What has this generation come to?

[Mario123311]

Ah, The 9th gaming generation... What an apocalypse it has been. People bickering about their consoles more than people did in the 90's or when the Xbox 360 was still in it's hayday. But first off, That's not the point. These days: Apparently the one who gets the most flack is Nintendo for some reason, So much that they have become a primary target to such people like ReviewTechUSA and others: Saying that they should just drop out of the console business or that they are going to be dead by next generation.

One of the most common complaints is things like "Mario, f***in' Mario is everywhere. It's the same crap over and over again. He's irrelevant now." ...Are you f***ing kidding me? Yes, The NSMB games are getting stale. But clearly these people have not looked at the 3D games by any means... But the biggest insult I take is how they say such a franchise should be "killed" off. Why you may be asking? Do you know what has happened to several beloved mascots over the years? Pretty much Mario is the only one standing after all these years which just saddens me... For those who don't understand, Hear me out.

Sonic we all know, who emerged from the 90's... His dark age started with Sonic 06 which only tarnished his reputation. Things started to look up with Generations, Then Lost World came around which many MANY people were devided on. But that was far from the worst when they went on to publish the abysmal Sonic Boom, which I think we all know about by now. Sega has since been slowly dying apparently, laying off 300 staff and admiting they have "betrayed fans".

Mega Man was once a proud icon in the platforming genre, Beloved by many and we all know what happened after his creator left, The cancellation of several games and further more insulting their own fans in SFxT... They have started to slowly crawl up these days, But most have already moved on. Putting their faith into the kickstarter of Mighty No. 9.

Pac-Man is probably the most tragic in my opinion. We all know this character, Who pretty much helped invent a who new age of gaming. After the NES was released though, People started to forget about him: and the poor yellow fella fell into mediocrity. Things started to look up in 1999, When they released Pac-Man World, The character was brought up to a warm amount of popularity again and spawned 2 sequels. People were beginning to see the character more than just a pizza with a slice missing... Then of course after World 3, he fell into mediocrity once again. And in vain attempt to keep him on life support they attemped to make him "hip" and "cool"... and have utterly ***** him, Ghostly Adventures has already been panned practically everywhere for being a very sub-par game with a universe that makes Sonic Boom look like Mega Man X. Turning the character into "Bubsy 3.0". And still Namco still continues to try and make him the next cash in, but are utterly staining his reputation more and more... To the point there are even still people saying obscure characters like Klonoa and Llyoid Ivring should have been in Smash 4 instead and so on. People pretty much say the name "Pac-Man" is now irrelevant to gaming, People think of nothing more than a pizza with a slice missing, And it just saddens me to see my childhood icon from his 3D platforming era be turned into this brainless zombie.

There are more like Bomberman and Crash Bandicoot. And it really just boggles my mind how there is pretty much only one of these mascots left standing today... Yet people complain thinking he along with said company should "die" and that they are irrelevant to gaming anymore. I don't know about you all, but if the future of gaming is cash in Call of Duty clones, Microtransactions and boring Mobile Games? We're ****ed, I'm sorry. Granted there is still hope with the likes of spiritual sucsessors such as Mighty No. 9 (said above), and Freedom Planet. Plus if our beloved red plumber is to sadly fall, I can picture the Giana Sisters somehow capturing his charm. But still, This generation has to have been just one of the worst I have had to seen. And people apparently go on calling any fan of Nintendo a "fanboy" when clearly, The ones praising Sony and Microsoft only to bash the company are more fanboy-ant to me. Don't get me wrong, I know the Wii U has it's problems, And I don't hate Sony or Microsoft. But come on, Continuing this console war BS is getting on my nerves.

Why is it a console has to have the better graphics in order to be good? Pac-Man World 2 came out in 2002, And I still think that game looks 100 times better than any of the recent Call of Duty games. And graphics don't matter if a game is a pile of ****, Look at Sonic 06 for instance.


Just... What happened here?

 

[Opossum]

I agree that the whole console war "culture" (at this point it basically counts as such) is toxic, but I think some of the things you're mentioning are either slightly off-base or exaggerated.

I browse a lot of gaming sites: from what I see, most of the Nintendo flack comes from two sources: either their hardware decisions, or their over-reliance on certain IPs instead of making a lot of new ones. I can see both sides of this, and personally want Nintendo to make more traditional and powerful hardware, as it would only do good things for the company, such as attract 3rd Party support. As it is many Sony or Microsoft fans do enjoy Nintendo games, but view their consoles as "companion consoles" to the X-Box One or PS4, as opposed to a frontrunner first choice, which is, again, somewhat understandable.

