Space Channel 5 Keeps Michael Jackson For U.S. Release 39

Posted by simoniker on Sunday November 23, 2003 @12:25PM from the keep-quiet-about-it dept.

Thanks to GamesAreFun for its review of Space Channel 5: Special Edition for PlayStation 2, as the 2-disc rhythm action game compilation, "which not only contains [the original] Space Channel 5, but its sequel as well, which was previously unreleased in the US", has sneaked onto American shelves this week for an ultra-budget $15. The compilation was still released despite the connection to the King Of Pop, Michael Jackson, who "...makes an appearance [in both games] as Space Michael... when he joins your group, the dancing is patterned after moves lifted from his music videos." The release likewise seems unaffected by a recent likeness lawsuit from the lead singer of Deee-Lite, and is also positively rated by 1UP, who suggests: "Though the character-based rhythm action genre is all but dead, replaced by less story-driven fare such as DDR and Karaoke Revolution, this collection is pretty much the best possible sendoff it could receive."

Space Channel 5 Keeps Michael Jackson For U.S. Release

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- Re:Jacko and *BSD are going down (Score:1)
  
  by jrock74 ( 725846 ) writes:
  
  Yeah your right not like he is gonna stand up and take it like a (heh what is he anyway never can tell)
"almost dead"?!? (Score:5, Funny)

by synaptik ( 125 ) writes: on Sunday November 23, 2003 @12:47PM (#7542614) Homepage

Though the character-based rhythm action genre is all but dead...

All but dead? I never knew it was alive! ...I must have missed it due to my myopic addiction to the character-based gardening action genre.

- The setting fits (Score:2)
  
  by t0ny ( 590331 ) writes:
  
  I always knew Michael Jackson looked like a space alien.
Space Channel 5 replay (Score:4, Interesting)

by Ondo ( 187980 ) writes: on Sunday November 23, 2003 @01:40PM (#7542866)

Okay, the lack of replay value in Space Channel 5 was it's biggest weakness, but it had more than that review gives it credit for. Three of the four levels had an alternate path you could only get to by getting a high enough rating, which required playing through the game a time or two. Also, it kept track of which people you had saved, so saving everyone was certaintly a goal (even though you got no reward for it).

- Re:Space Channel 5 replay (Score:3, Informative)
  
  by AtaruMoroboshi ( 522293 ) writes:
  
  The reward for saving people was having them appear in your gallery of saved people.
  
  This does not seem like much, but the character's all have a little profile and some of these are hilarious, including a janitor that fights crime at night.
  
  .
- Re:Jeeze, Slashdot is really reaching for this one (Score:1, Interesting)
  
  by saqq ( 685613 ) writes:
  
  whoever moded this guy as a troll, your retarded. "The compilation is still available despite the connection to the King Of Pop, Michael Jackson" - stupidest comment i've ever seen in a slashdot headline
  - Re:Jeeze, Slashdot is really reaching for this one (Score:3, Interesting)
    
    by simoniker ( 40 ) * writes:
    
    Well, after the charges that broke this week, around the time of the game's release, CBS pulled its Jackson special [cnn.com], and a marching band struck 'Thriller' from their repertoire [sfgate.com] for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
    
    So, while it's stupid to pull a title just for Jackson associations, it might be argued that, if the game had been any higher-profile a title, they might have delayed the release. So, I would claim, not insane. YMMV.
    - Re:Jeeze, Slashdot is really reaching for this one (Score:1)
      
      by PainKilleR-CE ( 597083 ) writes:
      
      and VH-1 ran about 4 hours of Michael Jackson specials over the weekend, most specifically addressing the issue.
      
      Frankly, I'd normally say 'why not just mention that Moonwalker for Genesis was also not pulled from store shelves', except that I wasn't even aware of this compilation in the first place, and may actually buy it now.
So... (Score:3, Interesting)

by Goldberg's Pants ( 139800 ) writes: on Sunday November 23, 2003 @01:51PM (#7542920) Journal

The question is, did Slashdot run this due to the likeness lawsuit and the legal issues there, or the fact that the Pedophile of Pop has been arrested for kiddie fiddling?

- Re:So... (Score:4, Interesting)
  
  by SuiteSisterMary ( 123932 ) writes: <slebrun.gmail@com> on Sunday November 23, 2003 @07:53PM (#7544632) Journal
  
  Jackson approved his likeness for SC5; he even did voice work. Granted, that voice work consisted of him going 'Woo!' but there it is.
  
  - Re:So... (Score:2)
    
    by drinkypoo ( 153816 ) writes:
    
    We should make a list of great "Woo!"s from music history. The top two are probably MJ and Will Smith. Woo! Uh! Yeah yeah yeah yeah... There's a decent one on the beginning of Gasoline Dreams, too.
trance vibrator (Score:1)

by st1nky187 ( 641264 ) writes:

I heard a rumor somewhere that the sequel to space channel 5 would utilize the trance-vibrator peripheral for rez. anyone know if that is true of the new us version?
Parents what do you do when... (Score:3, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Sunday November 23, 2003 @03:05PM (#7543292)

Parents what do you do when you see Michael Jackson with your kids? You "shoot shoot shoot" before he goes " down down down".

