Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins (PSP)

**Compass** · 31 Aug 2006, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by Rumpy

A gift card isn't a coupon. You can use them both.

My mistake. I saw $5 and thought "Gamer Gift Card coupon".

Originally Posted by sleeveboy

I don't understand this line of reasoning. Why are portable games intrinsically less valuable than non-portable games, especially in our modern era of gaming?

Because they cost far less to make, are more often than not shorter, less substantial gaming experiences, and, with the exception of the GBA's GameCube GameBoy Player, impossible to play on a screen bigger than the palm of your hand.

**Saint of Killers** · 31 Aug 2006, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by Compass

Because they cost far less to make

PSP games cost about the same as PS2 games to make. We're not talking about a DS game in this thread.

**Diff-chan** · 31 Aug 2006, 09:31 PM

Originally Posted by Compass

Because they cost far less to make, are more often than not shorter, less substantial gaming experiences, and, with the exception of the GBA's GameCube GameBoy Player, impossible to play on a screen bigger than the palm of your hand.

1. It really doesnt matter how much it costs to make. It's not really the customer's problem how much they spent to make it. Do you really base game purchasing decisions on how much coin they dropped to build it? In any case, UGnG's production values seem to be pretty high.

2. "More often than not shorter, less substantial gaming experiences" - UGnG certainly seems to pack a lot in its $40, at the very least as much as the platformers we were paying $60 for in 1993. But like I said, if a game is ultra-thin or skimpy I won't be spending $40 on it, PC, console, handheld. The fact that its a handheld doesn't matter at all.

3. Again, doesn't matter. I mean, with a 360 you can play games on a 50" plasma in 720p so the $60 price is justified? Of course not.

**Bacon McShig** · 31 Aug 2006, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by JesusC

Only a small percentage of the population have any sort of interest in this kind of game/series. I think casualgamerX would put that $30 to any number of other PSP titles before even thinking about GnG.

Casual moviegoer X can have little prior interest in a movie, but if it's reasonably priced and sitting in the new release section, they may pick it up anyway. It happens all the time.

Most people think $30 is a reasonable price for a portable game, I can see more than a few impulse buys at that. I see little to none at $40.

You think those Megaman games sold bad at $30, for $40 they'd have done a lot worse. I wasn't all that interested but I gave them a shot at that price. That's $60 gained where they would have had none.

The fact that there's a small percieved market shouldn't be a deterrent to pricing low, it should be a motivator. How do you think the first Katamari would have done if it were $40? You deliver a good game at a price people are willing to risk, it could pay off; it could not, but at least there's the chance. Charge a premium price though, good fucking luck. You'll get the people that were already interested but not much of anything beyond that. Call it the Neo Geo Principle.

**Finch** · 31 Aug 2006, 11:25 PM

I see what you mean, Bacon. Even so, $40 for a good game isn't horrible. I think the whole portables vs. consoles thing is pretty stupid. I'd much rather play portable games. Also, hold the screen closer to your face. It looks bigger.

**Some Stupid Japanese Name** · 31 Aug 2006, 11:59 PM

Originally Posted by Bacon McShig

Casual moviegoer X can have little prior interest in a movie, but if it's reasonably priced and sitting in the new release section, they may pick it up anyway. It happens all the time.

I'm still not buying it (no pun intended). Katamari is a good point, but that's a $20 difference and the word of mouth on the game was great. So were the critical reviews. GnG has been lambasted by most of the press and it's a totally different game from Katamari. Katamari can be played by ANYONE. GnG by virtue of its' difficulty level isn't a game just anyone can get into and be good at. I don't know. Could be you're right, but I think Capcom was looking at it from the point of view that GnG was only going to appeal to real hardcore gamers and priced it a little higher knowing that their audience while not very large was a guarenteed sell, so why not make an extra $10 from it. Johnny McMaddenbuyer will never buy GnG no matter how cheap it is. But Roy Hardcoreman will, and he'll pay top dollar for it.