GiFTPiA
Encyclopedia
is a video game that was developed by Skip Ltd.
for the Nintendo GameCube
. It was released in Japan on April 25, 2003. Despite that its last showing at Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) was in English, Nintendo cancelled the North American localization of GiFTPiA. In English, the game would most likely be better understood as called "Giftopia" to represent the two words, gift
and utopia
.
ceremony, oversleeps and misses the whole thing. The mayor of the island, Mayer, is so incensed that he orders Pokkle's arrest and a fine of five million "Mane" (the game's currency) to recoup the costs of the event. Thus, it is up to Pockle to work off his huge debt. At the game's start, Pockle must cope with heavy restrictions: an early curfew, a ball & chain, having his face pixel
ated and a robot
police chief named Mappo. Throughout his adventure, Pockle is assisted by his dog Tao and his girlfriend Kyappa. There is also a large cast of supporting characters that live on Nanashi Island and interact with Pockle, including a bartender that goes by Peevee and a radio DJ called DEEJ. Pockle eventually encounters an old man who will give him some mushroom soup and teach him about other paths to adulthood via helping others
.
GiFTPiA is similar to Nintendo
's Animal Crossing
in that both games place an emphasis on interacting with other characters. In order to meet the game's five million Mane requirement, the player must initially take menial jobs such as fishing, collecting fruit, or repairing signs. After meeting the old man, the player must travel the island, collecting its residents' wishes, and fulfill them. However, the player has numerous restrictions that are lifted as the game progresses. For instance, if the player stays out after curfew, ghosts will chase Pockle to his house. If he does not make it back, he will be put to sleep, making him vulnerable to theft. The player is also responsible for making Pockle eat, as he will otherwise starve to death.
and the direction of former Square
employee Kenichi Nishi
. Prolific game designer Shigeru Miyamoto
signed on as one of the game's producers. According to the Japanese newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun
, Nintendo
provided half of the game's ¥
500 million budget.
Although the game was shown at E3 2003 in English and a North American localization seemed likely, the game remained exclusive to Japan. Nintendo officially stated that the game was not announced for a North America release. The website IGN
thought that the game was not going to be released due to being "too strange" for US audiences, an assumption that was confirmed by Nintendo of America in early 2006. One of the game's planners, Sayoko Yokote, hoped the game would be localized by a company other than Nintendo.
The music in GiFTPiA is provided via the in-game radio
known as Nanashi-FM. The musical score was co-composed by Hirofumi Taniguchi and Yousuke Obitsumi and features over a dozen musical artists on the radio stations. The soundtrack was released on July 14, 2003 by Enterbrain
alongside the Giftpia Book, a 99-page full color guide to the game.
and Dengeki
, the game sold between 48,000 and 55,000 units during its first three weeks on sale in Japan. By the end of 2003, the game had sold nearly 70,000 units, ranking it 176th among all game in the country for that year.
GiFTPiA was given a total score of 34 out of 40 by Famitsu
, earning it a "Gold Award". The reviewers remarked that although game gives the initial impression it is for children, it offers "nice puzzle elements, great characters and a wonderful score". GiFTPiA was awarded a curious review score of ??% by the UK-based NGC Magazine
. They felt unable to review it properly, but were sure that there was "...clearly a quite brilliant game lurking beneath the reams of Japanese text".
Skip Ltd.
Skip is a Japanese video game developer that has a close relationship with Nintendo of Japan. Nintendo has published all of their Japanese releases; with the only notable exception being LOL , which Skip Ltd. published independently. The company's staff includes prominent developers from Square...
for the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
. It was released in Japan on April 25, 2003. Despite that its last showing at Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) was in English, Nintendo cancelled the North American localization of GiFTPiA. In English, the game would most likely be better understood as called "Giftopia" to represent the two words, gift
Gift
A gift or a present is the transfer of something without the expectation of receiving something in return. Although gift-giving might involve an expectation of reciprocity, a gift is meant to be free. In many human societies, the act of mutually exchanging money, goods, etc. may contribute to...
and utopia
Utopia
Utopia is an ideal community or society possessing a perfect socio-politico-legal system. The word was imported from Greek by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book Utopia, describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. The term has been used to describe both intentional communities that attempt...
.
Plot and gameplay
GIFTPiA follows the protagonist Pockle, a resident of Nanashi Island, who, on the day of his coming of ageComing of age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from childhood to adulthood. The age at which this transition takes place varies in society, as does the nature of the transition. It can be a simple legal convention or can be part of a ritual, as practiced by many societies...
ceremony, oversleeps and misses the whole thing. The mayor of the island, Mayer, is so incensed that he orders Pokkle's arrest and a fine of five million "Mane" (the game's currency) to recoup the costs of the event. Thus, it is up to Pockle to work off his huge debt. At the game's start, Pockle must cope with heavy restrictions: an early curfew, a ball & chain, having his face pixel
Pixel
In digital imaging, a pixel, or pel, is a single point in a raster image, or the smallest addressable screen element in a display device; it is the smallest unit of picture that can be represented or controlled....
ated and a robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
police chief named Mappo. Throughout his adventure, Pockle is assisted by his dog Tao and his girlfriend Kyappa. There is also a large cast of supporting characters that live on Nanashi Island and interact with Pockle, including a bartender that goes by Peevee and a radio DJ called DEEJ. Pockle eventually encounters an old man who will give him some mushroom soup and teach him about other paths to adulthood via helping others
Charity (practice)
The practice of charity means the voluntary giving of help to those in need who are not related to the giver.- Etymology :The word "charity" entered the English language through the Old French word "charité" which was derived from the Latin "caritas".Originally in Latin the word caritas meant...
