Poll: Should Nintendo Stop Making Consoles?

[dimensional]

Dont see why they should stop making consoles with the exception of the NES (which I didnt own but was apparently a bit tempremental) all their consoles have been solid which is more than I can say for some of their competitors like some of sonys products (my ps2 crashed twice and apparently a lot of people had problems with psx disc drives) and good god, microsoft (xbox died twice and the 360 is just a joke looking looking purely at the failure rate).

Nintendo make solid affordable (usually) consoles which house some great games, yes the wii got filled with shovelware but for me mario galaxy and xenoblade chronicles more than justified the price plus there is also Skyward sword and hopefully last story to get.

 

[ssgt splatter]

I'm willing to give Nintendo the benefit of the doubt for now. Depending on how the wiiu does will determine whether they should stop making consoles.

 

[Rednog]

As a consumer I think they should stop making consoles, one of the biggest problems I have with Nintendo games is that they basically require me to drop well over a $100 to just play those games. Seriously, their 3rd party games are garbage and the only real appeal is their first party games. I personally don't want to buy a whole other console just to play the few exclusives that roll out every other quarter and have it sitting as a paper weight in the dry periods. I'd honestly be more inclined to drop $60 on a Nintendo game if it didn't mean having to buy their console.

From a business point of view, we'll see.
To be honest I'm wondering if they've saturated the market and the Wii-U won't pull the insane amounts of money they expect.
The reason the Wii was such a huge success was because it was bought by a slew of people who weren't gamers.
The question now is whether or not these previous non gamers will drop money on the new console, in my personal opinion, I don't think they will.

 

[chstens]

If they stop making consoles they should concentrate on making games for smartphones. Just to be dicks.

Why would that make them dicks? Mario and Zelda games, not to mention Pokémon would great for smartphones.

 

[Phoenix09215]

What a ridiculous thing to ask. Although Nintendo did not originally plan for their target audience for the Wii to be families, because of the content in the games they released and the motion control "gimmick" thats who found the console most appealing. I might be wrong here, but as far as I am aware the Wii is the best selling console of all time, and if not then its definitely one of the most profitable products in the entire videogame industry.

Now I am aware that its target demographic is not one that matches the majority of users on this website but its not fair to say Nintendo should stop making consoles simply because you or people of a similar age or taste don't find them to be appealing. I won't lie, I do not like the Wii as a console, but there are some games I have that I have had great fun playing such as Twilight Princess, Okami, Smash Bros, Animal Crossing, Mario Kart, Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 and most recently Skyward Sword, which is awesome with the motion+ by the way.

I realise the majority of the games I play on the Wii are based on what I played when I was younger but one of the biggest contributors to Nintendo's appeal is nostalgia. The fact is people whose favourite game was Mario 64 or OOT when they were younger, will buy the latest game of that same series if they still enjoy playing it. If you don't like the Wii then don't play it, same goes for the WiiU. There is a reason why there is more than one choice of console.

 

[Matt9102]

The DS was the highest selling console this generation. I'd say they're good.

 

[Scarim Coral]

Despite my problems with the Wii but I voting no. Sure I hate not having good games on it or the spec is inferior (I can't offord another console) but there are people out there who does like it for what it is so that what matter the most.

 

[Noctrine]

I like Nintendo because they take the risk to be the innovator.

Often it pays off for them, the only thing I really dislike is how strongly they cling to old titles instead of coming up with new first party IP. Also the third party situation with them isn't great either.

But if you look at it.

Playstation family controllers are essentially the D-Pad. The X360 controller is the GameCube controllers (ok, different button layout slightly (d-pad style). After discounting the wii initially, Sony and Microsoft have both made moves towards motion controls.

They've done an amazing job of coming up with new ways for people to play (not to say that it wouldn't have happened without them, the people who actually did the work would have had to work somewhere) but so far, they have definitely been the ones to take the risk of putting those innovations in their next products when it's unknown how the market would take it.

 

[Jeremy Avalon]

Often it pays off for them, the only thing I really dislike is how strongly they cling to old titles instead of coming up with new first party IP. Also the third party situation with them isn't great either.

I agree with the rest of your post, but I think Nintendo doesn't need to have a lot of new IPs every cycle. This is something that came up a lot when I bashed Modern Warfare 3 to my friends, who all claimed that Nintendo are the kings of rehash.

Thing is, there's an average of one Mario main series title per console. (I'm taking a lot of liberties with that statement, but I think that Nintendo's "25th anniversary" posters are a fair judge of what they consider "main series." While there are usually two or more platformers with Mario per console, a lot are spin-offs like Wario Land, Yoshi's Island, or the like.) The only exceptions to this is the NES and the Wii, and everybody absolutely loved the sequels on those platforms to *death.*

More importantly, though, Nintendo are the kings of well-done spin-offs. Mario Kart, Pokémon Stadium, Paper Mario, Donkey Konga, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, Luigi's Mansion, Kirby's Pinball Land, Four Swords, even Metroid Prime Hunters... It appears to me that all the time they save by not having to come up with an entirely new art and music style for every franchise is poured into liquid caramel with which they polish their gameplay. (Hunters' control scheme notwithstanding.)

And besides, you can't really argue that they don't already have a wealth of IP. I mean, Brawl has 33 of their best characters. Imagine if Microsoft did an SSB-style game. You'd barely have a roster the size of the original Smash Bros., and half would be seven-foot humanoids.

 

[Pseudopod]

I'm currently enjoying the heck out of Skyward Sword, a game that is far better on the Wii with Motion Plus than it would be on another console. Granted, the Wii isn't perfect, but Nintendo makes games that use the hardware very well, and not just party games.

