Tag: Talking Point - Page 19
Talking Point The Nintendo Figurine Platform Could be a Vital Money-Spinner
A '90s approach that can still work
The Nintendo brand used to be everywhere. In the late '80s and early '90s the big N's brand, particularly in North America, was ever-present and dominant in the market. Mario and his fellow mascots had TV shows, cereal brands, toys and assorted paraphernalia all over store shelves. If you grew up in that era and...
Talking Point Nintendo's E3 Plans Are Full of Tantalising Potential
Talk of retreat is unjustified
The moment Nintendo announced its plans for E3, we suspect some immediately began to sharpen their metaphorical knives and state that the company was, once again, in retreat at the world's highest-profile games industry showcase. Undoubtedly E3 2013 had been a partial retreat, forgoing the live press conference due to...
Talking Point Nintendo Must Take Careful Steps Into Paid DLC and Free-to-Play
The balance seems reasonable, so far
As more first-party games arrive on the Wii U and 3DS, we may need to stop thinking of paid DLC and free-to-play models as exotic rarities on Nintendo systems. To an extent they still are, in that there's a degree of surprise whenever either emerges in a Nintendo title, but it's quickly becoming the norm, with...
Talking Point The Game Boy is 25 Years Old, and Deserves Its Place in Gaming History
Nintendo's most vital triumph
Today's an important day, and we imagine a large celebration cake has been purchased for Nintendo HQ in Kyoto. The Game Boy was released 25 years ago today in Japan, and it was a system that — perhaps unlike any other — defined and set Nintendo on its path to being a successful multi-billion dollar corporation...
Talking Point Horror and Metroid Could be a Perfect Fit
Samus scares
"Nintendo plays things too safe" is a common criticism we hear from people across the vast swamp of cynicism that is the internet. It is a criticism that has always struck us as a little odd, because it's common knowledge that Nintendo often performs risky Frankenstein-like experiments with its wealth of existing franchises. Just look...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Twenty Three
Hooray for holiday weekends
It's a holiday weekend in various parts of the world; whether you're observing Easter or just enjoying some time off work / school / other stuff, it's a chance to chill out and play some video games. Or go outside. Or, in a perfect world, both. It's also time for another edition of WGAYPTW, an acronym that'll one day be...
Talking Point Amazon Fire TV is an Early Warning for Console Heavyweights
Unlikely to kill consoles, but its successors may try
When the Ouya was successfully crowdfunded, its executives talked it up as a revolution in living room gaming, promising a wonderland of fun experiences available for free or costing less than a cup of coffee; the world would move on from pricier game consoles flogging retail priced games. Like...
Talking Point The Timing of Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. Direct Raises Expectations
A release date must be on the agenda
During 2013 Nintendo delivered 16 Nintendo Direct broadcasts — that's the count from the official Nintendo of America website, which includes some game-specific "mini" videos and does not include some Japan-specific examples. By this stage of 2013 there had been four Directs, and there was typically a broadcast...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Twenty Two
It's back again, again (again)
Once upon a time we posted regular articles in which the Nintendo Life team shared its weekend gaming plans and the community would do the same; it was rather pleasant. Then the poorly organised features editor responsible for the series lost track, once forgot to publish the article when submissions had actually been...
Talking Point The Logic Behind Game Boy Advance on the Wii U Virtual Console
Business needs trump the natural order
When the Virtual Console was an innovative new platform on Wii, it excited gamers and followed some relatively simple rules. Any consoles that hooked up to TVs or even arcade cabinets in the past were fair game, as owners of the diminutive little system could enjoy access to a broad range of iconic classics. As...
Talking Point Nintendo's Major Wii U Retail Titles Can Benefit From More eShop Trials and Demos
A taste before taking the plunge
Whether you want to call them free trials or demos, the ongoing absence — for the most part — of these offerings on the Nintendo eShop stores is noticeable. What's peculiar, at least from our perspective, is why that gap exists with some of Nintendo's finest first-party releases; in an increasingly competitive...
Talking Point Super Metroid's 20th Anniversary Reminds Us Of What We Are Missing
New Metroid games must be coming, right?
Today brought us a notable landmark, with the much-loved Super Metroid celebrating its 20th Anniversary. It's enough to make some of us feel old, but more importantly acts as a testament to the title's exceptional quality; you can play it now on your still shiny Wii U and it stands up to scrutiny. Visually...
