Rumor: Perfect Dark DS not denied

by Christopher Grant { Dec 27th 2005 at 4:30AM }

We knew former second-party Nintendo developer Rare was looking for DS programmers and soliciting requests for games to develop for Nintendo's DS handheld but now we have another clue. On Rare's letters page a response to a fan's question regarding Perfect Dark Zero releases on other platforms concludes, "I've just noticed I didn't specifically deny a DS edition of Perfect Dark while I was banging on about the PS3 and GameCube - I could easily rectify that, but it'll be fun to watch the conspiracy theories unravel."

While Rare sits back and laughs at how predictable we are let's talk probability. Will they deliver their fancy next-gen console shooter to the confines of Nintendo's quirky little handheld-that-could? Is Microsoft, who's acknowledged keeping out of portable gaming, going out of their way to shun Sony while not wanting to be completely shut out of the portable gaming space? Or is it as simple as a Perfect Dark DS port being easier considering the franchise's N64 roots? I hope you're watching Rare: let the conspiracy theories begin!

[Thanks, Sage]

Tags: PDZ, Rareware

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jau_Peacecraft @ Dec 27th 2005 4:42AM

who the fuck cares, rare fails at life now, not even all of the original staff from goldeneye, whtf's the point.

Andrew @ Dec 27th 2005 4:43AM

Why does Microsoft deny any portable market intrusion?

Well, it's since they're in the PC business of shoddy software development and mal-performing hardware.

Ha-ha-ha-ha..they really do suck.

Carl @ Dec 27th 2005 5:05AM

Yeah, my cousin was the weapon designer in the original perfect dark on n64, he left rare shortly after its release, along with many of the original team apparently.

2kings @ Dec 27th 2005 5:18AM

Not even the same team so it looses points for that

you should see what free radical is up too lately

D @ Dec 27th 2005 5:19AM

I thought Nintendo had "QUALITY" control on their systems, good stuff for Sony and Nintendo and the poo goes to X Box....

ZildjianKX @ Dec 27th 2005 5:27AM

Ummm... name one quality portable game Rare has made in the past... I thought all their GBA games sucked.

Not to mention FPS games tend to suck on the DS as is.

mike @ Dec 27th 2005 6:47AM

While Rare sits back and laughs at how predictable we are let's talk probability.

---

Uh... Nintendo looks brilliant, selling them after all the life had been sucked out of them. Conker's Quest? A few Mario Kart ripoff games? What, beyond the almighty FPS and Donkey Kong work they did with Nintendo.. have they done lately. Who gives a rat's ass about Rare? Perfect Dark for Xbox360 is said to be pedestrian at best. Anything left in this crappy company? Um.. Battletoads anyone?

Who cares...

Exbzurg @ Dec 27th 2005 7:07AM

Even if they did make PD game for the DS it most likely wouldn't even hold a candle to Metroid Hunters when that is released. Seeing as how the original team is gone the game would most likely resemble the DS's semi-horrible goldeneye port.

Cem @ Dec 27th 2005 7:11AM

@#6:

Metroid Prime: Hunters shows lot's of promise, with WFC support. So let's just wait and see about those FPS games on the DS ;) On the other hand: it would be way cooler to have StarCraft on the DS!

Diminution @ Dec 27th 2005 8:13AM

I think everyone is putting the horse before the cart here. You haven't even played the game yet, but you're already dismissing it? Come on, you all seem to have some expectation that the original Goldeneye/PD teams would be still together after all these years.

#5 And how many quality KIDS games does Nintendo have again? Yes...that's what I thought....

mocax @ Dec 27th 2005 8:20AM

for some reasons the acronum PD reminds me of Panzer Dragoon....

Sega? You there?

Bowser @ Dec 27th 2005 8:41AM

Cem, You're absolutely right. Who cares about Rare developing for the DS, what we need is for Blizzard to release some of their classic games on the DS - Starcraft, Diablo 1&2, & Warcraft 2&3.

Damn, that would kick ass.

Johan @ Dec 27th 2005 9:34AM

Bring on the DS rts's! With Wifi!

Idiot @ Dec 27th 2005 9:40AM

It would be nice if Rare would simply spend 3 seconds to port Goldeneye and PD over. Maybe they could add a few extras a la Mario 64 DS, but I have a feeling they wouldn't put much effort into anything they do for the DS, let alone porting their new 360 game over.

rodJoh. @ Dec 27th 2005 9:43AM

I care! I want Jet Force Gemini!

Maxi @ Dec 27th 2005 11:21AM

Yeah I've been thinking about having blizzard games on the DS for ages. Imagine battlenet over wi-fi, reliving adventures into the 6th Act with mates on D2 and trying to outflank your enemy with an ally on starcraft. It would work so well with the stylus, and the two screens, with the map on the top screen, but with the tap of the R button the map would switch to the bottom screen allowing you to change your viewpoint of the battlefield (or even inenventory on D2!). I really hope blizzard get their act together and do make some games for DS, as it is perfectly suited for strategy and RPG games.

sonicinmobius @ Dec 27th 2005 11:23AM

I love how, since Xbox is a Microsoft product, people automatically bring up the fact that there are, in fact, lackluster games on it, but ignore the fact that PS2 has a LOT of crappy games made for little kids in about five minutes.

kuroshi @ Dec 27th 2005 11:35AM

Way before the 360 and just after the release of the DS, there was a report that MS had signed on to develope games for the DS. There was never announcement of specific titles (grumblings of halo DS). This falls in line with earlier MS reports. BTW Nintendo prefers to call metroid a FP adventure not an FPS. MOre adventure and less shooting than most FPS. I think PD would be great on the ds, maybe using the touch screen like a mouse for shooting. Too bad you guys blindly hate MS so much. PDZ is outstanding in multiplayer. Easily on of the best out there. It's single player is mediocre and often feels dated. If you play online it's a must have, if not it's probably a pass. Try a relax, it's just a company, just a game machine, and just a game. It's supposed to be fun. I'm expecting one of you guys to call for a jihad any second now. Way too much hate, that can't be good for you.