.
GiFTPiA is similar to Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's Animal Crossing
Animal Crossing
The Animal Crossing games have garnered positive response. The first three games are among the best-selling for their respective consoles. Animal Crossing has sold 2.321 million copies; Wild World 10.79 million; and City Folk 3.38 million...
in that both games place an emphasis on interacting with other characters. In order to meet the game's five million Mane requirement, the player must initially take menial jobs such as fishing, collecting fruit, or repairing signs. After meeting the old man, the player must travel the island, collecting its residents' wishes, and fulfill them. However, the player has numerous restrictions that are lifted as the game progresses. For instance, if the player stays out after curfew, ghosts will chase Pockle to his house. If he does not make it back, he will be put to sleep, making him vulnerable to theft. The player is also responsible for making Pockle eat, as he will otherwise starve to death.
Development
GiFTPiA was first announced in early 2002 under the development of Skip Ltd.Skip Ltd.
Skip is a Japanese video game developer that has a close relationship with Nintendo of Japan. Nintendo has published all of their Japanese releases; with the only notable exception being LOL , which Skip Ltd. published independently. The company's staff includes prominent developers from Square...
and the direction of former Square
Square (company)
was a Japanese video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. It merged with Enix in 2003 and became part of Square Enix...
employee Kenichi Nishi
Kenichi Nishi
is a Japanese video game designer. He was born June 20, 1967 in Tokyo, Japan. Over the years, he has helped found a number of notable video game companies and currently develops games at Route24, his own private limited company...
. Prolific game designer Shigeru Miyamoto
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer and producer. Miyamoto was born and raised in Kyoto Prefecture; the natural surroundings of Kyoto inspired much of Miyamoto's later work....
signed on as one of the game's producers. According to the Japanese newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun
Nihon Keizai Shimbun
is one of the largest media corporations in Japan. Nikkei specializes in publishing financial, business and industry news. Its main news publications include:* Nihon Keizai Shimbun , a leading economic newspaper....
, Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
provided half of the game's ¥
Japanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
500 million budget.
Although the game was shown at E3 2003 in English and a North American localization seemed likely, the game remained exclusive to Japan. Nintendo officially stated that the game was not announced for a North America release. The website IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
thought that the game was not going to be released due to being "too strange" for US audiences, an assumption that was confirmed by Nintendo of America in early 2006. One of the game's planners, Sayoko Yokote, hoped the game would be localized by a company other than Nintendo.
The music in GiFTPiA is provided via the in-game radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
known as Nanashi-FM. The musical score was co-composed by Hirofumi Taniguchi and Yousuke Obitsumi and features over a dozen musical artists on the radio stations. The soundtrack was released on July 14, 2003 by Enterbrain
Enterbrain
is a Japanese magazine publisher established on April 1, 2000. Enterbrain magazines are generally focused on video games and computer entertainment as well as video game and strategy guides. In addition, the company publishes a small selection of anime artbooks. Enterbrain is based in Tokyo, Japan...
alongside the Giftpia Book, a 99-page full color guide to the game.
| Giftpia Title Music + Nanashi-FM Tracklist |
|---|
Disc 1 (50:08)
|
Reception
Retail sales of GIFTPiA were unexceptional at best. According to estimates from Media CreateMedia Create
is a Japanese company that "gathers and analyzes data from the digital entertainment industry, specifically focusing on the Japanese console gaming market...
and Dengeki
ASCII Media Works
is a Japanese publishing company in the Kadokawa Group which formed on April 1, 2008 as a result of a merger between ASCII and MediaWorks where MediaWorks legally absorbed ASCII. Despite this, the former president of ASCII, Kiyoshi Takano, became the president of ASCII Media Works. The company...
, the game sold between 48,000 and 55,000 units during its first three weeks on sale in Japan. By the end of 2003, the game had sold nearly 70,000 units, ranking it 176th among all game in the country for that year.
GiFTPiA was given a total score of 34 out of 40 by Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
, earning it a "Gold Award". The reviewers remarked that although game gives the initial impression it is for children, it offers "nice puzzle elements, great characters and a wonderful score". GiFTPiA was awarded a curious review score of ??% by the UK-based NGC Magazine
NGC Magazine
NGC Magazine was a British magazine specialising in Nintendo created consoles; which was first printed in 1997 and ran until 2006. N64 Magazine was the successor to Super Play magazine after it ended in 1996 as it retained many of the staff and the style of that publication...
. They felt unable to review it properly, but were sure that there was "...clearly a quite brilliant game lurking beneath the reams of Japanese text".