Captain Toad proves what Nintendo is

A) They're still a wonderful game developer displaying an exceptional level of charm and creativity

B) They're still a stubborn company who can't their asses in full gear and release games like this on a regular, steady basis.

We all know they had a rough start when the Wii U first started, but now they're hitting their stride. The only problem is, it's always around the holiday season and then it's back to nothing again. After Captain Toad, what else is there to look forward to that isn't off into the distant part of 2015? (Zelda, Starfox). We should have just as much of a steady flow of first party titles coming that other consoles have coming with third party titles.

Now, onto Toad. Man, I wish this community was as fired up as it was years ago. People should be talking about this game. It's quite possibly the most charming game outside of Pikmin that Nintendo has produced in years. I'm only on the 12th level, but I'm already enjoying it so much. Those please little distractions in Super Mario 3D World are shaping up to make a very solid game here. True, you can easily blaze through these levels to get the star, but the real joy is getting all the gems, coins and meeting the optional objectives. If you have a Wii U, you should really pick this title up, and it's only 40 bucks too!

Yeah Nintendo is still one of the best developers around and they sure can make their systems worth owning all on their own. So glad I have a Wii U now.

-The Legend of Zelda for Wii U

-Splatoon for Wii U

-Star Fox for Wii U

-Yoshi's Woolly World for Wii U

-Kirby and the Rainbow Curse for Wii U

-Mario Maker for Wii U

That's miles better than what the other companies have to offer in 2015 for first party, and not even mentioning the stuff for 3DS.

Huh? Nintendo are turning out critically acclaimed titles every few months.

They certainly seem to be putting out high quality titles at a faster rate than Microsoft and Sony, so I'm not sure what your point is.

@beastmodeboy: really? one new franchise compared to No Man's Sky, Until Dawn, The Order, Bloodbourne, Everybody's Gone To The Rapture, Uncharted 4?

@jcrame10

Same old franchises with totally different gameplay. Which is more than I can for Bloodborne which just Demon Souls with a Shotgun (that you barely use). Nintendo doesn't cater to the crowd thats easily fooled by the same old gameplay under a different IP. Usually its the opposite

Really. No Man's Sky isn't Sony first party for one, and Until Dawn will probably just be another tired and unimpressive entry in to the already overdone survival horror genre. The Order is by no means a guaranteed for success new IP.

That leaves Bloodborne and Uncharted 4. I expect those to be fantastic.

Nintendo has been releasing top games for a while now. I only wish I had the money for a wii U.

Oi, Splatoon.

@beastmodeboy: ehh. Your opinion. That is not universal.

And I mentioned no manys sky as it's not going to be in Xbox. So yes, it is a game that sony is bringing to playstation and can be counted the same as the others.

@Lulu_Lulu: this is the same company that is on smash bros 4, mario kart 8, probably mario 25 and Zelda 20 you're talking about?

I wouldn't call a giant group of consumers "easily fooled". Opinions can be painted in a way for either side, as I just did.

Basically it's stupid and sounds like:

"It's a new mario game: you jump!"

"It's a new uncharted game: you shoot!"

I'm not sure what your point is in bringing up those numbers.

That's 4 Super Smash Bros games in 15 years and 8 Mario Kart games in 22 years (none of the sequels being on the same platform) - which is absolutely nothing compared to, say, 3 Uncharted games on a single platform in 5 years.

Also, your Mario and Zelda numbers seem totally off - possibly because you're mashing together all of the different sub-series of Mario and Zelda games.

For Zelda console titles (which tend to play completely differently to the handheld Zelda games), there have only been 9 over the last 27 years, and each of them tend to feature radically distinct gameplay. For the Mario games - there have been...what, 13 main console titles in 29 years? Plus 4 Paper Mario games (which play differently from the main series and each other), some Mario & Luigi games (again, different gameplay styles), and so on.

So...yeah, that argument doesn't work.

Anyway, looking at Nintendo's 2015 offerings - I can't speak for all of them, but Splatoon, Zelda U and Mario Maker are all types of games that Nintendo has never made before. Splatoon in particular seems very innovative and fun to play. Plus all of those games will most likely be fantastic, since Nintendo rarely releases terrible products in their main franchises.

