July 28th 2023.
Is Sony resting on its laurels? That's a question many people have been asking lately, especially as the PlayStation 5 remains just behind the PlayStation 4 in sales, despite the promise of it overtaking it by Christmas. People are confused as to why there have been so few game announcements this year, and why Sony hasn't given any explanation for it. It's like they're treating the PlayStation 5 like a dead format.
There seems to be a lot of speculation about the Nintendo Switch 2, with rumors that it will be released early next year. That seems unlikely, as it would be difficult to build up enough anticipation in such a short time. Plus, it would be a bit unfair to those that got a Switch at Christmas, but would have to buy a new one shortly after. We can only guess as to what Nintendo is planning, though it's unlikely that they would pull off an Apple-style 'It'll be out tomorrow' for video game hardware.
On the topic of classic games, I think there are still quite a few that stand up today. Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man are both still as enjoyable and timeless as they ever were. Defender and Robotron: 2084 are also great, as well as Galaga, Tempest, and Gauntlet. On the console side, the Mario games on NES are still great and I'd also add Space Invaders on the Atari 2600 and Demon Attack.
My thoughts on Super Rare's response to my question about The Touryst game on PlayStation 4 physical edition was a bit disappointing, but understandable. It seems there are no current plans to release a PlayStation 5 version. I'll just have to wait and see if any other physical versions come out for PlayStation or Xbox.
Finally, I was wondering what GameCentral thought about Parasol Stars, which is Bubble Bobble 3. Bubble Bobble is the first game, followed by Rainbow Islands and then Parasol Stars. They're all great classics, although the recent Bubble Bobble 4 Friends was surprisingly decent.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage on Netflix got me thinking, was Venom/Carnage the inspiration for T2000 robot in Terminator 2? Although it's a loose connection to Sony's upcoming Spider-Man 2 game, I thought I'd throw it out there.
Is Sony resting on its laurels? It's a fair question to ask, especially when looking at the PlayStation 5's sales numbers compared to the PlayStation 4. It's clear that the PS5 is doing well, with the potential to become one of the top five biggest consoles of all time by Christmas. But considering the lack of game announcements this year, and the radio silence from Sony when it comes to explaining why, it's hard to shake the feeling that there's something missing.
What could Sony be doing differently? It's not like the PlayStation 5 isn't successful, but if they're just watching the numbers and not making any effort to promote their console, then they can expect some backlash.
The rumors of a Switch 2 coming out early next year have been gaining traction, and it's hard not to take them seriously. Nintendo would have to announce it by early January for there to be any build-up to the release, which might not go over well with those who just got a Switch at Christmas. But then again, Nintendo has surprised us before, so is anyone really willing to bet against them?
The Friday letters page discussed 8-bit games that are still playable today, over 35 years after their initial release. Obviously, Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man stand out as timeless classics, and I would add in Defender, Robotron: 2084, Galaga, Tempest, and Gauntlet. On the console front, I would say the NES Mario games, Space Invaders on the Atari 2600, and Demon Attack. Of course, some of the Spectrum games are probably best left to fond memories.
Finally, I wanted to ask about the recent release of Parasol Stars, the third game in the Bubble Bobble series. It's a great series of cast iron classics, and Bubble Bobble 4 Friends was surprisingly decent. What is GameCentral's opinion on Parasol Stars?
It's also interesting to note that the last game given away under the Games with Gold program was Portal 2, a genuine classic. The final Xbox One games were less impressive, which seemed to be a fitting end to a service that Microsoft has been itching to shelve for a while. However, long term Xbox Gold members will have a massive collection of games to look back on, including over 200 Xbox 360 titles. Sony's PS+ Essentials, on the other hand, is going strong with PGA Tour 2K23, Death's Door, and Dreams.
Finally, I've been wondering if Venom/Carnage from the Spider-Man comics was the inspiration for T2000 robot in Terminator 2. It's a bit of a stretch I know, but it's only loosely related to the upcoming Spider-Man 2 game.
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