nintendo moved away from dark stories (Good or bad)

Earthbound had subtext of rape and satanism. Pokemon Gold/Silver's rival had a childhood of neglect. And Zelda: Majora's Mask is an entire game based on how people cope with suffering.

Yet, while other companies have expanded their storytelling, Nintendo has decided to abandon that to stick to safer subjects.

Sadly, you're right. Nintendo has begun to shy away from mature themes in favor of childish images. I don't know why they can't support both, but I suppose they feel that in a world of gritty shooters, somebody needs to make more playful games. Still, Nintendo was vastly better when they knew how to balance both. Ocarina of Time and Wind Waker always come to mind when I think of darker, moodier games.

"You've met with a terrible fate haven't you,Nintendo?" Of course they have!

Yet..It's a good/bad move for me,good one is that they kept Giygas out of its misery after EarthBound and was never to be seen again...bad one is,imagine if Metroid started a peaceful life from the start to finish,it's boring,so let alone its dark secret,Metroid is nothing without the gruesome story basis

I wouldn't mind seeing a slightly darker story from Nintendo. Something in the vein of Majroa's Mask perhaps. Although Zelda games still aren't afraid to raise the risks (even if everyone survives in the end, it still brings about threats in its narrative).

Those games listed didn't do anything, they're the same compared to today's Nintendo.

Skyward Sword was just as controversial because of Ghirahim. Not only does his appearance and personality go outside of societal norms, he also got away with this:

and saying "Still...it seems hardly fair, being of my position, to take all my anger out on you. Which is why I promise up front not to murder you. No, I'll just beat you within an inch of your life!" and "I'll make the affair so excruciating, you'll deafen yourself with the shrill sound of your own screams."

They have focused on more family friendly party games last gen, but it doesn't mean they completely abandoned the hidden dark and moody themes.

Eh, Nintendo has ALWAYS been about making the snotty nosed kids, soccer moms, and soccer dads orgasm with their adolescent themes. They were never ballsy enough to venture down the mature road. If you want a realistically mature theme and mature content, Sony and Micro got you. I would've thought that this has been a well known fact for the ages.

Well, I'd like to point out that they have released games like Red Steel for the Wii. There are mature games for Nintendo, there just aren't a lot of them out there. I think this is because the public views Nintendo as "family friendly." Just like any other corporation, Nintendo is a business and they need to make money. Knowing that the public sees them in this way, they have taken advantage of it by keeping their games rated "G" or "PG." I know it's frustrating, but I play my "grown-up" games on other consoles.

Only Nintendo titles or 3rd party titles as well? Because if they dumb down Castlevania , I'll be pretty bummed.

@Jaysonguy: the hell you talking about? Majora's Mask at the very least is dark as shit. There are a ton of really adult themese that aren't exactly glossed over. Although I'll give you that even though yes Gold/ Silver didn't really expand/ handle its "mature" themes (here being the rival having a bad childhood) anywhere enough to be really effective.

@Napajeni: Have you never played Majora's Mask? I'd argue it's a lot darker and a lot more mature than most M rated games for all the shit that's in there (whether it be sad, weird or downright scary).

Skyward Sword had subtext of Satanism too.

Don't ignore the existence of Xenoblade either.

@ANIMEguy10034 said:

Skyward Sword was just as controversial because of Ghirahim. Not only does his appearance and personality go outside of societal norms, he also got away with this:

and saying "Still...it seems hardly fair, being of my position, to take all my anger out on you. Which is why I promise up front not to murder you. No, I'll just beat you within an inch of your life!" and "I'll make the affair so excruciating, you'll deafen yourself with the shrill sound of your own screams."

They have focused on more family friendly party games last gen, but it doesn't mean they completely abandoned the hidden dark and moody themes.

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I think you are really referring to Zelda. Although I have not played Skyward Sword Twilight Princess certainly was a fairly dark story at times, so I don't see them really moving away from it. It is funny that despite Windwaker's cheery graphics it's story has a certain nihilistic tone underlying everything.

Really the only two franchises than can have dark themes are Zelda and Metroid. Twilight Princess was the darkest game in the franchise, while Skyward Sword had a mentally twisted villain. Metroid Other M? Sure it has a crap story, but it doesn't mean it's particularly aimed at children. Metroid Prime 2 Echoes seems to stand out to me as the darkest installment in the series.

Pikmin is a game where you crash land on an alien planet, encounter a race of plant people, and then sacrifice them all so you can build your ship and escape. That's pretty dark.

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I would say Fire Emblem is darker than both and Majora's Mask being the darkest Zelda.

@93BlackHawk93: eh not really, but I've only played Awakening, so what do I know?

@bbkkristian: Some games contain genocide, incest, demonic possession, etc. But I'm not sure which franchise is darker now...

I have always thought of Nintendo as for all audiences versus childish. Still feel that way.