The Trouble with Nintendo. A TL;DR topic.

[Calashnikov]

Nintendo have been doing this SMB3's P-wing surely? I don't think I've ever genuinely 'completed' that World 8 airship level without resorting to it (it has been about 18 years admittedly).

As a kid I never did that airship level at the time without using the P-wing. I also warped past entire worlds of levels to "complete" the game. As such, playing the GBA version in 2002 or so was the first time I played many of the levels. I also managed to whoop the World 8 airship level without the P-wing, like a piece of pish.

I'm quite good at Mario games now. I think I developed my skills on Super Mario World after playing it back to front, upside down and inside out for years and years, often revisiting it, even to this day really.

I also leap about the 3D Marios like an absolute fucking ninja.

But Mario games are really the only reflexy, hand/eye co-ordinationy games that I'm good at. Pretty crap at beat em ups and fucking woeful at shooty-man dudebro games.

I have never owned a Playstation or an Xbox, although I did have a Dreamcast.

NINTENDO 4 LYF.

[dataDave]

Nintendo have been doing this SMB3's P-wing surely? I don't think I've ever genuinely 'completed' that World 8 airship level without resorting to it (it has been about 18 years admittedly).

Not just this, but those classic Mario games had the warp pipes in place so you could just fucking 'complete' the game in ten minutes.

Nothing wrong with the White Tanooki Suit, I'd rather have that in the game over them cheating bastard warp pipes.

Anyway, I'm so pro I've not even been presented with the option yet. Eat it!

[Barny]

Real 'ardcore gamerz: u so good u don't even see the white Tanooki suit. I love the inclusion of this kind of stuff. It makes the games accessible for everyone and hopefully it means less pad-destroying moments in many homes all over the world. It's progress and should be applauded.

[RubberJohnny]

You're all responding sincerely to NEGs trolling.

[Jarik]

The only time I've used Nintendo's Help system was in Super Mario Galaxy 2 with that level where you had to do a long series of wall jumps while being tailed by Shadow Mario's. I kept failing, Rosalina showed up & I was all 'no thanks, I got this." After a couple dozen more failures I was all "umm...yeah, little help?" & I watched carefully while the game showed me where my technique & planning was (or wasn't) at fault. Before the level was over though, I deliberately reset it as I wanted to do it myself. I don't want my games played for me, just a little bit of help when i'm stuck to get me rolling again.

It's a similar matter with the little octorok guys in Link Between Worlds. Don't tell me exactly where they are, just tell me the general area in which to look so I can have the satisfaction of finding them without trying to remember which ones I have & haven't got & where that one remaining one in the entire game might be.

[JPickford]

You're all responding sincerely to NEGs trolling.

Nah we're being ironic. Possibly.

[SozzlyJoe]

News for you : if a three year old dies many times in a row in a game, they GIVE UP. If they get the white suit then they play on. Nintendo has realised this, even if some of you guys haven't.

Besides, just be glad they don't offer level skip microtransactions.

[Mr Cochese]

They should have that thing like in Dark Souls where if you're completely useless you can get people to come into your game and do it for you.

[SozzlyJoe]

That was part of the initial PS4 pitch, wasn't it? "Take control of your friend's game". A feature that doesn't quite seem to have made launch. Or even been mentioned again. It's not a bad idea in theory though.

[SonOfSoAngry]

I always thought the best choice for the world 8 airship level in SMB3 was the frog suit...

[NEG]

Not just this, but those classic Mario games had the warp pipes in place so you could just fucking 'complete' the game in ten minutes.

Nothing wrong with the White Tanooki Suit, I'd rather have that in the game over them cheating bastard warp pipes.

You could argue the warp pipes were there for speed runners. In a way not having them in later Mario's diminishes that kind of experience. Mostly in 3D Mario's but we all know how to do Mario 64 in 15mins so....

[NEG]

News for you : if a three year old dies many times in a row in a game, they GIVE UP. If they get the white suit then they play on. Nintendo has realised this, even if some of you guys haven't.

Besides, just be glad they don't offer level skip microtransactions.

I didn't give up as a kid, frustrated maybe, but I came back to it. Over and over. Until I beat it into a pulp. We're raising lazy movie-goer gamers if you think White Tanooki helps.

[gizmo1990]

Best thing you've posted for ages. Better than those shit videos.

[Dandy_Sephy]

So as it turns out releasing your flagship game on the day of a competitors hardware launch isn't such a good idea. Mario was only the 14th best seller of the week, one place behind Knack. Now it's hard to tell if it would have fared much better without the PS4 buzz because it would still be competing against what are mostly well performing multi platform titles. However Nintendo deliberately put Mario up against it rather than wait a week and have a clearer chance at selling hardware units.

