Nintendo Quality

[Josh64]

Before I start this thread, I just want to say that this isn't meant as troll bait and I'm not trying to stir the pot, I'm just making a judgement based on my opinions of recent releases.

 

Do you think Nintendo has let the quality of their IP slip recently? There's no question that Nintendo still make great titles, Smash 4 and MK 8 are some of the best in their respective series, but some of the games I'm seeing recently seem to be questionable and I'd argue something that they wouldn't have out out in the past.

 

It seems to me that with all that's going on, the restructure, struggle to move to HD development, trying to support both Wii U and 3DS with little third party support, Nintendo have let quality slip to release more titles.

 

Take Triforce Heroes and Happy Home Designer, both games are ok but gimmicky side-games to their proper counterparts, using old assets and drawing people in with gimmicks (amiibo cards, three player online). Whilst spin-off's aren't always bad, these spin-off's are being treated as the biggest releases this holiday season... Because there's nothing else.

 

Then there's the really questionable content, Animal Crossing Amiibo Party which seems like more of a quick cash grab than a lot of App Store games, but perhaps we should save judgement on that before its release.

 

A beloved niche character, Chibi-robo, was given a new title this year, but instead of keeping the formala of the old games, they went for a 2D platformer, something the 3DS and WiiU arguably have too much of already, and as reviews have been saying, it's not even a good platformer, averaging scores of 5 to 6, yet still being pushed as a big 3DS release.

 

I guess what I'm saying is, it's not the existence of these titles that's a bad thing, as arguably it's good to stir up existing franchises now and then, it's the fact that these seemingly side projects are the ONLY things we're getting right now, and it seems Nintendo's AAA output is lower than ever.

 

Where are all the big games, especially at this important time of year? And as a industry veteran sitting on loads of cash, what's their excuse for starving us of quality content and giving us the odd side-project every month or so?

 

I'm just concerned that as they keep expanding their outlets, Wii U and 3DS currently, to NX and mobile in the near future, are they spreading themselves too thin and possibly tarnishing their big names?

[Glen-i]

Well, hopefully it's a sign that they're focusing on NX titles.

Of course, I have no way of proving this.

 

Also, Tri Force Heroes is fantastic. Awkward online infrastrure, sure. But it's fantastic, gameplay wise.

 

What you may think is OK, others might think are great, that has to be taken into account.

 

You do have some good points though.

Chibi-Robo is an interesting case. As far as I'm aware, that series sells terribly and this may be an attempt to grab some more sales for it.

You may be sick of them, but 2D platformers sell better than most other genres.

[somme]

It's probably not a coincidence a lot of the forum have jumped to another platform.

 

Whilst, as you say, some of their recent releases are the best of their respective series, there simply isn't enough quality or variation of games to satiate my appetite.

[Hero-of-Time]

I guess what I'm saying is, it's not the existence of these titles that's a bad thing, as arguably it's good to stir up existing franchises now and then, it's the fact that these seemingly side projects are the ONLY things we're getting right now, and it seems Nintendo's AAA output is lower than ever.

 

Where are all the big games, especially at this important time of year? And as a industry veteran sitting on loads of cash, what's their excuse for starving us of quality content and giving us the odd side-project every month or so?

 

Agreed.

 

These spin offs are fine if you are getting the big titles to support them but by themselves they just seem very meh.

 

I think this is the same problem that Metroid Federation Force suffered from. You can't go announcing stuff like that without giving fans the big game that they are all hoping and wanting for.

 

The end of the year line up has looked dire for a while now. I mean they really expect things like Chibi-Robo, Happy Home Designer, Triforce Heroes and Mario Tennis to light up the charts and get people attention? Even in Japan Triforce Heroes and Chibi-Robo have sold very poorly.

 

It just seems that Nintendo are on cruise control until they can launch the NX. Some could argue they have been like this for the entire generation and I wouldn't really argue with that statement.

 

Well, hopefully it's a sign that they're focusing on NX titles.

Of course, I have no way of proving this.

 

People said the exact same thing about Nintendo when the Wii titles dried up. Everyone was expecting them to come out swinging with the Wii U and what we got were a few meh release games and then gaming drought after gaming drought.

