161 réponses à ce sujet

[Captain Obvious]

So I was wondering. I have never played a Zelda game in my life, but would like to change that. I recently bought the new 3DS and I'm planning to pick up a Zelda game for that one.

My question is, which Zelda game should be recommended to newcomers?

Wind Waker and Majora's Mask are definitely my favorites in the series, although Twilight Princess is not far behind. If I were you, I'd get a Wii U to play the Wii version of Twilight Princess (since it's backwards compatible) as well as play the Wind Waker port for the current console. 

 

Regarding the handheld titles specifically, I can't comment on Spirit Tracks and I only partly played through Phantom Hourglass. But I would definitely recommend Majora's Mask, Ocarina of Time, and A Link Between Worlds for the 3DS.

[Terca]

Regarding the handheld titles specifically, I can't comment on Spirit Tracks and I only partly played through Phantom Hourglass. But I would definitely recommend Majora's Mask, Ocarina of Time, and A Link Between Worlds for the 3DS.

 

I can speak to the DS games, and can say with some amount of certainty that they were good. The second is really just an extension of the first in terms of stylus gameplay, but they are deep enough even as handheld games to be enjoyable for those willing to put in the time sailing from place to place.

 

Getting used to the tracks in Spirit Tracks sucked if I remember, and piloting a boat in PH is a bit meh, but they're still very good.

[Captain Obvious]

I can speak to the DS games, and can say with some amount of certainty that they were good. The second is really just an extension of the first in terms of stylus gameplay, but they are deep enough even as handheld games to be enjoyable for those willing to put in the time sailing from place to place.

 

Getting used to the tracks in Spirit Tracks sucked if I remember, and piloting a boat in PH is a bit meh, but they're still very good.

I didn't say that they weren't. I enjoyed those games. As far as I remember, I was focused on personal issues at the time when I stopped playing Phantom Hourglass and focused more on school when Spirit Tracks came out. After a while, my interest in Nintendo decreased and didn't come back till the Wii U came out, so I can't really judge those two games.

[wolfsite]

 

Zelda Wii U has been moved to 2016.  I have no problem with this as there are a number of games in 2015 that are appearing on my radar.

[Captain Obvious]

 

Zelda Wii U has been moved to 2016.  I have no problem with this as there are a number of games in 2015 that are appearing on my radar.

Zelda games being delayed aren't anything new, but it's still disappointing nonetheless. And it could really hurt the Wii U saleswise. Nintendo really needs a system seller for this year (maybe Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem) or a killer line-up for this year's holiday system. They did great at E3 2014 and now they need to pull off the same thing in this year's E3, which is revealing a bevy of new titles for the Wii U while elaborating on titles that have already been revealed.

[Kaiser Shepard]

Thanks for the title change, Captain Obvious (heh).

 

No killer app is gonna save Wii U anymore, though, and they know it. Better to use this new Zelda to launch their new console with next year, á la Twilight Princess.

[Captain Obvious]

Thanks for the title change, Captain Obvious (heh).

 

No killer app is gonna save Wii U anymore, though, and they know it. Better to use this new Zelda to launch their new console with next year, á la Twilight Princess.

The only reason why they revealed that they're working on their next console is to console fears that they'd stop working in the console business. And doesn't Nintendo have a tradition of revealing that they have a successor console WAAYYY before it's even released?

[Kaiser Shepard]

The only reason why they revealed that they're working on their next console is to console fears that they'd stop working in the console business. And doesn't Nintendo have a tradition of revealing that they have a successor console WAAYYY before it's even released?

You are correct on both counts, but the NX will likely launch at some point in 2016 (a year or so before is when we usually get the general announcement).

 

I'm genuinely curious to see how both the console itself and its lineup will end up; might just be the blow that makes Nintendo lose swallow its pride, assuming it'll continue the Nintendo home console sales trend.

[Captain Obvious]

You are correct on both counts, but the NX will likely launch at some point in 2016 (a year or so before is when we usually get the general announcement).

 

I'm genuinely curious to see how both the console itself and its lineup will end up; might just be the blow that makes Nintendo lose swallow its pride, assuming it'll continue the Nintendo home console sales trend.

