Originality? WTF is that?

[Eponet]

Just because it's unoriginal doesn't instantly make it bad. Hell, Mario has just been the same story for 20 years, and remaking either Mario 3 or Mario 64, and the games are still great, because of great level design, new mechanics, music, and just overall FUN.[/spoiler]

As you said, they've been introducing new mechanics into their games. It's origional enough to prevent complete stagnation. Hardly the best example.

Nintendo had it removed from the dictionary.

Nintendo aren't that bad. I'm not that involved with their games, but in regards to the more recent console games for Legend of Zelda, they have definitely been changing things. Compare Ocarina of Time to Majora's Mask and Wind Waker.

While both used many of the same resources, as well as practically unique items, the experience of them as a whole was quite different.

Antagonists:
OoT: Ganondorf
MM: Majora's Mask
WW: Ganondorf

When you compare the primary villians of these games, you actually get a different feeling out of all of them; even Ganondorf 1 vs Ganondorf 2. Ganondorf 1 is the classical Big Bad of the game, he yearns for power simply so that he can rule over the land. He's cast as an absolute tyrant. Majora's Mask is an eldritch abomination, its only purpose seems to be to destroy everything. Wind Waker's Ganondorf doesn't even seem like a villian at all. His wish is to restore the land which he brought about the destruction of. He seems more like someone that has learned their lesson, and wants to repair the collateral damage caused, but is stopped because despite the wish to change, everyone else lets his past actions define him.


Gameplay Focus:
OoT: Central Plot Line
MM: Side Quests
WW: Sailing

While OoT and MM had very similar gameplay mechanics, the way they were put together is diffenet. OoT has relatively little outside the primary storyline, while MM focuses much, much more on side quests. WW introduces the new aspect of sailing which is nice.

Background:
OoT: Guardian Spirit forsees that you are destined to save the land from the evil king, so you go to do it. You will do it because destiny says so.
MM: Arrive in Termina, moon is doomed to fall and kill everyone. The option of leaving is actually open as he does in the end. He saves it because he chose to.
WW: Sister Kidnapped, save her, gather strength, confront evil guy. Standard, and kind of generic, but at the very least the protagonist isn't some chosen hero of time or whatever.

There are many others, but concidering how overly verbose this is, it's probably better than I don't add more.

 

[JuryNelson]

*zelda rant snip*

THANK YOU.

This is easily the most common complaint I see on this topic. Claiming that Nintendo has no originality just because they have world-class brands that everyone loves. "Mario hasn't changed appearance since the last time Mario changed appearance. Yawn." But yes. They move forward.

Thank you. And verbosity is awesome.