E For Everyone

    
I was in Walmart today looking at the Wii U demo stand when a guy and his kids came along. The guy knew nothing about the Wii U and I was trying to explain what the console was. He mentioned that he had a regular Wii at home and his kids loved it. Then he added that he liked his PS3 more even though he had less games for it. It saddened me a bit hearing a gamer cast the Wii aside as a system 'just for kids' and the way he was looking at the Wii U, made me think that he was already labeling it as yet another system his kids would like more than him. When did Nintendo become the kid only company?

When I was younger, I played the NES and SNES. As I got older, I moved over to just the PS1 and PS2 for awhile. I missed out on the N64 but came back to Nintendo with the Gamecube. At the time of the Cube though, we saw a lot people taking Sony seriously and not really talking much about the Gamecube. Sony brought to the table different types of games than Nintendo had. Where as Nintendo had a bunch of core characters geared toward everyone, on Sony you could find a wide of range of games directed toward many age groups. The PS1 and the PS2 offered so many great games and people loved Sony. Then, another company joined the field. Microsoft's Xbox would bring in some new types of players.

The first Xbox was popular but I would argue that Microsoft's Xbox consoles didn't reach their height of popular in the U.S. until the 360 arrived. I won't try to figure out why the 360 is as popular in the U.S. as it is. I just have no clue really. I did own a 360 for awhile and enjoyed it. That said, I think the 360 and the PS3, somewhat, have changed how people look at gaming. On both systems you find games that are darker, more violent than what you traditionally find on Nintendo consoles (though that is starting to change a little---see Zombi U).

These games, most of which are first or third person shooters, are what quite a few people in the U.S. think of as Adult games. When the so-called "hardcore" gamer looks at Nintendo, they see kiddy games or "baby" games. Mario is for kids and Call of Duty is teens & older. But why is this so? Mario games and some other Nintendo games are not labeled K for Kids, they are labeled E for Everyone.

Do Adult games have to be shooters? Do they have to have a dark & depressing storyline? Why can't some adults take games like Mario, Zelda, or Animal Crossing seriously? The truth is that while Mario is a game that some kids enjoy, older players can enjoy it too. Zelda is the same way. Animal Crossing, while it has cute graphics, is a simulation game and not all kids will have the patience for that type of game. Nintendo tries to create games geared toward Everyone. We don't see that as much with Sony (anymore) or Microsoft. In fact, when Sony or Microsoft do create Everyone games they tend to make more K for Kids games. Why isn't there a middle ground with some video game companies and gamers? Why can't some games be for kids AND adults? Or heck, why can't some games be bright, colorful and full of wonder and be for Adults only?

I'm tired of playing first person shooters or games like Grand Theft Auto. These days I find much more enjoyment in games like Animal Crossing City Folk and Lego City Undercover. I don't understand why some older games just want the same old shooter or the same older dark depressing storyline. I'm not saying you have to run out there and play a game you don't like. I'm just saying I wish gamers realized they had more choices and I also wish they had even more choices. Surely there must be a way to make a game clearly for Adults that isn't about killing.

I think some smaller developers have tried, for instance Journey and Unfinished Swan, but you don't see Ubisoft or EA or Sony and Microsoft trying to make a game that isn't dark & full of violence for Adults.

Isn't there enough killing in the real world? Is that all we really want out of our gameplay? As I said earlier, I think the PS1 and PS2 were systems that spoke to kids, teens, and adults. Then the first person shooter and the darker gameplay of Grand Theft Autos became hugely popular in the U.S and Europe somewhat. Now we have two extremes, the everyone \ and the Mature and not much in between. Personally, if the only two choices I have while playing games is to either A-Be An Adult or B-Be An Everyone than I'll choose B.

Its just more fun.