- Re:Parents what do you do when... (Score:5, Funny)
  
  by drinkypoo ( 153816 ) writes: <drink@hyperlogos.org> on Sunday November 23, 2003 @07:26PM (#7544514) Homepage Journal
  
  Other wise you'll be hit by -- you'll be struck by -- a smooth criminal.
  AC, are you OK?
  
  - Re:Parents what do you do when... (Score:2)
    
    by AtaruMoroboshi ( 522293 ) writes:
    
    i can't mod you up because I've posted in this thread, so i'll just say this: effin' hilarious.
    
    The "AC, are you OK?" put the post over the top into greatness.
    
    .
Fun (Score:2)

by Tom7 ( 102298 ) writes:

I liked Space Channel Five for the dreamcast. It is worth $15 for PS2!
Stations don't play the Naked Gun movies anymore (Score:1)

by Kris_J ( 10111 ) * writes:

And for the same reasons, Space Channel 5 will disappear into a memory hole.
UGA are gaming geniuses (Score:1)

by sycomonkey ( 666153 ) writes:

And I'm tempted to buy this just as a way to ensure more games like REZ are created, by directly giving UGA more money.
- Re:UGA are gaming geniuses (Score:2, Informative)
  
  by Black Hitler ( 687112 ) writes:
  
  Sorry, UGA is dead [gamenikki.com].
Part 2 was fantastic (Score:4, Interesting)

by HalfFlat ( 121672 ) writes: on Sunday November 23, 2003 @07:09PM (#7544422)

Space Channel 5 (the original) on the Dreamcast was good fun, but suffered from a lack of replayability, was very easy, and too short. It was a game for renting.

The sequel though just kicked several different types of butt. Much longer, more challenging, much more potential game time, more to collect, more to do, tighter timing ... even better graphics. And it had moments of comic genius - even if you didn't understand Japanese. You could even play co-operatively with a friend! Definitely one of the best games for the Dreamcast.

So it's welcome to see an English release at long last! (Even if it is only for the PS2.)

- Re:Part 2 was fantastic (Score:1)
  
  by Tiny Wolf v3 ( 680810 ) writes:
  
  But will there be a European release? I love the original game, and I've waited and waited for the sequel to be released here, but there's only been a few false starts. They've put it up as "to be released" time and time again, only to postpone it for later every time.
  - Re:Part 2 was fantastic (Score:2)
    
    by HalfFlat ( 121672 ) writes:
    
    Being in Australia (then), if I had waited for an Australian or even PAL region release of all the games I'd have liked to have played, I wouldn't have played much of anything.
    
    One of the first things I did with my Dreamcast was to get it modded. And strangely, there's not a single illegally copied game in my collection.
    
    Region locking is simply price fixing.
    - - Re:Part 2 was fantastic (Score:1)
        
        by Dsal ( 685711 ) writes:
        
        Back in the day before the boot disk technique was discovered, modchips were the only way to go.
Michael Jackson jokes (Score:2)

by wowbagger ( 69688 ) writes:

On a radio tech forum I follow (here [batlabs.com]) they have a list of Mikey jokes - here's a sample:

Q. How does Michael Jackson pick his nose?
A. From a catalogue.

Q: Have you heard about Michael Jackson's New Book?
A: It's called "The In's and Out's of Child Rearing".
Q: Why was Michael Jackson spotted at K-Mart?
A: He heard boys' pants were half-off!

Q. What's the difference between Mr. Potato Head and Michael Jackson?
A. Michael Jackson has had more noses.

Q. When is it bed time at Michael Jackson's house?
A. When the bi

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Space Channel 5 Keeps Michael Jackson For U.S. Release 39

Space Channel 5 Keeps Michael Jackson For U.S. Release More Login

Space Channel 5 Keeps Michael Jackson For U.S. Release

Re:Jacko and *BSD are going down (Score:1)

"almost dead"?!? (Score:5, Funny)

The setting fits (Score:2)

Space Channel 5 replay (Score:4, Interesting)

Re:Space Channel 5 replay (Score:3, Informative)

Re:Jeeze, Slashdot is really reaching for this one (Score:1, Interesting)

Re:Jeeze, Slashdot is really reaching for this one (Score:3, Interesting)

Re:Jeeze, Slashdot is really reaching for this one (Score:1)

So... (Score:3, Interesting)

Re:So... (Score:4, Interesting)

Re:So... (Score:2)

trance vibrator (Score:1)

Parents what do you do when... (Score:3, Funny)

Re:Parents what do you do when... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Parents what do you do when... (Score:2)

Fun (Score:2)

Stations don't play the Naked Gun movies anymore (Score:1)

UGA are gaming geniuses (Score:1)

Re:UGA are gaming geniuses (Score:2, Informative)

Part 2 was fantastic (Score:4, Interesting)

Re:Part 2 was fantastic (Score:1)

Re:Part 2 was fantastic (Score:2)

Re:Part 2 was fantastic (Score:1)

Michael Jackson jokes (Score:2)

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