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Nintendo's image towards the general public and gamers has always been a much talked about topic in the gaming world. Many say that Nintendo are a childrens company, and with all the many Pokemon games you would be pressed to argue against it.
Nintendo have had a childlike appearance since the family console the Nintendo Entertainment System. Back then they didn't see it as a problem because the games machines weren't powerful so the games were simple and effective...
...ever since those original classics they have continued along the same path which lead to the first consoles success. Choosing bright, colourful colours with cartoon-like characters for most of their releases.
Was this a bad choice? Representing games in that style for over ten years may have damaged the company in the release and life of the Nintendo64. The gamers that had grown up with the cartoon-like games would have moved on, they didn't want Banjo Kazooie or Diddy Kong Racing64 over Metal Gear Solid and Resident Evil...was it a bad choice from Nintendo?
Overall. No. It wasn't a bad choice as last year saw Nintendo have one of their most profitable years in the market (maybe due to Pokemon). Nintendo have never denied being called a childish company, infact they rely on the superb originality and gameplay of their released to shut up the chants.
Real gamers out there will know that visuals aren't 'everything' in a game, they merely add to the fun, but maybe the child-like visuals are what should be kept in some games? I can't imagine Mario Kart64 with different characters, hell- imagine a lifelike Mario. It just wouldn't be the same.
The GameCube is where its going to be different. I feel Nintendo have learnt from the lessons of the Nintendo 64, and with many more companies backing the console this time around the choice for every gamer is going to be huge, an example of this is Metroid, which is already looking like an 18 rated game.
Yes, Nintendo still and probably will always have the child-like image, simply because that is very successful to them as a company, and they still make excellent games with that image. However, I do believe that Nintendo will now develop games for the all age gaming market.
The GameCube may be the start of something very promising indeed.
Thanks
er-no
Nintendo have had a childlike appearance since the family console the Nintendo Entertainment System. Back then they didn't see it as a problem because the games machines weren't powerful so the games were simple and effective...
...ever since those original classics they have continued along the same path which lead to the first consoles success. Choosing bright, colourful colours with cartoon-like characters for most of their releases.
Was this a bad choice? Representing games in that style for over ten years may have damaged the company in the release and life of the Nintendo64. The gamers that had grown up with the cartoon-like games would have moved on, they didn't want Banjo Kazooie or Diddy Kong Racing64 over Metal Gear Solid and Resident Evil...was it a bad choice from Nintendo?
Overall. No. It wasn't a bad choice as last year saw Nintendo have one of their most profitable years in the market (maybe due to Pokemon). Nintendo have never denied being called a childish company, infact they rely on the superb originality and gameplay of their released to shut up the chants.
Real gamers out there will know that visuals aren't 'everything' in a game, they merely add to the fun, but maybe the child-like visuals are what should be kept in some games? I can't imagine Mario Kart64 with different characters, hell- imagine a lifelike Mario. It just wouldn't be the same.
The GameCube is where its going to be different. I feel Nintendo have learnt from the lessons of the Nintendo 64, and with many more companies backing the console this time around the choice for every gamer is going to be huge, an example of this is Metroid, which is already looking like an 18 rated game.
Yes, Nintendo still and probably will always have the child-like image, simply because that is very successful to them as a company, and they still make excellent games with that image. However, I do believe that Nintendo will now develop games for the all age gaming market.
The GameCube may be the start of something very promising indeed.
Thanks
er-no
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Strafex wrote:
> That's like saying that PSO isn't a Sega game because the Sonic Team
> has broken away.
Basically, Rare games are published by Nintendo,
> for Nintendo systems exclusively and they work together a
> lot.
Plenty of technical experience is shared between the
> two.
What they meant when saying Nintendo games were games that
> were exclusively on a Nintendo system and were published/supported
> by Nintendo.
yes but wre not relly talking about the games nintendo have published were talking about the games nintendo have made themselves but yeah i see your point.
> That's like saying that PSO isn't a Sega game because the Sonic Team
> has broken away.
Basically, Rare games are published by Nintendo,
> for Nintendo systems exclusively and they work together a
> lot.
Plenty of technical experience is shared between the
> two.
What they meant when saying Nintendo games were games that
> were exclusively on a Nintendo system and were published/supported
> by Nintendo.
yes but wre not relly talking about the games nintendo have published were talking about the games nintendo have made themselves but yeah i see your point.
Logan wrote:
Rare cannot be charged as making "ninty games",
> because they are not part of ninty.... Sonic Team ARE part of Sega,
> not an independant unity that sega bought.
Nope, WERE part of Sega.
They broke away months ago.
They're still close to Sega (the way Nintendo are close to Rare) and Sega publish most of their games but they are a seperate company.
I think it was before the DC went out of production and the Sonic Team wanted to be fee to make games for Xbox and Gamecube as well as the DC.
Rare cannot be charged as making "ninty games",
> because they are not part of ninty.... Sonic Team ARE part of Sega,
> not an independant unity that sega bought.
