Michael: Finally, we move onto an RPG on the GameCube of all consoles, Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles. How does the game look so far? Was it a bad move on Square's part to design the game so multiplayer can only be enjoyed by those with GBAs? Any other thoughts?

William: I think that the fact that they have no controller equivilent to the GBA and GC link cable for Multiplayer is retarded. I mean that is a lot of equipment to have to buy to play a game with friends.

Andrew: Well, Nintendo really does manage to create a great multiplayer experience.

Michael: I regrettably did not play the game at E3. Now I'm kicking myself for not doing so.

Andrew: As hard as it is to get together 4 people for Zelda: Four Swords, it was a complete blast to play.

Googleshng: Getting people to buy a peripheral for a gimmick doesn't tend to work well.

Michael: On the topic of multiplayer though, I do believe that most GC owners happen to own GBAs as wel. I think the most difficult part in all this will be finding three friends to play this game with in the first place.

Googleshng: With FF:CC, even assuming all your friends own GBAs, they need to get the wires. Somewhat pricey that.

Choco: From what I played of the game at E3, the graphics weren't spactacular, but pleasing. The gameplay was fun, but it was an early convention copy of the game, so it wasn't nearly complete. The multiplayer with the GBAs is what made it fun, though. I doubt the same fun could be had if you did all your work on the TV screen, thus imposing on other character's while you try to select something.

Michael: But, the multiplayer part of the game is completely optional though, so if you don't have friends with GBAs and cables, you don't really need to fuss all that much.

William: Choco, come on. I know about half of the multiplayer games are going to end in arguments and crying due to someone screwing up and not healing, protecting, or doing something for the party. That is a lot of cash to shell out for something that might end up being an let down.

Choco: And even if you did get the cables, they have other uses than just playing Crystal Chronicles.

Michael: I like Choco's point, since the GBA screen allows you to view your own menus on your own screen. Four players with four menus would be extremely chaotic.

Andrew: Maybe your friends are whiny little brats, William, but I've never had that problem while playing a game with friends....except Gauntlet. But everyone hates that game anyway.

Michael: William, I think if you're playing with friends you can get them to all cooperate. This isn't like an online game.

Choco: Working together to attain a common goal is fun, even if you lose. Losing is just a motivation factor to strive harder and go farther... or at least, it should be.

Andrew: At least with my friends, knowing that being a jerk in the game with result in your arse being kicked by the person sitting next to you is a huge thing.

Michael: I would like to reiterate that the game is a single player game. The multiplayer part is merely an extra feature, meant to be enjoyed if you happen to have friends who own GBAs and cables. Don't fret too much if you lack friends or friends with GBAs. The game will still be enjoyable.

William: Michael, yeah I know, but some people, the idiots, are going to buy it because it is a 'Multiplayer RPG' and get all angry. I have a friend that worked at Wal-Mart and he had like 100-150 people try to return EverQuest On-Line adventures because they did not know it was an ON-LINE game.... That has nothing to do with this... Okay, I am just saying a controller interface would have been thoughtful.

Choco: Some games just wouldn't be the same without the GBA screen, though. There's only one other I know of right now(which is the Gamecube version of The Legend of Zelda:Four Swords), but I'm sure that with Four Swords and Crystal Chronicles leading the way, other developers will follow.

William: Yeah well, I have had people leave houses/arcades in multiplayer games, usuallt gauntlet, because some one messed up. Maybe the people I know/meet in the arcade are idiots...

Choco: And if people follow along with that trend, the price of paying ten bucks for a GbA -> GC cable would be well justified.

Googleshng: Big if though. People don't generally trust peripherals.

Andrew: Don't forget Pac-Man! I can't wait to play as the Ghosts. ^_^

Michael: But remember that from a business standpoint, Nintendo stands to make a good deal of money off this game. Businesses will eschew what the public wants because doing it the public's way would mean less profits. Of course, you can always vote with your dollars. Oh, since you played FF:CC at E3 Choco, exactly how much cooperation is needed in multiplayer?

Choco: Without cooperation, you're dead. It's IMPOSSIBLE to switch between attacking and healing yourself fast enough as they both take some charge time to pull off. Without a dedicated healer and/or attack magic user, you're utterly bound to fail in the game. Even while working with my team as hard as I could, we still failed to beat a boss that we had already been fighting for at least eight minutes.

William: I know, 'The Machine' of big business is just for that. This game is one heck of a money making machine. I mean you need all those things to play multiplayer AND it is the first FF game on Nintendo in years.

Googleshng: Well there's FFTA too.

Michael: Either way, GBAs will be moved, and many of those people buying a GBA just for FFTA will only need a $10 cable when the time comes from Crystal Chronicles.

Googleshng: Well I don't think GBAs have any trouble selling.

William: Uou know what I mean. Nintendo fans that have been drooling/laughing over/at the playstation Final fantasy games are going to RIOT for this game.

Michael: Certainly not, so I think this fuss over not being able to using regular old GC controllers for multiplay is pointless. Square didn't need to cater to what will probably be a minority of people, and even if they're a majority, Square and Nintendo will suck quite a few dollars out of them in the process.

Choco: My family collectively has probably five GBAs in the house, and I'm talking about immediate family, no cousins, uncles, etc. GBAs are selling quite well ;P

Googleshng: My point was just that FF:CC isn't the only recent FF for a Nintendo system.

Michael: And I think we've beaten around the bush with this topic long enough, so we'll wrap it all up now. Do our panelists have any parting remarks before the Roundtable ends this evening?

Choco: I lied. I'm not really a magical girl. I apologize for any disturbing mental images the introduction gave you. However, I cannot promise I won't do anything like that ever again :D BEWARE, MORTALS.

Googleshng: Seriously. Read this rant.

Andrew: Parting Remark - I think you're all crazy. Clearly, Roundtable needs a swift slap to the back of its head.

William: Parting Remark. I agree/disagree with everything/nothing that has been said in this Insane asylum/happy friendly discussion.

Michael: Unfortunately, David had to take off before we started discussing FF:CC, but I'm quite sure he'd want you to read RPGuides. Go support his section as well as ours! And that closes out our Roundtable for the evening. Tune in next week when Goog takes the helm. This is Michael Bischoff, telling you all to SUBMIT us some topics!