That's more than can be said for that list of Sony games. On top of what has already been said, Gamespot doesn't seem to have much confidence in The Order being particularly good.

I love it when people join the "Hate Nintendo" bandwagon. It is hilarious. You dislike them for churning out great titles on a consistent basis. Also, I have been playing Zelda from the beginning there is not 20 main titles. If you want to use examples like that we can talk about all the Ass Creed games coming out yearly with no thought put into it because they know the masses will drop their panties for them. As with Call of Duty. Titles where the sequel adds absolutely nothing but shinier graphics. Nintendo still tries to always bring top notch gameplay (which should be noted is A reason to play games) yet people overlook that because "its a new Mario" or a new "Zelda". I don't want to see a new Uncharted, considering it hasn't even been ten years since the first came out, but I am not going to hate on Sony for it like people do to Nintendo. If I had to choose one company to only one console from, it would be Nintendo hands down and the reasoning for that is, well, Nintendo makes quality titles where fun is the focus. If a game isn't fun than what is the point of playing it?

Except I didn't liken them to MS and Sony. I liked them to the steady flow of third-party titles that you can get on other systems, which they aren't getting. Nintendo needs to pump out their games faster. I honestly don't get how Nintendo fans who only have a Wii U are able to play games every day.

Wait, you're STILL playing Zelda? The remake of a game that came out more than 10 years ago, and yet you take a pot shot at Assassin's Creed games? This is the problem I have with Nintendo fans. They're stuck in their own little complacent world with this apologetic attitude. No wonder Nintendo is where they are. They can do no wrong! Will, if all you want to do is play remakes of 10 year old games and wait three months for a new Nintendo game to come out because you don't have third-party titles to fill in the gaps, be my guest.

All I'm saying is this is the moment for Nintendo to work themselves to death, which they are NOT doing.

Six titles? That's all we're worked up for in 2015? One every couple of months? Man, it's a good thing I own other consoles, because I'd be bored to tears.

@JustPlainLucas: don't even argue with them. It's just a waste of time. One of them just complained about 3 uncharted games on one platform, but will ignore all the mario parties, mario karts, mario 3d games, mario 2d games, mario sports games on a single platform. Mario is mario and if you don't care for mario in one game, you probably won't in another. And seriously "you can't compare Zelda handheld to console". Wow so I guess fps resistance games on ps3 are totally different than the third person one on pap.

Just because I'm making critical points on nintendo doesn't mean I'm "on a nintendo hater bandwagon". Nintendo fans are so sensitive lol. I love nintendo and had a wii u before a ps4 or a bone. I love mario 3d world, it's my tie for GOTY 2013 with last of us. I also have zombi u, mario kart, smash, dk trop freeze ad pikmin 3. I will be buying yoshis wooly world, Splatoon snd Zelda all day one. Nintendo just sucks a lot of the times and they deserve the critique they get.

I suppose I should. Funny, though, that my first point was how awesome Nintendo is because of their creativity and charm, yet, we're all focusing on the second point. *shrugs*

@jcrame10

All 3 Uncharted games were TPS....

The Mario games span different genres from RPGs to Kart Racers..... The only thing they share is the name.... Mario Kart isn't even about Mario, its basicly Nintendo Mascots Karting

I'm surprized they didn't go ahead and call SSB Mario Smash Brothers.... The name sells.

My only point was they are still just as creative as ever and if you were charmed by Toad, you're not going to wait as long as you think for other great games from them. Just LOOK at Wooly --and-- Kirby's Rainbow Curse is going to be tons of fun, as it was on the DS!

@Lulu_Lulu "Same old franchises with totally different gameplay. Which is more than I can for Bloodborne which just Demon Souls with a Shotgun (that you barely use). Nintendo doesn't cater to the crowd thats easily fooled by the same old gameplay under a different IP."

This is soo wrong! Even though Nintendo has Rayman Legends, New Mario Bros, Donkey Kong Country, Kirby, Yoshi, Shovelknight, and other 2D sidescrollers! These are totally not more or less the same tired old gameplay under a different IP!

@Lulu_Lulu: the guy said you cant compare Zelda handhelds and console games because "theyre too different". So I said then you cant compare Resistance console and handheld games, because one is TPS and the 3 on PS3 are FPS. I didnt say Uncharted.

