Topic: Nintendo does need new franchises

I'm really interested in this one
and they should make a sequel for Sakura Samurai ASAP because it was a great game!

Agreed completely. I do still think they need to make starfox/metroid and f-zero sequels but a bit of experimentation wouldn't go amiss. They need to find another studio like rare who they used to depend on so heavily in the N64 days. I find it hard to believe how much content came out of that studio but where are the replacement franchises now Microsoft hold the licences?

1) Goldeneye/Perfect Dark - Where is the replacement FPS franchise(s) for nintendo consoles?
2) Banjo/Conker - Where are the exploratory 3d platformers with large worlds? (sony seems to have more of these games now...)
3) Jet Force Gemini/Blast Corps - Where are the odd one-off but fully realised game experiences?

They lost so much losing rare that they just haven't replaced, it's all now continuations of existing series with some series' having to fight to get a continuation.
Even their 2d platforming output(whilst fun to play) could be improved, so many New super mario games but why can't they be significantly different from one another? Mario 1, 2, 3 world and yoshi's island were all different games in terms of mechanics and gameplay.

Don't get me wrong, i think nintendo have come off a fantastic year game-wise and rightly got numerous nominations and awards as a result. It's now time for the big N to show it's hand for the rest of this year and i'm hoping some of the above questions may be answered. There aren't any problems taking a risk with a game, i'm sure ZombiU and Wonderful 101 would've sold A LOT better if the reviews hadn't gone the way they did. Seems a poor review from IGN can make a massive difference.

Finally, would love to see Nintendo's take on a big open world sandbox type game(and no don't turn zelda into one...) am sure they could add a little magic to the genre...

You're right about the FPS but you're wrong here. NSMB is different than Jungle Beat, different to DKCR which is different than Wario Land: Shake It! which is different than each of the Kirby platformers on the Wii which are different than Kirby for the DS... lots of differences. It's just that NSMB is a specific series so they made a version since they were so popular for every platform.

I didn't say the DK games were the same as Kirby etc. I just said the new super mario games could've had enough different about them to stop people complaining that they were milking the franchise and we're now in a situation where Nintendo have to be wary about releasing another 2d mario which shouldn't be the case. I'm not anti-those games at all, have 100%'d all four of em and there a ton of games still criminally sat on my "to play" pile. Problem is most of the games you mention are on old consoles not the Wii U. On Wii U we only have newer versions of previous games(New super mario bros, DKC) .

Either way, i'd prefer a 3D platformer than another 2D one anyway. Unfortunately for Nintendo they take a lot more resource to put out there...

I agree, but what was the last game to truly use the GPad's potential? Nintendo Land?

What I'm saying is that ever since launch day, tehy've been playing it safe, only using the Off-TV Play function of the GPad (a function Sony already stole with the PS4+Vita) They need to use the GPad to its full potential for a brand new experience as well as attractng gamers in search of a new way of gaming.

Nintendo has a gold mine right under their nose, but they don't seem to use it correctly.......

The difference is that Nintendo's characters and IPs are incredibly strong. So when someone does come up with a new idea they'll try to tie it into one of their existing IPs. Like the story of Smash Bros and Mario Kart, neither started with actual Nintendo characters. They were just cool little gameplay experiments that had their own little characters before some dude says "hey, put Mario in this and it'll sell". The amount of distractions that appear in a major Mario or Zelda game I swear there must be a bucket of new ideas that could be their own game but are picked through for Zelda and Mario.

Yea that's definitely one of the big reasons the Wii U is struggling. They've had some decent ideas with the gamepad but nothing too notable. I honestly think Nintendo thought being able to play just on the gamepad was enough which is sad and somewhat alarming. Or the WIi U's rough start completely changed their plans. Mario and DK use of the controller which is so disappointing.

There's a lot of 3rd party games that used it well and we've even seen games in the past like Okami, Trauma Center and TONS of DS games that utilized two screens very well. So hopefully they have a new IP on the way that really shows what the gamepad is capable of.

One would assume that if you choose a controller like the gamepad that you are going to take risks and be creative.

You're actually being serious!? That's so unlike you XD
Sadly Nintendo is just playing it too safe and it feels like it might just stay like that because of budget restraints. They think long term so I doubt they're gonna focus on pumping out the games we've been demanding. While they are popular they're not million copy sellers and that's really what Nintendo's been focusing on. I swear I feel like I'm seeing too much Zelda and Mario lately. Back in the day Zelda games felt like an event we used to wait years for a zelda game and now I feel like we get one every year. If that's not a sign Nintendo's playing it safe I don't know what is. I just hope the Wii U sales put some pressure on them so they try something a little more unique.

I guess 2011, 2013, and 2015+ is yearly? You are certainly romanticizing those nostalgic memories.

History of Zelda: Zelda I (1986), Zelda II (1987), LttP (1991), LA (1993), OoT (1998), MM (2000), OoA/OoS (2001), FS (2002), WW (2002), FSA (2004), TP (2006), PH (2007), ST (2009), SS (2011), LbW (2013). I don't know where the pattern changed throughout the years. The only big gap was between Link's Awakening and Ocarina of Time (not counting remakes btw).

If that's not a sign Nintendo's playing it safe I don't know what is. I just hope the Wii U saled put some pressure on them so they try something a little mroe unique.

But their unique titles are failing just as badly. Uniqueness does not guarantee any success.