So, no. Don't assume all hardcore gamers hate Wii controls.

Hey, I know this sounds off topic, but does Skyward Sword require motion controls or can I use a classic controller as an alternative?

It's the reason I couldn't stand Twilight Princess on the Wii, but loved it on the Gamecube. It's just that I'm used to having my controllers having a precise and immediate response. Is the response any better than it was for TP or does SS have the same problem?

The game does require motion plus. It's very integrated into the play and it's hard to imagine how the game could work without the motion controls. For what it's worth, I think SS uses motion control in a much more fun way than TP did. The way the sword swings corresponding to the position of the Wiimote adds more strategy to sword fights than the waggling in TP.

As for precise and immediate, the only problems I've had were due to me not being accustomed to motion plus. By the first dungeon, I was used to using the sword properly instead of just flailing and it's been smooth sailing since. I have seen people say they've had problems with the controls, but I haven't had a major issue yet.

 

[targren]

The MotionPlus on Skyward Sword with the positioned sword fighting... that is fun as shit.

Unless you're an adult with bad joints. Then, in spite of being a fan of the series since the first gold-colored cartridge, they don't want you to play it.

 

[Faladorian]

The MotionPlus on Skyward Sword with the positioned sword fighting... that is fun as shit.

Unless you're an adult with bad joints. Then, in spite of being a fan of the series since the first gold-colored cartridge, they don't want you to play it.

To be entirely honest, coming from an avid zelda fan and one who has recently beaten Skyward Sword, it's nothing to be upset about. They pulled it out of their ass, and the story is terrible. The gameplay is rife with padding and all of the missions seem like ridiculous distractions and not actual objectives. It was mentally painful to play the story, I can't imagine how bad it would be if you were in physical pain also.

 

[Lunar Templar]

lmao,

no

Nintendo is, by and large the only company of the big 3 that dose anything different, which is why you notice it, be that good or bad.

I'm getting tired of Nintendo and their gimmicky consoles and games. First it was the Wii with its clunky and frustrating controls that no hardcore gamer in their right mind would actually like. And now the WiiU is coming out next year. It has a giant tablet like controller with a touch screen and I'm pretty sure it has motion control too.

do speak for your self, i liked the Wii, i would still have it if i didn't need the money more, unlike my 'hardcore' gaming platform (a PS3) which i would have gotten rid of by now regardless of cash flow issues

Don't get me wrong, the Wii was fun for the first couple of months but then I got bored of crappy sports and party games and went back to my PS3 and Xbox. I went back to it when the Wii motion plus came out and then got bored with it again. Now it sits in my sister's room and is only used when she wants to watch netflix (which I'm pretty sure that is what 2/3 of the Wiis that were sold are used for now).

-.- that's your fault then, cause i know i managed to find some pretty good non sports/party games. but I'm used to having to hunt down what i want to play.

 

[Brotha Desmond]

Let's face it, nintendo stopped making good products after the gameboy's

 

[Tazzy da Devil]

Yes and no. They should stick to handhelds in my opinion. I play my 3DS pretty much every night before bed, but my PSP is just gathering dust.

 

[F4LL3N]

I think Nintendo are the only ones who actually care about making games, and the gaming industry in general. Obviously, they also do it for the money. But I think they care a hell of a lot more than most other game/console makers. That's why they never bend over backwards to target the most popular thing at any given time. They do their own thing. That's ultimately what we need.

 

[Vault101]

I think Nintendo are the only ones who actually care about making games, and the gaming industry in general. Obviously, they also do it for the money. But I think they care a hell of a lot more than most other game/console makers. That's why they never bend over backwards to target the most popular thing at any given time. They do their own thing. That's ultimately what we need.

yes..another mario/zelda is EXACTALLY the revolutionay "kick-in-the-ass" the industry needs right now

 

[Vault101]

No way.

The day Nintendo decides not to continue making consoles is the day gaming innovation comes to a screeching halt or at least a major slow down. Nintendo has been the constant pioneer of new video gaming styles and taking huge risks in the field. Sometimes it works, like with Wii (whatever your thoughts on motion controlling, you can't deny it turned the gaming world on its head). Other times it doesn't, like with the Virtual Boy. However, they have never shied away from trying to explore uncharted ground with risky ideas. Sony and Microsoft's innovations in their consoles have usually been media quality-oriented; enhanced graphics, better audio, faster load times, etc. All important things, mind you, but very safe and all about making existing norms slightly better. Most of the major gaming innovations of the recent years (motion controls, touch screen, glasses-free 3D, etc) have been brought to the mainstream because of Nintendo and their deviations from the hardcore gamers norm.

Once Nintendo leaves the console race, you better be prepared for a straight-up graphical quality dick waving contest for at least the next three generations.

turned the gaming world on its head?

nope..I dont think it did, the way I see it we all took one look at the motion controles, said "ehhhh....whatever" and went back to our xbox's PS3's and PC's

granted the Wii/Nintendo did make some kind of contribution

but I really cant see the "inovation" side of things when all they have done is put out more of their core franchises (and totally fucking up one of them)

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

I think after the WiiU is released I think we will have a pretty good idea if Nintendo can still put out consoles or not. Personally, the Wii turned me off since I saw nothing that made me want to get it, and that's the first piece of hardware that they put out that I refused to buy.

They make some pretty solid handhelds, even though the 3DS had a very rocky start to (to say the least), and I think they are fine in that regard.