 

Also, Tri Force Heroes is fantastic. Awkward online infrastrure, sure. But it's fantastic, gameplay wise.

 

Problem is that it's an nightmare to have those fun experiences. You either have to organise it via a forum ( which is just laughable in this day and age ) or risk playing it with randoms, which is a far from perfect experience.

 

It's also a VERY short game. If you don't like collecting things and are just playing through the story then you could beat it in a few hours easily.

 

Chibi-Robo is an interesting case. As far as I'm aware, that series sells terribly and this may be an attempt to grab some more sales for it.

You may be sick of them, but 2D platformers sell better than most other genres.

 

Chibi-Robo was stuffed into a 2D platformer in an attempt to make it easier for children to play. This line of thinking baffles me. Not to go all Cranky Kong but you didn't see developers dumbing down games for us when I was younger. If it was a hard game then you rose to the challenge.

[Rummy]

Smash 4 was good, but I don't think it did the right things. It could just be time/age but I think I still prefer Brawl over it really(though it did ofc have its own new things that I did like). MK8 didn't hold me long enough, but that's probably just fatigue on my own part rather than the game's fault - not sure I gave it enough time/judgement on its own merit there.

 

However if we want to talk about quality of IP - I think it has to mentioned that Splatoon was, for all intents and purposes, an absolutely banging showing. For what's a very multiplayer focused game, the single player was decently solid for what there was of it, and despite many criticisms that can be levelled at the infrastructure of the online service - the actual content and dripfeed of additional content for me was really good at the end of it all. Having said that, I haven't played for a few months and there's actually even some more in it now that I haven't experienced in terms of weapons etc. may even have been a new stage I've missed too(what was the last released?).

 

Sadly it may be argued that Splatoon was the one-off. You've given examples of other titles - but I can only comment to the extent that they weren't doing enough to get me to part with my monies for them. Whilst I think that's a judgement of sorts in itself, I do have to acknowledge that I might be missing out on something I'd really enjoy.

[dazzybee]

I think the quality has been of the absolute highest standard waking the Wii U overall (Pikmin 3, Smash, Mario Kart, Splatoon are all incredible games); but the past year and into the near future has been awful. personally I'd say things like HHH and Triforce heroes are fantastic spin-offs (presuming on HHH never played it), exactly what Nintendo should be doing; the problem is these are the BIG games we are getting, no the spin offs they clearly are. So it feels pretty bad.

 

Like Glen, I think, hope, presume, this is because of the NX, or more specifically the dire situation of the Wii U/3DS; they're killing it off - making spin offs, getting external companies to make games etc etc It's all signs that their main efforts are for the NX.

 

So I don't think they're quality is slipping, not in anyway, but the situation is pretty bleak at the minute.

[peterl0]

I don't need many games to keep me going (little time) but the year end games (with the possible exception of Xenoblade X) do seem to be content light and filler titles (as Kyle Bosman put it). Some are just not aimed at us.

 

As with Glen, I hope this is because they are gearing up for NX games, rather than building mobile games and account systems....

[Ronnie]

It's obviously down to the weird middle ground in between consoles. They have to release sub par software or else people will complain when the NX launch isn't great and that they put all their AAA teams on dying last gen systems. Give it a year and the quality will be back, especially if they unify the console and handheld architecture as rumoured.

[Serebii]

It's certainly a transitional year.

 

Though Tri Force Heroes is a blast. No issues of quality there IMO

[Fierce_LiNk]

I would agree that the quality has declined. In the past, I would truly believe that Nintendo were at the forefront of pushing certain genres forward; they were the leaders who set new benchmarks for how certain games should play. In a technological sense, the N64 was a beast of a machine and the GameCube followed that up nicely. They set the benchmark and standard for how 3D platformers should look and play, they defined how local multiplayer games should work and they featured so many important games on their systems. Goldeneye was a massive game, Metroid Prime changed things and (even though it didn't stay exclusive) Resident Evil 4 gave birth to so many other sub-genres that we see today.

 

I don't truly believe now that Nintendo have the same goal now as they did beforehand. Whereas before I believe they were leaders, I now see them as playing catch-up. I even think that they've regressed in some ways or haven't moved forward. Mario Kart 8 is a gorgeous looking game, but it's single-player is essentially the same as it has been for the past few generations. The battle mode is pretty disgusting, tbh. Especially considering that they've already done this before and were very successful at it. I couldn't believe it when I tried it for the first time just how unplayable it is, for a title of this magnitude.

