But is it justified this time?
I'm thinking specifically of my dislike for New Super Mario Bros. Wii here. It's essentially an old-school Mario platformer, which I should love, right? But I don't. Maybe because the big "innovation" for it is the 4 player coop, which I played and hated. Even if I did play thru the whole game by myself, I might like it, but at the same time I would feel like it was just a cut-and-paste of New Super Mario Bros. on the DS. Maybe I feel like it's just lazy of Nintendo to make this, since they've successfully taken Mario into the 3D world (almost 15 YEARS AGO-crazy that it's been that long) and even past that into space with Galaxy, but now they've taken a step back. Maybe it was just an effort to give younger players a try at playing a game very much like the all-important Super Mario Bros. from 1985. If THAT had been their reason for making it, I probably wouldn't be bothered so much. But I have a feeling they thought the 4 player coop was something awesome and that was "the big deal." It's been criticized by many (myself included) for a lack of innovation.
HOWEVER, there's another game series that I love (Mega Man) that has been resurrected in the past couple of years by a complete and utter LACK of innovation, yet I'm all for it. Mega Man 9 was released in 2008 for download on all 3 systems, and now in less than 2 weeks, Mega Man 10 is coming to 360 (after already being available on PS3 and Wii for a couple weeks). I bought 9 immediately and I'll be doing the same with 10. They're pretty much as old school as you can get (you can't even slide or charge up your shots).
I can't figure out why I'm so keen on these Mega Man sequels yet so hard on Mario. It could be simply because of what I've already said about how Mario has very successfully jumped into the 3D world, and anything less than that seems like a step in the wrong direction, whereas the Mega Man series has pretty much always been the same. I mean, there was at least one attempt that I remember to make a 3D game (Mega Man 64) but it was complete and utter poopoo.
Maybe it's the price that bothers me - $50 for NSMBW, or $10 for MM10.
Maybe I just want to hate on the Wii.
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At the bottom of it all, it seems like it's just Wii hate, but I think your observations are honest.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the 4-player co-op is what you called "an innovative experience", but more of a necessary addition for Nintendo's line-up. They're biggest selling factors for the Wii (overall) has been the group play. As a retailer, I can attest to that - the multi-player stuff, no matter how stupid, always sells better than the single-player stuff on the Wii, Mario included. Metroid Other-M, as cool as it looks like it's shaping up, won't nearly do as well as the next backyard sports game.
The things I disliked about the NSMBW (figure that one out...) was that the co-op play was really more of a hindrance to the end goal. Characters inadvertently bump into one another, knock each other down pits, and steal all the power-ups by accident. Mario, for me, has always been about finding a flow, a rhythm in the world that allows me to make it to the goal with finesse and grace... when I'm bumping into Luigi the whole time because my friend wanted to take the time to check what was in random question box, my flow is ruined. It's no one's fault, but unless all four people share brain, the experience won't ever be "co-op". Your teammates are almost as hindering to your end goal as the goombas... maybe even worse, those will just walk down pits if you wait long enough.
Yeah, the difference seems to be that when another Mega Man game comes out, it's at least sort of on par with the rest of them. In my opinion, every Mario game has taken a step backwards since Super Mario 64. If they were gonna do another 2-D side-scroller, why couldn't it at least be as good or better than Super Mario World or Yoshi's Island? Games theoretically should improve with each new one in the series, right? (you used to be able to count on it).
ReplyDeleteAnd speaking of nostalgia...my kingdom for another 2-D side-scrolling Contra game (that's not on a handheld). Contra: Shattered Soldier for the PS2 was a sweet step in the right direction, but still couldn't manage to pull off the same level of awesome that Contra III: The Alien Wars did. Is it that difficult to use the same game engine that was used for Contra III to make 7 new levels? How expensive can that be compared to the rest of the stuff they're producing?
Contra 4 on the DS was great! Stupidly hard though... Lead Salad and I played it the last time we visited with 3N3MY and he's way better at it than I am, but it was totally sweet.
ReplyDeleteIt's just a quick cash cow for Nintendo. I think I posted a link to that story about Miyamoto saying they didn't put in the princess as a playable character in NSMBW because programing her skirt flowing when she runs and jumps would have been too hard. Thats why there's 2 toadstools.
ReplyDeleteI think its AWESOME that Capcom is giving absolute fan service to their fans with the Mega Man games. You're totally right about them making a lot of money on the games too. It can't take more than a handful of people to put the new MM games together and then sell them for 10 bucks a pop and I'm sure they make more than their money back.
Wasn't Peach playable in Mario Bros. 2? I didn't see any problem with her skirt there.
ReplyDeleteIf that is the reason they didn't put her in the game, that is absolutely ridiculous... is NSMBW a 3-D game, even though it's side-scrolling? Even if it is, plenty of games have had skirts or dresses or other clothing that flows well... Nintendo fail...
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