Don't let the cute and cuddly look fool you, the upcoming PS4 and PC release Tamarin has ties with ex-Rare veterans. It's got character designs in it from Banjo-Kazooie creator Steve Mayles, a soundtrack from Donkey Kong Country composer David Wise and reportedly "many other developers" from Rare's golden era helping out.
The player takes control of a monkey-like creature on a quest to save their family from evil alien insects (and save the day in general), by splattering everything in sight (well bugs, mostly). Here's a brief rundown:
Explore an incredible interconnected 3D world, brimming with primate platforming and bug-splattering shooter action. Leap with the agility of a tamarin as you journey into the Northern wilderness on scenic routes through forests, fjords and mountains. Along the way you will chase mysterious electrical fireflies, discover a secret underground world of dancing ants, rescue innocent birds, and restore the tamarins’ once idyllic natural habitat.
In the words of IGN's deputy editor Tom Marks, it's basically a "successor" to Rare's 1999 third-person shooter Jet Force Gemini on the Nintendo 64.
The bad news? There's no guarantee it'll come to the Nintendo Switch. According to the official Chameleon Games FAQ (the small developer behind this release), if a Switch version did happen, it would apparently take a very long time:
Since we’re a small team, our hands are currently full with the PC and PS4 versions. We can confirm that the game is now in development for Xbox One. For technical reasons and because development started long before Switch was out, a potential Switch version would take a long time.
Over on Twitter, Chameleon has also made it pretty clear that at the moment, there is "no Switch game to wait for". YouTuber Doctre81 probed the developer a little more after calling for a Nintendo port and managed to find out the following information:
Later on in the conversation, the Chameleon Games Twitter had a change of heart:
In other words, there's still some hope, just don't expect it to show up on the Switch next week. Would you like to be able to play this game on your beloved hybrid system? Have you always wanted a follow-up to Jet Force Gemini? Tell us down below.
[source ign.com]
Comments 61
It's cool that they started development on the game before Switch was announced with the PS4 in mind. However, I think the fact that they focused on a console that has absolutely zero historic ties to Rare may not go in their favor. Probably should've aimed for simultaneous release on XB1 and PS4 unless Sony paid them for exclusivity, which doesn't seem to be the case.
@Wilforce If they article hadn't mentioned it, I would never have guessed it was made by ex-Rare employees. So I don't think it really matters.
I'm really hoping this turns out well. Been following its development for quite some time. I'll buy it on PS4 if reviews are decent. Jet Force Gemini is one of my all time favorites.
I will never understand why games like this go to the PC and PS4 first. The large userbase argument is more dismissive than explanatory when you can just as easily make the argument that the PC and PS4 markets are oversaturated, and that neither userbase is particularly inclined towards playing this style of game.
Bring your over-the-top Rare-style games to a Nintendo console where it will have a built-in userbase who are familiar with the developers. Nintendo players have a long history of playing games by Rare's developers, there really isn't a strong justification for initially bringing these games to non-Nintendo consoles as a rule. Is the average PC-only player really going to purchase and play this game for any notable length of time when they've spent hundreds of dollars building their machine to run more "serious," graphically-intensive games? Is the average PS4 player going to play this game for any notable length of time when they likely own a PS4 for sports games, Fortnite, GTA V, Red Dead Redemption 2, and whatever exclusive movie game Sony has on offer at the time? It's like selling ballpark hot dogs in the parking lot of a heavily-trafficked McDonald's when there is a perfectly good baseball stadium full of fans filling up across the street who are ready and highly-motivated to buy.
If they started development pre-Switch that’s one thing. But if not, it would be yet another case of a developer completely ignorant to the fact that their audience generally only exists on Switch, and that audience is now seriously massive. Unless they have some kind of deal with Sony, not releasing this on Switch is a massive mistake, if their goal is to make money.
It's not a true successor to Jet Force Gemini unless you can brutally kill the cute animals you are supposed to be saving on accident.
I still remember being terrified of the game when I played it as a kid! I'm sure if it were to be on the Switch it would suffer graphically. Might just grab it on PC if it turns out decent.