It's doubtful that they'll launch the next console four years after the Wii U's release because they wouldn't want to dissatisfy the fans that own a Wii U or erode their consumer confidence (pulling out of a console not too long after they released it could be seen as pulling a Sega on their part). If anything, it probably has less to do with pride and more to do with business strategy.

 

As for the NX, it sounds like a console hybrid which falls in line with previous rumors. The "X" could easily stand for "Cross" or "Cross-platform." 

[Captain Obvious]

Well, anyway, at least we know that Nintendo won't allow this to happen.

 

[wolfsite]

I can see them aiming for an early 2016 release since E3 2016 will most likely be the official unveiling of the NX console and if Zelda Wii U isn't out before that the team may get pushed to make it multi-platform like Twilight Princess was.

[Kaiser Shepard]

I can see them aiming for an early 2016 release since E3 2016 will most likely be the official unveiling of the NX console and if Zelda Wii U isn't out before that the team may get pushed to make it multi-platform like Twilight Princess was.

 
Not "may"; they already are, that much is obvious by now.
 
Shouldn't take too much effort anyway, going by that hack Iwata's saying that their next device should be able to absorb the Wii U's architecture adequately, so as to ease the generational transition of software development.
 
I do think they'll go all out with that launch (year) there though: Zelda U also becoming Zelda NX is obvious by now, job ads hinting at a third Smash game being in development, the unmissable Mario at launch. Splatoon would probably be a good title to port as well, and the Bayonetta games would be a good way to appeal to the more hardcore demograph (especially if they show a dedication to furthering the series).
 
However, even all of that may still not be enough...
 
 

It's doubtful that they'll launch the next console four years after the Wii U's release because they wouldn't want to dissatisfy the fans that own a Wii U or erode their consumer confidence (pulling out of a console not too long after they released it could be seen as pulling a Sega on their part). If anything, it probably has less to do with pride and more to do with business strategy.
 
As for the NX, it sounds like a console hybrid which falls in line with previous rumors. The "X" could easily stand for "Cross" or "Cross-platform."

 
Thing is, they have to do something. The Wii U is a complete and utter dud, everyone knows this by now. Hell, it's doing sub-Dreamcast numbers even after more time than the Dreamcast had on the worldwide market. They either release something new or fade further into obscurity, and MS did make it work with the 360 (not saying that Ninty can, just that it isn't impossible either).
 
And I'm expecting NX to be more of a platform in the same way iOS, Android and Windows are platforms, or at least it should be. With console and handheld sharing the same games, just playing them with different specs (think 540p on the handheld, 1080p with extra bells and whistles on console). I say "should" be because they need to consolidate their software lineup or they're already fucked right from the get go: having to seperately support a handheld and a console, leading to enormous droughts on either or both is simply unacceptable, especially when lacking third party support like Nintendo does. The dwinding Nintendo core aside, no one is going to put up with having to buy a 300 buck console and a 200 buck handheld to play everything Nintendo has to offer... much less at the full retail prices Nintendo continues to keep asking for their games. (Or because the Wii U's Virtual Console doesn't even have games from all the handheld platforms below it, how the 3DS's VC doesn't have SNES games and how the NES games they share aren't even cross-buy).

 

Also, pulling a Sega isn't the idiotic dead Saturn declaration that E3 to destroy consumer confidence, that was but the straw that broke the camel's back; it was everything leading up to that moment: various confusing Megadrive add-ons (Genesis for you 'murricans), followed by the initial Saturn annoucement that released at about the same time as one of those add-ons to confuse consumers further, the company as a whole being spread too thin to support what effectively ammounted to four (!) platforms at the same time, feature titles such as Sonic not showing up at all, infighting between Sega of Japan and Sega of America because the latter had become too successful under Kalinske's leadership leading to SoA being neutered... Sega as a platform holder was already dying when the Megadrive was on its way out, they just didn't come to terms with it yet.

 

Many of this already has direct analogues in the contemporary Nintendo: the Wii as the initial successful product (in place of the Megadrive), loads of add-ons and misc software titles sharing the Wii name to create confusion, a lacking support especially in the console's twilight years, Wii U launching with the most confusing possible name and appearance, a continuing lacking software support since the 3DS also has to be supported + the intial hurdle of HD that they should've seen coming, not having at least one exclusive Zelda for the Wii U at the end of its life... and Nintendo of America was already neutered right from the beginning of Iwata's reign, now basically existing just for localisation and distribution, where once it was its own entity to the extent of independently making the Rare deal (in 1994, as I recall it).

