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[MadOdorMachine]

N64 & GC were great, but there were a lot of dry periods. It was made up for completely new gameplay ideas which today still heavily influence their respective genre. They were also, arguably the most powerful console at the time. Even though they weren't as commercially successful as their competitors, there's no doubt how influential the games were on those systems.

In a similar fashion, Nintendo introduced something new with Wii and motion controls. The graphics were a big let down and some of the controls seemed like a gimmick - ex. DKCR rolling. With the Wii U, Nintendo has abandoned their philosophy of introducing a control method on one system and then improving upon it with it's successor (NES -> SNES & N64 -> GC) and thus creating an industry standard. I really thought they were going to do something like Occulus Rift or the headtracking by Johnny Lee Chung with the Wii successor. A new Wii remote with motion plus and some added face buttons would have been unbelievable.

 

[Tallshortman]

Well I had a GC and I regretted it because it had zero 3rd party support even compared to the xbox. Enjoyed Nintendo's first party but the dry spells between their games was excruciating. Given, it was a godsend compared to the Wii but that's not exactly saying much.

 

[BadAss2961]

No. The n64 didn't really have much going for it, and the GameCube (although had a bunch of my favorite games) was malnourished and suffered from games being incomplete. The Nintendo we have now is far and away a better company than those with nostalgia glasses like to believe (I wasn't a big snes guy so I can't speak on that)

The N64 had long droughts between major releases. But i'm nostalgic for it because it delivered a few of the best games ever made like Mario 64, Ocarina of Time, Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, and some others.

GC and Wii had the same droughts, but with major releases of much lesser influence imo.

 

[SaintMadeOfPlaster]

Worst first post in GAF history?

 

[Conciliator]

I've said on these boards before: What I want from Nintendo and what will make Nintendo money are not necessarily related. That goes for any company, but perhaps doubly for Nintendo. And what I want from Nintendo is the game developer that made Metroid Prime, F-Zero GX, Wind Waker, Super Mario 64, Pikmin, Melee, etc.(to cite the 64/GameCube era, though you could obviously just as easily cite SNES examples). I think Nintendo still has this in them, they just mostly choose not to use it, either out of necessity or cynicism. I'm still interested in what they'll be doing on the Wii U though. Just cautious.

 

[Derrick01]

I think with N64 they benefited a lot from 3D being introduced. It was such a major game changer that we were instantly wowed with mario 64 before even getting into the game (which was great, don't get me wrong). But they were also a high tech gaming company back then too which helped allow those experiences to be possible.

Now they're low tech and seem to build their games around input gimmicks instead of actual new gameplay ideas and I think that's part of the reason why so many of their big IPs still feel like their N64 counterparts at the core. They should deviate from stuff like the wiimote and tablet pad and just work on transferring those new ideas back into the games themselves.

 

[RedSwirl]

I'm nostalgic of the era when Nintendo used to make ambitious games that pushed both game design and technology. I'm nostalgic of the era when Nintendo's games where focusing more on the core gamer.

Today, I find Nintendo's games conservative, unambitious, casualized and I absolutely hate their emphasis in gimmicks.

I'm also very disappointed by their low-tech approach, but that's just the result of Nintendo's modern philosophy as whole. You don't need powerful hardware to make games like Animal Crossing, Wii Sports, Wii Fit or Nintendoland anyway.

Nintendo's earlier games where kinda based on gimmicks too. It's just that Mario 64's gimmicks were the fact that it was in 3D and the analog stick. Ocarina's gimmick was being in 3D and probably Z targeting.

You really have to ask though: will there ever again be any games as revolutionary as Mario 64 and Ocarina were?

I think basically all of the Wii titles from Nintendo are better than the Cube versions. Plus, I think they put out more on Wii.

This. The Wii's first party lineup shits all over the Gamecube's, in terms of quantity if not also quality.

 

[CoffeeJanitor]

Cube yes. 64 no. Outside of Galaxy N was better on the cube.

 

[Jibbajabbawockky]

I am for 64 because that was my console in middle/high shool. aka when i played the most/with friends.

Yup. Super Nintendo was the first console my family owned, so I became a Nintendo fan and got an N64 at launch. So many good memories with my N64- Goldeneye multiplayer splitscreen with friends, staying up way too late working through Ocarina of Time, being blown away by Mario 64 for the first time, multiplayer Mario Kart, being a Star Wars nerd and loving the Hoth levels in Shadows of the Empire or Rogue Squadron, using the Rumble Pak for the first time with Star Fox 64 or playing tons of Perfect Dark. So many good games for N64 and great multiplayer split screen memories.

