[DS] Mario Basketball

Developed By Square...

There were a few screenshots on the old forum. I'm looking forward to this one but haven't heard much info lately.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

http://www.gamespot.com/ds/sports/ma...all/index.html

Quote:

Move over, Jim Thorpe. Nintendo mascot Mario continues to make his case for assuming the title of "best athlete ever," this time taking time out from his apparently oft-neglected plumbing duties to shoot some handheld hoops on the DS. New details on the joint project from Nintendo and Square Enix, titled Mario Basket 3 on 3, have been disclosed in the latest issue of Famitsu.

Mario Basket 3 on 3 will be the first time in nine years that Square Enix and Nintendo will be working together on a game project. Back in 1996, Square, which hadn't merged with Enix yet, developed Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars for the SNES, which was then published by Nintendo. Those roles will be reprised, as Square Enix is developing Mario Basket 3 on 3, while Nintendo will be publishing it.

Screenshots of Mario Basket 3 on 3 reveal that the game plays in a half-court field. The upper panel of the DS features the main 3D game screen, with characters playing basketball, while the bottom panel shows the map, with icons indicating the location of each character. Another icon on the screen will indicate signal strength during wireless multiplayer games.

Mario Basket 3 on 3 is played with just the use of the touch-sensitive screen. Dribbling the ball around the court is done by tapping on the panel. The player can move to a certain area by tapping in that direction, and the character's speed can be controlled by the tapping frequency; the faster the player taps, the faster the character will dribble and run around. Passing the ball to team members is done by stroking left or right on the panel, while shooting the ball is done by stroking upward.

As expected for a sports game involving Mario, the developer is abandoning the idea of a straightforward simulation and plans on including various far-fetched features to make Mario Basket appeal to those who aren't hardcore for the hardwood. For instance, each character has a special scoring move, but such highlight-reel-worthy moves must be used wisely, as there is an associated risk to the reward. For example, an opponent might easily be able to steal the ball while one player is preparing to perform a special move.

In a short interview with Famitsu, director Toyokazu Nonaka of Nintendo and producer Shin Azuma of Square Enix revealed that Mario Basket 3 on 3 was a project that was brought up by Square Enix to Nintendo. Azuma said he came up with the idea of a basketball game for the DS while he was thinking of something that would make good use of the handheld's interface. After coming up with the decision that Mario would be the most suitable character for the game, he contacted Nintendo about the project, and the deal was on. Nonaka was surprised that Square Enix was thinking of making a basketball game rather than a role-playing game, for which the company is famous, but he also said he has no worries about the developer's ability to handle the project.

Characters confirmed from screenshots of Mario Basket 3 on 3 include Mario, Luigi, Wario, Princess Toadstool, Bowser, and Paratroopa. Nonaka and Azuma avoided giving details on the number of total characters in the game, though they hinted that there might be more than were featured in Mario Superstar Baseball. The developers additionally hinted that there might be some crossover cameo appearances, since the game is a collaboration between the two companies.

Mario Basket 3 on 3 is scheduled for release in 2006.

The whole idea of the project completely sounds like some sort of flimsy rumor, but apparently this is real. The style of gameplay sounds interesting, using the touch screen for a bulk of the action. Could be mucked up very easily. This title certainly has my attention even if I'm not particularly anticipating it. A more up to date preview says the game is slated for a September release.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

The only basketball game I know of that doesn't feature a hip-hop soundtrack. :lolsign:
I just hope the game plays better than Strikers and a bit more like Mario Baseball, with special maneuvers for each character on the court. If Nintendo does decide to include this title in it's Wi-fi network then it has a very good chance of being a big hit.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Wai-wait! A Mario basketball game developed by Square Enix? Well at least it's going to have a great and deep storyline now.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

It looks pretty good for 3D on DS, but I still don't trust Square.

Nintendo: can you make our new Mario sports game?
Square: probably, what sport, Blitzball?
Nintendo: nah, basketball
Square: Blitzball?
Nintendo: BASKETBALL
Square: turn based basketball it is
Nintendo: wait, no, what?


Watch out!

I was speaking idiomatically.

"Mario reaches Level 2. Mario learns dribbling."
Yay.
I'm with Infernal Monkey, here.
Squaresoft did never impress me with real-time games (just look at the minigames in "Final Fantasy VII") except a few of their Action-Adventures.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Why do I see some Square Enix characters popping up? Anyways, I liked Mario Strikers, or at least more than the Baseball version, so I'm hoping that the Basketball will feel more like the soccer version.

But yeah, Mario reaches level 5, Mario learns passing......awesome.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Prime Blue

"Mario reaches Level 2. Mario learns dribbling."
Yay.
I'm with Infernal Monkey, here.
Squaresoft did never impress me with real-time games (just look at the minigames in "Final Fantasy VII") except a few of their Action-Adventures.