 

Wasn't expecting to type all this when I began this post, and I can't say I would've recognised the similarities between the companies like this if not for you misusing "pulling a Sega" there... but yeah, the Wii U is already Nintendo's Saturn moment. This coming gen, the NX, is gonna be the make or break moment for Nintendo, although I can't see it being anything other than a Dreamcast-style going out in a blaze of glory: Nintendo doesn't have enough clout with gamers nowadays anymore, not as a platform holder at least.

 

Hence why I see the Nintendo/DeNA mobile move more as a concession by Iwata, to appease shareholders and hedge his bets; when the next console inevitably fails, he might have a successful mobile + amiibo + licensed animation empire to fall back on, so as to not get fired.

[TheChris92]

They don't get to go yet -- When SMT x Fire Emblem hits the Wii-U then they have my permission to die.

So I was wondering. I have never played a Zelda game in my life, but would like to change that. I recently bought the new 3DS and I'm planning to pick up a Zelda game for that one.

My question is, which Zelda game should be recommended to newcomers?

Majora's Mask & Wind Waker are the only Zelda games that I feel are worth a damn. Mostly because the others are always about the same bloody guy, saving the same bloody girl, with the same bloody boomerang, with only the occasional new gimmick. It's as formulaic as Mario in that sense. Wind Waker did something new by having Link being able to express wider amount of emotions beyond the constant grunting of other games, and the sailing was a welcome change of having the world open up, without necessarily being big (open world).

 

Majora's Mask is different because it doesn't involve the usual suspects, and the concept of constantly going back in time to save the world is very much welcome. There's dark sense of gloom & doom to it as well, a lot of NPCs are well characterized and whole Groundhog Day feel it has as you repeat the same day over and over until you find a way to stop armageddon from happening is incredible.

[Milan92]

I love me some Groundhog Day.

 

I was thinking of picking up Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask.

[TheChris92]

Wind Waker and Majora's Mask are definitely my favorites in the series, although Twilight Princess is not far behind. If I were you, I'd get a Wii U to play the Wii version of Twilight Princess (since it's backwards compatible) as well as play the Wind Waker port for the current console. 

Unless said Wii version of Twilight Princess allows one to play with an actual controller then I'd say don't bother. The Wii's gimmicky controller is more of an annoyance then it is fun. Twilight Princess was better with a Gamecube controller and if that version didn't cost the price of a small island nation then that would be the one I'd say you should go for if at all.

[Captain Obvious]

 
Not "may"; they already are, that much is obvious by now.
 
Shouldn't take too much effort anyway, going by that hack Iwata's saying that their next device should be able to absorb the Wii U's architecture adequately, so as to ease the generational transition of software development.
 
I do think they'll go all out with that launch (year) there though: Zelda U also becoming Zelda NX is obvious by now, job ads hinting at a third Smash game being in development, the unmissable Mario at launch. Splatoon would probably be a good title to port as well, and the Bayonetta games would be a good way to appeal to the more hardcore demograph (especially if they show a dedication to furthering the series).
 
However, even all of that may still not be enough...
 
 

 
Thing is, they have to do something. The Wii U is a complete and utter dud, everyone knows this by now. Hell, it's doing sub-Dreamcast numbers even after more time than the Dreamcast had on the worldwide market. They either release something new or fade further into obscurity, and MS did make it work with the 360 (not saying that Ninty can, just that it isn't impossible either).
 
And I'm expecting NX to be more of a platform in the same way iOS, Android and Windows are platforms, or at least it should be. With console and handheld sharing the same games, just playing them with different specs (think 540p on the handheld, 1080p with extra bells and whistles on console). I say "should" be because they need to consolidate their software lineup or they're already fucked right from the get go: having to seperately support a handheld and a console, leading to enormous droughts on either or both is simply unacceptable, especially when lacking third party support like Nintendo does. The dwinding Nintendo core aside, no one is going to put up with having to buy a 300 buck console and a 200 buck handheld to play everything Nintendo has to offer... much less at the full retail prices Nintendo continues to keep asking for their games. (Or because the Wii U's Virtual Console doesn't even have games from all the handheld platforms below it, how the 3DS's VC doesn't have SNES games and how the NES games they share aren't even cross-buy).

