, stylized as GiFTPiA, is a video game, developed by Skip Ltd. for the GameCube. It was released in Japan on April 25, 2003. 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.

Plot and gameplay

Giftpia follows the protagonist Pokkle, a resident of Nanashi Island, who, on the day of his coming of age 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 Pokkle to work off his huge debt. 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 stated that the game was not announced for a North America release. 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.

Reception

Retail sales of Giftpia were unexceptional at best. According to estimates from Media Create 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 games in the country for that year.

Giftpia was given a total score of 34 out of 40 by Famitsu, earning it a "Gold Award". 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".

References

  • Official webpage