I too am from the same generation of Nintendo fanboys whose nostalgia for what the 8-bit and 16-bit Nintendo era represented outweighs any semblance of true brand loyalty.

However, in saying that Nintendo has turned it’s back on it’s first generation of loyalists over the past 2 decades is completely missing the point and conveniently ignoring the reality of the videogame industry as a living, growing, and thriving business sector.

Here is what actually happened and what a lot of people don’t want to admit; We turned our backs on Nintendo. We all grew up and Nintendo has continued to do what it always has (Don’t belive me? Just take a look at any old photo of yourself in gradeschool, look at what you’re wearing and try to remember how cool you thought it was). We should be grateful because the day Nintendo stops doing what it has always done is the day that videogames die. They represent the very soul of videogames.

Let’s not forget that until Nintendo released the NES in 1983 (1985 in the US) along with Super Mario Bros in the first place, videogames were on the verge of extinction and Nintendo single-handedly re-invented the home console videogame market as we know it today.

Just because we all outgrew Nintendo’s mission of family-friendly entertainment (don’t fool yourself, this has always been Nintendo’s mandate since day 1) does not lessen the importance of the influence Nintendo has on new and upcoming generations of videogame enthusiasts. This is what sustains the industry for the future. What’s more is that Nintendo has made leaps and bounds to grow the market to reach females and older generations, this kind of thinking evolves the industry and can only make it better, more diverse, and even more sustainable for the future. The most important effect in all of this is that without Nintendo specifically catering to these audiences there would not be the void for hardcore gamers (which most of us have grown into thanks to our budding young Nintendo glory days) to compete against and create an overwhelming market for XBOX360 and PLAYSTATION3, forcing developers to remain honest and drive top quality content.

None of us will ever experience that first time we played super mario bros. again, those days have past and blaming Nintendo for coming to this realization isn’t fair. It’s time to look ahead to the bright future videogames have and to keep supporting the creators of the videogame phenomena we owe some of our fondest childhood memories to.

Long Live Nintendo! Long Live Videogames!

I too am from the same generation of Nintendo fanboys whose nostalgia for what the 8-bit and 16-bit Nintendo era represented outweighs any semblance of true brand loyalty.

However, in saying that Nintendo has turned it’s back on it’s first generation of loyalists over the past 2 decades is completely missing the point and conveniently ignoring the reality of the videogame industry as a living, growing, and thriving business sector.

Here is what actually happened and what a lot of people don’t want to admit; We turned our backs on Nintendo. We all grew up and Nintendo has continued to do what it always has (Don’t belive me? Just take a look at any old photo of yourself in gradeschool, look at what you’re wearing and try to remember how cool you thought it was). We should be grateful because the day Nintendo stops doing what it has always done is the day that videogames die. They represent the very soul of videogames.

Let’s not forget that until Nintendo released the NES in 1983 (1985 in the US) along with Super Mario Bros in the first place, videogames were on the verge of extinction and Nintendo single-handedly re-invented the home console videogame market as we know it today.

Just because we all outgrew Nintendo’s mission of family-friendly entertainment (don’t fool yourself, this has always been Nintendo’s mandate since day 1) does not lessen the importance of the influence Nintendo has on new and upcoming generations of videogame enthusiasts. This is what sustains the industry for the future. What’s more is that Nintendo has made leaps and bounds to grow the market to reach females and older generations, this kind of thinking evolves the industry and can only make it better, more diverse, and even more sustainable for the future. The most important effect in all of this is that without Nintendo specifically catering to these audiences there would not be the void for hardcore gamers (which most of us have grown into thanks to our budding young Nintendo glory days) to compete against and create an overwhelming market for XBOX360 and PLAYSTATION3, forcing developers to remain honest and drive top quality content.

None of us will ever experience that first time we played super mario bros. again, those days have past and blaming Nintendo for coming to this realization isn’t fair. It’s time to look ahead to the bright future videogames have and to keep supporting the creators of the videogame phenomena we owe some of our fondest childhood memories to.

Long Live Nintendo! Long Live Videogames!

Anyways, the graphical jump between the N64 and the Gamecube was huge. Not sure where you’re getting the idea that it wasn’t. The Gamecube had one of the best looking games of last-generation… AT LAUNCH. Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 2. Not to mention that later on it had many, many more great looking games. On a graphical level, it was on the same level as the PS2 and the Xbox.

Anyways, the graphical jump between the N64 and the Gamecube was huge. Not sure where you’re getting the idea that it wasn’t. The Gamecube had one of the best looking games of last-generation… AT LAUNCH. Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 2. Not to mention that later on it had many, many more great looking games. On a graphical level, it was on the same level as the PS2 and the Xbox.

Nintendo may not be the first video game system, but the company itself has been around since the 17th century and definitely has more age than any of the systems listed in this post.

I understand the frustration that arises from a gamer’s eye, living up to the honor and role model image of a company such as Nintendo’s, when new money-makers swoop in and steal a large chunk of the market. You have to realize though that Sega tried this and failed. Microsoft (I personally think XBOX is a sin, but more on that later) undoubtedly will fail due to their life-long feud with Apple. Sony is, in my opinion, Nintendo’s only true combatant.