 

Also, pulling a Sega isn't the idiotic dead Saturn declaration that E3 to destroy consumer confidence, that was but the straw that broke the camel's back; it was everything leading up to that moment: various confusing Megadrive add-ons (Genesis for you 'murricans), followed by the initial Saturn annoucement that released at about the same time as one of those add-ons to confuse consumers further, the company as a whole being spread too thin to support what effectively ammounted to four (!) platforms at the same time, feature titles such as Sonic not showing up at all, infighting between Sega of Japan and Sega of America because the latter had become too successful under Kalinske's leadership leading to SoA being neutered... Sega as a platform holder was already dying when the Megadrive was on its way out, they just didn't come to terms with it yet.

 

Many of this already has direct analogues in the contemporary Nintendo: the Wii as the initial successful product (in place of the Megadrive), loads of add-ons and misc software titles sharing the Wii name to create confusion, a lacking support especially in the console's twilight years, Wii U launching with the most confusing possible name and appearance, a continuing lacking software support since the 3DS also has to be supported + the intial hurdle of HD that they should've seen coming, not having at least one exclusive Zelda for the Wii U at the end of its life... and Nintendo of America was already neutered right from the beginning of Iwata's reign, now basically existing just for localisation and distribution, where once it was its own entity to the extent of independently making the Rare deal (in 1994, as I recall it).

 

Wasn't expecting to type all this when I began this post, and I can't say I would've recognised the similarities between the companies like this if not for you misusing "pulling a Sega" there... but yeah, the Wii U is already Nintendo's Saturn moment. This coming gen, the NX, is gonna be the make or break moment for Nintendo, although I can't see it being anything other than a Dreamcast-style going out in a blaze of glory: Nintendo doesn't have enough clout with gamers nowadays anymore, not as a platform holder at least.

 

Hence why I see the Nintendo/DeNA mobile move more as a concession by Iwata, to appease shareholders and hedge his bets; when the next console inevitably fails, he might have a successful mobile + amiibo + licensed animation empire to fall back on, so as to not get fired.

Meh. Nintendo's making money off the Wii U and amiibo, and a **** ton of money off of the 3DS. Just because the console isn't selling as much as they'd hope won't make them pull a Saturn-Dreamcast fiasco and ****** off the +9 million fans that own a Wii U and love it. If anything, what they "have to do" is not freak out and do something that will be seen as a betrayal by their base aka stop supporting the Wii U entirely after 3 years and some months. 

[wolfsite]

If the Wii U Zelda appears on the NX console It will be one of two ways

 

- A "Remastered" edition which is really popular with other publishers re-releasing PS3/360 games on the PS4/XBone

- A straight E-Shop release like they are doing with select Wii Titles like Metroid Prime Trilogy, Punch-Out, Super Mario Galazy 2.

 

 

However we need to wait and see what the controller design will be and if the system will be backwards compatible with previous controllers as that can really affect porting if the game relies on a lot of Wii-U specific features.

[Kaiser Shepard]

Meh. Nintendo's making money off the Wii U and amiibo, and a **** ton of money off of the 3DS. Just because the console isn't selling as much as they'd hope won't make them pull a Saturn-Dreamcast fiasco and ****** off the +9 million fans that own a Wii U and love it. If anything, what they "have to do" is not freak out and do something that will be seen as a betrayal by their base aka stop supporting the Wii U entirely after 3 years and some months. 

 

The Wii U? That console of which there are still several million unsold ones in storage, waiting to be shipped to stores which are already having trouble getting them off the shelves? We're already way past a mere Saturn scenario here, and the only remaining question is how their Dreamcast will turn out.

 

And I know they're making money off of Amiibo, I even said so in my previous post. They're simply Nintendo's way of milking their whales. But you know as well as I do that it's a sad thing for a platform holder's biggest money maker to be a bunch of physical dlc figures.

 

And the 3DS is still chugging along nicely, sure, but the handheld market will continue to shrink. Practically every kid nowadays has a tablet or phone - hand me downs if necessary - on which they can play everything their hearts desire: Minecraft and Fifa being two easy examples. There's an entire generation of kids out there growing up never having known Nintendo at all, and that's on top of the Playstation and Xbox generations to begin with. There's no turning back the mobile revolution, and Nintendo knows this; hence why they're now joining them before being more thoroughly beaten into the ground.

