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Miyamoto better at 'traditional' instead of casual

5:22 PM on 07.25.2008, Brad Nicholson 37 comments

Miyamoto better at 'traditional' instead of casual photo
     wii
Finally, the beacon of hope for the Nintendo hardcore speaks. In an interview with The Telegraph that GamePro picked up on, Shigeru Miyamoto touched on his affinity of more traditional games like Zelda and Mario. He also even brought up the fact that the Wii remote may be insufficient when it comes to slightly more complicated games.
Making traditional games is what I am best at, because games of that nature take upwards of two or three years to make, we always have to keep the teams working on those projects. They are all working on more Mario, Zelda and Pikmin projects and they all work in close proximity to me, so I can keep a good eye on them.
Miyamoto then went on to give some love to the Wii remote, but pointed out “there are also things that are accomplished better with buttons." While, Miyamoto may not say it, I will. There are a hell of a lot more games that are accomplished better with buttons, like Mario. I enjoyed Super Mario Galaxy for what it was, but it could have been light-years better with a controller that has more than a smattering of buttons. I think if the whole of Nintendo thought like this, we wouldn’t have been so disappointed from the presentation at E3 this year.

If there’s anything we can take from his statements, it is that there is someone at Nintendo at least committed to bringing titles that don’t lean on the fact that elderly people are buying the console. What do you guys think about Miyamoto’s comments? Do you believe them to be hollow?

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king3vbo's Avatar
king3vbo at 07/25/2008 17:29
He did the saxamaphone dance. 'Nuff said
The-Excel's Avatar
The-Excel at 07/25/2008 17:32
Now I don't know what to think regarding Nintendo this year following E3. I still believe that despite everything that happened, Nintendo is in no danger of losing substantial ground any time soon.
Sharpless's Avatar
Sharpless at 07/25/2008 17:36


I have such mixed feelings towards Shigeru, these days.
Mirax's Avatar
Mirax at 07/25/2008 17:36
I love Miyamoto, despite his saxophone dance thing. I mean, he's like, God or something, but better.
But yeah, i would love to see some games, like a Zelda, with the Classic Controller.
Hoodie's Avatar
Hoodie at 07/25/2008 17:37
I agree that the Wiimote is limiting in a lot of ways, but Mario is a bad example. "Light years" better with more buttons? The last thing a Mario game needs is MGS-caliber control complexity!
TheRemedy's Avatar
TheRemedy at 07/25/2008 17:38
I doubt anyone at Nintendo is truly upset about sleeping on piles of cash.
pedrovay2003's Avatar
pedrovay2003 at 07/25/2008 17:59
Miyamoto's always gonna be a video game icon, and despite everyone thinking he's lost it lately, he'll always be one step ahead of everyone else, regardless of whether or not we actually realize that. He's my favorite developer of all time, and I don't think anyone can really argue that.

I completely agree with him with the traditional control thing, though. I liked the aiming parts of Zelda for the Wii (the bow and the Clawshot), but I would have much preferred the GameCube controller instead, but I'm not going to buy another copy of the game just to use it.

The problem with people right now is that they're taking Nintendo's E3 conference as if that's the only type of stuff Nintendo will ever make again, which is completely false. While everyone's yelling and whining about Nintendo and Miyamoto now, those same people will praise whatever big Zelda or Mario title comes out, or when Captain Rainbow is finally released.

(Sorry. </rant>)
Corak's Avatar
Corak at 07/25/2008 18:08
To quote a line from Mad Men:

Random hippie scrub commenting on advertising being an evil empire: "How do you sleep at night?"

Draper: "On a bed made of money."

But if Nintendo can't keep these "new" gamers buying games for the system they will have to go back to their roots. Question is will we accept them back?
brainderailment's Avatar
brainderailment at 07/25/2008 18:10
That, my good friend, is why you don't build your console around an unconventional controller, while not offering another option.
bahss's Avatar
bahss at 07/25/2008 18:13
"You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain."
superezekiel's Avatar
superezekiel at 07/25/2008 18:35
I trust him. He can do right.
-PL-'s Avatar
-PL- at 07/25/2008 18:35
Yeah, when you have to press DOWN on the d-pad to JUMP in Bully, you know the Wii has a problem with its number of buttons. I wish more games allowed gamecube or classic controller support.
wrathofpink's Avatar
wrathofpink at 07/25/2008 19:20
Well, that's great, but there aren't any games announced. There's literally nothing.

