstice. And exactly how flashy a machine do you need for the puzzle-type games? (Bubble Bobble, anyone?) It seems to me that Nintendo have hit upon computing and gaming's dirty little secret, and have decided to cash in on it - that what we had a decade ago is good enough for most puposes, and can be built quite cheaply. Working on a similar analogy, how long will it be before someone realises that there could be a significant market for a fast 486 with 64Mb RAM, a flashcard reader, a really whiz-bang embedded video controller and USB in the sub-$100USD price range? Build in a modem, and let it display on either a TV or a VGA monitor and you've got a really neat device for the Chinese, Indian and African markets. Hell, I'd even consider one for my three year old.
    16. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As has been shown in every head to head comparison in the history of the three consoles, Gamecube is, technology wise, a mile ahead of the PS2 in terms of everything. The Xbox beats the gamecube in the same comparisons, but not by an extraordinary amount (except in controller land where the GC controller sucks). I'd also like to point out that in the past month, I've had 10 friends (in the 21 - 30 age bracket) purchase gamecubes for themselves. None of them are parents. Just some fun facts.

    17. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by jr87 · · Score: 1

      yes but the game division is the only thing in Sony makeing money. Sony overall is in a bit of trouble because the game industry is all that is propping them up. (not saying they are a bad company just financially thin ice) Nintendo could go back to their old market, the trading card buisness :-P

    18. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by brandorf · · Score: 1

      Nintendo's "Plan B" is probbably Pokemon. From my stint in retail, I've seen that line of toys fly off the shelves, and we would sell more copies of the gameboy games that probbably all the other gameboy games put together.

      --


      Bork Bork Bork!!
    19. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You can get Halo on the PC and what not (albiet 6-8 months late) but you will NEVER play zelda unless you own Nintendo made hardware

    20. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by stanmann · · Score: 1

      Or download zsnes

      --
      Food not Bombs is a nice platitude but it breaks down when you notice that the Bombees are usually well fed
    21. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by anonymous+loser · · Score: 1

      Wanna bet? Fly any Singapore Airlines international flight. They have a SNES/GB emulator built into every seat's console. And yes, they have Zelda.

      Of course thats beside the fact that your post had nothing to do with the rest of the conversation.

    22. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by marfpilf · · Score: 1

      When will Nintendo EVER be forgotten? They are the pioneer of the home console. If they fail to keep innovating they will lose market share, that is just economics.

    23. Re:Nintendo's Winning Strategy by NanoGator · · Score: 1

      Man... Atari popped into mind when ya said that.

      --
      "Derp de derp."
  4. Emulation for 7000 games.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Somewhat off topic but, I was recently in the mall with a friend when we came up to a small shop thats near the food court. Some shady guy in a suit was running it, and they had 6 TV's with these little game controllers. They boasted a selection of 7200 games, which was amazing. It played just like the real game plays, new controller. What was more interesting was it seemed to have NES, SNES, and ATARI games. I just don't see how thats legal, and even more, how is it legal to sell something for $49.99 with 7 thousand titles?

    1. Re:Emulation for 7000 games.. by RyuuzakiTetsuya · · Score: 3, Informative

      the original copyright owners are either broke or don't care.

      I've seen these "7000-in-1" combos myself, and they're mostly like, 20 or so games with different code hacks where you'll start on different levels or so.

      --
      Non impediti ratione cogitationus.
    2. Re:Emulation for 7000 games.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      It's most likely just a front end that uses MAME for the most part, and NES, SNES, ATARI and SEGA emulators. For MAME alone there is over 3000 roms available. This store most likely was only selling the machine and emulator since it's illegal to sell 99.5% of ROMs. Usually the companies that created the company don't mind if you download them on your own (still not very legal), but selling them is out of the question. Unless of course he has licenses for every 7200 games, which I *really really* doubt.

    3. Re:Emulation for 7000 games.. by molafson · · Score: 1
      I've seen these "7000-in-1" combos myself, and they're mostly like, 20 or so games with different code hacks...

      Yeah, just like the Space Invaders cart for the 2600 was supposed to contain 112 video games (if I recall correctly).

    4. Re:Emulation for 7000 games.. by wud · · Score: 2, Interesting

      how is it legal to sell something for $49.99 with 7 thousand titles?


      Just Because its in the mall doesnt mean that its legal. The comic shop in the mall near me used to install the Play Station Mod Chips for 50 bucks, and if you knew the guy he would burn games for 10. The Funcoland had a working famicon and super famicon for you to goof around with. Plus plenty of record stores sell cdrs of live performances.

      Not everyone follows the rules, and im glad they dont.

      --
      wud
    5. Re:Emulation for 7000 games.. by TerryMathews · · Score: 1
      The Funcoland had a working famicon and super famicon for you to goof around with. Plus plenty of record stores sell cdrs of live performances.


      There is no law barring me, you, Funcoland, or anyone else from importing game systems from Japan.

      And as far as CDRs of live performances, I would think it would be covered under the AHRA of 1992 making it perfectly legal.
      --
      -- Terry
    6. Re:Emulation for 7000 games.. by Gothic_Walrus · · Score: 1
      Short answer: it's not legal.

      Emulation is illegal in all cases but two:

      1.) The game has been released to the public domain

      2.) The emulated game was released LEGALLY and you've paid for it.

      I'm not saying that I don't use emulated games; that would be a complete lie. I'm just pointing out that there's no way in hell that the 7,000-in-1 is legal.

      --
      Goo goo g'joob.
    7. Re:Emulation for 7000 games.. by tepples · · Score: 1

      The game has been released to the public domain

      If an author copyrights a work under the law of a country that subsequently ceases to exist (examples include East Germany or the USSR), does the work become PD?

      I'm just pointing out that there's no way in hell that the 7,000-in-1 is legal.

      Unless the maker struck an extremely sweet deal with a few key copyright owners. In that case, "you've paid for it" would be true.

  5. Emulation, eh? by Deraj+DeZine · · Score: 2, Insightful

    So does it have a fast-forward button, then? What about saving states? If it can't do either of those, it's useless to me =)

    --
    True story.
    1. Re:Emulation, eh? by TheSpoom · · Score: 1

      Can it upgrade my TV to run in 1024x768 with antialiasing?

      --
      It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
      - E. Debs
    2. Re:Emulation, eh? by ElPresPufferfish · · Score: 0, Troll

      Try playing the game the way it was meant to be played sometime.

    3. Re:Emulation, eh? by Deraj+DeZine · · Score: 1

      This post brings up an interesting point.

      There are some games that I've found to be just so incredibly frustrating that I cannot play them without saving states, etc. and still have fun. A classic example of this is Super Ghouls 'n' Ghosts for SNES. The game is rediculously hard (even on the easiest difficulty).

      Perhaps I'm not very good at the game, but that doesn't change the fact that when I play a game, I do it for fun. So whatever helps to make the game more bearable (and therefore more fun) I think is a good idea. I still have some satisfaction that I made it through the entire game (even if I needed a little help). Additionally, if I stand a chance in the game, I usually try to avoid saving states, even if I just made a stupid mistake.

      I'd imagine people use cheats in single player games for similar reasons and cheating seems to be pretty prevalent.

      So really I see no reason to play a game without extras like fast-forward and saving. I would imagine that most games (recent MMORPGs excluded) were "meant to be played" for fun and I'm just trying to obtain that.

      --
      True story.
    4. Re:Emulation, eh? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Obviously plenty of the world agrees with you because just about every emulator supports saving state. I imagine it's quite handy in debugging, so most people will write it in regardless; might as well put a menu on it and let the users use it too. In fact there is a game boy (color?) emulator for the GBA which people use with flash carts because it allows them to pause the unpausable, save state, etc, even though the system itself will play those games.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    5. Re:Emulation, eh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      N64 already has antialiasing. That's why so many people were shocked when the PS2 came out with horribly aliased launch titles, although admittedly PS2 programmers seem to have sorted that one out now.

    6. Re:Emulation, eh? by zudo · · Score: 1

      there is a game boy (color?) emulator for the GBA which people use with flash carts because it allows them to pause the unpausable, save state, etc, even though the system itself will play those games.

      Not so they can play illegally downloaded roms then?

  6. That's odd by IANAL(BIAILS) · · Score: 1

    The controller looks way more like a Dreamcast controller than it does the old N64 one.

    1. Re:That's odd by SuperMo0 · · Score: 1

      Well, anything's better than bunch of bananas that they tried to pass off as the controller for the N64.

  7. 64Mbit flash cart? by tomstdenis · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Um, aren't most N64 games just a tad bigger than that?

    Tom

    --
    Someday, I'll have a real sig.
    1. Re:64Mbit flash cart? by Troed · · Score: 4, Informative

      Built in compression maybe? I agree that 64Mbit (8 Megabyte) is a bit small. Zelda : Ocarina of Time is 32 Megabyte (256 Mbit)

      Translations between Megabyte and Mbit not meant for you Tom - I know you know the difference ..

      The largest N64 game is 512-megabit (64MBs) -- titles like Resident Evil 2 and Silicon Knights' forthcoming Eternal Darkness put that baby to use.

      http://ign64.ign.com/mail/2000-10-09.html

      Maybe it's a 64 _Megabyte_ flash?

    2. Re:64Mbit flash cart? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Many N64 games are already highly compressed in order to fit any significant amount of data on a cartridge, so compression will not help you here. Either they are only distributing smaller games, they are distributing "lite" versions of games, or as you suggest, the cart may be 64MB and not 64Mb.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    3. Re:64Mbit flash cart? by Dave_bsr · · Score: 1

      Or, hey! maybe they will have bigger cards for later games....

