Wii Samba De Amigo basically same as 8-year-old Dreamcast version
By Dave Parrack
Samba De Amigo on the Wii is released next month, and it looks great. But if you delve a little deeper you realise that it’s basically the same version of the game that was released on the Dreamcast 8 long years ago. Oops.
I was am a big fan of the Dreamcast. Yes I know it completely failed to take off, and yes I know that it was the console that killed Sega’s console manufacturing days off for ever, but it was a brilliant machine which failed due to being released before its time.
If you’re sitting there and thinking to yourself “what a load of old balls” then just look at the evidence that was revealed this week courtesy of Samba De Amigo on the Wii.
The game was announced last year but details have been scarce until now. Sega released a selection of videos showing footage of the games at last month’s E3, and the full list of songs in the game have been released today, complete with the first sighting (via Tech Digest) of the Wii Maracas on Amazon US.
The maracas copy the style and design of the original Dreamcast maracas, with the only difference being the space for the Wii Remote and Wii Nunchuk. The video embedded below shows some of the songs from the game.
Videogamer has the full list of songs included in the game, and there are plenty returning from the Dreamcast/Arcade version as well as some all new Wii exclusives.
What strikes me as odd, or at least intriguing, is that the Wii version of Samba De Amigo is almost exactly the same as the Dreamcast version, which itself was a conversion of the Arcade original.
As well as the maracas being exactly the same, and most of the songs being the same, the graphics are of about the same level of detail too. I know the Wii is underpowered but should the fact that it can only just mimic the graphics on a dead console from 8 years ago worry Nintendo slightly?
Samba De Amigo is out for the Wii on September 19th in Europe, and in the U.S. on September 23rd. Meanwhile, I’ll just stick to my Dreamcast version… it cost me enough on eBay after all.
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August 23rd, 2008
“I know the Wii is underpowered but should the fact that it can only just mimic the graphics on a dead console from 8 years ago worry Nintendo slightly?”
So where we stand is that we have a game that looks to have just about everything the same as a game from 8 years ago.
There are a few more songs, but lots of old songs, and the maracas are even the same. However, the Wii is weak because the graphics are the same?
If no one is going to bother designing new maracas for the game, what makes anyone think someone would update the graphics?
Sounds like like laziness on Sega’s part than anything.
That being said, if I wanted this, I would go get a Dreamcast if I wanted to play it, espically as there is very little in the way of new stuff for the Wii.
August 23rd, 2008
So Sega are porting a game to make a quick $.
Don’t buy it then and stop bitching.
August 23rd, 2008
I don’t see why it matters. The dreamcast was version was awesome, this version will be a little more expansive, therefore those who don’t own a Dreamcast, set of maracas, and Samba de Amigo can buy this and be happy. It’s got $40 price tag, so this is probably a better deal than trying to buy the original and a Dreamcast now.
August 24th, 2008
The statement “the maracas are exactly the same” is *entirely* wrong, given that the Dreamcast game used a sonar position-sensing system that has nothing in common with the Wii’s motion-sensing controllers.
As for grousing that the game is essentially unchanged from the original, I take that as a testament to how cool the original game is and that it didn’t need an upgrade. Changing things just for the sake of change can lead to unmitigated disasters, as anyone who’s played Bomberman: Act Zero can tell you…
–R.J.
August 24th, 2008
Have you…really done that much research on the game?
Firstly, there is more then “a few new songs. Over half of that list are completely new songs to Samba. That certainly isn’t “mostly Dreamcast” or “a few new songs”. Thats a pretty hefty chunk of new content.
What’s more, the graphics aren’t ported, and they aren’t the same. Any screen compared to the Dreamcast original will show smoother textures, better effects, and an overall much more polished look. It’s very much in Wii territory. Heck, Gearbox said in their interview on GameSpot’s webshow that the graphics where being completely rebuilt from the ground up. How does any of this scream Dreamcast port?
It’s true that Samba isn’t a sequel, but it isn’t a port either. It’s a remake of the original with better graphics, loads of new songs, new areas (including at least two SEGA related areas), and playable characters. There is a good solid chunk of new meat in this remake, as far as I’m concerned, and I think your article, unintentionally, downplays it to try and get your point across.
Probably the most important thing for me, is the fact that I don’t have to spend $80 getting the Dreamcast original and marracas on eBay. This is a far better deal in every way imaginable. Hopefully, it’ll do well enough for a full fledged sequel.
August 24th, 2008
Are you freaking kidding me?
lol…
It’s NOTHING like the original, from graphics to content to songs…
What idiot wrote this blog…
August 25th, 2008
Half the track list is new and so is the DLC, that’s good enough for me. I don’t see you ripping on the Guitar Hero games for having mostly the same gameplay in all of them.
August 25th, 2008
Also, graphically it’s a nice upgrade from the DC version, Gearbox did a good job.
August 25th, 2008
Even if it was a direct port it wouldn’t exactly be a bad thing as not many people played the Dreamcast version due to it’s high price and the fact it was on the Dreamcast. Much like Okami i’s getting a second chance on a far more popular system and that alone is good news, let alone the fact that this is without a doubt more enhanced than the original by a far bigger degree than you give it credit for. They could release a new Samba De Amigo every year for all I care and I’d still keep buying it, I love the game that much (unlike Guitar Hero which i don’t care for).