This month marks the 10th year anniversary of the acquisition of Rare Ltd. to Microsoft. Rare (formerly known as Rareware) became a household name in the 90s as Nintendo's second-party developer and achieved critical acclaim with amazing titles like Donkey Kong Country, Killer Instinct, Conker's Bad Fur Day, Goldeneye 007, Banjo-Kazooie and Perfect Dark.

It was in September 2002 when the giant PC company bought Rare for US$375 million to own 100% of the company and as a result, Rare became nothing more than a mediocre developer - producing weak Kinect games and other uninspiring titles (with the exception of Viva Pinata and Nuts and Bolts). What was once a golden gem in the gaming world is now a peasant to Microsoft so yeah, thanks a lot, you dumb jerks. Hope you are proud of yourselves, you Microsoft maggots.

As far as I know, none of the original talent even works there anymore, so it wouldn't matter.

What matters more to me is how screwed over Free Radical got

10 years since the end began. What a tragedy. Rare has always been my favourite.

The downfall of Rare is one of the most tragic stories in gaming. I feel like Bioware is going through a similar route now being part of EA.

@SomeDeliCook said:

As far as I know, none of the original talent even works there anymore, so it wouldn't matter.

What matters more to me is how screwed over Free Radical got

I know! It's a damn shame.

@msavo said:

The downfall of Rare is one of the most tragic stories in gaming. I feel like Bioware is going through a similar route now being part of EA.

Interesting note: The brothers that founded Rare eventually left after the Microsoft buyout and are no longer part of the industry. Sounds very familiar to the doctors and their departure.

@Hailinel said:

@msavo said:

The downfall of Rare is one of the most tragic stories in gaming. I feel like Bioware is going through a similar route now being part of EA.

Interesting note: The brothers that founded Rare eventually left after the Microsoft buyout and are no longer part of the industry. Sounds very familiar to the doctors and their departure.

Nintendo should get the old team back together again, so they can go on a mission for God!

; (

Two words: Viva Pinata.

Ya know, the best game they ever made.

@Zacagawea said:

Two words: Viva Pinata.

Ya know, the best game they ever made.

I agree, some of the best games Rare ever made where made under Microsoft.

@Zacagawea said:

Two words: Viva Pinata.

Ya know, the best game they ever made.

You're not allowed to say that.

Cuz micro$oft!!1

@msavo said:

The downfall of Rare is one of the most tragic stories in gaming. I feel like Bioware is going through a similar route now being part of EA.

Hell yeah!!

@Psykhophear: Uninspired titles?! You take that back! Viva Pinata was fan-fucking-tastic!

Engh. Rare was an amazing studio but they wouldn't be able to cut it in a post playstation world. They ace GAMES, and people don't want tat now. They want "stories" and "experiences" in liu of gameplay and rare has never been good at that. Best games though? Blast dozer for n64 and snake rattle and roll for the nes.

@Psykhophear said:

...It was in September 2002 when the giant PC company bought Rare for US$375 to own 100% of the company and as a result, Rare became nothing more than a mediocre developer...

That number doesn't seem right.

But yes, as people have said, there is almost no point even marking this anniversary, when all of the top talent at Rare that were actually responsible for their classic games left like 7 or 8 years ago around the time they all got assigned to Avatar and Kinect bullshit. Classic Rare has been dead for a while.

Nuts and Bolts was better than all their prior games combined.

While it's pretty sad Rare have ended up making Avatar clothes and Kinect games they have put out two of the very best and unique games of this generation. Both Viva Pinata and Banjo Kazooie N&B are truly fantastic games.

The only Rare game from my childhood I think holds up is Donkey Kong Country. Goldeneye never really clicked with me, it seemed so dated and awkward compared to the games on the PS1. While Killer Instinct was the arcade game I spent most of my money on, I think it is a truly awful game that people think was a lot better than it actually was. ha ha she kills dudes by showing them her boobs... boobs... greatest game ever!

First time I ever played Banjo Kazooie was with the live arcade release. I know some people still talk about it like it was a masterpiece, but playing it now it's an awkward, confusing mess.

@mazik765 said:

@Psykhophear: Uninspired titles?! You take that back! Viva Pinata was fan-fucking-tastic!

Whoops! Forgot about that. Ok, lemme rephrase that, "...Rare became nothing more than a mediocre developer - producing weak Kinect games and other uninspiring titles (with the exception of Viva Pinata and Kameo: Elements of Power)"

@Dagbiker said:

@Zacagawea said:

Two words: Viva Pinata.

Ya know, the best game they ever made.

I agree, some of the best games Rare ever made where made under Microsoft.

