Nintendo has hit a brick wall.

[finalark]

Link to original post: [drupal=2717]Nintendo has hit a brick wall.[/drupal]



I wanted to write something up about this, but at the time of the news I was too busy with my schooling to do so. But hey, better late than never, right? So little over a week ago, reports say that Wii sales plummeted. Iwata, the President of Nintendo, says that "the Wii has stalled" and that "games of high demand could not be continually released."

Okay, no, that's not the case. I think that Nintendo has just hit a wall and is pretty **** close to being out of ideas. Think about it, Mario Galaxy 2, New Super Mario Bros Wii, The Metroid Prime Trilogy, what do these all have in common? The billion-dollar answer is that they're all rehashes of some sort. It might be because I'm pretty critical-minded, but I am the only one who thought that Nintendo was running out of ideas when they announced Super Mario Galaxy 2? It's like they're saying "we have no ideas for a fresh and inventive Mario title so we're just going to give you the last game only with more levels and OMG IT HAZ YOSHIZ!1!!1" And they already put out a remake of classic Mario so why must you make a Wii version? No new ideas to milk the Mario cash cow with? And the Prime trilogy, okay, if you can't see how this is a rehash then you should go hit your head against something hard. And let's not forget "play on Wii" or whatever it's called, porting Game Cube games with Wii controls, really, Nintendo? Nintendo has hit a dead end, a good amount of their fan base has left them for Sony or Microsoft, casual gamers (or as I like to call them, "those with the attention span of the Japanese public") seem to have gotten over the Wii and moved on. At this point, it really feels like Nintendo as just hit a brick wall, their casual cash-cows don't seem to be as interested in the Wii as they once were and too many disappointments have caused a number of Nintendo fans to move on.

I already wrote another blog talking about what I think Nintendo should do to try and get their fans back. So I'll keep those comments to a minimum. But with casual gamers getting bored and moving on, "core" gamers giving up and moving on and Nintendo running out of ideas, one must wonder what will happen to Nintendo. I believe that now is the time for Nintendo to get their heads straight and try and earn its fans back with the games that they want to play, not Wii (insert noun/verb here), but F-Zero, Star Fox, and other series. To me, it feels like Nintendo doesn't really know what do with their other franchises besides their three biggest money makers, Mario, Zelda and Pokemon. And even with those, their starting to run dry. As stated earlier, Mario has now become the king of rehashes, Zelda... well, okay, they're doing a great job with Zelda (PEOPLE DID NOT GIVE TWILIGHT PRINCESS A CHANCE) but Pokemon is pretty much the rehash god. So if they're running dry there, then why don't they actually give what fans are asking for and make new games from their other franchises? Actually, at this point it would be nice to see Nintendo put some effort out and actually make several new franchises rather than just making the same games year after year. However, that new Punch Out game was a step in the right direction. Ultimately boiling everything down, I think that if Nintendo doesn't get its act together, then by the time that next-gen rolls around we may find that the Wii ends up being Nintendo's last console.

 

[Browny]

For as long as these 'rehashes' continue to obliterate every other video game in sales, what reason do ninty have to make new games? watch NSMBWii be the biggest selling wii game, make more money than you can comprehend and counter your argument rather well.

I really dont see where you are getting these opinions from "their casual cash-cows don't seem to be as interested in the Wii as they once were and too many disappointments have caused a number of Nintendo fans to move on."

Have you not seen sales figures from the likes of pokemon and mario games? its insane, galaxy might even overtake WoW in a few years (Ok it looks like Halo 3 is setting the pace for home consoles actually, Pokemon D/P is way infront though lol). This brick wall of yours is looking pretty imaginary

The 20 best-selling console/handheld games, not originally bundled.
1. Wii Play (Wii – 24.43 million)
2. Wii Fit (Wii – 22.5 million)
3. Nintendogs (DS – 22.27 million, all five versions combined)
4. Pokémon Red, Blue, and Green (Game Boy – 20.08 million approximately)
5. New Super Mario Bros. (DS – 19.94 million)
6. Mario Kart Wii (Wii – 18.36 million)
7. Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES – 18 million)
8. Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! (DS – 17.41 million)
9. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2 - 17.33 million)
10. Pokémon Diamond and Pearl (DS – 16.81 million)

get @ that

 

[Rudementry]

IDK theres like no badass games coming for wii. And they don't have downloadable content. And like nothing cool. Not even anything cool in the future. Hell, ps3 and xbox have soo much cool stuff coming out. God of War 3 just makes me melt. Assassin's Creed 2 gonna be sooo gud and MAG256 is gonna be so amazing. The conduit failed my last hope in Nintendo. I never even finished the game I got so bored with it I went and playing FF7 and Fat Princess.

