Snake, Rattle N’ Roll Scribes Excerpt
The following excerpts detailing the development of Snake, Rattle N’ Roll was originally published on Rare’s Scribes letter page from 2000-2007. We’ve scoured each edition in order to provide you with every mention of the title to be found in Rare’s posted answers in chronological order below.
We’ve also included a link above each heading which will re-direct to the original letters page that the question was featured in should you wish to view it in the original context – otherwise you’ll find that the entries below only focus on answers related to Snake, Rattle N’ Roll for a comprehensive listing for any fan wanting further information on pre-release content, hidden easter eggs, abandoned features and development secrets:
Dear Scribes,
I just got a recent wave of nostalgia for classic Rare games, so I fished up as much info as I could on Snake, Rattle ‘n’ Roll. And let me tell you, I REALLY wish that you guys had made a SNES version (or even better, a GBC version)! I can remember clearly what the game was like to play, and I think that with an expanded world (and hopefully at least a password option), it would make a great N64 game! Mainly, what I’m trying to say is this: I’m asking if there are any plans whatsoever for an upcoming SRNR game, on any system. And if there aren’t any plans, I’m encouraging you to give it some thought. I mean, as a previous owner of the NES and that very game, I have to say I give it a rating of 9.5 out of 10! The graphics are superb, the play control is very well fitted, it’s a large, challenging, and most importantly hysterical game! I honestly didn’t think that the old 8-bit NES system could do so well with the graphics, and the sound was a miracle too! The only reason I didn’t give it full 10/10 rating was because there weren’t any save options at all. But I think that the N64 would be perfect for game–Just take a look at the graphics of Harvest Moon 64 for a perfect example of the sort of scale you could make. But, the bottom line is this–as a loyal fan of Rare games, I’d be willing to grovel if you would come out with some sort of new SRNR game. (Heck, maybe the upcoming Game Boy Advance would be a suitable system for a sequel!)
David Jasinski
P.S. When I finish the game, it says
Hippety hip,
Hippety hop
Rattle ‘n’ Roll are at the top.
See you soon
SNAKES IN SPACE ™
Now, does that mean that you made a sequel called “Snakes in Space,” or what?
There was a sort of Game Boy conversion (Sneaky Snakes), as well as a version on the Mega Drive (Genesis to you American types). But although Snakes in Space was the planned NES sequel, hinted at during the finale of the original in a Banjo stylee, apparently the game never really sold well enough to warrant development on number two and so we went off to muck about with the Battletoads franchise instead.
The resurrection of either of these series is always a possibility in the future, but for now we’ve got a whole lot more stuff to get on with. Don’t worry, we’ll keep you informed (as opposed to developing and releasing a new game without mentioning it to anyone, which far too many people seem to think is our preferred marketing strategy).
Dear Scribes,
I’m certainly not holding my breath waiting for a sequel to Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll (a true sequel, not a standard side-scroller like Sneaky Snakes), but considering that it’s easily one of my favorite NES games ever, I’d like to know whether you (meaning Rare in general; I’m not sure whether you were even working at Rare at the time this game was made) had ever considered making another version of Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll.
And I’m taking a wild guess here, but is the Blast Corps/Jet Force Gemini team the one working on Kameo? I’m guessing they are, if for no other reason than because of the size of Kameo’s breasts. I’m not really a fan of overly-large breasts, but Vela’s had a nice jiggle to them, so if it’s the same animator working on Kameo’s, then I feel they’re in good hands. And any imagery of a pair of hands cupping Kameo’s large, jiggly breasts is a product of your sex-obsessed mind, not mine. Or maybe both, but not mine exclusively, at any rate.
Josh Townzen
More breast letters? Sigh. No, the Kameo team consists more of DK64 veterans than grizzled Jet Force squaddies. Popular misconception: the JFG team wasn’t identical to the Blast Corps team. It just had a few of the same people (including the designer), along with quite a few drafted in from DKR and elsewhere. People invariably move around between (and during) projects.
As for a Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll revival, you can take your standard response of “we might do, maybe, at some point” and be happy with it, you scamp.
Hey, Mr. El Scribey… Scribbles… Oh, f*k the stupid greeting.