Not willing to go that with the first point, but Viva Pinata is still a fantastic game and needs more love, like a 3DS game. I loved what they did with the DS game, a 3D one would be fantastic.

Not agreeing at all with the second post. Except Viva Pinata, what was great about their other stuff? I want names!

1. Donkey Kong Country Platform Game Boy Advance Nintendo 2003
2. Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge Platform Game Boy Advance THQ 2003
3. Grabbed by the Ghoulies Beat 'em up Xbox Microsoft Game Studios 2003
4. Sabre Wulf Platform Game Boy Advance THQ 2004
5. Donkey Kong Country 2 Platform Game Boy Advance Nintendo 2004
6. Banjo-Pilot Racing Game Boy Advance THQ 2005
7. It's Mr Pants Puzzle Game Boy Advance THQ 2005
8. It's Mr Pants Puzzle Mobile phone In-Fusio 2005
9. Conker: Live & Reloaded Action Xbox Microsoft Game Studios 2005
10. Donkey Kong Country 3 Platform Game Boy Advance Nintendo 2005
11. Kameo: Elements of Power Action-adventure Xbox 360 Microsoft Game Studios 2005
12. Perfect Dark Zero First-person shooter Xbox 360 Microsoft Game Studios 2005
13. Viva Piñata Life simulation Xbox 360 Microsoft Game Studios 2006
14. Diddy Kong Racing DS Racing Nintendo DS Nintendo 2007
15. Jetpac Refuelled Shooter Xbox 360 (Xbox Live Arcade) Microsoft Game Studios 2007
16. Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise Life simulation Xbox 360 Microsoft Game Studios 2008
17. Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise Life simulation Nintendo DS THQ 2008
18. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts Platform Xbox 360 Microsoft Game Studios 2008
19. Banjo-Kazooie Platform Xbox 360 (Xbox Live Arcade) Microsoft Game Studios 2008
20. Banjo-Tooie Platform Xbox 360 (Xbox Live Arcade) Microsoft Game Studios 2009
21. Perfect Dark First-person shooter Xbox 360 (Xbox Live Arcade) Microsoft Game Studios 2010
22. Kinect Sports Sports Xbox 360 Microsoft Game Studios 2010
23. Kinect Sports: Season Two Sports Xbox 360 Microsoft Studios 2011

Leave out the old Nintendo stuff and what have we got?

Know what? Nuts and Bolts was fantastic and is still probably one of my favorite games of the last 10 years. Their death may have been tragic, but at least they ended on a high note before they got turned into the Kinect and Avatar developer. Apparently people like Viva Pinata as well.

That being said, they should have stayed with Nintendo. For however poorly Star Fox Adventures is looked upon (I would have to play it again to formulate any sort of opinion other than "Why is this Star Fox again?"), I think the Gamecube would have been a much more awesome console had they not been sold.

@AsperGamer said:

@Dagbiker said:

@Zacagawea said:

Two words: Viva Pinata.

Ya know, the best game they ever made.

I agree, some of the best games Rare ever made where made under Microsoft.

Not willing to go that with the first point, but Viva Pinata is still a fantastic game and needs more love, like a 3DS game. I loved what they did with the DS game, a 3D one would be fantastic.

Not agreeing at all with the second post. Except Viva Pinata, what was great about their other stuff? I want names!

1. Donkey Kong Country Platform Game Boy Advance Nintendo 2003
2. Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge Platform Game Boy Advance THQ 2003
3. Grabbed by the Ghoulies Beat 'em up Xbox Microsoft Game Studios 2003
4. Sabre Wulf Platform Game Boy Advance THQ 2004
5. Donkey Kong Country 2 Platform Game Boy Advance Nintendo 2004
6. Banjo-Pilot Racing Game Boy Advance THQ 2005
7. It's Mr Pants Puzzle Game Boy Advance THQ 2005
8. It's Mr Pants Puzzle Mobile phone In-Fusio 2005
9. Conker: Live & Reloaded Action Xbox Microsoft Game Studios 2005
10. Donkey Kong Country 3 Platform Game Boy Advance Nintendo 2005
11. Kameo: Elements of Power Action-adventure Xbox 360 Microsoft Game Studios 2005
12. Perfect Dark Zero First-person shooter Xbox 360 Microsoft Game Studios 2005
13. Viva Piñata Life simulation Xbox 360 Microsoft Game Studios 2006
14. Diddy Kong Racing DS Racing Nintendo DS Nintendo 2007
15. Jetpac Refuelled Shooter Xbox 360 (Xbox Live Arcade) Microsoft Game Studios 2007
16. Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise Life simulation Xbox 360 Microsoft Game Studios 2008
17. Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise Life simulation Nintendo DS THQ 2008
18. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts Platform Xbox 360 Microsoft Game Studios 2008
19. Banjo-Kazooie Platform Xbox 360 (Xbox Live Arcade) Microsoft Game Studios 2008
20. Banjo-Tooie Platform Xbox 360 (Xbox Live Arcade) Microsoft Game Studios 2009
21. Perfect Dark First-person shooter Xbox 360 (Xbox Live Arcade) Microsoft Game Studios 2010
22. Kinect Sports Sports Xbox 360 Microsoft Game Studios 2010
23. Kinect Sports: Season Two Sports Xbox 360 Microsoft Studios 2011