And honestly, I am not impressed at all with the 'waggle'. All exclusive games have failed to do anything with the remote that made it's inclusion worthwhile "waggle to activate special", and all games that are available on other systems are better played on the other systems controller, Twilight Princess included.
pedrovay2003's Avatar
pedrovay2003 at 07/25/2008 19:37
@Brain

See, that's what bugs me... They DO offer an alternative. They HAVE the classic controller and GC controller slots, but most of the games that would be nice to use them with don't support them.
EternalDeathSlayer's Avatar
EternalDeathSlayer at 07/25/2008 19:44
I don't think SMG could have been any better with more buttons, Brad. How so, really?

For my money, it's the best Mario game since SMB 3
zeroword's Avatar
zeroword at 07/25/2008 19:47
I really didn't have a problem with Mario Galaxy as far as controls are concerned. Are we just drawing straws here? I'm sure there are some other examples we could use....
liquidninja's Avatar
liquidninja at 07/25/2008 20:05
Main Entry:
1ca·su·al Listen to the pronunciation of 1casual
Pronunciation:
\ˈkazh-wəl, ˈka-zhə-wəl, ˈka-zhəl\
Function:
adjective
Etymology:
Middle English, from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French casuel, from Late Latin casualis, from Latin casus fall, chance — more at case
Date:
14th century

1: subject to, resulting from, or occurring by chance <a casual meeting>2 a: occurring without regularity : occasional <casual employment> b: employed for irregular periods <a casual worker> c: met with on occasion and known only superficially <a casual friend>3 a (1): feeling or showing little concern : nonchalant <a casual approach to cooking> (2): lacking a high degree of interest or devotion <casual sports fans> <casual readers> (3): done without serious intent or commitment <casual sex> b (1): informal, natural <a casual conversation> (2): designed for informal use <casual clothing>
wrathofpink's Avatar
wrathofpink at 07/25/2008 20:09
SMG was the one game that was actually fine with it's controls. Pointless, but it didn't detract from the game in any way. The reason it was acceptable was because of the limited use of the wiimote's motion capabilities, just like Brawl. And the 2 player elements where pretty enjoyable, really the second player gameplay was the only part of the game that actually benefited form using the wiimote technology.
brainderailment's Avatar
brainderailment at 07/25/2008 20:10
@pedrovay2003: Spoken for truth.
Ninty fans would have a little shit in their diapys if they didn't offer more than just the wiimote for Brawl.
realyst's Avatar
realyst at 07/25/2008 20:12
Baby boomers control the market.

Nintendo tapped that.

It sucks for the rest of us but add it to the pile alongside the countless adds for ED drugs, cardiac medicine, bathtubs with doors/handles, insurance adds insulting anyone under 50 and the fact that any possibility of drawing a pension being hilariously unlikely when we hit that age.
atastysammich's Avatar
atastysammich at 07/25/2008 20:34
That picture smacks of "I dunno lol"
Im OK's Avatar
Im OK at 07/25/2008 20:37
I enjoyed Super Mario Galaxy for what it was, but it could have been light-years better with a controller that has more than a smattering of buttons.

How, precisely?

Do you believe them to be hollow?

No.

Nor did I see the need for such a Summa-esque leading question like that to be asked, when Miyamoto's comments can be judged on their own merits easily enough, for good or ill. Editorializing is what it is, but yeah this is exactly what I was talking about when I ranted about "the posts" in that other thread. It's been cropping up more and more lately, and not just in the Nintendo posts either.

@Corak

But if Nintendo can't keep these "new" gamers buying games for the system they will have to go back to their roots. Question is will we accept them back?