 

The way I see it, this next gen will go as follows: Nintendo will have three "seperate" platforms, all using the same account (finally, thank god for DeNA):

 

-NX, their traditional handheld and console, now sharing a single software library

-Mobile, which will be focused on more quick and accesable fun

-Virtual Console, which should become a service onto its own on Android/iOS, PC and Set Top Boxes (Android powered for the most part)

 

You'll see the traditional dedicated gaming device demograph shrink further and further, to about 30 to 35 million users for both. So that's slightly above Gamecube/Xbox numbers for both Nintendo's handheld and console. In a vacuum this might be enough to break even, maybe even make a profit off of their whales with Amiibos. Also note that this handheld will barely have any third party support left, even Japanese: there's no longer any exclusive Castlevania's being made, no Capcom games but Monster Hunter, Square and Atlus will likely move the rare few jrpgs left to mobile/STB and PC... the only one I can't accurately predict is Level-5, which still sees enough success on handheld (in Japan mainly) to have a choice in the matter.

 

But as I was saying, it won't be operating in a vacuum: mobile gaming will continue to grow and take handheld marketshare from Nintendo, gaming capable STB's have just become a thing and will do the same to a lesser extent, Japan as a whole has begun to notice that the PC (Steam, to be precise) has become a viable place to sell traditional console games as well... but beyond that, Nintendo's shareholders will also notice not only that, but that their own DeNA mobile venture and universal Virtual Console have become more profitable than the NX dedicated gaming division. It is this dichtomy that will be the direct downfall of Nintendo as the platform holder you know an love.

 

To be more specific, shareholders will call for even more change upon recognizing this, at which point Nintendo's traditional gaming resources will be redirected in either or both of the following ways:

 

-Go all in on the more profitable mobile venture

-Go full third party with the traditional gaming division onto other dedicated (and maybe less dedicated) gaming devices

 

The benefits of the former should be obvious to them, whereas the latter will have them return to a Wii-like scenario: everyone will once again own the platform Nintendo releases its games on, so there's the potential to sell Mario Kart Gen 10 (or 9) to up to 35 million people, like MKWii did. Or for a 2D Mario game to surpass 25 million again.

 

You honestly think they'll give a damn about those mere 9 (by then maybe 10) million who couldn't even get a console to sell anywhere near as well as individual Wii software titles did? The current 9 million are the ones who will swallow whatever Nintendo feeds them anyway; they'll keep coming back no matter what.

 

If the Wii U Zelda appears on the NX console It will be one of two ways

 

- A "Remastered" edition which is really popular with other publishers re-releasing PS3/360 games on the PS4/XBone

- A straight E-Shop release like they are doing with select Wii Titles like Metroid Prime Trilogy, Punch-Out, Super Mario Galazy 2.

 

 

However we need to wait and see what the controller design will be and if the system will be backwards compatible with previous controllers as that can really affect porting if the game relies on a lot of Wii-U specific features.

 

Such a Remaster would make sense for Sony or several other devs, but Nintendo doesn't dabble in re-releases in that exact fashion. Straight e-shop release also wouldn't make much sense, as the Zelda core has always been willing to pay top dollar for the series.

 

Like most of Nintendo's own titles, the game won't really use the console's gimmick in any meaningful manner, meaning that it's easy to just map the controls to another controller. Hell, it could even be that the delay to get it on NX actually prevents them from implementing further Wii U/gamepad exclusive features. Either way, don't expect it to not be a dual-release like Twilight Princess was at the very least: the game is already not showing at E3 this year, it's not at any point in time going to be a Wii U exclusive game anymore.

 

Please do accept the latter and move on from that point, lest you suffer later on.

[wolfsite]

 

 

Nintendo doesn't dabble in re-releases in that exact fashion. Straight e-shop release also wouldn't make much sense, as the Zelda core has always been willing to pay top dollar for the series.

 

Like most of Nintendo's own titles, the game won't really use the console's gimmick in any meaningful manner, meaning that it's easy to just map the controls to another controller. Hell, it could even be that the delay to get it on NX actually prevents them from implementing further Wii U/gamepad exclusive features. Either way, don't expect it to not be a dual-release like Twilight Princess was at the very least: the game is already not showing at E3 this year, it's not at any point in time going to be a Wii U exclusive game anymore.

