Rare Ltd.

[lans]

What's up with rare?

Ever since Microsoft bought them out, their games which were once surefire hits have become mediocre. I mean they literally stopped making good games.

I'm talking about the same company which made all the Donkey Kong games, Goldeneye and obviously Perfect dark. Include Conker: BFD to the list too.

All of those above stated games were of awesome quality, the multiplayer portions of Goldeneye/perfect dark proved this company has great talent. Conker proved that rare knew how to blend adult humour with cartoony graphics - the good ol' nintendo/rare days..gone

I haven't heard anything good from them for a while, just a conker remake for the xbox. I really hope they get back on perfect dark zero and stun us once again...

 

[Sprafa]

I heard that "Goulies (don't remember the rest)" game was kinda cool

 

[Dedalus]

you've answered your own question really.

 

[nicrd]

I haven't heard anything to, but one things for sure : Microsoft won't let Rare sit down and do nothing good.

 

[lans]

you've answered your own question really.

My question is not what rare is doing nowadays - I know that. I really don't understand why the quality of their games has gone down so much.

And the Ghoulies one I heard was very mediocre- I'm talking about Rare here who made classics, not just your regular developer.

 

[Fender357]

As long as Rare keeps from making games for and with Nintendo, they are going to suck.
Which is sad because they made some of the greatest games of all time.

 

[Mechagodzilla]

I haven't heard anything to, but one things for sure : Microsoft won't let Rare sit down and do nothing good.

Actually, that's exactly what they could do.
By buying them out, they keep Nintendo from having the better games, which means more potential X-box sales.

That new conker game looks like a lot of work has been put into it though. It won best graphics at E3, after all. Maybe they were just busy with that?

 

[Dedalus]

What's up with rare?

Ever since Microsoft bought them out, their games which were once surefire hits have become mediocre. I mean they literally stopped making good games.

that's what i meant...can't get more obvious than that. but i get what you're saying anyway.

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

havent you seen this!?!? this is gonna rock our worlds!
http://www.gametrailers.com/gt_vault/t_conker_lnr_e3_2k4.html
http://www.gametrailers.com/gt_vault/t_conker_lu.html

 

[DarkStar]

Rumor has it that after Conker is released Rare is going to start working full time on Perfect Dark Zero and Killer Instinct 3. Both for the next-generation Xbox.

 

[Pitbul]

What's up with rare?
Ever since Microsoft bought them out, their games which were once surefire hits have become mediocre. I mean they literally stopped making good games.

Of course, everything Microsoft touches goes to hell. Didn't you know this?

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

guys please only judge post nintendo rare AFTER you pick up conker and PDZ

 

[lans]

havent you seen this!?!? this is gonna rock our worlds!
http://www.gametrailers.com/gt_vault/t_conker_lnr_e3_2k4.html
http://www.gametrailers.com/gt_vault/t_conker_lu.html

The multiplayer looks ok, but the previews said it was nothing special. The singleplayer is the same game (Conkers bad fur day from n64) so nothing original there. The graphics award was given because conker looked more furry - otherwise they aren't that exceptional - espcially compared to other xbox cartoony-styled titles (sudeki, to some extent fable), in fact the animation is rather bad, conker is floating in mid air in one of the vids. I really hope that rare does it right this time - I'm loosing faith in them after every mediocre title.

 

[Zapp$ter]

guys please only judge post nintendo rare AFTER you pick up conker and PDZ

And judging by their track record from their nintendo days, it could be a long time before we are able to do that

 

[snark^]

*sigh* Back when they used to be known as Ultimate Play The Game I really enjoyed their stuff for the 48K Spectrum: Atic Atac, Sabre Wulf, etc. Wonder if they actually still have any staff left over from those days?

 

[Sedako]

Rare made Blast Corps... If they make a similar game for the box, you'll never see me outside again!

 

[A True Canadian]

I haven't heard much from Rare since they were bought out by Microsoft in 2002. Either Rare is working on something big, or Microsoft is giving them a hard time.

Taken from IGN:

Former member of the Nintendo "Dream Team", located in Twycross, England. Originally owned to 49% by Nintendo, Rare is behind such smash hits as Perfect Dark, GoldenEye, RC Pro-Am, Jet Force Gemini, Blast Corps, Killer Instinct and the Donkey Kong Country series. Formerly known as Ultimate - Play The Game, Rare has perhaps the best quality track record of any development company.

The company was founded in 1982 as Ultimate by the brothers Tim and Chris Stamper and initially concentrated on developing for the Spectrum Sinclair. Later, the company shifted focus to Nintendo's consoles and handhelds, and Rare was set up as a specialised subdivision in 1985. The Ultimate distribution rights were later sold off to publisher US Gold. In 1995, Nintendo bought a 25% stake in the company, which it later expanded. Although all its games were still distributed by Nintendo, Rare has started to self-publish select titles with 1997's Diddy Kong Racing (N64).

In what has to be one of the biggest acquisition coups in modern gaming history, Microsoft bought Rare in September 2002 when Nintendo elected not to renew its close ties with the developer.

Here is also a list of the games that they have been a part of:

publisher


NES
Cobra Triangle


Nintendo 64
Conker's Bad Fur Day
Jet Force Gemini
Twelve Tales: Conker 64


developer


Game Boy
Battletoads
Battletoads in Ragnarok's World
Donkey Kong Land
Donkey Kong Land 2
Donkey Kong Land 3
Killer Instinct
Sneaky Snakes
Super R.C. Pro-Am


Game Boy Advance
Banjo Pilot
Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge
Donkey Kong Coconut Crackers
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong's Quest
It's Mr. Pants
Sabre Wulf


Game Boy Color
Conker's Pocket Tales
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong GB: Dixie and Kiddy Kong
Mickey's Racing Adventure
Mickey's Speedway USA
Perfect Dark


Game Gear
Battletoads


GameCube
Donkey Kong Racing
Kameo: Elements of Power
Star Fox Adventures


Genesis
Battletoads
Battletoads / Double Dragon
Championship Pro-AM


NES
Battletoads
Battletoads / Double Dragon
Double Dare
Iron Sword: Wizards & Warriors II
Jordan vs. Bird One on One
R.C. Pro-AM II
R.C. Pro-Am
Slalom
Solar Jetman
Wheel of Fortune w/ Vanna White
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
Wizards & Warriors III: Visions of Power


Nintendo 64
Banjo-Kazooie
Banjo-Tooie
Blast Corps
Conker's Bad Fur Day
Diddy Kong Racing
Dinosaur Planet
Donkey Kong 64
GoldenEye 007
Jet Force Gemini
Killer Instinct Gold
Mickey's Speedway USA
Perfect Dark
Twelve Tales: Conker 64


Super NES
Battletech
Battletoads / Double Dragon
Battletoads in Battlemaniacs
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong's Quest
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble
Donkey Kong Country Competition Cartridge
Killer Instinct


Xbox
Banjo-Kazooie 3
Conker: Live and Reloaded
Grabbed by the Ghoulies
Kameo: Elements of Power
Perfect Dark Zero


co-publisher


Nintendo 64
Diddy Kong Racing



Brings back a lot of memories doesn't it?