General Nintendo sales/business discussion topic (previously: The Wii U Thread)

[Chili Dawg]

Yeah, 3D Land's kinda debatable. It could be seen as the "Super Mario 5," but I kinda see it as being like the original Super Mario Land was to the Bros games. But I have no idea how Nintendo would see it.

I'm well aware that much of what I said could very easily be seen as grasping at straws, but based on what little information we have, I just think there's reason to think we may be onto something that's a little more than what we expect...

Edited April 18, 2012 by Chili Dawg

[Ekaje]

Pretty sure that 3D Land is meant to be part of the series on handheld Mario games, hence the "Land", though it's also kinda it's own thing since it was meant to be a 3D game in the style of the 2D ones. Though really we're all just speculating about things we won't be sure about until E3.

Edited April 18, 2012 by Ekaje

[Marcello]

It would be nice if the go more modern with the graphics. Kinda like the improvement from Episode 1 to Episode 2.

[Sami]

How about another F-Zero or Star Fox game to show off the graphical capabilities of the system?

... Oh right, because we need to have yet another Mario game instead of bringing back other Nintendo franchises that have been long dead. Silly me.

[Chili Dawg]

It's not really a matter of one or the other though. Milking the shit out of Mario has been Nintendo's easy money since the beginning, never stopped other franchises from having entries. Just in the past few years we've had two console Kirbies, a new Wario Land, Excite games, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Sin and Punishment, and Kid Icarus, all in addition to the onslaught of Mario games that have been released throughout the gen.

I hate to be that Nintendo defense force guy, but more Mario games does not in any way prevent Nintendo from doing things with other franchises.

[Kuzu]

It's not really a matter of one or the other though. Milking the shit out of Mario has been Nintendo's easy money since the beginning, never stopped other franchises from having entries. Just in the past few years we've had two console Kirbies, a new Wario Land, Excite games, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Sin and Punishment, and Kid Icarus, all in addition to the onslaught of Mario games that have been released throughout the gen.

I hate to be that Nintendo defense force guy, but more Mario games does not in any way prevent Nintendo from doing things with other franchises.

I think he's saying it would be nice if they brought back those two titles instead yet another Mario title.

[Chili Dawg]

Again, it's not a matter of one or the other. Nintendo has proven that they have more than enough teams at their disposal to make Mario games and other stuff games.

[Tornado]

Which is all well and good, except they... don't.

[Solid SOAP]

Which is all well and good, except they... don't.

How do they not? They constantly release quality games from the majority of their big-name franchises, they can't possibly appease every single fan of every single franchise at the same time. On the Wii alone there have been the two Galaxy games, NSMBWii, Super Paper Mario, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Donkey Kong Country Returns, two Zelda games, multiple Excite games, 2 Kirby games, 2 Metroid games (As well as an update of the first two Prime games) Wario Land: Shake, Wario Ware: Smooth Moves, Sin & Punishment 2, and so many high quality games from their big-name franchises, this is just off the top of my head. How many games do you expect this company to release? They can't possibly cater to every single fan, especially fans of franchises that have been in slumps for years and/or don't sell (Earthbound, Star Fox, F-Zero, etc).

Nintendo put so much more effort into establishing their popular franchises with the biggest fans more than any other company I know, I don't get why so many people are so eager to jump down their throat for "not appeasing the fans". Look at Capcom and what they did to Megaman. Look at SEGA and how they've abandoned basically every franchise bar Sonic and House of the Dead. What more do you want?

How about another F-Zero or Star Fox game to show off the graphical capabilities of the system?

... Oh right, because we need to have yet another Mario game instead of bringing back other Nintendo franchises that have been long dead. Silly me.

Kid Icarus: Uprising was just released, and Pikmin 3 is right around the corner from announcement. What more do you want?

Honestly... I just don't get it. How many games do you guys expect Nintendo to fucking make? You act like all they do is release Mario games, when they do a damn good job catering to almost every other series imaginable. Just because YOUR favorite franchise didn't get revived doesn't mean the rest of them didn't. Lighten up.

Edited April 18, 2012 by Solid SOAP

[Scar]

How about something new? Like a brand new 1st party game. Why not put Mario and the rest on a break for a couple years? Do something new

I don't know, but it kind of bugs me that Nintendo keep using either Mario or Zelda or Metroid or something just as well-established to launch their systems. Fans of Nintendo are going to buy the system anyway, regardless of whether or not you have Mario/Zelda/Metroid/Smash Bros or whatever at launch. They know that if not immediately, they'll get those games eventually.