 

Please do accept the latter and move on from that point, lest you suffer later on.

 

Skyword Sword Heavily used Wii Motion Control Plus

Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks were Touch Control exclusive

We have already seen Zelda Wii U using the Gamepad Screen rather liberally in video presentations.

 

Metroid Prime Trilogy is a remastered release of Metroid Prime 1&2 on Gamecube and they have also done similar treatment to Pikmen 1 & 2, Super Mario Strikers, Donkey Kong Country Returns and even Xenoblade Chronicles is getting a new retail release.

[Kaiser Shepard]

Skyword Sword Heavily used Wii Motion Control Plus

Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks were Touch Control exclusive

We have already seen Zelda Wii U using the Gamepad Screen rather liberally in video presentations.

 

Metroid Prime Trilogy is a remastered release of Metroid Prime 1&2 on Gamecube and they have also done similar treatment to Pikmen 1 & 2, Super Mario Strikers, Donkey Kong Country Returns and even Xenoblade Chronicles is getting a new retail release.

 

Skyward Sword is the exception that proves the rule.

The two DS games are generally seen as the worst handheld/top down entries in the series so far, due in large part to their reliance on the system's gimmick.

Zelda U (/NX) hasn't shown any Gamepad functionality beyond basic map stuff

 

And those Gamecube re-release were there to pad the calendar and attempt to salvage games which hadn't met expectations on the underselling predecessor console, while adding some of those Wiimote control functionality they though everyone loved.

 

Super Mario Strikers Charged on the Wii was a sequel, not a port.

 

Donkey Kong Country Returns was a sloppy port to pad the calendar again, now with the benefit of being a peace offering of sorts to those who disliked the waggle controls of the Wii original... while bringing with it a whole bunch of new issues (framerate, weird button schemes). It was probably chosen because it's one of the few non-NSMBWii games they could actually downport to 3DS.

 

Xenoblade Chronicles is... hell if I know why they're even attempting to port it, but going by the footage so far (as well as the porting studio's legacy, which includes DKC Returns 3D) it's shaping up to be another technical disaster. I guess the reasoning here is to show off what the updated New 3DS hardware is capable of (and will never get again), plus recognising the jrpg audience on the platform (and their own screwups with the Wii original causing it to sell as little as possible).

[Captain Obvious]

The Wii U? That console of which there are still several million unsold ones in storage, waiting to be shipped to stores which are already having trouble getting them off the shelves? We're already way past a mere Saturn scenario here, and the only remaining question is how their Dreamcast will turn out.

 

And I know they're making money off of Amiibo, I even said so in my previous post. They're simply Nintendo's way of milking their whales. But you know as well as I do that it's a sad thing for a platform holder's biggest money maker to be a bunch of physical dlc figures.

 

And the 3DS is still chugging along nicely, sure, but the handheld market will continue to shrink. Practically every kid nowadays has a tablet or phone - hand me downs if necessary - on which they can play everything their hearts desire: Minecraft and Fifa being two easy examples. There's an entire generation of kids out there growing up never having known Nintendo at all, and that's on top of the Playstation and Xbox generations to begin with. There's no turning back the mobile revolution, and Nintendo knows this; hence why they're now joining them before being more thoroughly beaten into the ground.

 

The way I see it, this next gen will go as follows: Nintendo will have three "seperate" platforms, all using the same account (finally, thank god for DeNA):

 

-NX, their traditional handheld and console, now sharing a single software library

-Mobile, which will be focused on more quick and accesable fun

-Virtual Console, which should become a service onto its own on Android/iOS, PC and Set Top Boxes (Android powered for the most part)

 

You'll see the traditional dedicated gaming device demograph shrink further and further, to about 30 to 35 million users for both. So that's slightly above Gamecube/Xbox numbers for both Nintendo's handheld and console. In a vacuum this might be enough to break even, maybe even make a profit off of their whales with Amiibos. Also note that this handheld will barely have any third party support left, even Japanese: there's no longer any exclusive Castlevania's being made, no Capcom games but Monster Hunter, Square and Atlus will likely move the rare few jrpgs left to mobile/STB and PC... the only one I can't accurately predict is Level-5, which still sees enough success on handheld (in Japan mainly) to have a choice in the matter.

