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Nintendo’s Philosophy: Lateral Thinking with Withered Technology (2015)

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Re: Nintendo’s Philosophy: Lateral Thinking with Withered Technology (2015)

#171

Post by Kaiyou »

mercer wrote: post #129
Kaiyou wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When was the last Metroid game that is "just as fun and joyful as the previous ones"? Metroid has had a tough 20 years or so. Last I checked Nintendo released a poorer version of a remake some fan released a year earlier.

I didn't realize Zero Mission was already 16 years old, but I'd say that was a pretty good, albeit short Metroid game.

Zero Mission ruined things that made Metroid excellent. It's just not obvious on the first playthrough. Unlike previous Metroid games, you can't really do Zero Mission out of order. There's a path you have to follow and if you go elsewhere the road is blocked by Chozo statues, that weren't present in the original game.

Re: Nintendo’s Philosophy: Lateral Thinking with Withered Technology (2015)

#172

Post by dajomu »

7thaccount wrote: post #108
musicale wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Sony made several portable gaming devices... The market didn’t really care for them. Except for the PSP, which sold 81 million units.

I immediately sold my DS to fund getting a PSP as it actually had decent games I wanted to play with much better graphics. Now that I have a job, I'd love to buy a Switch, but again...not very many games that are really appealing as I haven't been big into Pokemon and games in that arena since Red came out. I think Doom and Diablo III and Skyrim are good to see, but I'd need to see more in that arena.

Some Indie games are just great on it too. I played through Hollow Knight, Blasphemous and Dead Cells far more than I would have done if I got them on PC or PS4. They were fairly cheap too.

Re: Nintendo’s Philosophy: Lateral Thinking with Withered Technology (2015)

#173

Post by odessacubbage »

danudey wrote: post #166
bane wrote: post #155

I think it's important to also understand that, despite broad name recognition, Nintendo isn't a huge company in the way that Sony or Microsoft is. Their entire corporate revenue for 2019 was about $11b USD with about $2.3b USD in operating income. We regularly talk about startups here that are technically larger. What Nintendo's philosophy boils down to in terms of business strategy is using the fact that they are s…

There have also been interviews where they've talked about how they won't do something unless they can add something new to it. For example, they haven't created a new F-Zero game because no one has really come up with anything to add to F-Zero to make a compelling game, rather than just "It's another F-Zero game". In I think the same interview, it was discussed that they won't make a game unless it's fun if it's jus…

tbh that's probably just a polite way of saying they wont do a new one because ax was a highly expensive commercial failure. there have been 6 mario kart sequels since gx that all broadly fall into the category of 'just another mario kart'

Re: Nintendo’s Philosophy: Lateral Thinking with Withered Technology (2015)

#174

Post by 83457 »

LiquidSky wrote: post #156
83457 wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Meanwhile Nintendo still hasn't caught up with Xbox Live from the original Xbox." I can't help but think that this is intentional from Nintendo. There are many many online and local wireless features on the Wii/ and 3/DS that are no longer present on the Switch. They seems to start over with every platform. I get the impression though that Nintendo doesn't want communication features that are not "safe" for younger…

They made the right decision. Communication in online gaming is poison and only gets worse and worse over time. Keep your kids off of it as much as you can.

In general I agree, though every gaming community is a bit different. Personally I'm keeping my kids off public online communication in particular, but I do want them to have that communication option with IRL friends and family when they go online.

Re: Nintendo’s Philosophy: Lateral Thinking with Withered Technology (2015)

#175

Post by gauravjain13 »

gwbas1c wrote: post #78
fenomas wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah I think the article was off-base there - "withered" isn't a mistranslation at all. I'd probably have gone with "dried-up", but to translate it as "weathered" changes the meaning considerably.

I disagree, weathered often implies broken in, established, mature.

Some pedantry is in order – withered and weathered are different words.

Re: Nintendo’s Philosophy: Lateral Thinking with Withered Technology (2015)

#176

Post by mercer »

Kaiyou wrote: post #171
mercer wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I didn't realize Zero Mission was already 16 years old, but I'd say that was a pretty good, albeit short Metroid game.

