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THE NX STEPS: WHAT NINTENDO NEEDS TO DO

3/3/2016

17 Comments

 
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The Wii U has failed to live up to Nintendo's hopes.

Admittedly, it's not an unmitigated disaster, but the system's 10 million or so sales in three years are relatively paltry next to the success of its predecessor's 73 million.

Suffice to say, Nintendo would appear to have learned vital lessons from the U's relative failure. The company's next console, the Nintendo NX - just a stupid codename for now - could be doing things very differently.

​We know that it'll probably launch this year. There might a new Zelda game as a launch title (though it might also come out on the Wii U). It's apparently different to other consoles; a "new experience" - and not just another iteration of the Wii technology.

The specs will probably be on a par with the Xbox One and PS4. It could also, somehow, be a replacement for both the Wii U and the 3DS; some sort of hybrid portable/home console. It might feature smartphone connectivity. It's apparently very easy to develop games for.

​And those were the things we semi-know about. And now that section of the article has come to an end.

Now here's a new section: everything else we would like to see from the NX - accompanied by images of some typically wide-of-the-mark, speculative, NX "concept" art, drawn by quoit-fingered idiots.

7. LAUNCH GAMES
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http://davesgeekyideas.com/2015/11/10/nintendo-nx-concept/
Remember when Nintendo consoles used to launch with, like, really good games and that? That was fun, wasn't it?

The European launch of the Super NES had Super Mario World, F-Zero, and Super Tennis. Admittedly, not exactly the widest range of games - but all three were proper classics, and displayed exactly what the SNES was capable of. Pilotwings followed shortly afterwards, and gave further reason to wrap our SNES in a tarp.

The N64 arrived with Mario 64 - a world-shaking classic by anybody's reckoning - Shadows of the Empire, and Pilotwings 64. Again, a limited line-up, but all very solid reasons to inhale the machine. The Gamecube, alas, went for quantity over quality - though there were still gems such as Rogue Leader, and Luigi's Mansion. And Super Mario Sunshine arrived about six months later, like a "late baby".

Oddly, by the time of the Wii, Nintendo seemed to be more content with an any old rubbish approach. A vast stable of lame-limbed third-party releases could've ruined the Wii's launch - were it not for the fact it came bundled with Wii Sports. Nintendo got lucky: that one game alone justified the system.

Unfortunately, Nintendo had no such luck with the Wii U. The big launch exclusives for that were Nintendoland - a weird party game for sillyboys; New Super Mario Bros - a side-on platformer; and Ubisoft's ZombiU - a good game, but hardly archetypical Nintendo fare. The Wii U has never really recovered from those confusing initial impressions.

So with all that in mind, we say: quantity over quality. Whatever third parties have ready for launch, make sure you launch with 3 or so Nintendo blockbusters. Have another biggie ready to release within six months. And keep the momentum going. 
6. DON'T GO HEAVY ON THE GIMMICKS
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CTNTechnologyNews
The Wii U confused people worse than a barking hen. 

Being uncharitable you could argue that the Wii's controller was gimmick-y - but it was also something wholly new, and to use it you only had to be able to wave your arm around.

The Wii U kept that control system... but then also added an unattractive (and expensive) touchscreen controller. For much of the Wii U's life that controller has been under-utilised by anyone other than Nintendo, making it the proverbial "Sad Henry".

There are all sorts of rumours that the NX is going to somehow incorporate smartphone technology, or be a handheld/home console hybrid. Whatever the central conceit of the NX - keep it simple, keep easy to understand, and please... do not include a goo pipe (a pipe that leaks gunk).
5. STOP BEING SO BLOODY SECRETIVE
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You can feel the frustrations from third-party developers: they want to work with Nintendo on the NX, but Nintendo continues to play its cards close to its pants.

Thomas Mahler, from Moon Studios raged like this on NeoGaf: "With Nintendo not having any devkits out there at this point and probably even wanting to sell it in 2016, I can already guarantee that they’ll just not have any software support, since nobody can just jumble games together in less than a year. I mean, you can, but it’ll be garbage."

And if you're going to court third-parties, might it be wise for Nintendo to be speaking to people exactly like Moon Studios, who produced the distinctive and lovely Ori and the Blind Forest - rather than just Nintendo's rumoured "big partnership" with Electronic Arts?

