Topic: What Nintendo could have done for year one (but can still implement!)

[Spak-Spang]

Actually, if Nintendo stopped catering the to all demographic crowd.  (almost none of there games are only for kids) they would stop being Nintendo.  They would also stop being a company I would care about.  I like the games Nintendo makes precisely, because I know their games will be engaging, fun, and won't have questionable themes, graphic content, or language.  This isn't because I am worried about my kid or anyone playing it...because I don't want to play it. 

[EasyCure]

Agreed. Depending on the game certain "mature" content take me out of the game.

All the blood and foul language in Black Ops fits bit for some reason hearing thugs call Catwoman a bitch in AC is very off putting.

[Ceric]

That's actually the reason I haven't played Devil May Cry yet.  I think I would enjoy the game itself alright but the Language in it would ruin the experience.

[Ian Sane]

A game for everyone = a game for the lowest common denominator.  You can't make a game for everyone because as you accomodate this group you turn off that one.  Nintendo thinks Wii Sports if for everyone.  No, it's not for me because to accomodate non-gamers like my Mom the gameplay was so dumbed down that I found it boring.  Games with kid-friendly themes have restrictions on story content, character development, themes and settings.  I like variety in the movies I watch and the music I listen to so why wouldn't I also want that with videogames?

Since Nintendo has shitty third party support it is all the more important for them to provide variety on their console because no one else will.  So then they make everything kid friendly and that makes everything start to feel the same.  If they want to just stick to the same routine then they need to work to improve third party support.  If they're not going to do that they need to provide the variety themselves.

Plus some of my favourite Nintendo games like Perfect Dark, Eternal Darkness and Xenoblade were not restricted to kid-friendly content.  While the Metroid series does not reach an 'M' rating it clearly has a less kid-focused style than other Nintendo franchises.  Nintendo is capable of making great mature games without just resorting to juvenile swearing and boobs.  And not all "mature" content is immature.  You would have a hard time making a horror game with an E rating for example or something like Heavy Rain or BioShock.

And I think the most important thing is that I want Nintendo to be creative and if they insist on making games for only one broad audience they limit their creativity.

[marty]

Nintendo really needs to get with it when it comes to VC/e-Shop.
games should be tied to an account a la steam/gog and playable on any capable hardware (3ds/Wii/WiiU/future systems).  I haven't bought anything downloadable from Ninty in years and won't until they can at least match the convenience of steam (which I pretty much only use if humble bundle or gog doesn't have what I want... or if the steam sale is like 1$ and I don't care).

[ThePerm]

lowering the cost of the pro controller couldn't hurt sales.

[nickmitch]

Bundling it with consoles might not hurt either.

[Bizzy_Fatso]

I think if they did these 4 things ASAP they could stimulate some sales and at least shift some more units in the short term:


1)  Cut the price $50 - they have to do this, it's a no brainer
2)  Release ALL of the VC games that were on Wii to the Wii U e-shop immediately (there is no acceptable reason why this hasn't been done already)
3)  Add Dreamcast to the VC library with a nice handful of games available on day one
4)  Advertise the Wii U as THE console for legally playing classic games, and throw in a $25 credit to the e-shop with the deluxe console

[Oblivion]

2)  Release ALL of the VC games that were on Wii to the Wii U e-shop immediately (there is no acceptable reason why this hasn't been done already)

They have. Pay $2 to do so.

[Bizzy_Fatso]

2)  Release ALL of the VC games that were on Wii to the Wii U e-shop immediately (there is no acceptable reason why this hasn't been done already)

They have. Pay $2 to do so.

What I meant was that someone who purchases a Wii U should be able to go to the one place and purchase any VC game that was released for the Wii or Wii U, and play them without having to go to the awkward Wii channel interface.  If you have 2 different online stores with different account structures and payment options on your console, you have failed.

[shingi_70]

Well the first year of Wii U isn't through until novemmber. But looking back so far a few simple suggestons woud have put the Wii U in a more favorable light.


-Clearer and more focused Marketing and messaging,
-A better launch line up. Pikmin 3 and Wii Fit U
-Getting third party support through moneyhats. Rayman and Ghost recon online should be out and exclusive.
-Having their first party and exclusive games have actual online multiplayer.


