Jos Ruffel, business development executive at Sidhe Interactive, has spoken out about the company's experience creating the Speed Racer game, saying the title's success was hampered by the movie's poor reviews.
Speaking on the Licensed Game Process panel at GCDC, Ruffel discussed what it was like to develop a game based upon a movie license which was better received. He explained that, despite overall good reviews, the game suffered from the unpopularity of its film counterpart.
"When you make a game based on a license you really are playing roulette - you don't know how the film is going play out in the market," he said.
Sidhe's Griffiths discusses in depth how the GripShift developer playtested, and then took that feedback to improve, their Wii version of the recent Speed Racer game, from Wiimote tweaks to difficulty changes.
With a slick 3D engine and a fluidity that stays locked to 60 frames per second, Speed proves an excellent substitute for F-Zero -- at least, that is, until Nintendo finally gets around to releasing the real thing.
Presentation - 5.0
Graphics - 7.5
Sound - 5.0
Gameplay - 8.0
Lasting Appeal - 6.0
Overall -
Replies(1)
Many of you will remember playing racing games like Gran Turisimo, coming back time and time again to gain increasingly difficult licences. Speed Racer had potential to be a thrilling racing title but shoots itself in the foot with sloppy design and a cringe inducing game engine. The dated multiplayer options do little to rectify the situation, leaving this title gathering dust on my shelf.
Unless you're a massive Speed Racer fan, avoid.
please, dont blame the movie u lame excuse for a developing body.
Gripshift is the only game i've played from them and i love it.
If the problem is good game/bad movie whynot reuse the game idea and engine for a new game with new graphics/theme? If it's a good game on it's own merit, it's a good way to 'reissue' the same idea without the 'bad movie' stigma.
A new level of terribleness!!! (yes I just invented that word and I will copyright it too) :D
This guy should stick to comedy cause at least he's good at making me laugh.
OMG, the game looked crappy anyway, and the movi looked extremly gay