The Cube Dying in Europe?

[racketboy]

From Joystiq & Gamecube Europe:
Some retailers are dropping Nintendo’s Gamecube from their inventory it seems.gamecube Both consoles and peripherals, not to mention games, are being dumped at extremely low prices by several major retailers in the UK. Having worked in retail, that’s something most stores only do when they’re trying to get rid of something they no longer want to stock.

We get a lot of Nintendo defenders posting here on any thread about the big “N”, so I’m curious as to what they make of this.

http://www.cube-europe.com/news.php?nid=7310

 

[Ian Van Dahl]

The Cube (ToyCube) is dying, and regretfully, it's Nintendo's fault.
Should we, the followers of Nintendo, just buy anything they throw at us, regardless of product items and quality performance?
It feels like the N64 all over again for me everytime I defend Nintendo.

They fucked up, and they best come correct when Revolution is released.
I better have atomic burns on my body when they drop the Next Generation system.
To be honest, I just find myself playing classic games instead of playing the new released (which are to few and faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar between).

 

[CrazyGoon]

The Cube (ToyCube) is dying, and regretfully, it's Nintendo's fault.
Should we, the followers of Nintendo, just buy anything they throw at us, regardless of product items and quality performance?
It feels like the N64 all over again for me everytime I defend Nintendo.

They fucked up, and they best come correct when Revolution is released.
I better have atomic burns on my body when they drop the Next Generation system.
To be honest, I just find myself playing classic games instead of playing the new released (which are to few and faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar between).

There are much greater issues to be discussed in the gaming world, than debating "console wars".

 

[racketboy]

I would say that Nintendo made a mistake with the GC other than releasing an originally pushing the Purple color.
Sure there was some business moves that could have been better, but nothing bad. The system itself is great.

IMO, they have the most unique games -- which is the main reason I picked one up and keeps me away from my Dreamcast and older systems.

The Wavebirds keep me hooked

 

[schi0249]

I have to agree with Racket. That is why I love the Cube. Unique games, maybe not all are original, but that is fine. Monkey Ball, Mario Golf, Mario Tennis, etc.

 

[BJammzz]

a better controller design would help as well. They either needa be so good, everyone else changes, or go w/ the flow...just make it a lil better flow if you get that, lol.

Also, the memory cards....so damn small! The new white ones should of been the ones released at launch....the old ones wouldn't even hold 1 sports title save! horrable.

Color thing is a big issue...don't push radical ugly bullshit....if it was a metallic blue or sumthing I believe it would of done better than the purple but you can't go wrong w/ black/grey/white (I want a solid white console...so bad!"

Another thing is 3rd party support, they need it! We don't have any sports titles or anything on there anymore....it's horrable. I know most of us hardcore players don't play them but it's an important part of any console surviving. You need the average-bullshit.

Marketing....one of the Big N's weakest points ever, Most their commercials suck, their adds suck, and the whole why they market sucks. They needa look at Sony...and even Microsoft for this. and don't look at Sega, lol

Online play, it's EXTREMELY important, even to the average gamer. I know so many people who are just yer average everyday tony hawk/madden/halo player who will buy a game for PS2 just cuz it's online, and free. Or will buy it on XBox cuz of the additional downloads. Just how it is, people like it, now pull your heads out of your asses nintendo!

LAN play....they have done it somewhat but failed in my eyes. most people don't even know u can connect cubes for mario kart and 1080...it needs to be pushed.

I think if they did this and gave us great first party games....it could be another nes/snes . They basically need to just stop being so god damn arrogant, lol.

 

[CrazyGoon]

Online play is one of the things which I envision totally screwing up video games. Without explaining myself in too much detail, here's something to think about - why is it that you never find Shoot-em-ups, Beat-em-ups, Fighting, Adventure, Platform/ Scroller, RPG's, "Music games", Sport games amongst PC titles? Thanks to either the market not having any demand for these genres of games, or the developers just shoving what they think you want down your throats, these genres don't even exist on the PC anymore!

Now, just think of the destruction that could happen on the video game front. Hell, it's thanks to only a small handful of developers that you even see Shoot-em-ups, Music games, and Fighting games thesedays. Adventure and Beat-em-ups are quite dead, Platform/ Scroller is dying slowly, and the only genres that may have a chance if the online gaming shadow looms over video games, are RPG's and (If sports are in high demand, I'm not quite sure--) Sports.

And BJammzz - What do you think Nintendo is doing with the DS?