      --


      Who is this Anonymous Coward character, how does he post so much, and why is he always such a whore?
    4. Re:64Mbit flash cart? by GaimeGuy · · Score: 1

      Considering they already have a full version of OoT out, I think not. That pretty much says that the cards are 64 MB (since OoT was 32 MB, it wouldn't fit on a 64 Mb/ 8 MB card)

    5. Re:64Mbit flash cart? by Bagels · · Score: 1

      Just in case anyone's confused, no, Eternal Darkness is *not* coming out for the iQue (that anyone knows of) - that's just a very old quote from the time when ED was going to be on the N64. However, it would be interesting to see Silicon Darkness dust of the old N64 version, finish it up, and release it for the iQue - it looked quite good (graphics-wise) for an N64 game, and the old N64 demos had some levels that never made it into the finished GameCube project, including a level where you played as one of the Knights Templar.

      --
      --- Bwah?
  8. That was quick by IANAL(BIAILS) · · Score: 1, Redundant

    Warning: mysql_connect() [function.mysql-connect]: Too many connections in /usr/local/httpd/htdocs/kunden/web9/html/_dx/_dx_s ettings.php on line 9 Eine Verbindung zum Datenbankserver ist zur Zeit nicht moglich ...

    Enter joke about their server being run on the IQue here...

    1. Re:That was quick by IANAAC · · Score: 1
      PostreSQL would NEVER have those problems :-)

      *Ducks and runs*

    2. Re:That was quick by Leffe · · Score: 1

      Actually, my 2GHz computer(running M$ Widows eXtreme Programming, a popular and good operating system) can hardly emulate the N64 properly...

      Of course, if the server was running over a GBA link cable, that's another story.

    3. Re:That was quick by pixelgeek · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      I'll accept the OT moderation but how exactly is this flamebait?

      The editors here post stories that then bring down smaller/slower web servers with excessive traffic before the story even has 8 posts.

      Surely the folks that run /. need to take some responsibility for the effect that their referential traffic has on other systems?

      Its not like this isn't a known issue so it continues to bewilder me why something hasn't been done about it.

      And discussing this certainly doesn't seem to me to be "flamebait". This is a problem, a well known problem, and it seems to me to be something worth discussing.

      Certainly the folks that run and read this site have the technical chops to build a caching system.

    4. Re:That was quick by BTWR · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      The parent wasn't modded down for noting that the link was Slashdotted. He was modded down for implying that Slashdot actively attempts to create DoS's (Denial of Service) crashed on various servers by "slashdotting" them.

      It's like my personal opinion on Gulf War II. There are many legitimate reasons to disagree with it (think there was lack of proof, lack of support, lack of a concerte plan, simply being anti-war, etc.) but there are also the "conspiracy theorists" - people who think Bush is out there "simply to kill non-whites" or he and other rich americans are twiddling their thumbs going "Mwah hah hah!"

      Same thing with the parent (unless he was just trying to be funny/troll). Just because Slashdot-links often cause DoS's, it doesn't mean that there is some "evil-purpose" to it. (and while I'm at it people - just because a company makes it to the Fortune 500, perhaps for being a does not necessarily mean that they are an "evil" corporation. Some are, but many /.ers can't tell the difference between "corporation" and "a number of corrupt execs in a number of companies")

    5. Re:That was quick by pixelgeek · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      -- He was modded down for implying that Slashdot
      -- actively attempts to create DoS's (Denial of
      -- Service) crashed on various servers by
      -- "slashdotting" them.

      Well I wasn't intending to imply anything nefarious on the part of the editors here. Not really sure why that is being assumed but I really can't see any other way to describe what happens here as anything other than an *inadvertent* and accidental DoS.

      I'm not trying to say that someone is doing this deliberately but what other term is there to describe a situation where traffic brings down a site?

      But one has to ask, at what point does this continued lack of action in response to a known problem become negligence?

      The editors know this problem exists. Its a pretty common joke on the site. The term has entered common geek parlance.

      Yet nothing appears to have been done to mitigate the potential effect that posting a story on /. *might* have on a site.

    6. Re:That was quick by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Funny... I have no difficulty emulating the N64 on my 1.6 GHz PC. Maybe your graphics card is letting you down? Or are you trying to emulate some really demanding games?

    7. Re:That was quick by Dave_bsr · · Score: 1

      Your system has tons more power than an n64. It's just that the emulation isn't very good yet. I assure you, you would murder any 6-year old system if you both were running natively compiled code.

      --


      Who is this Anonymous Coward character, how does he post so much, and why is he always such a whore?
    8. Re:That was quick by damiam · · Score: 1

      My 450Mhz PIII with a Voodoo3 could do near-perfect N64 emulation with UltraHLE. My current dual Athlon 2200+ with a Radeon 9700 PRO is a pain in the ass to get working at all, and then it runs like shit. UltraHLE (the only decent emulator) was heavily optimized for Glide-supporting cards (the Voodoo series). Since UltraHLE is now closed-source abandonware, that's not ever going to change.

      --
      It's hard to be religious when certain people are never incinerated by bolts of lightning.
    9. Re:That was quick by darc · · Score: 2, Informative

      Interestingly, UltraHLE's source was leaked and made available on the internet, so that's not entirely true.

      Note that there was a first source leak was a dissasembly, but the second one was clearly workable and real. A group is working on it too for pc, but not sure how it is, haven't tested it.. http://www.ultrahle2064.com

      Someone has ported it to the XBOX, which means that they ported it to directX. I suppose you could backport it in reverse yet again, if you really wanted to run it, but there are other emulators around, such as the excellent Project64.

      --
      Tired of legitimate data sources? Try UNCYCLOPEDIA
  9. Memory cards for OUR games by kyndig · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Well someone definately had their thinking cap on when they developed this idea. It'd be interesting to see if Nintendo can port that technology to their current systems sold here in the US. Being able to download a video game onto a blank cartridge for playing might just get me back into gaming. The pricing for the games are outstanding, I'd definately pay $6.00 for a game. These current prices of $40.00+ for just one game though is a definate turn off.

    --
    My Thoughts, Kyndig
    1. Re:Memory cards for OUR games by TheSpoom · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Indeed, I would too :^)

      I really hope they bring this thing over here, if they have a nice, fast, and functional distribution scheme it would be worth it. I'd prefer it to be able to link via USB to my laptop, but I kinda doubt they'd do that, it would probably be hacked quite quickly ;^)

      --
      It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
      - E. Debs
    2. Re:Memory cards for OUR games by Deraj+DeZine · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Keep in mind that China also gets new games, DVDs, and a variety of other products for significantly cheaper than here in the US as well. I believe they're trying to curb piracy by introducting realistic prices.

      But then again Nintendo used to be big on the ultra-expensive cartridges. Eliminating all of the ROM chips or whatever they used should bring the manufacturing costs way down. Whether this will actually matter (or they'll just pad their pockets with the extra money) I'm not sure.

      --
      True story.
    3. Re:Memory cards for OUR games by Eamon+C · · Score: 1

      You could always just, you know, go to used video game stores and buy old NES and SNES games for ~$6.00 each.

    4. Re:Memory cards for OUR games by SuperMo0 · · Score: 1

      While it's definitely a good idea, I don't really see it happening in America any time soon. For one thing, a sizable chunk of gamers (despite what people like to think) are still under 16, and have their parents buy their games for them. It's hard enough to tell your parent to "Go buy Deus Ex" and have them get something else, but handing them a blank cartridge and expecting them to know how to work the machine to download the games into... that's asking for a miracle.

    5. Re:Memory cards for OUR games by blincoln · · Score: 1

      It'd be interesting to see if Nintendo can port that technology to their current systems sold here in the US. Being able to download a video game onto a blank cartridge for playing might just get me back into gaming. The pricing for the games are outstanding, I'd definately pay $6.00 for a game. These current prices of $40.00+ for just one game though is a definate turn off.

      If you want to play 5-10 year old games, why not just buy them used on eBay for the same price?

      A modern console game isn't going to fit on a reasonably-priced flash card. Neither will games for Sony's new Handheld. The GBA and cellphone games are about it.

      As for the price, the reason they can sell them so cheaply in China is that they turned their profit on those games when they were originally released. Western and Japanese buyers from 5-10 years ago were effectively subsidizing their low price release in China now.

      --
      "...always new atoms but always doing the same dance, remembering what the dance was yesterday." -Richard Feynman
    6. Re:Memory cards for OUR games by G-funk · · Score: 1

      It'd never happen dude... Instead you'd have to pay full new game price, and you'd get some sort of "greatest hits collection" of a few games they think you'll want, plus a bunch of shitty ones they know you don't, so they can justify charging full price.

      --
      Send lawyers, guns, and money!
    7. Re:Memory cards for OUR games by poot_rootbeer · · Score: 1

      The pricing for the games are outstanding, I'd definately pay $6.00 for a game. These current prices of $40.00+ for just one game though is a definate turn off.

      That's one of the downsides of living in the First World, isn't it? Entertainment companies know you have the disposable income to spend $40 on a game and so that's what they'll charge you.

    8. Re:Memory cards for OUR games by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Being able to download a video game onto a blank cartridge for playing might just get me back into gaming."

      You need to look into online piracy my friend.

  10. Western games? by Isopropyl · · Score: 1

    This iQue looks particularly interesting to me, althought I already own both the systems that it would emulate. I want to know if it will support American-style wattage, resolution, etc.? Would it output in NTSC or PAL? Would it accept our power supply? What about the games? Emulation is nice and everything, provided you're able to read simplifie Chinese.

    1. Re:Western games? by TheSpoom · · Score: 1

      It outputs in NTSC, the article said that. It supports already-existing N64 and SNES games, though the logo in one of the screenshots looked like they had edited it to run on the iQue, so all bets are off whether they support unedited N64 games natively. As for the rest, it all really depends on whether they bring it over to North America.

      --
      It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
      - E. Debs
    2. Re:Western games? by 100lbHand · · Score: 1

      The resolution is NTSC, power supply might need a converter, but maybe not. The games seem to be downloaded from an in store kiosk, so unless you plan to be visiting China for your game fix, we will have to wait for someone to hack it. Thankfully Nintendo has provided a handy USB port right on top of the controler.

      --
      "I'm not high, just stupid" --JY
    3. Re:Western games? by Deraj+DeZine · · Score: 1

      Actually, and I'm not suggesting you do anything illegal, but if you take a look around the Internet, you just might be able to find PC-based emulators and possibly even ROMs obtained from original cartridges for SNES and N64.

      At least, that's what I've heard.

      --
      True story.
    4. Re:Western games? by dereklam · · Score: 1
      It supports already-existing N64 and SNES games, though the logo in one of the screenshots looked like they had edited it to run on the iQue, so all bets are off whether they support unedited N64 games natively.

      From Lik-Sang,

      Plays customized SNES and N64 titles

      It appears unlikely that it would support "native" N64 games without editing.

    5. Re:Western games? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      I strongly doubt the power supply is inside the unit, so it probably comes with a wall wart. The German article says it comes with a 220V power supply. As such, assuming I'm correct, you can substitute the supply for another one (or a battery pack or whatever) which will run on 110VAC 60Hz. They COULD put a power supply inside the unit if they made it very low-power but it's probably not worth the effort. Besides, power supplies go out.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  11. Dextrose's webserver... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...was just caramelized.

  12. Huge Controller by LordoftheFrings · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is it just me, or does that controller look bigger then an XBOX controller? I mean, I'd enjoy the portability, but I'd like to be able to, you know, move my HANDS after playing some Zelda for a few hours.

  13. The Name by worst_name_ever · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I wonder what Garmin will have to say about Nintendo ripping off the name of their existing product...

    --

    In Soviet Rush, today's Tom Sawyer gets high on you.
    1. Re:The Name by stienman · · Score: 3, Informative

      I wonder if Garmin even sells the iQue in China. Chances are good they don't, and they probably don't have a trademark for the name there. Even if they did, the devices are in two seperate markets, and could easily coexist with the same name.

      -Adam

    2. Re:The Name by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think there's nothing they can do because it's in China.

    3. Re:The Name by EnVisiCrypt · · Score: 1

      It doesn't matter what they'll have to say as two identical trademarks can exist in two separate vertical markets (assuming the goods or services put forth in the registrations don't overlap.)

      Unless Garmin registered the iQue trademark with an explicit mention of interactive gaming electronics, Nintendo would be safe, no matter what Garmin thinks.

      As a matter of fact, you could sell Xbox toilet paper if you wanted to; I doubt Microsoft included personal sanitation effects in their filing. ;)

      --


      *everything* is Orwellian to cats.
    4. Re:The Name by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah but the xbox sucks so much, I'd just wipe my butt with it...

      ahh...the freedom of anonimity.

    5. Re:The Name by identity0 · · Score: 1

      Hmm, that's interesting. the [address bracket] thingie is not present on your link... what did you do to link there?

    6. Re:The Name by NonSequor · · Score: 1

      I can see it. I think you must have some form of selective blindness and should see an optometrist immediately!

      --
      My only political goal is to see to it that no political party achieves its goals.
  14. dotted by t0ny · · Score: 0, Redundant

    wow, up for less than ten minutes and slashdotted already. I guess their world exclusive reviews will be exclusive just a little while longer.

    --

    Manipulate the moderator system! Mod someone as "overrated" today.

    1. Re:dotted by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Its always funny when somebody posts a comment first, then gets modded as redundant.

  15. The Fish by TheRedHorse · · Score: 2, Informative

    A translated link, using The Fish for the German article is here.

    1. Re:The Fish by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      what is of the direction in that which you are of speaking?
      it is not in the understanding the content of the website that is in the question that you direct the seamy side volitition it may.

  16. Luckily, it is not for the Spanish market... by koali · · Score: 5, Funny

    The name is pronounced roughly like "Y que?", that's "So what?" in Spanish.

    Cue-in Mitsubishi Pajero and Nissan Laputa jokes...

    1. Re:Luckily, it is not for the Spanish market... by Deraj+DeZine · · Score: 1

      I thought it was kind of strange that they said the current name, rougly translated to English, was "God's toy."

      I'm not sure if names like that are common in Japan (undoubtedly people find them significantly less offensive over there). I can just imagine the uproar that a name like that would create in the US.

      --
      True story.
    2. Re:Luckily, it is not for the Spanish market... by Echnin · · Score: 1

      This thing isn't made for Japan; it's for China. So I guess iQue is Chinese too... After all, there is no "Q" in Japanese.

      --
      Lalala
    3. Re:Luckily, it is not for the Spanish market... by Deraj+DeZine · · Score: 1

      Yeah... the funny thing is I read the majority of the article before it was slashdotted. I mean, it even says "china" in the article summary. Thanks for pointing that out and not making fun of me =)

      --
      True story.
    4. Re:Luckily, it is not for the Spanish market... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't forget the Chevy Nova...

    5. Re:Luckily, it is not for the Spanish market... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Don't forget about woody the internet pecker.

      I guess he was the origional penis bird ?
      < )
      ( \
      X
      8====D
    6. Re:Luckily, it is not for the Spanish market... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Forget about the Nova:
      http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nov a.asp

    7. Re:Luckily, it is not for the Spanish market... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In fact, iQue doesn't doesn't translate into anything in Chinese, "God's toy" as the article put it was a translation of the chinese name, which is printed under the word "iQue".

    8. Re:Luckily, it is not for the Spanish market... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It could be japanese, maybe something like ai-kyuu, but the best translation I could find for that is "sudden love." (hmmm, symbolic?)

      And no, I don't speak much japanese.

    9. Re:Luckily, it is not for the Spanish market... by Haeleth · · Score: 1

      After all, there is no "Q" in Japanese.

      Unless you count the convention in some phonetic transcription systems of using a small-caps Q to represent the consonant lengthening denoted in kana by small "tu".</pedantic>

    10. Re:Luckily, it is not for the Spanish market... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As long as we're being pedantic, that's a "tsu".

    11. Re:Luckily, it is not for the Spanish market... by ocie · · Score: 1

      As long as we're really being pedantic, I'm in Japan right now on a little island called Tsushima, although I see it written on many signs as tusima, or tushima or tsusima.

      --
      JET Program: see Japan, meet intere
    12. Re:Luckily, it is not for the Spanish market... by taion · · Score: 1

      IQue doesn't translate into "God's toy" by any stretch of the imagination. However, if you look a bit more carefully at the picture of the box, you should notice three Chinese characters under the big "iQue" mark. These translate more or less directly as "mystical gaming machine", or roughly as "God's toy".

      I can't for the life of me see how that relates to the name "iQue", though.

      --

      ----------
      Floccinaucinihilipilification - the action or habit of judging something to be worthless
    13. Re:Luckily, it is not for the Spanish market... by Echnin · · Score: 1

      Oh really? I've never seen that used. However, I'm only familiar with the two main romanization systems (their names elude me at the moment). Thanks.

      --
      Lalala
    14. Re:Luckily, it is not for the Spanish market... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Cue-in Mitsubishi Pajero and Nissan Laputa jokes...

      That's Mitsubishi Passenger and Nissan Thewhore/biaaacch, in case you wondered ;)

  17. I personally don't get this by mcc · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I unfortunately can't comment on the articles, as one is in German and the other is currently squashed flat by the Slashdot Effect. But I've looked at the iQue and I honestly just do not see the attraction. I mean, for the specific case of the Chinese market it makes a lot of sense, it looks really cool, and it was a neat idea from Nintendo's perspective. But for the rest of the world, I can't understand why people would want one. An iQue is, what, $115-$150? Go on Ebay, you'll consistently find an N64 with something like 12 games for $80 or so and a Super Nintendo with a few games for probably less than $30.

    Meanwhile the iQue will not ever be able in the end to play *all* the games for either of these systems, and at the moment it can only play a handful. And as new games are released for the iQue, as I understand how the system works, you will only be able to add them to your memory card if you can somehow get it to China. No?

    The N64 controller really sucked, but just having a better controller doesn't seem worth paying lots more money for a much more limited console.

    If my commentary here is made obsolete once the linked articles become readable, I apologize.

    1. Re:I personally don't get this by Jace+of+Fuse! · · Score: 2, Insightful

      for the specific case of the Chinese market it makes a lot of sense

      Maybe that would be part of the reason why it's currently intended only for the Chinese market.

      Even if Nintendo DID decide to release this thing in other countries (which they haven't actually announced) I don't expect it would be without some changes.

      Keep in mind that Nintendo's consoles were often at least slightly different from region to region until the N64.

      --

      "Everything you know is wrong. (And stupid.)"

      Moderation Totals: Wrong=2, Stupid=3, Total=5.
    2. Re:I personally don't get this by mcc · · Score: 1

      Maybe that would be part of the reason why it's currently intended only for the Chinese market.

      Sorry.. I've been spending much too long on gaming-specific message boards, which are currently full of people going "d00d the iQue I wanna import one". I appear in a knee-jerk way to have accidentally read that kind of sentiment into the article text, and I just realized I was not clear enough in my original post that my "i don't get this" response referred only to people outside of China who would import the iQue...

    3. Re:I personally don't get this by generic-man · · Score: 1

      Nintendo is not selling this outside China. The only way to obtain this outside China is to order it from an import shop like Lik-Sang.

