Nintendo and Sega still lead video games race

JAKARTA (JP): Consumers wanting to keep abreast of the latest in game technology will have to reach deep into their pockets. Due to immense popularity, even the old Super Nintendo game still sells for about Rp 200,000 (US$90).

Distributors say it was the advent of the original Nintendo game, back in the mid 1980s, that was the starting point of the contemporary craze. At the time Nintendo ruled the market, and names such as Mario Brothers became household lingo.

Then came Sega, and things basically took off from there.

"Back then Nintendo was all the craze, every kid wanted to have one," said Sutarto, the owner of a video game store in Gajah Mada Plaza.

In fact, the popularity of the Nintendo games is now set, and people still refer to some video games as a "Nintendo."

"First time buyers, usually parents who want to buy their children a video game, still say they want to buy a Nintendo," Sutarto said.

However, video games have progressed far beyond these beginnings, and have enticed millions of rupiah from eager consumers.

Following the Nintendo craze of the late 1980s was the Sega machines, complete with 16-bit technology, competing with ever newer versions of Nintendo, now called Super Nintendo.

The Sega machine was not as popular, but it was just as good, Sutarto believes.

Sega Genesis, and Super Nintendo Machines continue to sell well, steadily commanding a price of around Rp 225,000.

Imitation

Many shop owners also sell fake machines, in an effort to capitalize on the growing video game business.

Aan, who owns a store at Melawai Plaza, in Blok M, said consumers have the option of buying imitations of the original machines for around Rp 150,000.

"As long as you're careful with it, it's usually works quite well. I always say, if its for an adult it's okay to buy the fake, but if its for kids better buy the original, ...it can take more abuse," he explained.

The first thing that usually breaks down is the controller. New ones cost at least Rp 30,000.

Game cartridges for the machines are readily available at any toy store in town. Prices vary from Rp 35,000 to Rp 50,000, depending on the game, but consumers usually get a free game cartridge when they purchase a machine; Super Mario Brothers for Super Nintendo, and Sonic The Hedgehog for Sega.

Many of the popular game cartridges are available for both the Sega and Super Nintendo systems. So what are the most popular ones? NBA Basketball, Street Fighter, FIFA Soccer, and Mortal Kombat are some most often referred to.

Aan points out tastes differ according to age. Young kids like the simple fighting games, where they just have to press the button a thousand times a minute. Teenagers and adults go for games like NBA Basketball, flight simulators and other sporting games like soccer.

"Apart from games, the accessories are quite popular too," states Aan. They can include boosters or rapid fire controllers, joysticks and controller guns.

"I seem to sell quite a few electrical adapters," remarked Aan. "They play with their games for such a long time they bust their power adaptors. Either that, or they just neglect to pull the adaptors out from the electricity socket after playing," he said.

Compact discs

The advent of the latest technology has brought a new generation of home video games in the past two years. They no longer use cartridges, but compact disks.

But, along with the new games being more entertaining, with superb three-dimensional graphics, they also cost at least twice the price of the cartridges. Are they worth it?

"Oh, definitely. I'll bet if you try one for five-minutes you'll be dying to get one. Look at the graphics, they're amazing," Aan said making his sales pitch.

There are currently about four or five CD based video games on the market, carrying a price of between Rp 800,000 to Rp 1 million.

Two, however, seem to be best sellers: Sega Saturn, and Playstation.

Other CD based video machines now available include Nintendo's Ultra 64, and the latest Panasonic version.

The CDs sell at around Rp 100,000 each. Unfortunately, unlike the cartridge games which are often available in two versions, the CDs are not mutually compatible.

Among the Sega Saturn CD hot-sellers are Sega Rally, Daytona, Virtua Fighter, X-Men, Fighting Viper and Street Fighter O.

Playstation on the other hand have come out with popular games like Takken and Ridge Racer Revolution.

When asked how many game machines, cartridges or CDs they sell weekly, both Aan and Sutarto said it varies according to season.

"This end of year, around Christmas time and during the school holidays, sales are usually higher," Sutarto said.

Aan could not say directly, but felt with so much variety these days, shops have to carry all variations of equipment.

He said customers come from all kinds of economic backgrounds. Some still buy the now obsolete Nintendo, which has been around for over a decade, while others prefer the new CD versions.

"In general, people still mostly buy the cartridges for Super Nintendo and Sega. It really is a pretty wide consumer spectrum," he said.

He says more people are now turning to computer games with high-tech CD ROM technology. "But I think, in terms of just pure gaming, video game machines, not computers, still offer better quality in terms of sound and graphics." (team)