Author Topic: NOA Announces Brain Age for DS (Read 19554 times)

Infernal Monkey · « **Reply #25 on:** January 30, 2006, 01:12:49 PM »

Oh neat, they've thrown SuDoku into the American version.

Everyone seems to get excited in the pants over that lately!

KnowsNothing · « **Reply #26 on:** January 30, 2006, 01:52:01 PM »

That box art looks suspiciously like my avatar.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #27 on:** January 30, 2006, 01:53:49 PM »

"Way to miss the boat completely. The non-gamer strategy is there to create a new market, not appeal only to the old one."

True but what if Nintendo fails to create this new market in North America? Then they risk being stuck with a bunch of games that the existing market has no interest in.

People bring up the DS a lot as proof that everything is going great. But the first six months of the DS life was horrible. There weren't any really great games. At that point the lineup was largely glorified mini-game stuff. I think it's a big example of neglecting the existing gamer market for the non-gamer one. So if they do the same thing with the Rev but the non-gamer stuff doesn't take off in North America they're screwed. Therefore it's incredibly important that that strategy is somewhat proven to work over here.

Plus personally I think it's a little silly to try to attract a new market when Nintendo can't even attract the existing market worth crap. I think Nintendo should concentrate more on regaining the huge amount of console market share they've lost before attracting a new unproven market. Non-gamer product is not going to attract the existing market back so if it fails to catch on Nintendo's got nothing.

"The thing to keep in mind is that winning massive support in Japan will drastically increase games being localized stateside. Think about it. If Japanese companies like Capcom, Square Enix, Namco/Bandai, etc all see Nintendo as a massive force to be reckoned with in Japan (via their non-gamer strategy), they'll makes games on the Rev, pure and simple. And that creates more third party support, which of course breeds a larger and more varied library, in which case those not into non-games won't have to worry; there'll be tons of other games to choose from. The beauty in it is that if Nintendo secures a bunch of third party support (as can be seen with the DS), it won't matter as much what Nintendo puts out; they won't be your only option anymore."

Yeah but if Nintendo's success is based on non-gamer stuff then won't third parties be more likely to release their own non-gamer stuff? That doesn't help me any. I only care about third party support that provides more games I'm interested in. I will still help to an extent but it really depends on what's being made. And saying it won't matter what Nintendo puts out because they're not our only option makes no sense. Nintendo is the most important developer for a Nintendo fan. If they're not releasing stuff I'm interested in then there's no point in owning their console at all. If Nintendo wasn't a crucial part of the equation then I think all of us who care about third party support would have jumped to Sony along with Square back in 1997.

It all depends on what is actually being made. Nintendo could sell more consoles then Sony ever has but if it was with the supreme non-gamer console they might as well have gone under. Who cares about Nintendo's success if they achieve it with an audience you're not a part of?

Mario · « **Reply #28 on:** January 30, 2006, 02:51:57 PM »

Quote
Nintendogs wasn't the best test because as a puppy simulator it still has a lot of resemblance to "real" games.

Honestly, I think Brain Training is WAY more of a "game" than Nintendogs. Brain Training is about doing challenges, beating scores, etc. Nintendogs you just poke a dog and watch what it does.

Awesome boxart!

To clarify, it seems that Brain Age = Brain Training For Adults and Big Brain Academy is the other one, supposedly aimed at kids. Either that or it's Brain Training for Adults 2....

I loved the demo too and i'll be grabbing this game as soon as it hits, it's actually my most anticipated game right now.

denjet78 · « **Reply #29 on:** January 30, 2006, 03:01:22 PM »

Quote
Who cares about Nintendo's success if they achieve it with an audience you're not a part of?

Oh I just LOVE this one. So Nintendo makes a few games that people take umbredge with as actually calling games and you say their screwing themselves over. How many non-games have Nintendo really made? And I'm not counting the games that Nintendo themselves consider to be non-games like AC and Nintendogs. Let's see, their's the Brain Training series and Electroplankton and... what's that? Is that ALL? I would have thought, from your continued prophetic spouting of Nintendo's undoing, that all they're going to be making anymore is non-games. Were is the massive slew of non-games that you're saying are going to take over Nintendo's develpment groups only to dig them deeper into the ground? What? They don't exist? You're simply jumping the gun because you're always looking for something, anything really, to beat Nintendo over the head with? Well, you should really start prefacing your posts with that because your nonsensical rants and moaning are only really acheiving one effect: Pissing people off.

