Nintendo considers move to smartphones

General Discussion
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this then is a volatile market that Wil spiral out of control.

with the increased amount of available games, you have to probably waste more money on advertising than the game itself, and even then it’s still not guaranteed.

taking a advantage is one thing. investing large sums of RnD is no longer taking advantage. mobile gaming biggest risk is the ADHD nature of mobile gamers and the games they play.

I agree with him. but only because I don’t want to buy a console from a company to play company exclusive games.

let me build the console. let me come up with the heat solutions, the power solutions, let me choose how pretty I want the damn game to look. let me come up with the application solutions and interconnectivity solutions between media centers. I don’t want to pay unnecessary $$$ for your shit software solutions that aren’t game related.

sell me your software because your hardware is absolutely shifty and im tired of having to buy 3 different sets of hardware to play 3-4 ip’s per hardware. that’s the future. I’m tired of buying macs, all of you should.

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People shouldn’t act like any one platform/genre is a blight when there have been vile games released in every generation, of every genre. That is oversimplification of a complex issue, not ridiculously declaring one market/game type as toxic and getting all salty when people point out examples of how you’re wrong.

Which isn’t to say that Nintendo necessarily should enter the phone market; despite my misgivings about all things Nintendo, they’re not the company to build a shoddy piece of hardware, Virtual Boy and the SNES controller notwithstanding.

EDIT - Hilarious that one of the guys who says mobile gaming is a fad is chastising others on not doing research. Unfortunately, for some people, stupid isn’t a fad.

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I’d had a few drinks last night so if I came across as defensive, that’s why. Didn’t mean to be.

I understand your position, and I agree with you in terms of always questioning things and but I think it’s too soon to pass judgment on whether or not mobile is a viable long term platform. We still have the Vita and 3DS out there, but if Sony and Nintendo decide not to make future portables because they don’t see it as a viable market anymore, you’ll know why. But until we reach the next gen of portables (or not) it’s hard to say whether or not it’s just a fad. Folks have been playing games on cellphones for a long time already, and with more powerful hardware available, the market’s only grown. People thought buying music via MP3 was a fad and look at it now. It’s the preferred format for a majority of people for better or worse. I’m not saying consoles are dead, but a lot of the anti-mobile folks seem to think that mobile and console gaming is mutually exclusive, which couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Nintendo has a degree of brand recognition with their characters that would make it make more sense for them to move them into the mobile market. They wouldn’t even have to port NES games, they could take some of the old GameBoy games, add color, and put those out. Or like someone else said, expand VC to mobile and let people download things on a per-game basis. If they advertised SMB1 on the App Store home page, it would sell a boatload of copies simply from people who remember it from their youth, or kids who never owned an NES that have heard about it. Old games sell pretty well if they’re done right. The Final Fantasy games, Ultimate MK3, NBA Jam, and Sonic are consistently Top sellers in the App Store. As are the GTA games at a $4.99-6.99 price tag apiece.

I think we can agree that one thing Sony and Microsoft have over Nintendo is that they have a greater diversity of their income streams. Nintendo just does games (unless they have other avenues that I don’t know about.) So it makes sense for them to diversify in that field as much as possible, and having a branch of it where they don’t have to expend the capital to develop and market a console seems like a no-brainer to me. Especially when the assets that could bring in a good bit of extra income are basically sitting there. I’m not saying the revenue will “save” Nintendo (I don’t think they need saving per se) but it would be an additional chunk of money that could help them fund other, bigger projects

I think there will always be a more hardcore group of folks who prefer playing on a console, much like there are audiophiles who prefer listening to vinyl or FLAC files. The fact that the mobile market made 20bb like you said is proof that it’s viable in the short term, now it’s just up to the publishers to keep cranking out worthy products that make people want to spend their cash. All said, I think it’s short sighted to dismiss the mobile market. There are still gains to be made and innovation to be had and I think once devs quit thinking about hardcore games being basically a DS or PSP game on a phone, especially in terms of the control schemes, then we’ll see things get really good.

