Has Nintendo no creativity in name-giving anymore?

[Thiophen]

Hey guys,

 

what I mean with the title is this:

 

Back then, to the time of the NES, SNES and Gameboy Nintendo had a clear pattern of naming their Mario games. There were Super Mario Bros. 1, 2, 3 and Lost Levels, after that Super Mario World came out (the first Mario-game with a connected over-world and the first game to feature Yoshi), it's successor was SMW2: Yoshi's Island. And all Mario games on the Gameboy were the Land-Series.

 

After many years Nintendo finally got back to creating original 2D Mario games with New Super Mario Bros. on the DS. After that came New Super Mario Wii, after that New Super Mario Bros. 2! I mean seriously, why is the third NSMB installment called NSMB2 and not 3 or maybe 3DS? Or why didn't they use a subtitle and called it Super Mario Bros. 6: Coin Rush? I personally think this would sound 100 times better. ^^

Yeah and after that we now have New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U, which is even more dumb, because we never had an "Super Luigi" before. But yeah I know, the name NSLU is a pun on NSMBU. ^^

 

Nintendo is even doing the same with Donkey Kong County Returns now, and even there consoles don't get new names, but only a upgraded name of the predecessor...

 

Just to make it clear, I still love all the named games, they're great, and the name is not as important as the game itself off course, but still I personally think that creative names like the Zelda series has are way better than that... ^^

[Fierce_LiNk]

First of all, hello and welcome.

 

Secondly, you start off your post with this:

 

 

Back then, to the time of the NES, SNES and Gameboy Nintendo had a clear pattern of naming their Mario games. There were Super Mario Bros. 1, 2, 3 and Lost Levels, after that Super Mario World came out (the first Mario-game with a connected over-world and the first game to feature Yoshi), it's successor was SMW2: Yoshi's Island. And all Mario games on the Gameboy were the Land-Series.

 

It's hardly creative to begin with. SNES is in itself an upgraded name over the NES, as is the likes of SUPER Metroid or even Super Mario Bros. 1 and 2 and 3.

 

Even during the N64 era they just added 64 to the end of games. Super Mario 64. Lylat Wars 64. Mario Kart 64.

 

So, I'd argue that nothing has changed, personally. If anything, Nintendo are remaining true to form.

[Rummy]

I'd agree they weren't originally very creative, but I highly dislike the 'new' branding. I didn't mind it with the first one on DS, thinking it was just a little tongue-in-cheek sort of naming(and, tbf, was kinda 'new'), but then they essentially ran with it as a whole brand thing and its just a bit...weird. Other than the original DS one, I haven't actually owned/purchased any of the others neither!

 

(good to see you venturing out in the boards btw!)

[S.C.G]

If anything I like Nintendo for not 'messing around' with how they name their games as they are very literal in that sense.

 

Super Mario Bros - they are brothers, one is called Mario and they are super.

Metroid - name of the main creature in the game, also an amazing 'fictional' word.

The Legend of Zelda - the Princess you rescue is called Zelda, the hero is called Link, this is a life-lesson for some people right here.

Super Mario Kart - no explanation needed here.

Excitebike - a game about bikes, exciting!

Nintendogs - this is a genuinely brilliant play on words, you pick up the box, see the title and you instantly know what it is.

Pilotwings - flight-based game, the name reflects this.

Punch-Out!! - boxing game, probably the most iconic to date.

 

I love Nintendo games!

[Shorty]

I wonder if, in part, it stems from the games being named with "English-style" names but by Japanese producers and for an initially Japanese market. The names have a little more novelty to non-English speakers (eg Nyuu Suupa Mario Burazazu Yuu) which makes them a little less tired.

[Hogge]

Regarding the Wii U, I think that Nintendo are trying to follow in Sonys footsteps. Create a brand with the "Wii" name and hammer it in, make customers associate it with a certain experience.

[Thiophen]

First of all, hello and welcome.

 

Secondly, you start off your post with this:

 

 

 

It's hardly creative to begin with. SNES is in itself an upgraded name over the NES, as is the likes of SUPER Metroid or even Super Mario Bros. 1 and 2 and 3.

 

Even during the N64 era they just added 64 to the end of games. Super Mario 64. Lylat Wars 64. Mario Kart 64.

 

So, I'd argue that nothing has changed, personally. If anything, Nintendo are remaining true to form.

True... okay, maybe I used the false word by saying creativity. It's more that the games back then had a numeration at least, and they used subtitles more often (Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, the DKC games).

I like when a game has a title that itself makes you think about what you might get from this game, like when Metroid Other M was announced and people made speculations about that name, or like the Zelda games give you a hint about a main story element.

It's really sad that Nintendo doesn't use this on Mario titles as well. Sunshine and Galaxy were nice names, and now we get Super Mario 3D World. This title gives you nothing.

Edited July 26, 2013 by Thiophen

[Fierce_LiNk]

True... okay, maybe I used the false word by saying creativity. It's more that the games back then had a numeration at least, and they used subtitles more often (Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, the DKC games).

