Why Nintendo Gamers Settle for So Much Less

From HDWarriors:

Nintendo, through their various policies and marketing strategies have built a consumer atmosphere of lowered expectations, even as they achieve record sales. While the company is doing quite well right now, is everything about this strategy sound?

[kelvin22]

Well considering Nintendo gave us very little to begin with i wonder why most nintendo only consumers cry when they see games on the ps3 then the President sustains there discontent with a saying like " we look at sony and we see nothing". Clearly with the titles they realease it seems that thats the truth because on a consistent basis we see mario yoshi and luigi every time. Its the President of Nintendos fault it all goes back to them. The gamecube had the best games of time on a nintendo platform basis but they fail to realize that when there immediate competitor Sony not Xbox clearly we see that Microsoft is following the same line as Nintendo as well with a consistent remake of there titles Halo , Gears of War and Personified Call of duty

[dib8rman]

It seems that this author is on another plane of existence one of much higher thought.

All bow before the master independent thinker and is awesome analysis of every retarded person who bought a Wii, those bumbling oafs are below him and below even human and are easily woed by clever marketing of Nintendo!

Let us not look at these idiot sheep gamers my fellow author, let us debate passionately about the how XBL doesn't compare to PSN and how Blu-Ray is the future and how DRM sucks but Digital Distribution will save us all!

=P Wake up.

[Maddens Raiders]

and the wii still blows donkey nads.

[darthv72]

Wouldnt expectations of something be more of a personal opinion? Much like hype I would assume. If someone purchase the wii with the expectations of quirky casual titles and finds there is fun to be had in doing so (not all games) then wouldnt that match their expectation?

The author makes it seem as if consumers of the wii dont have a choice in what they want to play. I can see where he may think there are slim pickins as to quality titles but that in itself is also subjective (?).

People have different perceptions of entertainment value. No crime in that.

[dib8rman]

Nintendo didn't hypnotize you because your immune! It's cause you don't want what they have to give.

That's fine, theres nothing wrong with loving PC gaming to Xbo360 gaming.

But to call every single person who bought into a Wii and enjoy it RETARDED is a friggin insult. This author has such weak skin to attack a demography that doesn't even ready his articles to people who have nothing to do but agree.

[EvilTwin]

Lowered expectations?

Every Zelda game that is released is expected to be GOTY quality.

Every stand alone Mario game released has that same expectation.

Metroid? Ditto.

The only lowered expectation is that fans of those series don't expect to have new games every two years. Nintendo doesn't rush their core franchises.

And when effort IS put into a game by a third party, it usually at least turns a profit (like NHM) or better (TW10).

Sadly, some people probably have come to expect inferior releases from third parties. But that's not on Nintendo. That's on the developers making shoddy ports.

[Mr_Bun]

Did you just confirm that you have multiple accounts by posting the same comment under a different account?

[EvilTwin]

Bun -- I'm not Super X. I can only edit my own post. Maybe he was trying to quote some part of mine or something...? I have no idea.

[Mr_Bun]

Seems odd either way.

[EvilTwin]

It is odd. Maybe a mod will get on it or something.

[SpoonyRedMage]

Check Super x's comment history, he just copies and pastes what other people say.

[Aquarius]

thats why there is a Wii Fit plus

we haven't even got a next gen Zelda yet.

[super x]

Lowered expectations?

Every Zelda game that is released is expected to be GOTY quality.

Every stand alone Mario game released has that same expectation.

Metroid? Ditto.

The only lowered expectation is that fans of those series don't expect to have new games every two years. Nintendo doesn't rush their core franchises.

And when effort IS put into a game by a third party, it usually at least turns a profit (like NHM) or better (TW10).

Sadly, some people probably have come to expect inferior releases from third parties. But that's not on Nintendo. That's on the developers making shoddy ports.

[Mr_Bun]

Reported as Spam

[n4f]

LMAO

[kingme71]

Interesting comment about a Pokemon MMORPG. Wonder why that hasn't come to fruition? That would be huge.

[DelbertGrady]

Written by some deluded fanboy who can't accept that not everyone thinks that the PS3 is teh best console evah.

