Contributed to by 1P and 2P

A certain two N-Europe staff members discuss Nintendo's focus towards both casual gamers and the hardcore...

Game Over?! I'll give you damn "Game Over"..

2P: Hey dude, it's 6am, what're you doing still up?

1P: Go away.

2P: Huh? What's up?

1P: Luigi's. Purple. Coins. Frickin' Toy Time Galaxy.

2P: Mate, say no more. That star had me going for HOURS.

1P: I think I've been trying around four hours. I'm not quite sure. It all blends into one long series of Bowser's face appearing and telling me it's Game Over. It's like I want to kiss Shigsy in his special places for making this game such a challenge, but also weep tears of frustration at his feet in the hope he'll complete it for me.

2P: He'd probably just be pissed off that some random Ninty fan was crying on his shoes. But anyway, you'd need to get him off his Balance Board first. He's too busy these days being focused on his new casual gaming crowd.

1P: Nintendo will never stop their focus on the hardcore. We're the reason Nintendo are still here, despite the GameCube era!

2P: And it's also the reason Nintendo will be held back. Nintendo have a lot to be thankful for from their hardcore gamers, but gaming has now reached a new generation and audience - thanks to the foundations lain by the PS2 and built upon by the Wii. Hardcore gamers are important, but when they only account for a low percentage of sales... Plus they're notoriously hard to please!

1P: True, gaming has a wider audience, but that doesn't mean the exclusion of those already involved in it. I'm going to buy Wii Fit even though it's for the "casual market". The important thing is that Nintendo are still innovating, and that's what keeps the hardcore interested.

2P: You're taking the plunge to casual gaming! At last! (I'll have to warn anybody who lives on your street to expect earthquakes and possible tidal waves...) But good for you!

1P: Are you still on about my weight? Yo' mumma's so fat people mistake her in the dark for Kirby.

2P: Innovation keeps the casual crowd coming back too, you know, take the EyeToy - that sold a ridiculous amount of PS2's to the uninitiated when they were first launched, just as the Wii-mote does now.

1P: Well, here's another example of what I mean: Phantom Hourglass. It's a "hardcore" Nintendo series, but with new controls. It's appealing to the masses and still was well received by Zelda fans. Nintendo are always going to make Zelda games, Mario titles. If they're still appealing to the hardcore with new innovations, then hurrah.

2P: Yes Mario will keep coming, provided he makes the sales. As soon as they drop off, so will the fat red one. Nobody is your friend in this industry, they just want to make a profit, and if it means focusing on the casual gamer like your pikey pals, then so be it.

1P: Come off it, Nintendo will never get rid of Mario! Mario Party, Mario Kart.. He is Nintendo. And however much they expand the gaming audience, Mario will always have a place.

2P: Yes! A place at the back where he can quietly eat his cookies and not bother anyone! As soon as Mario stops selling games, Nintendo will retire him. Oh, not completely of course, but he will slowly fade in favour of newer things. After all, what does Mario mean to people who have only just picked up gaming? What does he mean to those who never experienced the console wars between Sega and Nintendo? Virtually nothing! To the casual gamer, he's just another face in the crowd.

1P: There are plenty who play Mario games who weren't gamers for the Sega/Nintendo years. Arguably some of his current biggest fans who are buying titles like Mario Party and Mario Bros. DS which sell so phenomenally well. And even to those who've just started gaming, he'll be recognisable. His face on a game is great for the family/younger demographic too - there's no danger of any GTA violence in his games. And that's a demographic Nintendo will always succeed in capturing.

2P: And no doubt Nintendo are keen to keep a hold of that "one game at Christmas, Birthday and when-you've-saved-enough-of-your-�1.20-a-week-pocket-money" crowd. The real money is in casual gamers, and they are fickle: they latch on to whatever they think looks interesting, not what's good. Hardcore gamers appreciate titles like Mario Galaxy, lay people often see no difference between Mario and poop like Vex, or Tak and the Power of Juju.

1P: No one hates lame Mario-clones more than me. But clearly (bringing us back to our earlier debate) Nintendo produces games which sell - and it's not just "casual" games like Brain Training. Not to go all sales-figurey on you but New Super Mario Bros. sold 20 copies a minute throughout it's launch month in the US, and has now sold more than 11.5m copies worldwide (yes, I did just go on Wikipedia for those figures). Clearly, Mario still has a place as clearly Nintendo are going to carry on catering to great sales like these.

2P: Oh, absolutely! But like I said, as soon as Mario stops selling, it's a reboot or the boot for Mustache-face and his impossibly pink girlfriend!

1P: When they're building snowmen in hell, maybe.

2P: Meh, if you say so.

1P: *jumps for joy* I did it!

2P: Eh? Did what?

1P: The Purple Coins! Never will I have to do that blasted Toyland level ever again.

2P: Except when you have to do it again as Luigi you mean...

1P: What?! sljdhfljkhflkjsdlfh