I like when a game has a title that itself makes you think about what you might get from this game, like when Metroid Other M was announced and people made speculations about that name, or like the Zelda games give you a hint about a main story element.

It's really sad that Nintendo doesn't use this on Mario titles as well. Sunshine and Galaxy were nice names, and now we get Super Mario 3D World. This title gives you nothing.

 

I do agree to some extent. I love titles like Other M, which was probably their most inventive title that they've ever used. (you could almost write an essay on that title based on the content of the game).

 

Surely with 3D World they are referencing both the old and new games at once? 3D World is the sequel to 3D Land, whereas Land and World were both used (like you said) in the past for their previous Mario games. It seems like a fitting title.

 

Although, I'm not really a fan of numbers. I much prefer subtitles or some clever word play. The Zelda titles are pretty good for this.

[Thiophen]

Surely with 3D World they are referencing both the old and new games at once? 3D World is the sequel to 3D Land, whereas Land and World were both used (like you said) in the past for their previous Mario games. It seems like a fitting title.

True enough, but it's kinda strange that they're taking the 3D, which was standing for the 3D technology on the 3DS and not for 3D graphic, over to the Wii U now.

Confusion for casual gamers is predestined with that.

[Fierce_LiNk]

True enough, but it's kinda strange that they're taking the 3D, which was standing for the 3D technology on the 3DS and not for 3D graphic, over to the Wii U now.

Confusion for casual gamers is predestined with that.

 

Yeah, that's the one thing about the title that annoys me. I can see why they did it, to carry over the name from the 3DS version. But, urrrgh, it doesn't fit.

[nekunando]

I sometimes wondered why it was always Nintendo platforms that had game names related to the hardware they were on such as 'Super', '64' and 'Wii' and we never see things like 'Halo 360' or 'God of War Vita' It's not something I minded as if I was talking to someone about Super Mario Kart or Mario Kart 64, you can instantly tell which game is which

 

I think my only problem is with the games themselves. If you look at Super Mario Bros 1, 2 and 3, they're all very distinctive but the New Super Mario Bros games are so similar that memories of each game seems to merge together to the point where no one individual version is any more memorable than the other. They're great games, don't get me wrong, but I can't remember specific details about levels that I could with Super Mario World, for example

[Rummy]

True enough, but it's kinda strange that they're taking the 3D, which was standing for the 3D technology on the 3DS and not for 3D graphic, over to the Wii U now.

Confusion for casual gamers is predestined with that.

 

This definitely. Somewhere in the back of my mind I think of the 3DS rather than Wii U, then have to remind myself. It's such a complication/confusion of brand - really I think Nintendo's marketing and PR department(s) really need to figure stuff out together. I think one of the big problems with nintendo(not related to the topic at hand though) is that they don't operate as much in unification worldwide when they really should. Of course it's just my speculation, but I feel Nintendo is somewhat more disjointed than the other companies, and it's part of their downfall.

 

Strangely I'd maybe be more inclined to buy 3D world if it was on 3DS, but I have no plans to on Wii U. The reasons take this too off-topic though.

[Agent Gibbs]

I don't think the issue is exclusive to nintendo, i mean look at the assassin's creed series

[Thiophen]

I think my only problem is with the games themselves. If you look at Super Mario Bros 1, 2 and 3, they're all very distinctive but the New Super Mario Bros games are so similar that memories of each game seems to merge together to the point where no one individual version is any more memorable than the other. They're great games, don't get me wrong, but I can't remember specific details about levels that I could with Super Mario World, for example

Sadly I can agree with that, but at least NSMBU got a bit deeper into my memories. ^^

 

I don't think the issue is exclusive to nintendo, i mean look at the assassin's creed series

True, and that irks me as well. But at least there's the logic that only the titles with a new asssassin are the next ones in the numeration. ;-)

[EEVILMURRAY]

Lylat Wars 64.

 

Never heard of it.

[Guy]

I'll never forgive Nintendo for Wind Waker. That's when their naming went to hell.

[D_prOdigy]

I'll never forgive Nintendo for Wind Waker. That's when their naming went to hell.

 

I don't believe anyone can really look at "Ocarina of Time" with objective eyes and not see it as 10x more hilariously ridiculous.

 

My favourite ever video game name is Ubisoft's 2000 Game Boy Colour release Toonsylvania. It was a cartoon about Dr Frankenstein and his assistant. Textbook. Right to the fucking point.

 

My least favourite video game title is Zack and Wiki: Quest For Barbaros' Treasure, because it should have bee called Pirates and Golden Flying Monkeys and Fucking Frog Bombs, or at least Zack and Wiki Make a Motion-Control Porno

[Guy]

I don't believe anyone can really look at "Ocarina of Time" with objective eyes and not see it as 10x more hilariously ridiculous.

 

I just liked the Japanese subtitle better. Takt of Wind. Wind Waker perfectly fits the cartoony/whimsical style of the game though. I don't lose sleep over this. Not anymore.