Could the NX be advertised and classed as the "Ultimate Nintendo Console"?

[Serebii]

So, I was thinking, and I think this deserves its own thread outside of the NX one, the NX could truly be the console that celebrates the legacy of Nintendo, as well as bring its future.

 

Last night, the Wii U finally, after 2 long years of waiting, got Nintendo 64 on the Virtual Console, and alongside that, it inexplicably got the Nintendo DS (which we have known was coming for about half a year), which means it has seven Nintendo platforms worth of games on it: NES, SNES, N64, GBA, DS, Wii and Wii U. The 3DS has two additional ones of GameBoy and GameBoy Color.

 

Now, we know that Nintendo and Iwata have stated that the next console and handheld will share architecture and have the same OS, with them seeing the platform as being the OS, just with different form factors. They also said that it will absorb Wii U architecture and (from what I can remember, I can't find the specific quote), the new account system was discussed as bringing titles such as Virtual Console titles all out at launch straight away due to this.

 

Thinking about it, the 3DS has received just 1 new Virtual Console title in Japan in the last year for the GameBoy and GameBoy Color. This leads me to think that they have shifted that focus onto developing GameBoy and GameBoy Color Virtual Console for the Wii U and/or NX. This was furthered a little due to a few Masterpieces in Super Smash Bros. running GameBoy ROMs of Dr. Mario, Kirby and so forth. This would mean that the GameBoy and GameBoy Color games purchased on the 3DS, thanks to the new account system, would also carry over to the NX.

 

Now, if this does turn out as they planned and my GameBoy theory pans out, then the NX would be able to play everything except GCN and Virtual Boy, depending on how it manages Wii / Wii U / 3DS backwards compatibility. If we then assume that it's powerful enough to emulate the Gamecube games, this could potentially mean that the NX can contain the entirety of Nintendo's back catalog of games (licensing issues aside).

 

This would be huge, and could potentially be used as a means to sell the console with part of the campaign being based on nostalgia.

 

 

Anyway, that's my nonsensical rambling theory. What do you guys think?

[Fused King]

I think you are correct in your assumption.

 

From what I've read, it seems like we'll be getting one account to use on all platforms on a NINTENDO created ecosystem.

 

The real question to me is how they will be phasing out WiiU and 3DS though.

[Clownferret]

I said a while back on here that they should launch their next console as a kind of greatest hits package with a AAA title from all their previous consoles preloaded. If they could easily add a graphical polish then even better. Would be a great advert... buy the NX console and you get all these classics.

[Dcubed]

I've been saying that this is exactly what they were going to do as soon as they announced this joint handheld/console/Wii U architecture thingy.

 

It's so obvious that it's more telegraphed than Glass Joe's punches

[Serebii]

Yay, I'm not completely crazy, then :p

[Hogge]

That could be a way to go.

However, I don't think Virtual Console is that much of a console seller. My thoughts on what Nintendo need to do is:

 

 

Marketing

 

The console should be marketed as a lifestyle product.

Nintendo made a catastrophic mistake when they had the "I'm not a gamer", campaign. They reaffirmed the notion that being a gamer is not cool. Which was fine at the time when the original DS was the least gamery gaming machine you could buy. Now they need to do the polar opposite. They need to have major celebrities (who actually play games) promoting them. The Rock, Iggy Azakea, Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez are all gamers. So I believe does Mark Wahlberg. Have these celebrities talk about their relation to games and proudly state "I am a gamer".

 

Make consoles seem glamorous. Make the game console the desirable item for the whole family, make parents handing down mobile phones or tablets seem like white trash who give their kids the comic strips at the end of the daily news paper rather than buying them proper books.

 

Look and feel

Nintendo have always made high quality consoles. I had my DS in the army and it's survived things electronics shouldn't.

 

The appearance of the console and controller should reflect that. It should look like a premium product, an object of desire rather than a toy you buy for your kids (*cough* purple Gamecube *cough*) or an anonymous tech item you dispose of after a few years. Make it look like a high end stereo system which you can proudly put in your living room for everyone to see.

 

Games

The main failure of the Wii U was the software lineup.

