Is it Time for Change at Nintendo?

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Sorry, but I'm not going to put any effort into creating a long, detailed opening post. I attempted to make this thread two days ago, but it was lost due to a combination of the recent CloudFlare disaster and a regular old site error. I don't feel inclined to retype everything I did before, so I apologise for the lack of detail in this post.

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Some people feel that Satoru Iwata, Satoru Shibata, and Reggie Fils-Aime are out of touch with today's gamers. They feel that if the company is to succeed, fresh management is needed.

Personally, I like and have a lot of respect for Satoru Iwata. It's refreshing to see a CEO who is willing to have a laugh and not take himself too seriously. I also feel that he's done a good job in pushing the company through the CameCube and Wii era, but it cannot be denied that Wii U hasn't gotten off to a particularly good start. Yes, it is starting to pick up now, and Pikmin 3 has increased Wii U sales recently, but it has gotten off to a rather slow start.

Are the executives to blame? Is new leadership needed?

I think nintendo just needs to do some more 3rd party suff or come up with new franchises. Also they could perhaps co-develop hardware with a different company. I hope after the hits they are talking with the 3ds and wii u they will invest more time in to hardware development, and less on novelties like the wiimote, pad and overuse of touch screens. I think overall the executive structure and character of the company is perfect, they just need to get out of the SuperMarioLand3D2++Xtracooledidtion phase, and go for slightly more practical approaches that will make their platforms more lucrative to third parties, because they have more than enough in house development.

The main complaint I have about Nintendo is that a lot of times it seems like they make up these wacky hardware ideas just to be different, rather than it contributing to a better system. Examples include the Nintendo 64's wacky controller, then the Gamecube's mini-discs, the DS touch screen, the incomprehensible mess of the Wii's control system, and absolutely everything about the Virtual Boy.

Now case in point... I don't really buy Nintendo consoles except the Gameboys, because there's such a good third party support there. So I bought a 3DS because there's games I wanted for it (mostly Cave Story and Etrian Odyssey IV), but haven't actually used the 3D feature because it feels like my eyes are being burned out of my skull after trying to look at it in 3D mode for more than a few minutes.

So that's what I want to see most from Nintendo management: less insane hardware choices.

I'm rather surprised by your opinions on Nintendo's hardware. The DS and it's touch screen produced fantastic games that no other system could offer at the time. I loved The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and it's underrated sequel, Spirit Tracks. Those games really would not be possible on a standard, single-screened console.

I can't comment on how the N64's controller was compared to other controllers of that era, but having held one, I thought that it was incredibly comfortable.

The GameCube's discs were a smart move at the time. I believe it was done in an effort to make pirating GameCube games more difficult.

Wii's control scheme is an incomprehensible mess? I don't think so! It may have been implimented in unimaginitive and gimmicky ways in many third-party games, but it could also be an insanely fun experience. It worked fantastically in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, and was great to use in racing games such as Mario Kart. The Wii Remote when turned on it's side made an excellent controller for side-scrolling platformers too.

Now, claiming that Wii U's GamePad is nothing more than a gimmick is an outright lie. Even in games in which the touch screen is not utilised, having data such as a map and health gage on the GamePad creates a more immersive on-screen experience because of the lack of information cluttering up the corners of your screen. The touch screen has allowed Nintendo to create what is arguably the best Internet browser ever to have been featured on a console. It also makes interacting with other gamers on Miiverse far more convenient than it would've been if a "normal" controller were used.

As for the Virtual Boy ... okay, I'll give you that one.

Nintendo really need to improve their marketing and come to realise how important hardware specs are to most people, but honestly, it feels as though Nintendo are the only company in the industry who even attempt to innovate these days. Other consoles just seem to be spec-bumped versions of their predecessors.

I don't share the sentiments about Nintendo's controllers. Somehow they've managed to keep most of their succeeding controller layouts relatively close to their predecessors even if the designs have been rather diverse. I admit the Wii was the first to really break that cycle but they addressed it with pro controllers, and WiiU having gone back to roots has done the same as well.

I do agree that lack of 3rd party support leaves in a tight economy many buyers hesitant. No 1 or 2 amazing games is enough to keep buyers from missing out on dozens of other multiplatform titles a machine isn't getting. Not everyone can buy 2 consoles like a few years ago, and investing in a WiiU right now leaves you with (while very good) very limited software choices.

I'm kind of regretting buying the Wii U now. I wish the Wii U was more like the Wii. I don't like having to get out that big Wii U controller every time I want to play, instead of one of those nice, compact Wii remotes. I also like the menus on the Wii better than on the Wii U because they're more simple. The Miiverse doesn't make the system any more enjoyable for me, it actually kind of annoys me. I just want to have some fun gaming, without all the extra clutter that the Wii U has.