Nope, WERE part of Sega.
They broke away months ago.
They're still close to Sega (the way Nintendo are close to Rare) and Sega publish most of their games but they are a seperate company.
I think it was before the DC went out of production and the Sonic Team wanted to be fee to make games for Xbox and Gamecube as well as the DC.
Gronti_v wrote:
> Sounds about right, hasn't this been said already though? Well
> anyway, I don't think there's anything to add to that. Still, it's
> possible that in the future Nintendo will make more adult oriented
> games so that would deal with this problem. I don't think they
> should make an adult game just to get rid of this image though,
> stick to their principals of good wholesome family entertainment.
> You don't see anyone suing Nintendo for their kid going on a killing
> spree do you.
yes... I said it! And no one paid any attention!
I can't see ninty making adult games in the forseeable future though... after all, they do not have a producer who is versed in them.
> Sounds about right, hasn't this been said already though? Well
> anyway, I don't think there's anything to add to that. Still, it's
> possible that in the future Nintendo will make more adult oriented
> games so that would deal with this problem. I don't think they
> should make an adult game just to get rid of this image though,
> stick to their principals of good wholesome family entertainment.
> You don't see anyone suing Nintendo for their kid going on a killing
> spree do you.
yes... I said it! And no one paid any attention!
I can't see ninty making adult games in the forseeable future though... after all, they do not have a producer who is versed in them.
Sounds about right, hasn't this been said already though? Well anyway, I don't think there's anything to add to that. Still, it's possible that in the future Nintendo will make more adult oriented games so that would deal with this problem. I don't think they should make an adult game just to get rid of this image though, stick to their principals of good wholesome family entertainment. You don't see anyone suing Nintendo for their kid going on a killing spree do you.
Look... let's settle it.
Shigsy himself said:
"I make family games"
It is a fact that ninty games are often (but not always), simple to grasp, fun to play, and accessible to all. Is this being childish.
In a way yes. The games do not contain the complex storylines of other games- often Ninty used the story "The princess has been kidnapped, u must save her". This is certainly less adult than, say, Sould Reaver in which you, a vampire, must exact revenge on your former master.
In addition, Ninty games are usually colourful. This is not childish... it just makes them more "family" orientated. It does, however, mean that they are less "adult" compared to res evil.
HOWEVER, there are some aspects that are certainly not childish. Could you EVER imagine a child completing the spirit temple in Zelda OTT (with the imaginary walls). The game is complex...
Another point is that Ninty happily let other companies fill in the adult market on their consoles... so let companies that the own, like Rare, to make CBFD.
So, in essence, there is NO answer to the question... some ninty games are childish, some are not. Their image may be childish, but this does not necisarily hold true for games.
Shigsy himself said:
"I make family games"
It is a fact that ninty games are often (but not always), simple to grasp, fun to play, and accessible to all. Is this being childish.
In a way yes. The games do not contain the complex storylines of other games- often Ninty used the story "The princess has been kidnapped, u must save her". This is certainly less adult than, say, Sould Reaver in which you, a vampire, must exact revenge on your former master.
In addition, Ninty games are usually colourful. This is not childish... it just makes them more "family" orientated. It does, however, mean that they are less "adult" compared to res evil.
HOWEVER, there are some aspects that are certainly not childish. Could you EVER imagine a child completing the spirit temple in Zelda OTT (with the imaginary walls). The game is complex...
Another point is that Ninty happily let other companies fill in the adult market on their consoles... so let companies that the own, like Rare, to make CBFD.
So, in essence, there is NO answer to the question... some ninty games are childish, some are not. Their image may be childish, but this does not necisarily hold true for games.
Meka_Dragon wrote:
> Gronti_v wrote:
> It's in the stereotypes ruining the game
> industry topic. You might
> have missed it since it is in the
> middle of a paragraph. Mystery
> solved.
I guess if we both
> used the same arguement, there must be some validity to
> it.
Honestly, I didn't see what you wrote, I don't have as much
> time to read all the posts and more!
That's okay I believe you, I don't think I read this whole post either I forget. Just picked up on that. Still, if you ever sue me I can use this to stop you by threatening to counter-sue so double benefits! They say great minds think alike, but then the last time someone said that I said "Does that mean feeble minds are more inventive?" so it's best we avoid that whole area. Argh, some things always come back to bite you don't they?
> Gronti_v wrote:
> It's in the stereotypes ruining the game
> industry topic. You might
> have missed it since it is in the
> middle of a paragraph. Mystery
> solved.
I guess if we both
> used the same arguement, there must be some validity to
> it.
Honestly, I didn't see what you wrote, I don't have as much
> time to read all the posts and more!
That's okay I believe you, I don't think I read this whole post either I forget. Just picked up on that. Still, if you ever sue me I can use this to stop you by threatening to counter-sue so double benefits! They say great minds think alike, but then the last time someone said that I said "Does that mean feeble minds are more inventive?" so it's best we avoid that whole area. Argh, some things always come back to bite you don't they?
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