Excitebots: Trick Racing

[david.dakota]

brilliant fanchise from the NES days whored out and turned into a piss poor saturday morning cartoon.

 

These are my thoughts exactly- despite loving ExciteTruck, i wasn't that keen on the whole inclusion of trucks- so the addition of 'bots is just a slap in the face for me. Gears of Pillow Fluff wouldn't be included in a Gears of War franchise, so why Nintendo couldn't have created a new IP- or resurrected Stunt Race FX- is anyones guess.

[Shino]

The Peeps?! Jesus Christ, is it me or you haven't been here in a really long time?

[The Peeps]

Yeah it's been a while :wink:

[D_prOdigy]

Gears of Pillow Fluff wouldn't be included in a Gears of War franchise

 

Shame. Might have made it slightly less hideous.

[Fierce_LiNk]

I'm not really THAT passionate like :)It comes out wrong. Not directed at anyone in particular but this combined with dead space(Teh on-rails etc etc) and I have really started to dislike the attitude of some people.

 

But you know.. give this a trailer and a good hands on impression from ign and the fans will be all over it..

Just feels like fans are awful at making up their minds about games sometimes. Most don't learn from experience.

 

that's all

 

I know what you mean. I think people are too easy to jump to negative conclusions. Even from the very first posts in this thread, people were writing this off as a mini-game collection!

 

Whinning? It's funny, one minute I'm a fanboy, the next minute I'm a hater. I love my Wii, but I hate rubbish. This looks like utter rubbish, a brilliant fanchise from the NES days whored out and turned into a piss poor saturday morning cartoon.

 

What's more those screens look like N64 shots. Shite.

 

It's taken a different approach, but I still don't understand how this is like a saturday morning cartoon. Were you also one of the many who wrote off The Wind Waker based on the visuals?

 

Also, did you play ExciteTruck? The screenshots for that game were not aaall that impressive, and you really have to play it or judge it in motion to appreciate it graphically. I hardly doubt that this will look worse than ExciteTruck.

 

Well I was all ready to join in and state my worries about the addition of minigames, but after reading the article and looking at the screens I've got a more formed idea in my mind of what it'll be.

 

It's like the rings you could jump through to earn points in Excite Truck. It's there on the track and you can aim for them for more points or you can just get on with your race and try to win.

 

"You won't believe your eyes when you find yourself shooting goals, throwing pies and even playing poker in the middle of racing robotic animals and insects around off-road tracks"

 

That quote had me really worried that they'd taken one of my favourite Wii games and removed the thing that made it so popular. But I'm sure the emphasis will be on the race and the other stuff will just be bonuses to aim for.

 

I'm definitely looking forward to some footage. If it looks anywhere near as good as Excitetruck then I'll be first in line at Gamestation.

 

Welcome back, dude. Nice post.

 

These are my thoughts exactly- despite loving ExciteTruck, i wasn't that keen on the whole inclusion of trucks- so the addition of 'bots is just a slap in the face for me. Gears of Pillow Fluff wouldn't be included in a Gears of War franchise, so why Nintendo couldn't have created a new IP- or resurrected Stunt Race FX- is anyones guess.

 

Just out of curiosity, why weren't you all that keen on the trucks?

 

I don't understand why the bots would be a terrible thing. They're different, but change can be good. People were quite resistant to racing Trucks in ExciteTruck, but the game was pacey, and fun. So, I'm going to place some trust in the developers and let them do their stuff.

 

Shame. Might have made it slightly less hideous.

 

Or less generic.

[killer kirby]

Shame. Might have made it slightly less hideous.

 

And more fun

[Emasher]

Will you people ever learn not to judge a game by the fact that it looks like its for kids?

 

Zack and Wiki looked like a kids game.

Wind Waker looked like a kids game.

NIGHTS looked like a kids game.

 

They were all great. Why should this be any different. The gameplay is looking to be quite similar to excite truck, they've just changed it to look less generic. They're giving the game charm. And the mini games aren't like the mini game collections we keep seeing on the Wii, they're just quick little things you do to get extra points, like getting the invincibility or going through the rings in excite truck. They're building on an amazing game. It shouldn't be ignored because you race bug like robots.

[mcj metroid]

Will you people ever learn not to judge a game by the fact that it looks like its for kids?

 

Zack and Wiki looked like a kids game.

Wind Waker looked like a kids game.

NIGHTS looked like a kids game.

 

They were all great. Why should this be any different. The gameplay is looking to be quite similar to excite truck, they've just changed it to look less generic. They're giving the game charm. And the mini games aren't like the mini game collections we keep seeing on the Wii, they're just quick little things you do to get extra points, like getting the invincibility or going through the rings in excite truck. They're building on an amazing game. It shouldn't be ignored because you race bug like robots.

