(Just a request, if this turns out at least half as what I think it will, can I write these as a feature?)
Well this is an article.. or editorial... or whatever. If you don't wanna read something long. Then please leave without commenting with some smug response to something you didn't read.
kthx

Games that deserve a Sequel! Or a second chance

I'm sure we all have played games that were either standalone or just stopped being made. Have you ever really looked into why you really wanted sequels to certain games? There are many games that are just begging for sequels, but due to businesses closing down or technical problems, sometimes it just can't be done. What about the games that can get sequels, but just don't? How much does this make you rage? One game (or series rather) I'm about to bring up is the Ouendan Series.
In this article I'll include Elite Beat Agents in the series due to its similar style of game play, and the fact that it's also made by iNiS.

A Brief history of EBA/Ouendan

If you're a die hard fan of iNiS (I really wouldn't know who is but..) they've been around since 1997 and made nothing but music games (or as far as I know). Some people would probably better know them for making both versions of Gitaroo man.

The first of the games was Ouendan which was released only in Japan for the DS in 2005 by the full name Osu! Tatake! Ouendan! It received positive feedback and had decent sales throughout. It has a team of three heroes who use the power of music and dancing to solve other peoples problems. As you go up a difficulty level, your lead character changes.. until you hit the max difficulty. Then you play as cheerleaders. The game play is really simple, as the song plays off, you need to pay attention to circles with numbers on screen. You need to hit the circles with correct timing in the order of the numbers on the respective circles.

Here's some gameplay on the hardest difficulty on the first game

There are a few more tricks in the game such as long notes and spinners which add twists to the game. I am still wondering why this just didn't get translated into English with different songs, but anyways..

Game two in the series is actually Elite Beat Agents, which was released in 2006. The game's story and characters had absolutely nothing to do with Ouendan and it was only released in America. Instead of three heroes wearing kimionos (?) it starred three men in black suits in an organization. They did basically the same things the Ouendan team did, but under the instruction of a commanding officer. It featured the same overall gameplay as Ouendan, along with a handful of new features.

Quite a difference hm? A replay of the hardest difficulty on a song about midway through the game

The game really didn't sell very well in America. In three years the game had only sold just below 200,000 copies (this is as of January of 2009). Although it had positive feedback all around, it was majorly defeated by its outdated set list.

Game three was actually Ouendan 2, the full mouthful of a name actually being Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii: Osu! Tatake! Ouendan! Once again, it features the same game play as the other two games, but with the improvements made in Elite Beat Agents as well as a few others. This game has the original characters of the first game face off against another team which helps people who patrol the east side of the city. Both teams take up problems on their respective sides with slide shows occasionally showing them cross roads and exchange menacing glares.


Like so

For some reason, since the release of Ouendan 2, the series just sort of died out. I can't find any sales figures on how this sequel did. Each game only had around 17 songs, so even if you had all three. I don't believe that's enough to satisfy a fans needs (inb4jokeismade).

Why should these games get another chance?

Call me a sucker for rhythm games, but I've played all three games. All of them were addicting and awesome. They all had problems of their own, but all in all were great games. To be much more honest, I think that the game should have a second chance in America. You may think it's just against my regular listening music and that I'm being biased against the music, but the set list was really outdated. How should I explain this?
The YMCA song is in the game. Not much more needs explaining. There are a good selection of songs, but the fact that other songs could have done better just irks me a bit.


Catchy.. but really.. There weren't any better songs?

I have one more solid reason as to why these games should make a return. I can't say anything about Ouendan 2 (but I know for sure that this applies to Ouendan 1 and EBA), but the entire set list was made up of covers of outdated songs (outdated songs can really apply to EBA more. I'm not much for J-Rock so I can't claim very much for the songs there). Yeah, no official master tracks, and songs that were around 4-5+ years old. Granted, you don't need master tracks to make a game good. Guitar Hero 2 was cover tracks, and I believe that to have had the best song list in the series. It would just add to the game so much. It would also appeal to a broader audience, to expand the music time line some more.
I also would like to kill myself if I Highway Star again anytime soon.

One more reason I would like the series to make its way out of the dead, is to remove the Agents. That, or have a cross-over with Ouendan. I really haven't seen a series change so much in localization, but to have completely different characters and story really threw me off. I know that localizing rhythm games is NOT easy. You need to find songs that apply to the game, match it up perfectly, and maybe make a few major changes around. I don't think that you really need to make a new game though.

My final reason to bring it back, make the game have more songs. If each game had around 20 songs, you only get 60 songs. All of which you probably won't like anyway. Some songs might work really well for this game too, it may even pave the way for an actual detailed storyline.

So.. all in all you would have
- Master Tracks
- Introduce America to the Ouendan teams
- Bigger Song Selection
- Broader Song genre's

I guess that concludes this

I guess 4 reasons aren't really enough to promote a new game release. It might also have to do with how good it is for business to release a game, but I am just a fan after all. Wishful thinking isn't always bad, but it always drives me nuts when games don't live out proper lives. One thing I also noticed in games that don't sell as much as they should though, is that they're never well advertised. I NEVER saw commercials for EBA. I also never saw commercials for gems like Viewtiful Joe and Okami (and yes.. I know clover studios is gone. Capcom still holds the rights to both games series' though.). I own the games, but I really don't remember seeing a good ad campaign for these games.. That or I'm just crazy/blind/ignorant.
Well I guess Ouendan just ended silently.. I can say that I'm definitely paying more attention to iNiS from now on too.

...

Wait!!! Remember my wishful thinking speech? I found an article mentioning the crossover I wished upon... and a mention of EBA2? What... and .. what's this?? A Wii title?

http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=793 ... Id=5844217

This is indeed from 2007.. but still. I can dream can't I?
Miyamoto was asked about Kid Icarus Revolution in 05 and we're still hearing stuff about it lawl...
I know I'm hopeless.
Maybe I can make my next article about the Kid?

Well. Comments and constructive criticism are helpful.
Unless you're just a sadist or pessimist and start saying tl;dr or WAL O TECKST. Then you shouldn't be here and are not welcome anyways.

soul hackers: lets just say this, it was supposed to be released in america, then SCoA said no. then everyone and their grandmother in japan at us

a new advance wars

live a live: made by squaresoft years ago. it was about people from diffrent times and diffrent places and each scenario you could choose like mega man. the gameplay was like "babys first tactical game"(it was THAT easy). it was good, it was fun, it is currently translated by aeon genesis, but it needs a actual translation

http://agtp.romhack.net/project.php?id=lal

I heard the high school musical game used the same game mechanic. The games rocked.

(They dont wear kimonos, those are high school male cheerleader uniforms!)

How you've grown dawg, you've gained the power of the paragraph. I wouldn't mind a eba sequel as long as it isnt milked like the gh series.

Normally I would say golden sun and kotor, but my prayers have already been answered

^Oh lol. I've written other editorials and stuff. :3 This power is used for good.

Yeah, I was also happy to hear Golden Sun DS announced. I haven't played the first 2 yet but I know they're amazing.

YESYESYESYES YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES

I'm pretty sure we were meant for each other.


Anyway, Legend of Dragoon anyone?

Psychonauts.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhkami.

I wouldn't necessarily want a direct sequel since there is very little that they could do with it in my opinion, but a spiritual successor would definitely be nice.

^If I get around to writing another one of these that would've been the next one I wrote..
That or Viewtiful Joe.
Joe had around 4 games and nothing more D:
One of them was a party game too :O oh noez

Bumped for front page goodness.

Skies of Arcadia 2.

If that were announced I'd cream myself in sheer ecstasy.