The "General Games Chat" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
After reading an article in the latest NGC magazine about Nintendo’s new strategy in making new games, I’m undecided whether it is a wise move or a completely, utterly stupid one?
If you don’t know already, Nintendo apparently are ‘worried’ that games like Zelda The Ocarina Of Time, and Majora’s Mask were only approachable to a small audience of gamers. Why? They think that very few people actually experienced the whole of it and even finished it. They think that only pure hardcore gamers (a very small proportion of gamers) will have had the chance to enjoy the whole adventures.
So what are they going to do? Make the games really short, spend less money making them, and make more of them? Well actually - YES!
The proof of this already occurring is Shigsy’s games for the GameCube.
Luigi’s Mansion is much much shorter than previous games Mario games. Even Shigsy’s latest GameCube fest Pikmin has a very limited lifespan. Yet from what I've heard (and a brief play of each in a Computer Exchange shop), they are highly enjoyable yet lacking in as much depth as previous games like Super Mario 64.
But Nintendo’s point is that for the majority of the gaming market, CHILDREN are the main target and actually are Nintendo’s main form of profit.
We all thought that Nintendo were steering slightly away from kiddies corner by exclusively owning the rights to the whole of the Biohazard Resident Evil series and making games like Eternal Darkness, but in fact they are gearing more towards them! Luigi’s Mansion may take many of you hardcore gamers only few hours or days to complete the game, but give it to a child, or a ‘casual’ gamer and it may take them several weeks to complete. This is exactly what they are aiming for. Easily accessible games for ALL and MORE games to be released FASTER, avoiding N64 style game shortages.
Was I the only was to drool at the SpaceWorld 2000 movie footage on the super realistic fight between Link and Ganon? And was I the only one to feel slightly let down, when this was all changed, with the game becoming cel-shaded? Of course many of us have come to accept the change, or even prefer it.
Just before I started to write this article, I watched both movies of both Zelda games (downloaded from the Internet) a couple of times and I still prefer the first one.
Nintendo obviously do not want to make a multi-million yen game that takes 8 years to make and only be properly discovered by few people when a much cheaper, shorter and less time-consuming one could be discovered by ‘everyone’ and make them a fortune!
Do we want this? I am by no means a pure hardcore gamer, but even though I never finished Ocarina of Time, I still thought it was outstanding, and really enjoyed the whole experience. The realism and innovation made the game the C&VG No1 game ever. It still sold millions and made Nintendo a fortune. It is a game that is remembered by many. Will a very short, cartoony, immediate game bring the same results?
Is this plan a wise one, when competing will the PS2 and XBOX? and ‘Adult’ games are already being much preferred.
Will Mario Sunshine or the New Zelda be very short and easy to complete? I hope not - but what do you lot think?
Will Nintendo lose a lot of devoted Ninty’s because of this new move?
If Nintendo stick to this plan, they will soon find out if it was a wise one or a BIG BIG mistake………
C!s
If you don’t know already, Nintendo apparently are ‘worried’ that games like Zelda The Ocarina Of Time, and Majora’s Mask were only approachable to a small audience of gamers. Why? They think that very few people actually experienced the whole of it and even finished it. They think that only pure hardcore gamers (a very small proportion of gamers) will have had the chance to enjoy the whole adventures.
So what are they going to do? Make the games really short, spend less money making them, and make more of them? Well actually - YES!
The proof of this already occurring is Shigsy’s games for the GameCube.
Luigi’s Mansion is much much shorter than previous games Mario games. Even Shigsy’s latest GameCube fest Pikmin has a very limited lifespan. Yet from what I've heard (and a brief play of each in a Computer Exchange shop), they are highly enjoyable yet lacking in as much depth as previous games like Super Mario 64.
But Nintendo’s point is that for the majority of the gaming market, CHILDREN are the main target and actually are Nintendo’s main form of profit.
We all thought that Nintendo were steering slightly away from kiddies corner by exclusively owning the rights to the whole of the Biohazard Resident Evil series and making games like Eternal Darkness, but in fact they are gearing more towards them! Luigi’s Mansion may take many of you hardcore gamers only few hours or days to complete the game, but give it to a child, or a ‘casual’ gamer and it may take them several weeks to complete. This is exactly what they are aiming for. Easily accessible games for ALL and MORE games to be released FASTER, avoiding N64 style game shortages.
Was I the only was to drool at the SpaceWorld 2000 movie footage on the super realistic fight between Link and Ganon? And was I the only one to feel slightly let down, when this was all changed, with the game becoming cel-shaded? Of course many of us have come to accept the change, or even prefer it.
