RARE TO REMAKE TABOO: THE SIXTH SENSE
Douglas Havermore, Games Correspondent
Feb 11 2008
Leicestershire, England – Rare has announced a remake of the 1989 NES release Taboo: The Sixth Sense for release on the Xbox 360 sometime in 2009.
The press release issued today stated “With casual gaming at an all time high, we feel Taboo will be the perfect title. It will be a simple pick up and play game, easily enjoyed by all members of the family.”
For those unfamiliar with the original title, essentially the game is a fortune telling simulator. Ask questions, use tarot cards, and the game will predict your future. Thought not on overly successful title upon initial release, the company feels that an update for the modern era may bring a whole new audience, not only to the property, but also to the Xbox 360 as a whole.
In the wake of limited success since their move to Microsoft, the UK based company has begun mining its formidable back catalogue for IP’s to bring into the modern era.
Rare has been one of the most successful game developers in the history of the industry. Founded in 1982, they have been behind games of all shapes and sizes. They have produced genuine classics like Battletoads, Donkey Kong Country, Marble Madness, and Goldeneye and cult classics like Blast Corps, Cobra Triangle, and NARC. While Taboo may not be one of their better known titles, the bet is that the changing demographics of gamers will spur an embrace the redo.
The announcement comes as good news to their parent company, Microsoft, as well. After the record setting purchase price of $377 million, very little in the way of identifiable or profitable titles have come out of the once formidable developer. Titles such as “Grabbed by the Ghoulies”, “Kameo”, “Perfect Dark Zero”, and “Viva Pinata” have met with limited commercial and critical success. Still trying to ride the wave of the blisteringly hot Nintendo Wii, Microsoft seems to be willing to pull out all stops to get a foothold in the casual gaming market.
We spoke with Charles Whitmore, a spokesperson for Microsoft. “Obviously the Wii has taken off like gangbusters and opened up the gaming market for all of us. It’s not that we feel a need to compete with Nintendo directly, we believe that the market has expanded and there is a cry for casual games. We want to appeal to as many people as we possibly can, give every gamer an opportunity to enjoy the Xbox 360.”
The company gave no indication as to any other plans to update other titles such as “Sabrewulf” or “Tranz Am” from their back catalogue.
