Top 5: Statements That Will Get You Punched in the Face By a Nintendo Fanboy
by Kaes Delgrego 
{ Nov 10th 2008 at 11:50AM }
"To each their own." It's a simple rule that, if universally followed, could result in world peace. On the other hand, if people didn't go online to bitch at each other about video games, then many bloggers would be collecting unemployment. I can't speak for every other hobby that exists, but I imagine that fly-fishing and glass-blowing message boards are considerably more pleasant than gaming forums.
So as it is, the gaming world is chock full of debate. Hrmm, scratch that. The word "debate" conjures impressions of two well-groomed individuals standing behind podiums and taking turns eloquently addressing issues presented to them by a moderator. For every one of these moments, you get a couple thousand boring ones. But when the forum is switched to the Internet, the dialogue transforms into a partisan torrent of vitriol. While political campaigning may be viewed as a chess match between experts, an appropriate metaphor for gaming and Internet debate in general can be found in the gigantic brawl at the end of 1977's Slap Shot.
In particular, Nintendo fanboys seem to simultaneously be a large source of and recipients to such slander. Perhaps it's due to Nintendo's extensive gaming history (especially when compared to Sony and Microsoft). Similarly, many of these Fanboys grew up with Nintendo, with the NES and SNES occasionally acting as a babysitter. For some, an attack on Nintendo is equal to or worse than an attack on one's family. To such individuals, I say take it easy. I'm certainly not above the label of "Nintendo Fanboy" (look at the name of this site for crying out loud), but I do try my best to apply sound reason and understanding to such hostility. I now present to you a look at 5 common weapons used in battle against Nintendo, an analysis of each argument, and how best a supporter of Nintendo should respond.
The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up. 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Daryl @ Nov 10th 2008 12:18PM
"Perhaps it's due to Nintendo's extensive gaming history (especially when compared to Sony and Microsoft)."
Since Nintendo has also always been about GAMES, not DVD / Blu-Ray players, online shooters, photorealism, and other gimmicks, I find the "casual" label to be particularly offensive. This is coming from Xbox fanboys who just decided to play Halo 2, three years ago, and now think they define what is hardcore and what is casual.
Hamster @ Nov 11th 2008 8:34AM
"Nintendo has also always been about GAMES, not DVD / Blu-Ray players, online shooters, photorealism, and other gimmicks"
I guess you haven't heard of the DSi then.
Pretty much all Nintendo is "about" at the moment is "gimmicks".
Roto13 @ Nov 10th 2008 12:25PM
5. Wanna know who really mistreats their fans? Microsoft. The horror stories I could tell you from working for their customer support. One of the few customer support jobs where you end up feeling like the pissed off customers are completely right.
4. Mega Man 9 was not a dumb idea at all. People love it and it's been selling incredibly well. Nothing dumb about that. :P
3. "If experiencing the near-limitless joy of Super Mario Galaxy makes me childish, then I say "goo-goo gaa-gaa.""
My thoughts exactly. Just because a game is kid-friendly, that doesn't mean it's not a fantastic game.
2. Classic games are classics for a reason, but I guess they can be kind of overrated. If Nintendo released a new Zelda game that was exactly like The Hyrule Fantasy, I'd be pretty annoyed because that's a pretty big quality drop right there. A lot of the love of these old games make perfect sense in context. How much that context is worth, I guess that's kind of up in the air. :P
1. It's 2 years later and the Wii hasn't slowed down at all, and people are still wishing it was a fad that would die off any day now. It's so cute and sad at the same time. :P
Daryl @ Nov 10th 2008 12:48PM
I'll respond to each one at a time.
"Nintendo treats its fans like crap."
As I said in another thread, you can't blame Nintendo for creating a good addiction. They have created awesome games, from Metroid to Mario to Zelda, and now they are researching and developing. These things take time. I wish a New Zelda of high quality could come out every year, but that's simply not realistic. I don't think I can complain about being abandoned because of that.
"megaman 9 was a dumb idea"
I so enthusiastically supported megaman 9, that I waited to download it the second it launched, had the first message bragging about on the gamefaqs forum, and wrote Capcom a letter thanking them before it launched. I see it as a victory for the gameplay over graphics crowd. I finished the game before its 360 launch.
"Nintendo is too kid-oriented."
First of all, nothing wrong with some childish games, as long as they are GOOD games. Second of all, nothing wrong with a little fantasy and break from realism. High powered realistic physics are not always the way to go. I can appreciate everything from Mario to Madworld (yes I know it's Sega), so long as it's creative, and relies on its gameplay and innovation over its graphics.
"Old-school Nintendo Games are Overrated."
