Super Mario 64 DS Casestudy

Production:
Information on the game, ie. what kind of game is it, i.e first person shooter.

Who made it? Developer, publisher
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Publisher: Nintendo

How was it funded?
What new technology or key features?

Marketing:
What was the strategy, i.e. viral, conventional?

Strategy: Strategic positioning is ultimately a unique set of sustainable activities that use your company's valuable, rare and inimitable resources to change the rules of the game. Strategic positioning is about being different. Nintendo decided to uniquely devote its resources to expanding the game playing audience through two key things: 'strong community' and 'immersive games'. http://www.n-sider.com/contentview.php?contentid=331

What kind of audience are they trying to attract and how? i.e. look at the different ads.

Trailers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl9dGH0wuq4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaaplVmYv6A&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUTgBAB6Bj0&feature=related

Distribution:

Nintendo is also changing things up with its virtual library of NES, SNES and N64 games. This is a new and unique distribution model that has the potential for great success. Low cost hardware and software, a new intuitive game-play input and original game genres are a unique set of sustainable activities that, when combined, form Nintendo's strategic position. http://www.n-sider.com/contentview.php?contentid=331

How do you buy it?
Online and In-store, retailers such as play.com and Game.

How do you pay?
You can buy online by using PayPal, Visa Cards. Also in-store you can buy by using cash, connect debit/credit card and using vouchers/game cards/points cards.

How can you get hold of it?
You can get hold of it by going in-store and collection, pre-ordering/ordering online/in-store.

Consumption:
Is there any user generated content?
No.

Is it multi-player ?
Yes it is multiplayer, 1 to 4 people.

Is it online?
Yes you can play mini games online which are parts of the main game.
www.onlinesupermario.com/

Any points of interest, something that makes this game interesting?

What are some of the issues raised by Media ownership in the videogames industry?

Media Ownership is ownership of the rights of a concepts,property,idea - they can make money as other companies have to gain permission or license to that concept,property,idea. Issues of having Media Ownership include: companies having a similar idea, failure of the game content, one company using their power of the ownership to manipulate console companies.

One of the issues raised by Media Ownership in the video games industry, could be another company has a similar idea but it could go against the Media Ownership license of the other company. For example Rockstar's, Grand Theft Auto Vice City is similar in the idea of the game which involves violence, stealing and driving cars and tasks in Volition Inc.,Saints Row. This would be an issues as consumers could prefer Saints Row to GTA Vice City, so could separate consumers as some of them may only own one of the consoles but could only buy one of the games. Also because of the difference in release dates, people could say that Saints Row was incredibly similar to GTA Vice City which was release in 2002 whereas Saints Row was released in 2006. However there are enough differences to say Saints Row was not a copy of GTA Vice City, as the locations are different and also you can create your own character in the game Saints Row, which means the consumer can identify to the character as it may have the same characteristics as the consumer themselves.

An issue of Media Ownership is that it gives some game companies a lot of power over their game and who can gain license for the concept,property, idea. An example of this would be Rockstar previously gave Sony exclusivity to the GTA series, however when it came to the release of GTA IV Rockstar decided not to give Sony exclusivity. Also Rockstar used their Media Ownership of GTA IV to release the game on Sony, PlayStation, PSP and Microsoft Xbox. Rockstar then allowed Microsoft have a downloadable content for the Xbox, however this cost them $50 million to have for only 2 years.

Another issue of having Media Ownership of a concept,property, idea is that it does not always guarantee success in the video game that is produced. As E.T was a blockbuster film Atari believed it would be a good idea to get the rights of the film to make a game based on the narrative of E.T. However, the game did not get as much interest as Atari thought so the game failed in becoming as popular as the film. The reason the game was such a failure was because the negotiations between the original producer Steven Spielberg and Atari, took so long there development time was shortened which means the game was not to the full expectations of the audience, therefore Atari lost a lot of revenue as the consumers were sending the game back. This shows the Media Ownership of the rights of a concept sometimes do not fulfill expectations of what the consumers want, even though the company had exclusivity to the concept of E.T as a video game.

In conclusion, the main issue of Media Ownership in the video games industry is that one company can use the ownership to manipulate major console companies. This is the main issue as the company demand higher preferences for allowing other companies to have permission for either exclusivity or add-ons. The other issues are also important as they contribute to the success of the company that own the Media Ownership as failure of a game could lead to a negative perspective of the company.

Super Mario 64 DS Distribution

• What consoles is your game available on and was it released on any other console, if yes then was it at the same time or at a later date?
  -Initially the Super Mario 64 was released on the Nintendo 64 in 1996, the controller was designed specifically for this game, to be the perfect interface for controlling Mario's moves. The Super Mario 64 game is available on the Nintendo DS as it was released at the same time as that particular console.
  
• Why do you think it is available on that console? i.e. the Wii's interactivity is essential for the game experience.
  -Super Mario 64 is available on the Nintendo DS because it is sure to offer up plenty of challenges that you need help with. The Nintendo DS also means that you can play Super Mario 64 while travelling and moving around as the Nintendo DS is a portable handheld console. Also the Nintendo DS has a new style of control—touch control, that Mario can now be played on opposed to the platform console of Nintendo 64.
  