      --
      For more information, click here.
    4. Re:I personally don't get this by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Someone will likely come up with hardware that allows you to write the flash carts in the comfort of your own home eventually. You could also just buy flash carts (nintendo is bound to sell replacements) which already have certain games on them.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    5. Re:I personally don't get this by danoaks15 · · Score: 1

      The N64 controller did not suck. I loved that controller. The only controller that was ever better then that one was dreamcast and it is just barely better. Shame on you.

    6. Re:I personally don't get this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      To someone in America, it sounds like the iQue is a great idea from Nintendo. To the average Chinese, it sounds like a complete ripoff.

      PS2 sells for about 1700RMB at any video game store in Shanghai. iQue sells for 600RMB. Quite a significant savings, you'd think. People should be lining up to buy them, right? No.

      1. Pirated PS2 games are 8RMB a disc. You sink in that 1700RMB, and you can build an enormous library for pennies. iQue is cheap, but at the moment there are only a half-dozen games available, and they're FAR more expensive.
      2. Urban Chinese are trendy. They do NOT want to be seen playing video games more than half a decade old. There may not be any legit market for PS2 games here, but they read all the magazines and know what's coming out soon. There's no way they'd play Zelda 64 over, say, Splinter Cell.
      3. The price sounds reasonable, but it's actually exactly wrong. Poor Chinese still can't afford it. Rich Chinese would rather have a PS2 or Xbox. I've seen the iQue on sale in the Shanghai Carrefours; it is completely ignored by the customers.

      Here's a scary thought - GameCube games are unpiratable. As a result, there is absolutely no market for GameCube out here. Xbox, on the other hand, sells pretty well. What happens when the Chinese can afford to buy real games?

      I honestly don't know why Nintendo doesn't just release the GameCube out here, and reduce the prices for games. No one's pirating 'cube games out here. GBA, yes. Cube, no.

      -A Gamer in Shanghai

    7. Re:I personally don't get this by Tokerat · · Score: 1


      I agree on the N64 controller. It's the ultimate. Dreamcast controlers are pityful, though, and dont' even get me started on the friggin' Gamecube...

      --
      CAn'T CompreHend SARcaSm?
    8. Re:I personally don't get this by aiur · · Score: 1

      first,iQue is so called "Piracy-Proof Console",you known,in China more than 90% of console games are piracy copis specially in small cities,i believe.Secondly,iQue game is cheap,one for about 50 yuan(6$),can download from resellers around the country.thirdly,it aimed for light users or people who never play video game before,it's a huge market never been impoldered.and the last one,maybe the most important ,is localized Chinese games.

    9. Re:I personally don't get this by CGP314 · · Score: 1

      Chinese market it makes a lot of sense, it looks really cool, and it was a neat idea from Nintendo's perspective. But for the rest of the world, I can't understand why people would want one.

      Yeah, really dumb move making a product for only 1/4th of the world's population.

    10. Re:I personally don't get this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The GameCube has a great controller! What's wrong with it?

    11. Re:I personally don't get this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Releasing the GCN in China and lowering the price of games in that market would deflate the value of games in other markets, as importers would specialize in exporting games from China into other markets.

      Think of all the action games, where language is not too much of an issue, that would be sold at the low Chinese prices around the world, and you'll see at least one reason this is a bad idea for any of the system makers. I don't know how much Sony will be lowering the prices of their games, but even if they try to compete with a library of old, cheap titles, they will have a headache dealing with the market for games exported from China into other markets, where gamers will be buying up these cheap games in lieu of new domestic titles at domestic prices.

      Besides, Nintendo's side venture into China was basically a means to enter the Chinese market with games that other markets already have at low prices, using a software distribution method that is unlikely to be convenient for those outside of China, on hardware that is only commonly available in China. Other than localization work and maybe a few tweaks, there is little cost in taking an N64 game and releasing it for the iQue. Considering the appearance of the iQue itself and its packaging, I wouldn't be surprised if the iQue was a very very very inexpensive venture for Nintendo to pursue.

      In summary, I think it's clear that Nintendo's primary concern with the iQue was keeping it OUT of other regions, while still being able to sell SOMETHING in China. They are testing the Chinese market, using pre-existing assets and and inexpensive platform/distribution method. It is clear that they are not trying to take China by storm in this generation of releases there.

  18. Re:What I want is... by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    I'll sell you an A1200 with 2MB chip and 80MB internal IDE plus an additional external floppy cheap, with a microspeed trackball even. Personally, the only amigas I want any more are the CDTV and CD32. I'd be happy to trade my 1200 for a CDTV. (Note; my A1200 is missing its bottom door.) The A1200 works ok, though I did install 3.1 on it (it has 3.0 roms) so it's slightly tweaky ATM. It could do with new roms/OS.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  19. Small observation ... by phoxix · · Score: 5, Informative

    For those of you that don't know, Nintendo holds an infamous patent on the D-PAD. (The directional pad). This is the reason, why only on Nintendo gaming pads will you find a prefect cross as the D-PAD. Other systmes will include clumsy circles (X-BOX) or individual buttons (Playstation).

    Keeping this in mind .... its rather interesting to see that the iQue doesn't have the D-PAD .........

    Sunny Dubey

    PS: Some of you might be thinking: "Hey, the Sega dreamcast had a D-PAD just like the Nintendo ones!". Which isn't true, you just have to flip open the controller to see why that is so.

    1. Re:Small observation ... by EvilFrog · · Score: 3, Informative

      Uh, no. False.

      I've opened up many, many controllers, and the directional pads all work the same. They may look a little different, but underneath the outer casing all of them use the exact same premise. All a directional pad is is a solid piece of plastic that is able to tilt in order to press one or two of the four buttons in the controller. That goes for the Playstation controller too- it only looks like they're separate buttons, underneath they're connected.

    2. Re:Small observation ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      hahaha, talk about being humbled. next time dont post hearsay, child.

    3. Re:Small observation ... by JFMulder · · Score: 1

      This WAS true up to two years ago. That's why you never saw the cross shaped dpad on any other console. But now consoles have it because the patent is over.

    4. Re:Small observation ... by Guppy06 · · Score: 1

      "For those of you that don't know, Nintendo holds an infamous patent on the D-PAD. (The directional pad). This is the reason, why only on Nintendo gaming pads will you find a prefect cross as the D-PAD."

      No, they held a patent on that design, dating back from their first use of it in the Game & Watch .vs systems (LCD games that had two circular controllers, each with a plus-shaped directional pad and a single button). The patent expired just in time for Sega to use the design in their Dreamcast controllers.

    5. Re:Small observation ... by Guppy06 · · Score: 1

      "They may look a little different,"

      The functioning is the same (kinda hard to patent a button, unless you're Amazon :) ), but the patent was on the plus-shaped design. That's why they all "look a little different." Everybody was trying to skirt the edge of the patent without actually violating it.

    6. Re:Small observation ... by EvilFrog · · Score: 1

      You can't patent a button, but you can patent how the button works, and in the end that's all that matters. All directional pads are functionally identical- everything else it just window dressing.

  20. Portible in the making by MilenCent · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I didn't know that the entire system was the controller! Snap an LCD screen onto that video-out and you'd have a portible N64/SNES! Of course if they sold that the might cannibalize any market for the GBA in China.

    I'd love to own one of these, but alas, not in Chinese. And the controller is a bit clunky as well. But the possibility that it can run SNES games is really cool, and it makes real sense. I'd imagine that it wouldn't cost Nintendo very much to just throw in the entire SNES hardware, though space considerations in the controller would counteract that I suppose.

    I wonder if it's possible to buy "dumb" controllers to hook up to it in order to play multiplayer games? Dr. Mario 64 had multiplayer as a primary draw. With just two out ports (one of thise for video), I'd imagine for more than two players you'd need some sort of hub. But that could get expensive if you needed a separate iQue for each player.

    On the other hand, it'd make possible interesting games of Goldeneye and Perfect Dark, in which not only did each player have his own screen, but his own graphics hardware.

    1. Re:Portible in the making by cliffy2000 · · Score: 1

      Two words: battery life.
      SEGA tried doing that with the Nomad for the Genesis. Guess what? HUGE bomb.

    2. Re:Portible in the making by Enoch+Root · · Score: 1

      I wonder if it's possible to buy "dumb" controllers to hook up to it in order to play multiplayer games?

      Yeah, it's already announced. I'm buying one as soon as it comes out, too. The second controller is a 'dummy' (i.e. no console inside) that hooks to the main controller via a 'controller hub'.

      Up to 3 additionnal controllers can be hooked this way.

    3. Re:Portible in the making by MilenCent · · Score: 1

      Ah, but Nintendo has a lot more experience than Sega did making systems that require little in the way of power. Remember the GBA SP's included rechargable pack? They could use a similar system for this.

  21. Looks like an Xbox controller by tepples · · Score: 1

    Looks more like a controller for an Xbox console than anything else. It's an N64 repackaged in an Xbox controller form factor that uses flash cards for storage.

    1. Re:Looks like an Xbox controller by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Which I'm sure will be just GREAT for playing SNES games on :)

    2. Re:Looks like an Xbox controller by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      actualy, it looks more like a Dreamcast controller than an XBox controller, though really the XBox's controller is just an evolution of the Dreamcast pad's design, which traces it's lineage all the way back to the original Famicom controller.

  22. OK, here is a joke then... by twoslice · · Score: 1
    Enter joke about their server being run on the IQue here..

    The name IQUE is Chinese for standing in line as in "I Queue!" sort of like "All your base are belong to us"

    --

    From excellent karma to terible karma with a single +5 funny post...
  23. "Emulate"? by oberondarksoul · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Sorry, but the IQue doesn't 'emulate' an N64. It is an N64, albiet one downsized into a controller and using flash cards instead of cartridges.

    In response to other posts: yes, it is switchable to use PAL or NTSC - just solder the correct points on the PCB and you're away. Hopefully though, we won't need to - I would love to see these in shops outside China as a budget games solution, much like those Atari Controller-esque machines. Of course, with much better games...

