Post by: JonLeung on June 16, 2006, 06:58:12 AM
If you'd rather not read my WALL OF TEXT life story of growing up with Nintendo, skip down to the second-last paragraph.
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My earliest memories are probably when I was two or three, and one of those is when my dad brought home a ColecoVision. The pack-in game was Donkey Kong, and soon we would get Donkey Kong Junior. We enjoyed many ColecoVision games in its day, but for some reason treasured Donkey Kong. Was there some kind of Nintendo magic? Or simply because it was the first?
Some of my early elementary school friends had other systems, so I also had a taste of Atari 2600 games. I'm sure many people who were born slightly before me or even about my age would say that I probably missed out on memories of Asteroids and Pitfall Harry and Kaboom! and whatnot. I had played them, even E.T. (and enjoyed it at the time! o_0) but for me, it was all about the ColecoVision instead, sorry to say. (When that broke, we got an Adam computer, which had a slot for ColecoVision games.) It wasn't until my friends got NESes that I actually became envious.
When I was still a young'un (elementary school age) a lot of my free time was being dragged around by my mom while she was shopping. So one day, when finishing another shopping day at Mill Woods Town Centre, fate had her make a tiny slip on the curb near the bus stop. It wasn't anything serious, or so it seemed at first, but because of the awkward way her foot landed, some bones in her foot fractured, and it soon swelled up and became extremely painful to walk on. She would have her foot in a cast and be unable to walk for weeks. Because she feared that she wouldn't be able to entertain me and my brother with her shopping (oh, no! *rolls eyes*) before the day was even over she asked my dad to buy what we'd long envied, the NES. We got the three-game set, with Super Mario Bros., Duck Hunt, and World Class Track Meet, as well as the Zapper and Power Pad. Oh, glorious day!
It was probably 1988, and Super Mario Bros. 2 was the current rage. Frequent stops to Video Station let us rent so many games in the three years before the Super NES arrived, so my 8-bit memories are probably as full as anybody else's. I never did see The Wizard in theaters - but I do distinctly remember my first glimpse of Super Mario Bros. 3 - and it's strange to think that I knew already that it would be the best NES game ever before being aware of the hype.
We moved to a different neighbourhood in 1990, and so I had a different set of friends. One of my new best friends had a Master System, NES, Sega Genesis, and soon the Super NES. My junior high years, filled with the awkwardness of growing up, were thankfully accompanied and comforted with some of the best years in video games; the 16-bit era. I was clearly led by Nintendo from here on - I defended the Super NES against the Genesis and my Super NES selection was mostly first-party games, unlike the variety I had on the NES. At this point I finished nearly every game on a rental, though, but only Nintendo games seemed to me worth buying, especially now that me and my brother were buying our own games and not dependent on parents to do so.
The N64 came out partway through high school, and there are many a memory of GoldenEye matches. My friend with all the game systems, who almost had an aversion to blood even in junior high, finding it "unnecessary" and even off-putting, seemed to be growing up and accepted the violence of GoldenEye (what seemed to be much at the time, especially for him) probably the most of many of my friends. But one day he said something that I remember so distinctly: "Yoshi's Story is 'too kiddy'". If he was growing up, shouldn't I be, too? Oh, the insecurity!
University began for me in 1998, the same year Pokémon came out. I never had a Game Boy but that was the pusher that got me one. Or two, rather, a Game Boy Pocket and a Game Boy Color. Looking back on it I'm sure people looked at me as if I were childish - enjoying what kindergarteners would while in university, making no secret my attempts to catch 'em all. In the latter half of our university years, I remember the ridiculous arguments I had with my friends - they had given in to the PS2, they claimed the GameCube was garbage without even knowing what games were on it. Even the same friend I've referenced who always seemed to have all the current systems at any time said he was only going to MAYBE rent a GameCube just for Super Smash Bros. Melee. Because I was the first (and for a while) the only one with a GameCube and not a PS2, I seemed to have gained a reputation for being a Nintendo fanboy - what I don't like is that they probably think I'm blindingly so. I'll admit there is some successful marketing and life-shaping on Nintendo's part - but considering how many PS2 and especially Xbox games I've played on the PC, I'm prone to think their criticisms are more shallow than my own because you pretty much need a Nintendo console to play Nintendo games. At least I've played many games apart from the Nintendo ones.
And now here I am, with a decent job (though I'm still looking for what I really want to do with my life) on the advent of the Wii. The NES defined my elementary years, the Super NES for junior high, the N64 for high school, the GameCube for university (give or take a year or two), and now here I am in real life, ready for the Wii.
