The gaming goodness continues on family vacation. There's three different people playing through Skyward Sword. Sometimes I get to sit in and watch, while other times I just get to enjoy the music and sounds coming from the other room. Either way, I couldn't be a more proud family member! See you in a few, short hours, my friends.
GoNintendo is a place for those that love Nintendo. You enjoy the software they make. You love checking out their latest systems, be they portables or consoles. You smile everytime you see the return of one of your favorite franchise characters from the Big N. Through and through, you're a Nintendo fan in a very big way.
That doesn't mean that you love everything the company does. Even if you think their software is the end all/be all of gaming, I'm sure you don't believe the company can do no wrong in all areas of their business. For as much as we love the Big N, there are a few different gripes that we all have.
For example, I wish Nintendo was a bit more forthcoming with some of the reasons behind their decisions. I'd love to hear more on why certain games don't get localized, outside of the standard PR response. Wouldn't it be nice to have a specific reason as to why certain games only hit Japan, or Japan and Europe?
That's my suggestion for something that would make my appreciation of Nintendo shoot up a tad. What would you like to see change? Leave a comment and let us know what one aspect of Nintendo you would like to retool. It can be software, hardware or anything inbetween. Remember, you can only give us one answer, so keep it to your biggest pet peeve!
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Most of my complaints have been posted. (localization, region lock) So I'll go with Nintendo's recent desire to not announce any games until 2 months before launch.
Just their general secrecy, I understand they may want to avoid another Brawl where there were delays and the release date changed 3 times, but just saying that game xyz coming over would be nice.
But at times it just makes their release schedule look empty.
I think the biggest annoyances of Nintendo for me would be their level of focus on online gaming. Online gaming is huge in this day and age. Just look at all the PC games and fps shooters on other consoles that survive only because of online multiplayer. I'm hoping that the Wii U will fix this for the most part (Please do friend invites and do away with those god-forsaken friendcodes already Nintendo!). Other things that bother me include the localization issues, the reliance on established franchises (Mario, Zelda, Pokemon, etc.), and region locking. As others have said, region locking a system and not localizing games from Japan, etc. is pretty much a kick in the groin to loyal Nintendo consumers. If they won't localize games, they need to at least allow people to play imported titles on their own system rather than being required to purchase a system from that region and maybe being present in that country. I know it's Nintendo's way of keeping tabs with regional sales but in my opinion, it doesn't matter where sales come from so long as there are sales. This region locking is preventing sales from other countries, simple as that.
Anyways, this was more than I planned to type out but it's just some things that bother me concerning Nintendo and things that they need to consider fixing if they aren't already planning to do so.
There are too many things that bother me about Nintendo.. Try most of what has been said here already.
But if I have to boil it down to the most bothersome:
- How stubborn and behind the times their vision of on-line gameplay and features is.
- Abandonment or delegating of some of their franchises.
- Too much reliance on some specific franchises to try and develop ideas instead of using them on past franchises or come up with new I.Ps
There is just TOO much for just one....
I mean online is probably my biggest gripe not including it in most games and lack of simple features....
But runner-ups would be: Over reliance on Mario, no new IP's that are up there with Mario/Zelda, Neglect to fan favorites like F-Zero, Starfox, and Donkey Kong. Over reliance on mini-game fests this generation, lack of support to 3rd parties!
I love Nintendo products, both software & hardware. But yet, Nintendo does things that make me roll my eyes and shake my ahead also.
I guess for me, one thing that annoys me about Nintendo is that they just don't give much love to a lot of products they release that cost extra to buy. I could go back in time to the U.S. launch of the NES and R.O.B. and make a list, but let me mention just a few recent ones:
We have the modem's for the GameCube which received almost no support.
We have Wii Speak for the Wii which received almost no support.
We have Wii Motion Plus which is required by hardly any games.
We have Wii Fit.. a very popular accessory.. that's received only two titles since release.
We have the Circle Pad Pro... why release something if you don't plan to support it?
We have the VC Channel on the Wii that gets almost no love but held so much promise.
And speaking of promises... what ever happened to the movie cards that were going to be available for the 3DS????
Nintendo does a lot of things right; a LOT of things. But yeah, they also have their "Oop's" moments also.
Grimnall
My biggest complaint is the unoriginality that can be found in Nintendo games. Specifically the "Dark" characters.