While I am a strong believer that the industry must move forwards, it is only for the sake of diversity. I don't want to play the same game twice. But the old school games are certainly often soundly designed games. If it wasn't for the fact that I've already played them to death, I'd perhaps be playing them now over many of the newer games. Megaman 9 is proof that I have a lot of nostalgia for the retro style, I just don't like to continually replay games that I've already beaten in most cases.
"'The Wii is anything but awesome"
Maybe when people learn to appreciate something other than photorealism, and the extent to which Nintendo swam against the current for 20 years, losing market share, before it finally succeeded, then they'll understand. Nintendo has always tried to focus on gameplay over graphics, but it was having no success. But it stuck to its gameplan, threw on a great hardware upgrade with its wiimote, and now has moved up. I appreciate the fact that Nintendo was loyal to its mission. It had many chances to sell out and copy Sony and Microsoft. It didn't. It stuck to its mission. And I'm thankful that its now being rewarded for it. Nintendo is a rare case in which the market has rewarded a company for refusing to sell out. If Nintendo had continued to try to be more like Sony and Microsoft, it wouldn't be where it is right now.
To an extent I respect Sony swimming against the current too with its blu-ray, but that's a whole different issue. With all due respect, I don't think Microsoft innovates or invests seriously in research and design, it imitates. Nintendo is the polar opposite.
Hamster @ Nov 11th 2008 8:42AM
Many would say that what Nintendo is currently doing is the epitome of "selling-out". ie. Sacrificing quality and artistic integrity and dumbing-down to pander to demographics, making games targeted towards the elderly and mentally retarded instead of gamers, compromising perfect control for silly, tacky gimmicks, etc.
Hamster @ Nov 11th 2008 8:44AM
Many would say that what Nintendo is currently doing is the epitome of "selling-out". ie. Sacrificing quality and artistic integrity and dumbing-down to pander to demographics, making games targeted towards the elderly and mentally retarded instead of gamers, compromising perfect control for silly, tacky gimmicks, etc.
Daryl @ Nov 11th 2008 10:41AM
Nintendo has NEVER been about the highest graphics.
The master system had better graphics than the NES.
The sega cd / 32 x had better graphics and storage than the SNES.
The N64 may be an exception, but it was beat by the Dreamcast.
The gamcube had weaker graphics than the xbox.
The wii, in nintendo tradition, went for less graphics.
Nintendo did not sell out. People who have been with the industry for over 20 years know that. People who just joined yesterday make that claim.
Hamster @ Nov 11th 2008 11:26AM
At what point in my reply was I talking about graphics?! I'm not talking about graphics!
Unless you think that when I said demographics that means graphics. In which case there's probably no point arguing with you....
Daryl @ Nov 11th 2008 4:45PM
You said
"Sacrificing quality and artistic integrity and dumbing-down"
After you said
"what Nintendo is currently doing is the epitome of "selling-out"
That implies that you interpret Nintnedo's rejection of HD as "selling outm," when it was actually right in line with classic Nintendo strategy.
Hamster @ Nov 11th 2008 6:47PM
I don't know why you keep thinking that I'm talking about graphics. I am not talking about graphics, HD or otherwise! I couldn't care less about HD. When I say "artistic integrity" I don't mean graphics or visuals, I mean the integrity of an artist (whatever they may be: musician, film-maker, game designer, they are all artists). I am talking about selling-out in the sense of the sacrificing and dumbing down of the content and controls of the games in order to make more money.
Like a musician who sells-out by changing his sound and dumbing down his music to make it more commercially friendly.
ZombiePikmin @ Nov 10th 2008 1:06PM
ZOMBIEPIKMIN SMASH!!!!!
HiddenEmerald @ Nov 10th 2008 1:09PM
I completely agree with Daryl (I've been saying the same thing for a long time). Personally I think people need to shut the F*** up about what other people enjoy (don't worry cruel Nintendo fanboys that love to bag on 5 year olds cause they play halo, I don't care bout you talking S***). My dad and uncle are so anti videogame that it limits my 2 games a week plan for last month and this (my wallet is crying inside).
I have a Gamecube, DS, WII, psp, ps3, ps2, and by golly nintendo rains supreme in my house. (I wanted Disgaea 3, I'm sorry. Please forgive me). Soon, every boy child in my family will have a Wii (we goin to college soon) And we gonna be downright HAPPY BOUT IT.
Anyway, back to the point, the people talkin S*** bout my stuff better be ready for some S*** (be it about their system, their hairstyle, or their mom. Clothes are off limits). I'm gonna get back at them, Kirby Style. Prolly not the most mature way, but by go its fun.