The games that are coming out for the Wii U don't look very impressive. The new Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. games for the Wii U don't look like much of an upgrade from the Wii versions. The new Super Mario game for the Wii U looks too similar to the 3DS version. The New Super Mario Bros. series has been done to death, so New Super Mario Bros. U wasn't a particularly interesting game for me. This is kind of sad for me because usually most new games that interest me are published by Nintendo. Most of the other companies, that I used to enjoy playing games from, have gone downhill in my opinion. I've gone back to playing more games from years ago because a lot of the games of this generation aren't as enjoyable for me.

I wish I hadn't bought that Wii U. Now I feel obligated to buy games for it since I spent all that money to buy it. I'd probably be happier just going back to playing my old Wii games. I still enjoy my 3DS though.

I want the WiiU to succeed. I don't think the current chairmen or board members need to change. I think they need to dedicate more resources to WiiU advertising and 1st party titles, as well as renewing partnerships with 3rd parties. There is also a huge untapped market of Wii veterans they could be migrating with the "All your Wii Sports and Wii Fit games will work" pitch and again they aren't doing it.

Less focus on 3DS, it's selling itself everywhere. More focus on WiiU IMO.

3DS got off to a really slow start too, and now is doing very well. I have hope for the Wii U.

Though I know Nintendo themselves are a little worried about how poorly the Wii U is doing, I'm sure they are already aware of what steps to take to remedy it, and any advice I could give them would be meaningless.

Other controllers of that era didn't have analogue joysticks or force feedback

Though some controllers had analogue joysticks before (not sure about force feedback), it was the N64 that turned it into a standard feature.

Ive always been more partial to HUD's and menus. So its less of... "Oh let me check my health... *looks down at pad* *gets killed by an enemy in the meantime* ...Sh*t..." and more of... "Ok I still have 60% health, 57% mana, and 100 units of ammunition." without looking away from the game. Immersion is only useful when it is still practical and intuitive.



If you want specs...

[img][800:857]http://justd3.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Diablo-3-Gaming-Rig-l3p-d3sk4.jpg[/img]

Go PC...

Otherwise, I agree with you about this completely.

As a longtime gamer, I can't deny that I have a soft spot for Ninty. The wii is my first Ninty console, but I've owned Ninty handhelds since the gameboy color. My first console was a genesis, and I moved on to the ps1, and have been a ps fan ever since. However, the first game I ever encountered was Super Mario World for the snes, at my cousin's house, when I was 4. Also, when I was 6 till when I was 13, my childhood friend who lived across the street from me had all of Ninty's systems, so I would just go over to his house to play them, and he went over to my house to play my genesis, and then my ps1. He sadly passed away at the age of 13 due to brain cancer. His younger brother had a gamecube, and I played a bit of that, but then we grew apart, and I haven't seen him in years.

I guess you could say that I am now my own Nintendo friend, since I am the owner of the wii I occasionally play. But, though I was a Sega kid, and then a Sony kid, I'd be lying if I said that Ninty means nothing to me. Also, I did mention that I've owned Ninty's handhelds since I was 12(yeah, I was late to that party too). Zelda doesn't mean as much to me as some people. I would say I'm more of a Mario guy, but I've played and enjoyed Ocarina of Time, and a few other Zelda titles. I'm not a diehard fan of Mario either, but just a fan. Yet, I still have a past with Ninty, so I do have nostalgic ties to them, whether I want to admit it.

I'm not fond of the way Ninty has been going with their consoles though. I appreciate them trying to be different, and go for their own market, but they haven't been trying at all hardware wise, and they've been relying a little too much on gimmicks. I have my own reasons for liking the wii, but I'm not fond of Ninty's choice to make motion control the focus of the entire console. I have yet to acquire a wiiu, and probably will at some point, but I find the controller to be way too huge, and though I have yet to try the touch features, it does seem like something that is better suited to a handheld. Plus, I hear you can use the touchpad to cheat at Tekken, which is not ok in my book.

I'm a big fan of Ninty's handhelds though, and I'm quite fond of the dual screens of the ds, and its use of a touch screen. The 3ds is just the natural progression of the ds, but I'm just as fond of it. I actually like the 3d effect on the 3ds, and never play a 3ds game without it. I guess I appreciate the innovations Ninty implemented with their handhelds over the "innovations" they implemented with their consoles. If a company like Ninty comes up with something new, I leave it up to them to prove to me that it enhances my gameplay experience. If I'm not convinced, or flat out disagree, then I'm sorry, but those "innovations" mean nothing to me. As it stands, Ninty has succeeded in convincing me that second screen with touch controls opens up a whole world of possibilities with handheld games, and that 3d is cool, but they haven't convinced me that motion control enhances my experience in any way. I'm skeptical that a touch screen is a good idea for console gaming, but I guess I should give Ninty the benefit of the doubt, and reserve my judgment till I own the system, if I decide to acquire one.

