29 replies to this topic

[8th lutz]

I got the issue from the mail. Here are the grades they gave and the titles available on Launch Day they mentioned:

Atari VCS: launch grade - B+
Titles available on Launch day:
Air-Sea Battle, Basic Math, Blackjack, Combat (pack-in game), Indy 500, Star Ship, Street Racer, Surround, Video Olympics

Mattel Intellivision: launch grade B-
Titles available on Launch Day:
ABPA Backgammon, Armor Battle, Baseketball, Electric Company, Math Fun, Golf, Hockey, Las Vegas Poker and Blackjack (Pack-in game) Las Vegas Roulette, Major League Baseball, NFL Football, Sea Battle, Skiing, Soccer, Space Battle, Tennis

Coleco Colevovision: Launch Grade - B+
Titles available on Launch Day:
Carnival, Cosmic Avenger, Donkey Kong (Pac-in game), Lady Bug, Mouse Trap, Smurf: Rescue in Gargamel's Castle, Turbo, Venture, Zaxxon

Atari 5200: Launch Grade - F
Titles available on Launch Day:
Super Breakout (pack-in game), Galaxian, Space Invaders

Nes: A
Titles available on Launch Day:
10 Yard Fight, Baseball, Clu Clu Cland, Donkey Kong Jr Math, Duck Hunt (pack-in), Excitebike, Golf, Gyromite (pack-in game), Hogan's Alley, Ice Climber, Kung Fu, Mech Raider, Pinball, Soccer, Stack-Up, Super Mario Bros., Tennis, Wild Gunman, Wrecking Crew

Atari 7800: F
Titles available on Launch Day:
Asteroids, Joust, Ms. Pac-Man

Sega Master System: C-
Titles Available on Launch Day:
Hang On and Safari Hunt (pack-in games) Snail Maze (a hidden title built into the system)

Edited by 8th lutz, Sat Jan 14, 2012 4:58 PM.

[8th lutz]

TG-16: C+
Titles available on Launch Day:
Alien Crush, China Warrior, Dungeon Explorer, Keith Courage in Alpha Zones (Pack-in-game),The Legendary Axe, Power Golf, R-Type, Victory, Vigilante

Sega Genesis: B
Titles: available on Launch Day:
Altered Beast (Pack-in game) Last Battle, Space Harrier II, Super Thunder Blade, Thunder Force II, Tommy Lasorda Baseball

Nintendo Game Boy: B+
Titles available on Launch Day:
Alleyway, Baseball, Super Mario Land, Tennis (Pack-in game)

Atari Lynx: C
Titles available on Launch Day:
Blue Lightning, California Games, ElectroCop, Gates of Zendocon

Sega Game Gear:C
Titles available on Launch Day:
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, Columns (pack-in game) G-LOC: Air Battle, Psychic World, Revenge of Drancon, Super Monaco GP

Super Nintendo: A-
Titles available on Launch Day:
Super Mario World (Pack-in game) F-Zero, Pilotwings

The 3DO :C-
Titles available on Launch Day:
Alone in the Dark, Myst, Star Control II

Atari Jaguar:: D
Titles available on Launch Day:
Cybermorph (Pack-in game), Raiden, Trevor McFur in the Crescent Galaxy

Edited by 8th lutz, Sat Jan 14, 2012 1:56 PM.

[8th lutz]

Sega Saturn : C+
Titles available on Launch Day:
Clockwork Knight, Daytona USA, Panzer Dragoon, Pebble Beach Golf Links, Virtua Fighter (Pack-in Game) Worldwide Soccer

Sony Playstation: C
Titles available on Launch:
Battle Arena Toshiden, Espn Extreme Games, Kileak: The DNA Imperative, NBA Jam Tournament Edition, Raiden Project, Rayman, Ridger Racer, Street Fighter: The Movie

Nintendo 64: A -
Titles available on Launch Day:
Pilot Wings, Super Mario 64

Game Boy Color: C
Titles available on Launch Day:
Centipede, Game & Watch Gallery 2, Pocket Bomberman, Tetrix DX