    --
    And tomorrow the stock exchange will be the human race
    1. Re:"Emulate"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Do you have any information at what point you need to solder to switch between pal/ntsc output?

      Thanks

  24. Nintendo's D-pad patent? by tepples · · Score: 4, Interesting

    For those of you that don't know, Nintendo holds an infamous patent on the D-PAD

    What's the U.S. patent number? It's not listed in the embossed text on the back of my NES controllers, just "Nintendo controller, model no. NES-004, made in Japan", and I don't have my original NES packaging. I need to know the number in order to know when it was filed.

    Other systmes will include clumsy circles (X-BOX)

    Clumsy? The Microsoft implementation of a circular D-pad may be clumsy, but I've tried several other brands of controllers with a circular D-pad with a cross-shaped raised portion, such as the Gravis GamePad Pro USB, and they weren't as clumsy as you seem to claim.

    or individual buttons (Playstation).

    (Tepples grabs a PS1 controller.) The PS1 digital pad is actually one piece of plastic, not four like on the WonderSwan. When it's under the player's thumb, the "break" between the four raised portions of the pad feels more like a recessed area than a break because the size of the average player's thumb fills in the gap.

    "Hey, the Sega dreamcast had a D-PAD just like the Nintendo ones!". Which isn't true, you just have to flip open the controller

    Then how exactly did Sega get away with a + shaped D-pad on the Dreamcast controller? I'm too lazy to take apart my Dreamcast controller at the moment. If you're referring to the fact that the cross juts out from a disc hidden under the plastic housing of the controller, that can't be it. I've taken apart a Super NES controller, an N64 controller, and a Game Boy Advance system, and Nintendo D-pads jut out from discs as well. However, I can see that there are small sloped faces on the inside corners of the plastic of the Dreamcast D-pad. Does that have anything to do with it?

    1. Re:Nintendo's D-pad patent? by phoxix · · Score: 4, Informative

      What's the U.S. patent number? It's not listed in the embossed text on the back of my NES controllers, just "Nintendo controller, model no. NES-004, made in Japan", and I don't have my original NES packaging. I need to know the number in order to know when it was filed.

      Though, I'm not sure of the exact patent number, but the following I *think* is it: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PT O2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=4&u=/netahtml/search-bool.html&r =186&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=ptxt&s1=nintendo&s2=direct ional&OS=nintendo+AND+directional&RS=nintendo+AND+ directional

      (Tepples grabs a PS1 controller.) The PS1 digital pad is actually one piece of plastic, not four like on the WonderSwan. When it's under the player's thumb, the "break" between the four raised portions of the pad feels more like a recessed area than a break because the size of the average player's thumb fills in the gap.

      I believe the "breaks" are all one needs to avoid this patent.

      Then how exactly did Sega get away with a + shaped D-pad on the Dreamcast controller? I'm too lazy to take apart my Dreamcast controller at the moment. If you're referring to the fact that the cross juts out from a disc hidden under the plastic housing of the controller, that can't be it. I've taken apart a Super NES controller, an N64 controller, and a Game Boy Advance system, and Nintendo D-pads jut out from discs as well. However, I can see that there are small sloped faces on the inside corners of the plastic of the Dreamcast D-pad. Does that have anything to do with it?

      I don't remember too well. Either in some old edition of "EGM" or "Next Generation", one of the editors specifically spells out why the DreamCast controller doesn't violate Nintendo's patent.

      I would just like to add: This has to be the one of the most annoying patents in video gaming ever. I've played with too many irratating and badly designed "directional circles", heh :^) Sunny Dubey

  25. Emulating N64 and SNES by Capeman · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Isn't it just easier to download a nice N64 emulator (Project 64, (Nemu64), same with SNES (ZSnes), and if you know where to search, you can find every game for the systems, not all of them work perfectly, but hey it's emulation.

    1. Re:Emulating N64 and SNES by drinkypoo · · Score: 2, Insightful
      None of the N64 emulators emulate all games properly. Therefore, none of them really have accurate emulation. As such I would never trust any of them to really emulate any game perfectly. However, since the GC came out, I have no reason whatsoever to keep an N64, and got rid of mine a little while back. The only games I care about on N64 are Rogue Squadron (I have the sequel for GC), Super Smash Bros. (A superior version is available for GC) and the Zelda games - which now come with the GC for $100 (I actually traded in my used (I got it used), scratched up GC for $50 credit and got a shiny new GC for $99 with the zelda promo disc; Legend of Zelda, Adventures of Link, Ocarina of Time, and Majora's Mask. Pod racer was also kind of fun, but I have it for dreamcast. The N64 has no real hacking value, as the 64DD never came out and there's no ethernet capability, so I basically don't care about it at all.

      It's cool that people are trying to emulate the N64 but I'll be a lot more impressed when they succeed more brilliantly. Right now I'm too busy playing emulated SNES games on the Xbox (And Wind Waker on my GC) to even get into any emulated N64 games :)

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    2. Re:Emulating N64 and SNES by oberondarksoul · · Score: 1

      But the N64DD did come out. Well, in Japan, anyway. Quite a nice little add-on, although too little, too late really. It wasn't at all as successful as the Famicom Disc System, but some of the games released for it were promising - then again, some of the promised games weren't released, such as Ura Zelda.

      --
      And tomorrow the stock exchange will be the human race
    3. Re:Emulating N64 and SNES by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Read the article. NOT emulated. For all practical purposes, this IS a N64, not an emulation.

    4. Re:Emulating N64 and SNES by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      N64 emulators are compatible with virtually every game - the plugins are the things that are not.

      However even the plugins are making great stride, pretty much every main N64 rom is fully playable with in most cases none to minor issues.

  26. Re:Dextrose no more by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yeah... Sort of like how this very site is driven by a MySQL back end.

    Who beat you with the <clueless> tag?

  27. Nintendo's Backup Income is LICENSING by Webapprentice · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Have you seen the tremendous amount of products with Nintendo character brands? Licensed products are all over. Licensing is also a way to generate revenue.

  28. Multiplayer? by Quobobo · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Okay, okay.. I only skimmed the linked article, but I'm wondering how the iQue supports multiplayer games. I didn't see any mention of controller ports on the controller (well, the system) in the article.

    1. Re:Multiplayer? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      There is a multiplayer hub being released shortly in china. it will be connected to the USB-Port. The hub can be supplied from Lik Sang

  29. "Flash" cards may not be FLASH technology ... by __aadkms7016 · · Score: 1

    See this EE Times article on a partnership between Matrix Semiconductor (3D write-once ROM technology, spun off of Stanford) and Nintendo. Also note the large number of "flash cards" included for the price (4), and a description of using the cards that make it sound like a "write-once" technology.

    1. Re:"Flash" cards may not be FLASH technology ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The image of the inside of the card shows your vanilla TSOP2 Samsung NAND flash rom.

  30. D-PAD patent does not exist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    For those of you that don't know, Nintendo holds an infamous patent on the D-PAD. (The directional pad)

    ROFL! For those of you that don't know, phoxix is a TROLL.

    Nintendo does NOT hold a patent on the d-pad. Nor does anyone else. If anyone tells you otherwise, ask them to cite the USPTO # or equivalent. They will not be able to, because such a patent does not exist.

    Please mod parent down, accordingly.

    1. Re:D-PAD patent does not exist by phoxix · · Score: 1

      ROFL! For those of you that don't know, phoxix is a TROLL.

      I have maxed out my karma ages ago. This is of no concern to me.

      Nintendo does NOT hold a patent on the d-pad. Nor does anyone else. If anyone tells you otherwise, ask them to cite the USPTO # or equivalent. They will not be able to, because such a patent does not exist.

      Read the very first sentence of this patent: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PT O2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=4&u=/netahtml/search-bool.html&r =186&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=ptxt&s1=nintendo&s2=direct ional&OS=nintendo+AND+directional&RS=nintendo+AND+ directional

      Sunny Dubey

  31. Just what the gaming world is clamoring for? by I(rispee_I(reme · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Check this out!

  32. kudos by bartyboy · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Kudos to the moderator(s) who gave this a +1, Insightful. I think your tolerance level for sarcasm has become so high that you don't even know when you read sarcasm anymore.

  33. did i miss something? by neoThoth · · Score: 2, Funny

    From page 4 of the article:

    The Player, as stated before, is based on N64 Hardware and assembled on very small place using nano technology on a single chip.

    does this mean it can make new games out of materials it consumes?

  34. Wierd specs on that hardware by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The BGA SDRAM module that they picture is a Samsung K4D263238E-GC33. That's a 300MHz SDRAM with 1M x 32bit x 4bank of storage, 600MB/s per pin. The original N64 used a 563MB/s rambus solution.

    The game storage card seems to be a typical TSOP flashrom. The dextrose photo is too blurry to make out the part numbers. Unless there's an ASIC or PLD on the other side that we can't see, it should be quite easy to develop a programmer for it.

    The NEC chip I can't find any information on, perhaps is a custom ASIC of some kind? It would make sense that it would contain the R4000 core and the graphics and sound co-processors.

    1. Re:Wierd specs on that hardware by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My bad, the N64 memory bandwidth is 390MB/s

  35. you seem to forget by Dave_bsr · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Slashdot is always first predicting who/what is dying...

    All it takes is one sign that an entity is struggling and WHAM! they're SOOO DEAD!!!

    Remember, while there are a lot of smart people on slashdot, there are also a million retarded ones.

    //obvious

    --


    Who is this Anonymous Coward character, how does he post so much, and why is he always such a whore?
  36. Mainstream by Dave_bsr · · Score: 1

    First off, I agree with you about Nintendo and Miyamoto. Both are great, I just bought a gamecube, it has great games, yadda yadda.

