Topic: Surprises from Nintendo in the Future

[Bill Aurion]

Hmmmm should Nintendo send out a new Mario game towards the end of the Cube's life cycle, or perhaps wait and have it at launch for their next system where it will sell a lot more...Think people!

Stop acting like you guys know so much about business in the gaming industry...

[Polemistis]

I'm guessing its gonna be something that would never of thought of.

[Polemistis]

To reply to Bill, no they shouldn't wait to release a Mario game at the end of the Cubes life cycle. It won't sell well, just look at how poor Conkers Bad Fur Day for the N64 sold, that was a great game that was released to late.

[GaimeGuy]

Great game.  hah.   Conker was just movie parodies and toilet humor.   The control was sloppy, graphics were  grainy (albeit that could be attributed to the N64 hardware), and, well, the game just wasn't fun to play. :/

[demoncrono]

anyone remember Marionette?

[Perfect Cell]

Ive mentioned it before. I suspect the GCN will become portable, and will replace the GCN on stores.  A way to compete with the PSP, but without new hardware.  

[Robageejammin]

Argh....yes i agree with all of you. I'm not getting my hopes up anymore, its just too much hype and we end up getting some fake megaton announcement or connectivity crap that noone ever uses. o god why can't Nintendo just pull themselves outta this mess. Someone up there must have some screws loose cause it seems like theyre purposely sabotaging themselves. Its like theyve completely lost sense of what the gaming market is about. I understand theyre having their fun with all the "innovative" stuff and all that. I couldnt be happier with all of Nintendo's work from 1985 to present day. we all know the feeling it brings us to play a Nintendo game. But sadly, that can't be Nintendo's only stronghold of the gaming industry anymore. They MUST grow some sense of a business strategy. Yes, that means adding more mature games, pushing release dates to beat the competition, going online, and most important, ADVERTISING! They have to sell themselves. I'm sick and tired of these PS2 and Xbox commercials because every time I see one, I think why couldnt that have been a Nintendo commercial i just saw. I went to the "Who are you" tour today. First of all there were about 10 - 15 people on the floor at a time. Second, most of them were little kids. It really took me back a second, knowing that if this was a Sony event, It would be advirtised out the wazoo.  Anyway, my point is that Nintendo has all the resources they need to pull themselves out of their mess, theyre just not using them at all. I have no doubt that the quality of their games will always remain #1, but its time to wise up with the industry.

[jasonditz]

Quote
Originally posted by: Bill
Hmmmm should Nintendo send out a new Mario game towards the end of the Cube's life cycle, or perhaps wait and have it at launch for their next system where it will sell a lot more...Think people!

Stop acting like you guys know so much about business in the gaming industry...

Hell, why don't they wait until three or four more consoles have come and gone? Just think how well a new Mario will sell if we haven't seen any in a couple decades?

Now, rather than hurling random insults, fun though it may be, lets think about it like rational human beings. What is the best selling console game? I mean, of all time...

Super Mario Bros. 3.

Now, was this a launch title?

In fact, it came out near the end of the NES's life cycle. And yet they sold 15 million copies (Guiness Record Book estimate).

Maybe if they'd help back until the SNES launch they could've sold 20 million?

The truth of the matter is a launch title will not sell more copies, because most people don't buy the console at launch. The Gamecube, for all the negativity directed towards it, has shipped an estimated 15 million systems worldwide. Now, if Nintendo were to create a truly great new Mario title, what percentage of GC owners would buy it?

[Famicom]

I'm with Rick on this one; the "suprise" sounds like Donkey Konga to me. It's the first thing that came to mind in reading the article. As far as I know, it hasn't gotten a formal announcement here in the states, so it only makes perfect sense. Not to mention the article says Iwata made this announcement of an unconventional product this past August, so it's kinda old news in that regard. Only a "suprise" to CNN Money I suppose.

As far as Mario is concerned, I don't really care if they don't release another one on the GC. As a long time Nintendo fan, I've long since learned not to get excited about stuff I haven't seen, and I haven't seen any visual proof of another Mario platformer to begin with, so I'm oblivious to it all. Launch game for the N5, show off the new hardware with (hopefully) a better Mario game and (hopefully) a better controller, sounds like a solid plan to me.

[TrekGeekMid]

Well, I think they will have a hard time improving on the GCN pad...maybe if they built wireless controller technoloty into the system?

Anyway, I agree that with Nintendo, it is best not to count your chikcens before they hatch. I have a strong suspicion that a decision has been made to hold back the next Mario game till the next generation, probably to allow all the time in the world to polish it to a Mario 64-level.

