The Video Game Critic

NX17 wrote:Well the Animal Crossing board game reviews and Mario Tennis reviews have come in, and they aren't pretty. They seem to be so barebones to even be considered a game these days, yet they're retailing for $60 (Amiibos with Animal Crossing.

That is disappointing. I remember when Nintendo Sports titles hanged with the big boys and offered immersive gameplay. This is the 2nd Mario Tennis title to receive poor reviews. It's like Nintendo isn't putting any effort into these games and assigns a very small group of people to make them just so the Wii U has some games coming out. I loved Mario Tennis for the GBC, N64, and NGC. All were a ton of fun, with lots of modes, great gameplay and more...

Rev wrote:

NX17 wrote:Well the Animal Crossing board game reviews and Mario Tennis reviews have come in, and they aren't pretty. They seem to be so barebones to even be considered a game these days, yet they're retailing for $60 (Amiibos with Animal Crossing.

That is disappointing. I remember when Nintendo Sports titles hanged with the big boys and offered immersive gameplay. This is the 2nd Mario Tennis title to receive poor reviews. It's like Nintendo isn't putting any effort into these games and assigns a very small group of people to make them just so the Wii U has some games coming out. I loved Mario Tennis for the GBC, N64, and NGC. All were a ton of fun, with lots of modes, great gameplay and more...

I think that's pretty much it right there. I don't even know how large Camelot is anymore, the company that makes these games. They used to make a series called Golden Sun as well, I believe. Maybe Nintendo has absorbed a lot of this development house's employees.

Either way, if there are small teams doing games, I wish they would just let them be autonomous and be like an internal indie developer instead of wasting their potential sticking them on familiar franchise games. They seem content just getting something out there with Mario, Link, Animal Crossing, and Pokemon on it this year. They'll never get new ideas this way, all their major franchises at one point or another were risky, they need some of that creative spirit back.

Rev wrote:It's like Nintendo isn't putting any effort into these games and assigns a very small group of people to make them just so the Wii U has some games coming out.

I'm afraid so.

It has been clear for quite sometime that nearly all their focus has been placed on next-gen development to make sure that their woes from last time, much of which was due to the lack of quality software offerings in the early stages of the 3DS & Wii U, doesn't happen again. The 3DS & Wii U war has largely concluded and they're just trying to keep up appearances to string them along until their successors launch.

So they've basically just been finishing up projects that were announced years ago, such as Xenoblade Chronicles X and Yoshi's Woolly World (which were both announced in January 2013 just a few weeks after launch), and releasing smaller scale projects. These titles, often with rushed development periods to get them out there as quick as possible which leaves them feeling little more than filler, have consequently also largely been outsourced rather than developed internally.

At least Splatoon and Super Mario Maker managed to become something much more than their modest beginnings suggested was likely, so their experimentation hasn't been all for naught.

Weird. My fondest memories of Nintendo are from the NES and SNES, and when I look at Nintendo now, it seems to be all about gimmicks. Perhaps the Wii, as innovative as it was, started this trend. Perhaps they decided to focus on the "whole family" market.

I'm often tempted to get a Wii or Wii U, but when I look at their game list, I'm only interested in new 2-3 titles, and much more interested in the Virtual Console. Oh well

Voor wrote:Weird. My fondest memories of Nintendo are from the NES and SNES, and when I look at Nintendo now, it seems to be all about gimmicks. Perhaps the Wii, as innovative as it was, started this trend. Perhaps they decided to focus on the "whole family" market.

Nintendo's been in slow decline since the NES. They only market they've kept consistently all these years was the kids market. I'm not saying that as a "Nintendo is kiddy!" insult. Nintendo's got a large fanbase but their stronghold market has always been kids and tweens, even going back to the SNES glory days they were losing to Sega in the teen market. The Wii was nintendo conceding they weren't ever going to win the teen and adult male markets, so they cast a wider net and it seemed to work for a while.



I agree Nintendo is obviously holding back to push more software for the NX but who could blame them. The Wii U isn't going to turn around and better to have a great launch next year than try and get people to buy a system they're about to abandon.

Man, I almost miss Steer. I'd love to see him jump in and defend to the death the "Quality" Nintendo provides on every game...

LOL

Next year's NX will be interesting. I hope it succeeds as Nintendo usually makes great, fun software but at the end of the day, everyone needs to make a profit to stay in business. And that includes cutting corners and rushed timelines.

On the positive side of things they withheld Star Fox. I was really hoping Star Fox would be out this year but if it needs more time hopefully it pays off and they're not just withholding it to spread out the games for next year until the NX is released.

Might as well rename the Wii U the "Super Mario Maker System", seeing as that is pretty much it's only selling point. ("Bonus!! Plays a few other games as well!!"). Would actually be less confusing.

Steer was an example of the apologist/defeatist fans who think Nintendo "being different" is enough to make up for a year (or even two) of playing it on Very Easy.

Be prepared for the big-N to pull an Apple/EA with the NX. I am

Hardcore Sadism wrote:Steer was an example of the apologist/defeatist fans who think Nintendo "being different" is enough to make up for a year (or even two) of playing it on Very Easy.

Be prepared for the big-N to pull an Apple/EA with the NX. I am

I'm assuming you mean microtransaction, app store kinda stuff?

I haven't owned a Nintendo console since the N64. I have that and the SNES and NES. My son however has a Wii U and he says the holiday lineup is shameful for Nintendo. He is 15 and has more knowledge about game consoles then I do, and I am in my mid 40's. It does sound lousy while The One and PS4 are coming out with what appears to be a lot of good stuff.