 

[makingmusic476]

Nintendo's earlier games where kinda based on gimmicks too. It's just that Mario 64's gimmicks were the fact that it was in 3D and the analog stick. Ocarina's gimmick was being in 3D and probably Z targeting.

You really have to ask though: will there ever again be any games as revolutionary as Mario 64 and Ocarina were?



This. The Wii's first party lineup shits all over the Gamecube's, in terms of quantity if not also quality.

Eh, I'd disagree just because I fucking love Super Mario Sunshine, and because it's so incredibly dumb that Nintendo didn't make completely new Mario Golf and Tennis games (and Waverace!) for the ground up for its MOTION GODDAMN CONTROL based console, while the GameCube had new installments in all of those franchises.

And because Mario Party has turned to shit.

Mario Kart Wii >>>> Double Dash, though.

 

[Ghost_Protocol]

Yeah.....I guess I am pretty nostalgic for the N64. With the exception of Metroid Prime, I feel like Nintendo hasn't produced anything that has left as much of an impact on me as Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and Super Mario 64 did back then. Throw in Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, Rogue Squadron, Banjo Kazooie, Star Fox, and Ogre Battle and it just gets straight up embarrassing.

Now we have Nintendoland.....and have to BEG for localizations.

 

[TreasureHunterG]

I am.

Nintendo rely TRIED to make something ambitious. I remember how amazing for their time games like Super Mario 64, GoldenEye 007, Ocarina of Time and Metroid Prime were.

I can't feel something like that with the current Nintendo.

 

[Kai Dracon]

Side issue: there may be a conceptual problem surrounding the N64 due to one simple fact. Videogames are never going to "go 3d again".

The N64 left an impression with shock value. Nobody ever saw something like Mario 64, at least not something interactive a person could play.

Where, honestly, can things go that create the same fundamental impact? For its time, 3D WAS "the gimmick". It was the real reason everyone was trying the new consoles. I mean... just look at early reviews for tons of Playsation 1 and Saturn games. Many of those games were not good, like Battle Arena Toshinden. But many games got amazing reviews because of the never-before seen gimmick of 3D graphics.

I would offer that the only way for Nintendo (or anyone else) to ever impress people who feel jaded at this point would be to invent the holodeck and let people walk into the mushroom kingdom. Or truly workable VR, like that Oculator Rifty thingy.

Eh, I'd disagree just because I fucking love Super Mario Sunshine, and because it's so incredibly dumb that Nintendo didn't make completely new Mario Golf and Tennis games (and Waverace!) for the ground up for its MOTION GODDAMN CONTROL based console, while the GameCube had new installments in all of those franchises.

And because Mario Party has turned to shit.

Mario Kart Wii >>>> Double Dash, though.

The bolded part highlights the real secret problem the Wii had. Simply put, the Wii concept doesn't fully come together without motion+ aka, the finished Wii remote.

I'm willing to bet that Nintendo didn't make Wii native golf or tennis games because their own internal prototypes failed to deliver with the limitations of the wiimote. It took years and a lot of extra engineering to figure out how to do it well, for which Wii Sports Resort was the test bed. By that point the generation was too far in and they became conservative (as they often do, late in a generation) about which projects to greenlight.

If the wiimote had the full sensor suite from launch, things may have been a bit different - such as seeing games like Red Steel 2 from the beginning. Everyone imagined certain kinds of games for the Wii, most of which never materialized. Given the limitations of gesture tracking with the vanilla hardware, I suspect we can see why.

In terms of stacking the Wii up against the Gamecube, I have to give it to the Wii slightly, but it's a close call. Mario Galaxy 1+2, Mario Kart Wii, Skyward Sword, Donkey Kong Country Returns, and Metroid Prime Trilogy push things over the edge.

 

[Bgamer90]

I just overall miss the days when Nintendo was edgy/cool in their advertising and overall game focus.

 

[MadOdorMachine]

I think with N64 they benefited a lot from 3D being introduced. It was such a major game changer that we were instantly wowed with mario 64 before even getting into the game (which was great, don't get me wrong). But they were also a high tech gaming company back then too which helped allow those experiences to be possible.