Just before I started to write this article, I watched both movies of both Zelda games (downloaded from the Internet) a couple of times and I still prefer the first one.
Nintendo obviously do not want to make a multi-million yen game that takes 8 years to make and only be properly discovered by few people when a much cheaper, shorter and less time-consuming one could be discovered by ‘everyone’ and make them a fortune!
Do we want this? I am by no means a pure hardcore gamer, but even though I never finished Ocarina of Time, I still thought it was outstanding, and really enjoyed the whole experience. The realism and innovation made the game the C&VG No1 game ever. It still sold millions and made Nintendo a fortune. It is a game that is remembered by many. Will a very short, cartoony, immediate game bring the same results?
Is this plan a wise one, when competing will the PS2 and XBOX? and ‘Adult’ games are already being much preferred.
Will Mario Sunshine or the New Zelda be very short and easy to complete? I hope not - but what do you lot think?
Will Nintendo lose a lot of devoted Ninty’s because of this new move?
If Nintendo stick to this plan, they will soon find out if it was a wise one or a BIG BIG mistake………
C!s
What I heard in Dringo's Metamorphis topic about Zelda being shorter, easier and linear was very disappointing.
It would be a shame if Nintendo turned their cartoony games into kiddie games...
(and YES! there is a difference between cartoony and kiddie...)
It would be a shame if Nintendo turned their cartoony games into kiddie games...
(and YES! there is a difference between cartoony and kiddie...)
The only way Nintendo could get away with games half of the size of N64 ones would be to charge half the price.
Would you mind if games weren't as big, but cheaper?
I don't think it will happen though, Luigi's Mansion is a short game, yes, but not because it's Nintendo's new policy, but because it's a typical launch title - a showcase for what a machine can do, though lacking in depth.
Even if Nintendo chose to produce only short games (and looking at the amount of different modes thrown into Super Smash Bros: Melee I doubt this) I couldn't see the 2nd party developers also going the same way. Rare have become famous for their epic games. Silicon Knights have been working on Eternal Darkness forever, and it's said to be huge.
The Nintendo Difference isn't about making shorter games, but innovation, classic franchises, and fun.
Would you mind if games weren't as big, but cheaper?
I don't think it will happen though, Luigi's Mansion is a short game, yes, but not because it's Nintendo's new policy, but because it's a typical launch title - a showcase for what a machine can do, though lacking in depth.
Even if Nintendo chose to produce only short games (and looking at the amount of different modes thrown into Super Smash Bros: Melee I doubt this) I couldn't see the 2nd party developers also going the same way. Rare have become famous for their epic games. Silicon Knights have been working on Eternal Darkness forever, and it's said to be huge.
The Nintendo Difference isn't about making shorter games, but innovation, classic franchises, and fun.
I wouldn't have said that Nintendo's new strategy was a bad one.. In fact, I wouldn't have really said it was a new strategy... they've just tweaked the old one so much so, that it looks new.
Also, I don't think Mario and Zelda will be at all short. Nintendo may well be looking at shorter games, like Luigi's Mansion and PIKMIN, but their top 2 franchises, that could sell about 2 million systems each because of their title and history... short? My árse they'll be short!
They'll be fun, action packed and take a different approach to their N64 predecessors, but not short. There's too much sales potential.
Game
Also, I don't think Mario and Zelda will be at all short. Nintendo may well be looking at shorter games, like Luigi's Mansion and PIKMIN, but their top 2 franchises, that could sell about 2 million systems each because of their title and history... short? My árse they'll be short!
They'll be fun, action packed and take a different approach to their N64 predecessors, but not short. There's too much sales potential.
Game
After reading an article in the latest NGC magazine about Nintendo’s new strategy in making new games, I’m undecided whether it is a wise move or a completely, utterly stupid one?
If you don’t know already, Nintendo apparently are ‘worried’ that games like Zelda The Ocarina Of Time, and Majora’s Mask were only approachable to a small audience of gamers. Why? They think that very few people actually experienced the whole of it and even finished it. They think that only pure hardcore gamers (a very small proportion of gamers) will have had the chance to enjoy the whole adventures.
So what are they going to do? Make the games really short, spend less money making them, and make more of them? Well actually - YES!
The proof of this already occurring is Shigsy’s games for the GameCube.
Luigi’s Mansion is much much shorter than previous games Mario games. Even Shigsy’s latest GameCube fest Pikmin has a very limited lifespan. Yet from what I've heard (and a brief play of each in a Computer Exchange shop), they are highly enjoyable yet lacking in as much depth as previous games like Super Mario 64.
But Nintendo’s point is that for the majority of the gaming market, CHILDREN are the main target and actually are Nintendo’s main form of profit.