Only good thing about wii right now is hackability lol. Its the only thing that keeps me going is brawl hacks.

 

[finalark]

For as long as these 'rehashes' continue to obliterate every other video game in sales, what reason do ninty have to make new games? watch NSMBWii be the biggest selling wii game, make more money than you can comprehend and counter your argument rather well.

I really dont see where you are getting these opinions from "their casual cash-cows don't seem to be as interested in the Wii as they once were and too many disappointments have caused a number of Nintendo fans to move on."

Have you not seen sales figures from the likes of pokemon and mario games? its insane, galaxy might even overtake WoW in a few years. This brick wall of yours is looking pretty imaginary

Yes, Mario Galaxy sold amazingly. Yes, Mario Galaxy was good. Pokemon will continue to sell becuase it's an idea that works regardless of what generation you grew up in (kids like animals, kids like action, mix the two together and...) but that's not the point. My point is that they're running low on ideas, and look how well the Pokemon games sell. Proving that rehashes do indeed print money. But how about you pay attention to what's going on in the gamming community. Let me ask you, how many Nintendo fans do you know who have pretty much become indifferent toward the Wii? How many casual gamers do you know have lost interest in the Wii? I know more than enough to prove my point. Yes, Nintendo has hit a wall in terms of ideas, money? Probably not (but don't forget the plumetting sales), but ideas, yes.

 

[Browny]

Nintendo are in this business for ONE reason: To make money

If they can minimise costs by rehashing old ideas which, amazingly, generate MORE sales than original games, how can you criticise their methods. They can run low on ideas, you will continue to buy them. if you dont and /ragequit nintendo, 2 people will take your place.

The sooner people realise that nintendo have no obligation to anyone other than to make money, the less anger we will feel towards them.

Even if they are running out of ideas, how is that nintendo unique. have you seen the top selling ps3/360/pc and even movie titles these days? no surprises what you'll find there

 

[finalark]

Nintendo are in this business for ONE reason: To make money

If they can minimise costs by rehashing old ideas which, amazingly, generate MORE sales than original games, how can you criticise their methods. They can run low on ideas, you will continue to buy them. if you dont and /ragequit nintendo, 2 people will take your place.

The sooner people realise that nintendo have no obligation to anyone other than to make money, the less anger we will feel towards them.

Yeah yeah, I know. Corporate *******s and all of that. But you are compleately missing the point. Yes, Nintendo is in this to make money, that's what every last corporate scumbag is in for. But I'm not talking about how awesome their market strategy is, I'm talking about how they are almost out of ideas for games and possible reasons why sales have dropped. I'm not talking about how they're in this to make money. I'm not talking about a finacal brick wall, I'm talking about a brick wall for ideas for new games.

 

[Deleted member]

to be fair, muramasa was ****.

the wii has way too much shovelware and they know it.

 

[Browny]

eh i wrote a big post but cbf trying to explain myself in words lol, too much proof required. so ill ask this instead;

What makes you think that original ideas correlates to successful game sales? Take a look at any sales chart for any console and notice the sheer number of sequels/rehashes.

 

[PassWurD]

Ah Super Mario Bros. 3, gotta rep that NES!

 

[finalark]

What makes you think that original ideas correlates to successful game sales? Take a look at any sales chart for any console and notice the sheer number of sequels/rehashes.

Four words: Compleately. Missing. The Point.

I thought I already said that I'm not talking about a sales brick wall, but rather, an ideas brick awll. Anyway, no, original ideas only sometimes work. Because people are stupid and can't stand anything that isn't "safe" or "familiar."