As far as the IP thing is concerned, the argument's not without merit either. For a company that doesn't get a lot of third party support, there is a bit of over-reliance on certain titles, namely Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda, and not a lot of new IPs being made (and if anything they're often eShop exclusive). Of course, new IP that they do produce are hit or miss on the market. Splatoon made it big; it's been highly successful, to the point of being their most acclaimed new IP since the Miis. The sad thing though is that a lot of new IP don't get the marketing support Nintendo gives other games, so fantastic games like Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. or The Wonderful 101 fall by the wayside due to lack of push. So yeah, I do think it's a warranted complaint: Nintendo should push their new IP more instead of relying on one or two series.

That being said, that's just covering the relevant criticism. A lot of the console war BS isn't, but it's also not hard to imagine where it starts. Honestly, it seems like it's more so people aggressively defending their hobby and the money they've put into it. Gaming is expensive. They want to feel they've made the best purchase. As such, some of the more brash and vocal individuals justify their purchase by bashing the other consoles. It's a coping mechanism of sorts.

But beyond that, I don't think many of those iconic characters are as bad off as you'd imagine. Mega Man, for example. Yes, three games were cancelled and hit fans hard, especially Legends 3. But then again, we don't know what went on behind closed doors. As far as Street Fighter x Tekken, it was a case of poor timing. They say that comedy is tragedy+timing, but in this case one of those variables was missing. Inafune even approved of Bad Box Art Mega Man appearing, thinking it made a good joke. It was just too soon for the tastes of many. UMVC3? There were originally six other characters planned that didn't make it. It's highly likely Mega Man was among them. It wasn't out of spite like many assume. That, and they continue to honor his legacy. The Legacy Collection is a testament to that: I don't think there's ill will toward Mega Man. They likely just want to find a new direction to take him instead of retreading the past.

With Sonic, yes, he's had it rough, but with recent statements by Sega I think he may be getting a brighter future in years to come, especially if somehow Fire and Ice is better than the original Boom. He's more of a wait-and-see character.

Pac-Man though? I'm sure you'd be hard pressed to find someone who considers him irrelevant. While they may think he's a bit of a relic these days, most people know that he's still a household name just from his arcade years. He's basically the arcade character. That and I'd highly suspect Namco may wish to revert back to classic/World Pac-Man after the new design is flopping a bit; not even the TV show is doing that well, and considering the overwhelming applause his classic appearance got when it got into Smash...it's something to consider. Pac-Man's kinda like Tetris in that regard: no matter how old or seemingly outdated they are, they'll always have that one place in modern gaming and a definite part in gaming history. Though yeah, a new Pac-Man World game would be hype. I loved World 2.

On Bomberman, I don't have much to say, but he is getting a new mobile release, which honestly is a pretty great format for classic Bomberman gameplay. I think he'll be fine.

I agree that Crash has seen better days though...stupid Activision...*grumble grumble*


Basically, while I agree on some points, I think some others you present are oversimplified in some regards.

 

[EarthCrash]

Why is it a console has to have the better graphics in order to be good? Pac-Man World 2 came out in 2002, And I still think that game looks 100 times better than any of the recent Call of Duty games. And graphics don't matter if a game is a pile of ****, Look at Sonic 06 for instance.


Just... What happened here?

I've been hearing this kind of excerpt since the Sixth generation.

 

[Mario123311]

I agree that the whole console war "culture" (at this point it basically counts as such) is toxic, but I think some of the things you're mentioning are either slightly off-base or exaggerated.

I browse a lot of gaming sites: from what I see, most of the Nintendo flack comes from two sources: either their hardware decisions, or their over-reliance on certain IPs instead of making a lot of new ones. I can see both sides of this, and personally want Nintendo to make more traditional and powerful hardware, as it would only do good things for the company, such as attract 3rd Party support. As it is many Sony or Microsoft fans do enjoy Nintendo games, but view their consoles as "companion consoles" to the X-Box One or PS4, as opposed to a frontrunner first choice, which is, again, somewhat understandable.

As far as the IP thing is concerned, the argument's not without merit either. For a company that doesn't get a lot of third party support, there is a bit of over-reliance on certain titles, namely Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda, and not a lot of new IPs being made (and if anything they're often eShop exclusive). Of course, new IP that they do produce are hit or miss on the market. Splatoon made it big; it's been highly successful, to the point of being their most acclaimed new IP since the Miis. The sad thing though is that a lot of new IP don't get the marketing support Nintendo gives other games, so fantastic games like Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. or The Wonderful 101 fall by the wayside due to lack of push. So yeah, I do think it's a warranted complaint: Nintendo should push their new IP more instead of relying on one or two series.