Sega Dreamcast: B+
Titles available on Launch Day:
Aero Wings, Air Force Delta, Blue Stinger, Expendable, Flag to Flag, House of the Dead 2, Hydro Thunder, Manaco Grand Prix 2, Mortal Kombat Gold, NFL 2k, NFL Blitz 2000, Pen Pen Tricelon, Power Stone, Ready 2 Rumble Boxing, Sonic Adventure, Soul Calibur, Tokyo Extreme Racer, Trickstyle, Tnn Motorsports Hardcore Heat

Playstation 2: C
Titles availble on Launch Day:
Armored Core 2, DOA 2: Hardcore, Dynasty Warriors 2, ESPN Track & Field, ESPN Winter X Games Snowboarding, Eternal Ring, Evergrace, Fantavision, GunGriffon Blaze, Kessen, Madden NFL 2001, Orphen: Scion of Sorcery, Q-Ball Billards Master, Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2, Ridge Race V, Silent Scope, Smuggler's Run, SSX, Street Fighter EX 3, Summoner, Swing Away Golf, Tekken Tag Tournament, TimeSplitters, Unreal Tournament, Wild Wild Racing, X-Squad

Game Boy Advance : B
Titles available on Launch Day:
Amy Men Advance, Castlevania Circle of the Moon, ChuChu Rocket!, Earthworm Jim, F-Zero: Maxinum Velocity, FirePro Wrestling, Gt Advance Championship Racing, Iridion 3D, Konami Krazy Racers, Namco Phobee: Wings of Adventure, Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure, Rayman Advance, Read 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2, Super Dodge Ball Advance, Super Mario Advance, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2

Nintendo Gamecube: B-
Titles available on Launch Day:
All-Star Baseball 2002, Batman: Vengeance, Crayz Taxi, Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2, Disney's Tarzan Untimed, Luigi's MAnsion, Madden NFL 2002, NHL HILTZ 20-02, Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II, Super Monkey Ball, Tony HAwk Pro Skater 3, Wave Race: Blue Storm

Microsoft Xbox: B
Titles available on Launch day:
4X4 Evo 2, AirForce Dela Storm, Arctic Thunder, Cel Damage, Dead or Alive 3, Fuzion Frenzy, Halo: Combat Evolved, MAd Dash Racing, NFL Fever 2002, Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee, Project Gotham Racing, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2

Edited by 8th lutz, Fri Jan 13, 2012 1:28 PM.

[8th lutz]

Nintendo DS: D
Titles available on Launch Day:
Super Mario 64 DS, Asphalt Urban GT, The Urbz: Sims in the City, Feel the Magic: XY/XX, Spider-Man 2, Madden NFL 2005

Playstation Portable: C
Titles available on Launch Day:
Ape Escape: On the Loose, Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower, Dynasty Warriors, Grezky NHL, Lumines, Metal Gear Acid, NBA, Need for Speed: Underground Rivals, NFL Street 2: unleashed, Ridge Racer, Spiderman 2, Tiger Wood GPA Tour, Tony Hawk's Undergound 2 Remix, Twisted Metal: Head-On, Untold LEgends: Brotherhood of the Blade, Wipeout Pure, World Tour Soccer

Xbox 360: B-
Titles available on Launch Day:
Amped 3, Call of Duty 2, Condemmed: Criminal Orgins, FIFA 06, Gun, Kameo: Elements of Power, Madden NFL 2006, NBA 2K6, NBAL Live 06, Need For Speed, Most Wanted, NHL 2K6, Perfect Dark Zeo, Pater Jackson's King Kong, Project Gotham Racing 3, quake 4, Ridge Racing 6, Riger Woods PGA Tour 06, Tony Hawk's American Wasteland

Playstation 3: C
Titles available on Launch Day:
Call of Duty 3, Genji: Days of the Blade, Madden NFL 07, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Mobile Suit Dundam: Crossfire, NBA 2k7, Need for Speed Carbon, NHL 2k7, Resistance: Fall of Man, Ridge Racer 7, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07, Tony Hawk's Project 8