Now they're low tech and seem to build their games around input gimmicks instead of actual new gameplay ideas and I think that's part of the reason why so many of their big IPs still feel like their N64 counterparts at the core. They should deviate from stuff like the wiimote and tablet pad and just work on transferring those new ideas back into the games themselves.

Motion controls aren't a gimmick when used in the right manner. They're perfect for VR gaming, but Nintendo has chosen not to take that route. With the Wii U tablet, they're trying to go back to the old style but also incorporate the ideas they had for connectivity. The problem is that they already have the touchscreen and two screens on their handhelds so it doesn't really feel like anything new. Maybe it would help if they had something to really show it off, but so far all we've seen are ports and the same ideas transferred over from their handhelds. It's such an odd conundrum that it's also left me scratching my head why they didn't just make a hybrid system.

 

[sn00zer]

I think Nintendo has always and will always target a younger demographic even if that means spurning those who grew up

New Nintendo is really great for kids, and tbh a kid playing Skyward Sword as their first Zelda will think its just as good as you though Ocarina of Time was when you were a kid

I think innovated titles in theory will always be marketed to older gamers....little kids dont want innovation, not because lol kids are dumb, but because they havent been burned out by videogame tropes. So while you might not like New Mario Bros Wii U because its just like SMW or SM3, there are tons of kids out there who have never heard of those games and are enjoying 2d Mario gameplay for the first time...it is "new" for them

So while Nintendo may not be inventing new IPs each generation like their competitors, they are a hell of a lot better at introducing their characters to each new generation of kids.

So I guess in short Nintendo doesn't need innovation, not in the way Sony or Microsoft need to wow teens to 30 somethings...Nintendo just needs to find way to package and repackage the content they already have to kids playing games for the first time this year and give a few winks and a nod to you, who has been with them from the beginning.

 

[MadOdorMachine]

Nintendo's earlier games where kinda based on gimmicks too. It's just that Mario 64's gimmicks were the fact that it was in 3D and the analog stick. Ocarina's gimmick was being in 3D and probably Z targeting.

You really have to ask though: will there ever again be any games as revolutionary as Mario 64 and Ocarina were?



This. The Wii's first party lineup shits all over the Gamecube's, in terms of quantity if not also quality.

VR and headtracking would have been. After seeing the responses to Occulus Rift I'm convinced of that. Wii U can already stream video, so the technology to include a headset is there which makes it even more perplexing. The idea of something like Metroid Prime, Zelda, Mario (think Mirror's Edge in the Mushroom Kingdom) or even Wii Sports (imagine sky diving) makes my imagination run wild.

 

[sn00zer]

You really have to ask though: will there ever again be any games as revolutionary as Mario 64 and Ocarina were?
.

Well it was a time and place sort of thing...developers were literally trying to figure out a 3rd dimension...there probably will never be a jump that big again

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Double Dash is the best Mario Kart.

There, I said it. I'd say it again if I had to.

 

[Roman]

Depending on what one grew up with, why not? A lot of acclaimed games came out during that time.

 

[Zen_Arcade]

Double Dash is the best Mario Kart.

There, I said it. I'd say it again if I had to.

It's definitely the best console Mario Kart.

 

[Currygan]

It's definitely the best console Mario Kart.

not definitely. part of the fanbase think it is should be the correct answer

 

[zeelman]

I really want the Rare from the N64 to come back. That was the peak of their career.

 

[Admiral Bone to Pick]

Nintendo's current troubles are a result of them pulling away from their Wii/DS strategy, not the N64/Gamecube strategy. Are people really that delusional to market trends?

If it's just people lamenting about how they loved the N64 in their childhood and that Nintendo doesn't still have that aforementioned "magic" anymore, I get it. But blaming Nintendo's current financial situation on not following the strategies of two unpopular consoles is ridiculous.

 

[friskykillface]

You really have to ask though: will there ever again be any games as revolutionary as Mario 64 and Ocarina were?

nope, never again, i wish though, i want to relive those two again but in a different generation.

those two games had everyone shocked and awed, it was crazy to see

when my cousin had a N64 for his birthday and everyone(kids and adults) being glued to the tv while he played for a bit was awesome

 

[JordanN]

I think that had the N64 used CDs, the Wii would've never existed and Nintendo would be in a hardware arms race with Sony. Sony might not have ever made it to a ps3, but they sure as hell wouldn't have had the balls to price it $599. Who knows what the fate of Microsoft would have been. Fuck, even Sega might have somehow survived, if Nintendo prevented Sony from practically taking over the market.