 

In my opinion, we're also not seeing the same calibre of titles that we've seen in the past. There hasn't been a racer of the quality of F Zero GX for now two generations. Nintendo did well at the start of the WiiU's lifetime to ensure that Batman: Arkham City came to the system, but the third party releases have dried up after that. Sports games are essentially gone.

 

There are positives, their games do look great and visually Nintendo's games haven't looked greater. But, for me, the problem is to do with the substance. The games seem to be geared towards a very narrow audience - whereas in the past Nintendo gamers actually encompassed many audiences. You could have a Nintendo fan who played Mario Sunshine, then another fan who bought an N64 for WWF No Mercy, then a separate fan for Goldeneye/Perfect Dark, another for the likes of Killer 7, etc. Games like Star Wars Battlefront need/ed to come to the WiiU because the type of gamer who grew up with the likes of Goldeneye and Perfect Dark would be the type who also wants to play that sort of game. The type that grew up with something like Super Metroid is going to struggle to find a similar sort of game on a current Nintendo system, or a game that changes gaming in the same way that Nintendo did when they created that sort of stuff.

[Grazza]

For me, the quality is there, but the ambition is not.

 

I got into Nintendo for the single-player adventures like Metroid, Zelda and (to a certain extent) Mario more than the fan favourites like Mario Kart and Smash Bros. They set out the right vision at E3 2011 with the Zelda demo, but I'd argue nothing has really matched that. By the time we saw the reality of their retail games at E3 2012 - Nintendo Land, New Super Mario Bros - I'd argue they continued along those lines rather than bigger-budget ventures.

 

If Twilight Princess HD is released, that and Wind Waker HD will probably be my two favourite Wii U games, which I think is crazy.

 

I'm not bothered about the 3DS situation, even though I agree with most people's analysis of it. The 3DS is old and tired, and nothing would cause much excitement at this stage. If you go back to when Spirit Tracks was on its way, no one was really hyped about that either.

 

The situation just seems more desperate this time because Nintendo's home console is winding down at the same time as its (older) handheld. Personally, I don't feel as cheated as others, and I'm still on board for NX. I just think you have to be realistic about Nintendo nowadays, because if they don't set out a vision of big, ambitious games, they're probably not coming.

[Dcubed]

Spinoffs with gimmicks are nothing new to Nintendo. Sequels on the same console/handheld that reuse assets from previous games are nothing new either (particularly with Zelda - see the likes of Majora's Mask and Spirit Tracks or even Minish Cap, which used Four Swords' engine (ironically, the opposite of ALBW-Triforce Heroes ); having another Zelda game come out on the same console, using the same engine and assets is actually absolutely normal). Triforce Heroes arrives at the exact same time as both Majora's Mask and Spirit Tracks did; 2 years after the release of their predecessors and by all accounts, it's a quality title that despite some online lobby oddities, is a great multiplayer Zelda that treads ground that is whoelly new to the series (not even Four Swords has the same focus on co-operation as this one does).

 

These kinds of games are also pretty typical for consoles that are later on in their respective lifespans. GameCube had a similar year in 2005, when the biggest Xmas releases were Mario Smash Football, DDR Mario Mix and Mario Party 7 (hell it WISHED it had something like Xenoblade X for its Xmas lineup that year!)

 

Animal Crossing Amiibo Party also makes sense when you think about the reception that Let's Go to the City recieved on Wii. You all know that Nintendo would take even more of a pounding in the press and the public's eye if they went and made a console version of New Leaf. The Wii U doesn't bring a new standout feature to the series that couldn't be done on a handheld outside of in-game Miiverse support and they obviously didn't deem it to be enough to justify making a Wii U entry into the mainline series. So Amiibo Party is a way of making an Animal Crossing related game that absolutely could not be done justice on a handheld and is heavily differentiated from New Leaf and Happy Home Designer. It's quality as a party title is still unknown of course, but it's not a game whose target market is most people who work in the press and regular online forums; so the online reaction will probably be un-representative of its actual quality.