@Menardi It's a risk not everyone is willing to take. You have to remember that the N64 didn't do amazing either, and that's over 20 years ago, so you also have to assume that every Rare fan still owns a Nintendo console and doesn't have a PC or PS4 at the same time. And of course that's assuming this only appeals to Rare fans as well. Everyone can enjoy any type of game.
Also, this only two ex-Rare employees worked on this game if I'm not mistaken.
eh, lacks any sort of style. looks like a generic unreal engine indie/student game (even if its not based on ue)
News been kinda slow? Looking for games not coming to Switch accompanied with some sort of twitter banter about it and reporting that always fills the gaps.
Hell, he hashtagged #NintendoSwitchpro.....there's an article right there!
Meh. Funny how most games like this sell better on Switch yet developers continue to think of the Switch as an afterthought.
@Octane I understand your point, but the Nintendo Switch is not the Nintendo 64. It's not 1998 anymore. The Switch has already outsold the NES, and is barely even at the halfway point in its lifetime. If anything, putting your game on systems with far larger libraries and players who aren't especially inclined to play the arguably niche style of game Rare developers are famous for is more of a risk. While you are correct in saying all players regardless of platform are potentially capable of enjoying any given title, I would make the argument that the average PC and PS4 player is unlikely to even notice the existence of this title in the sea of content available to them in the first place — let alone purchase it, play it, and actually enjoy it — whereas the average Switch owner is likely to have had a positive experience with a past Rare title and would consider a game developed by former Rare staff to be a standout in the eShop.
The only justification I can think of for the PC release is that it's very easy to push your completed build to Steam these days, at least that makes sense. The PlayStation focus is the truly questionable aspect. Nintendo systems should be the first console port-of-call for this type of game, really mind-boggling that they consistently aren't.
Slightly interested in that game. Not getting my hopes up though. It could very well be spiritual tied like Mighty No9, or remind us that without nostalgia goggles, old games suck like Shenmue 3
Seeing a news like reminds me that I am still annoyed Nintendo passed when Rare asked them to acquire them. We could be getting JFG2 on Wii U... I mean Switch!
Yet another day on NLife when people see the words ‘not coming to Switch’ and then proceed to insult the game and dev team.
@nessisonett Bit of an unnecessarily cynical comment. Questioning the release strategy is a long way from insulting the developers. I think you would be hard-pressed to find a Nintendo fan who's willing to seriously insult anyone from Rare Ltd!
This looks sick... definitely in my wheel house as a Jet Force Gemini uber fan, even if the game world/mythos was a lot cooler than the actual sequences lol.
@nessisonett - agree, we need some kind of channel for people who are more platform agnostic and enjoy game news of all kinds.
@Menardi I wish I was still in 1998! X
@Dragonslacker1 It was the best of times, it was the worst of times! Would love to turn back the clock
Never heard of it before but it looks pretty neat.
I enjoyed Jet Force Gemini on N64, even though it had a couple of problems holding it back from greatness. If Tamarin comes to the Switch, I might buy it if it's any good.
Nintendo Life has essentially morphed into the MyNintendoNews of the Switch era. Lol
@Menardi Regarding the choice of platforms, you have to remember that all games are developed on PC, so a PC release is quite easy. After that it becomes a question of who has the biggest user base, that's currently PS4. PS4 and Xbox are also quite similar to PC in terms of architecture, and are on average easier to develop for than Switch, and I think that also plays a role.
It's the reason why nearly all games target PC, PS4 is also a popular choice. Xbox is an easy choice after that because it has a similar architecture, but has a smaller user base (possibly even smaller than Switch, but MS doesn't release sales numbers anymore). Switch does have one big advantage, and that's like you said better visibility. It won't be drowned in a sea of other options. But I think that the different system architecture is a bigger hurdle than you may think.
@Octane Switch licenses are also a bloody fortune for most engines with inbuilt support like Game Maker Studio. If it’s running on an engine that doesn’t have inbuilt support, and they’ve hinted at this, it’s gonna be a whole lot of work.
@Octane Precisely, the PC development aspect is understandable.
