Probably half of the gaming world will hate me for saying this, but somebody
has to do it. Mario, Sonic, Luigi, Wario, Dr. Eggman and all the other arcade/platformer icons should retire! Each and every one of them should be put in a museum and locked there. That’s the only way to do it, that’s the only thing that should happen if we want to let nature follow its course.
There are two main reasons why this is the right thing to do – and it has to be done ASAP. First, all these characters are obscenely old – Mario was born in 1981, Sonic is 10 years younger but it’s still much. They’re both old, their friends are old and the game concept that made them famous is dead. I saw Rambo 4 and Rocky-Whatever and it was enough. There is a time when you should retire. Even Michael Jordan learned this lesson.
Second, these two demonic characters, together with their friends have appeared in over 300 games. We all bought over 300 games, meaning tens of million of game units and hundred million dollars. Still, we’re the ones who explode when EA announces another sequel. And the poor lads probably don’t even have half of the titles Mario does. Hell, not even XXX actresses have as many movies as Mario and Sonic have games (even though the concept’s a bit different here).
So, think for a second: aren’t you bored already? Didn’t you get tired of seeing the same strange, face-lifted characters over and over again, instead of receiving some brand new ones to love, to care about, to cherish and so on? Let’s face it now: the reasons we’re receiving sequels after sequels is because we buy them, because we buy Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (5 million), because we’re mad about Super Smash Bros. Brawl – games that do nothing else but bringing together gaming icons that should’ve actually retired years ago. Of course game developers prefer this kind of titles: their success is guaranteed and they don’t have to do much about them. Just imagine: Mario and Sonic Go Fishing – 10 million units sold; Mario and Sonic Watch Tv – 6.5 million; Mario and Sonic Just Stay There On Your Screen And Do Nothing – 3.8 million. And I’m not overreacting – this is what will most likely happen if these oldies don’t retire, allowing the youngsters to come, take their place and prove their value.
Now don’t get me wrong: I do agree with the fact that these are the characters that together wrote the history of gaming, I do agree that these are real icons and they should always be remembered accordingly. But, as I said at the beginning, they should be remembered in a museum, because that’s the only place where they should be. Will this happen anytime soon? No, because we love them. So get ready: sometime in 2010 we’ll be playing "Mario, Sonic and Megaman Start the War Against Lara Croft and Duke Nukem in Liberty City". Meanwhile, I will just cry.
This is ridiculous. Just because the characters are old means the games aren't fun anymore? Because I could've sworn that Super Mario 64, Mario Galaxy, all the Mario Kart Games, the Super Smash Bros series, hell, even the Sonic Adventure games, were all a lot of fun. If you're bored of the characters, don't buy the games. And what the hell does EA have to do with any of this? Mario and Sonic games are published by Nintendo and Sega/Sonic Team. EA has no part of this. And I can't remember a time when people were angry because another Mario game was coming out. From what I recall, Super Mario Galaxy was one of the most anticipated games of the year, and it totally lived up to the hype. I think this entire article is just completely preposterous.
What is wrong with keeping characters around? Would you rather have a clone which doesn't have the history? Probably, then you'd complain that character X is the same as this character that they killed off.
Just deal with it. Geeze. Slow news day huh?
Comment #4 by Private_Freedom on 2008-03-16, 22:42 GMT
As long as there is a market for products such as Mario video games, then it makes sense to produce products to satisfy that demand, no matter what your little dictatorial heart wants instead.
I got one:
I think it's time that arm-chair market critics should retire from making irrational statements. I am sure that OVER half the population will AGREE with this!!!
Ciao
Comment #5 by strikersgun on 2008-03-16, 22:43 GMT
Thank you for choosing what has to be the single worst, oldest, and ugliest piece of artwork I have ever drawn to represent your article. Like...I drew that thing in '97 before I even thought of professional work.
Really? You are basing your ideas of video games like "Mario and sonic stay on the screen" on the slippery slope fallacy. Do you seriously think someone would buy a video game like that? Maybe you meant this to be funny, but when I was playing the new Smash I was loving it.
