Ok, let me set the stage for you: Billy and others had just finished up their Nintendo booth tour with NOA's Thom Leonard. I was coming out of the Eternal Darkness booth. Some staffers go off to do their own thing, but Billy, Lindy, Yorrike, and I agree to go play some four-player Mario Kart Advance. We head that way, and it was at this point that Billy says "Look!" and directs our attention to the big projection screen near the ceiling, where video is playing of some racing game that looks very much like a GameCube F-Zero game. We stare and mutter about the possibilities, then keep moving towards the GBA end of the booth. Just as we're about to pass in front of the big long PR desk, I see a guy walk by with "Rare" on his badge, so I flag him down and introduce us.

Here's where it gets interesting. ;-D We asked the guy which game he was working on, and he replied that actually he's doing GBA development right now, and that he's a game designer (as opposed to a programmer or artist or debugger). BUT, he adds, he used to be on the team behind Blast Corps and Jet Force Gemini for N64. I blacked out, and when I came to sometime later, he was still there and still willing to answer some questions, so I pressed on. "Oh wow, I'm a huge Blast Corps fan! That game is awesome!" Yorrike chirps in: "Yeah man, I love the challenge. It was such an old-school style of game, but with all the fancy new 3D graphics on N64." Then I follow with: "You know, I don't know how that game sold, but it and JFG have such huge cult followings. Do you think we'll ever see sequels for them?"

Then Rare, symbolized in this one man, opened its mouth and spewed forth blessings upon us. "Sure, I wouldn't rule anything out, but I can't rule anything in for you either."

We asked him about a couple other things, but nothing really came out of it. We left him with the suggestion that Blast Corps be ported or the series continued on Game Boy Advance...oh yeah. Unfortunately we didn't get a business card from the guy, otherwise I'd be emailing and/or calling him with many more annoying questions that he probably isn't allowed to answer, but Mr. Rare Man, wherever you are (probably Twycross...), thank you for adding a little light and the twinkle of hinted possibilities to our lives.