Metareview - Odama (GC)

1up gave it a 6/10. Users rated it higher so it skews the overall score, but user ratings shouldn't really count.

My favorite line from the Gamepro review: "Odama is imaginative and is proof that you don't need to be more annoying than Jessica Simpson, like Katamari, to be a successful whacky videogame."

1up gave it a 60%, not a 72%. That is, according to MetaCritic and GameRankings, where I assume you got your scores.

http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/cube/odama
http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/920813.asp

enter brilliance... welcome nintendo.

My favorite review of this game is from Eurogamer. They gave it a 6 out of 10, but their review only made me want to play the game more. It's very, very well written.

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=63692

Damn...I was hoping that this game would have gotten better reviews. I guess I'll wait and see what the word of mouth is for this game before buying it.

Not a blockbuster perhaps but the concept is so different that anyone with the slightest fondness for pinball has to at least find a demo.

I'm way past the point of getting enjoyment out of overly difficult games. If you are going to introduce new ways of doing things, I suggest keeping it simple and enjoyable. Otherwise, people are going to blame the innovation as the reason they couldn't enjoy the game, and your new and innovative game is cooked.

The interesting thing about all the reviews is that they all say its fun (yet challenging) and it leaves you wanting more. All that and its getting overall around a 60%. Thats my big problem with reviews these days. Reviewers will take off points for a game that too short, too long, too hard, not hard enough, etc. You seem to have to hit a very subjective sweet-spot to get a good review lately. Games that are innovative (because you have nothing to compare them too) have an even harder time. Games like Katamari are very few. It was very simple but so fun. Odama, by contrast, may be fun but a bit complex. Mix that with the fact that its not an FPS, its on the Gamecube, and from Nintendo(and not a zelda, metroid or mario title) and you'll always get a lack-luster review.

BTW: my favorite line in all the reviews was, "...as silly as yelling at troopers via the microphone, throwing the controller, and muttering a slew of expletives while you stalk away from the GameCube. But, for whatever reason, you'll come back."
You will come back!

So, Odama is out. Yay! Does Nintendo have any more Gamecube games coming out before the Revolution? It doesn't look like it. Sure, there is some third-party stuff coming, but let's all get up and cheer because Nintendo's basically done with the Gamecube and is one step closer to launching the Revolution. Viva la resistance!