 

[schi0249]

From a marketing standpoint, N has a mixed bag. Zelda and Metroid were both well marketed; Pikmin 2 had a decent amount of marketing; but titles like F-Zero had minimal marketing at best. ony realy doesn't market many individual games. EQ is one of the few. MS really is the knig in that department. Look at games like Halo and Fable. Top notch ads; and they run well after the games are released. I say a Fable ad the other night. That game has been out for more than 6 months.

All of this is strictly from a non-gaming magazine standpoint. Obviously, when you ad printed games mag's; Sony runs more ads then MS and Nintendo combined.

 

[BJammzz]

I don't agree with you CrazyGoon. Shoot-umups never really were on the pc, same w/ beat-em-ups, fighting, etc. Why? Controls mostly I think....you had a lot of point and click type games, a lot of text-based games (SoMI comes to mind as well as leisure suit larry). These genres just simply never, ever existed.

About the DS....they are addressing some of the issues. Overall the game quality has left MUCH to be desired on the DS though. I still have yet to get one, and at this point, don't want one. Not anything other than feel the magic that I would want to play.

Yes schi, Nintendos marketing blows, lol.

 

[CrazyGoon]

Yeah - I guess my previous response was not all that convincing, due to (as you have said) most of those genres never really existed on PC. Oh well, maybe next time, then .

Overall the game quality has left MUCH to be desired on the DS though.

"Quality" is a very subjective word...

And keep in mind that the DS has only been alive for one or two months now - programmers still have to get accustomed with their new toy

Video game marketing in WA (perhaps nationwide aswell) is non-existent - unless it's about a promotion, or something. The only adverts I recall seeing this console generation, is one for each of the consoles, plus two more for PS2 games. Though, I hardly watch TV anyway.

 

[Ian Van Dahl]

There are much greater issues to be discussed in the gaming world, than debating "console wars".

Right.

The Wavebirds keep me hooked

That's for sure.
Wavebird is great to have if you use the GC for multi-play games.

That is why I love the Cube. Unique games

That's true too.
But, I don't have the money to just buy something for just 'one' attribute.
GC was fine for the year and a half that I had it, but then I got hungry, and the GC couldn't deliver.

I don't agree with you CrazyGoon.

Neither do I.

"Quality" is a very subjective word...

"Quality" may be subjective, but the overall analysis of the "quality" that a handheld displays is not, although, I strongly agree with you on the latter part of your sentence.
Give the software companies time to fully understand DS'es capabilities and I guarantee that we will see some nice games.

 

[mal_vbulletin3_import15891]

Video game marketing in WA (perhaps nationwide aswell) is non-existent - unless it's about a promotion, or something. The only adverts I recall seeing this console generation, is one for each of the consoles, plus two more for PS2 games. Though, I hardly watch TV anyway.

You actually get quite a bit of video game ads on TV over here in the east. Mainly for PS2 and Xbox - mind you I can't remember seeing any Gamecube ads since it was launched.

 

[VertigoXX]

I saw some ads for the new GBA Zelda game last night on MTV during "Pimp My Ride" and I've seen ads for the DS system on USA and FX. I'd imagine if a game company wanted to buy advertising on TV, they'd probably go for a network like G4, which I do not get here.

That said, I've seen PS2 game and PStwo commercials on just about every channel I watch, and Xbox game ads on most of the cable networks.

 

[Fabrizo]

I would have to argue that the cubes biggest problem actualy is a lack of originality. Think about it for a moment: what half-way decent games exclusive to the gamecube are not based on a pre-existing franchise from previous generations? Pikmin, Baten Kaitos, and Eternal Darkness are the only ones that come to mind. Animal Crossing is not new (its an n64 game thats running on an emulator). Donkey Konga may be new in substance, but it re-uses established (and very old) franchise characters. While as (from what ive heard) Beach Spikers may be a good game, I doubt many would buy a Gamecube for it. Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg seems to be a 'you love/hate it type of game' (with most people leaning tword the later). And while as Wario Ware is a lot of fun it steals most of its mini games from it GBA prequil.

So unless you like Nintendo characters a lot (Mario especialy sense they seem to want to milk him for all hes worth these days), their is very little reason to get the system. I own many games for it, and have enjoyed it very much, but I can't deny that if I didn't still appreciate Nintendos ageing mascots I would probably not own, nor even consider purchasing a Gamecube.

I have actualy been writing a very in-depth article (which I plan on posting on Nintendos offical message boards) that details most every mistake they have made this generation, and what needs to be learned from these mistakes so that they don't end up killing themselfs off come next gen. Nintendos reliance on its past is far from the only thing hurting them (although it does play a major role), and I want to make a factual report on these mistakes instead of an opinion based one.

Alright, now im just rambling...well thats basicly all I had to say for now anyhow.