 

The history of nintendo fans seems to complain about games that look kiddy which is ironic seen as most of the games we get look it..

 

it's not just kiddy.. People complain about genre's too like on-rails..

I find it amusing that fans would take a remake of resident evil 2 over a completly original on-rails shooter spin on the series.

Just amuses me for fans of a console that trives on being innovative.

 

rant over I'm not mentioning this again. I'm very confident that this will be a great title.. I wasn't at first but after hearing about the game ad seeing shots there I am.

[Tellyn]

This "kiddy" thing also bugs me, I feel sorry for developers who try something new and attempt to be artistic with their game, only to be shat on by anonymous forum users who write it off before they hear anything beyond a paragraph of game details.

[david.dakota]

Just out of curiosity, why weren't you all that keen on the trucks?

 

I think i just wanted bikes, what can i say, i'm old and stuck in my ways! I think for the kind of racing game it is, bikes would have been a better choice visually, with riders kicking their legs etc. There's only so much you can do with a spinning truck.

[darksnowman]

I think i just wanted bikes, what can i say, i'm old and stuck in my ways! I think for the kind of racing game it is, bikes would have been a better choice visually, with riders kicking their legs etc. There's only so much you can do with a spinning truck.

 

Yeah, maybe they will make a return to Excite Bike in the future. Racing as trucks was a bit mad and definitely added that extra manic edge to Excite Truck. Not only flinging those mother truckers through the air but going for tree runs that were make or break... it mightn't have felt as daring on a wee bike whereas it was pure epic in a truck!

[EchoDesiato]

What's all this "kiddy" talk in here? That's so pre 2007! "Casual" is the new "kiddy", get with the times, geez...

[Zechs Merquise]

I haven't said this looks 'kiddy'. I've said it looks like an N64 game from the expanded screens in this thread and that from the press release it sounds like utter rubbish - also I have said the art direction and designs look like a bad saturday morning cartoon.

 

Also - take a look at A Boy and His Blob, the art style is totally awesome and looks stunning. It's not about being 'kiddy' or not being mature it's about things looking good. The designs in this game look cheap - like something you'd get out of a Kinder Egg.

 

If this was 'Kinder Surprise EXTREME Racing' or 'Animatronic CarZ Rally' then it would be slated. But because they've slapped 'Excite' on the front it's getting the benefit of the doubt.

[Hero-of-Time]

If this was 'Kinder Surprise EXTREME Racing' or 'Animatronic CarZ Rally' then it would be slated. But because they've slapped 'Excite' on the front it's getting the benefit of the doubt.

 

I personally don't have a problem with how the game looks but I do agree with Zechs comment. Many would have easily tore this apart after looking at the screens if it wasn't called Excite. Saying that it is made by the same team who done Excite Truck so I suppose its fair to give them the benefit of the doubt given how awesome Excite Truck is

[Cube]

Excite Truck never looked good in screenshots, either. It still managed to look great - especially when jumping extremely high.

 

It's not getting the benefit of the doubt just because of the name - it's getting the benefit of the doubt because the graphics and gameplay look similar to Excite Truck.

 

The designs of the trucks in Excite Truck weren't particularly great, but that didn't hinder the game in any way.

[Hero-of-Time]

Will you be buying a Wii for this, Cube? You loved and played Excite Truck to death.

[Cube]

Will you be buying a Wii for this, Cube? You loved and played Excite Truck to death.

 

When I can afford one. Which unfortunately may be a while. I may convince my Dad to get it.

[dazzybee]

I personally don't have a problem with how the game looks but I do agree with Zechs comment. Many would have easily tore this apart after looking at the screens if it wasn't called Excite. Saying that it is made by the same team who done Excite Truck so I suppose its fair to give them the benefit of the doubt given how awesome Excite Truck is

 

Sorry guys, but I find this comment pretty....well I don't agree with it. Thing is the EXCITE branding DOES tell us more than it just being a silly robot racing game, because EXCITE truck is amazing and it follows the same gameplay. Also it is made by a proven developer - these things make us know it's going to be good.

 

It's like saying Shcindlers List is just another war film, or a Sam Raimi Horror is just the same as all the shit horrors. The elements are the reason we expect more, not just the content of the game.

[Fierce_LiNk]

I haven't said this looks 'kiddy'. I've said it looks like an N64 game from the expanded screens in this thread and that from the press release it sounds like utter rubbish - also I have said the art direction and designs look like a bad saturday morning cartoon.

 

Also - take a look at A Boy and His Blob, the art style is totally awesome and looks stunning. It's not about being 'kiddy' or not being mature it's about things looking good. The designs in this game look cheap - like something you'd get out of a Kinder Egg.

