Why didn't Rare get into Turbob?

[Arkhan Asylum]

Could you imagine if Rare had developed TurboGrafx-16 games?

They were already fist-fucking the NES with their talents.   Seeing Wizards and Warriors or something like Captain Skyhawk for Turbo would have been kind of awesome.

It might have also made the thing do better here.

Battletoads for Turbo?  Snake Rattle n Roll?   

I wonder if they've ever said why they didn't bother.  It seems like something the would've been really good at taking advantage of, and putting out good shit for.

 

[spenoza]

Nintendo had their back. You don't screw Nintendo. Nintendo screws you. Only the really big guys with other revenue streams, like Hudson and Namco, could afford to either "cheat on" or leave Nintendo.

[Arkhan Asylum]

But, Rare did development on Amiga, and MegaDrive, too.

and some other shit too, I thought?

[SignOfZeta]

Stick to the established narrative, Nintendo is bad.

[NecroPhile]

I'd blame Nintendo and trying to keep 'em happy, which ultimately got Nintendo to buy half the company.  They did games on other systems, sure, but that was almost entirely Battletoads and wasn't until '93-ish, when the PCE was losing market share and the Turbob even more so (and had so little to begin with).

[nopepper]

How many western developers worked on the Turbo, besides ICOM? I thought that this was part of the Turbo's lack of appeal in the west; that it was too Japanese centric, and NEC didn't seem to go after western developers to work on their console. Or am I wrong in this and they did go after the Rare's and Bitmap brothers of the world, but they were just not interested?

[GohanX]

While they weren't totally exclusive, Nintendo and Rare were pretty much in bed with each other since Battletoads. They ported Battletoads to pretty much everything, and the only major release on other systems was the Genesis Battletoads/Double Dragon, which was probably because of the partnership with Tradewest.

I'd say the Nintendo partnership was as good for Rare as it was for Nintendo. Rare's games were mostly very good under Nintendo's watchful eye, and they've been mostly awful since they shacked up with Microsoft.

[Arkhan Asylum]

I'm just curious if they ever even considered it.

[spenoza]

I doubt it. I mean, I'm sure they were aware of the Turbo, but I would be surprised if they really gave it even a second look.

I'm still trying to figure out why Icom Simulations did so many games on the Turbo.

[DragonmasterDan]

Rare was doing contract work for Western publishers, companies like Tradewest and LJN along with Nintendo had them making games for them. With the Turbo having so few Western developed games in general it's not surprising.

[SignOfZeta]

I see what he's getting at, if they had made Turbob it would have blended in well with (probably exceeded) the better western stuff. I'd imagine it didn't happen for a combination of all the reasons mentioned. A company can only do so many things and if they are booked with profitable work they aren't interested in new paths.

The place I work at, a test lab, is currently booked solid. There are lots of jobs we would love to take but can't because we are totally maxed out on space and manpower.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Also, I would like to point out I am not encouraging someone to announce that they're porting a fuckin Rare NES game to the Turbo. 


I just think Rare would've probably killed it with the PCE if the way they did NES stuff was an indication.

[nopepper]

Also, I would like to point out I am not encouraging someone to announce that they're porting a fuckin Rare NES game to the Turbo. 


I just think Rare would've probably killed it with the PCE if the way they did NES stuff was an indication.

Are you porting Battletoads to a green AbCard?

[SignOfZeta]

Would a Battletoads that doesn't slow down or flicker even be playable?

[ccovell]

While they weren't totally exclusive, Nintendo and Rare were pretty much in bed with each other since Battletoads SLALOM.

fixed it for ya.

Rare did go where the money was, which is why they abandoned the UK home computer scene and went NES/Famicom full on, very early on.  I guess the Sega systems also promised financial rewards, and the PCE/Turbo, not so much.

DMA and Gremlin Graphics did jump into PCE/Turbo dev, though.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Would a Battletoads that doesn't slow down or flicker even be playable?

the TURBO tunnellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll


why didn't we get it.

[BigusSchmuck]

I could only imagine what kind of crap LJN would've put on on the Turbo... Then again, a Bonk Country with the arcade card and pseudo 3d graphics sounds a bit more appealing.

[Gredler]

What was Rare's popularity in Japan? Perhaps they didn't have interest developing a game that would be mostly received in Japan. I doubt the ambassadors for the PCE in Europe and the states went out on a limb to  propose marketing let alone contributing to funding a Rare developed game for PCE.

 Am I wrong in assuming most of Rares pre-donkey kong country days were focused on the European markets?

I wonder what were the #'s for third party development in Europe and the states?
How many publishers were in Europe and the states, and how many games did each release?

[Arkhan Asylum]

Wizards and Warriors was a giant sex-fest in USA.   Rare's NES games here were extremely popular.   I don't even know if that stuff was ever released in Japan.

There's USA only Turbo games, too.

They just kinda suck basically. 

Rare could have fixed that.

