Red Fly Studio Developer’s Blog

In an interview last week, TRI (developers of Ghostbusters for the Xbox 360 and PS3) mentioned a proposed feature that got cut months ago. We explored a connectivity solution between the DS and Wii. We planned big stuff, but technical and time constraints prevented us from exploring those options more deeply. That’s always the case with game development: you plan for the moon, but you always end up satisfied just getting into orbit. It’s good, though. That process forces the developer to focus their attention on what eventually becomes the core of the game. Throwing in too many systems or mechanics make a game cluttered and unwieldy. And unless you have Rockstar-level development budgets, you really can’t afford to fine-tune too many different elements at once. We’ve got a good game brewing here. Very focused and very pretty and very fun.

It really blew up, though, didn’t it? A lot of people seemed to dig the idea of having the DS provide additional gameplay feedback. The main flaw with the idea (other than the fact that it’s notoriously difficult to crack open Nintendo’s more arcane hardware secrets without being a first-party developer) is that your hands are already full of Wiimotes and nunchucks. You would need to have a friend hold your DS up for you to look at it. Not exactly the “multiplayer experience” we’re building.

Still, though, we’re providing an awesome, unique Ghostbusters experience. The in-game PKE meter reveals the universe beyond this mortal coil. It makes for some cool gameplay moments and serves as a very versatile tool in the pursuit of ghosts in need of busting.

A few sites made mention of the original article and the follow-up correction. I particularly like how Go Nintendo softened the blow by reporting the news alongside some of the other news that came out this week involving some classic tunes.