Nintendo?

I want to know what all of you think of Nintendo. To me I think Nintendo has slowly started to get worse and worse. First was the Gamecube which was a total disaster. And now the Wii. The Wii isn't exactly bad.... It's just meant for a young audience. Which is a very stupid move. Why would they pull a move like that when they know that about 80% of people who play there systems are old school gamers? I personally think Nintendo has already lost the battle. It's all lollipops and rainbows now. When is the last time you saw an M rated game on the Wii. Chances are you probably haven't. I don't think there are too many. I miss the days of Conker's Bad Fur Day when they didn't care who saw what or if someone got offended. But now they try so hard to make kids games. They don't even try to please the older gamers. I mean a few of the games are kinda good. But it's just not the same. But anyway. I want to hear everyone's opinion on this. I think Nintendo is starting to lose it's grip.

 

Nintendo's niche has never been super serious and mature games, at least not in my opinion. There have been plenty of Mature games for the Wii (several Resident Evils, No More Heroes, Silent Hill, Mad World, etc), but yes, you're right that a lot of the games out now--at least, the popular ones--are aimed towards kids.

But that's the world of video games right now. Nintendo could not be a successful business if they limited themselves to pleasing just the old school/mature gamers. I would hardly call the Gamecube a disaster, either. It had several games that I'm sure will be considered classics one day, and had a pretty great run.

If you don't like the system or the company, buy a PS3 or an Xbox.

 

Nintendo (with the Wii) is going after the less hard core gamers because that's actually where the money is at.

They know people will buy the new Zelda, Mario, Sonic (lame), Dragon Quest, JRPG's they put out.

Now they want to get everyone and their mothers into owning a Wii, a DSi, or a 3DS.

They needed this, before the Wii it was the game cube and that system tanked compared to Microsoft's xbox and xbox360. Not to mention the PS2 was still a big contender.

In the big three (Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo) Nintendo ranked 3rd in sales a cross the board.

So..what did they do?

They made a platformed that wasn't focused on buttons...they made a system that old people in nursing homes could understand how to play too.

So, to you, me, and a good chunk of people on this site that love us some good bloody games, or some intense plot games, or even for people (me) who love spending hours on the newest Final Fantasy title, then Nintendo is not for you.

Losing their grip? Hardly.
Losing hardcore gamers? Debatable.
Creative and wicked smart at marketing? You bet.

 

I loved Nintendo. I grew up with it. Before Sony there was just Nintendo. Just look at all they games back then and look at the games now. If you don't show some sign of pain then you are forsaken. They have gone from one of my favorite companies to the bottom of the pile. They had sooooooooooo many awesome games but now it's just so bad. I just can't believe how low they have fallen. I just think the problem is that too many people are trying to please little kids.

 

I like their games and they're #1 in the handheld market for a reason.

Actually, it was not. Contrary to popular belief, the Gamecube made a solid profit and was the only one of the big three in the last generation to make a profit from day 1. It actually took Sony and Microsoft a couple years before they started to make money off the PS2 and XBox.

Plus, it had a solid lineup of games with Metroid Prime and Prime 2 (Wii versions notwithstanding), Super Mario Sunshine, all three Legend of Zelda games on it (Windwaker, Four Swords Adventures and Twilight Princess (Wii version notwithstanding,)) Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Pikmin and Pikmin 2, Skies of Arcadia Legends, among quite a bit more.

How so? Nintendo's doing damn good in a business department because they've managed to break into the mainstream.

Further, family friendly doesn't automatically mean something is bad. There's a reason games like Super Mario Galaxy are critically acclaimed.

The entire point of the Virtual Console is the old school gamer demographic. As well as games that cash in on nostalgia like New Super Mario Bros Wii.

53 million Wiis versus 57 million total PS3s and XBoxes say otherwise.

From my own collection: Resident Evil 4, Madworld, No More Heroes and No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle. There aren't a lot, but they are there.