The NX needs third-party support... but what's the point of that support if it's just going to result in the same fetid tedium that you've already got on the Xbox One and PS4? 
4. BE NINTENDO
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Justin Quinn
If the NX launches with a brand new Zelda game... that's a good thing. But why stop there? Nintendo has been oddly coy over the past decade when it comes to extending its established brands. Unless you count shoving its characters into the likes of Smash Bros., Wario Ware and Nintendoland.

When was the last bona-fide F-Zero game? Nearly 15 years ago. See also Starfox (though there's one of those in the works apparently). Why no new Metroid? Or Donkey Kong? Or Pilotwings? These are brands with global recognition, characters that work, solid concepts at their core... where have all the Nintendo blockbusters gone?

Here's where: Toiletville.
3. BE DIFFERENT
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The PlayStation 4 is doing just fine. It's got that whole boring-black-box-with-shooting-games-and-multimedia-set-top-box-functionality market more or less to itself. And what room there is for a competitor... the Xbox One has all that.

The NX needs to stand out and offer something distinctive (but not so distinctive that people go "Eww"). Nintendo needs to remember that it's the Disney/Pixar of gaming. There are gamers out there desperate for an alternative, who want that well-produced, family-friendly fare. You know: like you get at your local Harvester.
2. MARIO
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Nintendo is all about the Mario. Except... it isn't anymore. Mario became the icon he is because of the games. Now the character is nothing more than a corporate mascot, turning up at the Olympics with his former rival Sonic, or wheeling out the novelty hits in Mario Maker.

Nintendo seems to have returned Mario to his 2D roots - but as nice as the New Super Mario Bros games have been, why no proper Mario?

​In the past, the Mario series felt like laboratories for new types of gameplay. Has Nintendo just run out of inspiration? Super Mario 3D world was nice, but felt oddly slight. Super Mario Galaxy 2 was six years ago, however. Six! Super Mario Galaxy was three years before that. Super Mario Sunshine five years before that. Isn't it about time that Mario got a proper Mario game again, before he becomes his own tribute act on the nostalgia circuit?
1. DON'T RUSH
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Y'know... there's no rush, Nintendo. We don't need the NX this year. You might want it out to please your financial bottom line, but it won't kill you to wait, to get everything in place... So that when the NX launches it's a big deal. Surprise us with the greatest console launch of all time. Make excitement happen to us.

Nobody wants another Nintendo console to launch to an audience that can't stop shrugging. We all want Nintendo back, we want that buzz we used to get from knowing that a new Nintendo machine meant new Nintendo games. Do this, Nintendo. Do this all for us.
FROM THE ARCHIVE:
NINTENDO: LIFE BEFORE MARIO - A HISTORY
SEGA: LIFE BEFORE THE MASTER SYSTEM - A HISTORY
LET'S GET A JOB AT NINTENDO!

17 Comments
Trevor Cod
3/3/2016 12:33:23 pm

But what about Super Mario 3d World?
And you can turn into a cat in that.
I do agree that a full on proper Mario game would help the NX no end though.

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Mr Biffo
3/3/2016 12:41:13 pm

The fact I forget to mention it tells you everything (I've amended now). It just felt slight next to the Mario 64s and Super Mario Worlds, somehow. Loved it while it lasted, mind.

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Old Red link
3/3/2016 01:52:39 pm

How much of 3d World did you play? It's a fantastic game! I'm playing it along with galaxy 1 & 2 at the moment and that's a year after I bought it. It easily stands up with any other Mario entry in my opinion (which is usually wrong).

Andy Kavanagh link
3/3/2016 12:42:58 pm

WARIO WORLD 2. NINTENDO WINS.

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Mike Jones
3/3/2016 12:43:42 pm

I may be missing the point, but does (the excellent) Super Mario 3D World not count as a 'proper' Mario game on the Wii U? I am pretty drunk, though.

Otherwise I wholeheartedly agree - It's bizarre that Wii Sports HD (or whatever it's branded as) was released so late (and then piecemeal and download only initially). I get that Nintendoland was designed to showcase the controller, but it was nowhere near as accessible to non-gamers.

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Mr Biffo
3/3/2016 12:45:03 pm

Yeah... I forgot that one! I really enjoyed it at the time, but it's weird how it somehow didn't feel as "special" as those earlier games.