Thanatos @ Nov 10th 2008 1:26PM
Im a Nintendo Fanboy, i bag on other consoles just like their fanboys bag on my console of choice, its just the ebb and flow of things. But the thing is i see Nintendo fans a little more open to owning multiple consoles than the other 2 types of fanboys owning the competing console or the Wii as well. As far as them calling the big N kid friendly, yeah they are but they got some sweet games none the less plus we got No More Heroes so take that. And them bagging on the Wii? I could care less im too busy having fun with Metroid, Mario, Zelda, Okami, No More Heroes, plus all the classics i downloaded via the virtual console plus all my Gamecube games (gasp backwards compatibility that works 100% NO WAY). Now Im more of a PC gamer than anything and anyone talked crap about Gordon Freeman i beat the snot out of them.
megas88 @ Nov 10th 2008 1:43PM
I love nintendo and have been a nintendo boy since I was three freakin years old playin Mario Paint (When will they port it!!!!) and I loved these consoles and games with my heart and soul. Playing my Game Boy whichever generation you pick it was amazing. I cannot tell you how many times I needed batteries simply because I played the thing so much. I cried when I lost my first gameboy color at a mc donolds (don't judge lol). These games from the moment they... oh excuess me graphics fans. If not for Nintendo VIDEO GAMES WOULD BE DEAD! Remeber if you ever watched g4 then that's how you most likely heard of a little game called ET for the Atari 2600? It nearly destroyed videogames but thanks to the great Nintendo NES videogames were revived.
Back on the subject at hand, I don't play my Wii as much not because I don't like it but because there are so many choices that I run out of time to turn the darn console on! How many 360 of 3 PS3 users can say about that.
It may not have a dvd player. It may not have amazing media capabilites or massive storage but guess what my Wii GAMING console can do? PLAY VIDEO GAMES!
Kaes Delgrego @ Nov 10th 2008 8:50PM
It makes one sound old and crotchety, but many do fail to realize that Nintendo revitalized the gaming market. Then again, many fail to realize many things (myself included), so I guess we'll just have to take it in stride. Thanks for writing! :)
Hamster @ Nov 11th 2008 8:53AM
"It may not have amazing media capabilites or massive storage but guess what my Wii GAMING console can do? PLAY VIDEO GAMES!"
The vast majority of which are truly appalling shovelware. The cause of the video game crash that you just wrote about in the previous paragraph.
Antonio @ Nov 10th 2008 1:36PM
"5. Nintendo treats its fans like crap"
I would never say Nintendo mistreats its fans. The company is a business and the bottom line is all that matters to any business. Even when they're being nice to us I see it through the lens of "good PR" than altruism.
Having said that, they've made baffling and frustrating business moves that even the most faithful Nintendo fan would bristle at. There's the use of cartridges over CDs with the N64, their slow adoption of online play, the pricing on Gamecube accessories (few people remember this, but they bumped up the price out of nowhere before release), games they haven't brought to America (Mother 3 and Disaster: Day of Crisis comes to mind), some of the public statements made (like Yamauchi dissing RPGs way back in 1995/6), the ridiculous way they pushed GCN-GBA connectivity (which I felt was a ploy to sell those stupid wired kits), and those fricking friend codes. There are more I could name, those are just off the top of my head.
I certainly don't expect Nintendo to bow to my every whim (just like Sony or MS), but I do have a grievance with many of the things they've done.
"4. Mega Man 9 was a dumb idea"
I wouldn't say it was a dumb idea. I'm sure Capcom made money hand-over-fist with the game. And I did enjoy it. But I'd really prefer something new to a bit of nostalgia. Maybe a new hi-res 2D Mega Man with all the bells and whistles expected today. Or an improved 3D take on Mega Man Legends.
"3. Nintendo is too kid-oriented."
While I don't require blood and guts in my games, I do think Nintendo plays it too safe most of the time. Sometimes it's like their aiming for preschoolers. Remember the backlash against the initial unveiling of Conker and Banjo Kazooie?
Take The World Ends With You. The game has a pretty adult storyline and some bad language, but it's far closer to what 9-13 year olds talk like than, say, Animal Crossing. And look at Disney/Pixar movies, like The Incredibles. They manage to appeal to people 8 years old AND up.
2. 'Old-school Nintendo Games are Overrated.'
That deserves a punch in the face, although fanboys are far too spineless to actually get in a fight.
1. 'The Wii is [anything but awesome].'
OH PLEASE. An article pointed out some of the failures of the Wii a few days ago. No doubt the system is selling like hotcakes and people love it, but as someone who's been with Nintendo since 1988 through the tough days of the N64 and GCN, this is NOT what I would've like to have seen once the Big N returned to glory.
