Editorials

Size Doesn't Matter...

By Jorden

I remember a few years back when the newest Godzilla movie was released. They never showed very much at all of the monster before the movie was released (not counting toys of the monster that came out the day before ruining the effect) claiming that "Size Does Matter." Maybe to movies about giant lizards but certainly not to our home video game consoles.

Just a few weeks before this year's e3 there were major rumers all over the internet about a new Sony handheld that would be announced to kill the Game Boy. Well e3 came and went but there was nothing to show. Then out of the blue the PSone was announced.

The PSone (for those who haven't seen it until you read this) looks much like a normal Playstation but is 1/3 the size. It still needs to be pluged into the wall and a TV to be played. But here's the kicker. Early next year Sony plans on releasing a small LCD screen that will allow you to play your PSX on the road (provided there's a valid power source). We now have our portable PSX.

About one week later IGN reported that the next day Nintendo would release their response to the PSone with the same kinda thing with a N64 in its place. They were close to hitting the bull's eye but extremely far from the target if you know what I mean. Nintendo announced a smaller, sleeker N64 alright, but it was the new Pokemon model complete with a Pikachu that takes up aprox. 1/3 the area of the new model. If that wasn't enough there are Pokemon Logo's everywhere, the power switch is a pokeball, Pikachu's feet are the reset button (buttons?) and *place sarcasm here* the cutest thing is his cheeks glow red when the power is on *remove sarcasm now*.

Now companies have been changing the design of there major systems for some time now right before they kill them off, so really I was expecting this just not so soon. Although when the "Pikachu 64" was announced I was immediately let down by the big N. Sony not one week before announced a killer new PSX that makes me want to buy one but Nintendo shows up with a little Pokemon thing that is just to make little kids want a new Nintendo. What about us Mature gamers? What about the new mature attitude that was just going into full swing? What about the people who were (and I stress were) thinking about buying an N64 for the games like Resident Evil 2, Perfect Dark, and Conker's Bad Fur Day? Once this becomes the new N64 staple system I don't expect anything to change. I think little kids will still be the people buying the N64 and more mature games will opt for the PSX, Dreamcast, and egads the PS2!

So basically what I'm really trying to say is size doesn't matter if you have a good thing going. Why take the risk to change it?