That being said, that's just covering the relevant criticism. A lot of the console war BS isn't, but it's also not hard to imagine where it starts. Honestly, it seems like it's more so people aggressively defending their hobby and the money they've put into it. Gaming is expensive. They want to feel they've made the best purchase. As such, some of the more brash and vocal individuals justify their purchase by bashing the other consoles. It's a coping mechanism of sorts.

But beyond that, I don't think many of those iconic characters are as bad off as you'd imagine. Mega Man, for example. Yes, three games were cancelled and hit fans hard, especially Legends 3. But then again, we don't know what went on behind closed doors. As far as Street Fighter x Tekken, it was a case of poor timing. They say that comedy is tragedy+timing, but in this case one of those variables was missing. Inafune even approved of Bad Box Art Mega Man appearing, thinking it made a good joke. It was just too soon for the tastes of many. UMVC3? There were originally six other characters planned that didn't make it. It's highly likely Mega Man was among them. It wasn't out of spite like many assume. That, and they continue to honor his legacy. The Legacy Collection is a testament to that: I don't think there's ill will toward Mega Man. They likely just want to find a new direction to take him instead of retreading the past.

With Sonic, yes, he's had it rough, but with recent statements by Sega I think he may be getting a brighter future in years to come, especially if somehow Fire and Ice is better than the original Boom. He's more of a wait-and-see character.

Pac-Man though? I'm sure you'd be hard pressed to find someone who considers him irrelevant. While they may think he's a bit of a relic these days, most people know that he's still a household name just from his arcade years. He's basically the arcade character. That and I'd highly suspect Namco may wish to revert back to classic/World Pac-Man after the new design is flopping a bit; not even the TV show is doing that well, and considering the overwhelming applause his classic appearance got when it got into Smash...it's something to consider. Pac-Man's kinda like Tetris in that regard: no matter how old or seemingly outdated they are, they'll always have that one place in modern gaming and a definite part in gaming history. Though yeah, a new Pac-Man World game would be hype. I loved World 2.

On Bomberman, I don't have much to say, but he is getting a new mobile release, which honestly is a pretty great format for classic Bomberman gameplay. I think he'll be fine.

I agree that Crash has seen better days though...stupid Activision...*grumble grumble*


Basically, while I agree on some points, I think some others you present are oversimplified in some regards.

Yeah, I do agree Nintendo should give other IPs some attention. Pac-Man in particular is just sad to me after he had his reputation tarnished and how Namco is pretty much ignoring fans pleas for his former self to come back. I really hope they revert back to the old... Or at the very least: Make Ghostly Adventures a side series like Sonic Boom.

Everywhere I go though, Nobody says anything more than "Pacman is that ball with a mouth, He's not even a character" or how "old" he is... Really, It only bums me more considering especially how people say Ghostly Adventures is why "Pac-Man shouldn't be in 3D". He was in 3D before then... And it rocked. But those days are only a memory now.

And while Giana may carry on Mario's spirit if he passes on, I don't know who will continue Pac-Man's.

 

[Heroine of Winds]

I do agree that mascot characters not named Mario have been through rough times due to how the companies handle them. Sonic really had it bad ever since Sonic 06 tarnished the series completely, but with the news that later Sonic games are gonna borrow ideas from the classics, hopefully maybe the series will regain some hope again. Pac-Man probably has the worst treatment thanks to how horrible both the Ghostly Adventures video games & cartoon were. Hopefully Namco can take Pac-Man back to his roots and not keep the character's obnoxious attitude throughout. As for Mega Man? Well, with the Legacy Collection, there may be a chance that there will be a new Mega Man game in the works. I don't think the series is totally dead. They probably just have a hard time figuring out what to do when it comes to which direction the series will take. Crash Bandicoot would never come back due to how stubborn Activision is.

 

[finalark]

Ah, The 9th gaming generation... What an apocalypse it has been. People bickering about their consoles more than people did in the 90's or when the Xbox 360 was still in it's hayday. But first off, That's not the point. These days: Apparently the one who gets the most flack is Nintendo for some reason, So much that they have become a primary target to such people like ReviewTechUSA and others: Saying that they should just drop out of the console business or that they are going to be dead by next generation.

To be fair, people have been saying this since 2001.

One of the most common complaints is things like "Mario, f***in' Mario is everywhere. It's the same crap over and over again. He's irrelevant now." ...Are you f***ing kidding me? Yes, The NSMB games are getting stale. But clearly these people have not looked at the 3D games by any means... But the biggest insult I take is how they say such a franchise should be "killed" off. Why you may be asking? Do you know what has happened to several beloved mascots over the years? Pretty much Mario is the only one standing after all these years which just saddens me... For those who don't understand, Hear me out.