I haven't bought a Wii game off the shelf since Mario Kart Wii and right now the only one I would consider is Wario Land: Shake It! Otherwise the last six months have been dry for me. The company's focus has clearly shifted away from their 'core' gamers to the larger market. Hopefully they have something worthwhile for early '09 or my Wii will just collect more dust and I'll rely on the 360 and PS3 for entertainment.
Really #1 and #2 should be switched, big time.
Kaes Delgrego @ Nov 10th 2008 8:53PM
Yeah, that was a difficult placement. In the end, I decided that *currently*, the first statement is the most acidic. Historically, however, you're definitely right. What I mean is that the Wii is such a huge thing at the moment that it seems to dominate conversations / arguments. But during a slow era, like the GameCube, the more flamboyant statement is #2 (since fanboys are already on the defensive). Thanks for your input! :)
Sonic_13 @ Nov 10th 2008 2:18PM
In my view Nintendo always seems to receive so much more unfair criticism than Sony or Microsoft.
For example:
- When the Nintendo DSi is revealed with cameras, music functionality, better connectivity, internal memory, a DSi Shop, and larger/brighter screens Nintendo is criticized by some for simply milking the DS line for more money. When the PSP-3000 with just a microphone and brighter screen was revealed and it is praised as a great advancement in the PSP line.
- Nintendo is criticized for the number of peripherals (Balance Board, Classic Controller, Motion Plus, Speak, Wheel, Zapper). A quick fact check would reveal that the Xbox360 has the same number (if not more) accessories than Wii, (headset, camera, chatpad, racing wheel, joystick, wireless adapter, memory cards, hard drive).
- Wii is criticized for many "shovelware" games like Ninjabread Man. However, no one seems to ever mention the fact that many of these games are multiplatform and not exclusive to Wii.
- Despite not even being two years old and already having great titles from major franchises like Mario, Sonic, Metroid, Zelda, Smash Bros., Paper Mario, Fire Emblem, Battalion Wars, Mario Kart, Tetris, and WarioWare in addition to great new franchises like Art Style, Strong Bad, No More Heroes, de Blob, Zack and Wiki, LostWinds, World of Goo, Wii Sports, and others....Wii apparently has no games to play.
- And with Punch-Out!!, MadWorld, The Conduit, Sin & Punishment 2, Sonic and the Black Knight, a new Mario, a new Zelda, Pikmin 3, and others not yet announced...Wii apparently has a bleak future.
Mr Khan @ Nov 10th 2008 2:28PM
The kiddie argument is an old argument, one that surfaced in the N64 days. The thing is that Nintendo sees business as a long-term strategy
Something you see with other companies is that they seem to be catering to the same group of people. The people that bought NES in the 1980s. They were kids then, say from 5-10 years old, and games like Mario appealed greatly. In the 4th gen, these kids were 10-15, and wanted games with "attitude" to reflect their teenage angst, and what did we get? We got "Sega does what Nintendon't" and the origins of the argument. Suddenly these kids are 15-20, and craving something more realistic and sophisticated, and in comes Sony making games for adults all of a sudden. Then these people to go college, 20-25, and there is a boom in online play from Microsoft and Sony. Now these people are adults, 25-30, making lots of money, and what do we have? Very expensive systems with often overly complex games to match
Other companies have catered to the one generation of "gamer" that Nintendo created long ago, maybe diverting with projects of broader appeal (Sony did with the PS2), but their primary target has been that always aging demographic. Nintendo has stuck with the same strategy of catering to new markets from the beginning, i think, though they have also worked to keep older fans happy
Kaes Delgrego @ Nov 10th 2008 8:44PM
What an excellent analysis! While many companies focus on the same exact group of individuals that they did 10 - 20 years ago (who are now 10 - 20 years older), Nintendo does its best to try to create "waves" of gamers. You should get a job as a gaming analyst! :)
Nigeria @ Nov 10th 2008 2:42PM
I still think Megaman 9 was a nostalgia cash in - not that Capcom aren't entitled to make money, but this just feels a little more soulless.
Yes, I didn't have access to any Megaman games when I was a kid - or ever - so maybe the attraction is a little lost on me. But the whole retro phenomena feels a little like a cold factory endlessly printing out identical Biggie t-shirts - does that make sense? I mean, it's too easy, and safe, to cash in on a person's fond memories. It just feels a little odd, or maybe I'm being cynical?
I hope Sega don't get any 'silly' ideas with Sonic or Shinobi, or something.
Kaes Delgrego @ Nov 10th 2008 3:06PM
Excellent point. While I loved Mega Man 9, I wouldn't want Capcom (or any other company for that matter) to simply release the same game every year for the rest of eternity. Irrelevant to the pros of 2D gaming, I would categorize something like Mega Man 9 as a homage. Think of Kill Bill or Grindhouse: they're great, fun films which are clearly trying to replicate films of a previous era. They're fun and work extremely well as a tribute, but I doubt many people would want the entire film industry to revert to that period.