 

Mr Iwata and Mr Miyamoto need to write a list divided into two columns. The first should contain Nintendo IP's, the second should contain what's available on other systems. Nintendo may cross out games that are also confirmed for the NX.

 

Nintendo should then figure out which of their IP's can be equaled to what the competition has. Zelda, for example, I'd say could be equaled to Skyrim, Assassins Creed and Red Dead. Excitebike/truck could be equaled to Motorstorm and the Dirt games and if Nintendo are willing to go that route, to Gran Turismo. Once Nintendo have paired up all the franchises, there are a few things they MUST bring out regardless of what the opposition is doing, so they can guarantee that everyone gets the Nintendo Experience. Last step is... look at the games the competition has, that you have no equivelant of. Make your own equivelants, buy out third parties who have experience in the genre (preferably even ongoing projects) or support new startups. Heck, if necessary, start new studios.

 

In other words: no more releasing four sidescrollers in a year. No more shitloads of minigame compilations. No more wondering if the console will ever get any games in such and such genre. A wide variety of games, each game having potential to SELL CONSOLES.

 

Those were my three cents.

[Sheikah]

IMO, the idea that the console would be the 'ultimate' Nintendo console based (primarily) on its ability to play old games kinda highlights the problems here; die hard fans often just want more of what they know. I'd much rather there were lots more new games and to be honest, VC doesn't really matter to me. I've had the chance to replay the best VC games over the past 2 consoles so it's hardly a pull for me. It really does shock me that people buy the same games again when they might already own the disc that they could put in that very console, despite next to no work having been put in on the digital release (ie. no/next to no remastering has taken place). But then again, people going mad for the flagrantly expensive amiibos is pretty shocking to me too.

 

Getting a functional VC catalogue up in the background is a nice idea but ultimately old content isn't going to carve out a memorable history for the console. An account system, functioning online and treating their audience like adults unless otherwise specified will put them on a somewhat level footing but they'd really need to tap into the consciousness of the modern gamer with more game concepts and IPs designed this side of the century.

[Serebii]

I wasn't saying for it to be the sole marketing, I was suggesting it could be used as one of many things.

[Grazza]

Yeah, I basically completely agree with Serebii.

 

Nintendo's problem has been that one console can be successful, the next a flop. It's more important to make the platform successful rather than any one, physical machine. They need continuity.

 

Specifically on the subject of Virtual Console, I think people do still want all the 2D Mario games on one device - one of my workmates bought a Wii U mainly for that (and the physical Mario games)! Personally, I think it's crazy that I have to enter Wii mode for some things, Wii U mode for others and if I want to play something older, plug in my GameCube! It's time for a database of games that Nintendo can easily keep updated.

 

On a side note, I have a feeling that no future Nintendo machine will have backwards capability with the 3DS, and the 3DS will take some time until it can be emulated.

 

Another thing to consider is development times - it's no one's fault, but they've become much longer. Yes, Nintendo has struggled to get out a Zelda for the Wii U, but no wonder really when games have become so huge and detailed. Square-Enix has also dropped the ball with Dragon Quest, in my opinion, and most Japanese developers have found it difficult to match the GC/PS2 era. In this climate, we may have to forget about games being so strictly linked to certain machines.

 

So yes, I welcome a family of Nintendo machines where things become more consistent and continuous.

[Goron_3]

Yup, I think everyone thinks the same. They've hinted as much over the last 12 months.

[Serebii]

Now we just need to complain until we have the Virtual Boy on the Virtual Console :p

[Ashley]

I know they have the DeNA thing now, but given their history... I imagine they may well say it is, but we might get the same bloody titles scattered across a few years with some new ones thrown in.

 

There's nothing I've seen about the NX (granted there's really nothing shown) that makes me think their VC catalogue is going to be significantly better.

 

And part of me really just hopes they don't try and accommodate every bloody controller they've ever made as it's bad enough with the Wii U already. Back catalogue is nice and all, but it's hardly essential.