Oh man, the irony of Nintendo saving SEGA would be too much.

 

[Mondriaan]

I one hundred percent agree with anyone who says that the GC was Nintendo's best post SNES console. I don't really need a lot of games to satisfy me and Capcom's Gotcha Force by itself easily puts the GC at number one (for Nintendo game consoles).

The Wii is pretty bad in my book, though. Miiverse is already more fun than anything on the Wii except for maybe the non-swimming, online parts of Monster Hunter Tri.

 

[Nekofrog]

The GC might not have been a great time for Nintendo hardware but holy fuck it was a great time for Nintendo software. Best since the SNES.

 

[RedSwirl]

If there's any place that reminds me of "old Nintendo," its actually the 3DS eShop.

Pushmo and Crashmo remind me of the kind of "new IP" and "innovation" that Nintendo fans probably miss. It's a new IP, very well-made games, fresh gameplay concept, and actually some good use of the 3D effect that's central to the hardware. I feel generally the same way about HarmoKnight from what I've seen.

It's as if the bite-sized digital game format has allowed Nintendo to return to their old development philosophies. I hope they replicate things like that on the Wii U.

 

[Master Nairb]

NES - had one, too young to really play it
Super NES - didn't have one as a kid
N64 - First and last system I remember having endless amounts if fun with friends. Great solo memories as well.
GameCube - Didn't have one (Playstation 2)
Wii - Played a total of 10 times practically in 6 years.
Wii U - Am thoroughly enjoying it and can't wait for future releases. Slightly Reminiscent of N64 fun when playing with wife on couch.

Nintendo is either hit or miss for me but their passion for gaming I really feel is unrivaled and I feel really relaxed playing their games. Admittedly, looking for some deeper involved games that I know can be technically made on the Wii U. Sometimes I get so mad at them because I wanna play fun chill games like Mario and awesome 'hardcore' games on the same system.

 

[leroidys]

Gamecube was amazing.

64 I'm not so hot on. Other than Smash, Mario 64 and OoT/MM, the console doesn't have much for me. Nothing else really holds up that I actually love.

Also, gamecube era = GBA, 64 era = GBC. That's a lot of >'s.

In retrospect, the praise Nintendo's first party Gamecube efforts get is insane. Most of those games were not great. Obvious exceptions include Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat, Metroid Prime, Baten Kaitos Origins, Mario Kart: Double Dash, F-Zero GX, Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door, and Super Smash Bros. Melee. Everything else is either middling to fair or just downright shitty.

I know I just listed seven great games, but that's not enough to say the platformer was super awesome from a first party perspective. The Gamecube was drowning in shitty Mario Party games, the two Star Fox games were abominably bad, the Zelda game was insultingly easy, the Mario platformer was mediocre, the Wario AWare game was a port, and most of the attempts at new ideas were clumsy and poorly executed. It just wasn't up to Nintendo's usual standard.

Wind Waker, TP, FSA, Animal Crossing, Fire Emblem PoR, Luigi's Mansion, Pikmin/2, Chibi Robo, and SMS were all middling, at best?

I don't even...

 

[Bruno MB]

GameCube was the worst Nintendo era. It wasn't a coincidence that the console did so poorly.

 

[rrs]

I liked the generation(s) in general, Nintendo or otherwise

 

[batbeg]

I'm nostalgic for NES - SNES - N64 - GCN - Wii Nintendo

*fanboy blush*

64 kind of sucked though.

 

[Soul_Pie]

It's definitely the best console Mario Kart.

Bob-omb battle was the bomb. Double Dash had the best battle mode by such a long way, I must have played hundreds of hours with friends and family.

On the original topic, N64 and Gamecube were incredible and utterly destroy the Wii, not just because the games were better, but also because the technology was actually ambitious and the games reflected that ambition. Nintendo's only ambition with the Wii was to make a half arsed piece of technology, an incomplete controller and try and pass it off as something groundbreaking. The software was sporadically good, but never reached any great heights save for the Mario Galaxy games, which incidentally weren't centered around the pointless motion controls which in most cases detracted from the game.

 

[I'm new be nice]

Nintendo kind of died to me after Majoras Mask. That was really the last time I played a Nintendo game and truly felt like I was playing something top tier and meaningful.

