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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Here are the Six Reasons Nintendo Has the Edge

NiKKoM on 27 January 2009
d21lewis said:
MrBubbles said:
i recall a conversation with someone...he referred to a playstation game as a nintendo game. when i corrected his error, he then went on a rant trying to convince me that all video games are actually called nintendo games. despite my best efforts he refused to listen to reason.

 

I've certainly been there!  The uninformed over 30 crowd calls video games "Nintendo".  The uninformed younger crowd calls video games "Playstation".

 

This especially sucks when the console we're actually talking about is the Xbox 360!!!

Well in the Netherlands back in the early 90's (Damn I sound old) we actually had a new verb introduced into the vocalbulary:

Nintendoen

Yes it means playing a videogame... It starting to come back with the Wii... people are saying it again: Let's go nintendoen..

We also had Nintendo-duim.. which translate into Nintendo-thumb.. Meaning that your thumbs had an injury by playing to much on an Nintendo console/handheld... my doctor advice me not to play with the Nintendo for a month.. :(

So it's not strange to see nintendo=videogames...

 



 

Face the future.. Gamecenter ID: nikkom_nl (oh no he didn't!!) 

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HappySqurriel on 27 January 2009
bouzane said:
c0rd said:
bouzane said:
People who argue against points 5 and 6 seem to forget that the turds that we call the N64 and GameCube outsold fantastic consoles like the Genesis and the Dreamcast. I play just about every genre of game ever concieved and I have a hard time justifying the inclusion of those systems in my collection.

Whoa, I thought we were past that decade? Sega does what Nintendon't?

It's really strange you're comparing systems from different generations. Still, the biggest N64 hit in the west (besides Mario) was Goldeneye, and Bond isn't quite a Nintendo mascot.

Oh, and just about everything outsold the Dreamcast. The Game Gear outsold the Dreamcast. Heck, the PSP outsold everything Sega, and will overtake SNES/NES eventually. Maybe you find those handhelds more worthy than the GameCube, I dunno...


OT: Gamecube!

For a direct comparison I can point out the fact that the N64 outsold the Saturn nearly 4 to 1 despite the Saturn's 2 year head start. When I revisit the 5th generation consoles, it's usually to play the Saturn and rarely to play anything on the N64. Mario Sunshine is a great example of point #6, a second rate platformer selling over 10 million copies is somewhat disheartening. I admit that the Dreamcast was a poor example. About the Game Gear and PSP, I do think that the Game Gear is pretty much on par with the GameCube in terms of game selection and that the PSP is vastly superior.

 

Back in the Genesis/SNES and Gameboy/Gamegear days the market was far smaller, people were less likely to buy multiple gaming systems, there were no reasons outside of gaming to buy a console, and the systems were (pretty much) unbreakable which meant that few people ever needed to replace them.

Sega's handling of the Sega CD and Sega 32x, combined with releasing a difficult to program $500 console with no games at launch really ensured that the Saturn had no chance of being successful. Sega's handling of the Sega CD, 32X and Saturn, along with their massive debts, damaged third party relationships, and massive hype for the PS2 made it impossible for the Dreamcast to really be particularly successful.

 

Basically, the success Nintendo achieved with the N64 and Gamecube was the direct result of them being far more careful with what they produced ... While there were issues with platforms like the N64 and Gamecube, the only system Nintendo released that faced market failure was the Virtual Boy (and its failure probably had a negative impact on the N64).

As for the comment on Super Mario Sunshine ... While it wasn't the best Mario Platformer it was still an excellent game and receives a lot of un-earned bashing primarily because it was a different game than people expected. To a certain extent Mario Sunshine always reminds me of The Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask because people either enjoyed it for what it was or hated it for what it wasn't.



Pyro as Bill on 27 January 2009

1. Nintendo gets too much praise for it's marketing. They are selling motion gaming, does anyone think "dark, edgy commercials" will sell the Wii? No! Just show people what it does and they'll buy it.