    However, I have to disagree with you about "mainstream"-ness of games. Last I checked, the games industry grossed more than movies. I imagine its one of the biggest entertainment-related industries out there. What...maybe the music biz is bigger. I really don't know. But i'd say that vids are huge, and they ARE mainstream.

    --


    Who is this Anonymous Coward character, how does he post so much, and why is he always such a whore?
  37. it exists... in a way... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    On a Modded XBOX you can run NES, SNES, and MAME. There's a N64 emulator as well, but it's not 100% stable.

    And as far as ROMS go.. whooboy. eMule is your friend, in that area. I have every NES game, every SNES game, every MAME rom, and every N64 game.

    1. Re:it exists... in a way... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, you don't really "have" these games, you only "have" a hard drive with some dumped ROM data on it.

      Pretty pathetic.

  38. Re:Small observation ... (Patent #) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    US Patent 4,687,200 - August 18, 1987

    (http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1 =P TO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=4&u=/netahtml/search-bool.html& r=186&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=ptxt&s1=nintendo&s2=direc tional&OS=nintendo+AND+directional&RS=nintendo+AND +directional)

    Patent... expired! Fatality!

    - pbandjelly

  39. -1, offtopic for me... by Dave_bsr · · Score: 1

    Isn't this a geek discussion site? Why do we get modded down for just talking stuff over? Geez. *insert moderators are crazy bit here*.

    Yeah, yeah, I know, I should listen to my own advice: "while there are a lot of smart people on slashdot, there are also a million retarded ones." That includes the mods.

    --


    Who is this Anonymous Coward character, how does he post so much, and why is he always such a whore?
  40. feighning innocence by Dave_bsr · · Score: 1

    Whether or not you're acting innocent or you've never really heard, a simple google search for "snes emulator" will get you good results. Same for any other system that was semi-popular.

    While emulating hardware is not illegal, downloading the games you never paid for and playing them technically is, but I don't think Nintendo will pull and RIAA and bust down your door for playing Mario Bros. 1 on your NES emulator. But what do i know?

    --


    Who is this Anonymous Coward character, how does he post so much, and why is he always such a whore?
  41. "annoying patents" by Dave_bsr · · Score: 1

    "I would just like to add: This has to be the one of the most annoying patents in video gaming ever. I've played with too many irratating and badly designed "directional circles", heh :^) Sunny Dubey"

    Isn't that the point of patents? You come up with a good idea, patent it, and then it's YOUR idea. Why isn't a 4-direction switch a good, logical, unique idea. It seems like a good idea to me. It's not like it's not original. What's the problem? sure, it is annoying for Nintendo's competitors. But isn't that the idea of patents? I'm sure Edison's competitors were annoyed at all of his ideas. *shrug*.

    --


    Who is this Anonymous Coward character, how does he post so much, and why is he always such a whore?
    1. Re:"annoying patents" by pommiekiwifruit · · Score: 1

      Well I'm sure I played with a D-pad on game-and-watch in 1982. So after 21 years by all rights a patent should have expired. But it doesn't seem to work that way in the USA (hell, someone was awarded the patent for bar-codes in the 1990s!)

  42. It's likely not legal by Sycraft-fu · · Score: 1

    However, it's not hard to do. Modren PCs are WAAAAAY more powerful than old videogame systems. Thus, it isn't out of range for them to emulate them, and indeed it's done all the time. Go to www.zophar.net if you want information on the emulation software itself. They have emulators for all sorts of different consoles and computers that runs on all sorts of different OSes. This is all legal.

    Now the illegal part comes in the games themselves. zophar.net maintains a selection of public domain roms, and there are a few places on the web that legitimetly sell a few games. However, for the most part, it isn't legal. Well, it's not like legallity makes a difference to wether something can be found on the internet or not.

    At any rate, if it is something that intrests you, the resources are out there, and you don't need a shady guy in a mall.

  43. DRM and Nintendo by Dave_bsr · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I think the most important thing about this whole story is that this is probably workable DRM on Nintendo's part.

    Write-once chips, downloadable content, closed "player" system. Sounds just like DRM to me. And it goes for super-cheap in China.

    I think this is a good idea on Nintedo's part. They make money (using old content that is now "free" to them) and the people in china theoretically get a cool new mini-system. Nintendo breaks into the Chinese market...

    Very interesting.

    --


    Who is this Anonymous Coward character, how does he post so much, and why is he always such a whore?
  44. Meanwhile, in the real world... by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 0, Troll

    Oh, please!

    1) Nintendo has sold more Gamecubes than Microsoft has sold Xboxes. Official numbers are available from Nintendo and Microsoft.

    The Gamecube has at least a 29% less install base than the X-Box.

    2) The top selling games for the GC are outselling the top selling games for Xbox. There's nothing to do about PS2 and GBA.

    But there are more games for the X-Box, and most of the Gamecube's top-selling games are first-party development efforts.

    3) Several multiplatform games sold better on the Gamecube than other consoles, and for a hard core gamer there are several exclusive non-Nintendo titles not found on Xbox or PS2.

    The only "hard core" game I could think of is Metroid Prime. What else is there? Mario Sunshine? Mario Party 5?

    4) In Europe, the average buyer of a Gamecube at launch was 23 years old. Mature games like Resident Evil sold above Capcom's expectations.

    That doesn't even matter and is just an irrelevant fact thrown out to weakly defend your stance.

    I can back up everything above, it's easier if you just admit to being clueless and posted what you _thought_ was true.

    No, YOU are completely clueless and have clearly ignored hard numbers.

    Nintendo had to slash the price of the Gamecube last September 24th due to less-than-stellar sales. In fact, the only thing to show any profit was the Gameboy Advance, and that's just because for all intents and purposes it's the only one out there in the handheld market.

    The Gamecube is now the same cost as the SP!

    Quotes from just one page I randomly Googled for:

    "A number of game publishers have curtailed or ended production of GameCube games, citing the platform's disappointing sales. Analysts were quick to caution that Nintendo was likely to benefit most from the news.

    Although this is a positive announcement with respect to Nintendo, we do not expect this price drop to have a dramatic effect on our expectations for the third-party publishers in our universe," Harris Nesbitt Gerard analyst Edward Williams said in a note.

    Of the 10 best-selling games for the GameCube in August, according to research service NPDFunworld, six were published by Nintendo - a far higher proportion of first-party games than on any other console.

    While the console has been stronger in Japan and Europe, in the United States it has settled into a firm third place, with an installed base about 29 percent smaller than that of the Xbox."


    I like Nintendo too, but don't be so blind. Even execs have stated they waited too long to get the Gamecube released, which affected its success, and they won't be making the same mistake with their next system. Nintendo had better start pulling rabbits out of their hat, because they're not seen as the cool, edgy console company anymore, and they're risking being solely a handheld gaming company.

    --
    "Sufferin' succotash."
    1. Re:Meanwhile, in the real world... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Gamecube has at least a 29% less install base than the X-Box.

      Where did you get those figures from? Everything I've read has always had the Xbox and GC on a level pegging. Remember - more Gamecube's have been sold in Japan than Xboxes, and vice versa for North America. Mainland Europe seems to prefer the Gamecube, while the UK prefers the Xbox...

      The only "hard core" game I could think of is Metroid Prime. What else is there? Mario Sunshine? Mario Party 5?

      I'd say Super Monkey Ball 1&2, Viewtiful Joe, Resi Evil 0 and F-Zero GX all qualify as hardcore exclusive games for the 'cube, and that's only off the top of my head.

      No, YOU are completely clueless and have clearly ignored hard numbers.

      Apart from a vague source on the web, you have no hard figures to back up your claims, either. No-one has conclusive figures from what I can see, all we can go by are numbers printed in press releases, and Microsoft have been very secretive about the number of Xboxes "in the wild".

      In the end it doesn't really matter. The GC has carved itself a niche in the market, as has the Xbox. Personally I much prefer my Gamecube. Why? I dunno. I suppose it's just because my Xbox and PS2 are currently gathering a fair amount of dust, while I plug away at Viewtiful Joe, Mario Kart (bastard cheating 150cc mode!) and Super Monkey Ball.

      Just play your games and enjoy 'em, peoples!

    2. Re:Meanwhile, in the real world... by batkiwi · · Score: 1

      "The Gamecube has at least a 29% less install base than the X-Box."

      Please back up this with a link.

      Fact is, X-Box has a SLIGHTLY larger install base in the US than GameCube. However, worldwide, GC is beating X-Box by # of console units sold.

    3. Re:Meanwhile, in the real world... by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 0, Troll

      The link is in my other post in this thread.

      Some moderators seem to think I'm trolling. I have absolutely no idea how they could have reached that conclusion...all I'm doing is refuting claims about the Gamecube...*shakes head*

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    4. Re:Meanwhile, in the real world... by Troed · · Score: 1

      It seems others have done a good job at refuting you already, I'll just add two quick things:

      Ikaruga and Viewtiful Joe are two hard-core games for "real gamers" (as opposed to casual gamers). Ikaruga is a port from the Dreamcast, but is only available on the Gamecube today. Viewtiful Joe is Gamecube exclusive.

      Regarding $99 ... that has been planned since when the Dolphin project started. Check the web - you can even find hints at it in interviews with NOA's _former_ boss. Nintendo doesn't do things in panic - they're doing all to well for that. The Gamecube hardware was meant to be cheap - and now, at $99, they're killing the competition.

      (Nintendo doesn't sell things at a loss, so, manufacturing costs had to come down before they could lower the price. You can actually find interviews with them regarding the cut to $99 where they said that had wanted to do this already in spring but the manufacturing cost wasn't low enough then)

      Really. If you want to claim I'm clueless - wear some big bad boots ... :)

      Now go Google.