Why don't you just go and get a PS3 or an XBox 360 and spread your doom and gloom in their ranks? The last thing Nintendo gamers need is more "N1NT3ND0 1Z T3H D00M3D!"

I, for one, am highly anticipating the return of all my favorites with a new level of control and accessability that no one would have ever thought possible before as well as all new TYPES of games, franchises, and gameplay.

You see change and you fear it, like most people do.

...

Get over yourself.

PaLaDiN · « **Reply #30 on:** January 30, 2006, 03:19:21 PM »

Huh... this actually looks interesting. I'll probably be picking it up.

Infernal Monkey · « **Reply #31 on:** January 30, 2006, 03:28:17 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: KnowsNothing
That box art looks suspiciously like my avatar.

!!

KnowsNothing · « **Reply #32 on:** January 30, 2006, 03:31:38 PM »

That would sell five million copies in a day =o

Knoxxville · « **Reply #33 on:** January 30, 2006, 03:31:59 PM »

LOL!! /\ /\

Seriously though, I'm psyched about this too....but I gotta give the award to most anticipated game to that DS Tetris.....yeah BUDDY!!

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #34 on:** January 30, 2006, 03:43:10 PM »

Perhaps I am missing something in Ian's comment, but what in the world is the big deal about DS struggling game wise, the first six months (though some of the games along with the system sold quite well). Most new systems (ESPECIALLY HANDHELDS) struggle for a few months before they find their way, the DS was a completely new concept to handheld gaming so of course there was a small dry spell, it was bound to happen especially with Nintendo pushing it out for christmas.

Infernal Monkey · « **Reply #35 on:** January 30, 2006, 03:47:51 PM »

Yeah, don't mind Ian. He feels the need to paste his one block of text into every single thread, no matter what the thread is about.

"Brain Training!"
"WHERE IS GAMECUBE THIRD PARTY SUPPORT. I DON'T KNOW IF NINTENDOGS WILL SELL, NINTENDO IS IN TROUBLE BECAUSE THERE IS NO GRAND THEFT AUTO, I PREDICT CERTAIN DOOM"

"DS is a massive success!"
"WHERE IS GAMECUBE THIRD PARTY SUPPORT. I DON'T KNOW IF NINTENDOGS WILL SELL, NINTENDO IS IN TROUBLE BECAUSE THERE IS NO GRAND THEFT AUTO, I PREDICT CERTAIN DOOM"

"LOST is a good show!"
"WHERE IS GAMECUBE THIRD PARTY SUPPORT. I DON'T KNOW IF NINTENDOGS WILL SELL, NINTENDO IS IN TROUBLE BECAUSE THERE IS NO GRAND THEFT AUTO, I PREDICT CERTAIN DOOM"

Jiggy37 · « **Reply #36 on:** January 30, 2006, 03:48:37 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: kirby_killer_dedede
I know Artimus was being sarcastic, but if the focus remains on non-games, this coming gen may very well be Nintendo's last generation as a console maker.

What focus? Nintendogs, Electroplankton, and two Brain Training titles don't equal a focus on non-gaming. That's all of four titles compared to over three times more standard Nintendo games on the system: Advance Wars, Animal Crossing, Yoshi, Wario Ware, Princess Peach, Mario Kart, Metroid, Pokemon Trozei, Pokemon Mysterious Dungeon, Tetris, Metroid Pinball, Mario 64, Kirby, Mario and Luigi, and probably others I'm forgetting or that were less noteworthy.

Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
True but what if Nintendo fails to create this new market in North America? Then they risk being stuck with a bunch of games that the existing market has no interest in.

Four titles are hardly "a bunch," especially when one's sold exclusively over the Internet and another one performed extremely well.

animecyberrat · « **Reply #37 on:** January 30, 2006, 06:03:37 PM »

I really wantred to get electroplankton as a musician it so interests me more than I can tell. But brain training is actualy perfect for a handheld, when you go on road trips or if your stuck somewhere waiting for a long time its nice to have a game that you can show to family memebrs who arent into games at all, besides teh UNIVERSALY accpeted Tetris.

