Which is exactly why I'd like to see more games feel they can bring THEMSELVES to the Cube, as opposed to a "Nintendo-i-fied" version of themselves. It makes it feel more like "hey, a console that gets games!" than "hey a console that revolves around its mascots!"
Konami could quite easily have brought DDR to Nintendo consoles for ages--N64 or Cube--(and would have been especially good back when DDR was in its heydey in Japan and they had a lot more units of the N64 to tap) but seemingly had no interest. And even after recently releasing two versions for the Xbox in about a year's time (and one for PC the year before), it seems like it takes Nintendo's active interest to co-develop it (on N's part at this point, presumably because Donkey Konga and other music-related games they wish to bring out will be strengthened by having a DDR under their roof as well) and immediately tie it in with their mascot.
Look. There've been plenty of complains about Nintendo's 3rd party support from generation to generation--both valid and invalid--but no matter how much many of us like Nintendo we can certainly see flaws. We'll argue just how far their "image reinforcement" is an actual problem (and complain when people label Nintendo only one thing, even when it delivers some 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-party games that stand up to all other competitors both in adult themes and overall quality) but in THIS situation you pretty much have to admit that it's unattractive. Konami opens up a broadly-used license to Xbox first, doesn't really pursue GameCube at the same time (though they'd be able to easily make 3-system ports of DDR, I have no doubt) and it takes Nintendo's actively taking a hand and of course having to link Mario to it to bring it about...?
Certainly the Cube is a ripe platform to make a self-themed game about (and Konami has played with with other rather sillified concepts before with it, such as their Disney Mix), but I'd much rather they brought the game DDR-players want over first--with the the classic songs they share, and the music and background styles they enjoy--and then bring out the ones to play around in Nintendo's worldscape. If the first foray into what should really be an easy licensed game to grab requires extra effort on their part and immediately "goes Mario"... what image do you think that reinforces?
Nintendo is a big company. They should be able to bring appealing games in regardless, ALSO have fun with them and help them get designed around their systems, and ALSO concentrate on building "bigger and badder and different" to ride on for years to come as well. (Even Disney doesn't ride so heavily on the same characters, though admittedly of late it hasn't been they building the popular new personalities but Pixar...)
If this is in any way emblematic of Nintendo's current "whatever" (insert your own word here, whether you believe it to be "problem" or just "relationship") with 3rd party developers, I don't think it's something that should be shrugged off lackadaisically with a "you people bitch too much" and "there's nothing wrong with it in any way, shape, or form."
I like Nintendo that's why seeing things like this irk me. And why I think a growing prevalence would be a bad thing(TM).