Assuming five-year spans for every console, will I find my soul mate before the end of Wii's life span? Will I marry her while anticipating the 6th or 7th Nintendo console? Will we have kids born around the time of the 8th or 9th console? Will my kid(s) form memories with the 10th console the same way I had with the first one, the NES? Will they grow up with the 11th, 12th, and 13th consoles? Will I retire by the launch of the 13th console, which if console life spans are consistent could come out when I'm 66? Assuming I live to the average age for Canadians of just about 81, I may die while wishing I could play the upcoming 16th Nintendo console. (They say people living today may easily live to 150 years or more thanks to medical advances, so if I'm lucky I might live to see the later 20somethings or even the 30th Nintendo console.)
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And this is what I'm getting to - 15 or 16 generations of game consoles in my lifetime, or up to maybe even twice as many? That is...incomprehensible to me. When I'm loading up the Virtual Console feature on my 15th generation Nintendo console, if I forgot to keep playing Brain Age, senility may set in and I may have trouble remembering if a game I loved in my middle age was from the 7th, 8th, or 9th game console. If Nintendo continues to be innovative, each game system could be very distinct - but that's still a lot of consoles to sort through. Sure, I can remember the differences between nearly a dozen iterations of Game Boys, but when I'm a geezer will there be a hundred or more?
Do you think we'll all still be Nintendo fans all our lives, as all the consoles become a blur, eventually the current Nintendo people (including Miyamoto) are long dead, and companies that don't even exist now have their potential rises and falls as competitors?
Post by: Avinash_Tyagi on June 16, 2006, 07:15:22 AM
Post by: Ian Sane on June 16, 2006, 07:15:58 AM
Plus when you're a fan of something you never know if they'll continue in a direction that you like. I used to be a huge WWF fan. The idea of not routinely watching WWF and other wrestling programs never crossed my mind. Well I haven't watched WWE in at least two years and I get my wrestling fix entirely from watching old matches I missed the first time around. The WWF (and the American wrestling scene in general since WCW and ECW died) has changed into something I don't like so I'm not a fan anymore. That could happen to Nintendo with any of us. Nintendo has changed a lot in the 24 years I've been alive. In another 24 years they could be completely different.
Post by: Arbok on June 16, 2006, 07:49:23 AM
Today, it's pretty much Nintendo or nothing. I could see myself losing interest some day, in fact today I play hand held games mostly as it fits in with my schedule and I can play it during lunch at work. If I do lose interest in Nintendo, though, it will likely be because I lost interest in video games in general.
In terms of this and my other passion (Japanese cinema), video games would likely be the first to go.
Post by: S-U-P-E-R on June 16, 2006, 08:38:51 AM
Post by: Smash_Brother on June 16, 2006, 09:42:57 AM
Also, I prefer buying from the "little guy", the underdog, because I know for a fact that they're product will be of a higher quality.
I know the Wii will offer me a better gaming experience because Nintendo finally realized that they ARE the underdog. I don't think this had been made clear to them until just recently when the GC placed 3rd.
The little guy needs to have better stuff because it's his survival on the line. Sony and MS can release garbage products and still have a multi-billion dollar empire to fall back on. Nintendo is working without a net, and they know they need to deliver this round because there's nothing between them and the cement floor otherwise.
Will this last for life? Maybe, so long as Nintendo doesn't come full circle and start believing that no one can challenge their supremacy again and start acting like Sony is acting now.
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on June 16, 2006, 10:41:55 AM
Post by: GoldenPhoenix on June 16, 2006, 11:37:29 AM
Post by: JonLeung on June 16, 2006, 11:58:12 AM
I also don't have the original Game Boy or the Game Boy micro or DS Lite, but then again I have the Game Boy Pocket, Game Boy Advance and GBA SP, and the DS, so it's not like they're much different, game selection-wise. But I will probably pick up a DS Lite regardless.
I guess I'm a little naive - many things could happen that could disrupt the likeliness of consistent five-year life spans. And as has been mentioned, once I have a family, I may not have as much time for games. And even if there are over a dozen Nintendo consoles in my lifetime, I'm likely going to treasure those in my childhood the most...I don't think anything could ever top the NES and Super NES in terms of my enjoyment of them, despite how much time I could spend on current game consoles now.