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Thats a good example how a game can be adapted to smart phones well. I have Dodonpachi on my Samsung Galaxy S 4
And to a limited degree I concede that Square Enix has some decent titles on the iTunes and Google Play stores.
I do have that same Dodonpachi game for the Xbox 360, the Android/iOS version is a decent port but no way the same Excalibur of game.

Think Shmups, some driving games (depending how they are coded/implemented), puzzle games (like Tetris or Dr Mario, Puzzle League), Turn base RPGs, Zelda-esque type of games in terms of game play, can translate well to Smart Phones, Platformers are OMG fucking annoying to play. I seen a Medieval knight game that plays like Super Punch out do well. and a Metrovania style game do ok. One of my Favorite phone games genera are tower deference.

Huge issue on Smart Phone is the control scheme, taking advantage of the touch screen and tilt sensors.
Most of Capcom’s Cellphone ports are miserable, unplayable failures. Like Ghost and Goblins are hard enough without mediocre touch screen d-pads and buttons. Don’t get me started with the iOS version of Super Street Fighter IV.
Yes there are external controllers that can interface with a smart phone via bluetooth everything from iCade 8-Bitty to a Wii Remote.
But who has time for all that, who going to carry with them a separate apparatus for gaming on there phone.

Also Nintendo’s health side of their business is the 3DS, why make a product like to compete against there better seller. If you port over NES, SNES, Gameboy, GBA and some DS titles over, how would they play?
Also to compete price wise they have to reduce the price of these games, cheaper than the Wii U and 3DS eStores offer.

Changes I would make to Nintendo to make them more Profitable.

  1. You know is the first smart thing Nintendo should start doing and will require little investment on their parts, consolidate all their eStores into one entity. Similar to what Sony has for the PSN store and to the PSP, PS3, PS4 and Vita. I am just using Sony as the example as they are the only ones to really do this.
    I should go to the Wii U store and be able to purchase games for any device Nintendo Supports via eStore.

Make games cross purchasable. If I buy the NES Super Mario Bros, I should have that game available for 3DS/DSi, The Wii and Wii U with 1 purchase. The WHOLE Virtual Console Library should be cross platform, the way PS1 titles are for the PSP, PS3 and Vita. Tell me if you purchase Lets say Sonic the Hedgehog on the eStore on your 3DS you wouldn’t like to have the exact same game available on your Wii U because you already purase it on your 3DS (or vise versa)

  1. Why there is no GBA titles on Virtual Console???

  2. Pay attention to eBay/Amazon/ Rom Downloads, If someone willing to pay $200 for an obscure GameBoy Color title, then put that game on the eStore for $5, people will buy it. Current example how Nintendo now have Shante on the 3DS store, it sells for $200 on eBay for the original game cart. Also if people are willing to steal it, people are willing to buy it, pay attention to rom sites and torrents and offer that same game on the eStore, even if you have to licences that shit.

3.5. Bring in more 3rd party titles.

  1. Make more of Nitnendo titles that are on BOTH SYSTEMS cross purchasable and playable, Imagine buying the new Smash Bros for the 3DS, you are at the lets say Airport waiting on your flight and being able to play and challenge Wii U users at the same game. If I buy some in house or Indie title on line for a Nintendo system I should have it for both the 3DS and Wii U.

  2. Make your digital sales cheaper than Retail copies… (every online store except Steam is guilty of this one)

  3. Allow the 3DS to replace the stupid Tablet controller that-no-one-wants. More Cross compatibility with the 3DS and Wii U, if you make a Pokemon Wii U title, I should be able to link Pokemon X and Y to it via 3DS the way the GBA titles link to Colosseum and the original Game Boy series with Stadium. And do not limit this to just Pokemon, make it work for other Nintendo IP.

  4. Unbundle the stupid tablet controller & Charge less for the Wii U. Nintendo said themselves a huge chuck of the Wii U’s Price was the tablet controller. Unbundle the tablet, make it optional instead of standard.
    Offer the tablet as a separate optional accessory instead of a requirement.

  5. Use clever marketing to get the notion out of people’s heads that the Wii U is it’s own console and not a Wii Add-on, people still remember the fiasco with Sega and the 32X/Saturn.