  
• After it's initial release was there any add-ons or downloads?
  -There were no add-ons or downloads, however after the Nintendo DS release soon after it the Nintendo DS Lite was distributed in 2006 which was smaller, lighter and brighter screens.
  
• What content is available online, where online (what websites) and why do you think that particular content is online? i.e. what makes it different, desirable for the gamer?
  -http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/bf6eff85-6d2e-47f5-aa88-842dd0998eaa
  This official Nintendo website offers the narrative of the game, how the console has advanced the game technology and the features of the game available on the Nintendo DS. This makes the games desirable as it gives the gamer more information about the game possibly before they purchase it to make sure it's the style of game they know would enjoy. The website is desirable also as you know the information can be trusted as it is the official Nintendo website.
  -http://uk.gamespot.com/ds/action/dssupermario4x4/index.html?tag=tabs%3Bsummary
  This website offers summary, reviews, news, hints and cheats, forums, images, previews and features, videos and answers. This website is desirable for the gamer as it offers plenty of information about the game and also hint that could help them if they got stuck on a particular part of the game. The images and previews are also desribale for the gamer as it shows the type of graphics and how the game will peform on the Nintendo DS.
  
  
• What websites are your game available on? i.e. XBox live
  -Online Retailers
  Many online retailers specialize in stocking older and used products.
  -Pawn Shops
  Pawn shops are an excellent place to find older products.
  -Garage Sales, Flea Markets, or Classified Ads
  You can often find great deals and games that can be difficult to find. Remember, cleaning before use is highly recommended.
  -Online Auction Sites. Online auction sites are often a good source of hard-to-find or discontinued products
  -Nintendo's Online Store (Accessories and Replacement Parts)
  
• Can you play your game with other people? i.e through bluetooth on the DS or on a multi-player mode on the Wii.
  Yes you can play Super Mario 64 in multiplayer via bluetooth on the DS.
  
• Were there any promotions for your game? i.e. like Coca-Cola and FiFA

Onlive Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages:
- Instant game so when you buy it is there, not like in a shop where you may have to wait for new stock.
- Less money needed to make the game, like for boxes or discs as not needed because of downloadable software.
- There would be space in homes as there would be no game cases around the house.
- Games would be cheaper as they wouldn't have to make the discs or packaging. Also making it more environmentally friendly.
- Can play on many different things like TV or entry-level PC or Mac offering different places to play all the games. Not just one game only available on computer or just television.

Disadvantages:
- Games software would take up too much hard drive space.
- Internet may disconnect during a game or when downloading.
- People in other console manufacturing and games retail shops will lose jobs because they won't need to distribute
- Many people could be trying to download the same game at the same time, so it could take longer for the game to download.
- The monthly service fee is currently $14.95, subject to change, for the Onlive's Games Service. And only the first 25,000 that successfully registered get the first 3 months free. OnLive’s Game Service including game demos, video profiles and community features, but does not include playing full versions of games, which are to be purchased or rented separately. So even game demos have to be paid for.

Analysis of Our Favourite Game Final Fantasy XIII

Do you think this is an effective advert? Why?
Yes this is an effective advert as it asked a rhetorical question at the beginning of the advert which gives you a challenge to want get and complete the game. Also the song 'My Hands' by Leona Lewis goes really well with the advert which helps sell it as it makes the game look really intense.

What type of audience is the game aimed at + and how can you tell from the advert?
The type of audience the game is aimed at is teenagers 16+, we can tell this from the advert as it shows a 16 certificate at the bottom. We can also tell the game is aimed at both genders as the characters used in it are both male and female therefore appealing to everyone.

Do you think it is a fair representation of the game?
Yes this is a fair representation of the game as it shows the game in action and is extremely similar to actual game play.

Super Mario 64 DS Marketing

The Super Mario 64 DS Game was not marketed online as much as the GTA4 new game. Due to the differences of the release date. Mario was released March 2005 and GTA4 released October 2009. From looking online there are not many trailers for Mario as there was released for GTA4.
The differences between GTA4 and Mario marketing shows how much it has changed in a short amount of time. However we could find a trailer for Mario although it was the Korean trailer.

Definitions

Marketing: The commercial processes involved in promoting and selling and distributing a product or service.

Viral Marketing: The marketing phenomenon that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message.

Guerrilla Marketing: Guerrilla marketing refers to highly aggressive marketing practices. It uses unconventional marketing intended to get maximum results from minimal resources.

Specialist Press: Uses strategic guerrilla print publishing and work with other competent leaders in their fields to deliver sensational custom publishing materials. Specialist press is a press that targets markets such as; magazines, online, direct mail and telemarketing to obtain the tailored research and insights you require, to optimize your approach and reach into the markets we serve.
'Merge' http://www.specialistpress.com/research

Mainstream Press:

Case Study - Super Mario 64 DS

Developer - Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development
Publishers - Nintendo
Designers - Shigery Myamoto
Series - Mario
Platform - Nintendo DS
Release Date - March 11th 2005
Models - Single/Multi Player

The Super Mario 64 DS was a remake of the original Super Mario 64 game. In addition to updated graphics the remake had new characters and minigames. It has the original plot where the game is centres on rescuing princess Peach from Bowser.

Development.
The game has a 3D engine which mirrors the visual effects used in the original game. The graphic changes include higher polygon count and the lack of texture filtering.
The game was released at the same time as the Nintendo DS, which meant it was one of the few games for the DS.