 

If this was 'Kinder Surprise EXTREME Racing' or 'Animatronic CarZ Rally' then it would be slated. But because they've slapped 'Excite' on the front it's getting the benefit of the doubt.

 

I found this post extremely strange. You're normally on the ball, Zech, but you seem to have missed something here.

 

With a name comes so, so many things. If I say the word "Nike", instantly you will have your own opinion about the products that they produce, how they work, etc. If I said "Nintendo", the same would apply.

 

If this was a new franchise or series, then it would have been difficult for this to have grabbed the attention of so many people. The fact is, this isn't a new series or I.P. This is another entry in the Excite series. So, if I say the word "Excite" you'll instantly think of other games in the series, the games you've played, what the games mean to you, your enjoyment, etc.

 

This is exactly why I am hyped up for the game. I was anticipating another Excite game, whether it was ExciteTruck 2, or something else. So far, I've given this a chance to impress, and there's a lot that I'm liking.

 

You also need to look at what the developers have done recently or previously, or what they're working on. This is pretty much why so many people are pissed off with what Capcom fobbed us off with. Dead Rising Wii.

 

Monster are not butchering the Excite Series with this game. Mainly putting a spin on it, and taking it in uncharted territory.

[Zechs Merquise]

I found this post extremely strange. You're normally on the ball, Zech, but you seem to have missed something here.

 

With a name comes so, so many things. If I say the word "Nike", instantly you will have your own opinion about the products that they produce, how they work, etc. If I said "Nintendo", the same would apply.

 

If this was a new franchise or series, then it would have been difficult for this to have grabbed the attention of so many people. The fact is, this isn't a new series or I.P. This is another entry in the Excite series. So, if I say the word "Excite" you'll instantly think of other games in the series, the games you've played, what the games mean to you, your enjoyment, etc.

 

This is exactly why I am hyped up for the game. I was anticipating another Excite game, whether it was ExciteTruck 2, or something else. So far, I've given this a chance to impress, and there's a lot that I'm liking.

 

You also need to look at what the developers have done recently or previously, or what they're working on. This is pretty much why so many people are pissed off with what Capcom fobbed us off with. Dead Rising Wii.

 

Monster are not butchering the Excite Series with this game. Mainly putting a spin on it, and taking it in uncharted territory.

 

Yeah with a name can come expectations - but developers can easily take once beloved franchises in the wrong direction. This happens all too frequently, and not just in the world of gaming.

 

Your example of Dead Rising does little but prove my point - one of the world's greatest developers ruins one of their well recieved franchises by taking it in the wrong direction.

 

Considering the screens we've seen and the artwork I can't see at this stage anything promising other than the game's heritage that it could be sold on.

 

It has everything that any other game would be panned for having - yet because of a name tagged onto it that makes it alright? There are far greater names out there that have been attached to rubbish - Resident Evil Survivor, Mario Party 8, Sonic Riders (and plenty more Sonic games) I'm sure I could dig out more.

 

Also, I hate to say this, but at a time when the Wii could really do with a few more traditional games a really attractive and more realistic dirt bike game in the vein of the original and the 64 rendition wouldn't go a miss.

[Fierce_LiNk]

Yeah with a name can come expectations - but developers can easily take once beloved franchises in the wrong direction. This happens all too frequently, and not just in the world of gaming.

 

That's true, sometimes things can be taken in the wrong direction, but they can also be taken in the right direction. My example, the Metroid Prime series. They've transformed the 2D adventure series into a first person adventure come shooter, and they managed this new direction very well.

 

 

 

Your example of Dead Rising does little but prove my point - one of the world's greatest developers ruins one of their well recieved franchises by taking it in the wrong direction.

 

Hmm, I think you're jumping the gun a bit by naming Dead Rising one of their well received franchises. There's only been the one game so far to my reckoning, so it's still early days so far for this. (Note: This is not me arguing the success of Dead Rising, or the fact that is probably is a quality game (I've not played it yet), but rather that I don't think that it is there yet). But, that's me being nitpicky. But yeah, Dead Rising didn't turn out as well as it should have on the Wii. It failed, because they had a cake, and took out the ingredients which made the cake so good in the first place. They didn't add any other ingredients. All they did was take take take until there was nothing left. But, this is an extreme example.

 

Considering the screens we've seen and the artwork I can't see at this stage anything promising other than the game's heritage that it could be sold on.

 

It has everything that any other game would be panned for having - yet because of a name tagged onto it that makes it alright? There are far greater names out there that have been attached to rubbish - Resident Evil Survivor, Mario Party 8, Sonic Riders (and plenty more Sonic games) I'm sure I could dig out more.

