These are great games, and i've played most of them... and there are a few more good ones for each console, but not that many...
And that's what bothers me: something like 15, or maybe 20 great games... in 5 years... for each console? Is that really impressive? Is this something we can cheer about? 3 or 4 excellent games each year, with some years way better than other, very boring ones?
I know Nintendo must rely on its own, as most 3rd parties never seem to involve, and i know Nintendo's task force is limited, as they also release many good handheld games... but after months and months of wait in the last 10 years, it's hard for me to say Gamecube and Wii gave me total satisfaction, even with all the great Zelda's, Mario's and Metroid's, and a handful of others...
My point is... will i still buy the next one, Wii U, with passion and impatience? With no console Zelda in the next three or four years, and no Metroid Prime or Mario Galaxy on the horizon, i guess you know my answer...
Exactly what i was thinking... for sure, a redesigned 3DS will be made, and all the early 3DS buyers are screwed... not even the 20 free games (which i've already played to death) are gonna change my feelings, that's for sure...
I keep buying Nintendo consoles for Zelda, Metroid and the best Mario's, but this time, that's for sure: Nintendo won't trick me in the future, as i won't buy anything after the Skyward Sword...
Maybe i'll rent some games for my Wii and my 3DS, and that's it: tired of giving them so much money, they don't desearve it anymore...
The real problem isn't the move they just made, it was the timing and the pricing of the original launch: a 3DS released in may/june for something like 200 euros/dollars (and with a more "dense" line-up in its first six months) would not have struggled to make its place on the market, simple as that...
Of course, a lot of us know that kind of problem, as the first year of both DS and Wii on the market were exactly the same: only a handful of exciting games (if that), and wait, wait, wait... this time, due to the high entry price, most people have chosen to wait BEFORE buying the console, not after: that's the only big difference, but it has made a huge impact on Nintendo's profits...
But in my opinion, the real trouble here is Nintendo's way of doing business. The market has changed, but they want to stay the same (control freaks with a greedy price model), and ask the customers to adapt to them: bad idea...
Most "average" games don't have that 40 euros value, and 250 euros for a portable console is quite a luxury many parents just can't afford for each one of their kids... and why buy additional hardware when smart phones offer an "all-in-one" solution with many games offering great value?
Nintendo has to change, and just can't expect everyone to stay faithful, just because they've made some of the best games ever. They're still excellent developpers, maybe still the best in their colourful style: but on the hardware side and the business model, this isn't the 80s or the 90s anymore... i hope they finally get it, now...
It makes sense... 250 euros for a 3DS is already way too much, and a lot of people are complaining about it, so we can't expect a "mega-hyper-console" sold with a digital tablet for less than 500...
And what would be the point? The graphics can't improve dramatically past a certain limit, and with a 25Gb disc, there's enough space for high-quality games in HD: so, if it's on par with PS3, and the price is somewhere between 300 and 400, tablet-controller included, that's OK...
Otherwise, it would be a niche product, and most of the gamers concerned by that niche are already busy playing on PS360 with a vast library of games, so it would be a failure... Nintendo would be very stupid to go that way, when a good quality/price to please many different kinds of gamers is the best way to go...
I don't understand the people complaining about BC: you may still use a Gamecube or a Wii for all your old GC games, nobody forces you to have a single console only... with a Wii now sold 100 euros/dollars, and maybe even less in a couple of years, it's not really a problem for the next 10 years, and you still may find an old GC still working nicely for maybe what, 20 bucks?
So c'mon... what would be the point in having 4 GC connections on the Wii U? Raise the price even more to please not even 1% of the users, who will still have all the hardware they need to play these games anyway?
I swear, if the Nintendo headz really had to listen to all their fans, these guys would become crazy, as anything they do seem always too much or not enough for some of you...
A few years ago, i was very excited when the DS and Wii were launched, but now, i just don't care anymore for any new Nintendo console...
The reason? I've been really disappointed by the Wii and DS libraries (both retail and downloadable): lot of potential in the new hardware ideas, but at the end, only a few real masterpieces, really worth the price, and even the other "good" games i've enjoyed seem way too expensive in retrospect...
