Do you consider Nintendo games "outdated"?

[themistermanguy]

In terms of graphics, story and content...I feel Nintendo lags behind.

It's sad that we got a great Punch Out game at full price on the WiiU that essentially had the same amount of content as the original NES game. The Mario Kart series is the same way.

I would argue that Punch-Out!! is a bad example. A better example would be Fire Emblem: Awakening or Pikmin 3, both of which even have DLC. Also, lagging behind in graphics. In terms of specs I agree, but Nintendo knows that stylization and asthetic ages better than realism. Look at Wind Waker, it still looks great today, same with the Galaxy games.

 

[Story]

OP, I think you just compared apples to oranges here.
Sandbox/open world games are modern and platformers are outdated? They are certainly older than those two other genres but that doesn't mean they still can't be enjoyed.

Besides, I think Nintendo market themselves to a younger crowd, thus to aging adults who play GTA or Elder Scrolls, make them seem old hat since those were the types of games they played as a kid.

 

[Hero of Lime]

Outdated? Not really. They treat game design in a more traditional sense, but doing something in a traditional sense doesn't translate to being outdated. They do not focus on strong story lines and graphics, and they have only recently done more with online systems. An argument could be made that is outdated, if that is what the person in question believes is most important in a gaming sense.

Admittedly I am very biased towards Nintendo's game design views where gameplay and mechanics are the most important things. Honestly at this point, I would hope a lot more gamers are realizing having better graphics and shoehorned "adult" themes in games do not make them automatically great. Considering a lot of people would say they won E3 this year purely by their showing their design philosophy front and center, I think more people are warming up to it. Maybe it won't be enough to make the Wii U a smashing success, but it will help I'm sure.

 

[FPLOON]

I feel like this is a trick question... because if I say "yes", but claim that it's not a bad thing... It's still a "bad thing"... And I personally don't believe that...

With that said, I don't want to believe that, otherwise I would fear for the worse... and I never like thinking about the negatives in that kind of fashion... I think Nintendo's doing fine, despite the minority saying otherwise, and the only thing I fear about them is that if they did give in to "peer pressure"[footnote]Interpret that as you will, I guess...[/footnote], then that might be the day I'll stop gaming completely...

And now, I'm not going to dwell on that negativity and focus on saving up money for a WiiU this holiday season...

 

[TheIceQueen]

"There's some debate..." From who? From where? Come on. Wikipedia doesn't accept that sort of language and we shouldn't either. Who's debating about this? Two random nobodies on the internet, I bet? Who cares about them?

To answer your question, though, no. Of course not. Nothing in a game is outdated if it works well inside of the design of the game and Nintendo makes well-made games.

 

[Malbourne]

I'm guessing "outdated" means "obsolete" in this context. Well, their stories were never really ahead of the times, anyway. As for the gameplay, I prefer "refined," myself. Retro Studios has been doing just peachy with the Donkey Kongs and their Tropical Freezes. Graphics? Aw, no way. They got their own aesthetic, and besides, everybody's been chugging along with the improved technology and making new consoles that can support bigger games. Nintendo games have their own kind of special, so dating is really up to the changing tastes of its fans (and it doesn't seem like that's a problem given how popular Mario Kart 8 has been).

 

[Super Cyborg]

I'm guessing "outdated" means "obsolete" in this context. Well, their stories were never really ahead of the times, anyway. As for the gameplay, I prefer "refined," myself. Retro Studios has been doing just peachy with the Donkey Kongs and their Tropical Freezes. Graphics? Aw, no way. They got their own aesthetic, and besides, everybody's been chugging along with the improved technology and making new consoles that can support bigger games. Nintendo games have their own kind of special, so dating is really up to the changing tastes of its fans (and it doesn't seem like that's a problem given how popular Mario Kart 8 has been).

I think that's what this whole argument comes down to. Do you still like Nintendo because they tweak their mechanics slightly, so while they are largely the same there's enough difference for you? Or have you played enough of Nintendo games that you want something very different that Nintendo most likely won't do, at least 1st Party wise? Both groups each have their own tastes, but some of the group that doesn't like Nintendo anymore will claim it's outdated, or for kids only, while some that love Nintendo will take offense, and attack dissenters.

I think Nintendo is good with their variety, but as many have said, it's been a marketing problem, as well as making mistakes when changing to a new system. It seems that Nintendo is in a bit of an upward swing, and will find a comfortable ground by next year.

