cimerians Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 How about something different, Nintendo: an Eternal Darkness or Golden Sun or a Pokemon Snap Wii U? Try something other than "the usual". Devs tried for an Eternal Darkness sequel because Nintendo and nobody else wants to risk publishing it. It fell short unfortunately: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/617502838/shadow-of-the-eternals-0/posts My fear is they will take lesser and lesser risks with the Wii U and we won't see much of anything other than the usual. What I liked about the Wii was that because it sold so much we got to see a variety of games for it. The Wii was great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 (edited) Japan got these 12 GBA releases announced for April to our 3. The tradition continues. -Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World -Mario & Luigi SuperStar Saga -Mario Tennis Advance -Wario Land 4 -Metroid Fusion -Kirby Nightmare in Dreamland -Kirby & the Amazing Mirror -WarioWare Inc. -Advance Wars 1 & 2 -Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap -F-Zero: Maximum Velocity -Golden Sun Surprised to see Super Mario World up there. When Yoshi's Island was announced yesterday (Which isn't yet announced for Japan), I figured that all but guaranteed that Nintendo wouldn't emulate the Super FX chip and release the original. But if two Super Mario Worlds can come out (The GBA release isn't the definitive version... for every improvement it has, it takes a step backwards, so it doesn't really need to be here), two Yoshi's Islands can also be released. So there's still a glimmer of hope for that, Star Fox, Star Fox 2, and Stunt Race FX. I only expected to see Yoshi's Island and the ports of the Super Mario All-Star remakes of SMB2 and 3 appear here for the four Mario Advance rereleases on the GBA. Edited February 14, 2014 by Atariboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 NES Remix 1 & 2 is getting a retail release. Only seems official for Japan just yet, but it looks like the waiting game might've paid off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGameCollector Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 I'm not sure Star Fox 2 would ever be released. After all it is just a prototype. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 (edited) Yeah, it would definitely be in doubt even if Star Fox and Yoshi's Island suddenly popped up. But one thing is certain and that's if they never emulate the Super FX chip, it will never receive any consideration. That Yoshi's Island is appearing here in GBA form is a bit of a loss where that hope is concerned since selling Yoshi's Island via the Virtual Console would be the primary incentive in making that investment in the first place. And now they don't have to. Edited February 15, 2014 by Atariboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jd_1138 Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 (edited) I also echo the sentiments expressed here about the 3DS. That's what's keeping Nintendo going, but the clock is ticking on the platform, particularly as more and more people continue to turn to smartphones and tablets. The thoughts around Nintendo's next generation platform being a combination handheld/console - essentially a merger of the 3DS and Wii U - makes the most sense for what Nintendo can do next. In the mean-time, they need to continue to succeed with the 3DS/2DS and continue to tread water with the Wii U. They can probably start seriously making noise about the next platform in 2015. Any sooner and they risk pissing off those who invested in the Wii U. That would make sense. Maybe have a 7 inch touchpad controller that can also double as a tablet computer (added value to the customer). It can run Nintendo's software for gaming and also Android for tablet duties. Then have a smaller 4 or 5 inch tablet for use as a handheld gaming unit/controller/mini tablet. If a family needs to add a tablet to their household, then plunking down $400 or so for the Nintendo package would be easier to justify. The base console can come with the console itself and the customer's choice of either the 5 inch or the 7 inch tablet/handheld unit. Then of course, they can add other peripherals later. Bring back R.O.B. the robot! Make it programmable and actually useful (Roomba-like vacuum feature, cargo carrying, and have R.O.B. participate in gaming). And Nintendo needs some new characters. Mario and Luigi are great, but they are played out. Don't get rid of them but add other characters/worlds to the mix with new worlds and new gaming possibilities. Add a cool little conductor type of dude wearing tails who teaches piano/music theory via cool games and a keyboard accessory. Edited February 17, 2014 by Trekker_1138 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendon Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 Box art for the Japanese retail release: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 (edited) Hope that comes out over here. $15 downloads with Nintendo's anti consumer lock to the hardware DRM scheme is past my comfort zone. Edited February 17, 2014 by Atariboy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 I agree, AtariBoy. Version 2 is appealing to me a lot more than the first one, but I would at this point rather wait and see if a boxed version comes out here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cimerians Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Same here. Want a boxed version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrazyKaiju Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 I doubt Nintendo will replace the Wii U with anything until it's at least 5 years old. Abandoning a console too early in it's life is what killed SEGA. Nintendo has enough cash on hand to sputter along for a few years of poor sales without damaging the company too much. Prematurely axing the Wii U would anger their core fans, which is what would cause the real damage to their brand name. What's more likely is that Nintendo will make the tablet an optional accessory and start selling a Wii U with only a wiimote or pro controller for sub $200. It's even more certain if the 3DS replacement can take the place of the Wii U tablet and do remote play, like the Vita with PS4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cimerians Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 (edited) What's more likely is that Nintendo will make the tablet an optional accessory and start selling a Wii U with only a wiimote or pro controller for sub $200. It's even more certain if the 3DS replacement can take the place of the Wii U tablet and do remote play, like the Vita with PS4. DK Tropical Freeze doesn't even use the gamepad screen so maybe this is the