If Nintendo were to start really pumping out a bunch of so-called "hardcore" games for the Wii that everyone seems to want, you can take it to the bank that the fickle gaming masses would begin singing their praises again, taking only just long enough, maybe a month or two, to loudly harumph about how it's "about time" or some shit. There is zero question regarding this. I say this more as an indictment of the fickle gaming masses than as support for Nintendo.
Cowzilla3's Avatar
Cowzilla3 at 07/25/2008 21:01
What more buttons do you need for a Mario game than jump and run? I gotta say a bit off base on that one. I'd like to know how more buttons could have made it better too.

Little harsh with with the Summa comparison I'm OK.
Im OK's Avatar
Im OK at 07/25/2008 21:04
@Cowzilla3

If this were an isolated incident, I'd agree with you.
Im OK's Avatar
Im OK at 07/25/2008 21:25
Oh, and I'm not trying to single out any one particular poster here, and if it seems that way I apologize because it's not my intent. It's just that this happened to be the latest example in a trend I've perceived lately and which I find to be irksome. Then again, maybe it's just me and I'm reading more into things than is really there. I've been so fed up with a majority of the commenting on here lately that perhaps it's unfairly bleeding over into the posts themselves. *shrug*
Villanx1's Avatar
Villanx1 at 07/25/2008 22:06
I actually just finished Super Mari Galaxy like an hour ago and i agree it need a more button and joystick based controls
Salty Soil's Avatar
Salty Soil at 07/25/2008 22:14
I'm going to jump on the satisfied Galaxy train here, as I also had no problems with the control scheme. Run and jump. How many different ways do you need to be able accomplish either of those actions?
You can't say the same for other games (Bully for instance, as mentioned earlier), but I don't think SMG would have been of better quality with standard controller.

Also, all I really got from Miyamoto's quote was the same point Iwata brought a few days ago: Good/solid games take lot's time to make, and that's why you have to sift through 'five minutes to make' shovelware for now.
MisterMingo's Avatar
MisterMingo at 07/25/2008 22:34
I think some people are misinterpreting what he's saying. By "traditional games" he means games like Mario Galaxy, not games that use standard controllers. I don't see anything in that quote that suggests he misses the Gamecube controller or that he finds the Wiimote to be lacking.

How this turned into a "WOULD MARIO GALAXY HAVE BEEN BETTER WITH MORE BUTTONS?" debate is beyond my comprehension. I mean, what does that have to do with the article?
manasteel88's Avatar
manasteel88 at 07/25/2008 23:34
My issue is that Nintendo isn't doing anything as a company with their oodles of cash. I'd like to see them buy up some studios and get them to work on making some games...because I'm not buying a new nintendo game so far this year.
Mr Bas's Avatar
Mr Bas at 07/26/2008 03:12
I'm never going back to "traditional" Controls for a Zelda again. The Wiimote-Nunchuk combo just felt a lot better than the Cube-Controller but that's my opinion
Touch's Avatar
Touch at 07/26/2008 08:11
'Miyamoto firmly believes that traditional games - and, for that matter, traditional game controllers - still have a vital role. "What the Wii remote and motion control allows us to do is things we couldn't have done before. But of course there are also things that are accomplished better with buttons." '

Mingo, I find it helps if you read the actual article rather than the litte bit quoted on Dtoid... (although I'll also admit my distaste at having to read something on the Torygraph's website)
puddleglum's Avatar
puddleglum at 07/26/2008 22:17
Man people are grouchy around here. Seriously, THIS IS A WEBSITE ABOUT GAMES. You know, like, things you do for fun and leisure. If you're getting grouchy and flaming over games, I suggest stepping back a bit and re-evaluating some things.
Lithium's Avatar
Lithium at 07/27/2008 04:59
for some genres (such as fps) the wiimote is better for hardcore games (now that devs seems to have gotten the bounding box figured out)
Holyetheline's Avatar
Holyetheline at 07/27/2008 10:51
I want some damn new side-scrolling mario games! Classics similar to Super Mario World.
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