Edge magazine -- another UK basher of Nintendo. (I know it is more than that now -- but the common thread remains).

Take any negative point, exaggerate and extrapolate, and voila.

Funny thing is that their webpage is filled with news about how well Nintendo is doing.

It was also interesting how people were complaining that were not any new Mario (main line), Zelda or Metroid games in the comments. But if Nintendo brought out another sequel for those IPs, it would be lambasted for that.

Sometimes you are not paranoid, there are people out to get you.

Mike from Morgantown

Maybe your abilities improved with time. In the original MP I died 2 times: both in the underground area where you fight every flavor of space pirates (it is a very long walk to the next save point and the damage add up). I got killed more than 3 times on a single boss in MP3 (hypermode will kill you if mismanaged). MP3 got 3 difficult levels and I think normal in MP was a breeze compared to veteran in MP3.

I think a lot of you are being a bit too hard on the article, though it has its floors it was definitely an entertaining read for me.. I actually agree with some of the things he was saying. What i like most about the article is that it is not as emotionally biased as a lot of the Anti Wii articles out there today. I especially like the way he talked about nintendo changing from the cards to video games as their main income, never heard the point of view before, And i do agree that Nintendo is turning into a gaming lifestyle company, which is part of their disruption in this industry.

Whilst i don't believe nintendo have left the hardcore, its taking a long time for people to see their bigger picture, but it will slowly form. Funny thing is the bigger picture is already out there in the form of the Ds but i think hardcore gamers love conflict so they need someone to bag on.The truth is, if we take nintendo out of the equation, the picture of the gaming industry looks very bleak, and i am sure a lot of hardcore gamers know it, which really scares them

This gen has proved just how unimportant they really are. Like Happy said earlier they have demands that do not make much sense to a business who actually want to remain profitable. MS has lost a little over 6 billion dollars just to court the hardcore, the xbox devision will never make that money back this generation. 6 billion!! some countries don't even have that type of money flowing through their economy and MS hcan blow it on the hardcore gamers, simply crazy!

what annoys me is all the blame is on Nintendo for not having core games and little on 3rd party.

3rd party always bitch they can't compete with Nintendo since their games are better.

Well here is their window of opportunity. No Nintendo hardcore games to compete against. It is time for them to get of their ass and put in an effort.

Instead what do they try and do? compete with Nintendo again, but this time with CASUAL games.

CORE GAMES IS THE KEY FOR 3RD PARTIES.

did this guy honestly expect that all the HARDCORE games should be made by Nintendo alone.

Don`t forget that units sold are the only important issue. Mario Galaxy selling all those units at full price is a non issue. Let`s also ignore profits and revenue.

1. Shigeru Miyamoto is no longer the man who made Donkey Kong
Ye obviousy he is a robot and he changed durr learn guiz

2. Nintendo is not, actually, a videogame company
Once again, obviously we all know they make fridges gosh.


3. Making Nintendo games for hardcore gamers is difficult
So.

4. Making Nintendo games for casual gamers is easier
NO FUCKING SHIT.

5. Even Nintendo’s ‘hardcore’ games are no longer hardcore
Says who lmao.

6. Focusing on hardcore users didn’t work last time around.
lol

7. Nintendo is not giving fans the IP they keep asking for
Sry, people like you say they shouldn't but when they don't they do it wrong MAKE UP YOUR MIND.

8. At Nintendo, online is an option, not an essential
So.

9. Third-party publishers like Nintendo just the way it is
How the fuck is that Nintendos fault?

10. Nobody else does Nintendo games as well as Nintendo
Except fans.

Shit article is Shit.

My abilities didn't improve at all.  I'm actually really bad at video games, despite my addiction/love for them.  MP3 was way easier than the previous incarnations.  The bosses were worse, too.  I mean seriously, Ridley twice--again?!  Oh wait... was it twice, or was it three times?  Either way, it spent way too much time with Ridley, and all the other bosses were really generic-feeling when compared to something like Thardus from MP1, or the Emperor Ing from MP2.  What little playtime I actually had with Veteran in MP3 failed to offer me a real challenge, and I didn't even bother with Hyper mode.  The way they were going, none of them were as hard as the standard mode from the two previous games.

1. Did anyone see the recent news where Nintendo mentioned they're working on hardcore games?

2. The hardcore games are coming from 3rd parties, probably in response to the fewer hardcore games from Nintendo.

I always thought it ironic that Nintendo gets blasted by 3rd parties who don't want to compete with their games, then when they leave room for the 3rd parties to make the games, they get blasted for not making enough games.

what?!?! LoZ:PH was great!! it was accessible..that doesn't mean the game is EASY..

all it means is that it's easy to do all the basics..and then the game starts

the difficulty of a game is not how many times you die..or how hard the combos are to pull off..

look at Smashbros..it's relly easy to play...just hard to get good at..

that's how Nintendo games..(all games) should be..

easy to play and understand..but hard to master..

that's a real game..

anyone can make a game with sucky controls and scream that it's hardcore

1. The article seems to say that because Miyamoto has decided to branch out to other genres he is neglecting the hardcore and therefore the quality of games like Mario and Zelda. Super Mario Galaxy has been widely heralded in the gaming world as one of the best games of this generation and Twilight Princess, though underwhelming in some aspects, has been received reasonably well. This is all at the same time that games like Nintendogs, Brain Training, and Wii Sports have been lighting up the chart. Although Miyamoto does not focus on "core" games as much as in the past, it really isn't true to say that the quality of said games have dropped dramatically, or even dropped at all.

2. How does having wide reaching marketing signal abandonment? Nintendo aims to have its products appeal to everyone, not just hardcore, and not just casual. The writer is missing the ingenuity of the whole marketing plan. Everyone can play and have fun, core and casual.

3. I don't understand why he brings up Mario Galaxy and Twilight Princess. Nintendo has generally only released one main series game of each of these during a console's life, and those have already been completed. The next console will not be for years, and by then new iterations will certainly be ready. We don't know yet if they will upturn the formula or if they will indulge the criticisms that have been launched. It's unfair to say they won't or haven't. But anyways onto his other point, it really isn't correct to say that Wii Music is the new Mario or Zelda. Yes, perhaps many hardcore gamers may be disgruntled that there is no "core" Nintendo IP releasing this holiday season, but when in the first two years of a console's life, core gamers have already received Metroid, Mario, Fire Emblem, Zelda, and Smash Bros., it's a bit melodramatic to say that because of ONE season that doesn't have any of the big series releasing, Nintendo is abandoning the hardcore.

4. This is a weak point. Nintendo still produces Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Fire Emblem, Smash Bros., etc. Just because the success of easy to produce games has been massive, doesn't mean Nintendo has or plans to stop production of core series.

5. Super Smash Bros. can be button masher? Practically ANY fighting game ever can be a button masher if you want it to be. But one thing's for sure: if you try it against someone who practices or is skilled you will lose big time. And as for the other "easier" games. I wonder if this guy has actually played Mario 64 recently. I for one remembered Mario 64 being difficult when I was eight but by now I can easily speed my way through.

6. That's why they're focusing on both.

7. the IP they've been asking for? It's only been two years since the system came out for goodness sake. They don't have anything ready yet.

8. It's true that Nintendo online is lacking in comparison to the other consoles, but the fact that they have implemented it and are seeking for ways to improve means they are trying to please their core audience not abandon them.

9. I really don't understand this point, it isn't relevant.

10. Yes and they still do make great core games.

All in all, it's clear that this article doesn't get it.  But it's an especially bad argument because of the poor examples and even poorer drawn conclusions.  His position is wrong, and so is the way he's presenting it.