 

Mario Tennis is a series that is long overdue a console entry. We haven't had a new one since 2004! That's 11 years! I'm itching for a new console entry already and now's just as good a time as any! There is indeed cause for concern about a lack of single player content, but at the very least, the multiplayer is sure to be rock solid (and the production values are certainly there as the visuals are right up there with the likes of Mario Kart 8).

 

Chibi Robo Zip Lash is a spinoff in a series that has already had three very similar mainline games and an AR spinoff that doesn't really stray too far from the established formula outside of its main gimmick. While the timing is unfortunate (I don't think it's unfair to say that Nintendo have put out more than enough 2D platformers in recent years), it's far from unwelcome to see them put Chibi in a new kind of game that breaks away significantly from the established norm. Personally, I actually think it looks like a quality title on its own merits but that it's a victim of very poor timing as it comes at a point in time where people have had their fill of 2D platformers and most seem to be down on it because it's of what it isn't, rather than what it is.

 

I have no issues with the quality of the titles that Nintendo have put out in recent times but it's not really controversial to say that their Xmas lineup is made of mainly low profile titles and it's pretty obvious why this is the case; it's because the big guns were all delayed. It wasn't part of the original plan to have Zelda or Starfox end up coming out in 2016 after all and I'm sure that if Level 5 could've had Yo-Kai Watch out in time for Xmas, you best be damn sure that they would've done it (it's out in Australia this year and not Europe for a reason and that's because they're waiting for the anime to launch before releasing the game).

 

That being said, we do have Mario & Luigi Paper Jam this year. That alone saves the 3DS lineup for me! (and like Bowser's Inside Story, is a sequel that arrives on the same console, using the same engine as its predecessor)

Edited October 30, 2015 by Dcubed

[Hero-of-Time]

For me, the quality is there, but the ambition is not.

 

Honestly, I think this sums them up perfectly. Well said.

[RedShell]

Well, this is still on every game box:

 

Seriously though, I don't think the quality has gone, just that they seem to be much less focused these days. The huge success of Wii and DS appears to have left Nintendo in a state of confusion, and it's as if they don't know who they're targeting anymore. Is it the casual market? Is it the hardcore/old-school Nintendo fans? They're not really doing a good job of catering for either at the moment. And then there's stuff like amiibo and the QoL projects, plus the upcoming foray into the mobile gaming space. It's not surprising everything has gone a bit wonky, with so much different stuff going on.

 

I kind of wish they would just drop everything else and focus 100% on traditional gaming. An unrealistic idea as they're obviously struggling in that area at the moment, hence the expansion into new areas of business. But yeah, I definitely don't think there's any problem with the quality of their games, but rather the quantity. The droughts on 3DS and Wii U have been horrendous and incredibly damaging to the image of both of those systems. But at the same time, there isn't really anything that Nintendo can do to rectify that now.

 

Just have to hope they've learnt from what went down with the 3DS and Wii U and have managed to sort it out for the next systems.

[Jonnas]

Spinoffs with gimmicks are nothing new to Nintendo. Sequels on the same console/handheld that reuse assets from previous games are nothing new either (particularly with Zelda - see the likes of Majora's Mask and Spirit Tracks or even Minish Cap, which used Four Swords' engine (ironically, the opposite of ALBW-Triforce Heroes ); having another Zelda game come out on the same console, using the same engine and assets is actually absolutely normal).

 

Yeah, I was about to say this, reusing assets is not a lack of quality at all. Ditto for spinoffs, and even gimmicks.

 

Now, I've noticed that the disappointment with Nintendo comes from one of two places. You either dislike the direction they went with; or you dislike the dry spells (a.k.a. you just wish there were more Nintendo games). None of these denote a lack of quality (especially not the latter), so of all the things to criticise Nintendo about, low quality is a bit farfetched (At least as I understand it, that is, a game riddled with bugs, oversights, lack of polish, that's very rare among Nintendo games).

 

Also, I can understand the criticisms over the Wii U, but the 3DS, dry? After that first rough year, the handheld bounced back successfully, and it's now packing with plenty of great games, most of them by Nintendo, and it sold well, too. It's going to leave a good legacy behind.