[SpoonyRedMage]

Crystal Chronicles are not below the par of the main series at all. They've all been quality games and Echoes of Time is one of the best games on the DS in my opinion. Everyone hates CC without trying it out because it's a spin off.

Also, to be honest, I would rather have Crystal Bearers to FFXIII because Kawazu always tries something new whilst Kitase and Toriyama are obviously playing it safe with FFXIII. Probably the same reason people are looking forward to Versus more as well.

EDIT: I also have to point out that Nintendo gamers get Dragon Quest this generation so we have one of the major RPG series all to our selves. DQIX is also the first one to get a perfect score from Famitsu.

[Abriael]

Crystal chronicles not below the quality of the main series? Honestly, what a joke... not only the quality is immensely lower, the scope of the games isn't even comparable. Let's not even talk about the story, with the target lowered considerably to pre-teens.

[SpoonyRedMage]

That's because the story isn't as important to Crystal Chronicles as the main series because the emphasis has always been gameplay but Crystal Bearers looks to change that anyway.

The quality is not considerably lower than FF either. Perhaps the CC aren't as good as the best FFs but neither are the modern mainline FFs.

You are right about the scope though, Crystal Chronicles games aren't Epic JRPGs. The main ones are multiplayer adventure dungeon crawler RPGs and there's great at that but if you judge them as the Epic JRPGs the main series are then they're obviously going to fall flat. Again though, Crystal Bearers looks to change that.

[Abriael]

"That's because the story isn't as important to Crystal Chronicles as the main series"

You said it all in the first sentence. That alone makes CC inferior to the main series by a long shot. It's a second-rate spin-off product and nothing more.

Crystal bearers won't be that much better as well. It'll still have a much smaller scope, less epic storyline and immensely inferior graphics.

Can't really even compare.

[Mahr]

"It'll still have a much smaller scope, less epic storyline..."

This is a good thing; the Square people are absolutely terrible at writing any kind of story.

[dib8rman]

Story –
Echoes of time’s theme was the future affecting the past and love through ones family.
The story deals with a crystal bearer of sorts (You) and the main antagonist who also a good guy in the right context. An event happened 5000 years in the future that triggered the destruction of the past. Over those 5000 years the antagonist commits many horrible acts in the vein of stopping the events of the future. He slaughters a small village of people and captures a crystal bearer using her body to create crystals while her soul leaves it over time. 5000 years later your fighting the guy who made himself immortal to stop the event and your mom (The ghost of that girl) comes to save you from him and using her old body triggers the event that destroys the world 5000 years in the past. (Won’t spoil the details)

Game Depth-
Lots of magic to mix, lots of combat, tons of items, each item changes how your character looks, customize your items with gems that have qualities all their own. Go online join a party of adventurers take down the bosses or do odd jobs.

That’s only the beginnings of what Echoes of Time has to offer, and that’s a DS game. I haven’t seen an FF with such an interesting plot since FF4 =).

[randomwiz]

because 95% of Wii owners aren't gamers

[JonahNL]

This article reeks of fanboyism... The guy who wrote this doesn't even know a quarter of all the good Wii games coming out this winter... FAIL

[D4RkNIKON]

I don't care for my wii... I have like 6 games and a bag full of accessories, I am looking to get rid of it for $200 bones. Any takers? The only game for wii that I am looking forward to is "New Super Mario Bros. wii" and I don't really think it will be worth keeping that boring console.

[bigjclassic]

It is just that the quality of 1st party Nintendo games>everything else on the market. I can go on and on about Zelda, Smash Bros, Mario etc. but we all know they are tremendous games and system sellers guaranteed. 3rd parties struggle to match the quality of Nintendo 1st party titles so they will either make a quick buck of "shovelware" or will actually try and produce quality titles (TCon, NMH, Madworld, Monster Hunter Tri etc.)

They level of 1st party Nintendo games are so high,and as a 3rd party you have to at least match that quality, or sells will suffer. On the Hd consoles quality isnt appreciated as much, but PS3 exclusives are getting to a level that is making multiplat games look bad in comparison.

