Nintendo's Philosophy

[Trauma-san]

What do you guys think of Nintendo's philosophy that they're basically banking everything on?  Here's it in a nutshell, from a recent interview with the president of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata.  I think there's a lot of truth to what he believes.  

Games have come to a dead end. Creating complicated games with advanced graphics used to be the golden principle that led to success, but it is no longer working. The biggest problem is that [developers] need to satisfy the core gamers, who want games with more volume and complexity, while they also need to satisfy average users, who don't have as much knowledge about games. The situation right now is that even if the developers work a hundred times harder, they can forget about selling a hundred times more units, since it's difficult for them to even reach the status quo. It's obvious that there's no future to gaming if we continue to run on this principle that wastes time and energy [in development]. Nintendo is called 'conservative' and 'quiet' nowadays, so we hope to show our existence as an innovator to new styles of entertainment."


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nintendo's whole theory is that Sony & Microsoft are focusing on making the systems better, so graphics can be more realistic, etc. and games can be 60 hours long instead of 40 hours long, and this and that... Nintendo feels that the problem right now isn't that the games aren't realistic, they feel that a simple game even with unrealistic graphics can be more fun than the most realistic driving game or whatever ever created.  So they're toning down (and have been for a year now) the rush to make the newest, best looking game, bigger and better looking then the last, and focusing more on trying to come up with innovative, new ideas that are fun without having to be bigger & badder than the last game out.  

I kind of think that's the way to go.  The X-Box is really about as powerful as a game system ever needs to be... back in the day, the home systems weren't as powerful as the arcade games, but they were still fun... now an X-box outperforms almost every arcade game out, the graphic extent of games has been reached.  Like he said, there's no reason to spend a year developing a game when all you're doing is making the graphics look better and better and better, it's a waste of talent and time.  They should be focusing all that energy on creating new types of games, and making sure the fun level is there.  I can't count the number of games I've played that look great, but play horribly.  I've said it 100 times, I'll say it again... beat Pac-Man.  Simple ass game, horrible graphics, bullshit sound effects, but the greatest game ever created.  Not that everything has to be that simple and toned down, but the race for the biggest baddest console has to stop eventually.  

[MANBEARPIG.]

Billy Hatcher =definitely a sleeper for the GCN I suggest u check it out if you havent already.

[smerlus]

nintendo always makes fun and addicting games..that was never nintendo's problem, thier problem is they always try and buck the trend and it doesn't work..... if they believe that that's whats wrong with videogames....then they should tell thier development companies that.....but at least come out with a system similar to the ps3 but with better graphics.....have similar extra functions and let the games do the battling

honestly the only thing i'm pissed off about is we have these power consoles that they've only used maybe 60% of thier power, and they're already making new ones.....hell soul caliber 1 on dreamcast looks and plays better than some games coming out today

[MANBEARPIG.]

honestly the only thing i'm pissed off about is we have these power consoles that they've only used maybe 60% of thier power, and they're already making new ones.....hell soul caliber 1 on dreamcast looks and plays better than some games coming out today

I've never agreed with you more

[On The Edge of Insanity]

Yeah some Dreamcast games still look better than a few of the current crop of games coming out.

I agree with Nintendos philosophy, because I am starting to get pissed off with companies trying to make games look as realistic as possible, and then hardly spending any time actually making it play right, so that it is fun to play. But Nintendo themselves have always made fun games, I actually can't think of a realistic Nintendo game, so I don't see this is any sort of change in philosophy really.

[smerlus]

some good news for nintendo

GameCube selling out in U.S.


Nintendo planning to bring in GameCube consoles from other territories to meet demand in the United States.

According to a recent Reuters report, Nintendo is seeking to bring in supplies from other territories to meet demand for its GameCube console in the United States. Last year production of the GameCube was halted for a time due to slack demand, but sales were reinvigorated when the price of the console was cut to $99 in September.

"Store shelves are just running very dry, I'd say about 50 percent of our stores are out," said Nintendo spokeswoman Perrin Kaplan. "We're getting as much inventory as we can from other territories and making sure that Japan has production ramped at maximum to feed the need."

By Justin Calvert, GameSpot  [POSTED: 03/02/04 04:41 AM]


i hope they do good, i'm really not looking forward to spending $400 on a new system in 2-3 years.

[Trauma-san]

^ That's Nintendo's point.  You don't need a better system.  The systems are fine.  You need better games.  

[BL7]

Nintendo's decision to focus on games instead of a new system, is one of the best decisions they've ever made.









































Now, if we could just get them to make a better controller for the GameCube........

[MANBEARPIG.]

Nintendo's decision to focus on games instead of a new system, is one of the best decisions they've ever made.



Now, if we could just get them to make a better controller for the GameCube........

Whats wrong with it now?

[BL7]

It SUCKS for fighting games, that's what's wrong with it. The D-Pad is way too small.

[MANBEARPIG.]

It SUCKS for fighting games, that's what's wrong with it. The D-Pad is way too small.

I found I was using the D-pad pretty well with Capcom vs. SNK 2 and Soul Calibur, I can't use an analog for a fighter

[BL7]

It SUCKS for fighting games, that's what's wrong with it. The D-Pad is way too small.

I found I was using the D-pad pretty well with Capcom vs. SNK 2 and Soul Calibur, I can't use an analog for a fighter

Well, I had trouble with Soul Calibur, because of how small the D-Pad is. When I'd try to move forward, I'd end up side-stepping & jumping because my thumb was hitting more than one direction. Just like you, I can't use an analog for fighting games, so for me, they need to make a better controller.

[MANBEARPIG.]

haha I had that problem at first too until I learned to compensate a bit by not using my whole thumb, more like the tip or something.

[Trauma-san]

That did suck, playing MK5 was hard with the little D pad.  

[On The Edge of Insanity]

Apart from that though, the Gamecube still has the best controller out of the current crop of consoles.