Nintendo Wii : B-
Titles available on Launch Day:
Avatar: The Last Airbender, Call of Duty 3, Cars, Dragon Ball Z: Budokia 2, ExciteTruck, The Grim Adventures of Bill & Mandy, GT Pro Series, Happy Feet, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Madden NFL 2007, MArval Ultimate Alliance, Monster 4x4 World Circut, Rampage: Total Destruction, Rayman Having Rabbids, Red Steel, SpongBob Squarepants: The Creature From The Krusty Krab, Super Monkey Ball: Bana Biltz, Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam, Trauma Center: Second Opinion, wii sports (pack-in-game)

Nintendo 3DS: D
Titles available on Launch Day:
Asphalt 3D, Bust-A-Move Universe, Combat of Giants: Dinosaurs 3D, Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars, Nintendodogs + Cats, MAdden NFL Football, Pilotwings Resort, Pro Evolutation Soccer 3DS, Rayman 3D, Ridge Racer 3D, Samuari Warriors: Chronicles, The Sims 3, Steel Diver, Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition, Super Monkey Ball 3D, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars

Edited by 8th lutz, Fri Jan 13, 2012 1:26 PM.

[Rex Dart]

They forgot Neo Geo Pocket Color: A+

[VicViper]

N64 gets an A for only releasing two titles!!?! I smell a fan boy.....

[Austin]

Yeah, this is pretty bad. They give the NES an A+, but the Dreamcast a B-? WTF?

Edited by Austin, Thu Jan 12, 2012 5:14 PM.

[Austin]

Geez, Lutz, there was no reason to PM me. It was a simple typo that you could have responded to here. Chill out.

Edited by Austin, Thu Jan 12, 2012 5:14 PM.

[HatNJ]

Where is the tag in the article stating "These grades brought to you by Nintendo"

[Eltigro]

Did I miss the grade for the SNES? Didn't see it on there.

Also, only two games for the N64 and it got an A rating? I believe it. If only because Super Mario 64 was/is such an amazing game.

[mister_pal]

C- for the 3DO? I take it then they never actually bothered to play Star Control 2.

Edited by mister_pal, Sat Jan 14, 2012 2:34 PM.

[TwiliteZoner]

I could have sworn that the Toys R Us that I bought my 7800 at had most of the games available when Atari finally released it in 86.

[Austin]

mister_pal, on Sat Jan 14, 2012 2:34 PM, said:

C- for the 3DO? I take it then they never actually bothered to play Star Control 2.

They also missed the fact that Crash 'n Burn was a pack-in for the system, as it's not even on the list.

[wood_jl]

Of interest is the fact that NO SYSTEM got an A+. Well, if the best of the best isn't an A+, then there's inherently something flawed with the evaluation, but you knew that already, didn't you.

Agreed with Austin - Dreamcast got B for a totally awesome lineup (fighting, racing, sports) and N64 gets A for 2 games. HA HA HA HA!!!

[mbd30]

The Dreamcast has one of the most impressive launches ever, at least technologically speaking. Games like "Soul Calibur" and "Sonic Adventure" on a console in 1999? They're also pretty good games and not just tech demos.

[chrisbid]

another Gen 64 kid... sigh

[BassGuitari]

8th lutz, on Thu Jan 12, 2012 4:39 PM, said:

I got the issue from the mail. Here are the grades they gave and the titles available on Launch Day they mentioned:

Atari VCS: launch grade - B+
Titles available on Launch day:
...Street Fighter...

I'd love to see that!

Just busting your balls, Lutz, I know what you meant. Unless it was GameInformer that got the title wrong, which wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. Regardless, I'm surprised they gave the VCS such a favorable rating for their launch titles since they generally aren't especially well-liked today. I like them a lot, but I have strange tastes anyway, so I'm not a good sample.