Talking Point Important Steps to Bring the 3DS and Wii U Closer Together
Do cross the streams
The Wii U is struggling. It’s a lovely looking console with some great games, but large developers whose names don’t start with “Nin” and end with “Tendo” are hardly queuing up to make software for the system, and there's little publicly visible to change that situation; the download-only scene is, thankfully, much...
Talking Point Steel Diver: Sub Wars Proves That Nintendo Can Make Free-To-Play Work
Nintendo's first freemium game scores a direct hit
Let's all be brutally honest here — when Nintendo announced that its first foray into the wild and wacky world of free-to-play gaming was going to be an update of 3DS launch title Steel Diver, it was hardly the most heart-stopping news ever. Steel Diver was — and still is — a nice enough game,...
Talking Point NFC And The GamePad Can Succeed If Nintendo Gives Players Control
Lessons to be learned from successes such as Minecraft and Disney Infinity
This year is vitally important for Nintendo, just like 2013 and 2012, admittedly. 2013 was a strange year in that notable successes and triumphs were overshadowed by missed targets and Nintendo's own disappointment. It was a year of contradictions — 3DS was the top-selling...
Talking Point The Nintendo Web Framework and the Return of 'Old-School' Indies
The Wii U eShop could have quite a mix of games
Considering the fact that Nintendo Life began in part — through the pre-merger WiiWare World — as a resource dedicated almost exclusively to covering download games, we've seen hundreds come and go in the continually evolving online stores. WiiWare was a big deal when it launched, as for the first...
Talking Point Nintendo Direct Pointed to Another Wii U Retail Drought
The eShop should tide current owners over
In the past week Nintendo delivered its first Nintendo Direct broadcasts of 2014, a little later than was perhaps expected. The truth was that January was not a good time for the company, as it revealed and then dealt with the fallout of drastically lowered sales and financial projections. It was a difficult...
Talking Point What We Expect In Nintendo Direct - 13th February
Though we hope for so much more
Throughout 2013 Nintendo Direct broadcasts were a monthly affair, with some being small broadcasts focused on specific titles. After the pre-Christmas broadcast that surprised us with games such as NES Remix and more so with Hyrule Warriors, January passed without a further update. That was hardly a surprise due to...
Talking Point The Watch_Dogs Wii U Delay Demonstrates That Major Third-Parties Are Walking Away
How important that is for the system is up for debate
Before the Wii U was launched Nintendo made the right noises about third-party support — here was a powerful system with backing from major players like EA, Activision and Ubisoft, we were told, and the innovative new controller would encourage unique, multi-screen experiences. Of course,...
Feature Breaking Down What Nintendo's QOL Platform Could Mean
Potentially a large, developing market
Satoru Iwata's Investor Briefing this week included a few surprises and, in limited detail, some of Nintendo's key strategies for the coming year and beyond. Yet it was the final announcement that caused the most head-scratching and, not surprisingly, didn't prompt investors to rush to buy up Nintendo shares;...
Talking Point Nintendo's 3DS and Wii U Strategies Face Rather Different Challenges
Past-generation trends need not apply
In some respects today's financial results were the least surprising and eye-opening of recent times, and that's mainly to the credit of Nintendo's decision to jump the gun and reveal major reductions in sales and financial projections, blunting the impact from today's Q3 results. Nintendo's previously bold...
Talking Point Is There A Future For The Wii U Without The GamePad?
Could sacrificing the console's main selling point be the way to success?
When the Wii U was first announced, the confirmation of the GamePad controller — complete with a second-screen bursting with tantalizing asymmetrical gameplay possibilities — caused quite a stir. The reaction from the industry and general public was mainly positive, and...
Talking Point The Wii U's 'Relevance' Is About Sales, Nintendo's Strategy Has Remained Consistent
It's tried to stick to a winning Wii formula
Last week was a bit grim for Nintendo and its followers, as it changed from an official stance of predicting a positive year to the polar opposite. Gone were optimistic projections aligned with profits, and in their place were lower numbers — distressingly so with Wii U — and predicted losses...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Twenty One
Adulthood awaits for WGAYPTW
It's been a while, for which the features editor in question is receiving a firm reprimand, but the treasured WGAYPTW series returns. And it's all grown up for its 21st issue — that means doing the laundry, paying taxes and being more miserable than in its younger years. Thankfully video games are here to save the day...
Talking Point Nintendo's Wii U Struggles Bring a Challenge, Not Doom
The wider picture shows more than "Nintendoomed"
So, it was a funny old day at Nintendo HQ. Within a short space of time we went from 3DS topping hardware sales in the U.S., alongside the Wii U enjoying its "highest month", to Nintendo confirming major reductions in its sales and financial projections. The timing of this — after the December NPD...