 

[Jamix012]

For me basically yes. It's just a personal view, but the N64-Gamecube era was my favourite in all of gaming. It's when game design really came into it's own IMO. Where story and gameplay were successfully integrated to a better degree then the predeccessors. Then the HD era brought a focus on either too much story interupting the gameplay or shooty mcshoots. Exceptions are there ofcourse but I didn't love this last generation.
I feel there is currently somewhat of a rennaissance of gaming occuring on handhelds right now which is the most fun I've had in years.

 

[urfe]

I bought the Gamecube when I was in first year university. Chose it over the PS2 and Xbox. It was nothing about being young, it was a game console that focused on games, and games that were about gameplay (at least that's how it was marketed).

Luigi's Mansion and Super Monkey Ball were my great launch titles, especially the latter which I played forever in multiplayer.

 

[Deleted member 8095]

1st party stuff from those eras was amazing.

 

[MrCunningham]

I was 17 when GoldenEye for the N64 came out... I still have a lot of fond memories playing the 4 player mode with friends. The same goes for Perfect Dark too...

As for the Gamecube. I actually never owned one. So I don't feel any nostalgia for the system at all. Though I do look back on the library of titles for that game and think to myself that I was missing out.

 

[Skyzard]

Er yess. Bring all those great N64 games to the 3DS and I'd buy one.

They'd be nice on Wii U too but that might need a lot more work to make them impressive unless it's part of an awesome n64 remake pack. Would be fantastic to finally play them properly on a handheld though.

 

[Persona7]

The Gamecube and N64 had great games but like with many others, they were simply secondary to the PC/PS1/Dreamcast/PS2/Xbox for me. By that I mean, the Nintendo consoles got the least amount of play in comparison due to limited support.


Wii was the same, I can't imagine being Nintendo only during those eras.

 

[Aaron Strife]

Nintendo nostalgia is like some laggy Zelda cycle. This new Nintendo sucks, I missed the Nintendo of one system ago. It happened during the Wii generation ("Nintendo hasn't been good since the N64!") and it happened during the GameCube generation as well ("Nintendo hasn't been good since the SNES!"). Once you're far enough removed from the software droughts and can look at the console in retrospect, you start to see it for its gems.

Oh baby oh baby oh baby.

 

[Atrarock]

Many call the gamecube Nintendo's purple lunchbox...but it is clearly indigo.

 

[Dark Ninja]

Gamecube was an amazing era you could own it and have it be your primary console, lots of great first party and third party games. I really hate Wii Nintendo era. The Wii's primary games such as Mario and Zelda were still great but i hate the mini game fests games. They aren't full games and are sold at full price like Wii music, Wii play stuff. I know don't buy it if you don't like it but it takes resources away from them making actual games like another Starfox, Metroid or F-Zero.

 

[Vire]

N64: Yes, definitely.

Gamecube: Hell no, kill it with fire. (Metroid Prime and Resident Evil 4 being its saving graces, both masterpieces)

 

[Zissou]

I was a teen with the N64 but Banjo is still one of my favorite games of all time. I really hope indie games get that old polygon look soon.

my mind is full of fuck

 

[Persona7]

Many call the gamecube Nintendo's purple lunchbox...but it is clearly indigo.

I always loved that indigo color, I had the gamecube and matching GBA.

 

[Skyzard]

Nintendo nostalgia is like some laggy Zelda cycle. This new Nintendo sucks, I missed the Nintendo of one system ago. It happened during the Wii generation ("Nintendo hasn't been good since the N64!") and it happened during the GameCube generation as well ("Nintendo hasn't been good since the SNES!"). Once you're far enough removed from the software droughts and can look at the console in retrospect, you start to see it for its gems.

Oh baby oh baby oh baby.

Wii did have quite a few gems and I'm actually glad to have one overall but my favourite of Nintendo's gems are getting thinner and thinner. A lot of that was Rare leaving but Nintendo has been neglecting F-Zero, Starfox and I'd love some pressure for a new 3D Donkey Kong.

 

[Terra]

Once you're far enough removed from the software droughts and can look at the console in retrospect, you start to see it for its gems. .

Very good post all in all. Look at the Wii now for example. In say...three years, the gems of the Wii (there are some true gems on there) will be looked upon as real classics. I think that all consoles have their share of nostalgism. It's not exclusive to Nintendo.

People look back on certain good, nostalgic parts of PSX and PS2. The same will be done for 360 & PS3 too.