[Hero-of-Time]

Also, I can understand the criticisms over the Wii U, but the 3DS, dry? After that first rough year, the handheld bounced back successfully, and it's now packing with plenty of great games, most of them by Nintendo, and it sold well, too. It's going to leave a good legacy behind.

 

Even the 3DS has been pretty barren this year. Had it not been for Monster Hunter and the Virtual Console games I would hardly have touched it.

 

Im looking at my gaming shelf now and the retail games I bought this year were Codename STEAM ( garbage ), Puzzle and Dragons Z ( couldn't get into it ), Majoras Mask ( Fantastic ), Triforce Heroes ( good IF you can hook up with people ) and Monster Hunter. That's it for the year so far. Where was the big hitter from Nintendo? You could argue it was Majoras Mask but that was at the very start of the year at it was a game that many had already experienced.

 

There's nothing wrong with spinoff games but they have to be sprinkled in between the larger titles. You simply can't support a platform like that and expect people to continue to give you their money.

[dazzybee]

The droughts will at least be helped with the hybrid future. How would the consoles feel if they had both the 3DS and Wii U libraries? Much better!!

 

I personally love this business expansion - I want to watch TV/Films of their franchises, I want to go to their theme park and buy amiibo and more clothing and such. Also, from a business point of view, it could be exactly what they need to bring people to their consoles and bring some valuable marketing - which I feel has what has really killed them!

 

I genuinely believe that they'll fix their being online/social/services issues for NX; if it is a hybrid so making games is easy then maybe it be a success. On the one hand I love the miitomo is their first mobile game which Miaomoto said the main objective is to bring people to their consoles, this says to me gaming is still their focus, which we all want to hear I'm sure. Mario Kart on mobile would probably be a great game, but it's the next step for nintendo to go mobile only for me; so it's good news. On the other hand, it's quite concerning that miitomo is their way to market themselves...

[Mr_Master_X2]

Honestly, TC? YES.

 

Most Nintendo games feel like side games and not the "big, imaginitive, once a console" game like they used to. They still have that Nintendo polish, magic, playability...they just don't feel like main entries anymore. I know most will be confused as to what I mean.

 

One of the things grating me is the copy 'n' past NEW Super Mario Bros. theme they have going, where they deliberately limit the cast of a Mario game to just the standard set, reused music, reused level themes etc. In the past there'd be a whole new theme, giant game etc. Who doubts we'll get ANOTHER "NEW" and another "3D" before we get the next new main Mario game with different theme? Anybody...? The games aren't bad (except NSMB2. I don't know what it was about that game, but god did it bore/irritate me) but the theme was boring and sterile to begin with.

Edited October 30, 2015 by Mr_Master_X2

[dazzybee]

Honestly, TC? YES.

 

Most Nintendo games feel like side games and not the "big, imaginitive, once a console" game like they used to. They still have that Nintendo polish, magic, playability...they just don't feel like main entries anymore. I know most will be confused as to what I mean.

 

One of the things grating me is the copy 'n' past NEW Super Mario Bros. theme they have going, where they deliberately limit the cast of a Mario game to just the standard set, reused music, reused level themes etc. In the past there'd be a whole new theme, giant game etc. Who doubts we'll get ANOTHER "NEW" and another "3D" before we get the next new main Mario game with different theme? Anybody...? The games aren't bad (except NSMB2. I don't know what it was about that game, but god did it bore/irritate me) but the theme was boring and sterile to begin with.

 

I think what you say is right, I also agree about 2, worst "main" Mario game in its history. A lot of the games this gen have felt reused or spinoff. I personally don't think we will see another NEW game. Or 3D actually though. I'd put my money in Galaxy 3, but that's probably the same issue isn't it?

[Sheikah]

Yeah, I was about to say this, reusing assets is not a lack of quality at all. Ditto for spinoffs, and even gimmicks.

 

Now, I've noticed that the disappointment with Nintendo comes from one of two places. You either dislike the direction they went with; or you dislike the dry spells (a.k.a. you just wish there were more Nintendo games). None of these denote a lack of quality (especially not the latter), so of all the things to criticise Nintendo about, low quality is a bit farfetched (At least as I understand it, that is, a game riddled with bugs, oversights, lack of polish, that's very rare among Nintendo games).