Now, if I were to ponder why Ninty's not moving a lot of wiiu systems, I think it comes down to marketing. I was contemplating that Ninty was relying a little too much on Mario and Zelda, but I read an article on Retrowaretv that reminded me of the existence of a whole bunch of new ips that they've been coming out with. The problem is that they don't market those ips very well. They could do a better job of marketing any of their ips outside of the main ones, IMHO. The recent promotion with Fire Emblem: Awakening and Shin Megami Tensei IV is a good start. It got me to play the latest FE. I'm not saying they should do that sort of thing all the time, because they would lose money, but there are other ways to market their ips, and anything they can do to get the word out can go a long way to ensuring that their new ips, which are the most in need of marketing, will be successful. If they do that, they can get back on their feet, because I would hate for Nintendo to stop making systems, and even though I'm more fond of their handhelds, I hope they stay in the console market too, even if they continue to do their own thing, like they've been doing.

Hmm, I do definitely think that Nintendo could do with some changes. Alot.... of changes. Alot.

I used to be a fan of theirs. Back in the grand days of the NES and SNES. Loved those things. Have so many games for each. The N64 was nice too, though I didnt have nearly as many games for it... this is around the point when Nintendo's selection of games started to get smaller. But it was still nice, and had lots of cool stuff on it that WAS NOT just Nintendo's first-party stuffs.

......and then the Gamecube happened. If I'm correct, this is right around the time when Iwata took charge, and to me, it's when Nintendo started rolling downhill.... fast. I had one of those damn things on day 1, but.... of all of the consoles I've ever owned, the GCN ended up getting used the least, by far. Most of the time, it's entire reason for existing in my house was to run Phantasy Star Online.... and that was about it. Didnt get used for much else, because there never seemed to be much else to use it for. There was Mario, and.... er..... ......Mario. I havent been much of a fan of Nintendo's first party stuffs lately that ARENT Mario. Metroid's damn stupid shift to an FPS (a genre I loathe with a passion), Zelda which I hadnt really liked much ever since it went 3D with Ocarina (yeah, I'm one of the few that doesnt like that game much), and so on. So there was a bit of Mario, and Phantasy Star, and.... well, that was about it.

Of all of the consoles I have ever owned, that was the very first one to be sold, because after PSO wore off, it never got used for anything. Nintendo's third-party selection was horrible, a trend that just kept going after that. And of course, to quote good ol' Iwata, "Customers do not want online games", which is still one of my favorite gaming-industry quotes ever..... and he said this right around when Xbox Live was REALLY starting to take off. This, I think, was my first real indication that things had gone horribly wrong, and at this point I rather lost interest in Nintendo and switched focus to the other consoles.

Then came the Wii. I bought this as soon as I could, figuring it might finally be a return to form for the company that had brought me the NES, SNES, and the various iterations of the Game Boy. .....except no. It really wasnt. The selection of games was perhaps actually WORSE, to someone not all that interested in the 1st-party stuffs. The term "shovelware" became a thing known to me, and I mostly associated it with the Wii. I worked in a game store during the time period when the Wii was selling at it's best, and it continued to baffle me: The console itself, and the stupid balance board, both of these things sold like CRAZY. The games? No. Certain very specific games would sell ALOT, but the vast majority of them seemed to go ignored by most customers. The Wii was selling mostly on the merits of Wii Sports and similar things, when it came to people who werent super into gaming and such. And even "proper" gamers would often buy the thing.... and then stash it away when it inevitably stopped being used due to lack of games. This became the SECOND console that I completely sold off.

Cant say I was liking things too much on the handheld front either. Oh, I still HAVE a DS, an ancient fatty model..... which is used as a coaster. Damn thing just serves no other purpose at this time. Wasnt just the selection that was the problem.... I got an iPad, when the first model had been out for a good 8 months or so, and jumped into iOS gaming. I quickly found that the thing's reputation for "casual games only!!!111" was very unfounded, as my device began to fill up with more and more things like hyper-difficult bullet-hell shmups and roguelikes and things of that nature.... AKA, games that had the difficulty level that I often found missing from Nintendo's stuff. I generally need a challenge to hold my attention, and it had been a LONG time since Nintendo's work had provided one. Even alot of their third party games seemed to just assume a low skill level with the consumers for the Wii, and considering how Nintendo had marketed and sold the thing, this was no surprise. The DS had a few interesting things, but yeah, once I had the iPad I simply didnt look back. The 3DS on the other hand I never even bought. Sounded like a damn stupid idea at the time it came out, STILL sounds like a damn stupid idea. As with most Nintendo gizmos, everyone I know bought the horrid thing, used it for a time..... and then it collected dust, surprise.


