Top Five Reasons to Hate Nintendo

We've finally arrived at the last of the big three. It's Nintendo's turn to take a licking and keep on ticking. These relatively objective lists provide the reader with downsides to the business practices, philosophies, and et cetera of various companies. If you missed a previous list, you can find them here: Capcom, Microsoft, and Sony.

5) The 3DS's rushed launch

The Nintendo 3DS thus far has been an interesting experiment. At first Nintendo opened up their handheld to third parties who often whine that they get overshadowed by Nintendo's own games. What do they do? They put out (mostly) inferior products and wonder why they don't sell. Then instead of using the holidays to sell their games, they opt to push their games back and wait for the 3DS to get more of a user base. Besides third parties it seems that not even Nintendo knows what to do with the 3DS. Launching without must-have software, pricing the hardware way too high, enforcing a price cut not even a year into the 3DS's life, and adding an optional (so far) second analog stick attachment makes one wonder if Nintendo has a direction they want to go with the glasses-free portable. Everything just points to a rushed launch.

4) Their downloadable game prices are too much

Whether it's WiiWare, DSiWare, 3DS's eShop, or the Virtual Console, Nintendo's downloadable games services have prices that are near highway robbery. Now some prices are fair like the N64 games that are ten dollars that would otherwise cost double or triple the amount for the original cartridge. Most, however, aren't fair. NES games cost five bucks on the Virtual Console, SNES games cost eight, and fifteen dollars for a single-player WiiWare or DSiWare experience (where iOS games can be purchased for a dollar) is ridiculous. Nintendo needs to reassess their pricing strategies as they are quite horrible.

3) Mountains upon mountains of useless peripherals

How many of you in your homes have a pile of peripherals for Nintendo platforms that are now unused and take up shelf space? Many times Nintendo releases a new accessory for one or two games, and then it is retired. We've seen this with the Wii Zapper, the N64 Transfer Pak, the DK Bongo Drums, the e-Reader, Wii MotionPlus, the Wii Balance Board (to be fair, many games tried to incorporate this to varying degrees of success), among others. Who knows how many times the Nintendo 3DS's new second analog peripheral will be utilized?

2) Poor third party support

Not counting their handhelds, ever since the Nintendo 64 fans of Nintendo and owners of their consoles have had to deal with droughts. This is in part due to the fact that Nintendo isolated a lot of third parties under Yamaguchi's (former Nintendo president) reign. Since then, Satoru Iwata (current president of Nintendo) has been doing all he can to bring third parties back. It didn't help that the Wii, as popular as it is/was, is as underpowered compared to the HD consoles, so third parties mostly put their hand-me-downs onto the platform. It looks that history might repeat itself on the Wii U if the console isn't as powerful as the rumors suggest.

1) Over-utilized IPs

This is the problem that most haters (who are gonna hate regardless) cling to. Nintendo is known for continually using their favorite and popular franchises for big sales. This doesn't mean they're rehashes as each new entry usually introduces a new concept or idea and incorporates it greatly into the game or product. Mario, Zelda, Kirby, and others are used to heck and back, and when a new IP is created, it's barely marketed (I'm looking at you, Chibi Robo). For every new IP that is formed, two Mario games, two Kirby games, and a Metroid game is created.

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That does it for the hate-mongering. As first place Nintendo gets hated on a lot, and that really hasn't changed. Haters gonna hate and all that. I could have added that Nintendo tends to put out tons of revisions to their hardware, but let's consider Microsoft and Sony with their Xbox Elite, Slim, Pro, Arcade, PSP 1000, 2000, 3000, PSP Go, PSP with Wi-Fi, PSP without Wi-Fi, PS3 60 GB (and other gigabyte storage increases) and the Slim. They've both outdone Nintendo this gen. That's quite the accomplishment. Stay tuned later this week for my review of Resistance 3 (PlayStation 3) and much more. It's going to be a busy week.

Top Five Reasons to Hate Sony

We wrap up the work week with another top five list. It's time for some more vitriol here on SuperPhillip Central. This go around we're focusing it on Sony who went from first to worst in epic fashion. The words "$599 US Dollars" and "massive damage" will always haunt Sony and the Sony faithful. I hate to pick on a company while they're down, but let's find out exactly which five reasons are more than enough to despise Sony.

5) Their fanboys are the most idiotic this generation

Fanboys are ugly no matter which company they root for. Sony fanboys are the worst. Being in first was all these poor, diluted souls knew of. Now that Nintendo and even newcomer Microsoft are kicking them to the curb in sales, Sony's fanboys can't help but feel like going to multiple forums and trolling. They're everywhere-- GameFAQs, GameTrailers, NeoGAF-- everywhere. They are without a doubt the most obnoxious group in gaming right now. Thankfully not all Sony fanboys are annoying, but the vocal minority of them are. However, we thank ye for all your glorious meltdowns on message boards far and wide!

4) The PSN hacking fiasco

How awful was this? Millions in dollars lost, customer satisfaction down the pooper, and numerous hackers stealing credit card information were some of the effects of Sony's PlayStation Network getting hacked. You're foolish if you now save your credit card information to Sony's servers. They can't be trusted with it. The sheer incompetence of the company was staggering. Case in point: keep your credit cards away from Sony.