So, why not start something new from scratch using that brilliant development team that you have at your fingertips? Its not really your own fans you're aiming at. Dead-set Nintendo fans will still be there, just like they were when the Gamecube flopped commercially. What you're aiming at is everyone else. A good way of doing that is making something new.

Edited April 18, 2012 by Scar

[Carbo]

How about another F-Zero or Star Fox game to show off the graphical capabilities of the system?

... Oh right, because we need to have yet another Mario game instead of bringing back other Nintendo franchises that have been long dead. Silly me.

Why would you show everyone your hand of cards before you've even had the chance to put anything into play? Or rather, why reveal your big guns and franchise revivals on a console we've seen little to nothing of when it can instead be saved for a huge shock twist at a big event much like Kid Icarus: Uprising?

That'd be stupid.

[TrueBlue]

I'm pretty sure a Mario Wii U launch had something to do with the weak launch of the 3DS. Nintendo desperately want to avoid that, and what better way to have Mario first day? Still, I am intrigued. If this Wii U game is indeed a sidescroller, I imagine it will connect to the 3DS one in some way. Before Smash Bros, it would be interesting to see how Ninty handle games being connected through the two platforms.

Also glad to hear that Pikmin 3 is up and ready. Also heard rumours that Retro have got something big planned. Slowly getting excited for what could be shown at E3.

Edited April 18, 2012 by Ringo ~

[Conando]

How about something new? Like a brand new 1st party game. Why not put Mario and the rest on a break for a couple years? Do something new

lolno. We went over this before. That would please no one other than a very specific small base of gamers; dooming the system.

Edited April 18, 2012 by Crow T. Robot

[Solid SOAP]

How about something new? Like a brand new 1st party game. Why not put Mario and the rest on a break for a couple years? Do something new

I don't know, but it kind of bugs me that Nintendo keep using either Mario or Zelda or Metroid or something just as well-established to launch their systems. Fans of Nintendo are going to buy the system anyway, regardless of whether or not you have Mario/Zelda/Metroid/Smash Bros or whatever at launch. They know that if not immediately, they'll get those games eventually.

So, why not start something new from scratch using that brilliant development team that you have at your fingertips? Its not really your own fans you're aiming at. Dead-set Nintendo fans will still be there, just like they were when the Gamecube flopped commercially. What you're aiming at is everyone else. A good way of doing that is making something new.

Kid Icarus: Uprising is practically a new franchise, it shares little with the original games besides the characters and locales (Which all have been drastically changed), and the gameplay is completely different and very addictive. The "Wii" games were also Nintendo's new franchise for the system.

[Nintendoga]

I say hold off on the "Nintendo doesn't care about other franchises" sthick until after E3. It's not that they don''t care, but if the series doesn't sell, or if they can't come up with concrete ideas, then they can't do anything. And when they do, they're not gonna tell us out of the blue. They're going to wait until a big convention like E3 or TGS to reveal it.

Besides, remember the past couple of E3's?

2009: Nintendo only makes Mario games! *Shows off Metroid Other M*

2010: Nintendo only makes Mario, Metroid, and Zelda games! *Shows off Donkey Kong Country Returns,Two Kirby games and Kid Icarus Uprising*

2011: Nintendo only makes blah blah blah *Shows off Luigi's Mansion 2, Kid Icarus Uprising again, and another Kirby game*

So don't say they don't care about other franchises, when they clearly do. Mario sells, every company does this with their series! CapcomXStreet Fighter, SegaXSonic, MicrosoftXHalo, SonyXUncharted, you get my point.

And launching a brand new IP for a console is a horrible idea. You need to build upon an IP's reputation, gim him two or three games, let people love it, before risking your new console with them. Maybe for the next Nintendo iteration, but certainly not the Wii-U, especially after how bad the 3DS's launch was with no old IP's. (They did have a new one, Steel Driver, and it sold horribly.)

[Scar]

lolno. We went over this before. That would please no one other than a very specific small base of gamers; dooming the system.

Why exactly would it "doom" the system?

I'm pretty sure a Nintendo fan, let alone fanboy (of which there are many) would buy regardless of whether or not there is a Mario, Zelda or Metroid game at launch. A vague promise of a new Smash Bros. some time in the future seems to be enough to tide most over.