And now we come to the Wii U, which I figured had real potential.... moving away from the irritating motion control obsession that was the Wii.... but YET AGAIN, the games just arent there. Yet again, most I know have one. And yet again, they pretty much have it for exactly ONE game (Monster Hunter), and it never gets used otherwise. I've had no desire to bother with the damn thing.

Which is sure different from back in the heyday of the NES and such. It's sad to me, that they've caused my opinion of them to do a complete 180 over the years. And I really doubt I'm the only one.

To be fair, I dont care about the PS4 or Xbone either, but those are..... different stories entirely.


All in all, to me, it's been a LONG time since Nintendo has been any good. I'd LOVE to see some changes for them.... particularly changes in management at this point.... but really, I just dont see it happening anytime soon.

Nintendo is a very strange company. When it comes to core game design, they are not just "the best", they are the best by such a large margin that they make everyone else look really bad when they are on their A-game. On the other hand, they have for some reason decided to "handicap" themselves by making terrible decisions about everything except core game design.

Basically, when I try to imagine what the Nintendo work environment must be like, I imagine that the game designers are Renaissance geniuses, and the executives are their wealthy and stupid patrons who keep putting dumb restrictions on them. "It needs more Wiimote usage!" "It needs to use the Wii U Gamepad for something!" "It needs to be on two screens instead of one!"

Have to call you out on this one. The Metroid Prime games are clearly not FPS games. The central mechanic of an FPS is manual aiming. The Metroid Prime games are more like 3D Zelda in a first-person perspective. And you said that you don't like 3D Zelda, so I guess it's no surprise that you wouldn't like the Metroid Prime games.

I don't think the reason why the Wii U isn't succeeding is all Nintendo's fault. They've just gotten to a point in time where it's difficult to create new games that can compete with the ones that they've already released. All of the video game developers are pretty much at that point right now. I believe that this is going to be the last generation of video game systems before everything changes. There will be a time in the near future when the video game developers will decide that they can't compete very well with their previous works, and there will be greater focus on reviving mass numbers of those games with improved graphics and some added features. The video games of today will still survive in some form or another for decades, or maybe even over a century from now, as well as many of our movies, tv shows, songs, and books. I believe that there will still be new games, but they won't be able to make the old ones obsolete anymore.

Iwata needs to return to Halken. He is a genius programmer, yet an inept CEO out of touch with the industry at large. Reggie isn't out of touch with today's gamers, he's simply chronically and terminally lost. He is not the man I want to think of when I think of the western arm of Nintendo, Compared to Howard Lincoln...there is no comparison. Reggie is just so dismally off the bottom of the charts. At least with someone evil like Robert Kotick or Larry Hryb, I can tell they're actually doing something. Reggie could be replaced a particularly inert mineral sample and nobody would notice until the next one was making way, as long as it was kept warm.

I think one of the major issues with the company is that after Yamauchi finally retired, (He was 60 when the Famicom was born) everyone seemed to be scrambled into the wrong positions, being pulled from who knows where and set into all the wrong places. Miyamoto isn't management material, he should be at EAD conceptualizing and doing what he does best, making games! I'd simply sack Sakamoto unless his severance package would be too costly, in that case, I'd simply boot him to the windows and let him wither. He ruined a beloved franchise with overt misogyny and defecated upon the grave of poor Gunpei.

I could go over various other failures and rant at length at how everything was a downward spiral after the release of Skyward Plummet, but I think I can summarize things in two words: Ethnocentrism and Sakoku. To explain the latter, sakoku is the word that describes the Japanese policy of Isolationism that lasted up until the second world war, where unauthorized entry was punishable by death. Now, while I feel that Nintendo of Japan isn't quite applying the 'punishable by death' part, it does quite feel like it at times. The entire company seems to have forgotten that in this day and age, there are no longer oceans in the world of online, so placing such restrictions on connectivity worldwide is just idiotic. Even worse is using the unacceptable excuse of parental controls to try and justify regional locks.

To neatly wrap this post up, Nintendo needs its bubble popped and it needs to face the harsh realities and admit to the many mistakes they've been making. I could go onto a whole triad about how the Virtual Console should have better pricing and content, or how the Wii-U OS is a colorful mess that doesn't really accomplish much functionally and how I still feel that the WaraWara plaza should have been canned in favor of actual online functions...but I feel these things have been said before, and only a Bolt of Divine Retribution would get Nintendo to listen now.

To me, they're still FPS games.... "FPS" only means "first person" + "shooter" to me, anything else simply not mattering all that much. It's pretty rare that I bother to even notice much more than that as that's usually enough to murder my interest with a flaming chainsaw.

Though, the Metroid games and their damn auto-aim.... yeah, that was ANOTHER reason why I just didnt like them. Way, way too much handholding in alot of console games these days, and Nintendo seems to often be at the forefront of it. Though, I'd have gotten tired of Prime quickly even if the challenge had been there.