Video Game Rambling or Something I Guess

[BonusKun]

if you owned New Nintendo Hardware

Now who does that?

[Andrew]

I was never a fan of the hardware, but it does have what might be the best library of 1st party Nintendo software of any of their consoles, even without the remakes and VC. I hate a lot of the things Nintendo does, or fails to do, but they do release complete, polished software with a consistency that is becoming increasingly uncommon.

I wish they'd bring that shit to hardware I actually want to own.

I think the GameCube has the Wii U beat.

I know Wii U has Captain Toad and now Yoshi is made of yarn instead of Kirby or something, but it seems like Nintendo was creatively firing on all cylinders in the GameCube days. They debuted Pikmin. They took chances on games like Chibi Robo. They published titles like Eternal Darkness and Geist. They pushed hard for exclusive content (or at least timed exclusives), such as the Capcom arrangement. They brought Animal Crossing to the US. It was a genuinely exciting time to own a Nintendo console.

Sunshine and 3D World were both great so let's call that a draw. GC had Wind Walker, Wii U may or may not be getting an original Zelda game, but hey, there's HD Wind Waker. GC had Metroid motherfucking Prime, and then another Metroid Prime.

Unless Donkey Kong Tropic Freeze is this underrated masterpiece that undoes all of the above, I'm just not seeing a best-ever first party library. Not trying to shit all over it, but it's far from the pinnacle.

[MechDeus]

Agreed. I own like five games for the Wii U and the best Nintendo title for the system is them publishing Bayonetta 2. The GC, however, actually had a lot to love.

[dog$]

Isn't there a Switch thread already?

what is the most complex, adaptive game ever made and did they incorporate a scoring system to determine a high score?

Essentially, have we not developed a better game than Chess?

I think that the purpose of video games in general is not the same as the purpose of chess.

In playing chess, the players adapt to the other player's moves. The process of learning how to win at chess has nothing to do with a terribly intricate set of rules for turns or how the pieces function. The rules are limited and basic. In this respect, learning the rules of chess has very little correlation to why chess is played.

In playing a video game, the players adapt to the game itself. From there, it's an endless variety of how complex the game can be, how difficult the game is, how precise its metrics are to convey player progress, and whether the type of game even offers something for the player to care about doing. In this respect, learning how to play a video game is basically the entirety of why a video game is played.

In other words, the question isn't if there's a video game which adapts to the player, the question is if the player wants to adapt to the game, and how much adaptation is required until a ceiling is reached (if other factors like lack of emotional attachment don't come first). Memorizing patterns is one thing, but having the physical dexterity to perform them is another. Grinding is one thing, but minmaxing gains versus time spent in grinding is another.

[Space Pirate Roberts]

Wii U had Splatoon, Mario Maker, and hands down the best versions ever of Mario Kart and Smash, but those are all about to be eclipsed by enhanced ports on Switch. (Although Smash and Mario Maker are still unconfirmed, but come on. They're coming.) Other than that, trying to think of what would qualify Wii U for "best Nintendo lineup ever" has me drawing a blank. Bayonetta 2 would certainly go a long way (some might even say it's sufficient on its own), but it's technically a Sega game. It missed out on a proper 3D Mario (the co-op Marios it did get were fun, but nowhere near the same) and got the Twilight Princess treatment with Zelda (except this time the successor system looks to be getting the better version). I loved Hyrule Warriors, but I know that's not everyone's bag even among Nintendo fans. Not-as-good-as-the-first Xenoblade? (Which is apparently now relegated to spinoff status?)

GameCube seems like a good call.

[kingoffighters]

Xenoblade Chronicles and Toyko Mirage Sessions FE come to mind.

[Some Stupid Japanese Name]

Paper Mario TYD > Color Splash
GC Wins.
Flawless Victory.

But thankfully I have both systems so I win.

[kingoffighters]

Star Fox on both systems blow, we all lose.

[Fe 26]

Gamecube was a bit of a turd at the time. The ps2 completely shadowed it. For every good title the cube had, it had 20.

Whole bunch of hindsite and dare I say, nostalgia.

[GohanX]

The PS2 had arguably the greatest library of all time. I still played my Gamecube more because I like my Marios and Capcoms.