@Planeforger I count 19, with number 20 on the way.

Misquote?

@JustPlainLucas: my bad, dunno how that happened.

@jcrame10

Okay... Carry on then.

@Lulu_Lulu: Nintendo: Mario, Zelda, Fire Emblem (my fave series ever), Pokemon, Smash, Mario Kart, Zelda, DKC etc are all from NES - N64 era. Animal Crossing, Pikmin, Wii series, Xenoblade, Last Story are GC - Wii era. I can't think of any more major new IP, none jump out at me.

Sony, in that same time frame:

PS1: Medievil, Spyro, Crash, Ape Escape, Gran Turismo, Driver, Parappa, Jet Moto, Twisted Meta, other game series. Had MGS, FF, exclusive third party titles that were huge.

PS2: God of War, Jak, Ratchet, Sly, DMC was exclusive, Shadow of Colossus, other game series

PS3: Motorstorm, Heavy Rain, Beyond Two Souls, Resistance, Uncharted, Infamous, Katamari, LBP, other series

I'm seeing a pattern where Nintendo continues to make sequels to their franchises, while Sony seems to pump out new franchises with each new console. You could even say that instead of changing the way we game (as Nintendo always does with each new console), changing up the variety of games by adding new franchises with each new console is doing so even more.

#

I never said Nintendo has done no wrong. Not once. So good job on understanding what I wrote. The reason I took a pot shot at Ass Creed is because it is a yearly release, with the Zelda titles we at least have a few years between console titles (which is what I play most, do not own a handheld at the moment) so it gives some breathing room. With yearly release it suffocates the series too me. But trust me I will criticize Nintendo for many things. Twilight Princess was a barren wasteland in Hyrule Field, Skyward Sword was way way too easy, the Wii was just a casual console that was fairly boring beyond a few select games. I am not one of those fanboys who doesn't see their faults. Up until last year I had no interest in the Wii U and I am a die hard Nintendo fan, I haven't even picked up a 3DS. I just have hope that they can bring back the intensity and drive they had in the 80's. I sounded like a total ass when I wrote what I did, I apologize.

@jcrame10

Thats not what I mean't. But okay...

No worries. My apologies for misreading what you wrote as well.

@Lulu_Lulu: what did you mean then?

And before anyone brings up Ass Creed again, can we all just agree that those games are, in fact, ass?

Tis the joys of being hungover haha!

@jcrame10

I meant carry on with your discussion before I interupted you.

these are going to be great games.

I'm not huge on Splatoon at all, but the rest of the 1st party titles for Nintendo all look great. Don't forget about the exclusive Xenoblade Chronicles either. Looks to be a fantastic JRPG although it's not Nintendo produced.

Exactly. If I only owned a PS4, Wii U or Xbox One I'd be missing out on so much, it'd be hard to call myself a real gamer.

I'd agree with that, although I feel the same way about any single-console owner.

This...um...huh?

Assassins Creed gets fairly criticised for being essentially the same game every year, with barely enough improvements to justify each sequel that comes out.

Zelda games aren't like that. They aren't "remakes" of a "10 year" old game. There's often far more variation between Zelda sequels (including entire genre swaps, completely different core mechanics, completely different exploration mechanics, different combat mechanics, etc.) than you'll see in the vast majority of other franchises.

Also, what do you mean by "They can do no wrong!". How have you had your head in the sand for the last 12 years? Surely you were here when the fans and reviewers created a huge backlash around Windwaker for being too different. And against Twilight Princess for being too similar to OOT. And against Skyward Sword for not having enough exploration. And so on.

Zelda ALBW and Zelda 2015 might be the clearest examples of that. Many reviewers compared Skyward Sword to Skyrim as they both came out around the same time, and commented that they were sick of Zelda games being so linear. A couple of years later, and ALBW experimented with the idea of tackling dungeons in different orders, while Zelda 2015 is going to be a completely open-world game with a massive overworld.

...and I was correct in doing so, so what is your point?

Mario Parties, I agree with. That's 10 games in 9 years. They went overboard with that. Fortunately, since 2007, they've only made two Mario Party games.

Mario Kart? They release exactly one per console. No more, no less.

