Call It Rare-Factor

On September 24, 2002, Microsoft dropped a bombshell. It announced, to the shock of some and the glee of many others, that it had purchased the game development company Rare.

Bam!

In one defining moment, Microsoft cemented its legitimacy in, and dedication to, the gaming world. You don’t acquire a legendary development studio unless you’re planning to play a serious brand of ball. Of course, you’d be hard-pressed to find any developer that commands the same amount of respect as Rare. Their name is synonymous with quality, creativity, vision, and scathing wit. They are their own breed of developer, and they let nothing and no one stand in the way of their meticulously crafted games. Rare is the gaming equivalent of the golden-egg-laying goose from popular lore, and the time of their first gift to Xbox is drawing oh, so close.

Need proof of their absurd excellence? Many of you may recall a game named Banjo-Kazooie. You may also remember that 3D platformers were at one point quite scarce (now, of course, you can’t swing a controller without hitting one). Back in the day though, this style of gaming was still brand new. WithBanjo-Kazooie, Rare introduced the second great 3D platformer, after Mario 64, and it offered an alternative for gamers who had grown tired of the N64’s flagship title. Not only that, it also tookMario’s tenets and improved upon them: it featured tighter control, more fluid movement, vastly improved graphics, and memorable mascots (still a rarity today). Amazingly, the team that worked onBanjo-Kazooie is the same that’s creating Grabbed by the Ghoulies. Xbox fans, your first Rare adventure title couldn’t be in better hands.

You may also recall a game named Goldeneye.Goldeneye was a one-game revolution (it proved that games of its ilk could work on a console), which allowed later console games like Halo to become a viable option.Goldeneye was the very definition of a system-seller: if you didn’t already own the console, you wanted one just so you could experience this game. Developers have been chasing theGoldeneye carrot for years, but few if any have been able to reproduce its magic.

Part of Rare’s genius is their ability to innovate and create in any arena of gaming. They’ve created masterworks in the genres of cart racing (Diddy Kong Racing), fighting (Killer Instinct), vehicle action (Blast Corps), and adventure (Conker’s Bad Fur Day), and these are only a very few of their triumphs—within each category, you’ll find several other amazing Rare titles. Who can forget the game that saved the SNES, Donkey Kong Country? And, let’s see a show of hands from those who remember the extraordinary puzzle gameMarble Madness.

There’s no doubt, Rare is the master of its domain, and there is something intangibly cool about them as well. Other companies make great games, but Rare makes great memories as well: the kind that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, that elicit strange looks from non-gamers if you try to describe them. Admit it, who among you can forget the first time you saw the Great Mighty Poo (cue enemy theme song!) or that first jiggy you collected inBanjo-Kazooie? How about the first time you played through the Dam level in Goldeneye or the first time you shot out of a barrel in Donkey Kong Country? These aren’t just games, they are unforgettable events. Above all, that is what makes Rare so great—and what makes Rare’s much anticipated first Xbox title so freakin’ hard to wait for.

And, so, time crawls ever slower as Grabbed by the Ghoulies draws closer. Ghoulies demonstrates many of Rare’s talents to even a casual onlooker, but until you actually play it, you can’t truly judge its quality. This is a game that overflows with character (and with characters with character...wait, does that make sense?), intuitive controls (and more depth than you would think), and the usual Rare humor (keep an eye out for hilarious Easter eggs), not to mention an astonishing attention to detail and a style all its own.

The time of its release is almost at hand. Let’s be thankful for that.

By Alex McLain