 

[CrazyGoon]

Here's an extract from the book of Jim. Take a peek Fabrizo, it may help you in writing that article:

Originality:
Original is just as fun as un-original! Besides, un-original was original back in the day Originality in regards to....
--Sequels
Being a sequel shoudn't degrade the game in any way. Another way to think about it - say your first experience of a new series was with the sequel. Would the fact that it's a sequel detract anything from the game? I hope not.
--Franchises
Being embraced by a popular franchise doesn't affect how fun the game ends up being. If it's a good game, you will be able to tell just by playing it. Now, if you made the same game, but didn't throw in the old franchise for good luck (sales), would the game be more fun, or less fun? It's a trick question

Nintendo:
Aren't as risk taking as they once were. But the stakes are a lot higher thesedays. So this is where I see the reason for the lack of originality occuring. Nintendo re-uses old popular franchises, to gain a greater probabilty of better sales. If you knew that games you make sell better when they have a well known franchise slapped on them, wouldn't you do the same?

The People (market):
Well, if you're looking for someone to throw rocks at, look at yourself. Are you one of the guys that choose to only buy a game if it looks familiar - or should I say, similar to your liking? I should hope not. But this is where the problem lays. How can developers be risk-taking if the market isn't risk-taking to begin with!?

 

[Fabrizo]

The problem like I said is only partialy with nintendos "sequels sell, nothing else does" philosophy. Its true that just because of a game being a continuation to a franchise doesn't make it any more or less fun then a game that was not, and if your first experiance with a particular franchise is with one of its many sequels it should not detract from how fun it is. But, the problem is just how unquestionably old Nintendos franchises have become. Almost everyone who has ever had any interest in video games has played a game from a Nintendo franchise, and most have grown tired of the same characters they remember playing as upwords of 20 years ago.

The problem is that most people only relate to and care about particular characters for a certan ammount of time before they become stale and dull. For instance, lets compare the Star Wars movies to the Mario games. If for every two years their was a new star Wars movie made, and various spin offs or films using the main characters but had no relation or reason to use them kept being made continuously for over a dozen years, how tired would people get of it? Currently their are over 70 games that have come out starring mario. Can you honestly tell me that that is not excessive?

Some franchises have fared better then others, but the fact remains that people have grown tired of them. Even little kids prefer to play things like Grand Theft Auto instead of Mario or Zelda these days (sales figures are very real proof of this).

Another very large problem with using massive numbers of franchise characters to fill a consoles games selction is how it effects 3rd party developers. Putting the figures asside for which systems have sold how many this generation, if you were a 3rd party developer would you prefer to put your games on a system that was flooded with well known characters that would almost surly destroy any chance you had at garnering the system buyers (people who were obviously all about the games currently on the system, or franchise games) into taking a chance on your not-previously-proven game? Or would you put it on a console that didn't overwhelm its customers with characters that were established, and thus got all the media coverage?

Nintendo has in essence told any 3rd party developer who wants to make a game on their system that they will have to face off for the gamers dollar with their vast array of ever-reviving franchise games.

Oh, and as far as developers not being able to take risks, how do you explain games like Katamari Damacy, Gitaroo-Man, TAIKO: Drum Master, Mister Mosquito, Dog's Life, Stretch Panic, Mad Maestro, Under The Skin, Steel Battalion, or Voodoo Vince (all titles that are creative and/or unusual, which are on PS2 or Xbox)?

 

[CrazyGoon]

Hehe - nice second paragraph

20 year old franchises can still encompass fun games - and that's all that really matters, isn't it? Don't mistake me for being ignorant here - I do understand that 20 years of the same franchise is dull and boring... but are the games fun? Although a new image may be just what Nintendo needs, and would certainly liven things up, would their games be more fun to play?

Isn't it ironic that Nintendo once had all the third party developers in the world, and now they have only but a handful Maybe Nintendo's franchises wouldn't stand out so much, if they had more third party support? As for the competition between third party developers games and Nintendo's games - it's a competitive industry. In fact, there would be competition no matter whose system they chose to develop for. But don't you think they would have more luck on Nintendo's system since (like you say), Nintendo's franchises are old and outdated? Remember - the public buy want they want (or at least, what they think they want), so it's a matter of who can supply the games the public desires.

But like I said - it's more the markets fault than anything else. Sure, I guess you could take it further and point the finger at the magazines and advertisements promoting certain games, but they are just doing their job, and in the end, it's the markets fault for listening to their bull-shit or not.

Well, you'd better have a damn convincing argument when it comes to posting that article if you want them to take it in - don't forget that Nintendo is so scared of the risks of change, that they didn't even want to change the format from cartridges to CDs. :lol: I think I'm done enough debating here. Good luck with that article! B)