The Nintendo Indifference? 94
Thanks to an anonymous reader for pointing to a new Nintendojo editorial entitled 'The Nintendo Indifference' This noticably bitter editorial on the state of the Big N begins: "I bought my GameCube with the expectation of the delivery of the promise of innovation, and you failed to deliver. Worst of all, I don't forget. Because of your misleading statements, it's time for a reckoning, Nintendo. You owe me." Has Nintendo really "failed to be innovative as a first party developer for their console", or did the writer of this editorial just get out of bed on the wrong side?
Pikmin Was Unique (Score:5, Interesting)
What more do I have to say? Those were two great games, that were also very inavative. What is this guy looking for? Oddities like "Mr. Mosquito"? Yes Nintendo has lots of sequels, but if you look at E3 this year that's just about all there is.
What is there for the XBox or PS2 that's so innovative? I already mentioned "Mr. Mosquito", there is that new game for the PS2 that uses a camera, and Ico was very innovative in many ways. The XBox had... um... I'm not quite sure. MechAssault was somewhat unseen on consoles. I'm sure there are a few more but let's face it, none of the consoles has a ton of innovative games.
So where are they? The PC gets lots of odd games, although they aren't often very big. What does get a ton of games? The GBA. WarioWare Inc (I'm playing this now, it's fantastic), HamHam Heartbreak is sorta unique, it just gets lots of stuff.
All that said, what's so bad about sequels? I'm looking forward to Pikmin 2. There are many sequels that I'm looking forward to. The "sequels suck" thing is just more generalizations that come from games like "SofaSalesmen Tycoon" and "Army Men 312". Many games have sequels done to death, but many are great. I can't wait for Advanced Wars 2 either.
So in short, Nintendo is doing a very good job. Shut up and go find a good game if you want one instead of waiting for the next big thing. Mario Sunshine was no Mario 64, but it was still a pretty good game. Zelda, on the other hand, was simply fantastic. I don't mind sequels if they are well done and top rate.
Ok (Score:4, Interesting)
If you think those games are innovative there is something seriously wrong with you. Of the three Burnout 2 is probably the most so, and only in it's awesome crashing action.
Nintendo makes the most innovative and fun video games in the world, they always have. So, slashdot, if you're going to continue posting quality stuff like this why not post some of the shit that I write when I'm bored and sleepy?
Far from doom.. (Score:5, Interesting)
Frankly, I think Nintendo is the only innovative game maker left in business today. We had a lengthy discussion on /. the other day on this very topic.. Nintendo, time and again, is the innovator in this industry. As we've seen with Apple (the innovator in the PC industry) they've carved out quite a profitable niche in the marketplace, which is where Nintendo may find itself.
Nintendo, like Apple, has some very innovative games, does things nobody else does, but is later copied by everyone else in the industry :). I love my Xbox by and large it's generic crap that I'm playing on it :). The games look great, but I have yet to find a game that immerses me like the Nintendo titles.
On the Gamecube alone, you have great first party titles like Pikmin, Animal Crossing, Zelda, Mario Sunshine, etc. etc. Nintendo knows how to make a great video game, and the Gamecube is by far the best canvas they've ever had to express their innovative approach to video games.
All one needs to do is just play Zelda Wind Waker for an hour or two to see just how amazing these people are. It's just an astounding game.
Wrong target of attack (Score:3, Interesting)
I am not sure where you can fault Nintendo in terms of game design - and Nintendo have never really swamped the market with titles, instead releasing only one or two a year. From the few we have received it is clear that first party offerings are up to scratch.
A better (and valid) attack would be on third party support. Nintendo is very much a first (and second) party platform, which in many ways limits the appeal of their system.
Well everyone is entitled to their own opinion... (Score:3, Interesting)
This guy just seemed utterly deranged over Nintendo. Maybe it's just the grass is always greener on the other side, but I'm currently an owner of both the Xbox and PS2 consoles, and I have to say that both software lineups, put together, for both consoles, have been depressingly lackluster. I can count on one hand the games worth owning for these two systems. However when I think of the GC, I've got like 10 or 11 games all in my mind.
Could just be the grass is always greener. But it could also just be that both these consoles are another example of quantity over quality.
Sure, there's games like ICO and Halo that make the respective systems sort of worth owning. The FFX and Suikoden 3 rpgs for PS2 weren't that bad, along with Kingdom Hearts. I can't think too far beyond those as far as games I would play go. And all of the Xbox titles have been ports of PC games, or currently have their titles being ported to PC. Everytime I'm out looking for a decent Xbox game to pick up, I've generally already got it for PC, or it's coming out for PC, so why spend so much money on a gimped product?
(gimped being no online play, not editable, etc)
I can't really come up with anything else to either go against or with parts of his point, I know the GC games I've seen have been extremely good, and I'm on the verge of picking a system up up (they are super cheap now too..)
Pikmin looked good, Mario Sunshine didn't seem all that bad... all of Nintendo's sequals are top notch (Zelda, Mario, SSMB, Metroid) and the just announced games like Giftpia and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles are looking spectacular.
I can't say that I agree with schotty when he says that more games is better and it's sad that pretty much every other platform has more, especially since there are so few out on both Xbox and PS2 that are really worth owning.
That, to me, is sad.
And I guess I'm also wondering how this guy's article is worthy
Re:If that "essay" had been posted on /. (Score:2, Interesting)
Frankly, I've looked at the linup of games for the GC, and I'm underwhelmed. It seems like after a few interesting titles, such as Metroid and well... Metroid, there just isn't much there.
Maybe its a case of my interests not lining up with the games Nintendo has for their system. Let me put it another way: seems to me that if you aren't enamored with Nintendos franchises, Super Mario and Zelda, Smash Bros and Mariokart, then the Nintendo system just doesn't offer very much. Take a look at the third party games and try and tell me with a straight face that they aren't almost universally mediocre. And a very large percentage of those mediocre games are available on all the consoles.
I don't agree with the article in its entirety, but I do agree with the main point: Nintendo is pumping out franchise games for the GC, and if you don't buy into them, then the GC just isn't a worthwhile system.
I think the root issue is really that Nintendo has less releases for its console. And the number of great games for a system is really a percentage thing, with maybe 5% of games being "great games". If a system has 400 games in its lifetime, thats 20 great games. Nintendo always has a small library, and the "Nintendo seal of quality" does not seem to have any effect whatsoever on the "great game percentage".
Then again maybe I'm still jaded from the bitter taste of N64.
-1 Flamebait (Score:3, Interesting)
I am perfectly happy with the gamecube, and the current library. Sure, I'd like to see GTA on the GC, since I'll never buy a PS2(Sorry, buying a house. Gotta get ready for the assault on my wallet.) But, there are some great games coming up. I won't list them all here. Just visit Game Spot or ign.com to see the excellent upcoming games.
Re:Just another troll (Score:2, Interesting)
So they said they would be innovative, who's definition of innovative are we going by? His? Mine? Nintendo's? Does it matter? They said one thing, they did another; isn't that how it's always worked?