Probably because Isometric Mario is 2D Mario with a Z Axis.

Platformer Mascot Woes

Let me respond to these three paragraphs with a brief one of my own: mascots are dying out because kids aren't the primary audience for video games anymore.

When I was young, I rarely who made the video games I played. All I knew was that for some reason I could only play Mario on Nintendo 64, Spyro on PlayStation and Sonic on Dreamcast. I had zero concept of branding or companies, but I did know one thing -- I knew characters.

Starting in the GCN/PS2/Xbox era, games started moving away from that. The target audience got older. The age range was no longer the coveted 6-12 demographic that the toy industry loves. It was that sweet teenage 13-17 or maybe even the older 18-30 demographic. And when you're shooting older you don't need characters, you need branding. Adults identify with brands, which is why mascots died out.

Why is it a console has to have the better graphics in order to be good? Pac-Man World 2 came out in 2002, And I still think that game looks 100 times better than any of the recent Call of Duty games. And graphics don't matter if a game is a pile of ****, Look at Sonic 06 for instance.

Blame SEGA for that one.

 

[Mr. ShinyUmbreon]

Sonic we all know, who emerged from the 90's... His dark age started with Sonic 06 which only tarnished his reputation. Things started to look up with Generations, Then Lost World came around which many MANY people were devided on. But that was far from the worst when they went on to publish the abysmal Sonic Boom, which I think we all know about by now. Sega has since been slowly dying apparently, laying off 300 staff and admiting they have "betrayed fans".

Actually, the dark age started with sonic adventure 2.

With mega man, I'm not sure where he's headed, In my opinion though, I would rather never have a mega man game again, than to have a whole bunch of crappy ones come out. *cough* *cough* X7 *COUGH* *COUGH* There have been some indie "successors" to mega man, like 20XX, (No, it's not about melee, it's a mega-man esque game) and Mighty Number9. My personal favorite is Azure Striker Gunvolt for the 3ds, it has a great feel, I love the soundtrack and it's centered around a unique idea, shooting your enemies to tag onto them, then using your flashfeild to defeat them.

 

[finalark]

Actually, the dark age started with sonic adventure 2.

What a modern opinion.

And lol for implying that SA1 is better than SA2.

 

[Mario123311]

SA2 wasn't a bad game. Overrated? Yeah, Kind of. But the dark age started with 06.

I don't want any of the mascots I grew up with to suffer the same fate as Bubsy though.

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

What a modern opinion.

And lol for implying that SA1 is better than SA2.

I like the direction they did with it better

 

[finalark]

I like the direction they did with it better

Let me rephrase that.

Lol at implying that SA1 has aged better.

 

[Swamp Sensei]

SA's story aged better.

SA2's gameplay aged better.

 

[finalark]

SA's story aged better.

SA2's gameplay aged better.

The biggest thing holding SA2's story back is Shadow. If Sonic is a product of the 90s then Shadow is very easily a product of the 2000s. You can almost feel the focus groups that formed him.

And the biggest thing holding SA's game play back is the fact that you can break the engine by spin dashing.

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

Tails in a mech really doesn't make a lot of sense

 

[finalark]

Tails in a mech really doesn't make a lot of sense

Neither does giving Amy a big hammer to smash stuff with then telling her to run away from a robot because she's a girl in a video game.

What's your point?

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

Neither does giving Amy a big hammer to smash stuff with then telling her to run away from a robot because she's a girl in a video game.

What's your point?

It's a piko piko hammer

 

[finalark]

It's a piko piko hammer

Fair enough.

But Tails is supposed to be a child genius who has it's own workshop and makes all sorts of crazy machines. How does genius mechanic in a mech not make any sense?

Even if you'd rather he be on foot because that's how it was in the Genesis games it's kind of like saying Mario riding Yoshi makes no sense because he didn't have him in the NES games.

On top of all that the only factor you're using as a basis for why SA1 > 2 is something purely on a conceptual level. Which people do all the time and is something I don't really agree with.

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

I still want to unlock Metal Sonic in Sonic's Adventure

I'm not sure if they did that in the relrease of Sonic's Adventure 2 (Which I think is a point to Sonic's Adventure if they didn't)

Metal Sonic is one of my favorite Sonic characters

 

[Swamp Sensei]

I still want to unlock Metal Sonic in Sonic's Adventure

I'm not sure if they did that in the relrease of Sonic's Adventure 2 (Which I think is a point to Sonic's Adventure if they didn't)

Metal Sonic is one of my favorite Sonic characters

Metal Sonic is a multiplayer character in Sonic Adventure 2.

He's not in one player mode though.