Nintendo Needs a Makeover

Nintendo has always had an incredibly popular list of mascots. These characters have been known since the 1980s and have ensured we all grew up happily and addicted to video gaming. From Mario to Link, from Pit to Samus, we have all enjoyed these superstars and their games as much as good old-fashioned Saturday morning cartoons.

While these precious gems are always welcome and will never get old, however, perhaps it's time Nintendo comes up with something to attract a more hardcore audience. Let's put it this way: There's a financial "pie" that consists of casual, family-friendly gamers, and then there's the other half which consists of hardcore players. Why is Nintendo only willing to eat from the family-friendly side of things?

Sure, sticking to something in particular helps a company become a master of its domain. Nintendo is now widely reliable among families, as they can always deliver what their kids want. There's no doubt that Nintendo has dominated this market, and i bow to them for accomplishing this huge achievement.

On the other hand, however, let's define "Hardcore." It doesn't necessarily have to be bloody and violent. Hardcore gaming also extends to titles which present more solid premises from a realistic perspective. This effectively allows Nintendo to test the waters and create new franchises which are family-oriented while still avoiding blood and gore.

Let's take a look at a racing game, for example. Yes, Nintendo has Mario Kart and most fanboys love it, ourselves included. But why limit themselves to a kid-friendly game when there's so much more to explore in the gaming arena? PlayStation's good reputation was partly built on great franchises like Gran Turismo and Need for Speed (although the latter is not a PlayStation exclusive.) So again, this is the time for Nintendo to spread their wings a bit without necessarily creating or owning a bloody, violent franchise.

In the end, it all comes down to one question. Think about this: Are Nintendo really planning to survive on Mario, Donkey Kong and Zelda for the next 50 years? It's like having someone survive on spaghetti for the rest of their lives. As good as these games may be, at some point we also need a change. Nintendo need to improve their laughable track record when it comes to third-party support, and eventually come up with a brand new AAA franchise that does not rely on the Mario universe. These games are entertaining and always welcome. They're also from the 1980s-- something new would be great.