Dark Link was cool and fun, but now it seems every franchise must have a "Dark" version of its star. Hell, Metroid has had two "Dark" versions if you count SA-X. We really didn't need Dark Pit. I love the story to Kid Icarus Uprising, but he was one of the weaker plot points.
1. region-locking
2. localizations are usually late or never come for one region or another
3. over-react to negative feedback (Wind Waker, Spirit Tracks, Metroid Other M, Kid Icarus Uprising)
4. think "hardcore nintendo fans" are unhappy because we don't get enough FPS and zombie games (It's because you ignore your own franchises)
5. Too many Mario and Pokemon games to the point of stagnation (I no longer feel the need to buy every one, I can skip two or three and not feel any differant)
6. Always talk about new IPs but then when you get new IPs (Xenoblade, The Last Story etc.) you either don't localize them or you don't give them any support or marketing drive.
7. Europe & Japan get better prizes all the time.
8. Focusing Skyward Sword marketing on "Wow, we've made zelda games for 25 years! Remember?" instead of I don't know the "awesome game you just made"
9. Allowing shovelware to flood the Wii to the point where it's hard to find games
10. Ignoring Metroid's anniversary
11. No. More. Dark. Characters (Dark Pit only worked because that game didn't take itself seriously)
12. Stop trying to "beat" Ocarina of Time, what Zelda game is the best is 100% opinion, I for instance rank WW and MM higher. So just focus on making a good Zelda game, not a better Ocarina of Time.
13. DK64 and Harvest Moon 64 on VC NOW.
14. PR fail in not even explaining WHY you ignore the Mother franchise, I mean even the fans have had to create explanations themselves!
Wow, good thing the list of things I like about Nintendo is just as long. O_O
Club Nintendo.
If you live anywhere not called Japan, it speaks for itself.
Here's my opinion on Harvest Moon 64:
I think Natsume knows just how great the game is. I think they could easily port it to the VC. I think they're not doing that because it could cannibalize the sales of new games in the series.
They get alot of bad press for seemingly ignoring the desires of their fanbase, shareholders, and mainstream gaming media in general. Personally, I think they'd be better off if they'd ignore everyone more often and just do what they want.
So the thing that bugs me most is that they're still too eager to please.
Of course online is the big problem. But my other complaint is Club Nintendo. While other regions like europe have seven pages worth of rewards and legit replicas of mario kart trophies, the NA catalog looks like a back 2 school sale. We Need better prizes.
i love nintendo, but for me it has to be their over-reliance on mario and not releasing new games from lesser known series and franchises of theirs.
For me, its got to be Nintendo's mentality towards advertising and marketing their games. this also goes into other issues like localizations and whats hardcore for their fans and such.
Nintendo loves to promote their mainstream characters way too much. I mean look at their handheld lineup for the rest of this year. its just Mario and Pokemon...again, yeah I'm sure all of them will be great, but what about other series? there are times where I feel like Nintendo thinks we only care about their mainstream series while others are just "snacks" until the next mario "meal" arrives. I bet if I could ask Reggie personally what games would he suggest to me on Wii and 3DS, he would mention: Mario Tennis Open, Zelda Skyward Sword, Kirby Returns to Dreamland, Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7, etc. etc. and not even think about suggesting Xenoblade or The Last Story even though both (or at the very least Xenoblade) could be better than all of them. you saw this last year with OP Rainfall, fans want RPGs, nintendo says "we cant give you a straight answer but please check out Mario and Sonic at the London Olympics". you also have to wonder why it takes so long for other franchises like Starfox and F-zero to get new entries as both series have been in expectations for new games (not remakes) for years now, yet we get Mario/Pokemon spinoffs like fortune street and conquest coming at us regularly.
Nintendo just doesnt advertise based on quality, they do it based on characters, but the truth is they dont need to. any consumer walking into a gamestop or a best buy will see a game with Mario on the cover and will instantly consider buying that game because thats the type of impact mario has. no need to build a SM3DL playground in Times Square in NY. but of course, nintendo has to remind people that there is a game coming out that has mario or pokemon in it instead of spending their advertisement dollars on a game thats been getting very good praise (the two RPGs and Sin and Punishment are great examples) and need to get better exposure for the non-informed to see. Its not hard to find out about a mario/zelda/pokemon game, but it is for others.