Zero Mission ruined things that made Metroid excellent. It's just not obvious on the first playthrough. Unlike previous Metroid games, you can't really do Zero Mission out of order. There's a path you have to follow and if you go elsewhere the road is blocked by Chozo statues, that weren't present in the original game.

While I agree it's a core element of Metroid, and I completely understand how it would bother many fans, but for me this is one of the less-essential aspects of Metroid. But it's possible that much of my initial enjoyment was because I had played Metroid Fusion before that, which is much worse as a Metroid (while still fun as a game).

It could also be because I got 'hooked' on Metroid because of Metroid Prime, and IIRC that one also was a bit more linear by virtue of the hint system.

Re: Nintendo’s Philosophy: Lateral Thinking with Withered Technology (2015)

#177

Post by stevenwoo »

stallmanite wrote: post #169
stevenwoo wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I worked for Namco Bandai's American branch for a few years around 2006. The Japanese developers could apply to work in America for the cultural experience, IIRC the ones I met told me they were paid about $30000 USA in Japan and got a temporary bump in salary to $75000 or so for cost of living adjustment and a company car and apartment (this was in Santa Clara, CA). I think they were all extremely good, competent pr…

I hope this isn’t too off topic but my son and I spent a lot of hours bonding over the game “Tank Tank Tank”. If by some small chance you were part of that project, thank you.

Sorry that was after my time, may have been entirely Namco Bandai Japan production.

Re: Nintendo’s Philosophy: Lateral Thinking with Withered Technology (2015)

#178

Post by hitekker »

odessacubbage wrote: post #173
danudey wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There have also been interviews where they've talked about how they won't do something unless they can add something new to it. For example, they haven't created a new F-Zero game because no one has really come up with anything to add to F-Zero to make a compelling game, rather than just "It's another F-Zero game". In I think the same interview, it was discussed that they won't make a game unless it's fun if it's jus…

tbh that's probably just a polite way of saying they wont do a new one because ax was a highly expensive commercial failure. there have been 6 mario kart sequels since gx that all broadly fall into the category of 'just another mario kart'

I'd disagree on the Mario Kart example. The core mechanics of that series have stayed roughly the same, but the little additions have created a different, deeper experience:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3oz5uth_90

It feels beautiful.

Re: Nintendo’s Philosophy: Lateral Thinking with Withered Technology (2015)

#179

Post by Kaiyou »

mercer wrote: post #176
Kaiyou wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Zero Mission ruined things that made Metroid excellent. It's just not obvious on the first playthrough. Unlike previous Metroid games, you can't really do Zero Mission out of order. There's a path you have to follow and if you go elsewhere the road is blocked by Chozo statues, that weren't present in the original game.

While I agree it's a core element of Metroid, and I completely understand how it would bother many fans, but for me this is one of the less-essential aspects of Metroid. But it's possible that much of my initial enjoyment was because I had played Metroid Fusion before that, which is much worse as a Metroid (while still fun as a game). It could also be because I got 'hooked' on Metroid because of Metroid Prime, and II…

Yes, Metroid III (SNES) was the last game in the series that let you go off track. I've played through it many times and never took the exact same route. Everytime it's a new experience. It's unfortunate that the games that came later copied pretty much everything from Metroid III except for this.

Re: Nintendo’s Philosophy: Lateral Thinking with Withered Technology (2015)

#180

Post by elpatoisthebest »

deepakhj wrote: post #127
elpatoisthebest wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, I have an 8 year old. The switch is probably the most fun couch gaming we can do together. We also have an xbox and a pc for games, and we usually ignore them both in favor of Nintendo exclusives. Pokemon, BOTW, Smash Bros. It's honestly a really good co-op couch experience. And when we go on road trips, it's better than the days when we would load up a fat crt tv in my parent's van and plug in the SNES. Also, if…

Sure for kids the switch can’t be beat. But the best games are all on Sony (some on PC too) Witcher 3, horizon zero down, god of war, uncharted 4, the last of us, persona 5, nier automata, assassins creed oddysey, red dead redemption 2, Spider-Man, etc.

Rereading my comment, I see that I underplayed how important the portability of the switch is to me.
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