2. Utter BS! Control of demand, lol.

3. Nintendo haven't abandoned the hard(ly)core. Kart/Galaxy/Brawl/Zelda/Metroid in 2 years.

4. Nintendo could charge double and still outsell the PS3.

5. So the casuals AND the hardcore are responsible for the Wii's success? Interesting.

6. Yeh, it's all about the mascots.


Here is the 1 reason for Nintendo's success.
1. Wii-mote. It's not difficult to understand.



Nov 2016 - NES outsells PS1 (JP)

Don't Play Stationary 4 ever. Switch!

bdbdbd on 27 January 2009

@HappySqurriel: You forgot one thing, which is that Sega announced them focusing on Dreamcast really early, which caused a lot of uncertainity among third parties when they didn't know how long Saturn will be in the market and how long will Dreamcast live before it's replaced. For example EA ditched Sega for good because of that.



Ei Kiinasti.

Eikä Japanisti.

Vaan pannaan jalalla koreasti.

 

Nintendo games sell only on Nintendo system.

mike_intellivision on 27 January 2009

Not all blogs are created equal. And sometimes, people don't think before they write.

Creating a list of all the perceived strengths of each console is one thing. Saying that the competitors should steal them or trying to explain success by them is something else.

The technical prowess of the PS3 is the reason for its high cost. The first-to-market approach of Microsoft is one reason RROD was not solved. Supporting BR and DL is like a belt-and-suspenders approach to keeping your pants up.

Innovation and a more varied approach to gaming helped propel the Wii. The GC had the price and first-party advantages -- and still fared poorly in terms of sales.

Mike from Morgantown



      


I am Mario.


I like to jump around, and would lead a fairly serene and aimless existence if it weren't for my friends always getting into trouble. I love to help out, even when it puts me at risk. I seem to make friends with people who just can't stay out of trouble.

Wii Friend Code: 1624 6601 1126 1492

NNID: Mike_INTV
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Sullla on 27 January 2009

By Internet standard, this actually isn't too bad of an article. At least it goes beyond, "Nintendo won because they focused on casuals!" although of course, that's included in here too... I'm glad that the point about limiting supply is getting the ridicule it deserves. We spent all of 2007 debating that issue, with many anti-Wii posters vehemently insisting that Nintendo was artificially creating a supply shortage. Naturally, it was all a bunch of fanboy nonsense.

It's amazing that they missed talking about the real reasons for Wii's success. Here are the three simple reasons why Nintendo won:

- New, accessible hardware input (Wiimote)
- Innovative software (Wii Sports/Fit)
- Affordable mass market pricing

It's as simple as that. If you want to write an article on what Microsoft and Sony should take away, use those three things.



My Website

End of 2008 totals: Wii 42m, 360 24m, PS3 18.5m (made Jan. 4, 2008)

PSaiki on 27 January 2009

LOL!

Wha a failure!
Even worst than the PS3's article.
Number 2 is bullshit.
And they don't even mention Wiimote and Wii Fit.



Final-Fan on 27 January 2009
bouzane said:
c0rd said:
bouzane said:
People who argue against points 5 and 6 seem to forget that the turds that we call the N64 and GameCube outsold fantastic consoles like the Genesis and the Dreamcast. I play just about every genre of game ever concieved and I have a hard time justifying the inclusion of those systems in my collection.
Whoa, I thought we were past that decade? Sega does what Nintendon't?

It's really strange you're comparing systems from different generations. Still, the biggest N64 hit in the west (besides Mario) was Goldeneye, and Bond isn't quite a Nintendo mascot.

Oh, and just about everything outsold the Dreamcast. The Game Gear outsold the Dreamcast. Heck, the PSP outsold everything Sega, and will overtake SNES/NES eventually. Maybe you find those handhelds more worthy than the GameCube, I dunno...

