They won't get rid of that stigma. If anything it will make them look immature.

But either way they WANT that stigma. They do everything to keep that stigma as kids and family friendly console.

Exactly. Mario smoking cigars and dropping F-bombs while stomping on Goombas whose heads leak blood and brains when they're squished would engender an incredble outcry from not only parents, but most gamers as well. Likewise with the idea Link ramming his sword into Ganon's brain causing a spray of blood and gore and Ganon pissing and shitting on himself. Or nude Zelda, or sex scenes between Link and a female character. If Nintendo needs more mature IPs, they're going to have to be along the lines of Perfect Dark or Eternal Darkness. Dudebroing the hell out of Mario, Zelda, or Pokemon is a recipe for disaster.

On established characters? NO.
(except maybe a slightly more mature Zelda game)

On new ips? SURE.

I agree with your 5th generation Pokémon statement. It definitely has a more darker theme than all the other ones since you question the whole "am I bad guy for being a trainer" thing. I actually rank it the best in terms of story of all the games for it's darker undertone. And yes, I've played bits and pieces of X/Y and I felt they took 10 steps back in it.

Yeah I guess my imagination was a little rampant today! With all those ideas and considering doing something like that to Mario could possibly self destruct Nintendo. Still Conker's Bad Fur Day started as a Kiddie game as well and that too is considered one of the best games of all time, mainly because of it's unexpected M rated content mixed with it's superb platforming.... (a very EVIL part of me wants to see Nintendo do something like this to Mario... very evil).

I also didn't like the Idea of Zelda myself, I just put it there for the sake of arguement.

Metroid is in many ways is Mature, but seeing it like Aliens would be probably make it a System Seller! Alien: Colonial Marines is a bad game but it still sold 1.15 million. So, making it like this would probably pull a new crowd into playing Metroid.

They do sound like worst Ideas than what they currently are. I love all my Nintendo games and series just the way they are (besides other M ). But I just say this to just attract a new audience. Also, I think someone else posted an article here on little 7 year olds holding an Xbox 360 with CoD:MW3 and their parents lining up for it. Western Audiences don't really care if it's M rated. Majority just want that it'll shut their kids up and keep em still for a few hours, especially in the States.

Then again, this all goes against why I love Nintendo, because they provide something DIFFERENT from everybody else. So maybe I'm talking out of my ass tonight.

And call me a monster because I said WW could have been mature?

In my world, that Mature Zelda happened!!

I rather Nintendo make a mature IP than make an old series more mature. This way current fans get games they still enjoy from the series and different Nintendo games as well.

lol, sounds like you already know all of the problems with your OP. I removed everything I wasn't going to respond to directly.

Colonial Marines most likely sold as much as it did on brand power alone. I'm guessing that if it had actually been good, it might have sold a bit better. Still, its sales seem surprisingly in-line with expectations for Metroid, if not weaker (considering it was multiplatform). They could play up the Aliens references a bit more in Metroid, but I'm not sure that would help at all. I think they just need to make a great Metroid game that brings something really new to the series -- they need to do to Metroid Prime what Metroid Prime did to Super Metroid. I know that's a tall order, but it's their only hope of making Metroid exciting again.

And yeah, I called you a monster. :P Wind Waker is plenty mature. It has one of the best stories in the series, and the presentation fits the tone perfectly. I wouldn't have it any other way.

No to changing Mario, but I wouldn't mind seeing a slightly darker Zelda and I think Metroid could go a ways darker too.

I think what they could do is take a bounty hunter from the Metroid universe that's not Samus and make a more action-oriented IP from that and you could probably have something that sells OK. If Samus isn't the main character, then you have a lot more leeway to make the gameplay and story different. 

Yes! Just like how it was  an amazing idea for Sonic to go mature!

They have tried this. Killer 7, Mad World, Eternal Darkness (which many consider one of the best horror games ever made), Geist, ZombiU, No more Heroes 1 AND 2, Conker's Bad Fur Day, Red Steel 1 & 2, even Resident Evil 4 was a GC exclusive for a while. ALL SOLD POORLY besides RE4 but it RE games are already an established franchise and it sold mostly on the Wii than the GC. Hell, you can probably throw Bayonetta 2 in the mix since many here say it won't sell (I hope most of you are wrong ). Only reason why I suggest changing their existing ones is because it gives series the general audience are familiar with, while appealing to their existing fans, and a chance to draw out a new audience that THOUGHT this series were a certain way but turned out to be like something they like (Metroid looks like Destiny now? Awesome!)...

If Nintendo could broaden their IP portfolio to this ...

1.) Family-friendly/sugary sweet:

Yoshi, Animal Crossing, Kirby, Pokemon, Super Mario, Mario Kart, Mario Sports (various), Wario, Wii Sports/Fit/Party, Star Fox

2.) Mid-tier (not too violent, not too sweet)

Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Fire Emblem

3.) Hardcore

Xenoblade, Fatal Frame, Bayonetta


2 and 3 still have a ways to go. If you could add James Bond IP and/or maybe a licensing deal with Marvel for Avengers + Guardians games, I think you'd finally have the right mix.