PixlBit

I didn't know that, but I think my point remains. Nintendo didn't create these franchises, and like you said, they did little to promote them. The Eternal Darkness example is a great one. Nintendo could do something with that IP, but I don't think anyone would ever say that it's a Nintendo IP, even if they hold the rights to it. But even if we want to say that these are indeed Nintendo made franchises, what I want to see is stuff made by the in-house teams. Or hell, even Tose, as they're responsible for some of the best Nintendo stuff.

And I think I'd even be happy if they would trot out some of their lesser franchises once in awhile. I loved the new Punch Out!!, and I'd be all over another Wario Ware. It's been years since DIY, and even longer since the last "real" entry in that series.

But most of those aren't Nintendo franchises. I'm not saying that there aren't great games on the Nintendo platforms, but when I try and think of new IPs from the big N, I'm stumped. I end up back at Pikmin, because I feel that Nintendogs and Brain Age are more along the lines of interactive toys than real games. Pikmin was fantastic and original. I'd love to see more games like that. I'd also love to see the Nintendo studios explore the digital space more. It could be a great testing ground for new ideas.

Man, Elite Beat Agents was fantastic. I keep meaning to import Ouendan because I know it's totally different.

I mentioned this in our preview, but Hwang was my favorite character in Soul Edge. I'd love to see him back. I also wish that this game had the fighting styles for older characters for create mode. That way you could at least have those moves again, even if they didn't go to the trouble of rendering the character.

JD, Capcom pulled things back after the initial controversy, but that first trailer was pretty awful. And I didn't mean to hold RE 5 up as the poster child for Japanese race issues; it's just the easy one to bring up. Like I said in the show, anytime Japanese devs put a character into the mix that's not white or Japanese it's always the worst possible stereotype they can come up with. That applies to homosexual characters too, which always end up being the most over-the-top caricatures you can think of.

It's cool that you can see stuff like that and not get offended. It takes a lot to offend me, but when I see characters or situations like that in Japanese games I'm always thinking "wow, really?"

It's true that Nintendo doesn't have to do anything to their core series, as there's plenty of gamers who enjoy playing the same game every time. I'm the same way with the Street Fighter and Mega Man series. But as I say time and time again, gamers fear change, while I crave it. There are things that can be done to these franchises that would make them new and fresh and still sell millions of copies, and I think the first thing you do is mix up the teams. Those guys that made Super Mario Galaxy are pretty much amazing, so why not let them try their hands at a Zelda game? Or something new? Nintendo created so many amazing franchises in the 80s and 90s and I know they can still do that, but why bother when people are happy with a new Mario Kart every few years?

Wow, you called Eternal Champions methodical. That's...interesting.

My favorite part of Eternal Champions was the marketing campaign. As part of the red-hot console wars the ads were hyperbolic and actually tried to position the game as a serious contender to Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. It was a nice effort, but it was more on par with Weaponlord and Doomsday Warrior.

I really dig the new characters and game mechanics. As a 2D fighting fan, Soul Blade/Calibur has been the only 3D fighter to really click with me, and SC V feels even more like a 2D fighter now. I'm bummed about the lack of game modes when compared to older games in the series, but the create mode is way better than IV, and that's the main reason I bought this game.

I totally agree! I love SSF IV, but I don't need SF V for a long time. MK is a less serious fighter, so I'd be fine seeing another in a couple years. But I want them to do something new in the meantime.

Aw man, I didn't know your 360 died. Sadface.

I'll definitely have to check it out. I'm not big on the LotR aesthetics, simply because they are so simple when compared to modern fantasy, which is why it will be an impulse buy when it gets cheap enough. But if it had been a Norrath game or even a unique fantasy setting I probably would have snapped it up right away, just on the Snowblind name.

Yeah, I had a ton of fun playing Champions of Norrath with the same friend on the PS2. I'd love a sequel to it for PS3, and it's the main reason that I want to try Lord of the Rings: War in the North.