Region-locking and localization issues, the online, the lack of third party games (like fighting games on the Wii), and the way the they build their systems (like the Wii not having rechargeable controllers and being weaker than the 360/PS3, or the 3DS not having two circle pads) are my main issues.
Aside from that, I wish they made Mario games more like Super Mario World and 64, my favorites. And they need to shake things up a bit with their franchises. I'm no longer interested in Mario Kart and Animal Crossing, for example.
My biggest gripe with Nintendo, specifically NoA, is how they act as if Latin America didn't exist, No Club Nintendo Reward Program for us, Accesories like a Wii MotionPlus or a Classic Controller PRO are as expensive as a $50 game, heck, even games that are $20 are pretty expensive here, one game can cost 250 MXN (Hotel Dusk), but other can cost as much as 400 MXN.
I might be stretching it, but most of the time, I feel it's hard to be a Nintendo-only gamer in Latin America, since a F***** economy doesn't let me have more than 1 console, it's a bloddy miracle I even have a Wii and a DSi XL.
Online! We needed better voice chat option in games! Heroes of ruin is a good start but all games should have this option.not to just talk but so you can decide what to do next.
What bugs me is their resistance to support online options. They say we have miiverse to fill this void and from what I've seen it is still light years away from anything the 360 & PS3 hasn't already given us 5 yrs ago. The lack of being able to demonstrate this with the WiiU tells me that Nintendo doesn't care to offer an online connected interface. The fact I can't play NSMB U, NintendoLand, or Pikmon online with a friends just shows you they have different priorities. As I will always support Nintendo for their 1st party games it just really starts to wear on you when you wait years upon years to have this kind of online experience and nothing ever comes of it. Not much hope with the WiiU from I've seen.
In reading this post, what really struck me is that what makes Nintendo Nintendo -- innovation on one front counterbalanced (sometimes to the extreme) with very conservative policies/actions.
Nintendo has innovated on consoles. It has created unique characters. But it has been guarded in realizing the world has increasingly gotten smaller and more technologically savvy. Thus, it has relied on the same formula, which has continued to be generally successful but causes some to wonder why it locks by region, why localization is not universal, why adoption and acceptance of current technologies (HD, on-line) has been slow.
Sometimes there are reasons for the conservative actions (most people didn't have high-def TV sets when the Wii launched, certain elements of certain games would not be viewed favorably in certain places because of customs or laws, etc.). But other times, it appears that corporate inertia (stubbornness) is the only logical explanation.
So hopefully, Nintendo can move a little bit more into the present, without losing the qualities that make it Nintendo.
Mike from Morgantown
THEY NEED TO MAKE MORE STAR FOX!
Literally everything said in this thread. I'm piggy backing on everyone.
The lack of strong new IPs.
Cut and Paste Game Design
Specific feature focused consoles
More challenging games
Having to spend a playthrough to unlock said "challenging" mode.
Take. Chances.
Also, what someone said about the community, but not just here. Nintendo's community in general. Truth.
Sometimes this bothers me. Not being ''cutting edge'' spec wise with their consoles. Why can't we have innovation and power? You would think this would have avoided those horrible PS2 engine ports (many early sports games) or cash in games (Soul Calibur Legends).
Having to purchase one system would be very desirable.
Yeah it's weird that Nintendo advertises games that will sell themselves and ignore the ones that actually need to be advertised.
Can see why, that's the only Harvest Moon game you need
Quite a few things they do bother me, and I think they were covered in some of the above posts. While they are still my favorite company, it is not by as wide of a margin as it once was and they may no longer be by the time the other two next gen consoles launch.
The thing that gets me the most is when they leave features out of a game (online multiplayer being a frequent example) and then act like they know what I want better than I do, and then when you voice your opinion about it certain fanboys will rush to Nintendo's defense and act like you're dumb for wanting online co-op in NSMBU or something and long live local co-op because the almighty Nintendo says that is what we should like.
Can't narrow down to just one. Off the top of my head are them not localizing enough games, and region locking their games.
This bothers me as well. I loved OoT, but I've already played it dozens of times, I don't need OoT 1.5 or OoT 2 or whatever. That's one of the main reasons why TP is probably my least favorite Zelda game. It was way too similar to OoT in my opinion. The story in TP also seemed incomplete and wasn't that memorable or told well.
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