I feel sorry for kids now who have been growing up on the PlayStations. They probably see the NES and Super NES as primitive, before their time, as I almost see the Atari 2600.
Post by: ThePerm on June 16, 2006, 01:29:24 PM
Post by: KnowsNothing on June 16, 2006, 02:31:03 PM
This thread also makes me question the future of video games. Will there even be a 30th Nintendo console? It seems hard to imagine....I mean, we're at the fifth Nintendo console right now and we're already seeing the need for some radical change in the industry so it doesn't get stale...So after the Wii, will there be two more motion-controlled generations with only graphical improvements, and then another radical change after that? How will things evolve?
Post by: ThePerm on June 16, 2006, 02:36:21 PM
Post by: Bill Aurion on June 16, 2006, 02:38:38 PM
I feel like I'm getting more and more fanboyish with every coming year, but seeing what Nintendo is doing to the videogame world versus Microsoft and Sony, it's not all that surprising...
Post by: ThePerm on June 16, 2006, 02:43:16 PM
Post by: Ian Sane on June 16, 2006, 02:51:26 PM
Actually that might be kind of cool because you'll know nothing about the game itself so playing it will be entirely a fresh experience. When I first played A Link to the Past I had never played any Zelda game before, didn't have the manual, and didn't know what to expect. Since I was accustomed to short action games I assumed that after getting the three pendents and defeating Aganhim the game was over. So imagine my surprise when I found out that there was a whole other world to explore and that I wasn't even half done! Now in retrospect the obvious references about the Golden Land and the Moon Pearl stuff should have clued me in but I wasn't as familiar with game "formulas" back then. Now, even if I didn't know the details, I would have guessed. But still being totally ignorant in the future might somewhat recreate that feeling.
But then there's always the risk that at that point Nintendo no longer is any good and you discover this new Zelda game is horrible. I shudder to think what it's like for people who used to play Frogger back in the day, say "hey a new Frogger", and then get their childhood raped.
Post by: Caliban on June 16, 2006, 05:09:47 PM
Post by: Hostile Creation on June 16, 2006, 06:53:38 PM
As of now, they're still innovating and creating spectacular games, games that I generally like more than any others in the industry. If they eventually die out or (as inconceivable as it seems to me, things do change) become something less than they are now, I'll still respect them for how they once were. I have tremendous respect for Nintendo.
I'm into writing and film. That's what I want to do, and I'm really well-versed in authors and filmmakers alike. But of all the brilliant authors and directors or anything (musicians, artists, etc), I don't respect any of them as much as I respect Nintendo, on a creative level. Trust me, I have a great deal of respect for some. But Nintendo has shaped a creative art form in such an impacting way (more than any individual affected any other creative medium, more than Shakespeare affected writing, more than Hitchcock affected film), it's just amazing.
I may go into more detail later. I'm not up to it at the moment.
Also, I hope to never go out of touch with Nintendo and gaming.
Post by: Avinash_Tyagi on June 16, 2006, 06:58:04 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
I figure eventually a wife and kids will take up enough of my time that I won't be able to follow Nintendo or gaming in general as closely as I do now. I look at most people over 30 with kids and they become really out of touch once they have kids. They don't know current music or movies or anything. My Dad has an amazing record collection. He has a horrible CD collection. He doesn't know about anything to do with pop culture unless I tell him. My Mom routinely will bring up some commercial she thinks is hilarious and it will be some commercial that's almost a year old but she just saw for the first time. I'd like to think that as I become old I don't become so spazzed but it will probably happen. For most of us when we're 50 we'll see a Zelda game at a store and think "hey a new Zelda" and in reality the game will be already four years old at the time.
Plus when you're a fan of something you never know if they'll continue in a direction that you like. I used to be a huge WWF fan. The idea of not routinely watching WWF and other wrestling programs never crossed my mind. Well I haven't watched WWE in at least two years and I get my wrestling fix entirely from watching old matches I missed the first time around. The WWF (and the American wrestling scene in general since WCW and ECW died) has changed into something I don't like so I'm not a fan anymore. That could happen to Nintendo with any of us. Nintendo has changed a lot in the 24 years I've been alive. In another 24 years they could be completely different.
Difference is Ian with Kids you can continue your love of games by playing with them.
Post by: Hocotate on June 16, 2006, 07:47:00 PM
I know if I ever have children I'm starting them off with Nintendo's console to keep the flame burning. I can't imagine myself ever disliking Nintendo.... Perhaps when Miyamoto, Iwata, and the whole bunch are all gone things could go bad, but I would like to think otherwise.