    5. Re:Meanwhile, in the real world... by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      I quoted actual facts. I gave links. Your evidence is "Now go Google."

      Wow, Nintendo hinted at a $99 during Project Dolphin. And then it comes as a second price cut the year sales are sluggish.

      You named two games. I could name hundreds for Playstation and X-Box.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    6. Re:Meanwhile, in the real world... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't worry, it's okay to be a religiously fanatical Nintendo nut. Despite all reports that flat-out state the fact that the Gamecube's sales were down this year and that it has--to quote that other guys link--29% less of an install base than the X-Box--go ahead and believe Nintendo is somehow doing okay in the States. Do not allow any direct or implied suggestion that might tarnish any perfect, golden image of your Nintendo Christ!!

    7. Re:Meanwhile, in the real world... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well obviously you are in the dark. First off since the $99 price cut the GC is the number one selling console. In the last 3 months it has garnered 1.5million+ unit sales, more than PS2 and TONS more than X-Box. That just continues its domniation of #2 spot worldwide. As for games, the Cube and PS2 strongly beat the X-Box in terms of exclusives, unless u count shoddy PC ports. Face it X-Box had Halo and its been downhill ever since.

    8. Re:Meanwhile, in the real world... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Shake you head all you want, troll. You've been called out for the troll you are and I don't know how you can stand there and feign ignorance.

      But then again, ignorance is your middle name.

  45. Patent term by tepples · · Score: 1

    Why isn't a 4-direction switch a good, logical, unique idea. It seems like a good idea to me. It's not like it's not original. What's the problem?

    The problem is that the patent will have lasted for at least four console generations, not expiring in the United States until August 2005 (filing + 20 years). Do you believe that 20 years is an appropriate term for such patents?

  46. Well... by Atragon · · Score: 1
    How 'bout a red star?

    Well, it'd look good, but the ergonomics would suck.

  47. Hmm... by ChupaChipmunk · · Score: 1

    I don't like this idea so much. It seems nice, but now that Nintendo will be actively making money off old games, will they start pushing to kill emulation sites?

    1. Re:Hmm... by Black+Hitler · · Score: 2, Informative

      What do you mean "start"? Nintendo is probably the most actively anti-emulation video game company out there.

  48. Uh, true by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

    Uh, yes. Next time, pay attention.

    He's talking about the appearance of the directional pad on the exterior, not the inner-workings.

    Nintendo products have that square cross. Other systems don't. The technology is the same, yes. Nintendo holds the patent on the look and appearance--that angular cross directional pad. Other systems have circular forms or other designs.

    --
    "Sufferin' succotash."
    1. Re:Uh, true by EvilFrog · · Score: 1

      Try listening to your own advice. If he's not talking about the inner-workings, in what way does the line-

      PS: Some of you might be thinking: "Hey, the Sega dreamcast had a D-PAD just like the Nintendo ones!". Which isn't true, you just have to flip open the controller to see why that is so.

      -make any sense?

  49. Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That's a 16MB RAM chip. The N64 had only 4MB, expandable to 8MB, and no seperate video memory.

    As for the CPU, it isn't necessarily a MIPS. Nintendo recompiled Zelda for PPC (gamecube), so there's no reason to suspect they couldn't target for other architectures as well. But since there appears to be very little glue logic on the board, I'd suspect it's a custom chip with integrated memory controller, etc. I could be wrong tho.

    1. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Zelda was not recompiled, there is an N64 emulator/translator on the disc. Hackers have since separated it from the game data, and you can use it as a general purpose N64 emu with the PSO+BBA ethernet loader method. Mario64 is already emulated in this fashion.

  50. Re:Okay, troll by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    XBox comparisons are a bit weak. While it's true that the XBox has a decent lead in the US(not counting the underpowered, but VERY popular PS2), the same is not true for other countries. The XBox is doing dismal in Japan, often selling fewer than 500 units a week, which is WAY less than half of what the gamecube sells and even further behind Sony.

    The price drop HAS helped Nintendo in the states though, the installed base has been shooting up rapidly lately and Gamecubes are currently outselling the XBox and even the PS2 in the US(how long that will last remains to be seen)

    Of course the hottest gaming device in the world right now is the Gameboy. It's outselling everything, hehe.

    Nintendo's main problem is they STILL don't know how to treat 3rd party developers, though it IS improving, slowly. Their arrogance during the console revival of the mid 80's to early 90's has come back to haunt them, hehe.

    Microsoft on the other hand will gladly foot the bill for game development on large titles from 3rd parties just to help boost their position.

  51. Re:Okay, troll by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "I'm really getting sick of your condescending attitude. You sound like a raving fanboy."

    Overly Critical Guy, your posts in this thread are the longest-winded, and are the ones most devoid of verifiable facts, with poor assumptions thrown in as replacements. You should keep that in mind when you throw your insults around. Introspection does wonders for the soul.

    I'm not trying to insult you, but really, your leaps of logic as presented in your posts are not helping you relay your argument.

    "You completely spin every true statement people are making about Nintendo and the Gamecube."

    And....? Facts are bad?

    Anyways, you are being very unfocused in your attacks against Nintendo. You seem to have problems with everything about them, from their better-than-you-understand #2 market position, to their low-cost/high-performance hardware, to the variety of software available on their systems. You hardly seem like one to trust when being told about the realities of Nintendo's games business.

    "Both of my local stores moved over the Gamecube section and replaced it with a larger X-Box section. Amusingly, Gameboy games also took some of the shelf space."

    You betray yourself. This would only be amusing to an anti-Nintendo zealot or an employee of one of its competitors. Assuming this scenario actually took place, it is not likely for a person to derive a positive emotion from such a trivial occurrence.

    C'mon. All you had to say in your first post was, "I don't like Nintendo and I feel offended that other people have positive, informed, and factual things to say about them." Then you would be moderated down to -1 on that one post, and life would continue as normal for all involved.

  52. mod parent down by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    moron

  53. Onstar? by MSTCrow5429 · · Score: 1

    Has anyone else noticed that the iQue logo is virtually identical to Onstar's?

    --
    Slashdot: Playing Favorites Since 1997
  54. troll by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ass you just wasted my time. you are now classified as a /. retard. please keep your lying to the play ground and off /.. Did you think no one would check dumb ass. No where in any of your other posts did you include a link to Nintendo currently 29% behind in console sale worldwide, US or otherwise. I have also been reading industry reports on console sales which is why you statement interested me since I have seen no such articles or figures regarding a Nintendo 29% lag behind the xbox.

    [read your are an idoit and an ass I on the other hand am pissed off and smarter than you.]

  55. If they'd added a display it would be ideal by Feoh · · Score: 2, Insightful

    To me a portable video game that requires a TV
    is like a car with no wheels.

    If I have access to a TV I can just play my console.

    I love the N64 + SNES idea though. I'd buy one in a minute if it had a display like the GBA or GP32.

  56. Overly Microsoftie Guy! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Poor baby. But I guess it's hard not to start crying when you are choking on your fathers dick, right? And it isn't exactly small and soft, unlike your favorite company, Microsoft, which you will defend religiously.

    1. Re:Overly Microsoftie Guy! by Sj0 · · Score: 1

      How does it feel being a pawn, my freind?

      --
      It's been a long time.
    2. Re:Overly Microsoftie Guy! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Dunno, was going to ask you the same thing!

    3. Re:Overly Microsoftie Guy! by Sj0 · · Score: 1

      hehehehehehe

      You're the one devoutly defending slashdots honor.

      I don't even remember where this thread is, but if I responded to you, odds are pretty good that's what you were doing, wheras I am having fun at your expense. I'd say it's you, oh expendible frontline soldier with only one mission(foreward!), who is the pawn. Of course, odds are the subtelties of actually using metaphors is lost on you, so I'll brace myself for another famous "I know you are but what am I?" comeback.

      --
      It's been a long time.
  57. I have one... by John+Harrison · · Score: 1
    ok, actually I bought about 10 of them on a trip to Taiwan. ThinkGeek.com has them for sale as well. The ones I bought were labeled SuperJoy 3000 and MegaJoy. They each claimed to hold thousands of games but in truth one type had 80 games and the other 125. After that the list began to repeat itself with odd entries, some of which represented cheat modes for games such as Contra.

    As for the reponses in this thread claiming that these things are emmulators, they are crazy. These are not emmulators, they are repackaged hardware. It is much cheaper to make (and sell for $7) a 6502 based system to play Nintendo games than to make a handheld x86 gaming system intended purely to emmulate Nintendo games.

  58. The Japanese NES by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Was the design change from Japan to US based on marketing concerns? I thought it was just redesigned to take advantage of slightly newer technology, and to add dust protectors.

    I saw a Super Famicom when I was in Japan and it was white and grey just like the Super NES.

  59. point to you by Dave_bsr · · Score: 1

    Yes, I agree that electronic patents are not like mechanical or other patents - the tech moves so fast that the patents should move fast too. Here's an idea, software patents should last 6 months (because of "speed of industry) and electronic patents should last 5 years.

    But yeah, you're probably right.

    --


    Who is this Anonymous Coward character, how does he post so much, and why is he always such a whore?
  60. Animal Crossing by Kamalot · · Score: 1

    Wht does the back of the iQue box show a picture of Animal Crossing, a GameCube game?

    1. Re:Animal Crossing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because Animal Forest (Dobetsu No Mori) was originally released for the N64 (in Japan only).

  61. Another thing by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

    It seems others have done a good job at refuting you already, I'll just add two quick things:

    Rather than directing people to other posts or to Google, here are some direct quotes:

    From http://www.globetechnology.com/servlet/story/RTGAM .20030924.gtnintendosep24/BNStory/AtPlay/

    "Sony's PlayStation 2 still leads the market, with nearly 54 million consoles shipped as of early August. Nintendo had sold about 9.6 million GameCubes by the end of the summer.