 

Also, I can understand the criticisms over the Wii U, but the 3DS, dry? After that first rough year, the handheld bounced back successfully, and it's now packing with plenty of great games, most of them by Nintendo, and it sold well, too. It's going to leave a good legacy behind.

 

I think a fair number of people here, for various reasons, have convinced themselves that the following two lines of thinking are gospel truth:

 

- What Nintendo games we get now are some of the best we have ever seen

- The problem is simply the amount of games we are getting as well as the poor online infrastructure.

 

The reality is that point one is far from the truth, and point 2 is but a small piece of the problem.

 

Even if the Nintendo games we are getting at the moment came thick and fast and with decent online features, it wouldn't change the fact that Nintendo aren't trying anywhere near like what they used to. Forget genre-defining titles like Mario 64 that made the world sit up and listen, conservative 2D sequels are Nintendo's bread and butter these days. Not just that; so many other titles they release are cookie cutter expansions to previous titles. It's actually a joke.

 

Indie devs have several times more imagination and ambition than Nintendo these days. And before the usual trolls come along with their 'what about these other developers/the PS4' comments, bear in mind that Nintendo support their console almost singlehandedly, so it's up to them alone to make sure they get these original games.

Edited October 31, 2015 by Sheikah

[Serebii]

I think a fair number of people here, for various reasons, have convinced themselves that the following two lines of thinking are gospel truth:

 

- What Nintendo games we get now are some of the best we have ever seen

- The problem is simply the amount of games we are getting as well as the poor online infrastructure.

 

The reality is that point one is far from the truth, and point 2 is but a small piece of the problem.

 

Even if the Nintendo games we are getting at the moment came thick and fast and with decent online features, it wouldn't change the fact that Nintendo aren't trying anywhere near like what they used to. Forget genre-defining titles like Mario 64 that made the world sit up and listen, conservative 2D sequels are Nintendo's bread and butter these days. Not just that; so many other titles they release are cookie cutter expansions to previous titles. It's actually a joke.

 

Indie devs have several times more imagination and ambition than Nintendo these days. And before the usual trolls come along with their 'what about these other developers/the PS4' comments, bear in mind that Nintendo support their console almost singlehandedly, so it's up to them alone to make sure they get these original games.

 

Very subjective. You can't say that as outright fact, especially when critics rave about the games, as do craploads of fans.

 

I think what you say is right, I also agree about 2, worst "main" Mario game in its history. A lot of the games this gen have felt reused or spinoff. I personally don't think we will see another NEW game. Or 3D actually though. I'd put my money in Galaxy 3, but that's probably the same issue isn't it?

 

That's a bit of a jump, do you not think?

[Sheikah]

Very subjective. You can't say that as outright fact, especially when critics rave about the games, as do craploads of fans.

 

Subjective musings backed up by the fact hardly anyone is buying the thing.

 

Not craploads at all. The Wii U is Nintendo's worst selling main home console. If people thought their games were so must have then they would be buying the console in huge numbers, as well as the games. Also, less than 50% of Wii U owners are buying the so called 'must have' games on the system (in fact, much less, in many cases), and this is a system with mostly just those Nintendo games, unlike the other systems which have a huge diversity. Owners of the console can't even be tempted to hold interest in Nintendo to buy their games.

 

But if you want to believe Smash 4, New Super Mario Brothers 5 (or whatever), another Mario Kart and endless amounts of 2D side scrollers are not proof that Nintendo pretty much just recycle their series over and over these days then who am I to stop you.

Edited October 31, 2015 by Sheikah

[Serebii]

Subjective musings backed up by the fact hardly anyone is buying the thing.

 

Not craploads at all. The Wii U is Nintendo's worst selling main home console. If people thought their games were so must have then they would be buying the console in huge numbers, as well as the games. Also, less than 50% of Wii U owners are buying the so called 'must have' games on the system (in fact, much less, in many cases), and this is a system with mostly just those Nintendo games, unlike the other systems which have a huge diversity. Owners of the console can't even be tempted to hold interest in Nintendo to buy their games.

 

But if you want to believe Smash 4, New Super Mario Brothers 5 (or whatever), another Mario Kart and endless amounts of 2D side scrollers are not proof that Nintendo pretty much just recycle their series over and over these days then who am I to stop you.