 

[Pink Gregory]

Not so much outdated as traditional.

But then you get to Pikmin and get all confused.

But it depends what traditions you like.

 

[ChaosBorne]

the gameplay and aestetics are great and i love that about Nintendo games.
i just feel they should be branching out more instead of rehashing the same old things over and over again.

they shouldn't fall into the same trap that EA has where they mass produce the same slob every year just with a slightly new paintjob, that is the direction they are heading in though, they should give their current franchises a slight break and make something new instead in my opinion.

though i should probably say that Nintendo lost me as a customer with the lack of real games on the Wii and the only thing that would make me go back to them now is a kickass 3rd person cellshaded pokemon game on the WiiU (or future console), where you get to explore a continent and can find pokemon roaming around freely in the world. (or they make a truly kick-ass new franchise or something)

so i think it's safe to say Nintendo has lost me forever.

 

[Guffe]

though i should probably say that Nintendo lost me as a customer with the lack of real games on the Wii

This is one thing I don't like to hear :/
The Wii had a good library of games.
If you now went and bought a Wii(U) and got all the good titles you'd have A LOT to play.
Also stuff that aren't just "old remakes"
Examples: Muramasa the Demon Blade, Xenoblade, The Last Story (also naming the third "Operation Rainfall" game: Pandoras Tower, although I didn't like it), DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 3, Blazing Angels (I enjoyed it!), Red Steel 2, Okami, Metroid Prime 3, Fire Emblem and more.
Of course if you have a Wii and tried these games and still didn't like it, then it's ok, but too many bash on the Wii/WiiU without ever even trying it.

On Topic:
Nintendo makes good fun games, in 2 months we get Hyrule Warriors and a month after that Baynoetta/Bayonetta2, and when you're running out of gaming on those the time for SmashBros4 arrives, the future is bright
Outdatet... not sure... maybe?

 

[Lilani]

There's some debate as whether Nintendo's games are behind the times compared to game like Skyrim, Mass Effect, GTA, etc. So in terms of gameplay, graphics, content, and story, do you think Nintendo games are outdated?

"Some debate," amongst whom? A bunch of 15 year old Mountain Dew addicts who won't pick up a game that doesn't have at least 200 possible blood splatter patterns when you kill an enemy? The most criticism I've ever heard against Nintendo is that they reuse their franchises too much. But even then, people still don't get nearly as mad about a new Zelda as they do a new CoD. Because at least they also have a reputation for shaking things up and making the old new again, making changes to their reliable formulas but in ways that offer a better experience, not just a more gimmicky or exploitative one.

 

[RealRT]

No, they are unremarkable and overrated, as they always were.

 

[Denamic]

Games do not need to have amazing graphics to look amazing. Nor do they need voice acting to have an engaging narrative. However, Nintendo do have a tendency to release the same game over and over and over and over and over. That's not to say they never do anything new, but holy shit do they recycle.

 

[seditary]

Only if I considered gaming itself to be outdated.

Which I obviously don't.

 

[Evonisia]

Outdated as in not like the games of today? Yes, most definitely. Nintendo have been doing the same thing they've doing since they got into video games. They make their own products with a distinct style, create sequels which can play with the formula or don't, occasionally start a new franchise but almost always with their own cartoon aesthetic.

Outdated as in obsolete? No, because very few games have made Nintendo games obsolete other than future Nintendo games.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Some of their franchises have begun to stagnate and could probably do with a refresh and maybe a reinvention, but I certainly wouldn't call them outdated. Fun is never outdated.
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And when I say "reinvented," I don't mean turning Mario into Call of Duty (fuck no) or Zelda into Skyrim. ...actually that last one might not be a bad idea.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

The way I see it, as long as people still want what Nintendo has to offer and no one emerges that fills their particular niche better than they do, Nintendo will never become outdated.

Why don't Nintendo make their own GTA, Call of Duty or Mass Effect, all with eyemelting graphics? I don't know, ask them. My guess is those kind of games and top notch visual fidelity just don't fit in their philosophy. Nintendo does its own thing, is consistently good at that thing and is pretty much the only major player in mainstream gaming to provide it.

 

[VG_Addict]

I think Nintendo's games are timeless.

On a somewhat related topic, what exactly is wrong with Wii U's online? I don't have one myself, so I don't know.