Well, in this generation anyway, back in the old days you could put out pretty much anything you wanted and still have a pretty good shot a success. These days a game's sales probably won't set the world on fire unless its a new Pokemon, Zelda or Mario title.

Or you know, if someone's head doesn't explode.

 

[Man of Popsicle]

But they'tre doing better than ever, they're putting out less effort, using, less money, and turning more profit. There's nothing wrong with Nintendo, unless you actually play games.

 

[Browny]

ugh ok...

but WHY is it a problem they have hit a brick wall of ideas. and show me some examples of what nintendo should be doing.

And because I can, if you continue to refute my points on missing the point regarding money being the prime motive, reconsider your use of the following phrases

No new ideas to milk the Mario cash cow with?

their casual cash-cows don't seem to be as interested

Wii ends up being Nintendo's last console.

and this one especially

Nintendo doesn't really know what do with their other franchises besides their three biggest money makers, Mario, Zelda and Pokemon

Becuase they DEFINITELY know what to do with these titles, they almost cant go wrong

 

[Frown]

Making a new franchise = Might fail

Making a new Mario game = $$$

 

[Red Arremer]

Nintendo has tried making several new franchises numerous times, most of them either fail horribly or go almost unnoticed.

Examples? Just look at Brawl's stickers or trophies and you'll see tons of them:
Captain Rainbow, Magical Starsign, Chousouju Mecha MG, and so on.

New franchises simply won't sell good. But they keep on developing them. Just because you don't know them doesn't mean they're not there. It just proves my point even further.

 

[superyoshi888]

You know, I have one thing to say about this blog.

It doesn't matter.

All games are, in essence, rehashes of other games, except with a new twist. Mario basically created the platforming game, and if you cannot find his influence in at least one platforming game, then you need to look closer. Alright, maybe Mario creating the genre is a bit of a stretch, but you cannot deny that most platforming games today, if not ALL, had part of their roots in the Mario series.

Heck, look at the FPS genre. That is basically built AROUND rehashing other ideas. How many games from their where you have played as a space marine? Now, how many games outside of Mario have you played as a plumber?

Let's take a look at the Kirby franchise in Japan, for example. He is VERY popular in Japan, yet all of his games are rehashes of each other(not including spin-offs). All that changes are slight differences in physics and what copy abilities(or lack of) are avaible.

While we are on the subject of Kirby, I'll look at a title that probably is what you would like to see. Canvas Curse. I'd say it was the first DS game to truely take advantage of the stylus, and I haven't really seen a game like this or since. However, how far can Mario be taken away from platforming when the only connections it has with the main series is the word Mario? Can he be thrusted into a unique game that no one else has done before?

I could go on and on about this subject, but right now it probably already looks like a giant, incoherent wall of text, so I'll stop here.

 

[bobson]

You realize they've been doing this since Super Mario Bros. 2, right? This is just how business works. If something works, you do it more until it stops working. Mario, Zelda, Metroid etc. have yet to stop working.

They're trying new things here and there as Spa... Onishiba pointed out, and nobody's buying them. If people buy them, they make more of them. The newest thing they tried that worked was motion control casual shenanigans. If it stops working at some point, they'll stop.

 

[CRASHiC]

Why does everyone ***** at Nintendo for doing now what they always did?????????

I'm tired of it. Stop looking back at your past with tinted glasses people.
3 Mario games on the Regular Nintendo, all of them the same.
Pokemon Pokemon Pokemon
Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Donkey Kong
We get far less of these now a days, and people have a problem with Super Mario Galaxy 2, the first true sequal with similar gameplay made of a mario game since the Super Nintendo Marios??????

 

[Teran]

You know there's a reason why Nintendo stick to their guns so firmly. You, the Nintendo fans, scold them if they break the mould a bit.

Look at Majora's Mask. It was an amazing game, but it was too atypical for most Zelda fans. People complain that all Nintendo games are just Mario trying to save Peach from Bowser in a giant lava filled castle, Link getting 3 items to unlock the Master Sword before taking on 7 dungeons or so to beat Ganon etc etc.

