Like this:

Do I think that New Zelda pales in comparison to Old Zelda?  Yes

Would I shed a tear if New Zelda fell off the face of the earth?  No

Does that change the fact that sometimes I enjoy the sugar coated, high production puzzle games that Nintendo puts out with Zelda’s face on the cover?  No

Would a “New Legend of Zelda” tear apart puzzelda?  Yes

Does that change the fact that puzzelda can still be somewhat enjoyable? No

I’m a rare type of gamer.  I was born in 1996.  I grew up with 3d Mario, puzzelda, and first person Metroid.  I knew that the last one had something the others didn’t.  So when I grew older, I found your site.  Suddenly, all I needed to do was turn back the clock, and I found 2d Mario, arcade Zelda (or as I should say, true Zelda and true Mario), and sidescroller Metroid, which first person Metroid held up with surprisingly well.  I was able to connect the dots, and I knew what the best games were.  It always puzzled my little brain though, as to why “fancy Metroid” stood up well enough to its old school cousin while “fancy Mario and Zelda didn’t.” Even as a kid/pre teen, I could tell what games had the quality and true love put into them.

That being said, 3d Mario, puzzelda, those were my childhood.  Finding stars, pushing blocks around, using Fludd, and sailing were all parts of my childhood gaming.  So while I know that the old school arcade style will never beat out the crazy old-men-on-drugs games, I guess I can still tolerate Super Mario 3d Land and Skyward Sword.  In a way, I’m kind of lucky in that regard. I cannot completely hate any type of game, yet I can still have “crapdar” that let’s me find the worse games.

But still, I’m just like you, waiting to see what will happen to Old Nintendo.  Will they be lost forever?

I read this email after posting my response to the one below. You grew up with the games. When you grow up with something, you like it. It was present at that ‘golden time’ of youth. Super Mario Sunshine is not really a good Mario game, but if you grew up with it, it becomes ‘great’ in large part because you grew up with that.

What I’m trying to point out is that I cannot argue against people’s childhoods. I’ve noticed there is also a tendency of young people to make heroes out of game developers and give them a bizarre sense of authority. When Metroid: Other M was coming out, Sakamoto was saying crazy stuff like Super Metroid’s appeal was about ‘maternal instincts’. I could not stop laughing at the guy. He could not be more wrong. But because young people already turned Sakamoto into a Game God, nothing the guy said could ever be crazy. Sakamoto could rob a bank and people would defend him. I recognize this is an element of youth.

As you get older, you realize there are three types of games you once liked. One is the type of game that is actually bad but you didn’t realize it back then. The second is a type of game that you still enjoy today even though it doesn’t appeal to new gamers today. And the third is a type of game you love today and keeps appealing to new gamers. Examples of these types of games would be… For the first, it would be the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the NES. Many kids grew up with it and loved it because it had the turtles in it. But the game wasn’t that good as is recognized by all today. The second would be a game like Metroid or Ocarina of Time. You still love to replay it, but it doesn’t exactly bring in new gamers. The third is the true classic. It is a game like Pac-Man or 2d Mario.

I consider the return of Old Nintendo inevitable. The only alternative is the destruction of Nintendo as a video game entity. How can I say such a thing?

Nintendo only succeeds in the market by being Old Nintendo. Wii/DS was Old Nintendo. And, of course, Old Nintendo was Old Nintendo. When Nintendo goes ‘Gamecube-esque’, they not only see declining sales but they do not become sustainable. Their sustainability during the N64 and Gamecube era was due to the Gameboy line (which was Old Nintendo) and due to prosperous economic times (and population growth). Now that times become economically grim with population decline, the effects of New Nintendo will be immediately felt on Nintendo’s financial statement.

Lately, Nintendo has been in denial about this. “We just need to cut the price of the 3DS.” “And have more marketing.” But since none of that is working, this denial is transforming to anger. Iwata, Miyamoto, and all are more angry at the people who bought a DS/Wii but aren’t buying the 3DS at this point than living in denial. “What’s wrong with you?” as Reggie asked us.

Eventually, Nintendo will move to the stage of acceptance.

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