 

I'm just going to point out, that this is taking all the elements which made ExciteTruck great, and they're expanding on this and taking it in new directions. We wanted online, we're getting online. We wanted the same fast and pacey gameplay, and we're getting that, too. The Trucks were meaty, and racing these was fresh. However, sometimes more of the same can lead to less originality. What I think the developers are doing are giving us new elements, things that we didn't think of before, and are breathing new life into this.

 

Also, I hate to say this, but at a time when the Wii could really do with a few more traditional games a really attractive and more realistic dirt bike game in the vein of the original and the 64 rendition wouldn't go a miss.

 

I wouldn't mind if we received another game in addition to this that is more traditional, because the more quality games we have out there, the better. But, I think what made ExciteTruck so great was that, yes there are trucks, but it was bordering on the edge of fantastic. You raced meaty trucks on all sorts of terrain, with visuals which were realistic, but given a slightly fantasy-style approach to them.

 

The last level saw you racing in space. Now, this is what I mean. Elements of realism, but given a twist of fantasy.

 

 

Zech, can you give me any reasons why you think this would be a bad game? What exactly is it about this game that you are not liking? At the moment, it just seems to be the fact that it is not realistic...which I don't think is a bad thing in the slightest.

[darkjak]

This "kiddy" thing also bugs me, I feel sorry for developers who try something new and attempt to be artistic with their game, only to be shat on by anonymous forum users who write it off before they hear anything beyond a paragraph of game details.

 

Dude, when you take an existing franchise and turn it into something it's not, then that ain't art.

I'm not complaining about the blob, even though that's a "kiddy" game. Why? Because that's a part of the Blob's identity, that game IS the Blob's identity. I'd get pissed of if they'd release a sequel where you're supposed to paint the entire world with images of your penis and kill hookers. Because that wouldn't be the Blob!

 

In the same way, the Excite franchise isn't about cartoony robots, or even trucks jumping over a morphing world. It's about, for their respective eras, realistic motorcycle racers. Sure, they COULD swap vehicles, but the fact remains that the roots are realistic. In other words, Nintendo could release Excitetrucks, a racer where you race trucks across jungles, and struggle so the cars won't sink into the mud and get stuck etc. Or they could release Excite GT, a competitor to Gran Turismo. But Excitebots?

I've got nothing against this game coming out, but why is it in the Excite series? The only thing in common it's got with Excitebike is that you're racing vehicles. It could might as well have been called FZerobots or Granturismobots, or Needforspeedbots (heck, that's the most fitting so far).

Like someone else said, it COULD have been called Stuntrace:Bots or something, because the gameplay probably will be reminiscent of that game.

 

That's why I disslike Windwaker. Had it been it's own franchise, I'd be more than happy to buy it. But Wind Waker didn't feel or look Zelda, and it wasn't what Nintendo had promised on E3 2000, so that's why people dislike it.

[D_prOdigy]

Dude, when you take an existing franchise and turn it into something it's not, then that ain't art.

I'm not complaining about the blob, even though that's a "kiddy" game. Why? Because that's a part of the Blob's identity, that game IS the Blob's identity. I'd get pissed of if they'd release a sequel where you're supposed to paint the entire world with images of your penis and kill hookers. Because that wouldn't be the Blob!

 

In the same way, the Excite franchise isn't about cartoony robots, or even trucks jumping over a morphing world. It's about, for their respective eras, realistic motorcycle racers. Sure, they COULD swap vehicles, but the fact remains that the roots are realistic. In other words, Nintendo could release Excitetrucks, a racer where you race trucks across jungles, and struggle so the cars won't sink into the mud and get stuck etc. Or they could release Excite GT, a competitor to Gran Turismo. But Excitebots?

I've got nothing against this game coming out, but why is it in the Excite series? The only thing in common it's got with Excitebike is that you're racing vehicles. It could might as well have been called FZerobots or Granturismobots, or Needforspeedbots (heck, that's the most fitting so far).

Like someone else said, it COULD have been called Stuntrace:Bots or something, because the gameplay probably will be reminiscent of that game.

 

That's why I disslike Windwaker. Had it been it's own franchise, I'd be more than happy to buy it. But Wind Waker didn't feel or look Zelda, and it wasn't what Nintendo had promised on E3 2000, so that's why people dislike it.

 

I guess the fact that it might be fun has nothing to do with it then?

[Ashley]

Did Nintendo promise a realistic Zelda or show that it could be done as a tech demo?

 

Franchises (much like film genres, musicians etc) reinvent themselves. I mean for fucks sake, how many complain about EA's approach to +1ing all their franchises?

[darkjak]

I guess the fact that it might be fun has nothing to do with it then?

 

Fun is a subjective factor. I mean, it's like comparing a leopard tank with a BMW. They're both "expensive". But they have nothing in common beyond that and being manufactured in Germany.

 

What if 20th century fox would make a movie about street racers, and because they think it's simply good enough, they call it Star Wars.