The fact of the matter is, Nintendo fans complain if anything else is done. Nintendo is getting stale because of the fans. This is why they're now ignoring their original "core gamer" fanbase and jumping over to the fickle casuals. Easy money, and soon they can cultivate their new Nintendo fanboys, before they get impossible to please with their elitist and picky attitude.

Just face it, it's the Nintendo fans' fault, not Nintendo's. If the loyal fans were so great for Nintendo, they wouldn't have been 3rd in the console races having to change their business strategy.

 

[CRASHiC]

WHOA
Teran isn't a mod anymore
So sad. I wonder who will take over.
Regardless, what Teran said was true, though I find it odd now that these same fans are now attacking Nintendo for what they always have done, see Firius in the Wii 2 thread.

 

[GunmasterLombardi]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Try to understand that Nintendo is loaded w/ cash. As long as they keep makin' it, they'll do what they've been doing the whole. Believe it or not, but Ninty has been the smartest in the console wars.

Sell your Wii, dats fine. Just remember that Ninty doesn't have to care.

 

[Teran]

WHOA
Teran isn't a mod anymore
So sad. I wonder who will take over.
Regardless, what Teran said was true, though I find it odd now that these same fans are now attacking Nintendo for what they always have done, see Firius in the Wii 2 thread.

I'm still a mod, just taking the back seat for a bit.

 

[GunmasterLombardi]

Yeah yeah, I know. Corporate *******s and all of that. But you are compleately missing the point. Yes, Nintendo is in this to make money, that's what every last corporate scumbag is in for. But I'm not talking about how awesome their market strategy is, I'm talking about how they are almost out of ideas for games and possible reasons why sales have dropped. I'm not talking about how they're in this to make money. I'm not talking about a finacal brick wall, I'm talking about a brick wall for ideas for new games.

Oh yeah, sorry if this double post.

What this man is talking about DOESN'T matter. Ignore him.

 

[CRASHiC]

I'm still a mod, just taking the back seat for a bit.

THE REVOLUTION WAS SUCCESSFUL. LONG LIVE THE WONDERFUL LAND OF BLOGS!

 

[finalark]

You know there's a reason why Nintendo stick to their guns so firmly. You, the Nintendo fans, scold them if they break the mould a bit.

Look at Majora's Mask. It was an amazing game, but it was too atypical for most Zelda fans. People complain that all Nintendo games are just Mario trying to save Peach from Bowser in a giant lava filled castle, Link getting 3 items to unlock the Master Sword before taking on 7 dungeons or so to beat Ganon etc etc.

The fact of the matter is, Nintendo fans complain if anything else is done. Nintendo is getting stale because of the fans. This is why they're now ignoring their original "core gamer" fanbase and jumping over to the fickle casuals. Easy money, and soon they can cultivate their new Nintendo fanboys, before they get impossible to please with their elitist and picky attitude.

Just face it, it's the Nintendo fans' fault, not Nintendo's. If the loyal fans were so great for Nintendo, they wouldn't have been 3rd in the console races having to change their business strategy.

Teran has said everything I was ever planning on saying in my next blog ever. And he's also given a very good point, it's the fans, not Nintendo. If things change too much, then fans complain. If they change to little, then people like me complain.

And @DJBrowny:

Yes, Nintendo is running out of ideas to milk Mario with. Look at if from a gamers perspective rather than as business perspective. Mario 64 was original, Mario Sunshine took the basic game play of Mario 64 and added Fluud and many other game play elements. Mario Galaxy really took the "Secret" levels from Sunshine and did something amazing with it. Mario Galaxy 2... OMGZ IT HAZ YOSHIZ!11! From what I've seen of Mario Galaxy 2, it looks like their not really doing anything to change the series, just puting out Mario Galaxy again with a bunch of new levels and Yoshi.

And yes, their casual market doesn't really seem interested anymore. I know a large amount of casual gamers who haven't even touched their Wii in about a year.

And yes, the Wii may very well be Nintendo's last console. I say this because their loosing their footing from both a business perspective and a gamers perspective. The next generation is supposedly rolling around in 2011-2012. Think about what might happen to them if they don't reel in casuals and try to get their fans back.