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Pierre Pressure
3/3/2016 01:03:54 pm

I need a decent Nintendo console in my life. On a massive nostalgia trip at the moment (feeling slightly melancholic in my advancing years) and Nintendo just scratches that itch. I've got an eight year old son who adores games and I don't think anyone quite makes games for the young and old like good old Nintendo. I've got my fingers tightly crossed for the NX.

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stef
4/3/2016 09:04:51 am

The wii U is a great console and worth every penny in my opinion as long as you know your game library will top out at 10.
I'm hoping the NX ( i quite like the name) will be backwards compatible, and if Nintendo were clever rebrand old wii U games as NX games and release a high res pack to take advantage of the new power (like the high res pc patches)

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Old Red link
3/3/2016 02:16:48 pm

After jumping back to Nintendo a couple of years ago from my PS3 the Wii U has turned me into a raving fan boy. I'm not sure if it's better or worse that I'm aware of this. I've not had so much fun with games since the SNES and receiving games that work out of the box is such a boon for me. Long forgotten were the days where I would go back to games after I'd finished them, but here I am still playing Bayonetta 2, Mario 3d World, Mario Kart 8 and Toad Treasure Tracker 18+ months after purchase.

It's a shame that the Wii U has been such a flop, as I fear this may be the last generation that offers as selection of games that reward the player for replaying and getting better at them.

I feel that Sony and Microsoft want so much of my time before I've even hit the start button. Games, for me, should be quick and ready to play whenever I want. I hope the NX continues with this ethos.

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Rich
3/3/2016 03:00:22 pm

Hope it's got Wii U backwards compatibility.

If so it'll have a really good back catalogue already, that a lot of people missed out on.

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Alastair
3/3/2016 04:16:53 pm

I left my 3DS into CEX a few weeks ago and when I'm done with the remaining back catalogue on my Wii I'm not getting a WiiU unless they become stupidly cheap, lower than the 40 I paid for my Wii.

I've heard of nothing that would coax me to take the dive right now save for Mario Kart.

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Spiney O'Sullivan
6/3/2016 11:02:18 am

Smash Bros U is excellent, but it depends how much mileage you get out of that sort of game.

Also it has some built-in mini games that are really fun. My personal favorite is "guess how thick the layer of dust on the mini-screen controller will be next time someone actually picks it up".

I paid about £200, and if I'm honest, I do feel I got money's worth from the sheer amount that my flatmate and I play Mario Kart or Smash Bros with friends. But if it wasn't for that, it's have been the most unused console I own, including the 3DS I haven't touched in about a year.

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Panda
3/3/2016 04:30:19 pm

I'm not sure they do need third party support. How many third party exclusives do we get on consoles nowadays? Even the last Tomb Raider game will be multiformat in a few months.

They'd only need third party support if they were trying to replace the PS4 and Xbox One and therefore make it the only console you need to own. An idealistic scenario but not one that I think pans out. How many 'core' gamers own just a Nintendo console? Plus I don't think they've properly wanted to directly compete with Sony and MS since the GameCube days. If all the above is true, then making a ton of effort to get third party support when you can get the same multiformat games on a console you already own would be a bit redundant.

I think they need to focus on their own studios and get some properly ambitious games out. I totally agree that Mario 3D World was disappointing in its lack of ambition compared to its predecessors. It's the least 3D-ish and the least World-ish for starters and therefore has the least appropriate title.

If they stop trying to single handedly support two platforms at once and just double their efforts on one, I think they could go it on their own, third parties be damned.

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Lindsay
3/3/2016 06:28:48 pm

Nintendo have got to fix their digital distribution. It is a joke. There is no integration. If you buy a Virtual Console game on your Wii U, you have to buy it again to play it on your 3DS. If you bought it on your Wii, you have to pay to get it transferred to your Wii U. (That's if it's even on the Wii U - all third party formats have been dropped, and there's a mere two pages of SNES titles).

If you've bought it for two or three consoles, it doesn't save sync. And there's only one quick save slot, so families can forget about concurrent playthroughs of long games with no legacy saving feature. (Families and couples can't even link accounts to share purchases.) Heaven forbid your console breaks or is stolen and you need to transfer your account to a replacement machine and redownload your purchases - only one of each console per account, no getting around the 'keep it to yourself' rule.

