![]() TMS: On that same note, looking at the underutilized mascots from Rare or how Mega Man fans keep waiting for a new title, do you feel the role of game mascots has lost value? I don’t believe that every company needs a video game mascot, but I do think there is a stronger bond between companies and fans when they do have them. ![]() It’s a more reactionary, less visionary approach. Lately, I see companies being shaped by the industry around them and how buyers respond to their products. These days, I don’t think game companies are as likely to rally behind a mascot and declare, “We are this, take it or leave it!” … or at least I don’t see it as often. But with a lot of mascots, time passes, and the character comes to represent either a certain kind of gameplay, or a promise of a certain quality bar. I’d argue that like those other characters, her look in the beginning was less important than her function. Shantae is just a whip or a yo-yo headed character. Mario is a blocky all-purpose shape that stomps or pounds. Sonic runs and rolls into a pointy destructive ball. Matt Bozon: When I think of video game mascots, I usually think of characters whose designs are based on their gameplay. ![]() Shantae struggled to find a publisher afterwards, and it wasn’t until 2010 that an independently-developed sequel was made. While it was well-regarded, its profits suffered from being introduced after the Game Boy Advance had already shifted a lot of the player base to the newer handheld. The first Shantae game was published by Capcom and came out in 2002 for the Game Boy Color. subreddit showed Shantae as the top contender to win the fighter ballot to be a DLC character and fight amongst Nintendo’s biggest names. She’s set to be a crossover star with the recent announcement that she’ll be a guest character in Indivisible, and although it’s just a small sample from an unofficial poll, the largest Smash Bros. Her international appeal was demonstrated when the series debuted in Japan last month. Even more got to play their first game in the series when last year’s Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse marked the series’ arrival on home consoles. Many were introduced to her through the successful Kickstarter for Half-Genie Hero in 2013. Even if you’ve never played a Shantae game, you’ve probably heard of her by now.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |