Why do people like Nintendou games?

[BrokenBoy]

First off, they're for kids yet I still see people who are adults playin em. That doesn't really make alot of sense imo.

And also the hardware Nintendou consoles are made on are inferior to that of that of PC's and other consoles which make them mechanically inferior to the competition.

PC gaming is just better as a whole but the Playstation is okay too I guess.

 

[Isadoorian]

Please, just let people play on what they want. Don't be a PC Elitist.

I have a PC, Xbox One, 3DS, and Nintendo Switch and use all of them fairly regularly and enjoy the games I play on each.

People of all ages play Nintendo's games because: They're fun, Innovative, No Micro-transaction crap, and they can bring people together.

 

[Misery]

First off, they're for kids yet I still see people who are adults playin em. That doesn't really make alot of sense imo.

And also the hardware Nintendou consoles are made on are inferior to that of that of PC's and other consoles which make them mechanically inferior to the competition.

PC gaming is just better as a whole but the Playstation is okay too I guess.

Dude, they're not just for kids. Seriously, they're not. That particular attitude and idea is one that I'd like to see vanish forever from the industry.

Let me give you a couple of examples.

1. Pokemon. While it's kid-friendly, honestly, pretty much ALL of the players I've met are adults. Every... single... one of them. Pokemon is a DEEP game. Deep to the point where if you really wanna get into it, it's got a bit of a nasty learning curve. The main adventure/campaign isnt too hard, but for most players, that's not the real point of it. The real point is the competition. And THAT is complicated as all hell, WAY past the point of most so-called "mature" games. Every individual creature has a bazillion stats to keep up, elemental positives and negatives, various special traits, an enormous list of possible moves, and even a list of possible items they can choose. This isnt even taking into account things like the breeding aspect, or the effects of raising them in different ways (affects their stats). On top of that, there's like 700 of them. To say that playing this series competitively is difficult is a massive understatement.

But on top of that, it's appealing in the same way that anime is appealing. Cute/cool/awesome/spooky/whatever character/monster designs are very well done. Everyone has their favorites. My own favorite is Kirlia... I even bought a plush doll of it. Went to alot of trouble to find that bloody thing. Look it up, and be surprised. But let's just say I'm not the only adult player to buy stuff like that. I go to ALOT of conventions (which are almost exclusively attended by adults) and Pokemon-related merch is probably the number 1 most common thing sold at those. For good reason.


2. Smash Bros. Again, NOT a simple game. If you go into this one thinking that it's just easy button mashing because of how it looks, well... go up against a very casual player, and you'll be fine, like in any fighter. Go against someone like me, and you'll be effortlessly erased. I wouldnt even have to pay attention, against a player that goes in with that mindset. Smash is an extremely complex and very TECHNICAL fighting game. Very fast, too, with alot of unique mechanics. And did I mention the part where there are 70 freaking characters? All VERY different? And you're expected to know what ALL of them are capable of, and how to counter each and every one. The skill ceiling is very high with this one.


Here's the interesting thing about both games: They have more depth and challenge than MOST of the so-called "mature" games. This isnt exactly a theme restricted to those two games. This is part of why I play them. But far from the only reason. I also play Smash because I like alot of the characters. Bowser, for instance, is one of my absolute favorite characters of all time. One of the most iconic.... no.... THE most iconic and well-known villain in the industry, period. And then there's characters like Ridley. Metroid is a very dark series, and Ridley is as freaky and evil as it gets. But everyone likes that guy, even if he is totally homicidal.

But also, there's one other thing to consider. I tend to think that most "mature" games, well... actually arent. Most such games just drown themselves in blood and guns and then go "LOOK HOW ADULT WE ARE". That's actually really juvenile to me. It makes me think of that sort of 10-year-old kid that sneaks into R-rated movies and does anything he can just to look like an adult, while managing to make his actions seem incredibly childish at the same time. Incidentally, most such games are also incredibly easy. I dont find this to be a coincidence.


Anyway, that's just some thoughts on the Nintendo aspect.

As for the PC part... oh yes, I agree. PCs are superior. Dramatically. But at the very same time... it doesnt matter much. Graphics and sheer power do not make the game. All that truly matters in the end is the gameplay (and for some people, things like story and characters).

What DOES matter though... and this is the reason I'm primarily a PC gamer... is the selection. PC gaming dwarfs console gaming by an utterly monstrous scale. 99% of games only hit PC. On top of that, they can do things like emulation. Truly powerful machines can do full VR as well, of the level that something like a mere PS4 cant touch. Again though, power isnt that necessary for most games now. Hell, some of my absolute all-time favorite games, such as Binding of Isaac, will run on a freaking potato.

The thing that matters even more though: Having a good time. If someone's favorite games are on the Switch or PS4, then that's what they should be playing. If someone wants to just play freaking Angry Birds all day, that's fine too. Having fun and getting enjoyment out of this hobby is what truly matters in the end.

 

[Bikutoso]

What reason do you have for thinking they are only for kids?

People play games for enjoyment and entertainment.

 

[Misery]

What reason do you have for thinking they are only for kids?

People play games for enjoyment and entertainment.

Same reason as alot of players: They're colorful and tend to be cute instead of gritty.

What makes it that much more ridiculous is that this is only surface-level stuff. If you actually look beyond that, in many games, they can get.... "dark", to put it mildly. Even in the Kirby series, there's a few *nasty* scenes, when you look at what's going on and actually think about them. Looks fluffy on the surface. Actually isnt.

 

[BrokenBoy]

But also, there's one other thing to consider. I tend to think that most "mature" games, well... actually arent. Most such games just drown themselves in blood and guns and then go "LOOK HOW ADULT WE ARE". That's actually really juvenile to me. It makes me think of that sort of 10-year-old kid that sneaks into R-rated movies and does anything he can just to look like an adult, while managing to make his actions seem incredibly childish at the same time. Incidentally, most such games are also incredibly easy. I dont find this to be a coincidence.

You are stereotyping about mature games. I can list plenty of mature titles with *very* deep gameplay. Such as:

System Shock
Fallout
MegaTen
Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines
Town of Salem

Also theres plenty of ways to be "mature". Not just the ways you listed.

 

[Misery]

You are stereotyping about mature games. I can list plenty of mature titles with *very* deep gameplay. Such as:

System Shock
Fallout
MegaTen
Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines
Town of Salem

Also theres plenty of ways to be "mature". Not just the ways you listed.

Whoa. THAT is a first. You actually caught on to that. Indeed, my description of "mature" that I gave there is just as silly as the usual description of "kiddy" when people say things about Nintendo games. Which is *exactly* why I throw it out there. I repeat it *every* time this topic comes up, but you're the very first person to question it like that. Kudos to you for that one, usually people dont exactly think about this very hard. Nobody else has ever caught on, a fact that I find to be mildly irritating.

Unfortunately, most players dont actually think in the way that you are with what you just said. Whenever I hear people go on about "mature" games, and whenever they try to refute exactly that bit that I always say, they almost always refer to two things: 1, FPS games. 2, Dark Souls. You are, in fact, the ONLY player I've ever seen mention something like freaking System Shock while trying to counter that. So, the USUAL idea of "mature" for those that whine about "kiddy" games really is just as shallow as I said, which is a tad bit depressing. Though, that's not saying much. People in a general sense arent exactly all that bright, so... yeah.


Considering all of that... you can see what my main point was, I hope. Which is exactly why I used that description of mature. It seems silly, doesnt it, when someone throws a blanket statement like that around? That's exactly what that view of yours with Nintendo is. A superficial, stereotyping viewpoint that is only restating what the common opinion is, but utterly without REALLY looking at it, or thinking about it. Not that it actually matters if a given game or other media IS "kiddy" in the end... Just like it doesnt really matter if something is "mature" or not. I, personally, could not care less about either. Something is either good or it isnt... simple as that. To me, anyway.

Stereotyping really is never any good. Sadly, the whole "kiddy" thing is irritatingly common, despite being bloody stupid. But that's gamers for you...

 

[Autistamatic]

A BluRay player is technologically far superior to a printing press, yet I can derive far more pleasure, fulfilment and knowledge from a well written book printed on primitive wood-pulp based paper than the same story told in a multi million dollar movie I can play on a disc.

Hardware is unimportant. Software is an individual choice. ALL art and entertainment is a subjective choice. There is no objective answer to what is better or worse, there is only opinion.

 

[Fino]

Often, the separation between something for kids and something for adults, is that the thing for adults includes things like realistic violence, sex, killing, cursing, etc.

Think objectively why these things are not considered appropriate for children.

Because they're... bad? I don't know, I'm just guessing. Because they're "inappropriate" is generally what I hear. It will have a negative effect on their development?

Why? Because they're... bad?

Do I need to expose myself to these things because I'm a certain age? I'm now required to only perceive violent, murderous, sexual, curse-filled content? Only things considered unhealthy for children allowed?

Does it not imply that it's also unhealthy for adults, to an extent, any extent?

I'm just theorizing, the truth is I just don't like any games that involve violence because the perceiving of any violence makes me anxious and depressed with the severity depending on how quickly I stop ruminating, so almost every game I've ever played and still play is Nintendo.

Games based on actual wars horrify me the most. I can't comprehend how someone can play at killing people in a representation of actual killing that happened.

I guess my lack of comprehension is the same as yours, we're just reversed! That's kinda funny!

 

[Misery]

Do I need to expose myself to these things because I'm a certain age? I'm now required to only perceive violent, murderous, sexual, curse-filled content? Only things considered unhealthy for children allowed?

Does it not imply that it's also unhealthy for adults, to an extent, any extent?

Aye, that right there is part of the problem. Somehow, a rule seems to have been created that if you DONT watch/play/whatever stuff that contains these things, you are not watching/playing "adult" things, and are thus a target to be constantly mocked. The aspect of something being really "gritty" can also count as "adult" content. If a game matches these things, the so-called "adult" gamers will be fine playing it. Even if the story/characters/world are dumber than a sack of hammers, or badly written, or even outright nonexistent in some cases.

Wheras with something like, say, Kirby, all they tend to spot is "it's colorful and looks friendly". The fact that such a game may contain something such as an omnicidal, soul-sucking machine god (not exactly a "friendly" idea, but it is indeed one major villain that appears in the Kirby series, and it has an unusually dark/nasty scene associated with it) wont even come to play because it doesnt LOOK mature enough. It's cute and fluffy: It's "kiddy" all the way through! Try to explain otherwise and most wont listen. They wont ever give something like that a second look, and they sure as hell wont try it to see if they might enjoy it. Believe me, I've attempted to make it happen. More than once.


It's all ridiculous to me.

I'll say one thing though. My definition of being a "mature adult" is a bit different than all that.

My definition basically goes like this: BECAUSE I'm a mature adult, I'll decide for myself what I do. If I want to play a game that's entirely, I dunno, fluffy happy bunnies or something, then dagnabit, I'm going to freaking do that. I'm a mature adult, after all, so I make that decision for myself. And if anyone doesnt like it? Freaking tough. I've got nothing to prove to them. They can just go take a long walk off a short pier.

Of course most people just do the hivemind thing, so that sort of thinking seems rare.


Not sure where else I was going with this. It's just before bedtime here, I"m feeling more and more confused. I apologize if some of this seems nonsensical or without direction.

 

[Nihil]

Does it not imply that it's also unhealthy for adults, to an extent, any extent?

There's no evidence at all that this is the case. Just saying. That's more based on fear-mongering than anything else. Also, playing any video game can be unhealthy depending on how long you play said game. Any activity can be unhealthy, depending on how long you do it for.

 

[Nihil]

Anyway, people like Nintendo games because they're fun.

 

[Southern Discomfort]

And also the hardware Nintendou consoles are made on are inferior to that of that of PC's and other consoles

You don't say.

Well I own both an i7 PC and a Nintendo Switch. And I'm glad I own both and do you know why? It's because I have a PC for single play and a Switch for when friends come over. Multiplayer games are virtually non-existent on other consoles and PC. Tell me which console has more multiplayer games than the Switch and I'll raise you Mario Party, Kart, hell even Let's Go Pokemon and the latest Mario game has multiplayer use. You do not have that on other system. Not to mention it's a hell of a lot more portable than lugging around a massive PS4 or a Xbox.

I don't care if it's got less powerful hardware, what it does it great and with that size and portability to claim it doesn't have the same power as a PS4 is just, well, dumb. Of course it doesn't.

But honestly, fanboyism is more dumb. These companies don't owe you anything for your loyalty. To think that they have your best interests at heart is delusional. They'd sooner screw over their customers if it meant increasing the green line at the next sales meeting.

 

[Southern Discomfort]

Same reason as alot of players: They're colorful and tend to be cute instead of gritty.

Yep. Wooo, grey and brown palette choices!

 

[Mr Allen]

My first console was the Super NES, some great games including Super Tennis, Super Mario World etc

And then up to about 8 years ago I had a DS, bought it for New Super Mario Bros and the Princess Peach game.

 

[Graphin]

Nintendo did (sort of has) have superior mobile hardware and gameplay for a while, in the mobile gaming sector.

 

[Misery]

You don't say.

Well I own both an i7 PC and a Nintendo Switch. And I'm glad I own both and do you know why? It's because I have a PC for single play and a Switch for when friends come over. Multiplayer games are virtually non-existent on other consoles and PC. Tell me which console has more multiplayer games than the Switch and I'll raise you Mario Party, Kart, hell even Let's Go Pokemon and the latest Mario game has multiplayer use. You do not have that on other system. Not to mention it's a hell of a lot more portable than lugging around a massive PS4 or a Xbox.

I don't care if it's got less powerful hardware, what it does it great and with that size and portability to claim it doesn't have the same power as a PS4 is just, well, dumb. Of course it doesn't.

But honestly, fanboyism is more dumb. These companies don't owe you anything for your loyalty. To think that they have your best interests at heart is delusional. They'd sooner screw over their customers if it meant increasing the green line at the next sales meeting.

Yeah, pretty much.

Nintendo's consoles have always been good examples of why power isnt THAT big of an issue.

As PCs go, I got a new one myself recently... the thing cost about $4500 (not my idea). PCs seriously dont get much more powerful, and the thing is only a couple of months old. If it were all about power, this would be the one and only thing I'd ever need, yeah?

Even despite that, still quite like my Switch. I dont do multiplayer (everyone I know is the ultra-stereotypical AAA gamer sort, you know what I mean, so they wont touch things that arent JRPGs, shooters, or Dark Souls, with the exception of Smash) but there's still alot of good on that machine. Obviously I dont use it as much as the PC, simply because there's not as many games on it, but still, it gets more than enough use to warrant my owning it. Particularly since Smash came out. And hell, that thing even has Binding of Isaac on it (basically the best game ever, as far as i'm concerned)... I can play that on the plane, when I have to deal with one. Portable Isaac, that's a big plus to me. The Wii U was the same way to me, with Mario Maker, though less portable than the Switch.

If Nintendo manages to get some of the DS-exclusive stuff onto the Switch, I'll finally be able to play those too. Couldnt use the actual 3DS... wrecks my arm. Badly-shaped thing, that gizmo. I *really* want to see Pokemon, Animal Crossing, and hopefully a sequel to Tomodachi Life on there. That'd multiply my use of that thing, yes indeed. Heck, I havent been able to touch either Pokemon or Animal Crossing in years.

On top of that, I'm very into retro gaming. Screw "power"... there's never going to be a single gaming device for me that ever truly tops the NES or Atari 2600, period. Not ever. To this day I still play those (even if I'm emulating them half the time). Well, okay... if someone manages to invent the Holodeck from Star Trek, THAT might top those... but then I'd probably use it to play holographic versions of those things (in spaaaaaaace) so maybe not quite. I keep using the VR unit to do exactly that, already.


Also yes, that bit about fanboy-ism that you said, that's indeed totally correct. I always say the same bloody thing, in many different places (not just on this forum). Most people dont bloody listen though. It's outright depressing to see just how bad it's gotten, so many players are almost mind-controlled at this point. Ridiculous. Like I've often said, those big publishers would happily fling you into a giant blender if they thought it'd earn them an extra few pennies. They are *not* good groups. Even Nintendo, the least corrupted one, is still a big cold corporation, and should not be entirely trusted.

 

[Mr Allen]

That's the biggest problem IMO, power wise, even Nintendo's very latest desktop hardware runs at about the equivalent power of a low spec gaming PC that would run Doom, a 29 year old game nearly, if you're extremely lucky.

 

[FreeDiver]

As PCs go, I got a new one myself recently... the thing cost about $4500 (not my idea). PCs seriously dont get much more powerful, and the thing is only a couple of months old. If it were all about power, this would be the one and only thing I'd ever need, yeah?

$4500 for a PC. Holy cow. A decent, top of the line gaming rig shouldn't have cost you more then $1000, I know. I build PC's for A living and I'll bet that machine you got is probably only 10% faster( if your lucky) then a $1000 gaming rig. There are professional gamers out there the play for a living and pay about $8000 to max out there machines and they're only getting about 20% more performance then a $1000 rig would do. They can justify that cost because the difference between losing and winning can be several thousands of dollars in prize money. Plus they also get sponsored as well. Anyway's, my point is. If you spend that much money on a gaming rig. Unless you're a professional gamer? You got burned.

 

[Southern Discomfort]

That's the biggest problem IMO, power wise, even Nintendo's very latest desktop hardware runs at about the equivalent power of a low spec gaming PC that would run Doom, a 29 year old game nearly, if you're extremely lucky.

I don't even.. What?

As Misery said, Nintendo isn't banking on power, obviously. They're relying on their famous IPs and innovative portability and multiplayer functions. You mention Doom, you can get Doom (2016) on the Switch. It won't compare to other console versions or PC of course but again, not the point of the Switch. The point of the Switch is to deliver console gaming quality on a portable platform you can take anywhere and play with a group of friends in a fast and simple manner. Which it does.

It's a good platform for the future of the industry too. Indie developers have found a lot of customers on the Nintendo platform. I'd much rather by most of these smaller games for this device than play on an overpowered desktop computer like the one I'm currently on. Indie games are almost built for the Switch.

The Switch doesn't come without it's downfalls though. Coming from PC gaming to the Switch you're in for quite a shock at some of those Triple AAA games prices. I am not ever going to buy Skyrim again let alone for an eye watering £50. Some games cost up to £60 for the base version. I don't know if this is the new price for games on console but on PC most are still £40, some pushing for £45. And even then you have the Steam sales and The Humble Bundle. The Switch also has a design flaw too: there is no analogue triggers. Racing sim games aren't for it simple as. In racing games there's only accelerate and coasting, there's no inbetween with a light bit of pressure on the trigger. Quite a mistake for Nintendo I think.

Overall, Nintendo has been smart with their system this time around. They've learnt a lot from the Wii U and taken that system's best qualities and make a good, solid portable system. Nintendo is doing what consoles should do, be innovative in design without hendering the consumer with a hefty price tag (early days Xbox Kinect anyone?) or chasing the fantasies of being a beefy console with PC specs like the Xbox One X or the PS4 Pro. Something that PC will simply just dominate.

If I was Microsoft or Sony I'd really push the boat out and try to make a easy to customise, modular console. A hell of a lot easier said than done I can only imagine. I'm sure the margins for business could be questionable at best with supply and demand of parts. But with PC parts being cheaper now thanks to a booming PC market (unless we have another Bitcoin market rise) there really hasn't been a better time to try something like this. Consoles these days are all running on existing tech anyway, PS4 and Xbox One are running on custom PC AMD hardware, whilst the Switch is a essentially a tablet with controller docks on both side which was really close to running on a custom Android OS.