Topic: Episode 289: S.O.P.H.I.A. on the Sauce

[Hey Einstein!]

Another nice podcast fella's. Glad I passed on the retroactive, it just sounded too frustrating.


And speaking of frustration, I think Johnny's opinion on New Super Mario Bros 2 is a bit unrealistic (trying to be kind here!).  It sounds like he wants Nintendo to function like an indie developer in the same year that they published their first annual loss.
New Super Mario is a series that makes money, it's not like they have annualized it or milked it beyond redemption like an Activision or Ubisoft franchise and the previous 2 games are both solid 2D platformers. Not my favourite Mario games but nothing to be ashamed of.


One of the things I like about Nintendo is that they do experiment as well as milking their classic franchises.
So I think it's a bit unreasonable to moan about a predictable money maker that will massively help their bottom line, especially one that comes out a year after Mario 3D land which is pretty unique for a Mario game.

[lolmonade]

Another nice podcast fella's. Glad I passed on the retroactive, it just sounded too frustrating.


And speaking of frustration, I think Johnny's opinion on New Super Mario Bros 2 is a bit unrealistic (trying to be kind here!).  It sounds like he wants Nintendo to function like an indie developer in the same year that they published their first annual loss.
New Super Mario is a series that makes money, it's not like they have annualized it or milked it beyond redemption like an Activision or Ubisoft franchise and the previous 2 games are both solid 2D platformers. Not my favourite Mario games but nothing to be ashamed of.


One of the things I like about Nintendo is that they do experiment as well as milking their classic franchises.
So I think it's a bit unreasonable to moan about a predictable money maker that will massively help their bottom line, especially one that comes out a year after Mario 3D land which is pretty unique for a Mario game.

I think it may be unrealistic, but it's the wish of not only him, but several Nintendo devotees that believe the New Super Mario Bros style is lazy/stale, and want to see a new visualization and way to play a Mario platformer. 
 
As gamers, we should be able to understand why gaming business may make the decisions they make, but also be willing to criticize them if we don't think they are meeting our needs as gamers. 
 
Nintendo often (unjustifiably) gets complained about as a company that keeps on re-releasing the same game under a different console each couple of years.  I think there's legitimate concern about them eventually falling into this cycle.

[Chocobo_Rider]

Here's how I would sum up the situation:
"Rehash" game + awesome = no problem.
"Rehash" game + not awesome = problem.

That said, I've yet to have a problem with Nintendo.  I officially think that the release of NSMB2 and NSMBWii U so close together might start calling awesomeness into jeopardy.  However, based on Nintendo's history, they have definitely earned the right to be pronounced innocent until proven guilty!!  To think the opposite would be to neglect history.

[Pandareus]

Even I, who had gone on the record saying I welcomed a little rehashing from Nintendo when it comes to 2D platformers, since we fans of the genre hadn't gotten catered to for essentially two whole gens, feel like the NSMB series could use a little break if it wants to remain fresh. I'm still hopeful and looking forward to NSMB2, though.

[Uncle_Optimus]

That said, I've yet to have a problem with Nintendo.  I officially think that the release of NSMB2 and NSMBWii U so close together might start calling awesomeness into jeopardy.  However, based on Nintendo's history, they have definitely earned the right to be pronounced innocent until proven guilty!!  To think the opposite would be to neglect history.

Itsa me, Mario Party!

[NWR_Neal]

I think I get what Uncle Optimus is saying, and I'll spell it out:

Mario Party 9 is freaking awesome and actual forward leap for the franchise. Yet still, most people ignore it and rip on it for being the same old crap. Humorously enough, MP9 was looked at with a raised eyebrow when it was announced last E3. Unfortunately, everyone who raised an eyebrow at that likely never cared to read anything else about the game again.

If that same dismissal happens with NSMB2, then I don't really know why you're a Nintendo fan, if you can even call yourself that.

[Uncle_Optimus]

I figure that Nintendo, like other game publishers, are more than willing to serialize a money-maker. Mario Party is a very interesting test case: glancing over the series rough performance over its iterations (via vgchartz, not perfect, I know) Nintendo was pushing out product annually on the GameCube, despite waning critical reception. The reason is as any would guess, the games sold very well and the development budget was likely relatively spartan compared to most of Nintendo's 'Cube efforts. With ROI like that, and remembering Nintendo's platform struggles during those times, who could blame 'em for capitalizing on what the public apparently wanted anyway?
If anything, I am now very surprised that they have only thrown 2 Mario Parties on the Wii...number 8 (released 2007) leveraged that wide "casual" Wii userbase for some spectacular sales! This would indeed support an argument that Nintendo is "better" than many of their 3rd parties when it comes to milking a series. "Better" sure is subjective tho; If it were me running Nintendo, I would have wanted at least one other New Super Mario Bros. on the Wii. (30 million presumably happy customers would likely be quite receptive...but Nintendo's unfortunate failures to adequately support their successful platform is another topic.)

Game companies that leverage a popular property with multiple sustaining releases is the logical tact, I don't think there is anything "wrong" with it perse. In fact, I wouldn't mind if they could "milk" a couple OG-style Metroid adventures outta themselves (listening to RFN's Super Metroid spectacular as I type)...a second NSMB for Wii would likely have paid for it and then some.

[Hey Einstein!]

Here's how I would sum up the situation:
"Rehash" game + awesome = no problem.
"Rehash" game + not awesome = problem.

Couldn't agree more!
I would buy a NSMB rehash every year so long as I keep enjoying them.
And if I don't enjoy it then I am happy for a million other people to buy it and line the Nintendo pockets again and hopefully further widen the 3DS install base. I'll just play something else.


I think people are making too much of the Wii U Mario demo at E3 last year. It was a demo, let's wait for an announcement before we criticize the release schedule. How long was Skyward Sword demoed before we ever got an accurate release date?


Stroof, based on the 3DS time line there won't be a Mario game on Wii U until summer 2013 anyway ( although I do hope they learn their lesson and have some plumber ready for the launch)!!!