Looking toward the future we need.


-Multiplayer enabled first party games (its sad that Mario Kart will be the first proper online game on the system from nintendo_
-A bigger focus on digital content. Pokemon Rumble U is a good starting point but they need to go hard like they did with the 3DS eshop.
-Better marketing starting this fall.
-A price cut and new bundles.

[pokepal148]

2)  Release ALL of the VC games that were on Wii to the Wii U e-shop immediately (there is no acceptable reason why this hasn't been done already)

They have. Pay $2 to do so.

What I meant was that someone who purchases a Wii U should be able to go to the one place and purchase any VC game that was released for the Wii or Wii U, and play them without having to go to the awkward Wii channel interface.  If you have 2 different online stores with different account structures and payment options on your console, you have failed.

Nintendo is worried about the safety of the Wii U from hacking, and considering how easy it is to hack the original Wii they were right to cut off the weakest link, the last thing we need right now is some developers getting worried about piracy, Nintendo has to isolate the wii from the wii u in order to prevent the wii's exploits from following into the current generation.

[Spak-Spang]

Ian you are wrong.  Nintendo does not define a game for everyone in those terms.  Those are terms you put upon the term. 

Nintendo addresses games for everyone as a game without questionable content...or a game that can be played by anyone and most likely not offend anyone.

So there are many games that Nintendo has created that compromise nothing, but are games for everyone, anyone can play and do not contain questionable or reasonably objectionable content.  Examples include almost everyone of their franchises:

Super Mario series, Legend of Zelda series, Wii series of games, Metroid series, Animal Crossing series, Pokemon series, F-Zero series, Advanced Wars series, Fire Emblem series, Kirby series...do I really need to go on?

Despite what rating these games ultimately got by the ratings boards, these games were designed with the potential for all kinds of gamers to enjoy.  They often have unique and appealing art designs or gameplay styles that while resemble other games and genres feel uniquely Nintendo because how Nintendo looks at game design to appeal the largest demographic possible.  Some people may see this as a compromise, but I don't.  I love the feel and design methodology of Nintendo...and the series I listed above have usually not been compromised by appealing to a broad demographic of gamers.

However, I can not say the same is true for the biggest 3rd party games that go for a Mature rating...or even just try to make a game for an older demographic.  They usually add content to the games just to get that PG-13 or R rating without any concern about what it actually adds to the game.  I don't care if in real war my fellow soldiers will be using the F word or not in combat.  I don't think it ever needs to be in the game.  And if it IS used...it should be saved for a truly impacting event.  The same is true about blood in games.  I have no problem with blood in games, but most games have gone extremely gory just for the sake of being gory.  It isn't realistic blood, it isn't important to the game play and sometimes it borders on torture porn type game violence.  Completely unnecessary.

So I am completely pleased with how Nintendo approaches game design and I never want Nintendo to change to try to support a hardcore crowd or create Mature games just because some Nintendo fans believe Nintendo has to do this to survive. 

[Bizzy_Fatso]

2)  Release ALL of the VC games that were on Wii to the Wii U e-shop immediately (there is no acceptable reason why this hasn't been done already)

They have. Pay $2 to do so.

What I meant was that someone who purchases a Wii U should be able to go to the one place and purchase any VC game that was released for the Wii or Wii U, and play them without having to go to the awkward Wii channel interface.  If you have 2 different online stores with different account structures and payment options on your console, you have failed.

Nintendo is worried about the safety of the Wii U from hacking, and considering how easy it is to hack the original Wii they were right to cut off the weakest link, the last thing we need right now is some developers getting worried about piracy, Nintendo has to isolate the wii from the wii u in order to prevent the wii's exploits from following into the current generation.

I'm not talking about playing Wii games at all, I don't care about Wii backward compatibility and I don't think many consumers do either.  I'm talking about the Virtual Console.  Nintendo should have converted all of the VC games from the Wii VC to the Wii U and had that ready to go in the store at launch.  They could have left out off-TV play and added that over time, but the games themselves should have been there for purchase.  Not through the clunky Wii Channel -> Wii Shop, but through the Wii U store.  They should add Dreamcast support, and they should market the hell out of the VC.