Thanks for reading! :)
canaroo @ Nov 10th 2008 2:53PM
Wait...wait...wait...
Did that last paragraph really list Jesus Christ and Gandhi along with ADOLF HITLER as examples of misunderstood leaders??
REALLY? So that whole Holocaust thing....yeah, really guys, just a simple misunderstanding.
Kaes Delgrego @ Nov 10th 2008 3:01PM
Woah ... slow down, friend.
I was merely pointing out that as long as there's a leader, there will be supporters and detractors. Right and wrong had nothing to do with it. The individuals I chose simply illustrated that despite all differences, leadership will yield jeers and cheers. As you likely read, I followed that with "the only thing these leaders have in common..."
I'm sorry that you perceived it that way, but rest assured that I'm not making any kind of association beyond what I explicitly mentioned.
canaroo @ Nov 10th 2008 3:13PM
No worries--it's just always a bit jarring in any writing to see "good" listed side by side with "bad" even with a disclaimer or valid point to follow...
Overreaction of mine aside, I totally understand your point.
Kaes Delgrego @ Nov 10th 2008 8:37PM
Thanks, canaroo. I'm not out to offend ... well, at least not offending about anything unrelated to gaming. :)
samfish @ Nov 10th 2008 3:35PM
5)
I don't think Nintendo treats it's fans like CRAP, per se.
...but as I long time Nintendo fan, it's pretty clear that they go off and do whatever the freakin' Hell they want, no matter how much their fans desire otherwise. To say they ignore their fans would be a much more accurate statement.
Not that companies should bend to the will of their fans, of course, but when it's clear that there's frustration that can be easily fixed and they don't do it (HDD support, for example) despite a HUGE outcry...it can be frustrating.
4)
Mega Man 9 is awesome. The haters can blow it out their ass! It took years to get it made, but THAT is an example of listening to your fanbase and giving back to them. I wish Nintendo would take a page and do something similar, too.
Nintendo has a HUGE fanbase...there are so many people doing Nintendo-related projects on the web, whether it's just art or (re)making classic Nintendo games in their spare time. I think it would be the most awesome thing in the world if Nintendo finally would start doing some community outreach and showcasing what people are doing. How great would be it to show people's art on the Nintendo channel and vote for it and maybe get a prize every month?
Or if they took some of the more awesome looking fan made game projects, like, oh say...MOTHER 3 or that Metroid 2 remake or that Zelda game that popped up a few weeks ago?
Tying it all back to #5, THAT is the kind of stuff Nintendo could do to easily snuff out any criticism of treating their fans poorly.
3)
I don't personally care about Nintendo's games supposedly being 'kiddy'. It's a dumb charge to make. Nintendo doesn't make hyper violent games. Shit, most Japanese games shy away from that, if only because of the ratings system in place.
If you want a metric shit ton of blood, tits and bullets, there are plenty of western studios making games, too.
2)
The only people who think old school games are over rated are kids, damnit. Not to say they're all great or anything, but if you can't just APPRECIATE a game for what it is and see it's greatness, you're a head-up-the-ass fanboy.
I don't like Halo or GTA. They bore the ever lovin' crap out of me...but I can still at least SEE why they appeal to people and hold a certain amount of respect for them.
1)
I actually agree. The Wii isn't awesome. It's still far and away my favorite system this gen, but the huge amounts of room for improvement is just undeniable.
Sonic_13 @ Nov 10th 2008 5:36PM
"To say they ignore their fans would be a much more accurate statement. Not that companies should bend to the will of their fans, of course, but when it's clear that there's frustration that can be easily fixed and they don't do it (HDD support, for example) despite a HUGE outcry...it can be frustrating."
I don't think it's a fair thing to say Nintendo is ignoring its fans because it's all a matter of perspective. Everyone has different opinions and there is no way to satisfy everyone. Thus no matter what is done, people are going to be left out.
Personally I've said all along that releasing a hard drive would be a mistake and the correct route would be to do what they are doing with the SD slot. So in regards, to me they are not ignoring me, but embracing the same idea I had. But to you, this would be interpreted as being ignored. However, if the opposite had been true I'd feel ignored while you were happy.
In regards to your comments on number 2: damn kids...
Santos L. Halper @ Nov 10th 2008 3:54PM
Concerning #3,
I totally agree. I hate these douchebags who play only GTA an Madden (not that these are bad franchises) and refuse to touch anything that doesn't have realistic top of the line graphics and doesn't feature any blood or swearing. They base how mature and cool they are on what games they play and that's pretty damn stupid. One of my favorite games of all time is No More Heroes but games like Mario and Kirby are still awesome and I've never once felt that I'm too old to be playing them.