Yes Nintendo knows what to do with those games... to make money (geez, I wrote this at 11:30 last night, give me a break). Think about it, if F-Zero had big a huge hit, how many F-Zero games do you think we'd see right now? How about Kid Icarus? Earthbound? The thing is, Nintendo won't give us anything that isn't Mario, Metroid or Zelda because they don't see it as being successful. **** shame, really.

Now how about you ask yourself this, why have the Wii sales dropped so drastically?

 

[superyoshi888]

And so what if the Wii is their last console? Wait, no, that's incorrect. It maybe their last home console(doubt it, though). It most certainly will not be their last console ever. You look at the Wii and you think that, because the Wii's sales have dropped, Nintendo is having trouble. This is not true. The DS alone more than covers Nintendo's troubles. Once Nintendo stops dominating the handheld market, then we can say they'll stop making systems. But with the way things are going, they won't stop for a while, if at all.

 

[CRASHiC]

Its not like it still isn't selling like hot cakes. Nintendo still controls the majority of the market. Simply because it isn't selling at record breaking speeds anymore doesn't mean that its failed. Nintendo still makes a profit every time one is sold.

 

[finalark]

And so what if the Wii is their last console? Wait, no, that's incorrect. It maybe their last home console(doubt it, though). It most certainly will not be their last console ever. You look at the Wii and you think that, because the Wii's sales have dropped, Nintendo is having trouble. This is not true. The DS alone more than covers Nintendo's troubles. Once Nintendo stops dominating the handheld market, then we can say they'll stop making systems. But with the way things are going, they won't stop for a while, if at all.

Its not like it still isn't selling like hot cakes. Nintendo still controls the majority of the market. Simply because it isn't selling at record breaking speeds anymore doesn't mean that its failed. Nintendo still makes a profit every time one is sold.

Both two very valid points. The Wii is still selling, although not as well a previously. However, most gamers have moved on, I wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo just starts making purely casual consoles in the future. If the Wii really does stop there, the will probably just continue with handhelds.

(Note to self: stop writing blogs when you're half asleep).

 

[INSANE CARZY GUY]

Really I don't know if they do or don't but they should always have the GC controller for a choose for every game. think about it it has an amazing feel I would change the C-stick for for shooters but overall it's a great controller. I don't know maybe they could work with a shooter game they are really big right now

 

[finalark]

Really I don't know if they do or don't but they should always have the GC controller for a choose for every game. think about it it has an amazing feel I would change the C-stick for for shooters but overall it's a great controller. I don't know maybe they could work with a shooter game they are really big right now

Metroid Prime, it's made them a ton of money. So what do they do? Rerealse all three games in one disk only with Wii controls.

So original!

Anyway, My point: Nintendo has run out ideas for games.

Everyone's counterpoint: Nintendo's marketing strategy is working just fine.

Think about that.

 

[CRASHiC]

Both two very valid points. The Wii is still selling, although not as well a previously. However, most gamers have moved on, I wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo just starts making purely casual consoles in the future. If the Wii really does stop there, the will probably just continue with handhelds

1. Stop speculating on weather or not this is the last consol. There are no signs to point to that at all.
2. Numbers are being released of how much people play the games, and ya know what, no, gamers have no moved on. Making the assumption that because you don't like the wii and other gamers you know don't like the wii does not mean that all gamers have moved on. I will probably play Endless Ocean until the day I die. I will never grow tired of that game and the atmosphere it provides.

How about the point that they have done this all along, more so in fact on the the first two consols.

In fact, you argue that Nintendo is out of ideas, but from where I stand, I see that Nintendo is the only one WITH ideas, while Sony and Microsoft struggle to catch up with Nintendo (yet again just like every console race). Nintendo are some of the few innovates in the industry, and you claim them out of ideas?

The entireity of the Xbox 360 lineup came be assumed to be the same as the first Xbox except with new flashy graphics with a handful of exceptions like Braid and Viva La Pinata.

 

[Sucumbio]

Interesting observation. While I do not agree Nintendo's hit any brick walls their recent slump in numbers could be attributed to many things. Was it American sales or worldwide sales?