 

But as I was saying, it won't be operating in a vacuum: mobile gaming will continue to grow and take handheld marketshare from Nintendo, gaming capable STB's have just become a thing and will do the same to a lesser extent, Japan as a whole has begun to notice that the PC (Steam, to be precise) has become a viable place to sell traditional console games as well... but beyond that, Nintendo's shareholders will also notice not only that, but that their own DeNA mobile venture and universal Virtual Console have become more profitable than the NX dedicated gaming division. It is this dichtomy that will be the direct downfall of Nintendo as the platform holder you know an love.

 

To be more specific, shareholders will call for even more change upon recognizing this, at which point Nintendo's traditional gaming resources will be redirected in either or both of the following ways:

 

-Go all in on the more profitable mobile venture

-Go full third party with the traditional gaming division onto other dedicated (and maybe less dedicated) gaming devices

 

The benefits of the former should be obvious to them, whereas the latter will have them return to a Wii-like scenario: everyone will once again own the platform Nintendo releases its games on, so there's the potential to sell Mario Kart Gen 10 (or 9) to up to 35 million people, like MKWii did. Or for a 2D Mario game to surpass 25 million again.

 

You honestly think they'll give a damn about those mere 9 (by then maybe 10) million who couldn't even get a console to sell anywhere near as well as individual Wii software titles did? The current 9 million are the ones who will swallow whatever Nintendo feeds them anyway; they'll keep coming back no matter what.

Again, the Wii U appeals to the core base of Nintendo and still provides Nintendo with revenue, if not as much as the 3DS. Nintendo ditches the Wii U now? They ****** off a lot of fans that have put their faith in them and that expected them to make the console as worth their while as possible. Almost as if they gave up on the fans. Rather than having the Wii U be a console that was supported as much as possible and one that stands on it's own in Nintendo's history, it becomes a half-assed console with a halved life-span. Rather than become another Gamecube (arguably Nintendo's best console) to many fans, it'll become a console that was abandoned too soon by it's creators. Rather than bowing out gracefully, Nintendo turns tail and flees. Consumer confidence ruined.

[wolfsite]

Skyward Sword is the exception that proves the rule.

The two DS games are generally seen as the worst handheld/top down entries in the series so far, due in large part to their reliance on the system's gimmick.

Zelda U (/NX) hasn't shown any Gamepad functionality beyond basic map stuff

 

And those Gamecube re-release were there to pad the calendar and attempt to salvage games which hadn't met expectations on the underselling predecessor console, while adding some of those Wiimote control functionality they though everyone loved.

 

Super Mario Strikers Charged on the Wii was a sequel, not a port.

 

Donkey Kong Country Returns was a sloppy port to pad the calendar again, now with the benefit of being a peace offering of sorts to those who disliked the waggle controls of the Wii original... while bringing with it a whole bunch of new issues (framerate, weird button schemes). It was probably chosen because it's one of the few non-NSMBWii games they could actually downport to 3DS.

 

Xenoblade Chronicles is... hell if I know why they're even attempting to port it, but going by the footage so far (as well as the porting studio's legacy, which includes DKC Returns 3D) it's shaping up to be another technical disaster. I guess the reasoning here is to show off what the updated New 3DS hardware is capable of (and will never get again), plus recognising the jrpg audience on the platform (and their own screwups with the Wii original causing it to sell as little as possible).

 

You can't really dismiss the titles because they go against your opinion.

 

Just because the DS games are not good in your opinion does not dismiss the fact they used a lot of Nintendo DS exclusive features that would need to be heavily altered or removed if it appeared on another system.

 

Just because you consider games padding does not dismiss the fact that they are re-releases on the Wii with improved visuals and new control styles (which based on current trends is considered a remaster).

[TheClonesLegacy]

Again, the Wii U appeals to the core base of Nintendo and still provides Nintendo with revenue, if not as much as the 3DS. Nintendo ditches the Wii U now? They ****** off a lot of fans that have put their faith in them and that expected them to make the console as worth their while as possible. Almost as if they gave up on the fans. Rather than having the Wii U be a console that was supported as much as possible and one that stands on it's own in Nintendo's history, it becomes a half-assed console with a halved life-span. Rather than become another Gamecube (arguably Nintendo's best console) to many fans, it'll become a console that was abandoned too soon by it's creators. Rather than bowing out gracefully, Nintendo turns tail and flees. Consumer confidence ruined.