beginning of ditching it? I can see it being kind of useless for a game like DK but I still think they can do cool things with it. Should probably have been an optional thing from the start. They will eventually make all their devices inter-compatible kind of like what Playstation is doing with the Vita\Ps4. Actually tablets are a better example of what they HOPE they could do. I read it somewhere... here: http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/02/03/future-nintendo-devices-will-have-an-integrated-platform "Last year Nintendo reorganized its R&D divisions and integrated the handheld device and home console development teams into one division under Mr. Takeda." "To cite a specific case, Apple is able to release smart devices with various form factors one after another because there is one way of programming adopted by all platforms. Apple has a common platform called iOS. Another example is Android. Though there are various models, Android does not face software shortages because there is one common way of programming on the Android platform that works with various models. The point is, Nintendo platforms should be like those two examples. Whether we will ultimately need just one device will be determined by what consumers demand in the future, and that is not something we know at the moment. " Edited February 17, 2014 by cimerians Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 (edited) I doubt Nintendo will replace the Wii U with anything until it's at least 5 years old. Abandoning a console too early in it's life is what killed SEGA. Nintendo has enough cash on hand to sputter along for a few years of poor sales without damaging the company too much. Prematurely axing the Wii U would anger their core fans, which is what would cause the real damage to their brand name. Since rumors suggest that it's a strong possibility that their next generation hardware will be merged in some manner rather than managing two completely independent hardware lines, I'd argue that it's the timing of the 3DS that will take precedence under such a scenario. If Wii U makes it to five, it means that seven years was the right time to replace the 3DS. They're not going to risk their successful line where deciding on their next generation timing is concerned. Wii U will be along for the ride whenever the time comes to replace the 3DS. Edited February 17, 2014 by Atariboy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendon Posted February 18, 2014 Author Share Posted February 18, 2014 Even Nintendo doesn't seem to know what to do with the gamepad. They certainly haven't made it an intricate part in any of their games, yet. In Super Mario World 3D you only use it to occasionally blow into the microphone or to touch a platform to raise/lower it. You don't need it in Pikmin 3, Windwaker, Super Mario U, or Luigi U. And as Cimerians said, its not even used at all in DKC. I don't know what, if anything, will change the current status of the Wii U. I really, really like my Wii U and have enjoyed quite a few games on it. But Nintendo is really blowing it, IMO, by not advertising/marketing, not giving 3rd parties any incentives to make software for the system, and the continued slow release of their own games on the system. I won't dump the system as I still enjoy it. But I sincerely doubt if I'll buy any more Wii U versions of multi-platform games as I cannot depend on any support, whether DLC or patches, after purchase. And that's a shame because the Wii U versions of Black Flag, Ghosts, Need for Speed, Injustice, and Batman Origins are very, very good.... they just aren't complete packages like other platforms receive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrazyKaiju Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 I doubt that Nintendo will merge hardware lines, though I do think we'll see their next handheld have the capability of acting as an adjuct device to the console. My reasoning for this is the simple fact that in the US/UK/EU, consoles outsell dedicated handhelds by large margins. In Japan, the reverse is true. Nintendo could easily make a handheld that could also be played on a TV screen and it would probably sell like gangbusters in their home territory, but I doubt they would see the same numbers overseas. They would be competing against too many smartphones for marketshare. Then again, Nintendo may not want to compete against Sony and Microsoft anymore, deciding to cede the console market to them completely. Doing so would force the company to shrink a bit, as they narrow their focus to the handhelds. Potential profit would go down but so would potential losses. But once again, smartphones are the elephant in the room. Do you try to maintain parity with a device that doubles in performance every 2 years, or stay on a traditional 5 year dev cycle? Can you convince enough people to buy your handheld, when they already carry a smartphone that may have better graphics? Maintaining a foothold in the console business is a hedge bet, in the event their handheld market falters in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 (edited) Nintendo handhelds always outsell their consoles by wide margins. Even the 100 million Wii didn't touch the sales of the DS. They would still have a console, perhaps even a fully independent piece of hardware rather than a single device that handles both sides. They would just have a lot of commonality with their basic guts and run shared software, perhaps with enhancements for the console side like a boost in resolution. I don't think anyone is talking about abandoning consoles, just maximizing the use of their resources to save their console business while also strengthening their weakened handheld business. While the 3DS is now widely viewed as a success, it got off to a very slow start with a lot of doom and gloom, they've lost the casuals to mobile devices like smart phones, they've lost much of the 3rd party support Nintendo handhelds traditionally enjoyed, and most recently the 3DS fell well short of sales expectations forcing Nintendo to slash millions of hardware and software units off their projections. They can't stand still even there. If Nintendo hardware has to subside primarily off 1st party offerings, unifying their lines so each release can be sold to all handheld and console owners has to be an attractive proposition. Without drastic changes to the core of how they do business, their days as the platform holder seem numbered. Edited February 18, 2014 by Atariboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendon Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 If this article is accurate, the Wii U is in worse trouble than I imagined: Less than 5% of developers show an interest in developing for Wii