We all thought that Nintendo were steering slightly away from kiddies corner by exclusively owning the rights to the whole of the Biohazard Resident Evil series and making games like Eternal Darkness, but in fact they are gearing more towards them! Luigi’s Mansion may take many of you hardcore gamers only few hours or days to complete the game, but give it to a child, or a ‘casual’ gamer and it may take them several weeks to complete. This is exactly what they are aiming for. Easily accessible games for ALL and MORE games to be released FASTER, avoiding N64 style game shortages.
Was I the only was to drool at the SpaceWorld 2000 movie footage on the super realistic fight between Link and Ganon? And was I the only one to feel slightly let down, when this was all changed, with the game becoming cel-shaded? Of course many of us have come to accept the change, or even prefer it.
Just before I started to write this article, I watched both movies of both Zelda games (downloaded from the Internet) a couple of times and I still prefer the first one.
Nintendo obviously do not want to make a multi-million yen game that takes 8 years to make and only be properly discovered by few people when a much cheaper, shorter and less time-consuming one could be discovered by ‘everyone’ and make them a fortune!
Do we want this? I am by no means a pure hardcore gamer, but even though I never finished Ocarina of Time, I still thought it was outstanding, and really enjoyed the whole experience. The realism and innovation made the game the C&VG No1 game ever. It still sold millions and made Nintendo a fortune. It is a game that is remembered by many. Will a very short, cartoony, immediate game bring the same results?
Is this plan a wise one, when competing will the PS2 and XBOX? and ‘Adult’ games are already being much preferred.
Will Mario Sunshine or the New Zelda be very short and easy to complete? I hope not - but what do you lot think?
Will Nintendo lose a lot of devoted Ninty’s because of this new move?
If Nintendo stick to this plan, they will soon find out if it was a wise one or a BIG BIG mistake………
C!s
If you don’t know already, Nintendo apparently are ‘worried’ that games like Zelda The Ocarina Of Time, and Majora’s Mask were only approachable to a small audience of gamers. Why? They think that very few people actually experienced the whole of it and even finished it. They think that only pure hardcore gamers (a very small proportion of gamers) will have had the chance to enjoy the whole adventures.
So what are they going to do? Make the games really short, spend less money making them, and make more of them? Well actually - YES!
The proof of this already occurring is Shigsy’s games for the GameCube.
Luigi’s Mansion is much much shorter than previous games Mario games. Even Shigsy’s latest GameCube fest Pikmin has a very limited lifespan. Yet from what I've heard (and a brief play of each in a Computer Exchange shop), they are highly enjoyable yet lacking in as much depth as previous games like Super Mario 64.
But Nintendo’s point is that for the majority of the gaming market, CHILDREN are the main target and actually are Nintendo’s main form of profit.
We all thought that Nintendo were steering slightly away from kiddies corner by exclusively owning the rights to the whole of the Biohazard Resident Evil series and making games like Eternal Darkness, but in fact they are gearing more towards them! Luigi’s Mansion may take many of you hardcore gamers only few hours or days to complete the game, but give it to a child, or a ‘casual’ gamer and it may take them several weeks to complete. This is exactly what they are aiming for. Easily accessible games for ALL and MORE games to be released FASTER, avoiding N64 style game shortages.
Was I the only was to drool at the SpaceWorld 2000 movie footage on the super realistic fight between Link and Ganon? And was I the only one to feel slightly let down, when this was all changed, with the game becoming cel-shaded? Of course many of us have come to accept the change, or even prefer it.
Just before I started to write this article, I watched both movies of both Zelda games (downloaded from the Internet) a couple of times and I still prefer the first one.
Nintendo obviously do not want to make a multi-million yen game that takes 8 years to make and only be properly discovered by few people when a much cheaper, shorter and less time-consuming one could be discovered by ‘everyone’ and make them a fortune!
Do we want this? I am by no means a pure hardcore gamer, but even though I never finished Ocarina of Time, I still thought it was outstanding, and really enjoyed the whole experience. The realism and innovation made the game the C&VG No1 game ever. It still sold millions and made Nintendo a fortune. It is a game that is remembered by many. Will a very short, cartoony, immediate game bring the same results?
Is this plan a wise one, when competing will the PS2 and XBOX? and ‘Adult’ games are already being much preferred.
Will Mario Sunshine or the New Zelda be very short and easy to complete? I hope not - but what do you lot think?
Will Nintendo lose a lot of devoted Ninty’s because of this new move?
If Nintendo stick to this plan, they will soon find out if it was a wise one or a BIG BIG mistake………
C!s