It's Sunday and you know what that means, the next edition of the Cube-Europe Roundtable, because of the recent server switch this edition is a week late so you might want to refresh yourself on Satoru Iwatas comments he made a while back.

This weeks topic is...
What do you make of Satoru Iwatas recent comments?

Conor: Although Mr. Iwata comments come as no surprise, they are still very pleasing and encouraging. I totally agre with him on what he said about graphics nowadays. I mean, look at the graphics in games like Zelda, Metroid, Starfox and Final Fantasy, do we really need to shell out for a new console for better graphics than these? No.

What I want from my next console is something more, something I hope Nintendo can deliver. Hope strengthened by Mr. Iwatas comments. If Nintendo follow through, think how great it will be when the next generation of consoles appear. While Sony and Microsoft will be rolling out "better graphics, better speed, better sound" consoles with PC-style features, Nintendo will come out with something truly revolutionary, something that is truly inovative, something that leaves Sony and Microsoft speechless. Since the NES it has gone: revolutionary, evolutionary, revolutionary, evolutionary, so Nintendos next console should be revolutionary.

Chris: Probably being the most unbiased staffer at cube-europe, I view this as quite an obvious move. Ever since the N64, Nintendo have slowly been falling behind the market leaders, Sony, and without Pokemon, the annoying craze that even cost lives, the GameCube wouldn't even exist.

The GameCube has two rivals now, and they aren't weak opponents either. The Xbox has more power and the PS2 has a bigger audience, like Sega, I don't think Nintendo can cope with the console war for another "season". This should be Nintendo's last console, and games should be concentrated on whole-heartedly. Any Nintendo fanboy would like to be able to play top Nintendo games alongside franchises such as Gran Turismo, surely? And wouldn't it be great for Nintendo to invest all their funds into making a larger, better version of Mario? Well I think so, but to say the games industry is declining is wrong, where's the originality in music and movies these days? Are they declining. 'Nuf said.

Shane: He's right, Nintendo are making gaming even better for its customers by thinking like this. But they also have to realise that they have to stay cutting edge for competitive purposes. Honestly, if you were looking for a console and weren't worried by prices, would you go for the big black powerful machine or the small, economic petite purple box?

I feel that Nintendo still have to prove to people that the Gamecube is powerful, can do the same, or better, as an X-Box. Nintendo has to appeal to the average gamer, not just the loyal, understanding Nintendo fans. I'm not saying Nintendo should stop focusing on games, they should also think about the people who buy, or might buy thier products

Javid: Nintendo pride themseles on quality. Not quality graphics all the time, but with a games quality gameplay. Nintendo have and always will lead the way with new innovative ideas leaving the others gazing on in amazement. Nintendo have lost the console watr with Sony a long time ago, and its too late to catch up ground now, what we need to make sure is that we keep on the ball and dont let Microsofts X-Box get the better of us. At the moment it seems as if Nintendos strategy of concentrating on software not hardware is paying off. The Gamecube can handle incredible graphics yes, just look at Resident Evil, but not compared to the X-Box. Yet the Cube remains to sell more in Europe.
Whats the best thing is that the Cube is the easiest console to develop for, this was in Nintendos mind a long time ago, and its working wondes already. Many developers realise how easy it can be and so are juppin on board. Just look at Squaresoft, but alot of other titles are coming our way that never would of reached the N64 due to its difficulty to develop for. Its this sense that shows that hardware can be important, but in a different way. However, the Cube is out, its ready and is in no need to be replaced. Its set for along time so games is where the concentration should be. Iwata is smart to realise this and to encourage the more inventive ideas to appeal to more gamers. Pikmin, Animal Crossing, Luigis Mansion, Monkey Ball, Mario, Zelda...and this is just the beginning of an overwhelming Nintendo difference of ingenious titles.

Freddy: Iwata's comments eh? Totally justified. Software wars II: Attack of the Clones!!! I mean, how many doom clones are there on the market now? And how many Mario wannabes are there? Sure, they may be good for what they are, but they're not groundbreaking are they? No. The last truly groundbreaking game I can think of is possibly Ocarina of Time. To this date, no game has managed to make such a graphical leap, enhance gameplay from previous titles tenfold, and become the greatest game of all time, all at once.

Lately, games have been trying to implement new ideas, such as the insanity meter in Eternal Darkness, complete control of time in Blinx (unfortunately an *shudder* X-Box game) and, well, Pikmin in its entirety. Games developers are starting to realise now that ideas are running out, and they are thinking laterally, and not linearly. They're thinking outside the lines. Developers are now exploring things they never thought possible.

So yes, I agree with President (of Nintendo) Iwata, and all that his statement stands for. He is a wise man, and knows what he is talking about. Yes, indeed he is.

Link: I have to say that I completely agree with Satoru Iwata and with Nintendo's stance on pushing the quality of the software over the hardware. I also agree that developers are running out of ideas and that those developers are hoping that online will save their games. It's not to say that some online games aren't going to be good (PSO and FFXI), but some developers just don't have any more ideas so instead of trying to make a game that is going to break new ground (like the Mario and Zelda games) they just add on the online ability and say they're done. Online isn't a bad thing, but it shouldn't be the main aspect of a game.
About what Saturu Iwata said about Nintendo being focused on software and not hardware (which hints at a long wait before the next Nintendo console) is a compliment in my eyes. The only thing that hardware really pushes is graphics and AI. The rest of the game, the more important part, doesn't need a superfast processor. Innovation in a game does not come from the graphics, although the graphics do help, but the actual gameplay. I think that the next great games for the GameCube are going to be Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem and Zelda. Neither of these games have the best graphics, but the time put into then to be innovative (such as the insanity meter in ED and many unexpected things in Zelda I'm sure) are what are going to make these games truly great.


So join us next week when we will discuss Nintendos decision to cancel Spaceworld. Until then, goodnight and goodbye.