Summary: When 1st/2nd party games are that good, 3rd parties tend not to care as much because it is a challenge to make money without making a significant investment to reach the 1st/2nd party quality.

[Trevorthenerd]

yeah no games company can match Nintendo is terms of quality
http://www.gamerankings.com...

[iceman06]

You hit the nail on the head with that comment. The bane of Nintendo is exactly what you said. They have made their mark with the likes of Mario, Zelda, Metroid, etc. These are what I call "pocket" games. They keep them in their collective "pockets" until they need to generate buzz and revenue. Then...BAM...a NEW Mario! 3rd parties will never sell as well because the Nintendo fanbase wanted the console for the next Zelda...Mario...or Metroid franchise. They created the "mascot for console" model and they stick by it...to their benefit. However, that DOES marginalize the 3rd parties. Whereas...Sony and MS have embraced 3rd parties...and their owners expect those titles to be "on par" with the 1st party offerings.

[spongeboob]

The reasons they settle could be because they are miss informed and don't know any better or they love Mario, Zelda and Metroid and are content with the same content year after year.

[Mahr]

"However, the blame can't be placed entirely on them. At release, Nintendo threw out a big gun with the release of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. However, the game was little more than a port of the Game Cube game that had been delayed purposely for years. If that was Nintendo's best effort"

First effort.

"and starving Zelda gamers swallowed it up then why wouldn't other developers follow suit with a Game Cube mind set for the Wii?"

What, precisely, is 'the Game Cube' mind set? Develop an award winning franchise of games marked by their extended development times, delay an iteration for one year to do a major overhaul, and then delay it another year to release a version with updated controls such that the product is released with a fine, glowing sheen?

"Within a year or so though, Nintendo had released a solid barrage of quality that temporarily changed the tone for the console and gave gamers hope again. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Battalion Wars II, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Smash Bros Brawl, and Mario Kart Wii rounded out a moderately well balanced and high quality lineup."

Most of which were games that had been in development for years. Corruption had originally been a launch title, but was delayed.

"But apparently, Nintendo expected 3rd party developers to pick up the slack after their encouraging barrage, when most of those developers still saw the Wii as a quick, easy cash in machine."

That's not an unreasonable expectation. If it weren't, nothing would ever be released on any console except licensed games.

"It's as if all of a sudden, 3rd Party developers were supposed to ignore the fact that crap and low budget cash-ins can sell well, start putting the bulk of their resources into creating games on the machine that is by far the most limiting, and to do so on cue."

Er, the problem is not that third-parties were supposed to make games 'on cue', the problem is that's exactly what tons of them did -- instead of, say, having been working on games from the get-go. It's not a coincidence that games with longer times in development tend to be more refined and polished than games with shorter dev times. For example, maybe if Red Steel had spent more than something like half a year in production, the overall experience would have been superior to the end product we eventually got.

"when it comes to Wii games of the same caliber to look forward to there's basically Super Mario Galaxy 2, Metroid: Other M, No More Heroes 2 (And maybe by a stretch) New Super Mario Bros. Wii. The latter and No more Heroes 2 aside, these games may not even be released within the next 12 months."

Come now, let's at least be fair. Sin and Punishment 2 is easily more promising than either Mario game and if you believe the crazy people over in Japan, Monster Hunter Tri's supposed to be the second coming of Raptor Jesus or whatever.

"Gimpy, ugly, and often late versions/ports of great games"

This might be a valid point, but I don't think it's particularly relevant. Didn't someone recently release a statistic about how the majority of gamers this generation (myself included) own multiple consoles?

"great games... Star Wars: The Force Unleashed"

You're joking, right?

"Even if you don't mind/like the CC series and want to play the next release "Crystal Bearers", can you really say with a straight face that you wouldn't rather play Final Fantasy XIII?"

I don't exactly have high hopes for Crystal Bearers, but as turn-based combat is one of the most terrible designs a game can have, the action-based spin-off makes a fair case for itself.