If it was a portable game, it would have sold buckets and it's hard to judge on chart position alone on a buys week for games, but it's not a good sign. In the UK both Xbox One and PS4 have allegedly already outsold the entire yearly Wii U sales on their first weekends.

[scottcr]

The launch date of Mario would've made no real difference to first week sales. I think it's also fair to say that the long term sales and profit of Mario will be higher than Knacks.

[RubberJohnny]

Choo choo:

[JohnnyNolan]

So as it turns out releasing your flagship game on the day of a competitors hardware launch isn't such a good idea. Mario was only the 14th best seller of the week, one place behind Knack. Now it's hard to tell if it would have fared much better without the PS4 buzz because it would still be competing against what are mostly well performing multi platform titles. However Nintendo deliberately put Mario up against it rather than wait a week and have a clearer chance at selling hardware units.

If it was a portable game, it would have sold buckets and it's hard to judge on chart position alone on a buys week for games, but it's not a good sign. In the UK both Xbox One and PS4 have allegedly already outsold the entire yearly Wii U sales on their first weekends.

I doubt changing the date would have much impact. I think anyone expecting Mario/Mario Kart/Zelda etc at this point to suddenly be a catalyst to a huge boost in WiiU sales is being extremely optimistic. I'd expect a boost to sales, but nothing hugely dramatic.

I mean didn't the Xbox One outsell the Wii-U UK total sales after something like 2 days? I wouldn't be surprised if it's already behind the PS4 as well.

[Mentazm]

The problem Nintendo have is the average consumer has no idea what a Wii U is. They think it's a new screen for their Wii, which they packed into the attic years ago.

It woulnd't surprise me if Nintendo finally announce they are pulling out of livingroom hardware and just publish the 'big' games on other platforms.

[nakamura]

Nintendo should just release games on other formats. Keep their portable hardware and make a mint developing utterly brilliant games for PS4.

[JohnnyNolan]

It woulnd't surprise me if Nintendo finally announce they are pulling out of livingroom hardware and just publish the 'big' games on other platforms.

That's never going to happen though, as long as they continue to post a profit.

[mdn2]

That wouldn't happen. I could see them going handheld-only, though. Maybe their next handheld will let you play on the TV when at home, or something.

[nakamura]

Good shout mdn2. Apparently Vita remote play is extremely good so no reason to suggest Nintendo couldn't make a powerful handheld to do similar.

[Venice Cull]

That's never going to happen though, as long as they continue to post a profit.

Depends on wether they think putting their catalogue on other consoles would yield them more profit than having to spend money developing, marketing, manufacturing and supporting their own hardware and software ecosystem. Not as cut and dry as you think.

[squirtle]

Depends on wether they think putting their catalogue on other consoles would yield them more profit than having to spend money developing, marketing, manufacturing and supporting their own hardware and software ecosystem. Not as cut and dry as you think.

They're next piece of hardware will be handheld that beams stuff to play on the TV. Games will be portable and for the home. It just seems the direction they are heading in to me and would amalgamate all their resources into making games for one piece of hardware that is built for both the home and on the move. We're almost there with the Vita and some smartphones, so I can't see it being out of the reach of the next Nintendo console.

[tommygun]

How long would it be until it's feasible and cheap enough to shrink the Wii U down into 5" handheld with tv out and Wii U games on cart?

[gizmo1990]

Whichever way you look at it the whole last year has been a complete disaster for the wiiu. I really hope Nintendo are doing a thorough investigation into the errors they've made.

I cant help but think that if theyd only consulted developers more. Been more open. Made the cpu more capable etc, they'd of had something to fall back on. Especially given their other failings on the software side.

[squirtle]

How long would it be until it's feasible and cheap enough to shrink the Wii U down into 5" handheld with tv out and Wii U games on cart?

Don't know. Like I said, we're not far off with some smartphones and the Vita. Another year or two and I reckon it would be doable.

[nakamura]

What kind of output would be expected on a device like this if it happened? Nintendo have never really built a portable with high levels of power. Surely a 720p display would be minimum for decent gaming on a tv in 2 or 3 years time.

[Venice Cull]

Don't know. Like I said, we're not far off with some smartphones and the Vita. Another year or two and I reckon it would be doable.

Problem is the costs really - they could probably get a Wii U into a phone form factor now but its much cheaper to 'box' these things. PS4 and Xbone could also be significantly smaller but fabricating these things adds a huge impact to the bottom line.

[MW_Jimmy]

They should've had the software, and they had no excuse not to either. They had no Wii titles upto a year before the WiiU launched and if their own internal software line-up was more varied and cross-cutting it would've stood a much better chance.

Too late now IMHO.