And launching a brand new IP for a console is a horrible idea. You need to build upon an IP's reputation, gim him two or three games, let people love it, before risking your new console with them.

This I don't understand. A new franchise or whathaveyou won't mean there won't be any more of your favorite franchise to come in the future. I mean bloody hell, Nintendo managed to hype the Wii U with a promise of a new Smash Bros without it actually existing at all.

Surely fans of Nintendo know that their 1st party development team are talented enough to see through a new IP to an extremely high standard?

[Tornado]

How do they not? They constantly release quality games from the majority of their big-name franchises, they can't possibly appease every single fan of every single franchise at the same time. On the Wii alone there have been the two Galaxy games, NSMBWii, Super Paper Mario, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Donkey Kong Country Returns, two Zelda games, multiple Excite games, 2 Kirby games, 2 Metroid games (As well as an update of the first two Prime games) Wario Land: Shake, Wario Ware: Smooth Moves, Sin & Punishment 2, and so many high quality games from their big-name franchises,

My apologies. I wasn't aware that every single one of those games was announced to be coming before the Wii came out as something to look forward to on the system. Because considering that's what Dissident's point was in the first place (essentially, "let's see what this puppy can do with a game that can really push the system rather than just another Mario title") one would assume that would be the only circumstance where such a massive text dump would be relevant.

Edited April 18, 2012 by Tornado

[Shoot em up Capbusta]

The "Wii" games were also Nintendo's new franchise for the system.

Yeah but people really don't care about those game it's more aimed towards a younger audience.

[TrueBlue]

Who says that Pikmin 3 and/or Mario Wii U are incapable of pushing the system? I don't think the usage of an IP (whether new, alive or dormant) should have any impact on how (or if) it shows off the power of the system.

Edited April 18, 2012 by Ringo ~

[Indigo Rush]

Yeah but people really don't care about those game it's more aimed towards a younger audience.

[Solkia]

I don't know about you, but I think Wii Sports and other games like that can be a barrel of fun. Call me a retarded and childish casual gamer if you like, but I think that some of these more generic simulation games based on motion control can be very fun, even though they aren't perfect simulations. In fact, these games are one of the main reasons I'm considering saving up for a Wii for my new apartment.

But the main point is that the "Wii" series of games aren't just for younger audiences, they fit an entire niche of their own, one that happens to garner a lot of contention from the so-called "hard-core" market for reasons that don't really make sense to me. But that's how I see it.

[Conando]

Why exactly would it "doom" the system?

I'm pretty sure a Nintendo fan, let alone fanboy (of which there are many) would buy regardless of whether or not there is a Mario, Zelda or Metroid game at launch. A vague promise of a new Smash Bros. some time in the future seems to be enough to tide most over.

This I don't understand. A new franchise or whathaveyou won't mean there won't be any more of your favorite franchise to come in the future. I mean bloody hell, Nintendo managed to hype the Wii U with a promise of a new Smash Bros without it actually existing at all.

Surely fans of Nintendo know that their 1st party development team are talented enough to see through a new IP to an extremely high standard?

Edited April 18, 2012 by Crow T. Robot

[Scar]

Without the well known franchises, like Mario, non-Nintendo diehards won't have an interest in it. Mario SELLS Nintendo systems, whether you want to believe it or not. He pulled the 3DS out of the fire. That's why it would be doomed. Also, considering their newest IPs are thinks like Wii Music...

Edited April 18, 2012 by Scar

[Solid SOAP]

My apologies. I wasn't aware that every single one of those games was announced to be coming before the Wii came out as something to look forward to on the system. Because considering that's what Dissident's point was in the first place (essentially, "let's see what this puppy can do with a game that can really push the system rather than just another Mario title") one would assume that would be the only circumstance where such a massive text dump would be relevant.

Edited April 18, 2012 by Solid SOAP

[Conando]

SOAP's got it right about F-Zero. The series has always bombed. I don't know much about SF3D's numbers, though. Too lazy to look that up. The fact of the matter is the series that are dead are the ones that Nintendo kept pushing, and never became a success for them. Kid Icarus came out of nowhere but, its previous games were fairly well received retail wise. It's not like they're not reviving forgotten games anyway. I mean, Donkey Kong Country, Metroid (Prime series), Kid Icarus, the traditional Kirby game, and Pikmin.