The last article I wrote was about third party games that I would love to see on the Nintendo Switch and would also be welcomed by Nintendo fans. Today I will be sharing with you my personal experience with Nintendo and why I think they actually do need third party support. I’ve read some really interesting pieces about Nintendo first-party game sales vs PS4 and Xbox One third-party games sales. Basically, Nintendo game sales are amazing and many of the authors of these particular articles claim that Nintendo doesn’t really need third party support. I completely disagree.
How Important Are Nintendo’s First Party Games To You?
This is the real question to consider. While Nintendo games are amazing, I feel that they are becoming repetitive and sometimes even outdated. That’s not to say they lack quality, they still sell quite well, but I’m rather saying that I am just burnt out. I have been playing on Nintendo hardware since the NES, and so far I have only skipped the Wii U. You know why I did that? Because I felt burnt out. The games that I loved I have played so much that I could not stand them anymore!
To be honest I miss some of them, I want to play a Luigi’s Mansion or a Paper Mario so bad right now. Not owning a Wii U prevent me from playing the Paper Mario game, but the lack of third-party support is a deal breaker. Can I justify buying a console for only a few games? I don’t want to choose between great third-party games or owning a Nintendo. I want Nintendo first-party games and the games of great developers.
Rehashing Old Ideas
The Super Smash Franchise is full of games I absolutely loved. I was a mean Marth on the Gamecube and I was a dominant force with Ike on the Wii. A couple years ago, when I went on the Nintendo Youtube channel and saw the Super Smash footage for the Wii U I couldn’t help it but feel like it was the same things I’ve already seen. As the trailers ended, It felt like I’ve already played this games for hours.
To me, it just felt old. Sure, there are new characters and eight player matches (which looks kinda fun) but just hearing that announcer and the victory music made me disappointed. It needs something fresh to bring me back to this game and make it feel modern. I still may buy and play this game but I cant say I’m extremely excited about it…
Newer Games For Growing Nintendo Fans
I think that saying that Nintendo is not developing newer intellectual property (IP) would be a false statement. They have released a handful of new quality IP in the last few years. The thing about Nintendo is that it has a very clear idea of their market. Nintendo makes fun and family friendly games, and there is nothing wrong with that! But time doesn’t stop. Years go by and your audience grows older to a point that can make Mario seem dull. While I understand that Nintendo has an identity and methods that have made them successful, I don’t understand why they don’t compromise.
The PlayStation has many kid friendly franchises like Little Big Planet, and mature franchises like God of War. Yes, the latter is the most popular of the two but this level of support gives you a console that works for different ages. You can buy it and enjoy it with multiple kids of different ages, and make sure they will all have something they find interesting to play. This doesn’t mean Nintendo should make gore games or a “AAA” shooter like Call Of Duty. I would just like to see them make a game for the “hardcore gamer” demographic, while still maintaining that Nintendo identity.
Finding The Right Balance
It seems Nintendo is determined to keep its Identity. I would love to see them exploring other options, Nintendo’s bet on third party support for the “Hardcore Gamer” demographic could just be a good balance. After all, Nintendo is really good at what they do – they know how to make a fun game, that looks bright and happy, and that is really entertaining! Isn’t that what Nintendo is about? It’s Nintendo’s Identity, and maybe letting third parties take over the more mature audience that might come to the Switch is the best call.
Even if it is, I still think Nintendo needs to update some of its franchises, and possibly create some newer ones. Smash Bros needs something else to motivate me back into the game – not just a new announcer and fresh theme music. If there is an example to follow within Nintendo it would be Zelda. It is amazing how much this franchise has changed through the years yet still manages to hook old and new gamers. This is the model Nintendo needs for many of its tired franchises.
The Future
I really hope the promises of third-party support for the Nintendo Switch are true. They may not need them to be successful and I really don’t think third-party developers are better at making games than Nintendo. I just want third party support because Nintendo franchises are becoming repetitive and, to an extent, this is causing me to move away from them.
Third-party games give you a different feel and experience. Taking a break from Nintendo style games, and giving players like me a chance to just take a breath from Mario’s onslaught, actually increase the longevity and “uniqueness” of Nintendo’s titles. Imagine the day when we could use Nintendo hardware for all the games you want to play… I do. Jumping back and forth from PC to Nintendo and back to PC isn’t even suited for our favorite plumber.