And you say the games that made these characters famous are dead? Maybe they are, but I don't think thats the way it should be. Games like New Super Mario Bros. were amazing, and I can't wait to see more like them.
I don't think Nintendo/Sega and co are greedy. They're giving us games we want. I mean we all grew up with stars like Mario, Sonic and company. It would be amazingly sad to never play a new game.
We yell at EA games when they make a sequel because all of there games are so generic. Its like a cartoon, I guess. We know cartoons don't have the most amazing story, but we love the characters and so we are willing to let things like epic story go. Even so, we love the cut scenes when Snake and Sir Meta Knight are running around because let's face it: thats awesome.
EA games... Maybe its because they try too hard. Or maybe its because all of the video games they make suck? I mean Smash Bros, Mario Galaxy... they all play well! Are you really saying you want to get rid of games like Mario and Sonic... and have more EA games which consistently get ratings of 7 or below. It has nothing to do with reviewers wanting more money... They just don't make very good games.
I have wondered a similar question. Why can't they make new characters instead of re-using the same "heroes." Why do I have to get Mario tennis, Mario Party, Mario Soccer, Mario flavored snow cones? Those are well made games but I am tired of seeing Mario's face plastered everywhere. One example is Pikmin. It could have easily been Mario 128 and probably would have played the same but I enjoyed it more because it was a new story and new characters. I think it is a little harsh to say they need to retire because I love the Mario and Sonic games that are in their original platform genres (Mario Galaxy, Sonic Adventure). I do however agree they should stay there. No more trips to sports arenas for Mario and friends. Please kill the new Mario/Halo FPS game. Please do more "Pikmin"s and less (or should I say no more) "Pokemon Theft Auto"s. They should stay where they started. That goes for any classic video game character; Mario, Sonic, Megaman, Pacman, Crash Bandicoot, Pikachu, and all their many friends.
No thank you. I love Mario and can't wait for another mario game to come out. Sonic in 3D hasn't even seen his prime yet. i have no idea what you are talking about.
Comment #10 by KnightTimes on 2008-03-16, 23:54 GMT
Please Mr. Ciabai, tell me that the title of "Games Editor" is not a professional title. What I mean is that I hope that you were not paid to write this piece. I understand that it's an opinion piece. Your ideas are not the sole source of my objection. Your inability to express your ideas and your clumsy grasp of language were what caught my eye. I don't want to blast you with a blanket insult and run off without backing up my opinions so here is a little list of quotes that really exemplify why you are in the wrong business.
"Each and every one of them should be put in a museum and locked there. That’s the only thing that should happen if we want to let nature follow its course."
You're asserting that the natural thing to do is to forcibly alter the future of gaming? You may have misunderstood the very nature of "nature". In nature, the strong survive.
"Sonic is 10 years younger but it’s still much."
"Much" would only work here if "years" was a singular collective noun, which it is not. Saying that Sonic was "Still too old" or something similar would have been appropriate. For example, the phrase "Too much sand" makes grammatical sense, "Too much years" and "Too much old" do not.
"I saw Rambo 4 and Rocky-Whatever and it was enough."
WHAT was enough? What was it enough OF? Sure, the answers to these questions are divinable from the text but not without a small amount of mental gymnastics from the reader. You can insist that your meaning is clear if you like but there is no arguing that this isn't bad writing form.
"these two demonic characters..."
These characters aren't demonic in any way. Not in their origins nor in their legacy. They are beloved by generations. You can't call them respected icons and demons in the same breath. To me it feels like you were trying to inflate your argument with strong language rather than solid reasoning but your vocabulary well went dry before you could pull it off.
"Of course game developers prefer this kind of titles: their success is guaranteed and they don’t have to do much about them."
What does "they don't have to do much about them" mean in this context? They don't have to... what? Make new, fun, compelling situations and obstacles for these characters? It seems to me that the developers DO "do much about them". That is why these characters' titles are continually popular after so many years. You make it sound like Donkey Kong and Super Mario 64 are essentially the same game. If you mean to say that we keep buying these games only because we recognize the protagonists then you are essentially calling your readers sub-humanly stupid.