Imagine if Apple adopted a business model like this. Pay for an app on iPad, pay for it again on iPhone, pay to have it transferred to a new iPad Air. If a mugger nabs your phone, be made to feel like a criminal when you ask to have your account transferred over. If you write an email on one, you can't attach a photo taken on another. Their user base would evaporate overnight.

There's no indication of any understanding of market saturation. Of the reasons why the demographics tapped by the DS have all migrated to smartphones. It's like Nintendo are on a crusade to eliminate free riders and monetise every download, with zero effort to grow the user base beyond a few million die-hards who will buy Super Mario World three times a decade. A copy of a game for 3DS when purchased for Wii U is heralded as an amazing offer, rather than the absolute bare minimum that should be the default in any digital distribution platform.

First party games almost never get reduced, demanding £50 for three year old titles. This completely foregoes the budget gamer who coughs up a steady flow of revenue for old games that have recouped their dev costs. They don't even do the fanboy/girl squeezing competently, insisting we load a Wii emulator and drop funds in a legacy store to play any retro game not explicitly referenced in Smash Bros. Oh, and if a game could support a controller, it should - we should not have to buy a dozen of the things for that one time we want to play this or that.

They need to get over this Games Workshop style approach of furiously bilking a small number of obsessive fans, and start thinking about growing their markets.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to sell a kidney to raise funds for Deathwatch: Overkill.

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Dirty Barry
4/3/2016 04:32:56 am

As others have said, Nintendo's online architecture really needs sorting. I reckon it would be to their advantage to have ease of use and functionality comparable to Xbox Live.

Above all, they need to listen to their older fans. I have owned all the Nintendo consoles (bar the virtual boy) and loved them all. But everything they have done after the snes has involved at least one facepalm inducing decision (be it little discs, silly controllers, etc etc) that has held the console back.

For Nintendo, the Mario and Zelda stuff will always be gold - that's a given. Is it not about time Nintendo had a serious go at grabbing back some of the centre ground?

I'd like to see the SNES ethos return: quality, quantity and variety. Hardware just that bit better than what's currently available. No gimmicks, no rubbish ports, no nonsense.

Will they do it?

Of course they won't. They never listen to me. And I'll still end up buying the bloody thing, because I can't not have Mario Kart.

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Meeehhhh
5/3/2016 03:49:19 pm

I love the wiiu, I think they need to get behind it, they are their own worst enemy I am enjoying it too much to see it go it feels like only yesterday I bought it, the lifespan of nintendo consoles is shrinking that worries me I dont sell out 150+ to have something be obsolete with a handful of games 3 years later, I expect a ten year life span like we got in the old days.

If NX comes out this year and is a home console they can shove it, I wouldn't just it not to be put to death quickly if it doesn't sell. If its a handheld I probably would buy it tho as there track record for handhelds is better.

But like Sony with the PSP and Vita (never buy one of their handhelds again) Nintendo never seem to be interested, xenoblades chronicles x for example is the best rpg in years, it came out in December and yet did you see any tv adverts for it? Was there big posters on buses and bus shelters shouting about its greatness no there was nothing.

Splatoon had a few half arsed TV adverts but they were fairly poor and ultimately thats what will kill the NX too, 3DS does well because theres no competition but with home consoles they really need to make an effort to sell themselves, frankly I dont think they give a stuff about the world beyond japan I have had that impression from them for years and that just doesn't work when you are up against names like sony and microsoft, people like to gravitate towards the familiar unless encouraged otherwise,

So they have a sony tv thats worked for years so they buy the sony console, they use windows on the pc so buy a xbox, theres no link in for Nintendo so they need to attract people all the more, but instead they are pushing their loyal fans away with a lack of interest in the wider world and lack of dedication to their own systems, since the DS was created it feels like they just want to milk the fans with hardware every 6 to 12 months that they never bother to fully support, dont get me wrong the few games they make are the best but we need more and they are creating their own downfall as I will wait and see if they announce a new version within a year rather then any new games or a ptice drop. You reap what you sew.

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Spiney O'Sullivan
6/3/2016 10:55:31 am

Basically all Nintendo have to do is fix everything and completely rethink their attitude towards their own major IPs, how to satisfy any or all of their various dwindling audiences, how to do marketing, console launches, keeping up with the pace of technology, digital distribution, online play, third parties, and maybe even mobile gaming.

Seems easy enough.

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