[SignOfZeta]

I could only imagine what kind of crap LJN would've put on on the Turbo... Then again, a Bonk Country with the arcade card and pseudo 3d graphics sounds a bit more appealing.

You don't need an arcade card to make crap like Donkey Kong Country.

[spenoza]

I don't know how their NES-era stuff did in Japan, but Super Donkey Kong (Donkey Kong Country) was a massive hit in Japan. It is apparently very fondly remembered.

[CrackTiger]

Gameboy has DKC.

SMS has Sonic Blast.

It's all just sprites and tiles.

[Arkhan Asylum]

this is comical to watch.

[Gredler]

I could only imagine what kind of crap LJN would've put on on the Turbo... Then again, a Bonk Country with the arcade card and pseudo 3d graphics sounds a bit more appealing.

Hahah makes me want to put some 3d pre-rendered sprites in some catastrophy. Did you guys know the NHL and Madden games during the 16 bit era were baked down 3d model animations like donkey kong country?You don't need an arcade card to make crap like Donkey Kong Country.

Wizards and Warriors was a giant sex-fest in USA.   Rare's NES games here were extremely popular.   I don't even know if that stuff was ever released in Japan.

Yeah I loved a lot of Rares pre-dkc games, but I wonder what pre-dkc games were popular enough in japan to warrant putting them on the PCE?

There's USA only Turbo games, too.

I will go look this up but maybe you're quicker; Who were the developer and publisher/fundings for these US only releases? I just dont see the US market being big enough for turbob for major publishers to fund their games onto the platform.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Well, SSI backed the Order of the Griffon thing.  So there's that.

Wasn't the rest of it ICOM? lol

[CrackTiger]

There's also:

Radiance
Manley & Associates
Accolade
Cinemaware
Gremlin Graphics
Incredible Technologies
Distinctive Software

There are a lot of Turbo exclusives.

[turboswimbz]

Nintendo was their money maker, I doubt Hudson ever reached out to Rare, not that they would have been open to developing for it anyway.

Although some of those 1991 - 1993 titles would have been cool to see on the PCE/Turbob.

[Gredler]

There's also:

Radiance
Manley & Associates
Accolade
Cinemaware
Gremlin Graphics
Incredible Technologies
Distinctive Software

There are a lot of Turbo exclusives.

Makes me wonder what publishing costs were, so fledgling (what would now be thought of as "indie") developers and publishers were trying the system out using beginner development teams and low publishing costs as a avenue to start a business. I've not heard of those companies outside of their turbob work.

EA put madden out right? What other major publishers/developers that were not japanese make games for it? LucasArts (loom?)

[NecroPhile]

They're not Turbob only developers.  There's gotta be 100+ Accolade developed titles for all sorts of platforms; Manley & Associates did dozens of games for PC and SNES before being bought by EA; most (all?) of Cinemaware's and Gremlin's Turbob games were first on Amiga, ST, ZX Spectrum, Commodore, etc.

[Arkhan Asylum]

I wish Skate or Die had been ported to the turbob.

That should be Tom's next hackup with new art.   

Or I could finally get around to doing it myself, but that sounds like work.

The SOD2 ramp had too much animation for our sanity.

[turboswimbz]

I wish Skate or Die had been ported to the turbob.

HAha was it you I sent that C64 Skate or Die I found in the dumpster?

[Arkhan Asylum]

no, wtf, give me it

[turboswimbz]

no, wtf, give me it

Ahhh, it's long gone by about 5 years.  I found a bunch of educational games, and C64 sticks in a dumpster behind my work.  Someone had apparently used our dumpster to get rid of boxes from their house.  The only interesting thing in it was Skate or Die.  Cover is Boss!

[ToyMachine78]

So much 80s tude

[ParanoiaDragon]

I wish Skate or Die had been ported to the turbob.

That should be Tom's next hackup with new art.   

Or I could finally get around to doing it myself, but that sounds like work.

The SOD2 ramp had too much animation for our sanity.

Man, I'd kill for a tweaked Skate or Die 2 on the Turbob.  I've said that before, but it must be emphasized!

[Arkhan Asylum]

I wish Skate or Die had been ported to the turbob.

That should be Tom's next hackup with new art.   

Or I could finally get around to doing it myself, but that sounds like work.

The SOD2 ramp had too much animation for our sanity.

Man, I'd kill for a tweaked Skate or Die 2 on the Turbob.  I've said that before, but it must be emphasized!

The ramp part, or the adventure-game part?

I would make the adventure game part before the ramp part, myself.

That ramp has too many frames of animation and shit lol.    The McTwist animation, and the footplant especially.


Skate or Die 2 as a whole is another one of those rarely mentioned games for the NES that was surprisingly good.

[blueraven]

BATTLETOADS ACD FUCK YEAH GOGOGOGOGOGOGOGO

[ParanoiaDragon]

I wish Skate or Die had been ported to the turbob.

That should be Tom's next hackup with new art.   