Also, you misused the colon. In this case a semicolon would have been correct.
Throughout the article you used the colon six times and none of them were used properly.
"And I’m not overreacting"
No, You aren't over reacting, you're exaggerating, although I'm fairly certain that that's what you intended to express that you weren't doing.
"they should be remembered in a museum, because that’s the only place where they should be."
This is a circular argument. You've offered no substance. It would be like me saying "You should be fired from writing because you shouldn't be writing." While true, the second half of that sentence does little to support, explain or modify the first half.
"Will this happen anytime soon? No, because we love them."
Here you have deftly and succinctly undermined your entire argument.
That all having been said, your core concept is nonsense. You state that continuing to use these classic characters in new games stands in the way of developing new characters and new games. You then mention Duke Nukem, Laura Kroft and GTA3; three titles that have grown and flourished in the shadows cast by Mario and Sonic. Try telling Kratos that Mario has interfered with creating new memorable characters. Ask Cryptosporidium 137 if Luigi is stifling his creative potential. There is plenty of room in my consoles for the familiar, old characters and for new ideas.
If you should find grammatical or logical mistakes in my own writing, you will have to forgive me. You see, I'm not a professional writer. I'm just a high-school drop out with no formal education and a biting hangover.
I wholeheartedly agree. It's time for them to move over and let the new crowd in. I've been saying this should happen to the people I work with (managing a video game store) and they all give me funny looks. I'm glad someone else agrees.
The author doesn't seem to understand that when you introduce a new game thats similar to a popular franchise people dislike it because they say, "It's like Mario without the Mario."
Its not a question of hating you, although you are going to be abused for this article. It's blasphemy is what it is. You should be strung up for treason. Mario is a God, a god, do you hear???
Comment #15 by ROb Enderle on 2008-03-17, 02:05 GMT
Agreed with your 100%.
Heck, even my 6.5 year old asked me why there are so many Mario and Sonic games and all he knows is the Wii and PC.
Its like the Rolling Stone: I know things we know make us feel secure but enough.
Loved Mario in all his incarnations but by milking it so much, I am starting to loath him a bit.
>>>Mario and Sonic Go Fishing – 10 million units sold; Mario and Sonic Watch Tv – 6.5 million; Mario and Sonic Just Stay There On Your Screen And Do Nothing – 3.8 million. And I’m not overreacting – this is what will most likely happen if these oldies don’t retire, allowing the youngsters to come, take their place and prove their value.>>>
I completely agree with you. They are not AT ALL fun any more. They are just money making items, they are preventing new innovative characters to come up on the front.
Comment #17 by daniel Whitmore on 2008-03-17, 05:16 GMT
aghh you guys are forgetting that these are just games. ive been gaming for about 20 years and mario and sonic games are just as enjoyable today as they were when they were first released. They're games that dont take them selves seriously and are meant to be enjoyed among a broad audience. For me games are far more annoying when they try to write a huge cliche'd hollywood story and then slide some traditional controls in (halo anyone).
Oh hell no. Perhaps you should retire you old goon.
Mario and Sonic are the characters that show the youngsters of today what gaming used to be and the fact that they still appear in games is a respectable thing.
I agree, Mario did show some signs of dying when Sunshine came out and it didn't really impress anyone, but now that's taken care of. And the Sonic games have been going down the drain in the last decade but even there have been a few shiny rings in between.
These heroes you refer to as "icons" should never retire for they still give us endless joy and remind us that our hearts will stay young forever.
Comment #19 by Ukitake Dan Saraki on 2008-03-17, 05:42 GMT
You know you could just not play the games, I mean not like you would actually play a game besides WoW but still don't bang your head against our pleasures. Pick on your own games not ours, the moment Mario, Sonic or Megaman retires is the moment Nintendo, Sega and Capcom are bought by Coca Cola.
