Everything that is wrong with games journalism, summed up neatly in one little post.
2D is “going backwards.” Check. It is “sad” that a 2D outsold a 3D game. Check. Marketing and accessibility are key to Wii titles’ success (i.e. those tens of millions of Wii owners are not really gamers, and need to have things explained to them). Check.
The comments are even more hilarious, however. Hold you nose and give them, and the post, a quick read. Update: In hindsight, there are a few gems in there, speaking truth to power. Phisheep is one such example.
And I present Phisheep’s brilliant statement here in case there are some who don’t want to visit THE EVIL GEDO WEBSITE OF DOOM:
Sad? Sad?? Why on earth should it be?
This is a game lovingly handcrafted by the greatest design team ever. It is the gaming equivalent of Shakespeare coming back from the grave and trouncing James Cameron at the box office, or Charles Dickens taking J K Rowling to pieces in the bestseller lists.
Sad, maybe, for reviewers who value modern graphics over gameplay that talks to the human condition and brings out the best and worst in all of us; sad, perhaps, for the journalists whose influence is shown to not amount to a hill of beans; definitely sad for those who spend fortunes and seek high sales from the effects they put into a game rather than the effect that it has on the players.
But for the rest of us – if we get off our high horses for a bit, stop talking like industry insiders and start thinking like the playful kids that we once were and regret not being any more – it is wonderful. Wonderful.
Proof that just because you get older you don’t have to grow up.
Proof that the good raw fun of the playground is still there to be tapped into and enjoyed.
Proof that there is no scalar quantity that measures both quality and sales potential (go eat cheese, metacritic).
Proof above all that taking risks and testing the market does not mean putting out a spin-off rail shooter and whining about the sales.
There is a whole big exciting world out there. And, no, it isn’t all 2D platformers – but then it isn’t all shiny explosive 3D either, it isn’t all anything.
That isn’t sad, it is the brave new world.
Head and nails. And a little hear, hear on the side. To the rest of the hardcore; do us a favor and show pictures of you nailing yourself to that HD 60″ television screen with controller in hand. I’m always game to see good martyr poses for a change instead of the usual ostrich in the sand. Be bold and say: I’m nuts and I’m proud!
Jesus, it’s early in the year, but that is most certainly, currently, comment of the year!
Actually, I went and looked (couldn’t help myself) and here’s another great comment:
No, it just goes to show that 2D, classic platforming is more universal than 3D, collect-a-thon platforming.
I’m a big fan of Galaxy, but you gotta admit that if you ever played SMB and want to attribute NSMBWii’s strength to:
- marketing (what marketing? One or two commercials and zero interest from gaming mags?)
- accessibility (easy to learn, harder to finish – old school game design not DERP DERP RETARD GAMING FOR RETARDS)
- or multiplayer (they made a game that’s fun AND challenging no matter the number of players without the need for a multiplayer ghetto or difficulty scaling/adjustability)
then really, you’re underestimating the strength of simple-to-learn, hard-to-put-down, hard-to-master, arcade-style gameplay. And overestimating Galaxy’s mass appeal simply because it’s Mario and SHINY. And grossly stereotyping the kind of gamer that would enjoy a 2D platformer.
The comments are indeed retarded, Jack, but what’s wrong with the post itself?
It’s not that NSMB Wii is a bad game, far from it; just goes to show how important marketing, accessibilty and multiplayer are to Wii game sales!
That isn’t hardcore meltdown…far from it. And yeah, NSMB Wii is the better game by a long shot, but isn’t it possible that a lack of marketing did play some role in SMG’s sales?
The post, as a whole, is predictable, especially given the author. Also, the childish PS job on the photo, adding a tear. Come on now.
The whole 2D is inferior vibe that’s pretty insulting too. I guess tat’s the crux of it. A 3D Muramasa, for example, is automatically superior to the 2D masterpiece we have today? Hardly. Why then is Epic Games making 2D platformers for Xbox Live, among other things, if 2D is so “sad” for the industry?
So this is why the post fails, on multiple levels.
As to Galaxy, I’ve yet to see anyone of note float the idea that it wasn’t marketed correctly. Except this post.
Ah, but Jack, you forget…when 2D games such as Castle Crashers and Braid are made for the XBox Live, it’s *not* considered a step backwards for the whole industry.
Only when Nintendo makes 2D games is it seen as “sad” in the eyes of the hardcore. :P
True. Sad face.
Way hey now! Found this blog through Malstrom’s. (between us I like this one a bit more – more bite-sized you know)
And wow, thanks for quoting me ECM. I’m all internet-blushing now.
“Only when Nintendo makes 2D games is it seen as “sad” in the eyes of the hardcore.”
I agree and also think its that New SMB was a packaged retail release on a console, not a downloadable game or on a portable…you know, where 2D is “supposed” to be.
By the way Jack; your post on the Kotaku Chris O’Brien situation (aka: Kotaku commenters act like douchebags as usual) seems to have disappeared down the memory hole for some reason. Any idea why?
Back. It was saved as draft for some reason. I had made some edits. But it’s back now.