It's more often than not an unspoken truth, but Nintendo haven't really been able to keep up with the times in terms of video games over the past couple years. Yeah, we've seen a hit here and there with Splatoon and whatnot, but we never really had their version of a game that sets them apart from the rest. I was originally going to use this time to talk about why I think Nintendo have set themselves apart from the rest for the better with their release of Breath of the Wild, but I would just be repeating myself over and over. Instead, I want to talk about why I have stuck with Nintendo for as long as I have, as opposed to those that used to love their older games, but then moved onto the Xbox and Playstation games.
Don't get me wrong, I do think Nintendo tend to lean more toward the child / young adult friendly style of games as opposed to their counterparts that cater to the mature audience, but I don't necessarily see anything wrong with that. If that's the demographic they want to hit, they've obviously done a great job at it as they've made some truly fantastic games that don't need blood and sex to be good. Let's take some of their older games for example.
Starting with the obvious, the entire line of the Legend of Zelda franchise is one of the longest lasting game franchises in history, and it's been worth every cent to invest my time and money into the Zelda games. Nintendo tend to put their heart and soul into their big titles, and more times than not, it pays off. I'm also including some of the spin-offs like Hyrule Warriors and the like. The reason for that is because it shows that Nintendo can and have proven that even if they are invested in a non main story game, it can still be enjoyable. And that's really all we want isn't it? Games should be enjoyable. We shouldn't have to look for the shock value in a game in order for it to be good, excluding horror games of course. Another reason I mention the Zelda line is because I personally believe that Breath of the Wild is absolutely the best thing Nintendo has ever done, and when you put it up against the rest of the Zelda games, it makes those games look mediocre in the best sense of the word. It has not only created a new path for Nintendo, but it has also brought back players of the Nintendo systems and has made a world for them to explore and enjoy. I have no doubts that Nintendo's future is nothing but bright. They've truly outdone themselves this time, and for as long as I've been a fan of Nintendo games, I'm eager to see the direction they take after this wonderful accomplishment.
Now, I know Nintendo tends to get a lot of flack for the systems they release, but if you really put it down on paper and think about it, they've really only had 1 or 2 instances where the system they were trying to make didn't go over well. I mean c'mon, the original Nintendo systems were groundbreaking and revolutionary. Not only that, but Nintendo 64 and the Gamecube were humongous step ups in the gaming world. Let's also not forget that Super Mario 64 was way ahead of its time, as was a lot of games for that system. I honestly believe that Nintendo know what they're doing when they make new systems. They aren't trying to be different for different sake, but honestly...Playstation and Microsoft already have your typical run of the mill game systems taken care of. Nintendo wants to go their own route, and honestly...it works. The only times I've really seen a bit of flack for their systems were for the Wii and Wii U. Honestly, as much as I didn't really like the original Wii system, I think the Wii U is great. I've put countless hours on games they've released for it, and I've had a good time with the system overall. Definitely gotten my moneys worth already, and this was even before I got my copy of Breath of the Wild, which brings me to my next point.
How often have we seen other companies allow players to play the new big AAA title on their older systems on release day? Almost never. The fact that Nintendo decided to make two separate ports for Breath of the Wild was not only a smart idea for their enormous fan base, but for them as well. I was among the group of people that didn't really see a reason to spend hundreds of dollars on a new system just for one game. Don't get me wrong, the Switch looks great. I plan to get one in the future. But for now, I'm content with using older hardware for the game. As far as I'm concerned, I don't see any difference. My sense of enjoyment has been the same regardless.
Here's the thing, Nintendo has had some rough patches in their career, but they have always put the players first. That's why I honestly believe they are close to being the best game company out there. I don't mean any disrespect to those that play Xbox or Playstation. Hell, I know they have some great games. But for my check book, I really feel I have always gotten my money's worth with Nintendo games. It's either the charm of the game they release, or it could simply be a remake of an older game like Wind Waker. Even if Wind Waker HD was a remake, they remade it so well that it felt like a completely new game. It shows the amount of time and precision Nintendo took in order to make the game great. Companies like Bethesda could take a tip from them in regards to releasing games. Though I guess Bethesda have become known for making broken games upon release. If that's what they wanna do, that's for them to keep it going.
Anyway, I know there are a lot of life long fans of Nintendo, and I plan to be one of those life long fans, as I have been a fan of their games and systems since the original system. I still have my own copies of the original systems. I'm planning on getting them all to be honest. Nintendo are a fantastic gaming company, and if you're hesitant to try them out because of what you've heard through the grapevine, you need to throw that out the window. They make great games, sure some of meant more for kids, but the games they make are nothing but enjoyable and colorful and fun. And video games at their core are meant to be fun.