*** Nintendo Switch ***

[andshrew]

For me, at least, Nintendo have been shooting themselves in the foot for the last two generations. They're arguably still the best game developer around but a combination of playing things sickeningly safe while being held back by hardware has resulted in a pale imitation of what they used to be.

I don't really understand this view. Every piece of hardware they've released over the past 10 years has tried something different, some of it's worked some hasn't. Is that playing it safe?

The actual games they're putting out are consistently high quality, as good as anything they've ever done, and I don't particularly see the 'power' of the Wii U at this point holding them back. Would Mario Kart 8 instantly be twice as good as what we have now if the console happened to have PS4-level power behind it... I don't think so. It could be better if it had a decent online network infrastructure behind it, but that isn't down the a limitation of the hardware it's down to arguably out-dated ways of building online gaming systems.

I'd like to see whatever the new system is sort out the terribly sluggish operating system that plagued the Wii U, keep it affordable, and just keep on delivering their great games.

 

[Syph]

Even then, I don't think the Wii U is terribly sluggish - not now anyway despite the awful launch speed.

The Wii U has been massive value for money in my household and I suspect we're the target audience. Family with a Nintendo fan (me), 2 kids and a wife who is semi-interested. Mine is used daily, even if it's just off-screen Lego Marvel or something. I don't see how more power would have instantly made the games I enjoy on it better.

However, the argument always boils down to the support of 3rd parties and the crippling effect of power. But the last powerful Nintendo console, the Gamecube, couldn't compete with the PS2 for a variety of reasons. Nothing to do with its power though.

A part of me does desire Zelda and Metroid on ridiculously powerful specs. I've come to accept this is unlikely, so a cheaper console with different features (the gamepad I find perfect for us) sits it nicely alongside the PS4 or PC.

 

[Begbie]

I just can't wait to see how pretty MK9 is going to be!

It's easily one of the nicest looking games out still, with more graphical power it will look stunning!

 

[JLarks]

Sorry if this has already been asked and answered in the thread but... do we know what specification and price range the new console is going to be?

I'm assuming similar spec to a PS4/Xbox one and around £300?

 

[malachi]

Nintendo haven't chased power in decades, why start now?

With Tatsumi Kimishima now leading the company things can change. He was the person who told Satoru Iwata (RIP) not to call Nintendo's current console the Wii U.

 

[merlin]

Sorry if this has already been asked and answered in the thread but... do we know what specification and price range the new console is going to be?

I'm assuming similar spec to a PS4/Xbox one and around £300?

No-one has a Scooby Doo, basically.

Guesswork.....handheld first, console later. Or, there might never be a console, like ever, or it might be a hybrid.

 

[Begbie]

I like the hybrid idea, can't see how it would work though.

 

[merlin]

The new hardware needs to be powerful enough to interest TP devs, that's where the Wii U failed.

 

[Warbie]

I don't really understand this view. Every piece of hardware they've released over the past 10 years has tried something different, some of it's worked some hasn't. Is that playing it safe?

I'm with you on that, for the most part. They've played it safe spec wise, but have taken risks and tried new things elsewhere.

The actual games they're putting out are consistently high quality, as good as anything they've ever done

This is where I disagree. Completely. MK8 was great, sure. It didn't reinvent anything, but was great nonetheless. And Pikmin 3 was good. More of the same, but good. And that's about it. Really - where are the big hitters that shake the industry? Look at the fuss games like Fallout and Uncharted (or whatever, you get my point) get these days at gaming conventions. The HUGE games that have the industry on tender hooks. Nintendo used to have those. Take 3D World - the gulf in ambition and quality between that and Mario 64 is considerable. This is what we should be getting with today's tech - a full on, beautiful, massive Mario World playground that we can explore and discover stuff in. That's what Mario 64 started and now we're back to paint by no.s, tiny bite-sized levels. And Zelda - it hasn't progressed at all since OoT (I can't knock Wind Waker tho - it's too damn pretty!).

What we get today are safe, well made, iterations - Mario Kart, Smash Bros. , New Super Mario Bros - with the occasional flash that reminds us of what we used to get.