My concern is if they pushed through another Mario game for the GCN, there wouldn't be sufficent time/resources to develop a quality Mario title for the N5 launch. If this fear of mine is true, then it could lead to either a lack-luster game or a delayed game. The GCN demonstrated that this isn't such a good thing!

Ahem...back to my original point, I just try to not get my hopes up about any of Nintendo's games until it is fairly certain they are really coming out.  

[NarmaK]

This guy is just telling us stuff we already know (or should know). Its just a report to make stupid investers think they know something special.


As for the super new crazy ass mysterious thing they are working on, I have some stupid and crazy ideas.
Virtual Boy 2, now with brain stem jack for ultra realism.
Nintendo OS, you hear that microsoft! You invade my territory and try to put me outa buisness! Eat bankruptcy ya jackass!
Nintendo PCs, 10 ghz processor? Sure, I'd buy one.
NESSix, mini laptop sized portable gaming system. Wireless dial up for net play, 2d based graphics for FF type rpgs, 10 gig HD for downloadable extras, and some more crap I have mentioned at one time or another.
Nintendo Fried Chicken, mmm mmm, gotta love those 12 different herbs and spices.
Free hookers and cash with every purchase of a nintendo game.
A t-shirt with a picture of mario on it...  MEGATON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111111111111111!!!
GC port hub, external device that jacks into the control slot. For the new controllers that actualy use fingers other than your thumbs!! Also good for headset and umm, keyboards and mouses, and USB devices, and NFC bucket warming device. Bah haha!
All in one gba, n64, snes, and GC. Includes high res monitor for progresive scan. And uh, included network adapter and some other crap.

Well, I got more ideas but they are too good to tell you, damn thiefs!

[Ian Sane]

"It won't sell well, just look at how poor Conkers Bad Fur Day for the N64 sold, that was a great game that was released to late."

Well Conker also didn't sell that well because it was an M-rated game and at that point kids and hardcore fans were the only people who bought N64 games.  Perfect Dark had poor sales as well for the same reason.  Plus Conker had very little advertising from Nintendo (much like another mature Nintendo game Eternal Darkness).  Paper Mario on the other hand was a more mass market friendly game with the Mario license and was released only a month before Conker and I think it sold pretty well.  Plus there's a difference between Nintendo releasing a Mario game in 2004 and 2006.  The next Mario game doesn't have to be released at the very end of the Gamecube's lifespan.

"Well, I think they will have a hard time improving on the GCN pad...maybe if they built wireless controller technoloty into the system?"

Have you used the d-pad?  That alone is worthy of a controller redesign.  Plus there's that stupid Z button and the fact that button layout only works well for Nintendo's own games.

[Razenwolf]

You guys complain way too much.  Stop expecting Nintendo to do everything right and play your damned games.  Nintendo is going to do what it wants to do.  

[Dryden]

I hate to disappoint, but this interview was in *August*, slating a spring 2004 "introduction".

That means two things:
1. That it's probably not on the market until Summer, knowing Nintendo's bad release estimates.
2. That this is old news by 3 months.

These just tend to make me agree with the others here on the forum and with Rick that it's only Donkey Konga.  That sounds like an "unconventional" game product to me.

As for Super Mario 128 - it's a possibility.  Nothing more.  Kinda like Metriod Prime was a possibility for N64.  I'm quite glad they waited.  And Super Mario 128 would be a wonderful lauch title for the N5.  Missing Mario Sunshine at launch of the Cube hurt, and Sunshine sold a lot of consoles, even if it was a disappointing game.  Besides, Super Mario 128 is a simple launch title for a new system - only one player, no need for online capabilities, and gives the developers room to show off new hardwarde.

[mouse_clicker]

I'm sure it wouldn't have been on the market until after E3 anyway, which is at the tail end of spring itself.

[KDR_11k]

Donkey Konga isn't unconventional. There are lots of bongo arcade games in Japan.

[Dryden]

I stand corrected:  I actually read the *entire* acticle, and they talk about Donkey Konga quite a bit.

That means that the "unconventional" product is in fact something we haven't heard about, and Rick is wrong.  HA!

With Mario 128 further off (apparently), maybe this unconventional game product is something from our good man, Shigeru Miyamoto?   But if the senior VP of marketing hasn't heard anything whatsoever, even after a three-month old announcement, this is a well kept secret indeed.

I'm sure more rumours will abound, but we likely won't find out till E3.

My call?  A Rubix GameCube.  No joke.

[jasonditz]

Quote
Originally posted by: NarmaK
This guy is just telling us stuff we already know (or should know). Its just a report to make stupid investers think they know something special.


As for the super new crazy ass mysterious thing they are working on, I have some stupid and crazy ideas.
Virtual Boy 2, now with brain stem jack for ultra realism.