Even when considering the additional resources required to bring any given game to the Switch, the PlayStation and Xbox marketplaces are still not as lucrative for this particular type of game, despite their large respective userbases. Rare's/Playtonic's Gavin Price confirmed in a June 2019 gamesindustry.biz interview that Yooka Laylee's Switch release caught up to its sales figures for the Xbox One and PS4 "very quickly" post-launch, despite releasing seven months after it debuted in lukewarm fashion on those particular systems, and despite the fact it released shortly before Super Mario Odyssey, a comparable 3D platforming title. It stands to reason that games produced by former Rare staff simply perform better on Nintendo consoles, and are demonstrably worth the investment (I would add that the Switch being an easy system to develop for is a common thread among developers new and old; Nintendo have taken great care to streamline the development process for this console). If anything, the primary hurdle to Switch development for large AAA titles at least is game optimization, which is something developers big and small should ideally already be doing (even many PC players would likely agree that devoting their entire hard drive to a single game isn't incredibly consumer-friendly. For the love of God, optimize your games, people).
There is more risk in blindly bringing Rare alumnis' titles to the PlayStation and hoping for the best than there is in bringing them to their spiritual home on a Nintendo system, where they are better positioned to compete.
Breaking News: upcoming game NOT coming to Switch!
There's something about it that looks really....cheap or something. I dunno. I'll reserve judgment for when/if I ever actually play it, but eh.
@Wilforce I don't really think the fact that ex-Rare employees are developing has much correlation to the platform of choice. They're ex-Rare. This is a completely new studio
If I had a penny for everytime NintendoLife made an article just talking about a game not being ported to Switch I could probably buy another Switch lol
@nessisonett,
It's a shame the game is probably not coming to the Switch, but I did not sense any insults form Nintendo Life towards the developers, perhaps you are looking into this too much.
Jet Force Gemini wasn't the best game Rare made (didn't like it myself.) Tamarin looks fine and well made, but lacking charm, to me.
@GrailUK not Goldeneye or Banjo level but still a good game, have you tried the improved controls in Rare Replay? Really enjoyed it with the new controls.
@johnvboy Not the author of the article, a quick glance of the comments of every article like this always show a few ‘well we didn’t want it anyway’ attitudes.
@nessisonett,
Ah I see, you will always get a few of those to be honest.
Sorry for the confusion.
@quinnyboy58 Oh no I haven't. That would probably bump the game up for me. Hmmm...now Rare Replay definitely needs to come to Switch! ^^ (Maybe with gyro aim?)
Was really surprised how much I liked Jet Force Gemini back in the day. Bought it used on a whim and it was great! That and Pokemon Snap (wasn't into Pokemon, so that was a surprise, too!)
I'm a little concerned with how this looks. Parts seemed under baked enough that I was expecting a later release date than 10 days from now. The main character sure looks better, though!
"Hey, yea, good idea, but not very easy, would've been nice if there existed a button that does that!"
....I mean, they could find a panic button out there if they looked hard enough.
Yay, another article about stuff not coming to Switch.
EDIT: Also this game looks like 2 different games jammed into one. The segue between cute jumping/rolling/flag changing à la Mario and 3rd person shooter was NOT smooth. Graphically cute, but looks like a crap game with no cohesion between game play and overall tone.
Certainly interesting video game but this isn't coming to the Switch and this is a Nintendo site so....shrugs
I’d be giving up on this one. Judging by their replies, they don’t seem too interested in bringing this to the Switch, save for only as an imaginary “Switch Pro exclusive”.
So NLife, you gonna talk about any Cyberpunk, Suicide Squad, the new Batman game and any other games not coming to the Switch? Heck, might as well throw Fable and Ratchet & Clank news for good measure.
Another developer waiting for a potential Switch Pro... I don't like the sound of that. Before it was that Suikoden game, and now this. I really hope, if the Switch pro does exist, that there are no exclusive games for the hardware, honestly. It'd be too bad...
@locky-mavo Dude don't forget about the fact that a third of their Persona "news" articles are about Persona 5 Switch rumors lol
I just started playing the original JFG, so this is cool to see! Though perhaps using blue ant enemies in a spiritual successor is a little on the nose...