Well I do not know what to say to this, Nintendo's just in a really bad mess right now :/
Also OMG my spelling on that last post was just terrible, it was a long day XD

I agree. It just seems like it would be pretty hard to uphold their current characters, while making new ones, without someone somewhere being disappointed.
Main:
Mario - platformer
Kirby - platform fighter
Zelda - puzzle adventure with action
Metroid - 3rd/1st person shooting adventure
DK - platformer
Starfox - shooting, on-rails
Fatal Frame - horror(America doesn't even have the Wii games)
Xeno - action RPG
Pokemon - RPG
Pikmin - real time strategy adventure
Wii Party U - mini game collection
Smash Bros - all stars fighter
F-Zero - high speed racing
Mario Kart - kart racer with items
Wii Sports - sports
Mario Sports - sports
W101 - beat 'em up
...

Punch-Out!, Kid Icarus, etc. are kind of off and on, and there's all those smaller eShop games and such.

I don't really see what genre they could make, because I tend to categorize each character with a specific genre. Maybe Nintendo could create a point and click or horror game. I think Starfox and Metroid are Nintendo's shooter games, so that spot is already taken, as far as I'm concerned.

Eh, I still don't think the issue is with reviving old IPs, maintaining current IPs, or creating new IPs. The Wii U is the only system where they have failed to innovate. Just think about how much of a step forward Melee was from the N64 Smash Bros for instance... They can innovate with old, current, or new IP but they just haven't yet. It's just the same games we have seen before with minor improvements and HD. It's no wonder the Wii U has failed to capture the imagination of gamers (well except the upcoming "X" which I have seen a lot of hype around). Most of these games had an unenthusiastic reaction when announced for a reason. Who here wouldn't have rather had the next 3D Mario adventure rather than 3D World? Nintendo also need to consider designing some games in genres that are popular in the west (stealth/espionage, FPS, open world sandbox). Most of the other big Japanese developers have already done this. They could do partnerships with Western studios for such games or even buy another Western studio other than Retro. I do love my Wii U though and I am currently addicted to DK: Tropical Freeze...

@fascinatura
I don't know how Mario Kart 8 is "the same thing but HD" TBH. And 3D World isn't Galaxy 3 or something as big as Galaxy was you are right. What it is however is pretty damn awesome. It's not a solo game, they actually tried something different with it. They did the same thing with the new Pokemon games which are a breath of fresh air for the franchise. Again with A Link Between Worlds and despite the rantage Nintendo Land is actually pretty unique.

So I don't think there's a lack of innovation going on with Nintendo. There's just maybe not the "once a generation" Galaxy or Wii Sports thing yet.

[quote=skywake]@fascinatura
I don't know how Mario Kart 8 is "the same thing but HD" TBH. And 3D World isn't Galaxy 3 or something as big as Galaxy was you are right. What it is however is pretty damn awesome. It's not a solo game, they actually tried something different with it. They did the same thing with the new Pokemon games which are a breath of fresh air for the franchise. Again with A Link Between Worlds and despite the rantage Nintendo Land is actually pretty unique.

So I don't think there's a lack of innovation going on with Nintendo. There's just maybe not the "once a generation" Galaxy or Wii Sports thing yet.[/quote

Mario Kart 8 isn't out yet. I was commenting on the games that are already out. I am sure MK8 will move some systems. I agree that Nintendoland is unique, but at the same time it is feels very inspired by the Wii era. Also, a product isnt innovative until it succeeds. Until then it is an "experiment"... Innovative products need to target the market strategically. Honestly think Nintendo thought the Wii branding would sell the console which would explain the lack of big hitters and lack of marketing early on.

@fascinatura
That's not what innovation means. Innovation is literally making something new, it's like the 'weaker' version of invention which is more of a discovery. Neither require that the thing is successful. Different again from an experiment which is really just a fancy word for a controlled test. Experiments can result in invention, experiments can be innovative, invention requires experimentation and innovation. None of this requires success.

As for Mario Kart 8 not being out yet well I don't see any reason why it should be ruled out of the discussion entirely because it isn't out. Especially when you made a point of talking about X as being the exception to this lack of innovation. Mario Kart 8 is definitely pushing Mario Kart into somewhere it hasn't quite been before.

Nintendo Land? Well personally I hadn't played anything quite like Nintendo Land before Nintendo Land. Whether it's a success or not it's definitely something new and gasp innovative. Is it "Wii era", well yeah, I guess if you define "Wii era" as that sort of easy to play party thing then that's definitely what it is. However within that space they did things with Nintendo Land that we're pretty creative.

There's plenty of innovation here, there's just nothing to the scale of Galaxy or Wii Sports yet. That's all I was saying.

It does seem at this point, to generate some hype and interest for the WiiU, Nintendo will have to make new and better IPs.
Games like Xenoblade, The Last Story and Pandora's Tower were a step the right Direction.

Nintendo should also start using some of their existing IPs and start localizing some IPs.

MANY European and American Gamers would LOVE to play the Fatal Frame games on WiiU.
MANY European and American Gamers would LOVE to play Star Fox and F-Zero on WiiU.
New Entries in these 3 titles would generate interest for the System.
Add in a new IP and bam you got your Hype machine running and interest will start pouring in. and No, by "New IP" I don't mean "Rusty's Real Deal Baseball" or "Flingsmash" I mean something along the lines of Golden Sun. A New IP that is sure to be a SMASH hit.

Mario Kart 8 seems like the definition of the same old thing, with a bit of new. But I'm cool with that since all I care about for racing games is

To look really pretty.
Run at a smooth framterate
Have good online component
Be fun.

Kart ticks all that off. I could understand on the surface why one would get tired or say that Nintendo is trying. I

Did you play Lego City Undercover? Did you play Game & Wario? Wii Fit U? Pikmin? SM3DWorld? They all use the game pad in interesting ways. I just said this in another thread. The myth that Nintendo is not using the game pad is pretty strange. Also, the off tv play is a great use in and of itself, and looks phenomenal with DK. Maybe Mario is not truly a strong use but the others are.

If you want Nintendo to keep making new IPs then people should start talking with their wallets.