Talking Point An Unplanned Flash Sale Looked Like Retail Download Genius from Nintendo
A flash sale... well, 'flashed' before our eyes
There was a moment this week when, for a brief and glorious moment, Nintendo ran a Steam-like flash sale on retail games. It may have passed plenty of people by, especially as it was for download codes on the official Nintendo UK store, but it was a glimmer of a brave new world where Nintendo creates...
Talking Point Claims of Wii U Third-Party Development Troubles Shouldn't Be Dismissed Lightly
Problems may have been resolved since, but are nevertheless still relevant
Over the weekend there was an interesting article published by Eurogamer's Digital Foundry, in which a "secret developer" shared their Wii U development experience. It made tough reading for anyone loyal and committed to the Nintendo and Wii U cause, but did provide some...
Talking Point Is The Castlevania Series Finished With Nintendo?
Fangs for the memories, but is it time to move on?
Ever since it began in 1986, Konami's Castlevania series has been closely associated with Nintendo. The vampire-slaying lineage started life on the Famicom Disk System in Japan and shortly afterwards found worldwide fame on the NES. Since then, the franchise has seen some of its most famous and...
Talking Point New Year Resolutions for Nintendo
We can all improve
With 2014 now here, it provides an opportunity to take stock and consider ambitions for the year, as well as identify areas of improvement. We can all do better things and improve ourselves, but what of major corporations? The same rule applies to them, so below are some suggestions for Nintendo, which brought us so much to enjoy...
Talking Point Miiverse Can Promote System Unity And Serve As A Powerful Wii U Advertisement
Tens of millions of Nintendo fans can now interact
This week Nintendo finally delivered Miiverse, along with the Nintendo Network ID and shared eShop fund support, to the 3DS. While it has its flaws — which we'll cover to some degree this weekend — that's to be expected with any launch, especially one such as this that fundamentally shakes up...
Talking Point Moving To Smartphones Is Not The Answer For Nintendo
The numbers don't add up
It seems that a month can't pass by — in the past couple of years — when investment analysts, games industry figures and Nintendo's own investors aren't saying that Nintendo needs to expand and release games on alternative platforms. It's creeping into discourse around the Wii U due to the hardware's struggles to date,...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Twenty
So long teens, hello more awesome games
It's finally happened, the WGAYPTW series has left its teens, and the emotional crisis it prompted led to it missing its normal schedule — that's right, it was nothing to do with the features editor forgetting to organise it, no way. But it's fine, this little series of game-related tittle-tattle is ready...
Talking Point The GamePad and its Role Defining the Wii U
Strong concept or pricey issue?
We're stepping into a vital period on the market for the Wii U. It's certainly far too early to say it's the definitive moment for the system, as releases such as Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. will also be maximised by Nintendo to achieve notable sales and momentum. With that in mind, it should still be...
Soapbox Super Mario 3D World's Playful Whimsy is Refreshing, But Faces a Vital Commercial Test
Will an overwhelmingly positive critical response and buzz deliver success?
Something slightly surprising, to me at least, happened yesterday. Super Mario 3D World had a wonderful series of reviews that went live, on any major outlet you'd care to name, bang on the embargo. I'm not talking about the scores — which were excellent — but the...
Talking Point The Nintendo Network ID Creeps Ever Closer to Being Fit for the Modern Age
There's still some distance to go
Since the Wii U launched with its shiny new Nintendo Network ID system, we've been both pleased and frustrated with its implementation. The fact it's tied to the home console hardware has led us to be critical, on occasion, to the point where we once rather cruelly equated it to the abomination of its equivalent on...
Talking Point Nintendo's Resilience Against Wii U Criticism Emphasizes Its Longevity
As the critics attack, Satoru Iwata simply looks ahead
It's been, overall, a tough couple of weeks for the Wii U's image in the online land of gaming enthusiasts. The focused attention of many outlets is, unsurprisingly and quite correctly, on the upcoming launches of the PS4 and the Xbox One, with Super Mario 3D World just about grabbing some...
Talking Point Regional Online Multiplayer Misses the Point
Wii Sports Club keeps it local, unless you're in a PAL territory
Nintendo can work in mysterious ways at times, especially when it comes to online modes. Some will feel that the company doesn't actually deliver enough online gaming — with many titles committed to local multiplayer only — while we have others serving up regional online play. The...
