Topic: New Nintendo Patent: Mario teaches Math?

[NWR_pap64]

Just mere months after the infamous "Zelda" patent emerged revealing that the next Zelda "might" incorporate a hint system that uses tips and videos of gameplay another patent has emerged, this one diving into a concept Nintendo has not tackled since the NES and SNES days: Children's entertainment.

The patent as seen here shows Mario teaching a kid the fundamentals, suggesting that Nintendo might use the appeal of the Wii in order to create Edutainment titles.

I'm not surprised by this at all. In fact, what really surprises me is that Nintendo didn't do this sooner. With the Wii now catering to everyone I am surprised no one has tried to bring learning titles to the Wii and it looks like Nintendo might take the leap forward once more.

I hope that Nintendo is indeed involved with this because then it would be quality titles. The old Edutainment titles on the SNES and PC were pretty crappy in presentation and gameplay, so I believe the only ones that could do this well are Nintendo.

Of course, anyone wanna bet that some fanboys will cry foul and say that this will ruin gaming, even though the concept of game characters as educators have been around for a long time? :p

In fact, if they do complain it is proof that fans think gaming is all about them. I doubt this will halt the production of core titles or force every other developer into the creation of similar titles (it will happen, though).

There hasn't been that many solid and creative education titles, since the only ones available are based on TV shows and aren't very good, so hopefully that with the brand appeal of Nintendo they could make learning titles that are fun.

[Stogi]

Why target our wants when you can target our needs?

I'm with you. This is not surprising at all.

It's funny, Microsoft's entire goal is to take over our living rooms and our lives but it seems Nintendo might get there first!

[broodwars]

I have only ever seen a grand total of one Edutainment Title not turn out like crap (Midnight Rescue on the PC, and I've heard the other Super Solvers were pretty good as well), so you'll understand if I'm skeptical that even Nintendo could make this work out.  Assuming of course that this isn't just a routine patent they put out for the hell of it (which is not uncommon).

[NWR_pap64]

I have only ever seen a grand total of one Edutainment Title not turn out like crap (Midnight Rescue on the PC, and I've heard the other Super Solvers were pretty good as well), so you'll understand if I'm skeptical that even Nintendo could make this work out.  Assuming of course that this isn't just a routine patent they put out for the hell of it (which is not uncommon).

Yeah, I know that this patent doesn't mean it will be a reality. But the idea of Nintendo creating educational games is not surprising. I think this could be that the next game after Wii Sports Resort might be "Wii School" or "Wii Learning".

[stevey]

I don't know, any educational game is pretty much badly forced and is doomed to fail.

Although a Quantum Mario Physic game base on Mario galaxy game engine might be pretty cool....

[broodwars]

I don't know, any educational game is pretty much badly forced and is doomed to fail.

Although a Quantum Mario Physic game base on Mario galaxy game engine might be pretty cool....

It already exists, by the name of World of Goo.  If you haven't already, go play the 4th World in that game and you'll see just that.

[Spak-Spang]

Oregon Trail,
Math Blasters +
Where in the World is Carmen San Diego
Brain Training
Brain Training 2

There are good educational games out there.   

[BlackNMild2k1]

I hear Typing of the Dead was pretty good

[Mop it up]

this one diving into a concept Nintendo has not tackled since the NES and SNES days: Children's entertainment.

What are you talking about? Nintendo has always been about children's entertainment, all of their games are just for teh kiddies. Why do you think the GameCube was purple?

The only edutainment game I've played was Civilization II on PC, it was alright.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Pikmin teaches project management skills, scheduling, and resource management.

[King of Twitch]

and botany

[NWR_pap64]

this one diving into a concept Nintendo has not tackled since the NES and SNES days: Children's entertainment.

What are you talking about? Nintendo has always been about children's entertainment, all of their games are just for teh kiddies. Why do you think the GameCube was purple?

The only edutainment game I've played was Civilization II on PC, it was alright.

Unless you are blatantly being sarcastic (which I suspect you are), I am talking about games aimed directly at children and their intellectual growth through gaming.

Games like this were common back in the day. The problem was that these were outsourced to third parties and were crappy most of the time.

Considering the talent Nintendo they could make a compelling educational game.

Hell, they could downright innovate by making a truly interactive educational game.

Many shows like Dora try to incoporate interactivity by pausing the action and "waiting" for the viewer's input. The problem is that even if they stay quiet the story continues, creating a show with lots of awkward silence and pauses.

A Wii game could truly make this come to life by creating situations that do require the user's input, making it far more effective as both an interactive story and an educational tool.

[Mop it up]

Unless you are blatantly being sarcastic (which I suspect you are), I am talking about games aimed directly at children and their intellectual growth through gaming.

Yes I was, as I'd never use "teh" in a serious response. I was using a typical anti-Nintendo response to point out how I think your statement should have been more specific. Nintendo's games have a wide appeal, including children, so you could say Nintendo has always been about children's entertainment (not entirely of course). They've still published a few games aimed solely at kids since the SNES days, including Yoshi's Story and apparently Animal Crossing, though not of the edutainment variety.