I hate to say it, Wii for one is the only system this generation to actually turn a decent profit (console sales alone, not games.)

Also, I hate to say it, Nintendo -does- suffer- in the franchise market. There are many long standing franchises that don't come out on Nintendo systems because the system either can't do it (Wii's graphical power was too weak to do MGS4 for instance) or Nintendo won't do it. They are relying heavily on the fanbases for mario, zelda, etc. because they can.

And the shovelware doesn't help at all, it makes the system less attractive in the long run.

The one the Wii has going for it is its unique style of gaming. Wii Fit, etc... though I have none of those games, and never play the ones I did get like Wii sports, etc there are tons of adults and kids alike all be-bopping around with their wii motes and chucks playing highly infectious "games" that require you to stand, move.. the basic polar opposite to what I believe is video gaming. (I used to sit 3 inches from the TV "indian style" for 6 hours straight, lol).

This generation's almost over anyway, with Wii on top for console sales.

1. Wii – 50.39 million, as of 31 March 2009
2. Xbox 360 – 30.20 million,as of 1 January 2009
3. PlayStation 3 – 27 million, as of 30 October 2009

The positioning now will be to sell PS3s and Xbox 360s at super LOW cost to try to pick up the back end and stragglers (I have neither currently but should be getting at least one of the two by xmas).

So now it's all about Game sales. Nintendo, admitted it. We don't have much in the way of games right now, our bad. Whatever, they will, they've got enough new titles coming to keep older folks like myself from feeling ripped off for owning a console that seems useless now. Cause it's not!

Besides, if I never owned another Wii game again I'd be ok, because I have Brawl :D

 

[finalark]

In fact, you argue that Nintendo is out of ideas, but from where I stand, I see that Nintendo is the only one WITH ideas, while Sony and Microsoft struggle to catch up with Nintendo (yet again just like every console race). Nintendo are some of the few innovates in the industry, and you claim them out of ideas?

The entireity of the Xbox 360 lineup came be assumed to be the same as the first Xbox except with new flashy graphics with a handful of exceptions like Braid and Viva La Pinata.

Fine, I won't saying anything negivtive about the holy Wii anymore.

Okay, how is Nintendo the only one with ideas? Drop the fandom and look at them. How many Wii games have just been little more than rereleases of previous games? Play on Wii? The Prime Trilogy? And now they arn't even trying. The only reason why Mario Galaxy 2 is even comming out is because of how well the first one did, and we all know that they sure as hell arn't going to change anything because the fans will get pissed if they do.

Did you ever even play an original Xbox? The original Xbox's library consisted almost entirely out of sports titles with a few shooters scattered around here and there. You know what the difference between Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo is? Microsoft and Sony give their fans games they want to play. Nintendo just spits out the same games with little changes.

 

[Insetick]

Nintendo will start making new game series if they need to. Meanwhile, they have no reason to invest in creating risky new franchises because they already have classic cash cows.

Say Nintendo is planning on creating a new racing game. Nintendo has designers that could easily think up a new game series, but it's much cheaper and less risky to just plug the idea into the Mario series and make Mario Kart. Nintendo isn't short on ideas; it's just better for them to use old ones.

Did you ever even play an original Xbox? The original Xbox's library consisted almost entirely out of sports titles with a few shooters scattered around here and there. You know what the difference between Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo is? Microsoft and Sony give their fans games they want to play. Nintendo just spits out the same games with little changes.

There is no difference between Microsoft and Nintendo. If the Xbox's library was almost entirely sports games and shooters, then wasn't Microsoft spitting out the same game with little changes? Nintendo is giving the players what they want as well; if it wasn't, it wouldn't sell as many games as it does.

 

[Spire]

Twilight Princess is a rehash of Wind Waker is a rehash of Majora's Mask is a rehash of Ocarina of Time is a rehash of A Link to the Past is a rehash of The Legend of Zelda. I didn't bother including the other 9 titles.