Post by: JonLeung on June 16, 2006, 07:48:52 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Avinash_TyagiQuote
Difference is Ian with Kids you can continue your love of games by playing with them.
I should make flash cards with the Mega Man bosses. Then when I have a kid, s/he'll go into kindergarten already knowing all the Robot Masters and which games they came from.
Hey, to an obsessive gamer like myself, that kind of information is important.
Post by: IceCold on June 16, 2006, 08:01:11 PM
I don't think I'm really a gamer. Maybe I'm just playing for the sake of playing; there are only a few times when games evoke any emotion. I strongly dislike most RPGs, I don't understand what's so good about even the best FPSes these days, all the war games bore me to death, and fighting games I only like in spurts. It's just something about Nintendo that appeals to me, and makes me connect to their games. Few other developers do this to me. When I play their games, I guess I "enjoy" them, I beat them and life goes on. It seems like my experience is vicarious on those games. And this is why I believe I will lose interest in games faster than most of you. When there is no spark from Nintendo to keep me interested, I will say goodbye to the gaming industry. I won't have any regrets, either.
I'm scared of the future in this regard. What will Nintendo do after the Wii and the DS? How will they keep innovating? Will the market crash in a generation or two, with the insane prices, the game saturation, and the amount of money spent on games that just receive graphical upgrades? Will gaming just become a niche thing, and Nintendo will be forced to either change directions or downsize? Nintendo has only had 4 generations of systems. Only 4, and they have evolved so much in those 20+ years. I just can't imagine what it will be like 4 generations from now.
Post by: wandering on June 16, 2006, 08:15:39 PM
I don't know. I love Nintendo, they're my favorite company... but, I'm not adverse to change. Videogames may not be important to me down the line - by then I might only care about my family, or feeding starving people, or taking over the world and eating starving people. I might leave Nintendo eventually.
Or Nintendo might leave me. Miyamoto isn't getting any yonger, and I could see Nintendo turning evil, Disney style, after his death.
Til then, though, I'll enjoy the ride.
Post by: Avinash_Tyagi on June 16, 2006, 09:49:04 PM
Post by: TrueNerd on June 16, 2006, 09:55:17 PM
Someone pointed out that they felt bad for kids raised on PlayStations these days and I was just having this discussion with a coworker of mine the other day. I work at the second rate video store that is Hollywood Video, and these two kids, probably 7 or 8 years old, were so excited to be renting Cars, the game based off the movie. Now, I haven't played the game, but I'm betting it's a completely mediocre experience at best. It is just an absolute shame that most kids play movie licensed games, Halo, and nothing else. I was raised on Mario, Mega Man, Sonic, Metroid and Zelda. Those games are infinitely better then the games kids are playing today and I pity them.
I blame this on the maturation of games and their subject matters. What was the best game of last year? Resident Evil 4. Not a game for kids by any stretch. The year before that? I would argue Metroid Prime 2 was, but most would say Halo 2 or San Andreas. None of those are games for kids. Even games like Ratchet and Clank have loads of innuendo in them. There is no doubt that this industry has been catering to one audience for about 15-20 years now, the one that grew up with the NES, moved on to the Genesis, and then the PlayStations, and now the 360. Nintendo still makes good games that kids can play, but they're not cool. It is a shame.
Huzzah for an off topic rant with no point.
Post by: ShyGuy on June 17, 2006, 07:57:45 AM
We can't be stopped now, cause it's Fan Boy for life
(courtesy of P Diddy)
Post by: Kairon on June 17, 2006, 09:15:19 AM
Than never to have loved at all.
~Alfred Lord Tennyson
~Carmine M. Red
Kairond@aol.com
Post by: TMW on June 17, 2006, 09:36:11 AM
From there, I had a decision to make. And, I went with the Gamecube because the Wind Waker had just been released and all the awesome things I heard about Metroid Prime.
I mean, hell. I might have been a diehard Sega fanatic, but I still loved Zelda!
Post by: Caterkiller on June 17, 2006, 10:43:50 AM
I have endured alot of criticism througout my junior high, and high school years. And I couldn't imagine what could be worse than that, and if I am still enjoying my comic books, and games more pationately then ever, the only reason I could ever see giving them up is if they dip in quality significantly like Sonic. I do enjoy games, but am seriously ready for change.
