Nintendo: The Company The Industry Needs. The Company It Doesn’t Deserve

Nintendo may not be able to walk on water but they did resurrect gaming from the dead. Look, they aren’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination but without them we would probably witness another videogame crash.

[dedicatedtogamers]

I like Nintendo. I don't love them. I don't buy every single game they make. I buy the ones I like.

What I never understood is why people get so mad that Nintendo goes a different route. I thought people like variety. People got mad that Nintendo pursued motion controls. People got mad that Nintendo pursued the casuals. People got mad that Nintendo systems rely on 1st-party software. It's different than what Sony and Microsoft do. So what? I thought variety was a good thing.

@ NYC_Gamer

It seems like double-talk to me. Nintendo usually puts one (rarely two) entries from a series on each platform. But Sony and Microsoft get away with putting three or four of each franchise (Gears, Halo, Uncharted, Motorstorm, Resistance, Mass Effect) on a single console and that's okay. By the way, I DO think that's okay. The more games the better; I'm just pointing out the contradiction. Nintendo is simply giving fans what they want. If that fan isn't YOU, then I understand your frustration, but again, why does every game console have to be the same? Why does every game console have to be aimed at the exact same sort of gamer (not asking you, specifically, just posing the question)?

[NYC_Gamer]

I believe people are mad that Nintendo rely on the same franchises instead of taking the risk of creating new characters/franchises..

[jcnba28]

I'd rather have innovative games with the same characters than mediocre new IP's.

[Snookies12]

Sure Nintendo puts only a few of the same series' out on each console, but they've been going since the original NES (most of them). The ones you listed have only been prevalent mostly this generation. Yes Halo started on the original Xbox, but still hasn't been going on nearly as long as Mario, Zelda, Metroid, etc.

I dunno though, I kind of agree that I like more games in a series. Though I start disliking them when they're done every year. Things like Call of Duty and the way Assassin's Creed is starting to go.

[dedicatedtogamers]

Why should Nintendo stop making games in those franchises, though? They obviously sell. There's nothing wrong with "growing out" of a game franchise, which is what happens: gamer enjoys a Nintendo franchise, they play it for years, some grow out of it, then they get pissed that the game didn't change to suit their tastes.

You know how many Top 10 Underrated and Top 10 Remakes That Should Happen lists are made every single year? You know how many times I've seen marginally-selling stuff like Beyond G&E, Psychonauts, Earthbound, and Jet Force Gemini appear on those lists? Now, imagine what would happen if Zelda or Metroid or even Mario suddenly vanished from the market. Nintendo would be in ruins and fans would be begging for new entries in those franchises.

[Snookies12]

@dedicatedtogamers - Oh, I'm not saying they should stop making them. I was just stating that as a reason some people might take an issue with Nintendo is all. :]

[Tito08]

Honestly, the fans are what's wrong with Nintendo, if you look at it, there's being 11 Mario games, out of those 11, 8 are Mario-Themed, plus the 2 Mario & Sonic Olympics, 2 Zeldas, Metroid Prime Trilogy + Other M. You're asking "why does every game console have to be the same? Why does every game console have to be aimed at the exact same sort of gamer?" I ask you what's the point of Nintendo releasing a current-gen console 7 years late? & they're targeting to the hardcore because their casual market has already gone Mobile/Tablet. Nintendo is giving fans what they want which I agree, & that is the same tiring old crap, Nintendo really needs to change their ways if they wanna succeed & conquer the hardcore back, it wasn't Mario, Zelda or the fans, it was the casual market that made the Wii a success in total console sales, but 3rdparty support sucked, they not getting that market back with Wii U, so they need to get aggressive, have a little change in identity, stop being perceived as the KIDS company, get more 3rd party support because that's where most of the hardcore market really are, Nintendo fans crave for 3rd party games when in reality they don't buy them.

@ jcnba28- Yeah you being playing the same "INNOVATIVE" games since 1985, only an ignorant would say that unfortunately.

[weekev15]

To be fair to the industry, I think they are right to be panning Nintendo atm for the state WiiU is in. I am a Nintendo fanboy but the amount of games out after the launch titles has been embarassing.

That being said, to say it is doomed is very premature and we will see how it goes when the big games come out over the next few months.

[zalanis]

this was a very good article. Now, where the heck is luigi in that last supper pic. how did he get shafted again?? nice to see cloud making it in though