I'd buy it. Hell, I still play my old VB once in awhile.

Quote
Nintendo OS, you hear that microsoft! You invade my territory and try to put me outa buisness! Eat bankruptcy ya jackass!

Surely the better name would be MariOS

Quote
Nintendo PCs, 10 ghz processor? Sure, I'd buy one.
NESSix, mini laptop sized portable gaming system. Wireless dial up for net play, 2d based graphics for FF type rpgs, 10 gig HD for downloadable extras, and some more crap I have mentioned at one time or another.

Sensibly priced at 100,000 yen for launch.  

[VideoGamerX]

Nintendo can't sit on Mario 128. It's been a tentative title for more than a year now, and we're still more than two years away from any "next generation" hardware. Is it possible to sit on a game for three years? Boy, talk about vaporware. The next Mario is gonna get the Duke Nukem Forever label.

I can see it now... Super Mario Forever because it's going to be forever before we see it. In the mean time, if they're not going to work on that for the GameCube, they'd better crank out something pretty good. Something original would hit the spot.

[Dryden]

Nintendo, like all of the major game companies, are keeping their hands hidden right now.  There's no sense in advertising or promoting games that come out after Christmas, not when there's two months of holiday shopping left.

And it's not like Mario 128 will need lots of advance press anyway.  I wouldn't expect anything until their pre-E3 press releases.  If nothing then, then we wait for the N5.

Besides, there's plethora of Mario related games coming out soon, including Mario Kart, Mario Party 5, Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga, and the long awaited Mario Tennis.  LONG awaited.  Four months between Mario Golf and Mario Kart, and four more (at least) until Mario Tennis.  I hate marketing saavy.

[Mysi]

Quote
Originally posted by: jasonditz
And no way have they got the balls to release another VR system. The VB debauchle should've scared them straight in that regard.

Maybe not another Virtual Reality (VR) *system*, per ce, but I can see Nintendo making a VR accessory for the Gamecube/N5 systems.
Some things that went wrong with the Virtual Boy include, a) it had a two-color scheme of black and eye-piercing red, b) it was pretty damned expensive for something that hurts your eyes, and c) no multiplayer stuffs.
So yea, if Nintendo decided to make an VR accessory for a console, that would be pretty cool.. although it's quite doubtful that this is the mysterious "unconventional" new product that the article is talking about. I'd place my bets that it has something to do with online gaming, a new accessory for either the Gamecube or GBA, or just some piece of software that gets a lot of hoopa for having one special feature (like GBA-GC-online connectivity).

MYSI, who will now go and play Lemonade Tycoon.

[Berny]

So, Nintendo DOES NOT plan on competing with the PSP, and WILL NOT release their next console before the rest. They better have 5 aces up their sleeves. I thought that doing both of those things would assure that they do well. Apparently I was wrong.

Rule Nuber 1: Don't panic. Nintendo always manages in the end.

[mouse_clicker]

It just takes them a lot longer to manage than it should. :/ Honestly, I don't see how just having an add on for the GBA is going to compete with the PSP at all. Nintendo tried sticking to the NES when Sega released the Genesis, and that obviously didn't work. They say they're taking Sony seriously, but I don't see this as a very serious response.

[Dryden]

Nintendo's not treating the Nokia N-Gage seriously either.  But then, no one is treating the N-Gage seriously.

As for a new VR accessory - I can't seriously see this happening until VR games become more popular in Japanese arcades.  If Nintendo spearheads this, you'll be seeing VR with their Triforce arcade board, not on console.  I never liked the Virtual Boy, because it wasn't portable, and it wasn't a home system.  This is a big problem that Arcades can overcome.

And as for the PSP - Nintendo is taking the threat seriously.  But they won't be "spooked" into changing their market strategy by announcements from Sony.  Sony has a lot more to lose, and gain, than Nintendo does in the portable market.  The risk is Sony's, not Nintendo's.

[mouse_clicker]

That's a good point, Dryden, but it still seems like Nintendo is playing into Sony's hands. Nintendo has to react to what their competitors are doing, not just plow right ahead, ignoring everyone esle. Nintendo doesn't just need something viable to compete with the PSP, they need to steal Sony's thunder- the PSP certainly won't get as much hype as it's getting if Nintendo had their own new machine to combat it. Nintendo should act like their hold on the handheld market is in serious danger, regrdless of whether it actually is or not. Nintendo has to make sure the PSP doesn't attain any sort of success at all- they should obliterate it as soon as possible. They need a message to not only Sony, but anyone thinking of entering a handheld, that they're going to have to fight tooth and nail if they want to take over any of Nintendo's business.