Or I could finally get around to doing it myself, but that sounds like work.

The SOD2 ramp had too much animation for our sanity.

Man, I'd kill for a tweaked Skate or Die 2 on the Turbob.  I've said that before, but it must be emphasized!

The ramp part, or the adventure-game part?

I would make the adventure game part before the ramp part, myself.

That ramp has too many frames of animation and shit lol.    The McTwist animation, and the footplant especially.


Skate or Die 2 as a whole is another one of those rarely mentioned games for the NES that was surprisingly good.

The adventure part, I love both, but yeah, the adventure.  My only complaint would be that the adventure maybe needs some slight tweaking on the controls, but, maybe I'm wrong on that.  Love the music & the sound in that game in general!

[Arkhan Asylum]

The controls on the adventure part are pretty stiff until you get enough board upgrades from Rodney, and enough useful tricks from Lester, like the 180 ollie and shit so you can whip around better.

I am pretty sure Lester is basically Lester Kasai

[DragonmasterDan]

EA put madden out right? What other major publishers/developers that were not japanese make games for it? LucasArts (loom?)

I think EA licensed Madden to TTI/NEC and they had a Western outside developer port it.

[CrackTiger]

EA put madden out right? What other major publishers/developers that were not japanese make games for it? LucasArts (loom?)

I think EA licensed Madden to TTI/NEC and they had a Western outside developer port it.

That's what I always thought until someone pointed out that the building in the ending fmv is actually Hudson Soft.

[turboswimbz]

This article From the other thread touches on DUO madden.

https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/225466/stalled_engine_the_turbografx16_.php

It appears the game was licensed by NEC and converted by Hudson Soft when NEC was still involved and then published eventually by TTI, when they were still working on all the old NEC deals.

The Hudson Soft thing is interesting, well all the FMV is in that game.

I was searching around that dirt DUO whata phile site and found this:  (THANKS NULL)



The article here states licenced from EA and Published by Hudson.

[xcrement5x]

I wonder if the reason Robotech/Macross 2036 never came out is because of Harmony Gold.  That would be one more thing to blame them for.

[seieienbu]

I wonder if the reason Robotech/Macross 2036 never came out is because of Harmony Gold.  That would be one more thing to blame them for.

Ugh, I'd never thought of that.  I read about that in an EGM special about all the games at CES one year and always wondered what happened to it.  That sounds highly likely and abysmally shitty.

[Winniez]

I wish Skate or Die had been ported to the turbob.

HAha was it you I sent that C64 Skate or Die I found in the dumpster?

One of those games I used to love as a kid but going back into it there really isn't much there. I think gameplay wise Ski Or Die was slightly better.

[Gredler]

Isometric blast corps pls

[Winniez]

Considering Rare, yeah they made few high quality NES games but generally speaking they blossomed during the SNES and N64 era when they had full backing of Nintendo. Besides, there are very few quality western developed titles on PC-Engine/Turbografx.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Yeah I mean, Ski Or Die was basically a really well executed joke.   It shit all over Winter Games, lol.

I still like Skate or Die better more for the theme of it.  the downhill jam and pool joust are fun as fuck.  I wish there was a game with more elaborate pool jousting.

[turboswimbz]

Considering Rare, yeah they made few high quality NES games but generally speaking they blossomed during the SNES and N64 era when they had full backing of Nintendo. Besides, there are very few quality western developed titles on PC-Engine/Turbografx.

This is a fair point, The fact that NEC and Hudson generally were too slow to try to win the western market may, in fact, be why rare wasn't approached to develop for the PC engine.  but more than that it was simply that Nintendo had a strong hold on many developers at the time, Rare perhaps more than anybody and NEC/Hudson wasn't willing to outspend Nintendo to get many of them on board.   

Rare had the full backing or almost full backing during the NES years as well.  Also, the SNES/64 is where I personally feel Rare gets too much credit sometimes. They were practically missing from the SNES early and released only 8 games 3 of which were Donkey Kong (Arguably some of the best games of the era I'll give you that) and 2 Battletoads games. They produced way more NES Titles and B) they produced N64 titles that were also late in the systems, and most were not exactly home runs.  Yes, they essentially refined the blueprint for the modern day 1st person shooter, with Goldeneye but that's it as far as amazing from rare on the N64.  Banjo - while good wasn't anything new, same with Diddy Kong racing, conker was more adult themed but not exactly groundbreaking for gameplay.  Jet force, DK64, Perfect Dark, and Killer Instinct while good games weren't and still aren't games that are amazing.  Not that Rare wasn't great during those years it's just that nostalgia for Goldeneye and Donkey Kong Country create a bigger than life picture of greatness sometimes.  I would personally say they blossomed during the NES years and then polished and created a few of gamings most memorable games during the SNES and N64 years.

[_Paul]

Rare did their best stuff on the Spectrum when they were Ultimate: Play The Game.

Jetpac on PCE? Hell yes please.