Rareware

So many small gaming companies see the top, but just can't get there, no matter how aggressive they find themselves becoming. Rareware appeared to be a company that was at the top, but just didn't care about staying up there.

With every game almost immediately becoming a hit in the Nintendo 64 era, it looks like Rareware was just a great company with no struggles. But little is known from before that time, such as, the NES and everything between. Although some wonderful games came from Rare before the N64, they still had not made themselves a name. And now what's possibly worse, why aren't we seeing games from them now? Especially with all the new technology they have at their disposal.

When one thinks of Rare, what games come to mind? First, Banjo Kazooie, Conker's Bad Fur Day, Perfect Dark Zero, and Blast Corps. If you play video games you may recognize that 3 out of 4 of these games are on the N64 system, and only one is for the XBOX 360. Why is that? With such great games, such potential, why is this company living in yesteryear?

When we think about it, Rareware tried some new things (Viva Pinata, Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts, Kameo: Elements of Power), but were these attempts were failed, they did not live up to the Rareware standard that everybody had set from the moment they first played Banjo Kazooie.

One possible (and sad) answer for this dilemma, is look at who owns Rare... That's right, Microsoft. And look at who USED to own Rare... Nintendo. Now, this could mean nothing, but if you ask me, Rare did a fine job with Nintendo and Nintendo's recourses. Microsoft is sadly enough just not putting bread on the table. Take for instance the Banjo Kazooie formula, Adventure / Platformer in the good old days with Nintendo. Now, Banjo races around on vehicles. Don't get me wrong, Nuts and Bolts is a fine game, but just fine.

Rareware needs to deliver, and they need to deliver fast. Conker's Bad Fur Day won't always be around to save them, and neither will the remake for the XBOX. I don't want Rare to become dust in the wind (like SEGA, unfortunately), but it could very well happen if they don't go back to what they did best.

Pictured Above: Dare I call it... The good ol' days?

Final Thoughts:

Rare, make me some new, excellent games.