Video games have affected me very heavily in life, I have a big urge to go out and have huge adventures and such. I always feel like I should be the hero if something goes down, if I know I have the ability to help. Sure im going to get killed that way but hey I wanna go down in a bang. TV, movies and the like are the only way I know that I could make a great future for myself acting like Link fighting a Moblin or Mario tripple jumping over some obsticle. Because of Soul Calibur's Kilik, Shangua, Sungmina, and Yung Sung, I decided to learn Wushu, and man its the best decision I have ever made in my life. When Wind Waker came out, and there was so much hysteria over looks and such I became so much more open minded its not even funny. I just remember the arguments back and forth on these boards, and the statements from Miyamoto. Everything about judging things by their looks, it hit me hard. I have a few more things like that but im sure you guys get the idea. Yeah I guess it makes me a big nerdy geek, but the games mean alot to me, in more ways than just how much fun im having infront of the tv.
It will be a long time befor I am officialy done with games. Oh and I only own Nintendo, nothing else since the Genesis.
Post by: Mario on June 17, 2006, 06:48:59 PM
Then Pokemon came out. All my friends were playing it, I didn't even look at it and called it lame and tiku tiku tiku! , then went home to play Croc. Eventually I somehow ended up trying Pokemon and got hooked. I got a Gameboy and Pokemon Blue and it became my favourite game ever! Then I just HAD to get a Nintendo 64 because of Pokemon Stadium (Pokemon in THREE DEE OH MY). I was in heaven! This system made PS seem like a piece of junk. Then I was browsing some store and found a cheap game called "Zelda". Hmm, what's this? I had no idea, even though the game (OoT) had been out for 2 years or so now. Then it pretty much changed my life and Majoras Mask came out just after I beat it and it was the best thing ever.
Then I played a bunch of other Nintendo games and realised they were the best ever, then I pre-ordered a GameCube and joined PGC.
As for the future, it's all Nintendo coloured for me. Mainly because Xbox 360 and PS3 are a joke and DS is currently occupying all my gaming time. I don't see any reason i'd stop gaming. When i'm married the wife will come second to a furious beating off session with Donkey Kong.
Post by: IceCold on June 17, 2006, 07:02:23 PM
Post by: Mario on June 17, 2006, 07:08:38 PM
Post by: Athrun Zala on June 18, 2006, 11:48:23 AM
(warning, pretty long >_>Uu)
ok, let's see....I got my NES back in 1991, when I was a mere 4 years old, and I owe it to my eyedoctor (or whatever it's said in english
) since he told my parents to buy me one to help me with one of my many eye problems (focusing on one small object to stop the eyes from moving to be precise). I played a lot of Super Mario Bros and Duck Hunt, later MegaMan and many more (it was pretty popular here, so most people had one and thus, could get many games) which in really had me hooked and aware of this "world" (besides the TV ads), and in turn, a year later, when I was capable of more complex reading, my mum bought me a Nintendo magazine (Club Nintendo) that I bought for many years.... Then in 1993, when I was pretty much a fanboy and wanted to get a SNES, my dad went to the US, and believeing that the NES and SNES were the same thing, he brought me SNES game, which obviously didn't fit (in the end, it the perfect excuse to get a SNES, but they kept refusing, which was ok actually, as it was really expensive back then). Later in 1994 my dad went to Europe and this time he did bring the SNES with him (since there it was a lot cheaper), but the problem was that the other game that I had didn't work, and that I was pretty much screwed since all the SNES here were the US version (the TV wasn't an issue because here all the TV are strange hybrid that play the most bizarre formats including most types of PAL and NTSC).....so in the end I only had 4-5 game that I could get by some people that went to Europe...
Sometime later in 1997, I was able to buy a N64 (I had to get it here, after a failed attempt to get one when I went to the US in 1996.....because I went in april XD) but had to sell my SNES (how was I able to do that I'll never know), and of all of them this one was the one I played the most (the amount of time invested in GE's multiplayer is simply ridiculus...). Even though I was already aware of the other consoles (MegaDrive, etc), and dissed them in the past because I was simply a fanboy, I started to get really interested in them by that time (MegaDrives+SegaCD+32X weren't uncommon, N64, NES, SNES were really popular, Saturns weren't as popular, and PSX were extremely rare), but I didn't buy any of them (some friends had some, others simply rented). Obvously my interest peaked when the Saturn simply disappeared and the PSX were suddenly popular (yet nowhere near the N64's). The reason of the sudden interest for the PSX was pretty clear......modchips, thus pirated cheap games and access to (European) games in spanish as well as obscure japanese games...