As it stands today, they couldn't possibly market the VC for the Wii U because it's terrible - there are barely any games in the Wii U shop, and they obviously can't communicate to the average user how to go to the Wii Channel and use a totally different store with a different payment system to find the vast majority of the games.  They have bungled this potentially killer feature in such fantastic fashion I can't even believe it.

[Spak-Spang]

Bizzy Fatso:  Yes I completely agree.  The should of had the games available to buy.  Advertise that they will be upgraded with new features in the future, not here they are now.  It was quite silly for Nintendo not to have done this. 

Since, they didn't do this...they should probably be upping the VC conversion teams and releasing 12-15 games a week on the Virtual console. 

[pokepal148]

Nintendo doesn't have much control over the VC outside of their own games, that is part of the issue.

They can't mess with sonic or the 6 versions of street fighter or any other third party content,  they can only mess with their own stuff and that is a very finite stream.

if they convert a game without permission of its licence holder they run the risk of legal action.

[Spak-Spang]

That isn't much of a problem.  You get with the publishers and you tell them your plans, and show them how it will make them money.  BAM.  Done. 

[paleselan]

*cough* Achievements! *cough*

Why would I ever buy a 3rd party game for Wii U when I could buy the game for PS3 and get trophies for completing the game. I don't get any rewards on Wii U for completing the game; but on PS3 I don't have to explicitely tell people I beat the game in order for them to know that I did.

I cannot understand why this hasn't been implemented yet.

[Ceric]

I actually think the whole achievement thing is a West vs Japan culture type of deal.  Note that Sony didn't have achievements until it was clear that was something the West wanted and the West was where the market is.  Nintendo is still a very Japan-centric company.

[Bizzy_Fatso]

I actually think the whole achievement thing is a West vs Japan culture type of deal.  Note that Sony didn't have achievements until it was clear that was something the West wanted and the West was where the market is.  Nintendo is still a very Japan-centric company.

Just more evidence of how out of touch Nintendo is - ignoring trends in the largest part of your market is generally not wise.

[paleselan]

I love Nintendo, I really do. I buy every system they put out, and most of they games they put out as well. I'll be the first to point out their shortcomings as well, and the lack of achievements is one of them.

[pokepal148]

both Mario U and Nintendo Land feel like they were built in a way that would allow achievements to be retroactively implemented, I don't feel like its out of the question.

[RedBlue]

both Mario U and Nintendo Land feel like they were built in a way that would allow achievements to be retroactively implemented, I don't feel like its out of the question.

I think Nintendo meant for miiverse to replace achievements in someway. In your example Mario  U lets you brag about a level or boss you just finished and in my opinion that's the whole point of achievements.

[pokepal148]

both Mario U and Nintendo Land feel like they were built in a way that would allow achievements to be retroactively implemented, I don't feel like its out of the question.

I think Nintendo meant for miiverse to replace achievements in someway. In your example Mario  U lets you brag about a level or boss you just finished and in my opinion that's the whole point of achievements.

EXACTLY, these things are already linked to miiverse so they could through an update add support for an achievement system

[smallsharkbigbite]

I think what would be sweet for VC is if after getting a Wii U and buying games on that, Wii VC games could come over for free when they come on Wii U VC.  There are some systems I don't own, Turbo Grafx, Mega System, etc, that I would love to play some of the games available on Wii VC.  But I won't buy Wii VC and then have to pay an upgrade fee later.


I think Nintendo can do mature right.  I'm not talking overhyped gore or cursing.  Just look at Eternal Darkness.  It was very well done mature title with substantial oversight from Nintendo.  I wouldn't necessarily like to see them cut down on family friendly titles, but it would be nice for them to pick up a developer to focus on mature titles like that. 


Ian, I disagree that a game for everyone has to let you down.  I'll admit that some of Nintendo's latest offerings have been lacking in depth (looking at you Wii Sports or Wii anything for that matter), but 2D Mario has been the core of Nintendo's stable of games for a while.  It's a game that builds up challenge throughout the game and offers a very indepth experience.  The beginning levels are easier and it is colorful and appropriate for any age.  That is the quintessential for everyone game.