I'm afraid my response to this news is one which you predicted, as I hope this idea doesn't materialize. Call me selfish if you want, but I like Nintendo and therefore I want to see them create games which I like. I'm sure some other company out there could develop something just as good or better than what Nintendo could come up with in this area; Nintendo doesn't have to do everything, do they? Seems like they could start spreading themselves too thin if they try to tackle too many projects like this.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Many shows like Dora try to incoporate interactivity by pausing the action and "waiting" for the viewer's input. The problem is that even if they stay quiet the story continues, creating a show with lots of awkward silence and pauses.

A Wii game could truly make this come to life by creating situations that do require the user's input, making it far more effective as both an interactive story and an educational tool.

Shows like Dora the Explorer & Blues Clues are perfect for the Wii. have they released anything like the TV shows yet? if not.... easy $$$ flushed away.

I'm sure there are millions of parents & grandparents that would buy a Wii for their children/grandchildren solely for these games. If they make the games right(exactly like the show only actually interactive), it could be like one game equals one season of the show and now the kids can "watch" Dora whenever they want.

[NWR_pap64]

NEWS FLASH!

Nintendo decides to stop making games for everybody and focuses on what Mop wants. Birdo's Dating Simulator will hit the Wii in 2009.

Nintendo doesn't make games for you, for me or for NWR. They make games for EVERYONE, and these games vary from deep strategy games (Fire Emblem) to pick up and play apps (Wii Play).

This is a philosophy that has been around since the arcade days. In fact games in general used to be about everyone having fun, and games have been used as ways to get families together to help people rehabilite after serious injury.

If Nintendo does this line of educational games it would mean them shattering the misconception that they only make games for fat little kids.

Nintendo is also a HUGE company, with lots of talent, money and allied companies. Meaning that they could easily assemble a team and make these educational games without the quality of their killer apps taking a hit.

At this point in my eyes you are more than selfish, M (I don't care if you want you whole name mentioned). But I can't say the word because I would be warned with the ban hammer.

Blacknmild: They have released some games, but none have tried to simulate the show's concepts.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Blacknmild: They have released some games, but none have tried to simulate the show's concepts.

Well then thats just a waste. They barely had to do more than an interactive DVD mode of the show with new menus, filler content & mini games.
Those games should be designed for kids between 2-5 yrs old, that can't read yet and are only still developing an attention span and motor skills (hand eye coordination). That is who the shows are aimed at after all.

[Stogi]

Edugaming has been done before, sure, but it hasn't been truly accessible since Oregon Trail (and even then it was iffy). The Wii is the perfect console to reinvent the wheel.

[Mop it up]

I just don't want to see Nintendo create something which doesn't suit their development talent. If they want to financially back a company to create these games then that's fine, but they shouldn't be doing this for the simple fact of covering all of the bases. Of course, this is just a patent idea we're talking about so I'm probably jumping to conclusions.

I'm curious as to what this word is that you wanted to use to describe me. Can't you tell me anyway? I won't take offense.

EDIT: What I meant by my statement in my previous post was that I don't want to see Nintendo themselves develop these titles internally. If they want to fund some other developer to make these who would be right for the job then I wouldn't care. And you know, I'm not really sure what my point is with all of this because this is all starting to sound like I'm stating the obvious and also just plain saying stupid things. I've been up for over 36 hours now and I'm not thinking straight...

[Adrock]

Mario already teaches typing.

[broodwars]

Oregon Trail,
Math Blasters +
Where in the World is Carmen San Diego
Brain Training
Brain Training 2

There are good educational games out there.   

I never really saw Oregon Trail as an educational game, but a historically-based sim game.  As for the Brain Training games, from what I've heard they don't really teach you reasoning skills, but just how to beat Brain Training puzzles.  Fair point on Math Blasters+ (isn't that part of the Super Solver series like I mentioned earlier?) and Carmen San Diego.

[nickmitch]

Donkey Kong already did math.

[Plugabugz]

Mario teaches Internet Etiquette?

[Kairon]

Mario already teaches typing.

Donkey Kong already did math.

Yeah, nothing new. *shrug*

Oh, but don't expect the internet to examine history and context and anything other than their own gut reactions when news like this, or anything else, breaks. It's astounding how little effort people put into understanding one of the most successful companies of this generation.

[MegaByte]

But interface makes all the difference.  That's one of the reasons edutainment titles on consoles have tended to suck (the other being crap cheap development), and why dedicated consoles were created for this purpose (I had a Socrates system growing up, for example).  With DS and Wii, the interface is there just waiting for the software.

[Flames_of_chaos]

But interface makes all the difference.  That's one of the reasons edutainment titles on consoles have tended to suck (the other being crap cheap development), and why dedicated consoles were created for this purpose (I had a Socrates system growing up, for example).  With DS and Wii, the interface is there just waiting for the software.

To think about it I'm surprised that SEGA didn't run with edutainment titles on the DS considering that the did make the Pico and Advanced Pico Beena.