Mario retire...haha what a load of crap. Mario games sell, and they are very much fun to play, I don't how you came up with this load of crap, it don't make any sense, and I think you should retire.
This is the most asinine thing I've read in weeks. Have you ever read the reviews for Mario Galaxy or Smash Bros. Brawl? ...or ANY Mario game for that matter?
Have you ever played a video game at all?
Probably not, you have no business doing so. Stop writing and just retire. Pathetic.
Please tell me this is a joke? where you looking for people to flame you?
Mario.... you think they should stop mking mario games? well maybe the should stop making zelda, and harry potter and star wars....
You idiot!
People buy These games because of these characters it's a sign of quailty!
Like the big mac because the big mac is old maybe we should make a new burger with a different name... get bent!
Comment #23 by Matthew Middleton on 2008-03-17, 07:12 GMT
What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
I fully agree to his point, they have outlived their life and should just be put away in some Museum.
and to comment on WMM's comment...Its a clear sign of lousy developers if they create a game where it can be said its "Like Mario but without Mario". If you can say that, then the game is crap because its just a cheap rip off of the Mario series that they made just to make money, instead of actually coming up with a real game that has its own story line, game play, and everything that makes an original game an original game.
They haven't made a new game with any of those characters since the first SSB came out...every following game of Mario, Sonic, Megaman...you name it, at just cheap knock offs of the original utilizing newer technologies and methods of making games. They give it a new setting, different levels..but when it boils down to the basics, its all the same as the originals
Yeah, you are kind of overreacting. While maybe game companies should focus on these characters less, getting rid of them is a but over-the-top. Sure, the last good console Sonic game was nearly a decade ago, but Mario is still going strong. And there's nothing wrong with game companies using these characters to make a quick buck. If we buy them, that's our fault.
As someone above asked; do you even play videogames? And if you really do spend time on gaming -- are you one of those newcomers that doesn't touch anything that doesn't have HUGE GUNS AND WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION in them? Games published by big, "hot" companies like Microsoft, SCE and EA? I mean, t3h gr4ph|xx and l33tn3ss of your "cool" games must be what's on your mind when proposing to retire Mario, Sonic and MegaMan.
Not that it bothers me, but this article makes you look like quite a fool, Calin. People like you don't have the right to call themselves "Games Editor", like you seem to be doing.
Well, I disagree, but everyone is entitled to their own opinions... However, I do think that those game characters are there because they are icons of the industry. They are relevant and important to the industry.
Would you want to see Mickey Mouse and friends retired just because they are old? If that's the case...would you object the return of the transformers franchise?
My point is quite simple... those characters have value... Value built over the course of gaming history. Just like how Mickey Mouse and Transformers has with animation. The Mario's image is the equivalent to Coca-Cola or Apple in terms of recognition. You cannot just knock that. If you think they are over-rated or not your cup of tea, then don't pick it up. No one is forcing you to play them.
Speaking of not having enough characters- the US and European market do not have the diversity of game genres as found in Japan. Gamers here, are usually male who are very much so into games such as halo, grand theft auto, tony hawk, etc. (or anything EA)
In order pave way to newer characters as you've suggested, perhaps the western market in it's majority must learn to accept newer and different forms of gaming.
At the current state, it is very difficult and nearly impossible. There are small niche markets within the same male buyers / gamers, but they are non influential. That is why Nintendo has exploited to casual gamers market so heavily with it's wii console platform.
The formulaic method of producing a hit game for the western market includes the following words... Guns+ explosions+ blood+monsters/aliens+war+boobs. It is because of this repeated exploit that restricts other genres and possible characters from entering the industry with greater effect.
There was an article published not long ago, about the difficulty of bringing new titles and developing games for the western market. And how the western market have been proliferated with seemingly endless first person shooters after first person shooters.
People pick on these characters (Mario/Sonic/etc), because they are recognizable to more people across a wider age group. Most importantly, they are directed at a younger audience.
Maybe you should take part in creating video games and game characters, instead of being a "online critic"... Mr. Calin Clabal
Perhaps this is just a ploy to gain more hits on your article....
