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"Nintendo + Online = Perfect Match?"

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Tue 28/09/04 at 15:32
Regular
Posts: 10,437
I know, I know, this has been talked about loads before, time and time again, but I really do wonder why Nintendo have taken such a negative stance towards online play. I mean, of recent Nintendo have put a lot of emphasis on multiplayer, and with many of their games, online gaming just seems like the natural evolution for them.

What's spurred this thought on? Well, Animal Crossing of course. It just seemed that everything is geared towards going online from the off. The sequel was originally meant to be online, and from the looks of things Nintendo always had that in mind.

You could use the argument that it's better to be playing with 3 mates sat around the TV, which is very true (and in a game like the ever-respawning Four Swords, essential), but with a game like Animal Crossing, visiting different players towns online, stealing their fruit and villagers, chopping down their trees, it just seems like it was written in the stars since the day the concept was born. What is currently a game that could be interesting for a month or two could be a game that you'll keep back to, month after month, for years to come and that sense of community that Nintendo are obviously trying to create would, in many ways, be achieved.

But instead, out of nowhere, they were suddenly completely against the idea. I don't know whether this was because they didn't want to compete with Xbox Live (let's be honest, if you want to create a successful online service, you can't get much better than Microsoft), but it certainly seems that way.

Why? One word: NDS.

Just look at the games, it looks truly like a 'multiplayer' console. All of Nintendo's initial games look to require more than one person to get the most out of, and what with WiFi perhaps bringing some of these games online, you get the feeling that maybe they never did want to compete with such an experienced online company. So maybe, just maybe, this is something to test the water, before they dive in with the GameCube (hey, I'm optimistic), after all, we're yet to see this 'groundbreaking peripheral that will add life to an existing console', have we?

Just look at the evidence, the GBA to GameCube connectivity was something of a flop, mainly due to the fact that you needed to end up spending a load of money for two or three games, and now with two screens Nintendo can recreate what they were trying with that original concept. It's already been confirmed that yet another Four Swords title and Final Fantasy games are being developed for the system. Now all people will need is the console, the game, and someone nearby with a DS (or a wireless internet connection). With voice recognition as well, this is looking more and more to be the ultimate online/multiplayer console.

Essentially, Nintendo have got the basis to do everything original they tried with the GBA to GameCube connection without any hassle or problems, but now with the added option of online play. I just can't help but get excited as to what they're planning for the future.

The thought of Animal Crossing, Mario Kart, Four Swords, Metroid Prime... all with the possibility of online play, it just reawakens my faith in Nintendo after what has been an almost none-existent year since E3. Hopefully sometime in the future I'll be able to visit every forum member’s village, hit their villagers in the head with a net, steal their fruit and trap them in a hole for weeks.

I, personally, can't wait.
Tue 28/09/04 at 15:50
Regular
Posts: 2,048
Yes, 'tis a shame the 'Cube didn't come with online play, as games like TS2 and Double Dash (although it had LAN) begged to be played online.

Suppose Ninty are standing by their legendary statement of 'we are all about games' but you could argue that online play would make games like Four Swords truly 'incredible'.

Myself, I don't really care about online play. It takes ages to setup and I would rather have a couple of mates round persoanlly. Plus, I buy games for my PC to play online.

The NDS though I hope will come with wireless interent capabilities, but all we can do is wait.

The 'Big N' never let us down, and so far Shigsy and co have lived up to that statement.

The future's bright, the future's Ninty :D
Tue 28/09/04 at 15:32
Regular
Posts: 10,437
I know, I know, this has been talked about loads before, time and time again, but I really do wonder why Nintendo have taken such a negative stance towards online play. I mean, of recent Nintendo have put a lot of emphasis on multiplayer, and with many of their games, online gaming just seems like the natural evolution for them.

What's spurred this thought on? Well, Animal Crossing of course. It just seemed that everything is geared towards going online from the off. The sequel was originally meant to be online, and from the looks of things Nintendo always had that in mind.

You could use the argument that it's better to be playing with 3 mates sat around the TV, which is very true (and in a game like the ever-respawning Four Swords, essential), but with a game like Animal Crossing, visiting different players towns online, stealing their fruit and villagers, chopping down their trees, it just seems like it was written in the stars since the day the concept was born. What is currently a game that could be interesting for a month or two could be a game that you'll keep back to, month after month, for years to come and that sense of community that Nintendo are obviously trying to create would, in many ways, be achieved.

But instead, out of nowhere, they were suddenly completely against the idea. I don't know whether this was because they didn't want to compete with Xbox Live (let's be honest, if you want to create a successful online service, you can't get much better than Microsoft), but it certainly seems that way.

Why? One word: NDS.

Just look at the games, it looks truly like a 'multiplayer' console. All of Nintendo's initial games look to require more than one person to get the most out of, and what with WiFi perhaps bringing some of these games online, you get the feeling that maybe they never did want to compete with such an experienced online company. So maybe, just maybe, this is something to test the water, before they dive in with the GameCube (hey, I'm optimistic), after all, we're yet to see this 'groundbreaking peripheral that will add life to an existing console', have we?

Just look at the evidence, the GBA to GameCube connectivity was something of a flop, mainly due to the fact that you needed to end up spending a load of money for two or three games, and now with two screens Nintendo can recreate what they were trying with that original concept. It's already been confirmed that yet another Four Swords title and Final Fantasy games are being developed for the system. Now all people will need is the console, the game, and someone nearby with a DS (or a wireless internet connection). With voice recognition as well, this is looking more and more to be the ultimate online/multiplayer console.

Essentially, Nintendo have got the basis to do everything original they tried with the GBA to GameCube connection without any hassle or problems, but now with the added option of online play. I just can't help but get excited as to what they're planning for the future.

The thought of Animal Crossing, Mario Kart, Four Swords, Metroid Prime... all with the possibility of online play, it just reawakens my faith in Nintendo after what has been an almost none-existent year since E3. Hopefully sometime in the future I'll be able to visit every forum member’s village, hit their villagers in the head with a net, steal their fruit and trap them in a hole for weeks.

I, personally, can't wait.

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