Every Super Mario Bros. game is a rehash of all preceding it. Every F-Zero game is a rehash. Star Fox went adventure-mode with SFA and a lot of fans hated it. I certainly didn't because it was basically Star Fox Zelda, but most did because it wasn't the Star Fox they knew, and that's all they care about. The Metroid Prime trilogy successfully changed the formula up entirely and managed to make a pretty penny, but these risks hardly work well for franchises.

Rehashing ideas is how you continue developing a franchise. Once you find a formula that works, you just keep making things from that formula, and if that continues to rake in money, then you better keep doing it.

 

[CRASHiC]

Okay, how is Nintendo the only one with ideas?

Everything you know about a controller has originated from Nintendo, besides buttons. However, the gradual trigger buttons (which was adopted by Xbox and Microsoft :gasp: ) was also pionered by the Gamecube. From analog to the feel of our controlers to wireless to motion sensors, Nintendo is the only one pionering anything within controller design.

How many Wii games have just been little more than rereleases of previous games? Play on Wii? The Prime Trilogy?

Do you mean the percent of the total Wii libarary, not counting virtual consol? Very few.

The only reason why Mario Galaxy 2 is even comming out is because of how well the first one did and we all know that they sure as hell arn't going to change anything because the fans will get pissed if they do.

Oh ho ho ho. So, if they are out of ideas for releasing the first true sequal to a Mario game since these games, then I guess they had no ideas for 2 entire consols.

As for changing a game, what you say isn't necessarily true, what do you make of Super Paper Mario, which changed the game drastically from a more traditional RPG format to a RPG/Platforming format?

 

[~ Gheb ~]

Rehashing ideas is how you continue developing a franchise. Once you find a formula that works, you just keep making things from that formula, and if that continues to rake in money, then you better keep doing it.

Final Fantasy keeps changing with every title and always adds lots of new stuff while abandoning ideas already used in previous games.

Could be the exception to the rule though.

 

[john!]

Nintendo to get their heads straight and try and earn its fans back with the games that they want to play, not Wii (insert noun/verb here), but F-Zero, Star Fox, and other series.

The whole post was funny, but this in particular made me chuckle. If they did this you would still be whining about "rehashes" and "new ideas". The fact is that all companies do this with their best franchises (Final Fantasy/GTA from Sony or the endless shooters from Microsoft). Nintendo actually has been the primary innovator for the last few consoles, unless by "innovation" you mean "shoving in a beefier processor and more memory".

 

[G-Beast]

The original Xbox's library consisted almost entirely out of sports titles with a few shooters scattered around here and there.

and who has the lack of ideas....?

all sports games are the same(minus the obvious differences between the different sports themselves), and theres too many of them. we dont need a new sports game for every blasted season they have irl

lets think rehash....

theres how many Final Fantasy games now? amd how realistically different are they in between games? just different characters, thats it

Halo 1-3 has the same **** over again, just 1 new feature every time(maybe 2)

look at Street Fighter... theres alot of street fighter games and they are almost exclusively on PS 1 through 3! they sell very well iirc

theres so many series i can name on Xbox or PS1-3 that are rehashed.... and yet you say nintendo has the lack of ideas.... right.

 

[Spire]

Final Fantasy keeps changing with every title and always adds lots of new stuff while abandoning ideas already used in previous games.

Could be the exception to the rule though.

Look at Final Fantasies I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, and X. They each change little by little with each consecutive title. Aside from the makeup, they're all 90% the same. After FFX though, a lot changed and they haven't been as successful since. HMMM...

Just about every other Zelda game changes the makeup and the gameplay is reworked somewhat with every game, so they're not all identical, but they're all "Zelda games". They're not platformers, they're not racers, they're not fighters, they're puzzle-action-adventure games, wrapped up in the Zelda formula. At the core, they're all about 90% the same.

The truth is, Nintendo is probably the most creative in this department, but in order to keep putting games out, they need to keep making money. They're not going to start experimenting with game formulas now until their money well dries up. Experimenting was for the NES/SNES era, and Nintendo got lucky and faired well -- so they exist to the day. With the start of the 3D era, the experimenting began to decline and the "refining" advent started.

 

[Jim Morrison]

Let us not forget the innovative Fifa series?