I can't be bothered to check if there were articles about it at the time, but if I recall there was a similar (and much stronger) statement from the dev team that a Hat in Time would NEVER come to the Switch, so there's a chance.
Also, to those complaining about graphics/art style, this is an announcement trailer. I'd be more concerned if this was a launch trailer. I'm personally intrigued.
@TheFrenchiestFry
I knew there was one I was forgetting.
@ritouf I appreciate the example, but the exception does not prove the rule. The vast majority of comparable games released on the PlayStation 4 for example are not as successful as this rare exception.
I'll probably get it for PC. We'll see what happens though
Jet force gemini never clicked with me.
I really wanted to love that game, I tried, but I couldn't get into it.
Did anyone else feel like that?
@ritouf That is understandable. Shame to see, though, these systems really aren't the true home for some of these former Rare developers' projects.
how many ex rare staff are there? I thought most of them were at paytonic now...
What the PS4 under my TV is for. A PS4/PC Game skipping the Switch is nothing new.
"Banjo-Kazooie creator Steve Mayles"
In reality, Banjo-Kazooie was created by Gregg and Steve Mayles. Gregg works at Rare. Steve did.
@Agramonte So sell your Switch and be done with it. You don't even have to tell anybody. You can pretend to still own one and disparage it to your heart's content, since for whatever reason criticizing something you don't like is so important to you.
watches first 20 seconds Um, this looks more inspired by Banjo than Jet For-watches next 20 seconds never mind.
I’ll probably grab this when it hits PS4/PS5 and later for Switch if it ever gets the green light. Looks like a fun game too; loved JFG on N64 back in the day.
I miss the times, when Games were programmed for each platform individually.
back in the 90s, when there was a version for sega mega drive, master system, NES and SNES. then the same for sega saturn, playstation and n64, same with dreamcast, psx, n64 & ps2.
even when the xbox launched, there still were "specific" versions of some games for weaker systems (ps2, gamecube).
nowdays no company is willing to do this anymore ... and IF they do it, the games for switch get delayed 12~15 months.
like activision with tony hawk pro skater 1&2 remake - i mean c'mon - there were switch docked, switch undocked files in the demo, even for each available controller (pro, joycon, docked, switch lite)
but if the game will come to switch, i bet i will get delayed like spyro the dragon. i think it was close to 12 months?
i miss the old days and honestly, i think switch will be my last system for ages. the "new" console generation, even the ps4 and xbox one - i do not really care about them. i've had an xbox one, but sold it. was the "weakest" system i've ever had with the least fun .... switch & pc - that's all i need
I doubt it matters that it's ex-rare staff these days. It's been 18 years. The fanbase that likes Rare games aren't exclusive to Nintendo consoles anymore.
@JimmySpades And buy what handheld exactly?... this is what a market dominated by Nintendo looks like 🙄
It is like a WiiU. Played Paper Mario.. wait a bunch of months for Metroid or Bayo3 (or a 3rd party that actually matters comes out on time) Only difference from back during the WiiU days - is that most did not keep pretending the schedule was mostly awful outside a few Gems, and we acknowledged the need to buy another system to pass the time.
@Agramonte "And buy what handheld exactly?... " GPD Win Max.
Disappointing that no Switch port but I'm keeping my eye on this one because I LOVE Jet force Gemini!
"would've been nice if there existed a button that does that!"
Are they hinting at Panic Button, considering that company has done a lot of ports for the Switch?
Don't know what to think about this game. Its cute...but then a bird gets shot. Then the game turns into a shooter.
My point is: What's the tone of the game? It isn't a cute and crude game like Conkers bad fur day, but it is a cuddly game where all of a sudden you shoot the enemies? Jet force gemini had the right tone, and was amazing by the way. But originally they where planning far younger children as the heroes, so maybe they go for that angle. Personally I found the shooting of the bird a bit tasteless. And while the graphics don't look bad, the game looks a bit sterile and lifeless.
No big loss, the game gets awful reviews!
Well now that the game is garbage guess it's not worthy to be on Switch just like that Genshin Impact game that doesn't even make an impact and that Cyberpunk 2077 that is still broken beyond belief.
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