  6. Miyamoto the amazing guy as he is, and as much has he done for gaming in general isn’t the same man that he was in 1981 when he came up with Donkey Kong. For a 61 year old man he still quite youthful and creative but he already pass his prime. He needs to take a step down and allow the newer guys in Nintendo a chance to succeed. Instead of Miyamoto developing games, he needs to mentor the next generation of young Nintendo talent to take his place. Miyamoto needs a prodigy, a student(s) to mold to be his successor and allow for this student to make his or her own decisions in the game development process.

  7. Like what Iwata did for the 3DS and the Early adopters/loyalty perks, do the same for the Wii U but do it where you don’t alienate the people who are not early adopters as no one likes elitism.

Weird thing about Nintendo is they are a completely different animal that Sony and Microsoft. Sony and Microsoft makes more than just games, they make appliances, computers, mobile devices ect. Nintendo is more of a Game Publisher who just happens to develop their own hardware as Nintendo sees Hardware and Software as a match set (similar to Apple’s philosophy). I feel that a line of Smart Phone games will undermine that philosophy. They do not just write code for game and make matching art work, there approach is the software and hardware is both part of one big presentation.

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Games that have to have traditional control, could just be played on home consoles/PCs. Which should help keep home/mobile from competing with each other. But that’s a lot of genres that should play well with just a touch interface. Handheld gaming was always about trying to put out enjoyable experiences despite making (graphical or control) concessions compared to console.

Like I said before, this close-minded attitude against smartphone gaming reminds me of people stuck in the 8-16-bit era who looked at early PS1 stuff, and swore that 3d was killing the “purity” of gaming (you know, the type of guys who wrote or thought like Gamefan magazine).

Edit: onoz typos

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My point with the mobile market is you can’t treat titles on a mobile phone like you would on a dedicate console or handheld.
There a number of great Mobile games that is not (shutters) Angry Birds or Candy Crush, some are ports (like Dodonpachi) some are original like Cut the Rope, Reaper, Bloons Tower Defense, Usagi Yojimbo:Way of the Ronin.

And I honestly believe you can’t do a raw port of a console game like capcom tried, you have to make the game controls and interface fit the existing hardware.

You don’t make a game for a console the same ways you make a game for the PC, the control scheme is different. If I had to buy a game controller for a PC title there something wrong (with obvious exceptions like arcade titles).

I do think there room for Nintendo on the mobile market, but I think just dumping there existing back catalog of games to mobile isn’t the way they should approach it.
And they shouldn’t compete with the 3DS. Don’t do something that hurt the healthy side of their business. There under performing aspect is the Wii U.

If Nintendo does go on the mobile market they should do more than just games, make apps that assist in existing games. One example that comes to mind is a official Pokedex app, take advantage of the phone’s camera for image searches too. Make a Pokebank app where you can manage your Pokebank away from your PC or without touching your DS. A Club Nintendo App, where you can manage your account there. Put Strategy guides on the book store potions of Google Play and Apples iTunes.

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The game’s flaws have nothing to do with the F2P model. Same with DOA5U.

The problem with iOS and Android games is that the standard is “low price, low quality games”. High quality expensive titles don’t seem to do well unless they whore a big brand like Final Fantasy, and even still, the quality is lower compared to actual console titles.

If you this is the way you choose to experience the game for the first time, you are doing yourself a huge disservice.

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I live in a igloo. Aren’t any arcades around here. Just thankful that there are these CAVE gems on iOS

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Also getting imports can be expensive (especially cave shooters). I think I overpaid for my UK copy of Dodopatch Resurrection as its the only version that is region free.
Trying to nab other never-release out of the US shmups are not cheap or easy. I think I luck out with getting Donpachi for the PS1 as cheap as I did from a Tokyo record store for under $40. Just go look at the prices of the same game on eBay.

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I can’t help but notice that that isn’t showing the finger that would be being used to move the ship around making it a complete pain in the ass to dodge tight patterns of bullets up close because you can’t see them because your finger is in the way.

I guess it’s good when they are using a mouse on whatever emulate they are using and just doing the first level, but seriously, that shit won’t be flying when actually played on a phone.