And yes, this definitely smells of Nintendo sponsorship/paid advertising (don't bite the hand that feeds you!). Of all those NES launch games, maybe three or four were any good; I'm partial to SMB, Duck Hunt, and Kung Fu, myself. And Mach Rider if I'm in the mood. These days I'm a much bigger fan of Nintendo systems (well, not so much Wii or Game Cube) than Sega, but I remember back in the day as the Dreamcast was gearing up to launch, I was salivating over screenshots of upcoming games like Resident Evil: Code Veronica, House Of The Dead 2, and Blue Stinger. Come to think of it, the Dreamcast was the last system I got really stoked about before it came out. I just kind of lost interest in new consoles after that...coincidence? Dreamcast gets an A from me.

Not knocking SNES or N64, but when all there is at launch is Mario (ohh ooh, and PILOTWINGS!), that's no better than a C. Make that a C- or a D or worse if they'd turned out to be crap games. As mediocre as the NES launch titles generally were, at least there was variety.

(It's interesting how Nintendo gets praised for launching with only two or three flagship titles, while the Atari 5200 and 7800 get trashed for the same thing. Granted, the Ataris' flagship games weren't the quantum leaps that SMW and Mario 64 were, but Atari and Nintendo were both retreading over tried-and-true ground. Or is this just more of the ever-fashionable "wrst kontrolerz eva" thing?)

And one final note: a C- for 3DO is absurd. If my exposure to video games in the early '90s wasn't so reduced to a myopic Sega-Nintendo duality by EGM, comic book ads, television commercials, and Nintendo Power (give me break, I was in 2nd grade, and there was no internet as we know it), I would have shat my pants if I'd seen screens of the upcoming 3DO. I might count Alone In The Dark as one of the greatest games ever if I didn't have later spiritual successors like Resident Evil to compare it to. I can't say whether Myst has aged particulary well (haven't played it in over a decade), but for a console to pull it off in 1993 is impressive. Star Control 2 isn't my kind of game, but there's no denying it was absolutely ground-breaking.

[atari2600land]

Where's the Virtual Boy on that list?

[8th lutz]

atari2600land, on Sat Jan 14, 2012 10:08 PM, said:

Where's the Virtual Boy on that list?

They never mentioned in the article like the others I didn't mention such as Neo Pocket Color.

[Reaperman]

Austin, on Thu Jan 12, 2012 4:59 PM, said:

Yeah, this is pretty bad. They give the NES an A+, but the Dreamcast a B-? WTF?

Totally agree on this. Dreamcast had about the ideal launch lineup. There was a bad batch of 'Airforce Deltas,' (took me 3 stores to get a good one) but otherwise, it was an extremely ideal launch. Dreamcast should be the launch everybody strives for. Once I got a good one, even airforce delta proved itself extremely worthy.

But this is 'Game Informer' we're talking about. The fake-ass magazine that's free to anybody that shopped at gamestop in the last couple years. I stress myself calling them a 'magazine' after what I've read in them over the last few years. They're an extended advert and nothing more. really the last 10 pages are all that contains any real info, and half the time that's bs as well.

Edited by Reaperman, Sun Jan 15, 2012 2:32 AM.

[NinjaWarrior]

The Dreamcast should of been an A & The Saturn a B

[mister_pal]

I find hard to believe people still take this magazine seriously.

[Austin]

Austin, on Sat Jan 14, 2012 2:46 PM, said:

mister_pal, on Sat Jan 14, 2012 2:34 PM, said:

C- for the 3DO? I take it then they never actually bothered to play Star Control 2.

They also missed the fact that Crash 'n Burn was a pack-in for the system, as it's not even on the list.

Here's another thing of note: Myst probably wasn't available on launch for the 3DO. If the back of the box is any indication, then Myst probably wasn't released on the 3DO until '94 or '95. Look at the copyrights: http://www.covergala...do-back-001.jpg

[hunged13]

they should rename the magazine and call it "nintendo informer" ....

[AtariLeaf]

atari2600land, on Sat Jan 14, 2012 10:08 PM, said:

Where's the Virtual Boy on that list?

I'm assuming that, like most people, they blocked that disaster from their mind, pretending it never happened. . . kinda like the Star Wars prequels