dannyboysays

I feel the area Nintendo has neglected most this generation is ensuring a steady supply of top class software. Anyone who ever owned a N64 or GameCube will shudder at the memory of the agonising delays we had to endure between the big releases. Months of nothing then a deluge at Christmas. It seems the situation has improved only marginally. Why can't us UK owners have Wii Fit straight after Christmas when those who have overindulged over the festive period would lap it up? Then have Smash Bros in Feb/March? I have a horrible feeling we won't see either of these til summer at least. These games have already been completed so the delays just seem unnecessary.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So the Wii, one year on, is a cultural phenomenon, this Christmas' 'must have' accessory, redefining the demographics of the gaming mainstream. But how does Nintendo maintain this momentum? If you were in charge of Nintendo's R+D or marketing departments how would you ensure that the Wii maintains its #1 position in the UK and/or worldwide? Firstly, a few points have to be acknowledged: Nintendo's competitor's will only get stronger as this generation progresses: - In 1-2 years' time the apparent gulf in graphical capabilities between the Wii and PS3/XB360 will only grow larger, particularly as uptake of HDTVs increases. Therefore the challenge for Nintendo is not merely to produce good games, but ones that show off the console's USP - namely utilising the Wiimote/balance board in ways that could simply not be replicated on any other system. - The X-Box 360 has acquired an impressive array of software that caters to the hardcore gaming market: Project Gotham 4, Gears of War, Halo 3, Orange Box, Oblivion, Assassin's Creed, Bioshock, etc. Not only are these games exceptional but the machine boasts high definition graphics capabilities seemingly on par with the Playstation 3, in addition to a competitive price tag. - The PS3 catalogue can only improve. At the moment it seriously lacks anything to make XB360 owners jealous (except possibly the BluRay drive), is overexpensive and short on AAA software. However, will the PS3's alleged technical superiority over the XB360 eventually become so apparent as to tempt the hardcore gamer over to Sony's system? Will future exclusives (Metal Gear Solid 4, etc.) tip the console battle in Sony's favour? - Both the PS3 and XB360 are gradually becoming less expensive, whilst the Wii has retained its original £179.99 price tag. So how can Nintendo remain on top? Here are a number of suggestions: - Nintendo needs to keep developing games in the Wii Sports/Play mould that are unique, cannot be replicated on rival consoles, widen the demographics of gaming, appeal to the casual gamer, and serve as long-term system sellers. 'Wii Fit' is destined to be huge, but what comes next after that? Also we need these types of games to appear more often as one day soon the appeal of Wii Sports/Play will start to wear thin, so what will take their place? Wii Music - Hopefully Nintendo will release this in Q2 of 2008 so that Wii Fit + Music will become second generation successors to the Wii Sports + Play brands, system sellers in their own right. Wii Sports 2 - An upgrade to the original Wii Sports would be a huge hit. This sequel could, like its predecessor, come bundled with Wii systems in time for next Christmas, and also be sold as a standalone game for existing Wii owners. Give us some extra graphical polish, iron out some of the original game's failings and up the depth & longevity. How about multiple 18 hole golf courses? How about turning Wii Boxing into the game it should have been in the first place? Add extra modes and bonus challenges, online play and perhaps even more sports (Volleyball? Fencing? Table Tennis?) Some other ideas for potential future games: + Wii Winter Sports - A pseudo-sequel to Wii Fit in that it utilises the balance board for its games: Skiing, Snowboarding, Skii Jump, Jet Ski, etc.) + Wii Create - A creative package, a successor to the aborted 64DD Mario Artist/ Talent Maker series. Use the Wiimote to draw, paint, edit, perhaps even design characters and then craft basic 2D platform or shooting games. A DJ package would let you create and edit your own music samples. Swap your creations with other Wii users. - Simultaneously, Nintendo needs to appease hardcore gamers, including its long-term fans, by supplying us with quality games regularly, not just sporadically or every Christmas. UK gamers should not have to wait months and months for games such as Smash Bros and Mario Kart. - Nintendo needs to resurrect some of its dormant franchises to try and achieve the kind of consistent AAA output that it boasted in its SNES heyday: StarFox in all its shoot-em-up glory, 1080 Snowboarding, Kid Icarus, WaveRace, Pilotwings (would show off the Wiimote again, appeal to hardcore and casual gamers) etc. So a quality Q1 lineup for the UK with a good mix of first/third party games, casual/hardcore appeal, with at least two quality titles per month, could look something like this: JANUARY ZACK & WIKI JANUARY BATALLION WARS 2 FEBRUARY NIGHTS - JOURNEY OF DREAMS FEBRUARY WII FIT MARCH SUPER SMASH BROS BRAWL MARCH NO MORE HEROES APRIL MARIO KART APRIL WII MUSIC MAY DISASTER - DAY OF CRISIS MAY FINAL FANTASY - CRYSTAL CHRONICLES So what other factors could serve to keep Nintendo on top? PRICE Nintendo are surely making a steady profit with the Wii's £179.99 RRP. Should the XB360 and PS3 become able to compete with this, Nintendo can confidently undercut them. To become truly mass market Nintendo may eventually have to cut the RRP of both its hardware and software. At £99.99 the Wii could become the first truly mass market console with a price affordable to the impulse buyer. Games could come down to £29.99. This way XB360 and PS3 owners would likely opt to buy a Wii in addition to their console of choice simply for the benefit of playing its unique games. BUDGET SOFTWARE RANGE How about initiating a Wii Players' Choice Range? Cult games such as SSX Blur, Sonic & the Secret Rings, Monkey Ball, Excite Truck, Eledees, Trauma Centre could all be available for the affordable price of £14.99 - £19.99. DS / WII DOWNLOAD SERVICE The ability to utilise the Wii Virtual Console Service to download classic Game Boy/Colour/Advance games and transfer them to the DS would persuade all DS owners to invest in a Wii and vice versa. UTILISE NINTENDO'S HERITAGE MORE EFFECTIVELY The other advantage Nintendo has over its rivals is 20+ years of classic retro gaming which it can present to new gamers. Wouldn't it be great, for instance, if purchasing 'Metroid Prime 3' on Wii had allowed you to download 'Super Metroid' for free? Or if those who bought the new Mario Kart on Wii could receive Mario Kart 64 for free? Nintendo could even bundle games together and sell them in downloadable value packs: how about a 'Sega Classics' download for a tenner that would let you play Golden Axe 1,2,3, Streets of Rage, Sonic 1,2,3, etc? This may , of course, necessitate the release of a Wii hard drive. Nintendo could even periodically give free games away as a reward for customer loyalty eg. register 3 Nintendo Wii games in two months and receive a free retro download of your choice. Nintendo could even really open the floodgates for retro fans - how about a subscription service that would allow you to access unlimited retro games? £19.99 per month for entrance into gamers' nirvana? WII UPGRADE A new Wii hardware revision could include such features as: - Wireless Wiimote & Nunchuck - Inbuilt upscaler to make Wii games appear hi def when running on HDTVs. - Integrated hard drive I would love to know what the rest of you would do if you held the reins of power at Nintendo? How would you ensure that the Wii stays top of the pile for the next 2-3 years? What new, unique games would you commission to keep interest in the Wiimote high? How can Nintendo best utilise the unique features of its console? This could include its low specs (can be priced to undercut the competition), the Wiimote, virtual console, DS link-up, WiiConnect 24, even its relations with other developers (how about securing exclusivity rights with giants such as Sega, Capcom or Square to ensure certain IPs are unique to the Wii?)