If you're looking for shooters, from my own collection: The Conduit, Red Steel 2 and Metroid Prime 1, 2 and 3 (granted, the Metroid Prime Trilogy is no longer in production as it was a limited edition thing, but Metroid Prime 3 still exists.)

However, why does it matter? Violence and swearing don't make a good game. If the violence and swearing fit in with the gameplay or story, then great. If not, then the game isn't invalid or bad just because its family friendly. Case in point, Super Mario Galaxy is considered one of the best Nintendo games in the last decade.

Madworld is, literally, the most violent game ever produced on a console.

Because Zelda, Metroid and Fire Emblem are so made for children. [/sarcasm]

Since when has Nintendo ever conformed to the popular trends in video games? They've always been perfectly happy and quite successful to do things their way.

That said, from just Nintendo first party games, Fire Emblem, Zelda and Metroid are all franchises that target older gamers and are not games that the vast majority of children under 12 would have the patience to play through (plus Fire Emblem, at least on the Wii are most of the Japan only titles, is damn hard.)

And I think you're a stereotypical "adult" gamer who thinks every game should run off Unreal 3 and be filled with blood, gore and profanity that doesn't always add anything and, instead, often just makes a game violent for the sake of violence.

I bet you also reject games that don't have "realistic" graphics that think real is brown and wouldn't touch a cel shaded game and instead would call it "kiddy."

 

growing up as a kid i only had nintendo systems so i always thought gameboys and gamecubes were pretty cool, but when i got older and the wii came out I lost some respect for nintendo. The Wii just never had very many good games in my opinion unlike the gamecube and gameboy which had tons of great games. So I'd say nintendo has definetely gone down hill, unless they can make a come back with the 3DS

 

http://www.nexgenwars.com/

Just be cause you personally don't like Nintendo as much anymore doesn't mean they are losing their footing.

Numbers don't lie. Now I am not sure if these are "To-date" numbers or if they are this year numbers ( I think its to date).

Now...add in the fact that Nintendo has the best selling hand held system, The DS.

I think its safe to say that to you they are not what you want.

But in the world of the grand ol' Console Wars Nintendo is the current King.

 

Nex Gen Wars does a relatively accurate estimation based on amount of consoles shipped. If you watch the page, the numbers grow in real time. Its not 100% accurate, but its as accurate as you're going to get with just numbers shipped, which are, frankly, the only numbers you're going to get reliably. They're probably off by a couple thousand, but the site's still good for proving the sales point.

Though I have to point out that your earlier point about the Gamecube vs the XBox is incorrect. The Gamecube sold about 22 million units while the XBox only sold about 24 million. Like I said, Nintendo did decently with the Gamecube. Sales were lagging near the end of its life, but it wasn't the horrible bomb that people make it out to be.

 

yeah I saw that...it is still wicked cool.

But yes...Nintendo is winning hardcore.

and now with the 3DS, they are making bank.

 

An unheard of amount of launch units (5 million compared to the Wii's 2 million, the 360's 1.5 million and the PS3's half a million) doesn't exactly hurt, either.

 

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Ok. Maybe you guys didn't understand my point of view. I am mad because of one big thing. I loved the way Nintendo used to please gamers. Now it's all lollipops and rainbows. Yes I know that they do make M rated games. But i am not talking about M rated games. I am talking about the way they make there games. It's all so childish now. I am trying to compare the Wii to the N64 which was there best system. The games weren't M rated but they still could scare the crap out of you if they needed to. I just hate how cartoonish they are trying to make this thing. Let's take the Zelda series for instance. This is just sad. I have loved this series since it first started up. Now it's just so.... Stupid. Take a look at Ocarina of Time and take another look at Wind Waker. Not the game. The graphics in the game. I mean sure. I guess some people would like games like that. But. It's just not the same. They have ruined it for me. Do you know what is sad? There is a Zelda game on the DS that I haven't played yet. I would have bought this thing in a heartbeat when Zelda was doing good. But now I had to sit there and think about it. I still haven't bought it yet. It's just such a turn off. How could they mess things up this bad. I USED to love Nintendo. Why don't you try looking up how many people AREN'T buying there Wii.