So. I’ll get straight to the point. Why on Earth haven’t there been any more Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll games? So far, I believe we’ve had two, if you include Sneaky Snakes. That Sega Mega Drive port doesn’t count, as it was more or less the same game with a not-as-catchy soundtrack (although I’m in love with the soundtrack to the NES original, and the Game Boy pseudo-sequel). I think if KI deserves the sequel everyone’s been yammering about since the dawn of time, Rattle and Roll deserve one ten times more. Perhaps even a port with better graphics, like Conker? Anyway, I think it certainly deserves more mention that it’s gotten. I mean, come on – it wasn’t even referenced in Grabbed by the Ghoulies! God knows everything else did. Why not give some props to everyone’s favorite reptilian duo? Are they not furry enough for you sick bstards? Eh? EH? EH?!
OK, I’ve calmed down a tad. But they still deserve a sequel more than anything else, including bloody Killer Instinct.
Anyway, peace out,
Enter the Kiwi
P.S. Just remember, at least I didn’t ask for it to be on GameCube.
Let’s ask the Ghoulies designer about it – and not just because of your gratuitous GbtG mention, I’m sure he was actually around during the whole Snakes ‘phenomenon’ way back in the mists of time (when you probably WEREN’T EVEN BORN, rendering your demands little more than some UNHINGED CRUSADE OF ANGUINE ZEALOTRY).
“Wow, a Nibbly-Pibbly fan! Many, many years ago when I first started at Rare in the testing department I was fortunate enough to test Snakes, it was like a breath of fresh air amongst the ‘less desirable’ Wheel of (mis)Fortune and Jeopardy. Trust me – testing quiz games with American questions when you know all the answers is not fun. Snakes was what you might call a ‘gamer’s game’ in that it required a fair amount of skill and was very unforgiving. This style of gameplay seems to be largely out of fashion at the moment, but you never know – after all, it did say at the end of the game that they would be back in Snakes in Space.”
Dear Scribes,
Where the hell is ‘Snakes in Space’ (Snake, Rattle ‘n’ Roll 2)? I’ve been waiting 17 years now, it had better be pretty damn good.
Matt
PS: Don’t give me that Sneaky Snakes excuse either.
Hauled out of Snippets due to the length of the response! I radiate indignation.
The man (largely) responsible says: “Even by our standards, a delay of 17 years is a bit much. As I can’t use the Sneaky Snakes excuse, how about I try the Viva Piñata excuse? If you clear your garden so that it’s a desolate wasteland, then get your friends to send you a couple of Syrupents, you’ll (kind of) have two snakes on something that looks a bit like the surface of a planet in space. Until the flowers start growing and crazy Seedos stumbles in, that is.”
Hello,
I am writing to inform the Rareware team of a terrible situation, the likes of which has not been addressed by your company since 1990, 18 years ago. It has come to my attention that a pandemic of epic proportions has begun afflicting the world: Nibbley-Pibbleys, which have run amok for almost two decades, have overpopulated their natural habitat of ground-based garbage can lids and are bringing about a global environmental crisis the world over.
Lacking the effects of their natural predators, Rattle ‘n’ Roll, these Nibbley-Pibbleys have grown unchecked to the point that their cohabitants, hopping feet, hockey pucks and sharks, have become a major international health concern as well. While Al Gore wasn’t available for comment, your path is clear: recreate Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll for next-gen systems and save the world from environmental disaster at the hands of the Nibbley-Pibbleys.
Regards, Sincerely, and with all due respect,
Mark Momtahan
Since 1990? Nah, we get this all the time. Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll nutters are almost as common as Battletoads loonies and Anticipation mentalists. Let’s get the latest refutation from someone who worked on the original:
“Sadly you are unlikely to see a sequel to the affable, yet tricky to control, serpents. According to the latest research carried out on three-year-olds and retired seniors, today’s gamers only want snakes if they are realistic massive ones with venom-dripping fangs that battle humans (who have at least 20 guns to choose from) in gritty levels based on real life cities. Friendly-looking serpents that scoff coloured balls in imaginary checkerboard worlds just don’t get a look in these days.”