Talking Point Nintendo's Safe and Family-Friendly Focus is Integral to Its Fortunes
While heavy handed with Swapnote, providing a clean environment is crucial
Nintendo has made some interesting headlines recently here on Nintendo Life, as it's acted proactively to avoid potentially embarrassing issues with Nintendo Letter Box / Swapnote and the Japan-only (so far) Flipnote Studio 3D. The company disabled SpotPass communication...
Talking Point Nintendo's Ambitious Sales Targets Require Runaway Holiday Success
As the latest financial reports show, the time is now
Every three months we gain an insight into Nintendo's fortunes, with details on finances and sales information for different regions around the world. When it comes to solid numbers for hardware and software sales, the quarterly financial results reported by the Kyoto-based company can tell us...
Soapbox The Wii U Virtual Console Needs to Freshen Up
Tom Whitehead's frustrated at the untapped potential of the Virtual Console
OK, I'll join the club and say it. The Wii U and, to a degree, the 3DS Virtual Console are becoming rather frustrating, stale affairs. There's something odd that, years after working through the NES library on the Wii, we're now doing it all over again, despite the fact the...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Nineteen
Some of us have to be a bit secretive
It's time for the WGAYPTW feature to stop goofing off and join the real world, as it prepares to leave the teen existence for a life or work and drudgery. Or it'll carry on in such a grey, oppressive world as a beacon of frivolous gaming, where weekends are lost in our favourite pursuit. Yeah, let's go for the...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Eighteen
WGAYPTW is all grown up
Issue eighteen. It's been a long journey for this little feature, in which Nintendo Life staffers share their weekend gaming plans and the community does the same in the comments, leaving us with so many dreams laid out in front of our eyes. This series has now reached adulthood, bringing a tear to the eye. Fond reminiscing...
Talking Point Nintendo's Catch-22 With Retail Game Pricing
Go high, get criticised. Go low, get criticised...
This week Nintendo UK launched its own online retail store, stepping into the market typically occupied by the likes of Amazon, Gamestop, GAME and various others; even the bricks-and-mortar retailers mentioned have an increasing reliance on web sales. It's a more up-to-date, relevant proposition...
Talking Point Pokémon X & Y's Grand Global Release Plan Has, Sadly, Been Undermined
Leaks, ruthless retailers and impatient gamers suck away intended magic
The excitement was undeniable when Satoru Iwata, in a Nintendo Direct broadcast, announced Pokémon X & Y and confirmed that it would have a global release date. That's almost upon us, 12th October, meaning that aside from time zone differences 3DS gamers around the world...
Talking Point The Steam Gaming Machines Are An Unconventional Challenge to the Wii U
Sony and Microsoft aren't the only competitors
When considering the challenges and competitors that the Wii U faces in the months and years to come, it's becoming an increasingly cluttered and tricky space to manoeuvre. Much the same was said during the early days of the 3DS, as its struggles saw it stacked up against smartphones and tablets; at one...
Talking Point Marketing Wii U to the Masses
Time to spread the word
While we await a potential increase in hardware sales, even Nintendo would admit that the Wii U has underperformed in its debut year. With poor sales to date and a year’s head start over its next-gen competition arguably squandered, the Wii U is in the unenviable position of heading into its first anniversary with yearly...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Seventeen
WGAYPTW (snappy, right?) gets closer to adulthood
It's been a long journey for the What Games Are You Playing This Weekend series of articles. What started with such excitable promise became an irregular, grumpy visitor to the Nintendo Life servers, before a stern telling to brought it around to its new regular fortnightly slot. After last time's...
Talking Point Considering the Methods and Means of Game Reviews
Andy Robertson suggests evolution, Tom Whitehead simply seeks standards
In this special Talking Point feature, we consider a question fundamental to one of the core aspects of Nintendo Life — game reviews. They're often a source of huge interest around the web on hundreds of websites, and also the potential cause of controversies that are, at...
Talking Point With Calls for Nintendo to Follow the Crowd, It Faces a Dilemma
Sony's Vita TV joins the noise of huge releases and lots of consoles
It's been a busy week of opinions on Nintendo, the Wii U and the 3DS. Whether you agree with some, disagree or are simply baffled by it all, it seems that games industry figures are only too happy to queue up and say what Nintendo should be doing to remain a key player in the...
Talking Point Nintendo's eShop Policies Deserve Both Praise and Attention
We break down the known details of eShop publishing
Just recently we reported on announcements made by Nintendo of Europe's Business Development Manager, Ed Valiente, who gave a presentation on eShop publishing at The Indie Games Collective event at the UKIE HQ in London. We picked up on a couple of notable revelations, relating to Miiverse coming...