BigJim · « **Reply #38 on:** January 31, 2006, 04:48:11 AM »

Oye. This conversation again. Nintendo can make all the Brain Age and Nintendog games they want AS LONG AS they don't neglect their more involved GOOD epics, create new ones, AND get more 3rd party support (of "gamer" games) as well. "Good" is subjective, but such is life if you claim to be an everybody company.

And before anybody says they won't neglect them, or there will be more 3rd party support, there's no proof of that yet. However, my Cube will have basically collected dust for over a year by the time Zelda is released. If the past predicts the future, then a segment of Nintendo fans are screwed... at least on the console front.

Thank god for MK DS... i.e. digital crack. Wish it could be taken intravenously.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #39 on:** January 31, 2006, 05:04:33 AM »

"I don't want games for 'everybody', I want games for ME!" - Ian's logic to Nintendo's previous strategy of "games for everyone" that they had since the NES.

wandering · « **Reply #40 on:** January 31, 2006, 05:22:39 AM »

Quote
Oye. This conversation again. Nintendo can make all the Brain Age and Nintendog games they want AS LONG AS they don't neglect their more involved GOOD epics, create new ones, AND get more 3rd party support (of "gamer" games) as well. "Good" is subjective, but such is life if you claim to be an everybody company.

And before anybody says they won't neglect them, or there will be more 3rd party support, there's no proof of that yet. However, my Cube will have basically collected dust for over a year by the time Zelda is released. If the past predicts the future, then a segment of Nintendo fans are screwed... at least on the console front.

Wait, what, you're trying to say one caused the other? Baloney. Unless you're also going to argue that far-more ridiculous draughts of the n64's lifetime were also caused by Nintendo focusing too much on non-gamers.

The thing people often don't factor in is that Nintendo's "non-games" tend to be made quickly and by small groups of people. Also, they tend to make bucketloads of money, and tend to be generally fantastic. I don't see the problem.

BigJim · « **Reply #41 on:** January 31, 2006, 06:49:30 AM »

Quote
Wait, what, you're trying to say one caused the other?

Nope, I wasn't. All I was saying is that as long as they don't interfere, then go nuts. That seems to be most people's opinion.

There has been a growing drought in the second half of the Cube's life, for whatever reason, which is not comforting. Surely some of the silence means they're working on next-gen. I just have a wait and see attitude about their strategy until we know what they've been working on. I'd be more enthusiastic if Cube hadn't underperformed in general, if Iwata didn't give a 50 minute speech about non-gamers, and then introduce the Revmote in the context of attracting them... so I feel more "show me the money" this time around.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #42 on:** January 31, 2006, 07:09:29 AM »

"Honestly, I think Brain Training is WAY more of a 'game' than Nintendogs. Brain Training is about doing challenges, beating scores, etc. Nintendogs you just poke a dog and watch what it does."

To me the difference is that Nintendogs really wouldn't work at all except in game format. But the Brain Training games look like something that could be replicated on paper with a pencil. Brain Training is something that doesn't have to be made in videogame format in order to work. So I see it as more of an example of a non-game and a better test. Nintendo is taking something that doesn't have to be a videogame and making it a videogame to attract people who don't game to their system. It's like putting crossword puzzles or board games or free flash games on a game system and hoping that the people who already have access to these things will buy a game system to play them.

And when I talk about the non-gamer strategy in relation to the DS I'm not just talking about the really "pure" non-games like Electroplankton. I'm also including the short simple glorified mini-games that were all over the DS when it was first released. Nintendo talks a lot about people being intimidated by complex controls and such. Those sort of simple games with little depth are designed for that group. That group is part of the non-gamer market Nintendo is trying to attract. So I consider effort put into those sort of titles as resources used for the non-gamer market. And you can say that Nintendo is focusing on both groups and that non-games don't take up a lot of resources but for the first six months or so of the DS Nintendo didn't release any meaty titles designed for the existing game market. It was all glorified mini-games. The only title with any sort of serious depth was a port of game any serious gamer has played a million times before already.