I agree with you. I used to love Mario and Sonic and the originality of these titles, but lately Nintendo has been sticking him in every game they can think of. It wasn't bad when there was just Mario Kart, but now there are a dozen Mario Parties, Soccer, Baseball, Tennis, Golf... even his own version of DDR. He's starting to get annoying.
Though I don't think they should retire these characters completely. Instead they should focus on the platformers that made Mario and Sonic so fun to begin with, and cut all the nonsense sports titles. Just like Link and Zelda, these characters are old too and have several titles under their belts, but I only tend to see them when there is a 50+ hour adventure waiting to be had, and so I look forward to seeing them every time. Who knows, maybe Mario being such a cash-cow is a good thing as it spares Zelda from having to do the same thing (seems they try at some points with Tetra and Tingle titles)
Well I kind of like the characters we have right now, but you do bring up a good point. I mean I can't wait till Super Mario Bros 23. Or Super Mario Bros 4 on the new DS super de-dupper. The same game sold again and again. I think the reason we still have this going on is. Sorry to say, game makers today have talent, but no imagination. That's basically it. Throw a sci-fi novelist into the mix then we'll have something.
So between the lines you are saying: Star Wars, Star trek, Indiana Jones, Micky Mouse and his buddies, Bugs Bunny and his buddies. All of these should retire????!!!!!
Dude why don't you put the blind fold on and fill the Tank and get into your Isolation chamber now and Stop putting dumb blogs like this online.
Comment #34 by Mini_Dragon on 2008-03-17, 14:00 GMT
Mario platformers are fine since they come around only every so often (One 3D platformer a generation, and a sidescroller every long while)
The sports titles are a bit exsessive though - but at least they are good i suppose.
By your premise, we can also say that actors such as tom cruise and george clooney should retire. they're been around for like 3X as long as sonic. i mean, you guys all remember risky business.
just because something is old doesn't mean it's bad
"i wish i didn't have to eat. that's so old-school, i want my nutrients *infused* into my bloodstream"
"sleeping is such a bore, i'd rather it be more socially acceptable to stay up all night and just have a load of caffeine so i never have to sleep"
or maybe
"EYES ARE SO LAME. I WISH I COULD SEE BEYOND WHAT IS BEING PRESENTED. I WOULD PREFER IF I COULD SEE MORE THAN JUST THE OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, BUT WHATS INSIDE WITHOUT OPENING IT"
These statements are all based on the same premise you had developed in your "argument"
man, reading is so lame, they should make new ways of beaming information, like watching a video. i wish this idiot had made a video, reading is getting old
probably already mentioned in comments, but can\'t wait for that \"Mario, Sonic and Megaman Start the War Against Lara Croft and Duke Nukem in Liberty City\" game. Can only presume someone is already make some flash video or a M.U.G.E.N.A mode. damn that would be awesome, seeing what kind of fighting attacks duke and GTA characters would layout with blazin fire of guns
New game franchises emerge every year. So what if Mario and Sonic stick around, people like the games they are in, because the gameplay IS GOOD. If the game sucks, people won't buy it, regardless of who is in it.
If you don't want to play games with old characters in them, that's fine. There are plenty of new games out there for you to enjoy.
Let the people play what they want, and stop being so righteous about it.
The characters talked about are already dead, at least in my oppinion, and the continuous ressurection they're going through with every title being launched will at some point come to an end. Unfortunately, that will only happen when the generation of gamers that has grown up with Mario & Co will die or/and will no longer preach to their children about it.
Who wants to have a fat dude with a moustache running around whacking mushrooms when they can get Crysis or God-knows-what-else instead? I've seen 7 year olds playing Counter-Strile with fervour, and when I sat down and asked them about Sonic they glared at me with a look on their faces like i had just asked an advanced organic chemistry question.
They're dead AND dying at the same time, but they continue to sell thanks to the old school gamers that value gaming history. Enough said.
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Comment #1 by The Great Big Mouth on 2008-03-16, 22:27 GMT
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