Brian Arnold @ Nov 10th 2008 5:20PM
I would bother to actually read these articles if I didn't have to click through several pages. Breaking it up like that comes off as a cheap play to get more ad impressions and clickthroughs.
Roto13 @ Nov 10th 2008 6:59PM
Each of these list entries is longer than a standard Joystiq article. It makes sense to break them up into individual pages.
Brian Arnold @ Nov 10th 2008 7:42PM
I don't really agree. I don't mind one long scrolling page of content. It actively slows down the user to have the content paged, while also showing more advertising. That's all breaking up the content does -- artificially inflates user hits.
Kaes Delgrego @ Nov 10th 2008 8:32PM
You're both right. Having 1,500+ words on one page, especially one of these standard blog layouts where we're only using half the actual page, creates that ugly "wall of text" look. And as a byproduct, I imagine the advertisers appreciate the increased hits.
I understand the frustration with going through multiple pages and I apologize. I hope you find the content of my columns worth it! Thank you both for reading and writing. :)
guttertalk @ Nov 10th 2008 6:52PM
I'm not a Nintendo fanboy but neither do I bash what they have and are doing. (I love my Wii.) But as I scan the great RPGs on VC, as well as their game catalog, I think one legitimate complaint is that Nintendo isn't creating great new IPs for this generation.
I like the old games and characters, but where's the creative spark for the new characters?
(This is a criticism that can be levelled at the 360 and PS3 as well. But that doesn't change the facts about Nintendo.)
Kaes Delgrego @ Nov 10th 2008 8:36PM
Excellent point. You know, I was really excited when they previewed all of those games before the launch of the Wii: Disaster, Project H.A.M.M.E.R., and the promise of a new IP as well. I thought we may have been entering an "IP renaissance," as Nintendo had in the 1980s. Now H.A.M.M.E.R. is M.I.A. and Disaster isn't being released worldwide. And who knows what that additional franchise is. I still have hope that we'll see some interesting new IPs in the near future. I'll bet that we leave the current generation with one more. Thanks for your input. :)
Matias @ Nov 10th 2008 7:16PM
5. I love nintendo, i grew playing NES and SNES (i was born on 1990, and bought my first console (NES) in 1993), but i don't like that nintendo focus more on new and casuals gamers and leave alone their old fanboys, I'm not buying many games these days because they're mostly minigames collections or plain shovelware, I'm really waiting for a RPG (ToS2 coming tomorrow) or adventure game.
4. Megaman 9 shows that you don't need good graphis to make an awesome game, you need good controls, clever stage design and catchy music. Most of the gamers these days are spoiled by the realistic looks of sony/microsoft
consoles, and the devs are too, there are lots of games that looks gorgeous, but they're lazy in storywriting and gameplay. Hell, look at Final Fantasy, I love the SNES games (FFV is my favourite), but after they went into the ps1 with the FMV it turned it a movie with player controled battles (i laugh at the FMV elevator in FFVII), and not so good story (again FVII is too overrated). Graphics are important, but not a priority
3. GTA and those so called "mature games" aren't any good, it's not like mature games are bad ( resident evil, and recently no more heroes shows the opposite), but killing people, on screen s*x, and lots of guns doesn't make a good game, even the so called "realistic and mature" stories are badly written, i prefer super paper mario on mi wii with clever dialogues and colorfull characters than going through the painfully bad dialogues and characters in most of those "mature games". Have you noticed how the majority of these "mature" games are FPS, I lol at that.
2. I grew playing those classic games, and they're classic because you played them back then, and play them now, and they're still incredibly awesome, it's their good controls, amazing gameplay, epic music, good looking sprites and wonderful written sotries, dialogues and funny or well developed characters that make them classics, I'll play Fire emblem 4, Final Fantasy V, SMB3, SMW, megaman 2/3, castlevania over any Halo, super-hyped spore, or the "OMG it looks like they're real people" new Final Fantasy any day. An example is how i couldn't play super metroid back then (my SNES burnt), and now i'm playing it and i'm amazed, the music is awesome, the controls are really responsive, it looks awesome, and the most important thing, the ambient is incredible, all the factors mentioned join to generate an incredible loneliness ambient, it make me feels like i'm really alone in an empty planet.
1. Fail troll is fail. LOL, to each his own, i'm open to hear anything against the wii as long as it have good reasons and arguments (not the tipical "wii is for kids, play some gta and be a real man" or the " wii graphics sucks, (insert technical babble) used in the ps3 are so much better"). And as long as they're willing to hear my reasons too.
