Obligatory what happened/is happening to Nintendo thread.

[Zork]

I had looked around for a topic like this to make sure there wasn't one, I could find it so I decided to start this. I'm really just starting this for the sake of good conversation more than anything because it's an interesting topic.

What's happened to Nintendo and is it effecting everything else as we know it?

The answer is quite obvious as to what's happened to Nintendo, at least in my opinion it is. Gamecube Sales were subpar compared to the X-Box and PS2 and just straight competing with the two didn't work out like they thought it would. You figured that they would've known better though and would've maybe not tried something as suicidal as Super Mario Sunshine or Lugi's Mansion compared to the other platform exclusive games (Although this isn't the only contributing factor to the Gamecube's less than stellar performance...it's an important factor in my opinion that the console had no traditional Mario game to fall back on.) especially when nobody cares whether or not Mario really evolves any...people just wanna jump, they don't want gimmicks. Thats why Sonic is rotting away...but thats another topic for another day...anyway...

Is this "Casual Gaming" stuff really effecting everyone else, as in the other gaming companies and "Hardcore" gamers? On the Wii it sure is but thats really not Nintendo's fault, not completely at least. But honestly they don't even need to try to attract traditional gamers (I like this term better) because they're swimming in money with these home bound moms, little kids, and old people. Not saying this is bad or anything but will they actually stay along for the ride? Who knows...

Discuss.

[GagaMan]

This whole "casual" and "hardcore" gaming nonsense was invented this generation. Before people who need to get out more were moaning that Nintendo were too "kiddy", now they've moved on to this rubbish.

[Zork]

This whole "casual" and "hardcore" gaming nonsense was invented this generation. Before people who need to get out more were moaning that Nintendo were too "kiddy", now they've moved on to this rubbish.

^ I can definitely agree with that, I don't ever remember hearing these terms until the friggin' Wii came out and people started to notice the horrid amount of shovelware and how much it was selling.

[Ack]

All I'm going to say?

Atari 2600.

[Zork]

All I'm going to say?

Atari 2600.

I one up you with Pong.

[brokenpavement]

The traditional game experience is still there, as long as people are willing to look for it. There are countless games for the wii that are not targeted towards soccer moms and the like, but since the system lacks 150 generic FPS games, it is pigeon-holed into a "casual" machine. :: shrugs ::

[puke_face]

i may be by myself here, but if they could at least come out with a system that could play a freakin dvd. My ps3 is my everything.... dvd, blue-ray, game console, shit now even a web browser. its 4 systems in one for me (i have the older, backwards compatible 80 gig, so ps1, ps2, ps3, dvd) and it runs almost all day, with no problems, mostly because i don't have cable, i have the internet for my entertainment. the wii on the other hand.... its lucky to be turned on every other month, of course that will change when i buy Rune Factory Frontier, but none the less, at least keep up with the graphical capability of the other systems, 1080i instead of 480p...

on the other hand, the price is REALLY hard to beat, which is why i bought a wii before the ps3, that and i didn't want to wait to get a newer system, and screw microsoft, they piss me off enough every day, so i wasn't about to buy a xbox 360. And once they released games to be developed by third party developers... i think they'll be alright for this generation at least. let me put it this way, they have alot more screwing up to do to even come close to how bad microsoft is in my opinion. they could make the crappiest console on earth, and i would by it before i bought anything microsoft came out with, simply because of their past reputation of being the best when i was younger, at least in my opinion.

[GagaMan]

Shovelware always existed, the most popular consoles always get the most of it. It comes with the popularity, i guess.

What irks me is when people use the whole "casual shovelware" term for pretty much any game that isn't racing/first person shooter/"AAA" adventure game, including games that were once acceptable like Olympic and puzzle games.

I personally own a Wii and PS3 and am currently anticipating more games on the Wii and even the PSN on it's own over the PS3's line up. One thing I really like so far about the Wii is has seemed to have brought a sort of 2D on consoles revival into gear, with Wario land, a Boy and His Blob, that amazing looking Vanillaware game I can never remember the name of, and quite a few others. I've also enjoyed some of the unique games that have shown up like De Blob, Boom Blox (OMG Casual) and some of the Wiiware stuff. Then there's stuff like Excitebots and Punchout coming that look crazy fun. The system also gives light gun and arcade style games a new home, which is right down my alley.

I must say I do really like my PS3 for all the extra things it can do, like play so many things and use pretty much anything you plug into it. I espcially love the Playstation Eye and the software it comes with, which i always use for stop motion animation.

[RemyC]

Casual and Hardcore gaming have been around since consoles came to the home front. Its just this generation that people are getting the labels all mixed up.
Nintendo has definitely focused most of their attention toward the casual market. They have certainly become the family name. For the longest time my mom referred to "playing videogames" as, "Nintendo-ing"....and I only owned a Genesis.
From a financial standpoint, why would they try to compete with the PS3 and Xbox when they have the violence, and graphic market cornered...it'd be stupid.
What I don't understand is why Nintendo doesn't start knocking quality 2D games out like mad, and take advantage of their less powerful machine.
Get capcom on the phone and get another Ghosts N Goblins on the way.

[MrPopo]

i may be by myself here, but if they could at least come out with a system that could play a freakin dvd.

What's really depressing is that the Homebrew folks can get their Wiis to play DVDs with no hardware modification.

that amazing looking Vanillaware game I can never remember the name of

Muramasa: The Demon Blade.

Back in the day, when it was SNES and Genesis (and NES as well) it wasn't "cool" to play video games. Every one in a while there might be something like Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter that everyone can get into, but on the whole it was for the social outcasts. Then when the Playstation came out there was a big demographic shift that is best summed up via the following Penny Arcade:

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2001/06/06/

Pretty much every game gets lumped into "Kiddy" and "Mature" or "Casual" and "Hardcore" based on whether one would consider it to be "cool" to play the game. The only game I can really think of off the top of my head that I would call "casual" is Wii Music. Pretty much every other "casual" game does have some deep mechanic just waiting for the OCD kids to exploit, and exploit they do. I had buddies who would spend hours on the Sims creating a reproduction of their dorm. The Pokemon enthusiasts crunch more Excel than CPAs. The real distinction being made is whether you'd be willing to admit you play a game at a frat party.

Shoveware, of course, is something completely different. It's always existed and always will exist. And the Wii is interesting in that it's much harder to make a game for both the 360/PS3 and the Wii, due to the control schemes. So many devs avoid the Wii for that reason (as well as graphics, but I highly doubt that graphics are the first reason they don't do it).