 

I follow what you are saying, but you have to admit that today is not yesterday. I was very surprised by Windwaker when I first saw it too. I've never played it but I have played it's children, Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks, and you know what? Spirit Tracks is now one of my favorite Zelda games. You have to think, yes the graphics are childish but does that really affect gameplay? There are many other things that are in the game other than how it looks. The gameplay and the music are just a few. Also there's still Twilight Princess if you still are feeling negative for Nintendo.

 

i think your right it is all well and good making nice nice games for kids but what about us the people that started with N and don't want a hard reacting controle stick which responds with movement i waht a controler with a new strong based game is that to much to ask if u ask me they are lossing it

 

They've always aimed at a younger audience. You played them as a child. Nintendo haven't changed but rather you have. They're great a making games that older games can get a kick out of and is still accessible to kids. Why do you think they have doing so well for the past 25 years. Oh boo hoo Zelda got slightly more colourfu in Wind Waker. That obviously means the game is crap. It's Zelda, the same Zelda we know, no wonder those games are getting stale when people complain at the smallest change to the series but yet the very same people bash Twilight Princess for being too much like OoT. Have you seen Nintendo games, most of them are all colourful and happiness. Kirby is f***ing pink marshmallow. Mario games haven't changed much, Mario Galaxy is just Mario 64 in space.

They're doing the very thing the industry needs, catering to younger gamers with good games. So that they can get older and grow up and buy the mature games. If the Wii wasn't successful the industry would have run itself to the ground as there will only be mature games and as those older audiences have less time for games. less people will be buying them. Therefore crashing the industry.

 

While nintendo are making games for younger people,I also have to agree that they know what their doing money wise.
And while I personally dont like the Wii(maybe because Im really bad at it)you have to admit to people who arent so good at using buttons it does have a certion appeal.
And the DS and 3DS are pretty genius :D

 

Because Metroid, Mario and Zelda aren't critically acclaimed games that target gamers and, in the case of Mario, the mainstream as well. Further, I must have missed the point where Mario and Pokemon were violent games. [/sarcasm]

Then why did you bring up M rated games in the first place?

Nintendo has ALWAYS been family friendly. Its nothing new.

What were the games on the N64 that are most fondly remembered by gamers in general? Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Mario 64 and Goldeneye. All four of those are also on the Wii through Virtual Console and the Goldeneye remake. Not to mention the critically acclaimed Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, New Super Mario Bros Wii, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Galaxy 2 and the anticipated Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

You've obviously never played Metroid Prime. That game is ****ing terrifying at times.

So, you're rejecting it entirely based on the art style? Yeah, nevermind that Windwaker is remembered as one of the Gamecube's best games, as well as one of the system's deepest games. [/sarcasm] Art style has nothing to do with the quality of a game.

Hell, if art style is such a concern, go play Twilight Princess or wait for Skyward Sword. Those games don't use the Windwaker art style because of the complaints Nintendo got about it.

Again, you're rejecting these games based entirely off of art style. That's the most shallow reason to reject a game I can think of.

Yeah, like I said, you're probably a stereotypical "adult" gamer who rejects games for stupid reasons like it "looking kiddy." The reason we don't look at how many people aren't buying a Wii is because that doesn't matter. Nintendo doesn't need your money as they have 53 million other people who have already given them their money.

 

Just a small point: if it's better games you want, blame the Games developers who don't wish to put their games onto the Wii, and instead choose one of the other 3 systems out there (PC included, not counting handhelds). 95% of the time, it isn't Nintendo who actually make the games, it's Games developers, and the only thing that Nintendo do is allow them to put it onto their console. If you want more "hardcore" games, well, developers like the PS3 and 360 better because they have much better software capabilities, which is why games seen to be more serious are on other systems.