Alexisonfire @ Nov 10th 2008 8:21PM
Don't have time to write essays, but I must say. I agree with 5 & 1. Nintendo sees their fans as nothing but to milk cash from and the Wii? Well, just look at this holiday lineu- Oh wait.
Rebellion2099 @ Nov 10th 2008 10:39PM
Seriously - you compared Adolf Hitler to other great and beloved but misunderstood leaders?
Monodi @ Nov 10th 2008 11:13PM
I am a nintendo fanboy and a proud one. I have taken a lot of smacks about its inferiority now and ad campaigns but just as Rocky Balboa said: "Success isn't about how hard you hit, it is about how many hits you can take and keep moving"
If it is a crime to love aspects everyone say they are unfit, well sue me, at least I am not crouching out my position to look "cool".
Joie @ Nov 11th 2008 12:15AM
awesome, awesome article. you are dead on and I strive to embody these sentiments more when I see hatred spewed on other boards....
well done, sir.
Terrence Newton @ Nov 11th 2008 3:06AM
i don't see what the big deal is. fanboyism (and i mean like, fanatical fanboyism) is stupid. if you like something, play it. if you don't, then don't play it. arguing over what system is better or w/e is for children. but if you only have enough money to buy one system, buy xbox. j/k. but seriously, don't buy PS3. really
honestly tho, even tho my wii is really building up a nice layer of dust right now, i immensely enjoyed zelda, SMG, RE4 and MP3: Corruption (even tho i think that aside from the motion controls in MP3, MP1 and 2 were superior). the wii is my first nintendo console since.. NES, so i don't have as much of a connection to the older franchise's, but.. i still enjoy the new editions in those franchises. part of the reason my wii is collecting dust tho is 'cause well, i need more of these great games, and right now, besides the re-releases of MP1&2, i don't see anything on the horizon at all. but i still love the wii, i think its controller is truly revolutionary, and i definitely give nintendo recognition for bringing that to us instead of simply following the 'more power' pattern (even tho they could've done that AND given us the wii remote, but hey..).
Daryl @ Nov 11th 2008 10:44AM
"don't like Halo or GTA. They bore the ever lovin' crap out of me...but I can still at least SEE why they appeal to people and hold a certain amount of respect for them.
"
ditto
I can understand why others like Halo, even though I don't. But I do like GTA somewhat.
intro94 @ Nov 12th 2008 9:29PM
im a very cruel consumer.I left nintendo after SNES when i felt Nintendo left us(n64 and gc... bad times for nintendo), BUT i came back for the wii when i saw nintendo understood their lesson, GOT THE THIRD PARTIES back together and provided me with loads of titles to have fun, lots and lots of games.
Not that nintendo ever stopped reigning the handheld world.They own and dominate just like microsoft dominates the OS market(albeit nintendo does for the quality of its product and Microsoft because it bundles it with most companies-otherwise Linux wins babality).
intro94 @ Nov 12th 2008 9:33PM
and hamster..quit your hate...stop calling other markets retarded(very disrespectful) the elders...Dont fear that nintendo decided to also create a market for other people.Dont fear other humans playing your precious games that made you feel special in the basement time ago.Embrace the future.Games ,like all forms of art and entertainment,SHOULD be aproachable by all types of people. Thats why hollywood doesnt just makes disney movies, or comedies.Its business sense, and common sense.
chibi_wings @ Nov 13th 2008 4:55PM
sure video game blog sites can get nasty, but i think that's part of the fun; of course name-calling is for the immature, but I just love heated discussions. =)
TheJman @ Nov 23rd 2008 12:14AM
I don't know, i own a PS3 and a X360.
The Ps3 is fun and all, the X360 is crap (Red Ring of Death A-frikkin-GAIN! fOR THE 5TH TIME!)
Just finished Mirror's Edge, which was a nice change from all the frikkin Call of Duty clones that the PS3 has.
Resistance: Fall of Man rocked. Bioshock is awesome. Halo 3 blows (Sorry, Halo 2 was fun, but Halo 3 was a HUUUUUUUUUUUUGE dissappointment)
Aside from MGS4. The Wii is my favorite!!
ghettoflower @ Dec 12th 2008 12:59AM
Actually, they do need more mature games, but I guess nobody's decided if there's a market for them. The Godfather I play all the time. At the same time Nintendo's proving to the world that you don't need giant FMV's and long opening sequences and overdone blood and gore to make a good base for people to buy the system.