 

Or maybe they should make a true 'next' console, and a legacy one

[Serebii]

I know they have the DeNA thing now, but given their history... I imagine they may well say it is, but we might get the same bloody titles scattered across a few years with some new ones thrown in.

 

There's nothing I've seen about the NX (granted there's really nothing shown) that makes me think their VC catalogue is going to be significantly better.

 

And part of me really just hopes they don't try and accommodate every bloody controller they've ever made as it's bad enough with the Wii U already. Back catalogue is nice and all, but it's hardly essential.

 

Or maybe they should make a true 'next' console, and a legacy one

One of the quotes in an investor meeting over the last two years implied the VC will be there, full, at launch thanks to the absorbing of the Wii U architecture.

 

As for them "handling it better", you do realise that there's less than half a dozen viable Nintendo published NES and SNES titles remaining to be released, right? The holes that exist, like with the Wii U itself, are due to lack of third party support.

[Ramar]

All the same games over again? Thanks Nintendo!!

[Ashley]

One of the quotes in an investor meeting over the last two years implied the VC will be there, full, at launch thanks to the absorbing of the Wii U architecture.

 

As for them "handling it better", you do realise that there's less than half a dozen viable Nintendo published NES and SNES titles remaining to be released, right? The holes that exist, like with the Wii U itself, are due to lack of third party support.

 

You can imply all you want but doing something in practice is different.

 

I never said anything about "handling it better". That's erroneous. Don't put words in my mouth.

[dazzybee]

All the same games over again? Thanks Nintendo!!

 

But I think the idea wouldn't be they'd all be released, but they'd all move over, and we'd have a system we can access their full legacy. I personally think that would be utterly incredible.

 

As long as it's not to the compromise of new titles what's the issue?!

 

Maybe even a subscription service so people can play whatever they want across virtual console.

[nekunando]

If I was 100% convinced that titles downloaded on the Wii U VC would be instantly transferrable to NX, I'd definitely have done the Wii to Wii U transfer and been more keen to make purchases from the Wii U eShop.

 

As it is, I haven't really seen the Wii U as the place to experience Virtual Console titles and am waiting in the hope that we have an extensive library on a future console, hopefully the next one

 

The "Ultimate Nintendo Console" is probably the dream, and it would be so awesome to have all of your favourite games in one place, but there are always going to be reasons to hook up older consoles. I imagine there's zero chance of ever seeing the original Super Soccer on SNES released again, for instance, so I'll always have to play it on SNES!

 

Ultimately, though, as much as I'd like to access all of Nintendo's history on my TV, I'm probably more interested in having portable versions of all these games that I already own. SNES, N64 and GC games on a handheld is such a tantalising prospect

[Kav]

I don't think we should have a Virtual Console again where you can buy past titles, but as many have said before, we should have a subscription service that gives access to their back catalogue like Netflix.

[Serebii]

I don't think we should have a Virtual Console again where you can buy past titles, but as many have said before, we should have a subscription service that gives access to their back catalogue like Netflix.

Why not both? I'd rather pay to download them than pay a subscription

[dazzybee]

Yeah both seems good to me, like with films and music.

 

How much do people think is reasonable for it considering Wii games are 17.99? 4.99 seems a great price, but knowing Nintendo it'll be something like 9.99.

[Emasher]

Assuming they do stick with the Power architecture and don't switch to x86_64, there isn't as big a barrier to downloadable Gamecube games as you might think. It's already possible to run Gamecube games on the Wii U via homebrew (no emulation necessary). Even if they do switch, if the NX is as powerful as the PS4 or Xbox One, emulating Gamecube and Wii games isn't out of the question technically, just probably not realistic from a business perspective.

[Dcubed]

Assuming they do stick with the Power architecture and don't switch to x86_64, there isn't as big a barrier to downloadable Gamecube games as you might think. It's already possible to run Gamecube games on the Wii U via homebrew (no emulation necessary). Even if they do switch, if the NX is as powerful as the PS4 or Xbox One, emulating Gamecube and Wii games isn't out of the question technically, just probably not realistic from a business perspective.