Leave out the old Nintendo stuff and what have we got?

Great list but these games are mostly ports of the originals to newer consoles/ handhelds. Any game company can do that. Aside from Viva Pinata and Banjo-Kazooie, we want new, inspiring IPs and sequels from Rare. Where's Killer Instinct 3? Where's Conker 2? Where's Perfect Dark 2? Or Kameo 2?

@Psykhophear said:

Great list but these games are mostly ports of the originals to newer consoles/ handhelds. Any game company can do that. Aside from Viva Pinata and Banjo-Kazooie, we want new, inspiring IPs and sequels from Rare. Where's Killer Instinct 3? Where's Conker 2? Where's Perfect Dark 2? Or Kameo 2?

I don't think it is a great list when you strip out the Nintendo stuff. I have Grabbed By The Ghoulies (not horrible), Conker: Live & Reloaded (not horrible), Perfect Dark Zero (never played it, it was cheap, no opinion), the Viva Pinata games (awesome, inspired Rare) and Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (looks good, but was boring). Not a lot of value for 10 years work. It should have been so much better.

@AsperGamer: I was being sarcastic :P. Yeah, when you stripped down all the Nintendo games, you get a very dull library of games. Oh Microsoft, what have you done?

It's coming back....

Kinect ruined Rare. With Kameo and Viva Pinata they proved that they are still able to make great games.

@Psykhophear said:

It was in September 2002 when the giant PC company bought Rare for US$375 to own 100% of the company

NICE!

I hope they get better. Genuinely even!

@mordukai: Oh sh...I didn't notice that. :P Thanks for pointing it out.

@Tim_the_Corsair said:

Nuts and Bolts was better than all their prior games combined.

All this is correct!

@Psykhophear: NP man. Thanks for the laugh.

On the subject at hand though. I think that MS deserves some layaway. They did gave them the go ahead with Viva Pinata and banjo & kazooie, so it seems MS did try to give Rare that "creative freedom". It's just unfortunate that those games just didn't strike the right cord with mainstream gamers and probably did not make as much money as they wanted them to do.

Who knows? Maybe Rare's love affair with Kinkt is something they choose to do.

@Psykhophear said:

@mazik765 said:

@Psykhophear: Uninspired titles?! You take that back! Viva Pinata was fan-fucking-tastic!

Whoops! Forgot about that. Ok, lemme rephrase that, "...Rare became nothing more than a mediocre developer - producing weak Kinect games and other uninspiring titles (with the exception of Viva Pinata and Kameo: Elements of Power)"

Much better :)

could be worse, they could have been bought by EA.

That being said Rare was in a pretty bad way when Microsoft bought them if memory serves, they probably would have gone chapter 7 if Mister Softy didn't pick 'em up.

So what's worse mediocre Rare or no Rare at all?

I must be like the only person in the world who liked Perfect dark Zero and Kameo.

Happy 10th! Loved Nuts & Bolts and Viva Pinata so hopefully they can make some more great games under Microsoft.

Hey, somebody has to make all those avatar items right guys?

Seems that 5 years after being acquired by Microsoft the two co-founders left the company. Kinda like BioWare after being acquired by EA.

Haven't these people learned by now? It really seems that when these quirky, personal and amazing studios get acquired by big corporate organizations the once-humble projects almost always end up careening the way the acquirers want them to, and the co-founders seemingly feel frustrated and out-of-touch with what was initially a personal and passionate initiative.

I'm glad Valve knows better than that. They got offered two billion dollars or whatever it was, and Gabe Newell refused it. It's an important thing, that kind of independence. A bigger budget and more marketing isn't always what a company needs most, especially with the backlash that often comes with these things.

A little note here, many of the original Rare guys have started another company titled Mingy Jongo (they're on titter, same name without a space). They state a desire to create a game that's a spiritual successor to the Banjo games, which if it were to succeed, who knows. We should all show our support for them if we want this to happen.