Over the last 20 years, i've given Nintendo thousands and thousands of euros, but now i don't want to spend even more money that way: gaming has became a kind of silly luxury, and it's time for that "business model" to die... most games are worth 20 to 30 euros (and 10 euros max by download), and we should be able to find them even cheaper after a year or two on the market, just like any CD or DVD...
I hope the competition will force Nintendo to lower the prices of both their softwares and hardwares: till then, i'll see what the competition has to offer, and play the best games i can, at the best price possible...
The most important thing is that in the last 6 years, Nintendo has made billions and billions of profits, more than ever before... so the company is VERY healthy, no matter if profits are now down...
In the meantime, even if the 360 or the PS3/PSP are no commercial failures, i'd like to see the exact numbers, and see if the initial losses are now something of the past... but one thing is for sure: the profits made on these consoles just can't compare to the ones made by Nintendo...
Nintendo lost some money in Wii's first (and even second) year: the demand was so high that the price could easily have been 300 euros/dollars. Instead, that extra money went in the pockets of ebay sellers and such...
So i understand their logic: the launch supply is quite limited (4 millions if i remember correctly), so the first buyers will pay more. It's business we're talkin' about, not charity: what's the point in selling 3DS for 200 euros/dollars, when every copy could sell for more to those who are rich and healthy?
So deal with it, or just don't buy that thing before 2012 and the first price cut, just like me...
Skyward Sword is definitely my most anticipated game, followed by Okamiden, and then by the 3DS and all the best games to come with it, Paper Mario on the top of my list...
But i hope some huge, epic games will be released in PAL: Ninokuni for the DS, and Xenoblade/Last Story/Earth Seeker for the Wii... i'm more an action/adventure fan than a JRPG one, but after now 4 years, Wii should at least have ONE really huge (and quality) JRPG in its library, if not a couple...
And also: why did they acquire Monolith, if all their games are not even released in both US and Europe? Silly, to say the least...
Comments 59
Re: Feature: The Best Games on GameCube and Wii
These are great games, and i've played most of them... and there are a few more good ones for each console, but not that many...
And that's what bothers me: something like 15, or maybe 20 great games... in 5 years... for each console? Is that really impressive? Is this something we can cheer about? 3 or 4 excellent games each year, with some years way better than other, very boring ones?
I know Nintendo must rely on its own, as most 3rd parties never seem to involve, and i know Nintendo's task force is limited, as they also release many good handheld games... but after months and months of wait in the last 10 years, it's hard for me to say Gamecube and Wii gave me total satisfaction, even with all the great Zelda's, Mario's and Metroid's, and a handful of others...
My point is... will i still buy the next one, Wii U, with passion and impatience? With no console Zelda in the next three or four years, and no Metroid Prime or Mario Galaxy on the horizon, i guess you know my answer...
Re: Analogue Stick Add-On for 3DS Revealed
53. TwillightPrince
Exactly what i was thinking... for sure, a redesigned 3DS will be made, and all the early 3DS buyers are screwed... not even the 20 free games (which i've already played to death) are gonna change my feelings, that's for sure...
I keep buying Nintendo consoles for Zelda, Metroid and the best Mario's, but this time, that's for sure: Nintendo won't trick me in the future, as i won't buy anything after the Skyward Sword...
Maybe i'll rent some games for my Wii and my 3DS, and that's it: tired of giving them so much money, they don't desearve it anymore...
Re: Talking Point: Nintendo Makes Bold Move with the 3DS
The real problem isn't the move they just made, it was the timing and the pricing of the original launch: a 3DS released in may/june for something like 200 euros/dollars (and with a more "dense" line-up in its first six months) would not have struggled to make its place on the market, simple as that...
Of course, a lot of us know that kind of problem, as the first year of both DS and Wii on the market were exactly the same: only a handful of exciting games (if that), and wait, wait, wait... this time, due to the high entry price, most people have chosen to wait BEFORE buying the console, not after: that's the only big difference, but it has made a huge impact on Nintendo's profits...
But in my opinion, the real trouble here is Nintendo's way of doing business. The market has changed, but they want to stay the same (control freaks with a greedy price model), and ask the customers to adapt to them: bad idea...
Most "average" games don't have that 40 euros value, and 250 euros for a portable console is quite a luxury many parents just can't afford for each one of their kids... and why buy additional hardware when smart phones offer an "all-in-one" solution with many games offering great value?