It was stated that Nintendo seemed fat and lazy. I definitely disagree. If they were fat and lazy why would they make any attempt to compete with the new models of gaming systems on the horizon? One must remember that Nintendo has more systems than any other brand, so their obvious struggle becomes apparent with the one (some argue more) system that flopped. Gamecube sucked; we all know that. The WII, although a different and seemingly less advanced system, is really innovative compared to the enhanced graphics and performance of the PS3 and XBOX 3Shitty. Also the DS is an amazingly awesome system that provides touch screen capabilities and some of the coolest interactive games that completely sets Nintendo apart from average button input gaming. Another thing I’d like to note; the N64. Dude, this system is easily amazing. The fact that an air filled cartridge based system could provide anything in good 3-d quality is sweet, not to mention that some of the world’s best games showed up on this system (Goldeneye, MarioKart64, Super Smash Bros.; all which you’ve listed). Goldeneye is still rated the second best first-person shooter of all time. As for the controller; I definitely think it was the most comfortable controller of all. I mean, you could play a game with one hand!!!!

The Xbox controller easily has to be the most awkward.

Let’s also take into account how much Nintendo has revolutionized the gaming industry! I mean, they destroyed Atari, but Atari still has some of the most classic, epic games ever. Nintendo has also set the standard for three dimensional gaming. Virtual boy!!! Yeah, I bet you forgot about that one. I still have mine. It’s amazing, the closest thing to virtual gaming I’ve ever experienced to date and it’s thirteen years old. What about Mario RPG? It was a legitimate three-d game, but on a two-dimensional platform. What I feel is misunderstood here, is Nintendo. They don’t ever claim to be the most performance enhanced gaming system; it’s just that they were pretty much the only one around. What they are amazingly successful at though, is making the user interact with the game; become one with the system. The WII is a prime example of how they’ve tried to move into the future with interactive gaming. Yeah, the graphics suck, but the interactivity is new and fresh; a bold jump in the right direction. That’s what gamers want, no? Virtual reality? Do you see Sony or Microsoft doing that? No, they rely on third party games and realistic graphics. Xbox is cool….yeah, I mean they have Halo. Whoa, like the only game solely unique to XBOX that could ever make a top 20 list. Sony doesn’t even really make any games worthy of a top 100 list (maybe some sports titles or Crash Bandicoot). So what’s left? Nintendo’s genius; completely, utter genius.
Look, if you take a peek at any top ten lists for games of all time, you’ll see many have a Nintendo game as its number 1. You’ll also notice that, even if Nintendo doesn’t have the number one game, it has at least three or four other games in the top ten of ANY list. This is the magnificence of Nintendo. They are a collection of genius filled masterminds that have pretty much created the gaming industry. That in itself gives them every right to fuck up once in a while and do something stupid (or so seeming that way at the time).
Don’t be too harsh on them and know they won’t fail; they can’t. They’re Nintendo. They created the most lovable characters of all time; Mario, Donkey Kong, and Yoshi. They don’t have documentaries about the master of the original Halo arcade game. Mario isn’t the greatest game of all time for no reason (any of the dozen or so different platforms that came out). Duck hunt WAS the first light gun game, that started a revolution of interactivity unparalleled by any other system. Nintendo has always been… ‘on their game.’ And…they always will be. Xbox is like the ignorant newbie that came in and just wanted a piece of the pie (hence why they’re the only assholes charging fees to play online). Sony is amazing at what they do, but they’re actual games aren’t a very good follow-up. So keep in mind, whenever you think of Nintendo, they are the games that made you believe in alternate worlds where eating mushrooms did more than make you hallucinate; they made you super-human and able to capture a promiscuous princess in need of some Italian rescuing. Ask yourself this: ‘what game gives you the most enjoyment to play?’

…and I bet it’ll be a Nintendo game. Through all the modern gaming technology, I still have more repetitive fun playing Donkey Kong Country or Super Mario World than I could ever have playing Street Fighter IV once through (God I wish they would imprison the individual who decided on that intro song).

You are so on the money. I still can’t get rid of my NES system, even though I don’t play it at all.

It reminds me of my childhood, of all my lost battles and insane victories, of pulling all nighters with my best friends.

Back then, I loved watching my friends play (being the wing man) as much as I loved playing. We were a team, fighting our way through a foreign land.

That shit was off the hook and nothing will touch those first experiences until they make the fully immersive virtual reality games.

RIP NES.

You are so on the money. I still can’t get rid of my NES system, even though I don’t play it at all.

It reminds me of my childhood, of all my lost battles and insane victories, of pulling all nighters with my best friends.

Back then, I loved watching my friends play (being the wing man) as much as I loved playing. We were a team, fighting our way through a foreign land.

That shit was off the hook and nothing will touch those first experiences until they make the fully immersive virtual reality games.

RIP NES.

Damn you Nintendo- why have you forsaken us?!?!?

Damn you Nintendo- why have you forsaken us?!?!?