This interest made me see the industry as whole (ie. not Mario kicking Sonic's ass) and starting to care about other companies (and thus ending my fanboyism) which resulted in me getting a Dreamcast in 2001 (between the picedrop and a friend going to the US, there was no way I'd miss the oportunity ^^.....even if I knew it was doomed and all...) which is a system I really loved, and had all kind of games, and felt like a different Sega in general (even if not as drastic, I see certain similarities between the Wii and DC...), it was really like an experiment, with a lot of "one of a kind" games....
But since I still love Nintendo and all, fan of the Metroid games and Zelda and Mario and etc, in Jan 2004 I got a GC (used, but I didn't have much money and between $150 and $300....) and although I haven't played as much as the others, I still love it (altough to me, is at the same time the strongest and the weakest Nintendo console...)
since this has gone for to long, I'll just end by saying that at least I know that still a bit of that fanboyism is there, and always will, because in the end, Nintendo has given me a lot of things, and have a lot for the videogames in general as well....
so yes, I'll be a fanboy forever
Post by: KDR_11k on June 19, 2006, 03:25:23 AM
Post by: Ian Sane on June 19, 2006, 07:04:05 AM
Honestly I didn't think it was that different when I was a kid. Sure we remember the really awesome NES games like Mega Man and Mario but I knew kids that whenever a popular licence was turned into a game, they rented it. I remember renting an NES and the game I picked was Terminator. It SUCKED. Easily one of the worst games I've ever played. My neighbour would rent all sorts of great games but the second some new Simpsons game came out he rented it and it always sucked. That really isn't anything new.
That is one thing I'm going to hate dealing with with kids. I know my kids will ask for some game based on a hit movie and I'll have a hell of a time demonstrating to them that that game will suck and they're better off getting something else.
Post by: JonLeung on June 19, 2006, 07:14:01 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
Sure we remember the really awesome NES games like Mega Man and Mario but I knew kids that whenever a popular licence was turned into a game, they rented it. I remember renting an NES and the game I picked was Terminator. It SUCKED. Easily one of the worst games I've ever played. My neighbour would rent all sorts of great games but the second some new Simpsons game came out he rented it and it always sucked. That really isn't anything new.
Really? I don't remember The Terminator NES game but for T2: Judgment Day I remember playing it and saying, "For a game based on a movie, this is actually well-done." The stages were based on actual locations featured in the movie, you actually had to get into the habit of shooting people in the knees to avoid killing them...it wasn't, like, say, Home Improvement on the Super NES where all of the sudden you're collecting weird things and avoiding dinosaurs...
Yes, some licensed games are REALLY bad. Cash cows to be milked, really. That's not saying they can't be good, but that's still the exception. Though I try not to support bad games, if I ever become a parent, I may have trouble saying no on some occasions if my kid really thinks he wants something...
Post by: couchmonkey on June 19, 2006, 07:59:41 AM
I was a total Nintendo fanboy, I hated Sega (though years later I like the company a lot more) and I defended Nintendo through the various generations, right up to this day. I have become more open to other systems and games in recent years, even going as far as to consider buying a second system, but at the end of the day I don't have the time to play more games.
I can enjoy pretty much any system and any game (like SUPER said, even the bad ones), but Nintendo is my favourite, and that's why I stick with Nintendo first and foremost. I have to admit, though, I would probably buy a second console if Nintendo had another run like the N64.
The N64 is actually one of my favourite systems, but it just didn't have the game selection I wanted. Luckily it doesn't look like that's going happen to Wii, things are going quite well so far.
I also wonder if I'll slow down on games. Well, I know I will, when I start a family, but I have a feeling I'll still keep up with the news. It doesn't take too much time to just browse PGC once a day. Heck, the forums are the only thing that really takes up a lot of time. But yeah, there will no doubt come a day when I'll have to ease up on my own videogame site, and most of my game play will be with my kids. It'll still be worth it.
Post by: JonLeung on June 19, 2006, 08:24:31 AM
I was also a fanboy in that I probably said that I "hated" Sega, especially during the 16-bit days. I did play Master System and Genesis games, but I always felt Nintendo had the better selection. My friend had the Sega systems (as I mentioned) and a guy who stayed at our house for a little while had a Saturn. (Later, my brother bought a Dreamcast off of eBay, the only post-NES non-Nintendo console in our household.) Now I like Sega a lot (not more than Nintendo, though) and I respect them as games makers tons more than Sony or Microsoft. At least their games are good, and challenging - most of my "black list" (games so hard I couldn't finish them 100% on a single rental) is comprised of Sega games. Their business sense...not so good...
