The temperature was over 30C but the overhead walkways leading to Tokyo's Makuhari Messe exhibition centre were teeming with life. Nintendo's annual Space World show was in town and Japan was excited - 54,000 people arrived on day one of the three day event, many keen to download the new secret Pokémon character Celebi.
But for Nintendo, this year's event was more than just a celebration of its money-spinning franchise. Space World 2000 saw the launch of two new consoles as the company looks to build on success in the handheld market and recover lost ground in the home console arena.
In the 1980s and early 90s Nintendo was synonymous with videogames. But, while the handheld Game Boy has been an unqualified success, the company has fared less well with the N64.
The 1995 launch of Sony's PlayStation attracted a whole new audience. Suddenly playing games became something you did after closing time rather than after school. Sony is launching its successor, the PlayStation 2, in November, and with Microsoft entering the market, with X-Box, in 2001, and the industry now worth $20 billion a year, the stakes are higher than ever.
At Space World, Nintendo unveiled its entrant into this "next generation" battle. Called Gamecube, the console combines good looks with impressive technical specs. Gone are the blocky contours of previous machines and, with its handle and profile, the machine resembles a brightly coloured and plasticised relative of Apple's G4 Cube.
If the murmurs of approval from the show floor were any indication, Nintendo may have won an early aesthetic triumph. But what really matters are the games and a tantalising glimpse via video served only to whet the appetite. Graphically stunning realisations of Nintendo characters such as Zelda and Mario got a positive reaction, and while there is no guarantee that what was shown will actually be playable, the potential looks immense.
The console will not be released in Japan until July 2001, but the cartridge era has passed. Gamecube software will use a special 8cm disc that Nintendo hopes will both deter pirates and attract developers. President, Hiroshi Yamauchi said:" The N64 had a reputation for being difficult to develop for. Our idea here was to create a developer-friendly machine."
This increased storage space could help persuade influential developers such as Square, which produces the RPGs (role playing games) that are essential for success in Japan, to return to the fold. The two companies fell out over Nintendo's decision to use cartridges on the N64, which are expensive and could not store the movie footage used by Square's games. Mario's creator, Shigeru Miymato, is positive about the Gamecube's development environment. "The machine was designed to reach a balance between game creation and technical specification, as having the best specs doesn't necessarily mean the best games."
The other big event was the launch of Game Boy Advance, the successor to the original handheld which has sold 100 million units worldwide. It was playable at the show with a version of Mario Kart creating the biggest stir. The console is light with an improved LCD screen; however, the shoulder buttons seemed a little far apart and could cause problems for smaller hands.
Nevertheless, with improved graphics and sound, backward compatibil ity (all original Game Boy titles can be played) and little competition (SNK's Neo Geo Pocket recently pulled out of the UK market), the Advance looks likely to continue its predecessor's success.
As they queued patiently for up to two hours to play on the Advance for only five minutes, the Japanese seemed impressed. "My children want one and it does look fun," said Yoko Shirahase. Hiroshi Ikenaga, who had bought his son to the show primarily to download Celebi, said: "I like the look of the Advance and will probably buy one."
Takeo Kohno, 18, needed slightly more convincing. "It does look impressive, although I want to see what other games are coming out."
The Gamecube faces a far sterner test. If fantastic games were the prerequisite for success then Nintendo would have little problem. But, as the Sega Dreamcast has shown, marketing and public perception are equally important. With Sony and Microsoft as competitors, Nintendo now faces its biggest battle so far. Innovative hardware, sensational video footage and the move away from cartridges is just the start.
The heat of the forthcoming console battle could surpass that of August in Toyko.
