Majora's Cat
How about that
The Situation
No developer makes video games like Nintendo does. No single developer has as many stellar, industry-changing and inspiring games in their repertoire as Nintendo. But as technology advances and Sony and Microsoft continue to feed hardcore gamers with realistic visuals and ultra-violent video games, one can only think that other than Zelda, Mario, Metroid and some other major cash cow franchises, Nintendo’s only trick is creating gimmicky, crappy Wii games that appeal to children with no appetite for “real” games.
With the releases of the Xbox 720 and the PS4 on the horizon, things are looking grim for all Nintendo-developed games to come. The Wii U looks promising, but its graphical technology is only on par with the Xbox 360 and PS3 - two consoles soon to be outdated. While Nintendo Wii games still dominate the market due to the wide appeal and popularity of titles like “Mario Party” and “Wii Play”, third party developers that focus their attention on Sony and Microsoft’s consoles are raking in the cash of the core gaming community.
What About Zelda?
Some critics that are fond of Xbox and PS games have voiced their complaints for Skyward Sword. Zelda, Mario and Metroid games are becoming a completely different section of the gaming industry; some of the few gems in a pile of crap that consists of Wii titles. Games with high production values, inspiring gameplay, FPS action, extreme violence and gore are taking over the industry, and old favorites like Zelda are becoming more obsure.
Although Zelda remain as (arguably) one of the greatest franchises or the greatest franchise of all time, most of the series’ fame is due to older installments. Its earlier greatness is what keeps the series riding sky high, while newer titles are met with a barrage of criticism because of the high technical standards critics have come to develop in the last few years. Zelda is just as magical as it was twenty years ago, but times have changed since then. Nintendo is choking on Microsoft and Sony’s dust in terms of technical prowess. The GameCube may be the last console that was most almost evenly matched with other manufactured consoles in terms of output, making it so that newer Zelda games must stand their ground on the gameplay alone.
Although the Wii U has displayed amazing capabilities, the impending release of its competitor’s new consoles can only mean one thing: an updated graphics engine that will surely set Nintendo back to its previous stance in the visual war. And the upcoming Zelda title for the Wii U will likely be quite the spectacle, but I can’t help but feel that it will still look outdated when compared to other games of its generation. Gamers like to say that graphics don’t matter in Zelda, and I would like to think that too. But when the divide between Zelda games and more impressive looking adventure and RPG games is mostly created by the games’ visuals, you know that Zelda has some catching up to do.
The Question
Do you think that Zelda games are below par technically? Are the gameplay and classic charm all that keeps the franchise from losing its luster?
No developer makes video games like Nintendo does. No single developer has as many stellar, industry-changing and inspiring games in their repertoire as Nintendo. But as technology advances and Sony and Microsoft continue to feed hardcore gamers with realistic visuals and ultra-violent video games, one can only think that other than Zelda, Mario, Metroid and some other major cash cow franchises, Nintendo’s only trick is creating gimmicky, crappy Wii games that appeal to children with no appetite for “real” games.
With the releases of the Xbox 720 and the PS4 on the horizon, things are looking grim for all Nintendo-developed games to come. The Wii U looks promising, but its graphical technology is only on par with the Xbox 360 and PS3 - two consoles soon to be outdated. While Nintendo Wii games still dominate the market due to the wide appeal and popularity of titles like “Mario Party” and “Wii Play”, third party developers that focus their attention on Sony and Microsoft’s consoles are raking in the cash of the core gaming community.
What About Zelda?
Some critics that are fond of Xbox and PS games have voiced their complaints for Skyward Sword. Zelda, Mario and Metroid games are becoming a completely different section of the gaming industry; some of the few gems in a pile of crap that consists of Wii titles. Games with high production values, inspiring gameplay, FPS action, extreme violence and gore are taking over the industry, and old favorites like Zelda are becoming more obsure.
Although Zelda remain as (arguably) one of the greatest franchises or the greatest franchise of all time, most of the series’ fame is due to older installments. Its earlier greatness is what keeps the series riding sky high, while newer titles are met with a barrage of criticism because of the high technical standards critics have come to develop in the last few years. Zelda is just as magical as it was twenty years ago, but times have changed since then. Nintendo is choking on Microsoft and Sony’s dust in terms of technical prowess. The GameCube may be the last console that was most almost evenly matched with other manufactured consoles in terms of output, making it so that newer Zelda games must stand their ground on the gameplay alone.
Although the Wii U has displayed amazing capabilities, the impending release of its competitor’s new consoles can only mean one thing: an updated graphics engine that will surely set Nintendo back to its previous stance in the visual war. And the upcoming Zelda title for the Wii U will likely be quite the spectacle, but I can’t help but feel that it will still look outdated when compared to other games of its generation. Gamers like to say that graphics don’t matter in Zelda, and I would like to think that too. But when the divide between Zelda games and more impressive looking adventure and RPG games is mostly created by the games’ visuals, you know that Zelda has some catching up to do.
The Question
Do you think that Zelda games are below par technically? Are the gameplay and classic charm all that keeps the franchise from losing its luster?