Hi, I am a major arcade game fan, and I have found your articles and blog posts quite interesting to read and interpret. It just really interests me even more often now when Nintendo makes decisions regarding its next steps and what games will appeal to whom. With that in mind, despite being a big arcade gamer(both old and new), I found this move by Nintendo a bit shocking.
http://kotaku.com/5347591/nintendo-brings-shmup-to-dsiware-yes-nintendo
What the article basically covers is that Nintendo is working on making a danmaku(bullet hell/curtain fire) arcade-style shooter in tandem with Arika, a company noted for making games like Street Fighter EX, the extremely difficult Tetris: the Grand Master, and, more recently, Endless Ocean. It has also been involved in the porting of many arcade shooters made by Cave, probably one of the most well-known(in Japan) makers of such games.
What shocks me about this article, however, is the fact that Nintendo, of all companies, is focusing any effort in helping to make a game that not only has niche appeal, but has a dramatically shrinking audience on account of shooters becoming increasingly inaccessible to newer gamers in the past 10-15 years to the point where we are seeing messes of bullets on the screen, leaving many to wonder who would find enjoyment in a challenge level so over-the-top.
Basically, I’m sending this really to ask a question and to see what your opinions/ideas on this matter are. Is Nintendo trying to merely work on a game to garner a limited “hardcore” appeal in Japan, or is it part of a greater possible plan to make such games mainstream again?
When I saw the shmup video I said to myself, “Aw man, not another bullet hell.” I love shmups. It is a pity to what has happened to them.
No, I don’t believe Nintendo is trying to resurrect shmups. I think that since shmups are still being played in Japan that Nintendo is diversifying their software store to include shmups. They want to offer games for everyone.
I wish they would offer Gameboy games. Mmmmm…. Iridion 2…..