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I have the Android version of the game, it much easier to play than you expect it to be. Your Finger guides the ship along and you don’t have to directly touch the ship to manipulate it, you can touch just below it so you can still see and avoid bullet fire. Fire is by default set on AUTO with weapon changes/ bombs being transparent touch screen buttons. The First level on normal difficulty is kinda easy for shmup standards, way too easy for Cave Shooter standards but the difficulty curves sharply as you advance to later stages.

The disappointing factor is the graphics are watered down from there Xbox 360 and Arcade versions. The regular iOS and Android versions used pre-rendered sprites instead of 3D models, and the HD version designed for tablets looks better but not as good as there Console/arcade version.

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Your finger is never blocking the “view” , to put it short and simple.

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360 and PC emulation…

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@tataki

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Truth be told, all my gaming is on PC. I’m also older and don’t have that much time right now (hope to change both in the future, or at least feel younger), so I don’t even really game much at all. I’ve heard the calls of the death of the PC gaming sector a few years ago, and now I see the same stuff for consoles and handhelds, so I take a dim view towards it. I just highly doubt any of those sectors will go away. A new sector in mobile gaming could arise, but I seriously doubt it will kill the other sectors or really draw from them. More than likely the sectors will stay separate with different groups preferring each one.

Too much of it is noise. Nintendo believes in its brand and that’s why they have loyal followers that believe in them. If they change that, they risk alienating their core gamers. That’s one reason I prefer private companies, because they don’t need to answer to shareholders and operate purely to make money, but have more freedom to strive for quality. But even for public companies, you can always defend decisions to avoid what people think are money making decision changes with BJR.

As a gamer I don’t like micro-transactions or on-disc locked content. Nintendo doesn’t do those things, so that automatically improves their standing in my eyes. If they are content with having people like me support them, and again I pretty much just play PC now, then their current model is fine. If they want to get rid of me to seek a potentially larger audience that’s already divided among other companies anyway, it’s a risk they can take and gamble that more will jump on to replace me. Usually it is important to pick your target audience and then stick with a business plan.

Nintendo can try selling mobile games for more money and compete with their own handhelds, but it’s probably not a good decision. If they tried to release another handheld afterwards they may have even more trouble than with 3DS. Heck I think part of the 3DS’s problem might have been how soon it came after the DS and the fact that DS had so many versions, and people were waiting for the second version of the 3DS. That’s probably why they’re not releasing a second version of the 3DS that quickly this time.

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They already released a second version of the 3DS, the XL, it has a much bigger top screen.

But i do agree with your points.

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Or the 2DS, which is like, wtf Nintendo. I mean, all that hoopla about 3D and then they admit defeat and say “Here is a 2D one just because” and sell it cheaper.

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not going to lie, the 2ds is really comfy to hold and it being cheaper was great for parents who had kids begging them for a 3ds

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So a goalpost change is all it takes for someone to go out of touch with reality to being agreeable and reasonable?

Good one there, guys. Prop up the village idiot Mother Teresa style.

Anywho, the 2DS wasn’t a bad idea. There’s a market for people who want a cheaper, non-3D version of the 3DS, and Nintendo delivered. I bought the 3DS XL myself and am pleasantly surprised how much I’m liking the 3D, but I digress: Nintendo actually showed some insight into their consumer base, for once.

Then you read these reports that Nintendo higher ups have zero idea how PSN or XBL works, and you wonder how Nintendo can be so clueless.

Anywho, would I buy a Nintendo-branded smartphone? Possibly. I like my Android phone but I also have a Shield (a surprisingly cool handheld) for Android games, so getting the Nintenphone doesn’t put me out anything.

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You know that nobody likes you and everyone just ignores your posts now right? You were almost able to kill the thread completely with your trolling, but you failed. I know you will keep trying and trying to get responses from the rest of us, but until you grow up and can discuss things like an adult, I don’t think you will be getting them. I certainly don’t waste my time reading your drivel anymore either, I randomly skimmed it this time, but I promise that is the last. Consider this a gift. You got that response you wanted so badly, you’ve posted repeatedly while being ignored after all.