U. http://www.ubergizmo.com/2014/02/less-than-5-of-developers-show-interest-in-the-wii-u-poll/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Loguidice Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 If this article is accurate, the Wii U is in worse trouble than I imagined: Less than 5% of developers show an interest in developing for Wii U. http://www.ubergizmo.com/2014/02/less-than-5-of-developers-show-interest-in-the-wii-u-poll/ Yeah, that's been making the rounds. It's frankly not surprising considering the lack of sales for third party titles to this point. Some of that can be attributed to the low install base, some of that to gimped features on the Wii U conversion, etc., but some of that is also attributable to poor third party sales in general on recent Nintendo platforms. I mean, what compelling reason do third party developers have for wanting to develop on the Wii U? As much as conspirists like to say that all of these companies are out to get Nintendo, the reality is it's just business. If they were able to make money on the Wii U, they'd be producing games for it, plain and simple. Again, it's not all the fault of Nintendo or the fault of the platform or the fault of any one thing - there are clearly lots of contributing factors - but the end result is the same, no good reason to develop for it. The install bases for both the PS4 and Xbox One will soon surpass that of the Wii U, and we know those consumers have no problems buying third party games. Further, these developers can develop for the PC at the same time. Finally, new developments for the Xbox 360 and PS3 will inevitably wind down over the next year, which is where the Wii U gets its port considerations, since that's the technological class of hardware that it's in. Plain and simple, none of that adds up to supporting the Wii U. As we've stated time and again, Nintendo's window for making strides was the year long headstart they had over the competition. It didn't happen then, and it certainly won't be happening now. I think in retrospect, with all the other missteps Nintendo has made to this point, the one thing that has come back to haunt them is that they were never able to make a compelling case for the Gamepad. If in all this time Nintendo has been unable to show how critical having that touchscreen is, certainly no third parties will be able to step up to the plate. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godslabrat Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Given how long Nintendo has been playing with the idea of integrating their portable consoles with their set-top consoles, I'm surprised it's only now that it seems they actually want to do it. No, let me re-phrase that-- I'm ticked off that they're only bothering to do it now, when it's clear they need something to save their bacon. The GameCube had a link-up with the GBA. The DS was used to download marketing materials for the Wii. That's over ten years of development for these types of technologies... and if you really want to stretch it, the Super GameBoy was a pretty nice bridge too. That thing goes WAY back. This is NOT a new idea to Nintendo, so if it would have been so great, why is it only NOW they're trying it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Don't forget the Wii U being a dual screen, touch screen equipped, game console. Or the 3DS being equipped with motion sensors. There's lots of little bits of evidence that show this has been contemplated for quite sometime such as Nintendo merging their handheld/console teams a year ago before the gravity of the Wii U situation was fully grasped, Super Smash Brothers 4 being developed simultaneously for both rather than two independent releases, etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinks Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Yes get the great selling ds stuff relying on the wii u link to have more features. Kids mom n dads buy more wii u's. Its a no brainer!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyper_Eye Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 A new Metroid would push me towards the ledge. A new Eternal Darkness would shove me off of it. I have enough Mario games and I never liked Wind Waker. Everytime I think about getting a Wii U I find no compelling reason to go for it. I'm still enjoying the Wii though! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariLeaf Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 A new Metroid would push me towards the ledge. A new Eternal Darkness would shove me off of it. I have enough Mario games and I never liked Wind Waker. Everytime I think about getting a Wii U I find no compelling reason to go for it. I'm still enjoying the Wii though! I keep coming back to this but I think a big part of the problem is their dependence on Mario and Zelda to carry console sales and I think Mario/Zelda fatigue is really starting to hit consumers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Loguidice Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 I keep coming back to this but I think a big part of the problem is their dependence on Mario and Zelda to carry console sales and I think Mario/Zelda fatigue is really starting to hit consumers. There is absolutely fatigue with many of the IPs at this point. Nintendo clearly still has top notch development talent, but they're almost never asked to branch out into or to explore new IPs. That wouldn't necessarily be a problem, but we're talking a company that has been issuing the same IPs for 30+ years, so it was bound to get a bit tiring/less exciting. I think another problem is the advertising Nintendo does, which is very bright, colorful, and a bit childish. There's nothing wrong with that, but it would also help to mix things up a bit to appeal to a broader demographic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Gemintronic Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 There is absolutely fatigue with many of the IPs at this point. Nintendo clearly still has top notch development talent, but they're almost never asked to branch out into or to explore new IPs. That wouldn't necessarily be a problem, but we're talking a company that has been issuing the same IPs for 30+ years, so it was bound to get a bit tiring/less exciting. I think another problem is the advertising Nintendo does, which is very bright, colorful, and a bit childish. There's nothing wrong with that, but it would also help to mix things up a bit to appeal to a broader demographic. I'm pretty sure Nintendo is trying to go for a broader demographic with these games. I'm just not sure who.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freshly-Picked_Tingle%27s_Rosy_Rupeeland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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