    Sales have been so slow this year that Nintendo temporarily stopped production of its GameCube in August and said it wouldn't make any more until Fall in order to eat up excess inventory. iSuppli said the company shipped just 80,000 units during its most recent quarter, which ended June 30.

    Kyoto-based Nintendo did not disclose the amount of excess inventory on hand in August, or how many consoles are normally produced at that time of year. The company has also maintained that its target is to sell six million machines this fiscal year (ending in March 2004), saying sales generally pick up during the holiday shopping season.

    With this in mind, Nintendo is also increasing the pressure on the software front to appeal to gift-giving shoppers. It has vowed to boost the number of GameCube titles to 320 by the end of the year, and has hinted that there will be special promotional deals through the lucrative holiday shopping season.

    The promise of a slew of new GameCube titles comes despite reports from the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) show in Los Angeles earlier this year that several top game development companies and publishers were reconsidering the number of GameCube titles they plan to produce in the wake of declining sales for the console."

    From http://technology.nzoom.com/cda/printable/1,1856,2 23621,00.html:

    "A number of game publishers have curtailed or ended production of GameCube games, citing the platform's disappointing sales. Analysts were quick to caution that Nintendo was likely to benefit most from the news.

    "Although this is a positive announcement with respect to Nintendo, we do not expect this price drop to have a dramatic effect on our expectations for the third-party publishers in our universe," Harris Nesbitt Gerard analyst Edward Williams said in a note.

    Of the 10 best-selling games for the GameCube in August, according to research service NPDFunworld, six were published by Nintendo - a far higher proportion of first-party games than on any other console.

    While the console has been stronger in Japan and Europe, in the United States it has settled into a firm third place, with an installed base about 29 percent smaller than that of the Xbox.

    The last major game console to retail for US$99 in the United States was Sega's Dreamcast - though that price was an inventory-clearing move after Sega discontinued the console and decided to become exclusively a game publisher."

    From http://edition.cnn.com/2003/BUSINESS/04/07/nintend o.reut/:

    "TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) -- Videogame company Nintendo Co Ltd on Monday slashed its group net profit forecast for the business year that ended on March 31 by 18 percent due to sluggish sales of its GameCube machine.

    The Kyoto-based company, known for its hit "Pokemon'' games, now expects a group net profit for 2002/03 of 66 billion yen ($548.5 million) against its November forecast of 80 billion yen.

    Citing poor demand for its mainstay GameCube console at home and abroad, the company trimmed its group sales estimates to 500 billion yen from 600 billion yen.

    "Demand for the GameCube console was significantly lower than our expectation,'' a company s

    --
    "Sufferin' succotash."
    1. Re:Another thing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Not seeling as much as expected is not "doing poorly". How can a company which turns a profit be "doing poorly"?

      Other people have refuted your points already so I don't see the point in going for specifics.

    2. Re:Another thing by Troed · · Score: 1

      You're really clueless. The 80000 figure was an error from the reporting agency, Nintendo corrected it to 800000 days after. Maybe you should only talk about things you know?

      Nintendo had sold 9.55M Gamecubes end of March 2003. Microsoft had sold 9.4 Xboxes at the end of June 2003. Those are official numbers from Nintendo and Microsoft - available from their respective websites.

      Now go hide under a rock, really.

  62. liberal alert by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    hahahahaha..."terrorist regime of the united states"

    you're one of those people who thinks we should have just let saddam kill his own people for another decade, and then decry that the united states allows dictators to exist

    1. Re:liberal alert by Troed · · Score: 1

      US pilots scouted for Saddam when he gassed the Kurds.

      Learn history _before_ attacking those who do already.

    2. Re:liberal alert by LittleLebowskiUrbanA · · Score: 1

      Prove it. Since your were there and all. I'll just back to reading my Time magazine article about the rise of anti-semtisim and general racial crimes in your beloved Europe.

  63. Let me get this straight by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

    The only single positive fact you can offer is that Nintendo sold a million more Gamecubes than X-Boxes? Didn't it ever occur to you that the reason is because so many people already own X-Boxes? The Gamecube is in 3rd place here in the States. Even you know this.

    That's why so many third-party developers program for the X-Box and PS2 instead. I already proved to you the 29% install base figure, and the quote about third-parties reducing their product lines for the Gamecube due to sluggish sales. 6 of the top 10 selling Gamecube titles are first-party development efforts such as Mario Kart and Mario Party. Can't help but notice you ignore all those points! Haha.

    What part of "doing poorly" do you not understand? Why do you take it so personally that someone point out the facts of the 3rd place Gamecube's performance in America? Does your daddy work for NOA or something? Clearly, I have won this debate.

    Next.

    --
    "Sufferin' succotash."
    1. Re:Let me get this straight by Troed · · Score: 1

      Why should I care about sales in the US more than worldwide sales? (I'm not from the US)

      The Gamecube is not doing poorly, and it's interesting to see you think it is just because it's slightly behind the Xbox in the US. The world does not revolve around the US, I promise you ..

      Nintendo are making heaploads of money on the GC and their first party games, thus, neither Nintendo nor the GC is doing "poorly". Now, what part of that have _you_ problems understanding?

    2. Re:Let me get this straight by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Clearly, I have won this debate.

      Clearly, you are an idiot.

      Next.
    3. Re:Let me get this straight by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "The only single positive fact you can offer is that Nintendo sold a million more Gamecubes than X-Boxes?"

      His numbers do not support your illiterate misinterpretation, they only show that total GameCube sales hit a higher number than the Xbox did, at an earlier date, even. This alone doesn't prove that more people own GameCubes than Xboxes around the world RIGHT NOW (although that is the case), it only shows that sales of the GameCube are nothing like what you want people to believe. Realistically, the GameCube is selling well, and is a profitable platform for Nintendo, much unlike the Xbox:Microsoft relationship.

      "Didn't it ever occur to you that the reason is because so many people already own X-Boxes?"

      The numbers he cites are total sales since introduction, not sales for any one subsection of that period. And although the market for the Xbox may be as saturated as you think it is, it is quite evident that their potential installed base was/is much higher than what it really is (witness PS2 sales).

      "The Gamecube is in 3rd place here in the States. Even you know this."

      Wrong. The GameCube is in fourth place. The Xbox is in third place. Sony's Playstation 2 and Nintendo's GameBoy Advance take up the one and two spots. Oh, hey, look who's making money in the console games market. It's Sony and Nintendo.

      The rest of your points are of the argument that Nintendo is somehow "doing poorly." These are mistakes of poor interpretation and biased judgment. The objective, absolute facts of the matter are:

      - Nintendo's sales of both the GameCube and the GameBoy Advance are considerably high for the industry. Nintendo's installed base for current systems is second only to Sony's in every market.

      - The sales rate of the GameCube in all markets is growing. The GameCube is starting to top market share rankings consistently in North America, which the Xbox has done only once.

      - The GameCube's existing worlwide lead over the Xbox is growing. At no point in history has the Xbox had a larger worldwide installed base than the GameCube, and its chances of ever doing so are shrinking.

      - Nintendo's profit margin per console sold is the highest in the industry, for both of their platforms. Nintendo's financials are consistently high, and their only unprofitable quarter in decades of being a publically-traded company came solely because they hold so many American investments, while the Yen has recently strengthened. That $26 million loss at the hand of the Yen:Dollar exhange rate is quite easy to understand, considering that a weakened Yen, in combination with strong sales, was a major contributor to an $806 million profit for Nintendo two years ago.

      - By producing top tier software that is exclusive to their own plaforms, they create their own independent, substainable market. Equally importantly, they create a market that is able to support third party software developers and publishers. You laugh at the 6 Nintendo placements in the top 10 GameCube rankings, but what is the real problem here? The only thing I can see is that these highly ranking games are only available on Nintendo platforms, while gamers who are restricted to other systems are unable to play this software at all.

      You are being excessively arrogant and rude in your arguments. It's clear that it is YOU who is taking this debate far too personally. Your defensive behavior is weakening your arguments, so I suggest you chill out or risk being labeled a child.

    4. Re:Let me get this straight by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 1

      Why do you ignore the quotes I gave? What are you afraid of in addressing them?

      Yes, the Gamecube is doing poorly. All the links I gave you pointed to "sluggish" sales.

      Face it and move on.

      Next.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    5. Re:Let me get this straight by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The parent poster and many others in this thread have pointed out to you what's wrong with your "facts", yet you refuse to listen. You really should change your name to "Overly Inflammatory Guy", since all you seem to care about is starting flamewars.

      Please do us all a favor here and fuck off and die. You were funnier when you were Reality Master 101.

    6. Re:Let me get this straight by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ha, the 29% number you quote is for the U.S. only, and it is actually 28.3% from several weeks ago, derived from an Activision sales report that stated that there were 6 million Xboxes in the U.S. vs. 4.2 million GameCubes. These were pre-price-cut numbers, and did not include holiday sales. Moreover, they do not include Japanese or European sales. In Japan, every system under the sun beats the Xbox, week after week. In Europe, the battle is far more heated, with 2.2 million Xboxes and 2 million GameCubes fighting it out in the same time period as the numbers above (but again, pre-Mario Kart bundle). Nobody knows how Europe is doing these days for either manufacturer.

      With Microsoft refusing to announce absolute numbers for any region's Xbox sales for the past few weeks, one has to wonder just how poorly the Xbox's Black Friday sales numbers were compared to the GameCube's. Oh, and any numbers from NPD won't count, especially since they do not report Wal-Mart's and other retailers' sales figures. Wal-Mart, Nintendo's largest retail outlet, had an $80 Black Friday sale on an exclusive GameCube bundle, and in-store riots basically caused the exclusive GameCube bundles to fly off the shelves....