 

Yup! It doesn't even have to emulate the GCN or Wii to run them. As long as it has at least Wii level spec (at least a single core PowerPC 750CL variant running at at least 729mhz, GPU specs at least matching the Wii's Hollywood GPU etc) all pre Wii U games will run natively on it, out of the box from day 1.

 

I don't think that the NX handheld will actually match the Wii U's specs, but it doesn't actually have to. It'll probably be basically a downclocked version of the current Wii U, but considering that it'll probably only end up having to target widescreen 480p (854 x 480p) for its main display, it will probably still end up being able to play everything out of the box from day 1 anyway (so it might even be able to run a large chunk of Wii U titles just fine, just at a lower resolution and maybe with a few visual effects turned off - obviously anything that needs the Gamepad/TV dual screen combo or Wii Remote would be a no go though, for obvious reasons).

 

The NX Console however will probably end up being a turbo charged Wii U, not unlike how the Wii was a turbo charged GCN. They'll probably up the clocks and the core/shader unit count for the CPU/GPU and increase the RAM while keeping the general architecture almost the exact same (thereby allowing for full native BC with everything Wii U, including the VC, the Wii/GCN download releases and all existing accessories )

Edited April 4, 2015 by Dcubed

[Serebii]

Yup! It doesn't even have to emulate the GCN or Wii to run them. As long as it has at least Wii level spec (at least a single core PowerPC 750CL variant running at at least 729mhz, GPU specs at least matching the Wii's Hollywood GPU etc) all pre Wii U games will run natively on it, out of the box from day 1.

 

I don't think that the NX handheld will actually match the Wii U's specs, but it doesn't actually have to. It'll probably be basically a downclocked version of the current Wii U, but considering that it'll probably only end up having to target widescreen 480p (854 x 480p) for its main display, it will probably still end up being able to play everything out of the box from day 1 anyway (so it might even be able to run a large chunk of Wii U titles just fine, just at a lower resolution and maybe with a few visual effects turned off - obviously anything that needs the Gamepad/TV dual screen combo or Wii Remote would be a no go though, for obvious reasons).

 

The NX Console however will probably end up being a turbo charged Wii U, not unlike how the Wii was a turbo charged GCN. They'll probably up the clocks and the core/shader unit count for the CPU/GPU and increase the RAM while keeping the general architecture almost the exact same (thereby allowing for full native BC with everything Wii U, including the VC, the Wii/GCN download releases and all existing accessories )

I'd say chances are very high that NX Handheld will still have a two screen format. Hopefully with identical aspect ratios this time. As such, it is possible that if it did do Wii U games, it could have the GamePad stuff on the bottom screen and gameplay on top screen

[Dcubed]

I'd say chances are very high that NX Handheld will still have a two screen format. Hopefully with identical aspect ratios this time. As such, it is possible that if it did do Wii U games, it could have the GamePad stuff on the bottom screen and gameplay on top screen

 

Nope. Won't work.

 

The Gamepad screen needs to be able to be moved independently from the main screen (also the aspect ratio is no doubt going to be all wrong for the bottom screen - I seriously doubt that they're gonna be able to fit a 16 x 9 screen on the bottom while keeping it compact). That's the main thing that separates the Gamepad/TV combo from the DS/3DS two screen setup - the fact that the two screens are not physically bound together...

 

Also the handheld would need clickable analog sticks to accommodate the full set of controls and there's no way to do that while keeping the two screen format/clamshell design.

 

Not to mention that I doubt that it would have the necessary grunt to handle rendering two (perhaps 3, if it does end up supporting S3D for native NX handheld games) 854x480 displays simultaneously...

 

No, the top screen will effectively be the Gamepad screen itself. The bottom screen will be something different - so it'll probably only support Wii U titles that have Off TV play built-in, that do not make use of every available button. Likewise, splitscreen multiplayer games aren't gonna really work either (especially not the ones that really take advantage of assymettric play, like Nintendo Land or NSMBU or Wii U Party or Mario Party 10, or Kirby & The Rainbow Curse)

Edited April 4, 2015 by Dcubed

[Ashley]

Am I the only person that would rather they focus on the future than being able to retrofit their previous consoles, particularly those still readily available on the market?