Nintendo has to change, and just can't expect everyone to stay faithful, just because they've made some of the best games ever. They're still excellent developpers, maybe still the best in their colourful style: but on the hardware side and the business model, this isn't the 80s or the 90s anymore... i hope they finally get it, now...
Re: Wii U Striking Balance Between Performance and Price
It makes sense... 250 euros for a 3DS is already way too much, and a lot of people are complaining about it, so we can't expect a "mega-hyper-console" sold with a digital tablet for less than 500...
And what would be the point? The graphics can't improve dramatically past a certain limit, and with a 25Gb disc, there's enough space for high-quality games in HD: so, if it's on par with PS3, and the price is somewhere between 300 and 400, tablet-controller included, that's OK...
Otherwise, it would be a niche product, and most of the gamers concerned by that niche are already busy playing on PS360 with a vast library of games, so it would be a failure... Nintendo would be very stupid to go that way, when a good quality/price to please many different kinds of gamers is the best way to go...
Re: Wii U Uses 25GB Discs and Lacks GameCube Compatibility
I don't understand the people complaining about BC: you may still use a Gamecube or a Wii for all your old GC games, nobody forces you to have a single console only... with a Wii now sold 100 euros/dollars, and maybe even less in a couple of years, it's not really a problem for the next 10 years, and you still may find an old GC still working nicely for maybe what, 20 bucks?
So c'mon... what would be the point in having 4 GC connections on the Wii U? Raise the price even more to please not even 1% of the users, who will still have all the hardware they need to play these games anyway?
I swear, if the Nintendo headz really had to listen to all their fans, these guys would become crazy, as anything they do seem always too much or not enough for some of you...
Re: Nintendo Expected Higher 3DS Sales
A few years ago, i was very excited when the DS and Wii were launched, but now, i just don't care anymore for any new Nintendo console...
The reason? I've been really disappointed by the Wii and DS libraries (both retail and downloadable): lot of potential in the new hardware ideas, but at the end, only a few real masterpieces, really worth the price, and even the other "good" games i've enjoyed seem way too expensive in retrospect...
Over the last 20 years, i've given Nintendo thousands and thousands of euros, but now i don't want to spend even more money that way: gaming has became a kind of silly luxury, and it's time for that "business model" to die... most games are worth 20 to 30 euros (and 10 euros max by download), and we should be able to find them even cheaper after a year or two on the market, just like any CD or DVD...
I hope the competition will force Nintendo to lower the prices of both their softwares and hardwares: till then, i'll see what the competition has to offer, and play the best games i can, at the best price possible...
Re: Profits Down 46% As Nintendo Makes $1.3 Billion
The most important thing is that in the last 6 years, Nintendo has made billions and billions of profits, more than ever before... so the company is VERY healthy, no matter if profits are now down...
In the meantime, even if the 360 or the PS3/PSP are no commercial failures, i'd like to see the exact numbers, and see if the initial losses are now something of the past... but one thing is for sure: the profits made on these consoles just can't compare to the ones made by Nintendo...
Re: Nintendo Defends European Retailers' Pricing of the 3DS
Nintendo lost some money in Wii's first (and even second) year: the demand was so high that the price could easily have been 300 euros/dollars. Instead, that extra money went in the pockets of ebay sellers and such...
So i understand their logic: the launch supply is quite limited (4 millions if i remember correctly), so the first buyers will pay more. It's business we're talkin' about, not charity: what's the point in selling 3DS for 200 euros/dollars, when every copy could sell for more to those who are rich and healthy?
So deal with it, or just don't buy that thing before 2012 and the first price cut, just like me...
Re: Features: Five Nintendo Games to Thrill You in 2011
Skyward Sword is definitely my most anticipated game, followed by Okamiden, and then by the 3DS and all the best games to come with it, Paper Mario on the top of my list...
But i hope some huge, epic games will be released in PAL: Ninokuni for the DS, and Xenoblade/Last Story/Earth Seeker for the Wii... i'm more an action/adventure fan than a JRPG one, but after now 4 years, Wii should at least have ONE really huge (and quality) JRPG in its library, if not a couple...
And also: why did they acquire Monolith, if all their games are not even released in both US and Europe? Silly, to say the least...