OT: Gamecube!
For a direct comparison I can point out the fact that the N64 outsold the Saturn nearly 4 to 1 despite the Saturn's 2 year head start. When I revisit the 5th generation consoles, it's usually to play the Saturn and rarely to play anything on the N64. Mario Sunshine is a great example of point #6, a second rate platformer selling over 10 million copies is somewhat disheartening. I admit that the Dreamcast was a poor example. About the Game Gear and PSP, I do think that the Game Gear is pretty much on par with the GameCube in terms of game selection and that the PSP is vastly superior.



Seriously though there does appear to be an ongoing meltdown here.   

Since when did Sunshine sell 10 million copies?  Unless he meant SM64, in which case:  I've grown accustomed to hearing Sunshine hate, but if you just called SM64 a second rate platformer ... it's on. 

I had a Game Gear, and loved it, but comparing it to the Gamecube?  Show me its RE4. 



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coolestguyever on 27 January 2009

1. Price

2. Price

3. Price

4. Price

5. Price

6. Price


I know the arcade is now cheaper, but when it came out Wii was the cheapest for like a year at least and it got popular, and stayed that way.



bouzane on 27 January 2009
Final-Fan said:
bouzane said:
c0rd said:
bouzane said:
People who argue against points 5 and 6 seem to forget that the turds that we call the N64 and GameCube outsold fantastic consoles like the Genesis and the Dreamcast. I play just about every genre of game ever concieved and I have a hard time justifying the inclusion of those systems in my collection.
Whoa, I thought we were past that decade? Sega does what Nintendon't?

It's really strange you're comparing systems from different generations. Still, the biggest N64 hit in the west (besides Mario) was Goldeneye, and Bond isn't quite a Nintendo mascot.

Oh, and just about everything outsold the Dreamcast. The Game Gear outsold the Dreamcast. Heck, the PSP outsold everything Sega, and will overtake SNES/NES eventually. Maybe you find those handhelds more worthy than the GameCube, I dunno...

OT: Gamecube!
For a direct comparison I can point out the fact that the N64 outsold the Saturn nearly 4 to 1 despite the Saturn's 2 year head start. When I revisit the 5th generation consoles, it's usually to play the Saturn and rarely to play anything on the N64. Mario Sunshine is a great example of point #6, a second rate platformer selling over 10 million copies is somewhat disheartening. I admit that the Dreamcast was a poor example. About the Game Gear and PSP, I do think that the Game Gear is pretty much on par with the GameCube in terms of game selection and that the PSP is vastly superior.



Seriously though there does appear to be an ongoing meltdown here.   

Since when did Sunshine sell 10 million copies?  Unless he meant SM64, in which case:  I've grown accustomed to hearing Sunshine hate, but if you just called SM64 a second rate platformer ... it's on. 

I had a Game Gear, and loved it, but comparing it to the Gamecube?  Show me its RE4. 

 

Whoops, I should say 6 million copies, thanks for pointing out my error. About RE4, I thought that was one of the most overrated games of all time. I've finished both the PS2 and GC versions and while the GC version is more fun it still didn't impress me. I didn't find it frightening in the slightest, the A.I. is terrible, not being able to do things such as lean to avoid projectiles and having to pause the game so often to change weapons and heal is unintuitive and detrimental to the immersion of the game. I remember that while I was on a bridge approaching the lake where you fight Del lagos a mob of ganados approached. I had to pause and equip the shotgun, unpause to shoot them to the ground, pause and equip a grenade, unpause and throw the grenade into the pile, pause and equip the pistol, unpause and finish the survivors, then curse when another mob appeared >_<. The only GameCube title that I really enjoyed was Metroid Prime, my second favorite game ever created by Nintendo after Earthbound. I'd say that it is more then fair to compare the GameCube to the Game Gear, the Game Gear had some great games like Shinobi I & II, Ristar, Crystal Warriors and the Defenders of Oasis.