Is Mario simply Nintendo's new "Seal of Approval"

[Cherry Cola]

No, quality gameplay with ideas that work is Nintendo's seal of approval.

Yes there is Shovelware, what system doesn't have it?

But almost all of the Mario games have been great, and if you want story then the Mario RPGs are what you should play.

That was Nintendo's mantra in 1985. I believe they've changed it to "Wii make money!", as of November 2006.

And yes all systems have shovelware, but what system has it in the overwhelming percentage that Wii boasts? Besides the Atari 2600.

The PS2 has a ton of shovelware too.

Has there actually been a game released for the PS2 since the PS3 that wasn't either shovelware, a movie licensed game, or an inferior version compared to the PS3?

I can't recall one...

Arcana Heart.

And when I say percentage of shovelware, I mean that for every decent game released for the Wii there are more shovelware titles than any other console.

That's true.

Just go to your local game store and look at the wii games.

There are maybe 5 good games there, 10 if you're lucky.

Then there is tons and tons of shovelware.

 

[suhlEap]

Placing Mario in a game seems to be simply Nintando's way of saying "this is a game we stand behind."

i'd say it's more a way of saying "this is a game by nintendo."

 

[Cabisco]

Their is always the case that Nintendo are just lazy, I think their is enough evidence to suggest this and their serial use of Mario would support that claim. I'd like to see them come up with a new mascot, would be interesting to watch.

This annoys and enrages me, Nintendo have designed, developed and invested over 20 years in Mario, why should they throw that away, it's alright for Microsoft and Sony because they don't actually own or design anything worth representing them, all Nintendo's biggest games worthy of being mascots are all Nintendo (with the exception of Rare's work), Sony could possibly claim the monkeys from Ape Escape but that's it and Microsoft have done nothing. Crash, Snake, Lara, Masterchef....Blinx? None of these are mascots for their company but mascots for a console. Mario is a classic character, Nintendo changing him is the same as the KFC colonel being shown the door and being replaced by the KFC fish

I apolgise, I didn't mean replace I meant add. It's completely plausible to have different games with different characters you know. I'd like to see Nintendo build up a new character/mascot etc. That doesn't mean Mario would be taking out back and shot, lets face it they would likely team up and then the new one would end up being consumed into Mario and finish life as just another driver to choose in Mario Kart.

Too sum up, I wasn't suggesting a cull. I was saying it would be interesting to see a new mascot be born, i'd like to see what they would do with him/her and how they would try to raise up the fanbase. Also, where the fuck did the anti xbox and playstation rant come from?

 

[Plurralbles]

first, no.

Second, no.

Third, no.

You make no real points that I agree with. At all. The area you're trying to apply your brand oflogic to doesn't work. Nintendo makes a lot of childrens' games. Mario is a mainstay of that kind of thing where they put cuddly wrappings on a pretty serious game with a lot of great gameplay(Galaxy and Wii, and RPG), and make sports games for nintendo fans.

The seal of approval is a stupid way to think of why they put mario in every sport and make awesome platformers.

And adding a large story from GTA and throwing it into a platformer, the purest genre for pure gameplay, would be retarded.

 

[TheNamlessGuy]

DELETED

 

[ntw3001]

Well, a game featuring Mario can generally be relied upon to supply exactly what you think it will supply. If it's a sports game, it'll be full of wacky multiplayer hijinx. If it's a platformer, it will be light on storyline and heavy on actual playing of game. Personally, that's exactly what I want, but I guess some people like games that are heavy on story.

As for innovation, well Mario has no less of it than any other franchise. Really, it depends which games you compare. Galaxy is significantly different to anything before it (yes, it has running, jumping and a central world hub. Was it supposed to turn into a gritty FPS?), but then Sunshine was Mario 64 plus gimmick. Then of course, there are all the ancillary series. Alright, Mario Party consistently fails to push the boat out, but Mario Kart and Mario Strikers have always experimented with adding new tricks to the formula. They don't reinvent the formula, but why would they? Also, what franchise does completely reinvent itself between games?

But, uh, yeah. In answer to the OP, Mario isn't a deal of approval because a seal of approval is something that's placed into a game that's already good. Games don't have Mario on them because they're good; they're good because they're Mario games. They have a reputation to live up to. They're familiar and reliable, but they're not completely formulaic.

 

[Deofuta]

Nintendo has a rather unique stance in consoles at the moment where its first party titles are just soooo far ahead of other developers, a marked difference from Sony and Microsoft.

Also, considering that Mario began with only 8 bits to use and at the point of which story was considered a very small aspect of a game, Nintendo seems to have done a good job formulating one to try and keep it up with the current idea of game stories.

 

[Mr. In-between]

I'll say it again: people who complain about Mario games and complain about Nintendo being "childish" are just upset that Nintendo doesn't bother licensing the endless amount of FPS and sandbox clones that are released every year.

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

It's fairly common knowledge that Mario and Zelda games are the same game constantly re-released with slightly different setting and a tiny bit more polish then the previous installment.

If you're looking for true innovation, you may want to stray from Nintendoland.

May I suggest... Hmmm... which company actually innovates now a days?

 

[LeonLethality]

That was Nintendo's mantra in 1985. I believe they've changed it to "Wii make money!", as of November 2006.

And yes all systems have shovelware, but what system has it in the overwhelming percentage that Wii boasts? Besides the Atari 2600.

Please note that Nintendo didn't make any of the shovelware on the console. You are judging them by the games they didn't make.

You also have a bias against the Wii because of its bad games. That's like saying the N64 was garbage because of Superman 64.

 

[Kyprioth]

Actually, this is their seal of approval.

Fact is, it goes on everything. Wish it only went on good games. It goes on shovelware too.

 

[Mr. In-between]

That was Nintendo's mantra in 1985. I believe they've changed it to "Wii make money!", as of November 2006.

And yes all systems have shovelware, but what system has it in the overwhelming percentage that Wii boasts? Besides the Atari 2600.

Please note that Nintendo didn't make any of the shovelware on the console. You are judging them by the games they didn't make.

You also have a bias against the Wii because of its bad games. That's like saying the N64 was garbage because of Superman 64.

That's also like saying that any other system sucks because the glut of really awful games based on movies and TV shows.

 

[LeonLethality]

That's also like saying that any other system sucks because the glut of really awful games based on movies and TV shows.

I never said any other system sucks. Sure I don't like the 360 but that doesn't mean it sucks.

 

[ThePurpleStuff]

I do enjoy mario games, mostly the RPGs, but after since I played Galaxy and beat it in a week, (thank god I rented it) I haven't played any others besides the mario parties and still the RPGs. I have no interest in Galaxy 2 after my experience with the first, not even to rent, they're just too easy for me now, I've grown out of it.

 

[Samcanuck]

I think it breaks down to the fact that Nintendo doesn't outsource the development of Mario games to thrid party developers. Thats why I feel the majority of the games for the wii and DS are low in quality.

So sure...why not, Mario seal of approval.

 

[Tolerant Fanboy]

He certainly isn't the only seal of quality. As a rough guideline, if a character on the box has appeared in a Smash Bros., it's going to be something Nintendo stands behind. (Snake and Sonic excluded, of course.)