That post was fail. The mini-games in FF7 kicked ass. It's not like those games were supposed to have perfect gameplay and graphics. They're mini-games afterall.

But it does strike me as... fucking weird that Squeenix is doing basketball of all things. And, why isn't this being released for GameCube like all the other Mario sports titles?

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by rendr

And, why isn't this being released for GameCube like all the other Mario sports titles?

Because the only reason why they are making the game in the first place is because they wanted to jump on the DS bandwagon

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Video from E3's over at IGN http://media.ds.ign.com/media/774/774646/vids_1.html

Looks pretty fun to me, the 3D stuff looks really smooth for the DS. Though, the trailer mainly just shows special dunks. Reminds me of NBA Jam back when it was good

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Quote:

Mario Basket 3 on 3 is played with just the use of the touch-sensitive screen. Dribbling the ball around the court is done by tapping on the panel. The player can move to a certain area by tapping in that direction, and the character's speed can be controlled by the tapping frequency; the faster the player taps, the faster the character will dribble and run around. Passing the ball to team members is done by stroking left or right on the panel, while shooting the ball is done by stroking upward.

Oh god. I can see my touch screen full of bullet holes very soon :lolsign:

Touch screen and basketball just don't seem to work very well.

The 3D DOES look really good and smooth on DS too

Quote:

Though, the trailer mainly just shows special dunks. Reminds me of NBA Jam back when it was good

NBA Jam-esque special dunks with Mario? I'm sold.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by VMDX

Oh god. I can see my touch screen full of bullet holes very soon :lolsign:

Touch screen and basketball just don't seem to work very well.

The 3D DOES look really good and smooth on DS too



NBA Jam-esque special dunks with Mario? I'm sold.

luckily you don't have to tap every repeatedly to dribble.

- WraithTwo -

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

lol I'm guessing Infernal is exaggerating but the real story is that Square came to Nintendo about this game. It wasn't one of Nintendo's let's ask around for some 3rd party love. Square actually wanted to make this game and asked for the Mario license. From what I've heard this game is actually really good.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Hmm..I wonder how the music will turn out?

Anyway, I'm looking forward to this game. I'm still surprised it managed to be on the DS, and not on the Gamecube, or infact, the Wii.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

These are early beta screenshots. The final version is going to have all the characters redesigned by the aesthetic genius Tetsuya Nomura, so you can expect to see Mario and Bowser wearing costumes that have zippers and belts all over the goddamn place, as well as some girly looking dude with a giant silver locket as a hidden character, and an end boss who's big, grey-skinned, muscular and has a crotch composed entirely out of diamonds. Man, I just can't wait!

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by rendr

And, why isn't this being released for GameCube like all the other Mario sports titles?

Because the Gamecube is dead.

I don't even want to begin to think how a basketball game on the Wii would work. I suffer with repetitive wrist strain enough as it is.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I've never purchased a Mario sports game, but this one actually looks pretty cool. Would be fun if there was a worldwide wi-fi mode. Otherwise I won't bother.

The fact that this game is being developed by S-E of all companies surprises me, however, and for a second there, I thought that giant Piranha Plant was a Malboro >_>

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Go Squax! Expand your horizons! Follow that rainbow!

Seriously though, looks like a fun game. The controls sound really interesting. I don't know if it'll appeal to me especially, sports games usually aren't my kind of thing, but I loved Mario Tennis, so maybe I'll give this a shot.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Hopefully this is a good WiFi game, after Mario Kart and ACWW there's basically been nothing worth playing.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I've really never seen any point to the Mario sport games but this new concept seems very interesting indeed seeing that square is making it and all. But with me and sports games of any type I say play the real sport and get some exercise unless its like some extreme sport. But the Mario sports games seem to have that zanny feel to them.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Did I mention White Mage is in there?




::everyone expects Sora and Cloud to be playable. AND WHAT ABOUT GENO::

I was speaking idiomatically.

Apparently Black Mage, Ninja, Moogle and Cactuar will be playable as well:

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ds/ab3j/ch...aracter02.html

How ya doing, buddy?

Hahaha, awesome. And there's a whole nother 3rd page of characters that's yet to be unveiled on that website.

FELIPE NO

Commercial here

I've taken screens of the most important parts!




Shy Guy, Boo




Moogle, Cactus Guy (Aril), Some Yellow Blob Coconut Thing, Dixie Kong



What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

That commercial is greatness. Funny, catchy, and best of all shows how to play the game in a commercial of all things. And has weird japanese guys.

I believe the yellow blob might be a chocobo... wearing boots... or something. Maybe not.

Edit: In the commercial, it's kind of floating and wobbling about. And looks more like a duck. Confused is I.

Jam it back in, in the dark.