For the longest time, several fans of Nintendo have had plenty to complain about. Though the company remains loyal to its franchises, including Mario, Kirby and Zelda, they’ve also leaned quite a bit towards the “kiddie” market, with franchises like Pokemon and Wii Sports that lean more along the lines of “all ages”. Some feel like they’ve forgotten about the “hardcore” players that grew up with a Nintendo Entertainment System in their home, beating games like Ninja Gaiden and Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse with the utmost determination.
And in a way, yeah, Nintendo has changed with the market, cutting back on developing more dedicated fan efforts. But have they really been forgotten about? Actually, no. The truth is, while Nintendo may be pushing more “casual” efforts for the Wii U with such games as Nintendo Land and New Super Mario Bros. U, there have been a few signs as of late that have indicated that the love for the hardcore gamers could very well be rolling back in.
Now, that doesn’t mean they’re ready to announce something like, say, Metroid Prime or F-Zero tomorrow, as badly as we want them to. Truth is, they’re probably coming in the next year or two anyway, given how the fans still continue to ask for them. But don’t think that the company is just pumping out franchise after franchise. They’re making some moves, and in the end, it could be a huge leap towards their love for the audience that put them on the map in the first place.
Don’t believe me? Let’s look at a few of the facts that indicate that they’re getting the job done for their fans…
A New Super Smash Bros. Game Has Already Been Announced
It may be a year or two before we see the successor to Super Smash Bros. Brawl make its way to the Wii U and 3DS, but the fact that Nintendo would confirm that it’s already in development means that they’re listening. They’re not just saying, “Oh, no one wants this right away, so here’s Pokemon House!” No, they KNOW it’s a best seller, whether it’s the true fighting fans or just kids who like mixing it up with each other after school. So of course, when they get the opportunity, they announce that a sequel’s incoming.
What’s more, they actually provided some detail. Rather than doing it in house, they’re collaborating with Namco Bandai on the title, and while the change is a little jarring, that’s a publisher that knows and loves its fighting franchises, including Tekken and Soul Calibur. They’re not about to falter at all. And the original director behind the game series, Masahiro Sakurai, is still firmly in charge.
Moving on to even more indications…
They’re Publishing Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge On Wii U
When Ninja Gaiden 3 came out for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 earlier this year, a few folks thought the game was a downer, lacking the complete body-chopping carnage that the series has become known for, and offering very few weapons at launch. That said, Tecmo still saw potential for the game, and, after Team Ninja had worked with Nintendo so closely on the Wii release Metroid Other M, they made a deal where the big N would get the “ultimate” version of the game exclusively for Wii U.
That game is Razor’s Edge, and Tecmo is very insistent that this is the version to own out of the ones on store shelves. That’s because it has everything that fans want – all the weapons (including the scythe and the Wolverine-esque claws), bonus stages, helpful touch-screen controls to activate ninpo, and, most importantly, the ability to slice up enemies like sushi. With the hands-on session we took part in, we had a blast carving up the rival ninjas and bikers and shooting them from afar with a bow and arrow. It actually feels like the game it should’ve been last March.
Still not convinced? How about this?
The announcement of Bayonetta 2
This is something that floored everyone when it was announced last month in New York. Because, hey, it was unexpected. And I’ll guarantee that if it were announced at E3, people would’ve been a lot more excited for the Wii U back then, rather than yawning through the presentation of Nintendo Land.
Though Bayonetta 2 may not be considered an “elite” sequel by everyone, it’s got an avid fan base. And why not? When Sega released the original back in 2010, it really was quite different from other action games, between the sexual hints by its main character and the over-the-top gameplay against enemies four to six times her size. Sure, the story didn’t make much sense, but the genuine inventiveness of Platinum Games, its developer, was on display.
With Sega serving as an advisor to the title and Platinum once again back at the developer’s helm, Bayonetta 2 could very well be a big deal for Nintendo, and might even open the doors for more deals to come around for exclusive Wii U fare. Can you imagine if the big “N” teamed up with Capcom for a new Ghouls n’ Ghosts game that worked with the handheld device? For that matter, what about Konami and Castlevania? It could be the dawn of a new NES-inspired era, where franchises come back and strut their stuff with a number of worthwhile features, while still catering to the fans that have wanted follow-ups so badly.
And that brings us back to familiar franchises. Nintendo’s already working on a new Zelda, and, like I said, it probably won’t be long until we see the likes of Donkey Kong Country, F-Zero, Starfox and Metroid Prime come back to some respect. While the company isn’t exactly back to loving “hardcore” players exclusively, it’s nice to see Nintendo show some moves that indicate they mean business with this new console. It’s just a matter of seeing how it fares this holiday season, and moving on up from there.
Still, it would be nice to see how Smash Bros. is coming along, wouldn’t it?