 

[andshrew]

This is where I disagree. Completely. MK8 was great, sure. It didn't reinvent anything, but was great nonetheless. And Pikmin 3 was good. More of the same, but good. And that's about it. Really - where are the big hitters that shake the industry? Look at the fuss games like Fallout and Uncharted (or whatever, you get my point) get these days at gaming conventions. The HUGE games that have the industry on tender hooks. Nintendo used to have those. Take 3D World - the gulf in ambition and quality between that and Mario 64 is considerable. This is what we should be getting with today's tech - a full on, beautiful, massive Mario World playground that we can explore and discover stuff in. That's what Mario 64 started and now we're back to paint by no.s, tiny bite-sized levels. And Zelda - it hasn't progressed at all since OoT (I can't knock Wind Waker tho - it's too damn pretty!).

What we get today are safe, well made, iterations - Mario Kart, Smash Bros. , New Super Mario Bros - with the occasional flash that reminds us of what we used to get.

I get what you're saying but this in particular is something the entire industry is guilty of at the moment. There may be massive hype but Fallout 4 is just a streamlined Fallout 3 etc.

I just don't think having some new super powerful console would necessarily have any impact on their current approach. New innovative ideas are more likely to come through as their younger developers start to take over leadership of their future game development, and you're already starting to see that with games like Splatoon.

 

[Warbie]

I just don't think having some new super powerful console would necessarily have any impact on their current approach.

A fair point. Perhaps it's too risky given the costs of development these days for big companies to innovate. My concern is that if I were a young gamer today, I wouldn't have much interest in Nintendo as they're simply not that great. There's nothing special that jumps out.

So, Zelda. Nintendo will release the next Zelda and we'll all get excited because it's Zelda. Maybe they'll shock everyone and do something different this time, but I suspect not. They won't have actually earned that excitement tho - it was earned with LoZ, Zelda 2, LttP and OoT. When each release was ****ing amazing! That pretty much sums Nintendo up - relying on past glory to generate interest today. And what will happen when the last Pokémon fans have finally grown up and moved on - what do Nintendo do now to generate new generations of fanboys?

I know I'm ranting btw, but despite everything I'm still a screaming Nintendo fanboy and want them to make great games again.

 

[Noxia]

They DO still make great games though.

 

[BG1980]

Nintendo haven't chased power in decades, why start now?

I'm not having a go but the Xbox One and PS4 are underpowered by a long shot, in fact the PS4 made me move back to PC gaming for the first time in years.

For me to be interested in the NX it would have to be quite a bit more powerful than the PS4 let alone the Xbox.

 

[ic1male]

For me to be interested in the NX it would have to be quite a bit more powerful than the PS4 let alone the Xbox.

Even Apple with the iPhone doesn't have that much power in a £700 device. I can't see Nintendo doing it on the basis of the unit being a handheld with wireless streaming to TV.

 

[Noxia]

I see PS4 more as the 3.5. Wasn't a great leap.

 

[malachi]

I see PS4 more as the 3.5. Wasn't a great leap.

And it will be like that from now on. Wont be like the 90's where we went from 16bit to 32bit/2D to 3D.

 

[Soulja]

The main thing I'd like to see is a good online service.

 

[Mark1989]

All Nintendo need to do is make the next consol on par power wise with ps4 and xbox one, it's main reason third party developers don't bother with there machines imo if they did they could still do there great games which they do and they would get the games they miss out on. As above post fix there online service it's just not nice to use

 

[johnny6]

i haven't been excited about any of the consoles for years. Arguably I'm the industries biggest problem that needs to be tackled.

I grow up with the Commodore 64 and earlier computers, graduated to console gaming with the Atari 2600 and saw the industry explode with the subsequent generations, bring exciting new concepts to the industry. Moving from the 2600, to the Nes, then to the snes/mega drive and seeing the dawn of 3D console gaming with the PS1 and N64.

It was an exciting period and something which the current industry doesn't seem to match. A shame really as I still like gaming, I simply don't get excited about it any more. All at a time when I have more income I can invest in such an activity.

Maybe proper virtual reality will be the next exciting industry changing moment. More of the same with slightly better graphics however not interested.

 

[BG1980]

Even Apple with the iPhone doesn't have that much power in a £700 device. I can't see Nintendo doing it on the basis of the unit being a handheld with wireless streaming to TV.

I completely agree with you. It's not going to happen, doesn't stop me wishing they would surprise us with something quite powerful.