The DS was the first system Nintendo released with this non-gamer strategy in mind and until game like Advance Wars and Mario Kart came out there were no games released for it I was even slightly interested in. That's why I'm afraid Nintendo's strategy is going to neglect existing gamers. Because from my point of view they already DID with the DS. Therefore they better make sure this strategy works in North America because if they pull the same crap on the Rev they're screwed. They're comprimising their service to one group to try to appeal to a new group that may in fact not care at all.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #43 on:** January 31, 2006, 08:27:10 AM »

Those minigames weren't for non-gamers, they were filler because the DS was rushed and Nintendo couldn't get anything better out in time.

PaLaDiN · « **Reply #44 on:** January 31, 2006, 08:37:12 AM »

Ian, for all your worries you have to admit that as it stands right now the DS is a pretty good platform.

Even if the Rev is identical it's only a matter of time before proper gamer's games come out to shut you up.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #45 on:** January 31, 2006, 08:38:06 AM »

"Those minigames weren't for non-gamers, they were filler because the DS was rushed and Nintendo couldn't get anything better out in time."

That's pretty likely. I do think the DS was rushed in North America. If that's the only reason those games were made then it's not as big of an issue. Obviously Nintendo can't rush the Rev launch.

"Even if the Rev is identical it's only a matter of time before proper gamer's games come out to shut you up."

But will the Rev even make it far enough if it is anything like the DS? The DS had an advantage in that it was the follow-up to the GBA. It coasted on the strength of it's predecessor just like the PS2 initially coasted on the PS1's strength. But the Rev has no such safety net. If it fails to impress in the first few months it's finished, period. Nintendo absolutely cannot be thinking "well this worked okay for the DS" when making any decisions regarding the Rev.

NinGurl69 *huggles · « **Reply #46 on:** January 31, 2006, 08:52:08 AM »

"To me the difference is that Nintendogs really wouldn't work at all except in game format. But the Brain Training games look like something that could be replicated on paper with a pencil. Brain Training is something that doesn't have to be made in videogame format in order to work. So I see it as more of an example of a non-game and a better test. Nintendo is taking something that doesn't have to be a videogame and making it a videogame to attract people who don't game to their system. It's like putting crossword puzzles or board games or free flash games on a game system and hoping that the people who already have access to these things will buy a game system to play them."

Printing a picture of Dr. Kawashima's head on a piece of paper and expecting someone to answer multiplication problems with NO means of progress monitoring or other lively feedback is LAME, BORING, A WASTE OF TIME, AND A WASTE OF PAPER.

"OH GEE, I'LL JUST BUST OUT SOME PENCIL AND PAPER ON THE TRAIN HOME AND TEST MYSELF WITH THESE QUIZES I DOWNLOADED OFF THE INTERWEB!"
Never happening. Why bother.

2 million+ Brain Training owners in Japan VS. One Ian Sane.

You fail.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #47 on:** January 31, 2006, 10:03:50 AM »

"2 million+ Brain Training owners in Japan VS. One Ian Sane.

You fail."

2 million members of a market that is supposedly shrinking vs. one member of the largest game market in the world that according to annual reports just keeping growing and growing.

Stuff like Brain Training is a response to Nintendo's belief that people are getting bored with games. It's a conclusion they came to looking at the Japanese market. In North America this "crisis" doesn't exist. Gaming has been getting more and more popular. Let's see if Brain Training sells 2 million copies over here. That's why I consider this game the big test.

And quizes could EASILY be replicated on paper. It would be like those books they have for crossword puzzles and word searches. Those exist so obviously some people use them. On paper it wouldn't be exactly the same experience but it would be pretty damn similar. You don't need a screen to answer questions and answer keys are pretty damn common in puzzle books.

ShyGuy · « **Reply #48 on:** January 31, 2006, 10:30:19 AM »

So what you're saying, Ian, is if at least 2 people in "the largest game market in the world that according to annual reports just keeping growing and growing" buy Brain Training, THEN you fail?

BTW, I replicated Burnout: Revenge in my car on the way to work today. I'm a Non-Gamer!

joeposh · « **Reply #49 on:** January 31, 2006, 10:53:01 AM »

If they really added Sudoku to the American version, it's over. That ALONE will get this game out the door...

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Author Topic: NOA Announces Brain Age for DS (Read 19554 times)