People not buying things is in no way indicative of quality. It's indicative of them not hitting the mark marketing wise, sure, but not indicative of quality

 

And yeah, the 4th Smash in 16 years and 8th Mario Kart in 23 years is totally too much. Meanwhile, let's go play the 17th Assassin's Creed in 8 years.

 

Also, saying they aren't good because less than 50% have bought these must have games? Since when did any game on any console have that sort of attach rate? Isn't Mario Kart 8 like the first in god knows how long to have that level of attach rate?

 

We get it, you don't like Nintendo which is why you only appear in threads to criticise them.

Edited October 31, 2015 by Serebii

[Kounan]

People have only limited amount of money, but there more and more games (I am talking about big titles), with more and more DLC's. That limit's the number in which certain game can sell. You buy a game and then spend money on DLC's which would be enough to buy another game (at least on sale) and it still counts as ONE sale. Or you have to choose between two games, it's not always going to be a Nintendo game and for a lot of people that's it when it comes to games, they will not get another one unless it's on a good sale and Nintendo apparently doens't put their games on sales (not propper sales).

 

I know people on this forum problably have more money for more games and consoles, but the majority of people doesn't.

[Sheikah]

People not buying things is in no way indicative of quality. It's indicative of them not hitting the mark marketing wise, sure, but not indicative of quality

 

So far from the truth.

 

Firstly - marketing, really? You can't really think that that is the reason for their failings.

 

If a game is amazing it has a very good chance of pushing sales. This has happened time and time again. At the end of the day, if you have a console that has lots of games that everyone thinks are great fun and exciting, lots of people will buy your console. You see it all the time on PS4, and to a lesser extent on X1. People want big games; new and original games like Bloodborne, Witcher, Star Wars Battlefront. But when you look at Nintendo, so many people are fed up with them. We've done Smash time and time again. Same for Mario Kart. And 2D side scrollers in a similar style. What is there to entice? Tell me, what should I be excited about that I have not played before? Splatoon is about it.

 

Before you counter - yes, shit can sell well as well. Yes, critically acclaimed games can not do so well. But the argument here is that if you have a console packed with supposedly groundbreaking games then everyone would be buying it. This situation highlights the disparity between how critics review games and how the average modern gamer perceives those games; while a critic might gush about the level of polish to a game and the fact it still has very sound and tight gameplay, your average gamer sees it as more of the same. Because these are important criteria too - freshness and appeal. So often overlooked in the arguments about quality.

 

IMO, Nintendo fans here are falling back on the 'quality' argument as something Nintendo can 'win', which is somewhat bullshit as it doesn't matter a jot. You can polish a game to the nth degree but it doesn't matter a fuck if the game you're polishing is something people are burnt out on because we've had it 5 times already, you know?

 

Let me round off by addressing the points that I was pretty confident would be made:

And yeah, the 4th Smash in 16 years and 8th Mario Kart in 23 years is totally too much. Meanwhile, let's go play the 17th Assassin's Creed in 8 years.

 

1. Just because another company is doing something, doesn't make Nintendo's example OK

2. Nintendo are supporting their console almost singlehandedly and the Mario Kart situation is the same with most of their other series. It doesn't matter if Assassin's Creed also offend because there are plenty of games on other consoles that don't do this to balance things

3. Pointing out the number of years in between releases does nothing. If anything, it shows that they are recycling an extremely old formula that we have seen enough of ever since we were kids.

 

Also, saying they aren't good because less than 50% have bought these must have games? Since when did any game on any console have that sort of attach rate? Isn't Mario Kart 8 like the first in god knows how long to have that level of attach rate?

 

Wii U has a very small library of mostly Nintendo games. The point is not the high attach rate versus other games of other consoles (again, a poor comparison). Of course it will have relatively high attach rates because of the fewer games and the more core audience that remain. The point is that there are clearly only one or two big hitter games coming per year and most Wii U owners aren't buying them. This has been discussed over and over on these forums.

 

We get it, you don't like Nintendo which is why you only appear in threads to criticise them.

 

Yeah great comment. Stick to the discussion.

Edited October 31, 2015 by Sheikah