3D Mario platformers? I count...one on the N64; one on the Gamecube; two on the Wii; and (arguably) one each on the 3DS and Wii U - although the last two are isometric platformers that are different in style to the other four. So that's 1-2 per console.

2D Mario platformers. Hm. 3 on the NES; 1 on the SNES; ...17 year gap...; 1 on the Wii; 1 on the DS; 1 on the 3DS; and 1-2 on the Wii U. That's only 9 games in almost 30 years.

Mario Sports titles? One golf game per platform; one tennis game per platform; one soccer game per console (since the Gamecube); and a small handful of assorted other titles (like a baseball game on the Wii).

So yes, just to reiterate: I'm not seeing your point. At all.

@jcrame10 said:

@Lulu_Lulu: the guy said you cant compare Zelda handhelds and console games because "theyre too different". So I said then you cant compare Resistance console and handheld games, because one is TPS and the 3 on PS3 are FPS. I didnt say Uncharted.

@Planeforger I count 19, with number 20 on the way.

I'll defend the 2D (handheld) and 3D (console) distinction, because each type has a different gameplay focus.

While the 3D Zelda games split off and did their own thing, the handheld Zelda games expanded on the ideas of Zelda 1 and 3. So...the handheld ones obviously play a lot differently to the 3D ones, but they also have much more of a puzzle focus, and the DS ones have completely unique overworlds as well.

On top of that, the 3D Zelda titles have always been handled in-house, while the 2D ones have been outsourced to Capcom and so on.

@jcrame10 You're counting 19 because you're being completely uncritical about what you're reading.

Link's Crossbow training is, surprisingly enough, not "a Zelda game". It has Link in it, and it is Zelda themed, but that's about the only comparison you can make.

Hyrule Warriors is a Dynasty Warriors game. Zelda-themed, yes, but not "a Zelda game".

Twilight Princess is on that list twice.

So that's 16 titles - being generous to Four Swords, which is a multiplayer off-shoot and barely part of the main series.

So that's, what, 11 2D titles, 5 3D titles? It's also only 1-2 per platform. That still seems like a lot...until you consider the fact that Zelda has been around for almost 30 years!

If Assassins Creed continued at its current rate for 30 years, we'd be up to Assassins Creed 30+ (even more if you include the spin-off games).

I really respect Nintendo.

1) Point taken.

2) I misread what quatoe said. I thought he was still playing The Wind Wake on U.

3) There's one thing about Assassin's Creed coming out every year that's in its favor. They give people who enjoy the series more to play more often. True, they might not reinvent themselves to the same degree Zelda does, but there are changes, and improvements. I can't defend Unity, though...

4) "They can do no wrong" obviously was not something I was saying myself, because I don't believe that at all. It was directed to quatoe, because I thought he was one of those rose-shaded glasses wearing Nintendo fans who honestly do believe they can do no wrong.

Nintendo is expanding their development teams at least in Japan. This is a good first step. They need a more significant presence in the West. If they made Nintendo of America and Nintendo of Europe subsidiaries more significant we would be getting different games.

@thedude-

Different how ? You mean more lame RPG hybrids ?

You know what I would like to see? I would like to see Nintendo's own brand of Assassin's Creeds and Call of Duties and Grand Theft Autos, new AAA IPs you can only get on Nintendo systems. Yes, they make wonderful first party titles already, but they should work hard on filling in the patches that third-parties no longer wish to fill, because honestly, I want to see Nintendo be the only place to go like it was with the SNES, for both first AND third party titles.

That is the dream man, this is the dream.

SNES is often touted as the Golden Age of gaming for that very reason. Full throttle on first party Nintendo games, while getting the best third party support. This is why the SNES is the best console to date.

I think that would be helpful to get games that are of a different feeling than what you see with most Nintendo games. Bayonetta 2 is a good first step though it lacks mass audience appeal on the level of something like GTA.

Maybe your hopes will come true and we will see open world and competitive games be captured with Nintendo's talents in mind.

I would like to see Nintendo actively pursue good smaller devs that are making games like Journey. I want to see the next Retro Studios be contracted out.

What RPGs are you talking about?

@thedude-

The ones with Stats.

@Lulu_Lulu: What is the name?