They have been making updates that appeal mainly to stopping piracy and that's great and all, but that's also bad for the honest guy that believes an update should actually update something they can use. Cancelling Soul Blazer as VC just cuz of the Wiiware announcement and never reannouncing it is pretty blah, I wasn't a fan of that. Charging an extra 2$ for an import is bad too. Heck, having one or two game updates a week is blah. But hey, all their warnings aren't just to cover their backs, it's also for good PR, meaning they do care (see wii update disclaimers for example)
Giving us dumbed down vc ports of classic arcade games is another blah, when the wii does have the power and capacity to Play not just the Genesis port of Space Harrier, but the full-fledged arcade version. I mean the game's 27 years old, they could give us the best version possible. I like being fed treasure, not trash/recyclables.
Meggerman 9 is not a bad idea, though I don't think Capcom cares about the Wii, considering everything they've done is either a port/extension of something offered to other systems, or a party game. Really I believe only companies like Marvelous or Atlus really care about the Wii, considering they've given us Trauma Center and will give us Rune Factory Frontier. Capcom probably feared low sales so they multiplatformed it out.
Kid-proofing a system isn't a bad idea. Simple controls aren't either. I thought the Mii's needed more customization (see The Godfather of even the Urbz), as I thought that was too kiddy at first, but then XB() made the Xboxiis so that says I was a bit off. Party games aren't kid-oriented, as I've seen em on all platforms, but maybe consumers should ignore them so they can reconstruct to something different.
I really don't see what classics has to do with the Wii. If virtual console can only offer an inferior version of ecco the dolphin (that plays perfectly on the gameboy advance) and not the SegaCD version, they should hit up the drawing board again.
And finally, the Wii's not a fad, and anyone who plays Rune Factory Frontier, the Godfather (that got plenty of new additions in the Wii version the 360 never got), and Trauma Center: New Blood would probably lean towards my side.. It's also a giant money trap, charging you 60-70$ (if you count wii play version) for each additional controller, 20$ for the NICE classic controller which is required to play the VC downloads (gamecube controller omitted for its structure), and even so much as a zapper and steering wheel cradle, along with physical attachments of a racquet, club, etc. Is it awesome though? yeah. Is it a gimmick and a money trap? Oh yeah. But if you wanna go green, the Wii is the way to go
Mug Ug Gun @ Dec 12th 2008 9:29AM
Actually, they do need more mature games, but I guess nobody's decided if there's a market for them. The Godfather I play all the time. At the same time Nintendo's proving to the world that you don't need giant FMV's and long opening sequences and overdone blood and gore to make a good base for people to buy the system.
They have been making updates that appeal mainly to stopping piracy and that's great and all, but that's also bad for the honest guy that believes an update should actually update something they can use. Cancelling Soul Blazer as VC just cuz of the Wiiware announcement and never reannouncing it is pretty blah, I wasn't a fan of that. Charging an extra 2$ for an import is bad too. Heck, having one or two game updates a week is blah. But hey, all their warnings aren't just to cover their backs, it's also for good PR, meaning they do care (see wii update disclaimers for example)
Giving us dumbed down vc ports of classic arcade games is another blah, when the wii does have the power and capacity to Play not just the Genesis port of Space Harrier, but the full-fledged arcade version. I mean the game's 27 years old, they could give us the best version possible. I like being fed treasure, not trash/recyclables.
Meggerman 9 is not a bad idea, though I don't think Capcom cares about the Wii, considering everything they've done is either a port/extension of something offered to other systems, or a party game. Really I believe only companies like Marvelous or Atlus really care about the Wii, considering they've given us Trauma Center and will give us Rune Factory Frontier. Capcom probably feared low sales so they multiplatformed it out.
Kid-proofing a system isn't a bad idea. Simple controls aren't either. I thought the Mii's needed more customization (see The Godfather of even the Urbz), as I thought that was too kiddy at first, but then XB() made the Xboxiis so that says I was a bit off. Party games aren't kid-oriented, as I've seen em on all platforms, but maybe consumers should ignore them so they can reconstruct to something different.
I really don't see what classics has to do with the Wii. If virtual console can only offer an inferior version of ecco the dolphin (that plays perfectly on the gameboy advance) and not the SegaCD version, they should hit up the drawing board again.
And finally, the Wii's not a fad, and anyone who plays Rune Factory Frontier, the Godfather (that got plenty of new additions in the Wii version the 360 never got), and Trauma Center: New Blood would probably lean towards my side.. It's also a giant money trap, charging you 60-70$ (if you count wii play version) for each additional controller, 20$ for the NICE classic controller which is required to play the VC downloads (gamecube controller omitted for its structure), and even so much as a zapper and steering wheel cradle, along with physical attachments of a racquet, club, etc. Is it awesome though? yeah. Is it a gimmick and a money trap? Oh yeah. But if you wanna go green, the Wii is the way to go