JulioC @ Dec 27th 2005 12:33PM

*ugh*

Perfect Dark Zero? The one with 15-year old AI and back-to Doom multiplayer?

Jesus, cant somebody port Unreal Tournament/Halo or Metroid Prime2's Multiplayer instead of this crap. (oops, I meant next-gen, great graphics crap)

bear attack @ Dec 27th 2005 12:55PM

Oh yes a next generation XboX 360 game on a handheld. Not likley unless your DS is running on gas!!!

CrAzY American @ Dec 27th 2005 1:30PM

Nintendo fans are crazy people, im not going to lie. Nintendo has rare, and Rare is the greatest developer. MS acquires Rare, and it's shit. You guys remind me of John Kerry. Flip flopin around and you can never get your shit straight.

I for one enjoy PD0.

Slashbunny @ Dec 27th 2005 2:28PM

"Oh yes a next generation XboX 360 game on a handheld. Not likley unless your DS is running on gas!!!"

You are aware that Perfect Dark Zero isn't the first of the series, aren't you?

"Nintendo fans are crazy people, im not going to lie. Nintendo has rare, and Rare is the greatest developer. MS acquires Rare, and it's shit."

Not really. They were great up to Goldeneye and then declined fairly rapidly afterwards. Post-Goldeneye is pretty bland except for maybe Perfect Dark. Before that Rare had countless classic games, going all the way back to pre-NES times. They have only released 4 Microsoft platform games and again, they follow the same trend. Note that after Goldeneye, Rare had 22 other games for Nintendo's platforms.So it's not that they magically turned to crap the moment they started making Xbox games.

To be fair, they make better than average games still, but that's not saying much, is it? And when speaking of a developer like Rare who have 23 years of great games behind them, standards are much higher.

Jau_Peacecraft @ Dec 27th 2005 2:47PM

i didn't flip flop, even when Rare was owned by Nintendo, I didn't think too much of them, in fact, as soon as I heard the original staff left, which I recall was well before microsoft aqquired them, I just tuned out and stopped caring about them. I was actually hoping microsoft's aqquisition would be a sign of microsoft using their resources (shit loads of money) to try and get some of the original staff back, but that shit not's gonna happen.

Ninegauger @ Dec 27th 2005 3:09PM

I believe most Rare fans were more than a little disappointed with Star Fox Adventures which was on the Gamecube... I forget if it was known they were to be sold at that time...

Snake2k9 @ Dec 27th 2005 3:55PM

I take PDZ very serious when I'm playing it, and all of those people who do!

you all know how great, and addicting this game is.

I happen to be in the leaderboards on PDZ 15th place

And all you people saying PDZ sucks just makes me laugh. How about trying passing PDZ on PERFECT AGENT? Stupid fucks.

Jedi Master @ Dec 27th 2005 6:10PM

Now I love the Metroid Prime series as much as anybody. Hell, Prime 2 is still currently my favorite game. But -and I'm sorry for this- who the HELL do you think you are, putting Prime 2's multiplayer on the same level as Unreal Tounament and Halo?

Even worse, putting ot above PDZ multi?? are you f****** NUTS?!

And yes, my DS IS running on gas, thank you very much...

Snake2k9 @ Dec 27th 2005 6:37PM

Yeah! Metroid prime 2's multiplayer sucks you can't compare it to PDZ, Halo, or Unreal.

KM @ Dec 27th 2005 8:54PM

I liked the original Perfect Dark quite a bit. I think the prequel is a pretty good game too, really, but it's not on the same level as the original.

As for the original team leaving, not everyone who worked on PD left for Free Radical (though a number of those who did leave were key members on the staff). Additionally, a number of the staff members that left, did so before PD was finished anyway. In the end though, I don't really care that it's not the original team anymore. I like PD0 quite a bit better than the stuff Free Radical has put out these past few years; IMO, TimeSplitters doesn't come anywhere near living up to what the "team" did with Perfect Dark.

But I digress, I'd like to see the original Perfect Dark remade for a handheld, but I'm skeptical that the DS could do it justice. I mean, the DS would be perfect for the controls IMO, but graphically I just don't see how it would be possible.

SonicRift @ Dec 28th 2005 12:31AM

I would be happy with a Perfect Dark port. Or the real Goldeneye, maybe with a name change, and new faces for everyone, since EA's the only company can publish a Bond game now.

Speaking of EA, I have this theory that the portable versions of their titles are the product of 2 guys working through an afternoon. Goldeneye Rouge Agent on the DS was crap because no effort or thought went into it.

I miss the Nintendo seal of quality. Maybe if that was still around, they wouldn't let crap games from EA and Ubisoft get published (Marvel Nemesis, King Kong, Splinter Cell, Goldeneye, etc.)