Quote
Originally posted by: KDR_11k
I'm trying to avoid fanboyism, it clouds your judgement.
Perhaps, if you prefer, the world "fan" (as opposed to "fanboy"/"fangirl"). Will you always be a Nintendo fan?
As has been said, though, whatever happens with Nintendo in the future won't take away our childhood memories of the NES/Super NES (unless Microsoft makes a time machine and introduces the Xbox in the 1980s).
Post by: Avinash_Tyagi on June 19, 2006, 09:20:53 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
That is one thing I'm going to hate dealing with with kids. I know my kids will ask for some game based on a hit movie and I'll have a hell of a time demonstrating to them that that game will suck and they're better off getting something else.
You're going to have to give them only great games in advance, quell any desire for the junk, either that or teach them about game reviews
Post by: TrueNerd on June 19, 2006, 12:43:43 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
"I work at the second rate video store that is Hollywood Video, and these two kids, probably 7 or 8 years old, were so excited to be renting Cars, the game based off the movie. Now, I haven't played the game, but I'm betting it's a completely mediocre experience at best. It is just an absolute shame that most kids play movie licensed games, Halo, and nothing else."
Honestly I didn't think it was that different when I was a kid. Sure we remember the really awesome NES games like Mega Man and Mario but I knew kids that whenever a popular licence was turned into a game, they rented it. I remember renting an NES and the game I picked was Terminator. It SUCKED. Easily one of the worst games I've ever played. My neighbour would rent all sorts of great games but the second some new Simpsons game came out he rented it and it always sucked. That really isn't anything new.
That is one thing I'm going to hate dealing with with kids. I know my kids will ask for some game based on a hit movie and I'll have a hell of a time demonstrating to them that that game will suck and they're better off getting something else.
I am aware that bad licensed games aren't a recent fad. Maybe it was just me and the kids I knew, but licensed games were hardly ever mentioned when video games were discussed, outside of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle games, but those were good games as I recall it. It also could be I now have a better perspective of the bigger picture.
Let's just say I said this:
There was a time when Mario ruled the world and it sucks that he doesn't anymore.
Post by: IceCold on June 19, 2006, 04:41:17 PM
QuoteHeh, I seem to remember couchmonkey commenting how strikingly similar you two were, as well..
^couchmonkey, aside from the first paragraph, you pretty much summed up me! o_0
Alt account
Post by: please let me in, please on June 19, 2006, 05:04:03 PM
Post by: IceCold on June 19, 2006, 06:30:05 PM
Post by: King of Twitch on June 20, 2006, 01:15:44 AM
Either way I'll probably let my kids have all my nintendo parafanelya and let them relive my childhood, added with a filtered set of good games only age and experience can offer. Of course, I could find some enjoyment in any game when I was a kid as well as tell which ones were really good, so maybe I'll just let them play whatever they like.
Or maybe my kids will become goth/emo and resent me and break all my stuff, then cut their wrists with the corners of the NES controller. I can't really see that far ahead.
Post by: couchmonkey on June 20, 2006, 01:05:23 PM
Back on topic: I'm pretty sure Sony is making tons of money on PS2. PSP seems to be a different story, and PS3 looks like it might be a total failure, but I think it's only MS that's actually losing money right now.
When it comes to kids wanting to play liscenced crappy games, giving them lots of good games to play won't stop them from wanting the liscenced ones. I went out of my way to play liscenced games back in the day, in fact I still own a fair number, including a few pretty bad ones. But if you love Ren & Stimpy or Spongebob Squarepants, you're going to want to play games starring them, and you will probably enjoy those games even if they aren't as good as Mario.
I'll let my kids play the liscenced ones, but unless they have positive reviews, I'll make them rent them first. Game rentals were one of my favourite things as a kid, there was a store near my house that would rent one game for two days for like $3, and three games for $6, so once every month or so I'd head over there and rent games. Good times. Now I have to go to Blockbuster or Rogers where rentals are more expensive, and actually buying games has become cheaper, plus I don't have time to spend a whole weekend playing games...so it's just not the same any more.
