Game delays are like the physical equivalent to being slapped in the face and being offered an ice pack two months after the fact. Well not a slap to the face, maybe just a punch to the stomach. Game developers in their infinite wisdom and kindly nature find it in their best interest to get the gaming public overwhelmingly excited about an upcoming game and then move the date of its release so far-off in the future that you lose any hope of playing that game before your next birthday.
Developers may even postpone a title's release so far in the future that you might not see yourself playing video games at that time, but rather raising your grandchildren. Maybe that's an exaggeration, but different developers have a variety of different reasons for delaying games - some of them are good reasons, some are bad reasons and some are reasons the public at large may never understand. One such game in recent memory delayed for all the reasons mentioned above is Nintendo's Super Smash Brothers Brawl.
If you read the cover on the most anticipated games of 2007 a couple weeks back, then you might have seen SSBB on the top of the list and for very good reason. Nintendo has been pulling out all the stops to get people as excited as possible for this release. Originally slated to hit shelves Dec. 3, this furious fighter has now been delayed until Feb. 10. Nintendo officials have stated the reason for the delay was to add new characters to the mix. Already announced to the title are Solid Snake, Sonic and King Dedede.
The official Nintendo Web site for the title has been running updates every weekday on the game since May 22, that's at least 115 different updates. How is it possible for Nintendo to keep churning out new features for this game? My guess - illegal Pokemon labor. In sweatshops across Japan, Pokemon, ranging from Pikachus to Bulbasaurs, have been programming the game relentlessly for you, the customer. Everyday 10 Squirtles die from heat exhaustion, all so you can play as a new character like Meta Knight or Ike. Please Nintendo, think of the Pokemon and just release this game already.
With the SSBB game pushed back until after the holiday season is over, this leaves room for other Nintendo titles to pick up the weight and force Santa to pick up some more Wii's. In delaying SSBB maybe Nintendo can push some other lesser known titles by this famous Japanese developer. Will Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast or the new Naruto game have what it takes to become a new Nintendo bestseller? Probably not.
Maybe the gaming community at Rutgers should be thanking Nintendo for this delay. Dec. 3, the date it was to be originally released would be right around the time when finals started. Due to my position as video games editor for inside beat, I would be forced to play the game to its completion in order to give it a full review. In the process I would probably fail most of the finals and then fail out of school. So thank you Nintendo, for delaying Super Smash Brothers Brawl, and thank you for keeping me in school.
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