:-|

"Tatsunoko vs. Capcom is a nice little consolation prize, but again, it's what we have to settle for."

Again, multiple-console owner here. I own (and love) Street Fighter IV. I can't really feel any disappointment over the fact that instead of getting a new console version of a game I already own, the Wii gets an all-new game.

"Horrible online ability and policy"

This somewhat fair, although there's an aspect of You Get What You Pay For to this.

"Remakes with just enough of what you want in them to make you buy rather than a truly fulfilling experience ... [Tons of stuff about Pokemon]"

Uh, check please.

[Aquarius]

the Wii was basically a PS2 port machine in 2007.

I don't know about 2008 because I sold my Wii and got my PS3 on the Xmas of 2007.

I was literally bored of my Wii.

[Relientk77]

this is about the 3rd party support which pretty much sux

Nintendo's "good" games are their first party games

[Saaking]

The DS is great console and the wii's good for some great Nintendo first party and rare excellent third party game. Overall I'd say Nintendo did a good job satisfying gamers (not the hardcore at least, not as much as sony).

[keysy420]

i dont really play nintendo except for big exclusive mario zelda mario kart smash bro etc. So if they comeout with their next system and its as powerful as a ps3 and it has those games i buying it

[matm666]

Seriously how can he generalized like that? what makes him think all wii gamers are happy with the issues he mentioned? I mean, I have fun with my wii but o course there are times when I prefer to play my ps3.

[Shnazzyone]

you know... I don't consider getting the entire prime trilogy on one disc for 49.99 settling for that little. I don't consider having the system set to host muramasa: demon blade, the next dead space title, cursed mountain, tatsunoko vs capcom(w/ online), NMH 2, Monster hunter tri and sin and punishment 2 having it too bad.

I think this author sleeps with his HDMI cable he loves it so much. It has taken a long time but we wii owners are finally seeing the fruits of owning the system with the largest install base. It kindof had to happen eventually. In the end you could own a 360 and a wii and have far more selection then if you chose to own ps3 and 360 instead.

So if you want to own more then one system... either HD console is really interchaingable. While the wii is a no brainer to own. Only the saddest of the fanboys would sit and brag about selling/wanting to sell their wii. Because they are about to miss out on many of this generations defining titles.

[lizard81288]

apparently there have been NO games with wi-fi after brawl, since brawl is the only example of wi-fi people give, and based on that game, they say its bad. >_>
*sigh*
nintendo wi-fi has improved greatly since brawl people. that would be like me picking the worst ps360 game and using that as a base for all games on the ps360. there are even wiiware games with better wifi than brawl's, so lets look past brawl, ok?

as for a Pokemon MMORPG, well, i don't like MMORPG, however there already is one online, go google it or something. my friend was playing it. he was a Gengar.

as for RE5 i have heard its the worst in the series, and for TvC. its more than "a nice little consolation prize", try a nice huge consolation prize. the TvC boards around the internetz are getting filled with, "this should be on the ps3 or 360" topics. so TvC being on the wii only certainly makes up for more than no SF4.

as for ports, yes, i'll give you that, the wii does get bad ports most of the time, but a few like RE4 and okami are good ports, both sold more on the wii, then what they were on, in fact RE4 sold more than the ps2 and GCN combined, which is impressive. but most of the time, the wii does get bad ports.

[na-no-nai]

@kevin22 not everyone like games on the ps3 and stuff
if you gonna say something like that then dont forget to add activision for their call of duty; konami for their contra, and castlevania. people these days

nintendo is doing a good job. im fine with just nintendo games anyways

[dib8rman]

I'm having this wonderful idea for a website... you guessed it.

Black Listing the writers of this crap by website and the severity of their black listing is based on the quantity of this stuff they put out.

That way they can't just change their names,and the website itself would have to be worked to accommodate them in a way that readers would not know it's the same person.

I can imagine that this black list would also involve websites as a whole who refuse to cooperate with the evaluation of their writers.

As it stands right now, these writers need an evaluation to help them be more effective as reporters.

[TruthbeTold]

Brush up on your reading comprehension skills first. As well as your knowledge of the law.