Nintendo's about to showdown against the biggest threat to their stranglehold on the handheld market ever in less than a month....and they're going to combat it....with puppies.
Sigh.
From Gamespot:
OK, I'm gonna rant here.....I've kept quiet on this way too long....
Point #1: In a time when more people are buying copies of Halo than are going to movies, I fail to see where the lack of a gamer population is happening.
Point #2: I also don't mind Nintendo making games that cater to a casual or younger crowd, as long as the rest of the gaming population is also being catered to as well. Out of the hundred or so games confirmed in development for the DS, maybe 12 of them don't sound esoteric as fuck. That's a way smaller fraction than the GameCube, where there are at least high quality ports and exclusives (especially this year) to fill the void. According to the release schedule, you've got a Rayman DS coming next week (which is good...that series is underrated), a giant fucking wasteland until June (new Bomberman), and another gap until August (Metroid Prime FINALLY, and Castlevania). During which time, the PSP will have 30 games on the market, most of which EVERYBODy will actually want to play.
Point #3: This casual crowd of which this guy speaks....putting aside the fact that these casual gamers could just as easily buy a $100 GameCube and have their share of any of the great games on that system for much cheaper, is this crowd REALLY willing to throw down $150 for a game system and games they're more than likely to play on their cellphone?
Point #4: A game which involves listening to sound and touching light.....this just gave me a brilliant idea....you want a game that could A: be attractive to gamers of all ages, B: be attractive enough to rake in the nongamers, and C: take interesting advantage of that damn touchscreen? Here's an idea: PORT REZ. And market it properly this time. That game is one of the lost works of art on PS2, and there are so many ways to fool with that concept and gameplay, I'm shocked no one thought of it yet.
Bottom line is, I'm a Nintendo fan, so I'm used to the hardcore, hell even the REGULAR gamer getting the short end of the stick. But the DS is another Virtual Boy in the making, judging from how many times at work where I've had no answer for some kid or some parent wondering where the DS games are, and having to point them towards a wall with nothing but Zoo Keeper and Tiger Woods Golf.
Sigh.
From Gamespot:
Quote:
| Nintendo pres talks up casual games on the DS TOKYO--Nintendo has plenty of ideas in store for its dual-screen handheld. Company president Satoru Iwata recently shared some of those in a comment on Earthbound creator Shigesato Itoi's Web site, Hobo Mainichi Itoi Shinbun. "In a time when people are saying to themselves, 'We aren't playing [many] video games, compared to the old days,' I'm always thinking and working on ways to increase the population of gamers. And that's also the reason behind the development of the DS," Iwata wrote. "In order to get those [nongamers] to play games, we need to make video games that...relate to those people. If we only keep making games that fit in existing categories, like action games, racing games, role-playing games, sports games, adventure games, strategy games, and puzzle games, people won't turn around to look, because they already feel that those kinds of games have nothing to do with them. "For that reason, we need to come up with new ideas that will expand the definition of video games. Our [game] Puppy Times, which is slated for release in April, is one example of a product that will expand the definition of games. It's meant to be enjoyed by all people who love dogs, unlike traditional dog-breeding simulation games. "After the launch of Puppy Times, we have plans for other games that will also expand the definition of video games. Ideas that we have [for the DS] include a game that employs an electronic dictionary, a game that enhances brain activities, and a game that's played by[listening to] sound and touching light." Iwata also talked a bit about the DS music game Daigasso! Band Brothers (Jam with the Band). The game was originally slated for release on the Game Boy Advance more than three years ago under the title Game Boy Music. It was canceled because it required multiple cartridges to perform in-game concerts with other GBA players. Iwata resurrected the game for the DS because it seemed perfect for the hardware, which includes game-sharing capabilities. As long as one person owns a copy of the game, DS players can perform concerts together. As with Puppy Times, Iwata sees Band Brothers as a title that expands the definition of video games, because the DS transforms into a musical instrument in players' hands. "We hope that these games will let a wide range of people enjoy the DS, regardless of age, gender, and whether or not they have had gaming experience," Iwata said. |
Point #1: In a time when more people are buying copies of Halo than are going to movies, I fail to see where the lack of a gamer population is happening.
Point #2: I also don't mind Nintendo making games that cater to a casual or younger crowd, as long as the rest of the gaming population is also being catered to as well. Out of the hundred or so games confirmed in development for the DS, maybe 12 of them don't sound esoteric as fuck. That's a way smaller fraction than the GameCube, where there are at least high quality ports and exclusives (especially this year) to fill the void. According to the release schedule, you've got a Rayman DS coming next week (which is good...that series is underrated), a giant fucking wasteland until June (new Bomberman), and another gap until August (Metroid Prime FINALLY, and Castlevania). During which time, the PSP will have 30 games on the market, most of which EVERYBODy will actually want to play.
Point #3: This casual crowd of which this guy speaks....putting aside the fact that these casual gamers could just as easily buy a $100 GameCube and have their share of any of the great games on that system for much cheaper, is this crowd REALLY willing to throw down $150 for a game system and games they're more than likely to play on their cellphone?
Point #4: A game which involves listening to sound and touching light.....this just gave me a brilliant idea....you want a game that could A: be attractive to gamers of all ages, B: be attractive enough to rake in the nongamers, and C: take interesting advantage of that damn touchscreen? Here's an idea: PORT REZ. And market it properly this time. That game is one of the lost works of art on PS2, and there are so many ways to fool with that concept and gameplay, I'm shocked no one thought of it yet.
Bottom line is, I'm a Nintendo fan, so I'm used to the hardcore, hell even the REGULAR gamer getting the short end of the stick. But the DS is another Virtual Boy in the making, judging from how many times at work where I've had no answer for some kid or some parent wondering where the DS games are, and having to point them towards a wall with nothing but Zoo Keeper and Tiger Woods Golf.