I agree. The Wii U is just starting to become a system worth owning.

They're pulling out too early.

3 years is a pitiful life span for a console.

Whereas the 360 turns 10 this year, and the 360 didn't exactly have a decent library until 2008.
Same with the PS3, came out in 2007. Didn't start getting a great library until 2009.

[Kaiser Shepard]

Again, the Wii U appeals to the core base of Nintendo and still provides Nintendo with revenue, if not as much as the 3DS. Nintendo ditches the Wii U now? They ****** off a lot of fans that have put their faith in them and that expected them to make the console as worth their while as possible. Almost as if they gave up on the fans. Rather than having the Wii U be a console that was supported as much as possible and one that stands on it's own in Nintendo's history, it becomes a half-assed console with a halved life-span. Rather than become another Gamecube (arguably Nintendo's best console) to many fans, it'll become a console that was abandoned too soon by it's creators. Rather than bowing out gracefully, Nintendo turns tail and flees. Consumer confidence ruined.

 

It can't become another Gamecube to begin with simply because the Cube got a shitton more games just from Nintendo itself, and still had a solid amount of third party support (shared and exclusive). The Cube's first year alone was the stuff of legends, and the Wii U might only be just about capable of comparing itself to that at the end of its third year (when it's about to enter its last). 

 

And the Wii U doesn't seem to provide Nintendo with anywhere near enough revenue to not have their fabled warchest keep shrinking in size, or having to resort to selling plastic figures and mobile games.

 

 

You can't really dismiss the titles because they go against your opinion.

 

Just because the DS games are not good in your opinion does not dismiss the fact they used a lot of Nintendo DS exclusive features that would need to be heavily altered or removed if it appeared on another system.

 

Just because you consider games padding does not dismiss the fact that they are re-releases on the Wii with improved visuals and new control styles (which based on current trends is considered a remaster).

 

I'm dismissing those titles because they were parts of different trends. Zelda U's goal now is to help launch the NX platform, which it cannot do to the same extent if it were to launch on the Wii U before that.

 

The DS game reception wasn't my own opinion, but rather general fan concensus. I know stuff would have to changed for those games to be ported, but those games aren't even being considered for anything like that.

 

And ports are padding for lacking line-ups, period. It's an easy way to make a quick buck, and only really works to the consumer's benefit when its a value compilation (The Orange Box, Metroid Prime Trilogy if it wasn't extremely limited in supply, The Master Chief Collection).

 

Also, you'll have to refresh my mind on where exactly GCN to Wii ports provided improved visuals, as at most they might have added widescreen support which should've really been there to begin with in the originals.

 

And the current, Sony-defined definition of a "remaster" is just plain retarded: without exception those are just upports with the expected improved performance, and nothing else. Halo CE Anniversary and the Halo 2 Anniversary which is included in TMMC are what I'd call remasters as graphics have been entirely overhauled, with something like The Windwaker HD lying somewhere in the middle.

 

 

I agree. The Wii U is just starting to become a system worth owning.

They're pulling out too early.

3 years is a pitiful life span for a console.

Whereas the 360 turns 10 this year, and the 360 didn't exactly have a decent library until 2008.
Same with the PS3, came out in 2007. Didn't start getting a great library until 2009.

 

What is this revisionism? I can see how most people didn't even consider the PS3 to exist until late 2009 unless they really needed MGS4, God of War III or a bluray player, but the early Xbox 360 years were considered to be legendary as far as the lineup went; droughts simply weren't an issue, and games pretty much just kept on coming: Kameo, Call of Duty 2, Dead or Alive 4, GRAW, Hitman: Blood Money, Gears of War, F.E.A.R., Rainbow Six Vegas, as well as several GTA alternatives in Just Cause, The Godfather and Saints Row... and that was just year one (I'm probably missing some games there too, not to mention XBLA ones).

 

It's second year, 2007 was just as strong with the likes of Crackdown, Halo 3, PGR4, Mass Effect, Forza 2 and Bioshock... and let's not forget CoD 4: Modern Warfare.

 

Just at the start of its third year, it had several several times more worthwhile releases than the Wii U does right now.

[TheClonesLegacy]

You seem mad.
My poor long term memory annoy you that bad?