Earlier in the month I wrote about Peter Molyneux wanting to put Rare back on the map (in a positive light) as part of his responsibilities as creative director of Microsoft Games Studios Europe. Considering Rare's previous accomplishments, I thought his comments were a little on the pretentious side, but it seems people from Rare are agreeable to Molyneux's mission. In an interview with Official Xbox Magazine, Rare head of animation Louise Ridgeway said:
"He comes up regularly and it's great to see someone like Pete here. It gives us a little bit of a face because no-one knows who we are!"
I'm a bit shocked by these comments. Certainly longtime gamers know and love Rare for its excellent work on Nintendo consoles. Some gamers know Rare as a company that Microsoft purchased for $375 million and, so far, hasn't lived up to the price tag. But to say that nobody knows who the company is sounds a bit ridiculous to me. Maybe it's a case of kissing up to the new boss, but I'm certain that a great deal of gamers are aware of Rare.
Just to give myself a reality check (The Miz style), do you guys and gals know who Rare is? What do you remember the company for? Maybe Donkey Kong Country and GoldenEye 007? Or do you think of Rare as the company that served up Grabbed by the Ghoulies to a world that didn't deserve it?
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vismortis
Fullarr i think you said it but remembe that PDZ was rushed and scraped two times. MS said this time PD2 will have as much time as Rare wants. I think The remake of PD64 may be how Rare is getting ready to say hey guess whay we have been doing and we got more then 7 months to do it this time.
vismortis
people bash Goldeney but its still a good game. Also remember that at the time the best Console FPS was a Doom 1 remake. Rare moved FPS to the Console and made it popular They laid the groundwork for Halo 1 and 2 without Rare(ware) FPS would not have left the PC.
ProjektX13
@RROD
up until now, your right they havent showed anything that is really interesting. but i still dont count them out. i felt the same about Ubisoft but then DAYUUUUMMMM..... conviction.
swede7754
@ RPadilla
I'm just saying they fell off the map once M$ bought 'em & hoping they can find a way to get back on track eventually.
dragonburner
Did they do Jet Force Gemini? I love that game. They also did Bomberman which was nice. Haven't done much after the 64 though...
RRODisBack
@ProjektX13
Rare have nothing up THEIR sleeve except more disappointment and failure.
ProjektX13
@RROD
dont count RARE out of the game yet, they have something up they're sleeve.
DoubleLeo
For me, Rare is synonymous with N64. Goldeneye, Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo Tooie, Donkey Kong 64, Diddy Kong Racing.
RRODisBack
Why they haven't made Killer Instinct 3 yet is beyond me. Knowing Rare they would probably screw it up like they screwed up Perfect Dark with Perfect Dark Zero. Rare completely lost their swagger and Peter M. can't help them.
Nub Salad
I didn't have an xbox when microsoft bought rare so i don't know much about the games they have put out. I was a huge fan when they were with nintendo and made games like donkey kong, kiler instinct, goldeneye, perfect dark, diddy kong racing, and conker's bad fur day. But they fell off my map when they left nintendo and even further off when i played that garbage known as perfect dark zero.
LoveLifeMusic
Battle Toads and Killer Instinct, I traded my N64 for a ps1, but did miss some of those games
nvserg
im sure someone already broad it up, Killer Instict...kakakaka kabo breaker....
Dr_Killswitch
Battletoads was the bomb back in the day. I still have that cartridge.
darthatheos
UUULLLLLLTTTTTTRRRRRRAAAAAA CCCCCCCCOOOOOOOOMMMMMMBBBBBBBO OOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
token123
rare was awesome during the n64 days, now they suck nuts and bolts was a huge letdown for a guy like me who played and beated the banjo, perfect dark games about 1000 times
Fullarr
Rare is definitely still a name people know, but it's faded from the spotlight a lot over the years. I bought Perfect Dark Zero at launch based on the franchise and BECAUSE it was Rare that developed it. They definitely dropped the ball on Perfect Dark Zero. If ever there was a chance for Rare to become relevant again it was with the launch of a new console and the next installment of one of the best games on N64.
I would absolutely love if they could do the Perfect Dark series justice on 360, but maybe it's just one of those instances where I just need to let that franchise go. Rare is capable of producing quality games, they just have to remind themselves what made their early games fun, and then update those theories to today.
littledragon092
BANJO KAZOOIE
r_pad
@_Wallace_ The Miz is completely awesome.
@swede7754 I don't disagree that Rare is a shadow of its former self, but to say people don't know about the company seems a bit silly to me.
@IcemanMX There are a lot of people that think Molyneux over-promises and under-delivers, but he's certainly contributed a lot to the gaming business. I've been playing his stuff since Populous.
Gellykat
My favorite games from Rare are the Donkey Kong Country series (I have DKC 2 & 3 on virtual console), Diddy Kong Racing (N64 version. I hate the DS version), Blast Corps(wish THAT would become available for download), and of course Killer Instinct.
Bet you didn't know they made Battletoads WAAAYY back in the day for NES...
IcemanMX
I knew about Rare WAY before I ever even knew who Peter Molyneux is. In fact, I am pissed off because I have learned who Peter Molyneux is.
-M
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