The N-Sider Files Volume #3
Welcome to another edition of the N-Sider Files. This is a feature where fact and speculation meet for a detailed look at the latest happenings in the world of Nintendo. In our third issue, we continue our two-part analysis of NCL's internal happenings.
The R&Ds competing against each other once again?
As we previously mentioned in our last issue, N-Sider Files Volume #2, Nintendo has been heavily increasing its software development staffs since 1998. Because of Nintendo's recent activities, we'd all assume this decision would affect Miyamoto's EAD team the most. However, recent activities hint quite the contrary.Since the dawn of the Nintendo 64, Miyamoto's EAD team has single handedly been the development team most responsible for creating console software. These days, hardly anyone outside of NCL knows three other software R&D groups exist. Nintendo's R&D1 team has been involved in releasing several Japan-only Super Famicom and Game Boy titles from 1995-2000. Genyo Takeda's IRD (formerly R&D3) has pulled a disappearing act since 1996 in terms of software development. What about the R&D2 team? Well the department has never fully developed a game in its 20 year history until recently..
R&D2 a game developer?
Sometime in 1998, NCL made the decision to green light R&D2 becoming a full game studio. Since then, the development team has developed The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Deluxe, Super Mario Bros Deluxe, Kirby's Tilt N Tumble, Super Mario Advance, and Super Mario Advance 2 (Super Mario World) for the Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance platforms. If that wasn't enough, the team is now developing Super Mario Advance 3, Pocket Music, Happy Panetchu for the Game Boy Advance; and Koro Koro Kirby 2 for the Nintendo GameCube.
R&D1's return to grace
The R&D1 team making GameCube games? We believe so. With the Game Boy Advance already seeing plenty of first party NOJ software from several other teams and the N64 completely dead; the R&D1 team certainly has no other options if they hope to remain productive. The development team has currently announced 2 GBA games for next year; in many ways two original GBC-GBA ports that never saw release on the original platform. What else they could be working on is a mystery right now, but we don't believe for a minute the R&D2 team would be given GameCube privileges over the prestigious R&D1. Sin & Punishment was only the start, most Nintendo fans should lose sleep over the idea of the Metroid, Kid Icarus, and Wario Land creators developing GameCube software.
Punch-Out?
There is also the possibility of Genyo Takeda's team developing GameCube titles. Could we see the return of Punch-Out, Pilotwings, or Star Tropics in the future? Unfortunately Mr. Takeda has taken quite a hiatus from game development since his team finished Nester's Funky Bowling for the Virtual Boy and Pilotwings 64 with Paradigm.
Nintendo Online: Mario Kart & Animal Forest in Summer 2003
While mere speculation, has anyone wondered why Nintendo has began to push Mario Sunshine and The Legend of Zelda over Mario Kart. Mario Kart was announced at E3, but has not been directly addressed since. Mario Kart was a no show at Spaceworld 2001, and while on NOA and NOJ game lists confirm its future release, Nintendo Execs have made it a point to promise Mario Sunshine, Metroid Prime and The Legend of Zelda as the big first party software for 2002.. nothing else. Animal Forest is the second-franchise candidate for Nintendo Online. Nothing too specific outside the recent online mention by Hiroshi Imanishi, and past sequel references by creator Takashi Tezuka.
Interestingly enough, although we heard Nintendo would endorse third party titles to go online, the company is waiting to build its user base before introducing its Japanese and American in-house online titles. What a better time to do it than after Mario, Zelda, and Pokemon. What the titles are and who the developers are is still hidden behind a cloud of smoke. You can place your bet on Nintendo of Japan, Nintendo of America and Rare each having online titles in development.