Post by: Ian Sane on June 20, 2006, 02:10:49 PM
This is why I never rent games anymore. Aside from the price the selection is the sh!ts. The big rental chains have the same attitude towards games as they do for movies. So they get like six copies of a huge game like Super Mario Sunshine that everyone is going to buy anyway. But unlike with films they don't have as much shelf space so the less common games (ie: the ones you want to rent to try them out) aren't available. When I was a kid all the rental stores in my area were independent and their NES game selection worked like this: one copy per game, but tons of games to choose from. So there was only one copy of Mega Man 3 and you were lucky to rent it when it was a new game but there was also weirdo stuff like Clash at Demonhead available. The selection combined with the relatively cheap price of renting meant that you got to try out all sorts of games (it helps that at the time games were shorter).
I think at the time though things were more unofficial. It seemed pretty obvious to me that those rental stores just went to Sears on release day, bought a copy of all the new games, and rented them out. These days the game companies probably allocate certain copies to the big rental chains and the store manager wouldn't be allowed to just rent whatever he felt like without going through the chain of command.
While I like DVDs in a way I hate them because the switchover to that format killed the local videostores in my area (and pretty much everywhere I visit). Blockbuster could switch to the new format easier than Bob's Video Rental could so the local guys got less business.
Post by: Gamebasher on June 20, 2006, 03:39:23 PM
Fortunately, they never will get to push out Nintendo. They tried, but they failed. Now, where it´s time for revenge, it´s more like Nintendo who is going to push them (Sony/Microsoft) out. So, while I agree with you that it´s a shame that local shops are forced out because of bigger corporations moving in, I think it´s a joy to see how history teaches us the lesson that whenever there is downs in life, there is always bound to come the up´s as well. So the bright side is that Nintendo has just proven that they can withstand any attempt to destroy them, having constantly reinvented itself over the years and made various wise business moves which safeguarded the company (they bought up all of their stock some years ago, in order to prevent hostile takeover)
That is why I will always be a Nintendo fanboy! For me my relationship to Nintendo is one of trust, loyalty and excitement. Trust, because I know they will always give me the best games to play. Loyalty, because they are worth being loyal to having time and again proven themselves able to deliver the entertainment that rocks my life, and even changed it in various ways thanks to the content of the games. Excitement, because of the feeling I get from playing their games. A feeling no other gamescompany has ever been able to make me feel.
Post by: Spak-Spang on June 21, 2006, 04:20:34 AM
Nintendo is the only company that consistantly makes games I enjoy to play, and it is the only company that is keeping the traditional spirit of gaming alive.
Post by: Gamebasher on June 21, 2006, 03:35:35 PM
The Spirit of Gaming!!
And...this is where Sony have failed and Nintendo Succeeded.
Hmm... Spirit of Gaming. That must be that thing which makes Nintendo games feel so fresh and exciting to play!
Post by: Kairon on June 21, 2006, 04:35:19 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
While I like DVDs in a way I hate them because the switchover to that format killed the local videostores in my area (and pretty much everywhere I visit). Blockbuster could switch to the new format easier than Bob's Video Rental could so the local guys got less business.
I..I... never thought about that before...
I..I...I HATE DVDS! *WEEP*
~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com
Bleeding Heart
Post by: IceCold on June 21, 2006, 08:50:27 PM
Post by: JonLeung on June 22, 2006, 04:49:08 AM
But I guess when the Blockbuster DID get DVDs, the smaller rental store only had its XXX movies as a draw. After it was replaced by another rental store, it's now a day care.
I hate how Blockbuster has usually been pretty good for my game-playing needs, but wouldn't get Mario Superstar Baseball even after a long talk with the manager about it, and they don't have Chibi-Robo or Odama. Yet they'll get, like, a dozen copies of Gun and a row-ful of Ribbit King. They clearly don't hate Nintendo when they get a bunch of every Mario Party...I dunno what their problem is lately...
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on June 22, 2006, 05:08:37 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: IceCold
shouldn't it be /weep?
Kairon moer liek /cry-on amirite?
I think Blockbuster killed a major local chain of videostores here simply through being a marketing juggernaut. It was a shame, too, since the local chain had locations all over town, and you could return a video to any of them, so you were always near one when you felt like renting a movie. They may have been overextended with so many locations, so a single Blockbuster moving into the area did a lot of damage.
I'll definitely be a Nintendo fan for life. It would be long and boring to describe my gaming past, so suffice it to say that my video game love goes back to early childhood with a 2600 (before Nintendo captured my imagination with an arcade Super Mario Bros. machine), so I doubt I'll ever give them up. As long as there is a Nintendo making games, I will be playing them.