3) Old VS. New PlayStation 3s

Comparing old PS3s to new PS3s shows a lot to the unknowing eye. For one, new PS3s compared to old ones have a lot of features taken out such as backwards compatibility. Furthermore, old PlayStation 3s aren't built as well as they should be and break down much more easily. Who hasn't heard of the moniker of the "Yellow Light of Death"? When one receives this curse on their PlayStation 3, they can opt to send it in to Sony for repair for a costly fee. When they get it back, there's no guarantee that it will be stay fixed permanently. This means it can break down again, and the repair process begins anew, or they must purchase a Slim. Both options pretty much blow for the consumer.

2) They're reactionary and not revolutionary.

How many times have we seen Sony copy the competition? Most recently they bent over backwards to scoot past Nintendo's patent on the Wii remote and blatantly copied it to make the marketshare failure known as the PlayStation Move. Sony's company philosophy behind innovation is essentially see what Nintendo is doing and copy it, sometimes enhancing the technology by a half-step. We've seen this with rumble, analog sticks, and of course, as stated before, motion control tech. For shame, Sony. For shame.

1) They're in third place, and they're still cocky as can be.

Nothing like a distant third place company like Sony to be cocky to make them look like the jackasses they are. If Jack Tretton isn't opening his mouth and inserting his foot (remember when Phil Harrison informed us that rumble was a last gen feature?), some other Sony stooge is saying something stupid toward the competition. You look at a company like Nintendo who were humble when they were in last place, and you look at Sony who can't help being the company to root against (or for if you're one of the aforementioned obnoxious fanboys). Even their Kevin Butler commercials are heavy-handed with fanboy self-wanking propaganda. For being a Japanese company, a country known for being humble, Sony certainly doesn't show it.

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As you can see, Sony is trying its hardest to be an unlikeable company. From having an inferior online structure compared to Microsoft to being stupidly cocky, Sony is in a bad place right now. On the bright side of things, they still make some of the best first-party games out there next to Nintendo (your opinion might be different-- that's fine), and they have a new portable with lots of support coming. Not all is bad in the land of Sony. They're still one of my favorite companies around.

Top Five Reasons to Hate Microsoft

Several weeks ago I posted a list of five reasons to hate on Capcom. Now it's Microsoft's turn to take a licking. Resorting to attaching Xbox sales to laptop sales in last month's NPD and then bragging about it, this company is shameless. The following five reasons list why gamers should quit eating up the ^#%# Microsoft serves them.

5) Paying sixty bucks just to play online

Oh, boy! I get to pay the increased price of sixty bucks (the price of an overpriced HD game) to play online with racist 13 year-olds who get bullied and take it out on random strangers online! Awesome! To be fair you get more features than you do with the free Sony PlayStation Network, but is the inflated price worth it? Yes, you can mute players, cross-chat between games, and do a bunch of other nifty features, but sixty bucks is overcharging and greedily gouging your loyal customers. Micro$oft indeed.

4) Killing Rare

Rare is but one of the many first party studios of Microsoft that was murdered maliciously, scrapped for parts, and shipped away. The good portion of Rare is long gone, leaving behind a legacy of fantastic games such as Banjo-Kazooie, Viva Pinata, Perfect Dark, and Blast Corps. Now they create knock-offs of whatever Nintendo is doing. Miis? Sure, we got avatars. Wii Sports? Sure, we got Kinect Sports for you. The art staff was completely let go as was most of the staff if others didn't simply leave the sinking ship. Face it. If you're a first party of Microsoft, you might want to send in your resume to other companies... and fast.

3) Turning their back on the hardcore

While Nintendo still regularly makes games for their fan base like New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Kirby's Epic Yarn, Sin and Punishment 2, Punch-Out!, and the upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Microsoft turned their back on their own fan base when they unveiled the Kinect. What do fans get this year? A rehash of Halo (if the remake of Ocarina of Time on 3DS is a rehash then so is a remake of the original Halo, only fair, manchildren), a sequel to a dudebro shooter in Gears of War 3, and Forza Motorsports 4. Great lineup if you're a 27 year-old who still plays with his G.I. Joes. The focus is clearly on Kinect and its various shovelware, so good work on alienating your so-called fans, Microsoft. Just as long as you get your money.

2) Kinect sucks

This goes in line with number three since after Kinect was introduced, Microsoft's focus on the hardcore was minimized. Nintendo's Wii gets crapped on by manchildren of all ages for having "no games" and "shovelware". Well, what do you call Kinect? You know the difference between the Wii and Microsoft's Kinect? Wii actually has plenty of excellent games for it. With Microsoft's Kinect you get games that seldom actually mimic your movements, the same third party shovelware that plagued the Wii, and overpriced mini-game collections. It was by cashing in on the Wii craze that Microsoft effectively became a brand-new company-- to the chagrin of the so-called "hardcore".

1) Creating shoddy hardware

Spending over one billion dollars to sweep the mess of the red ring of death fiasco under the rug and to only have their fans gladly fork over more cash just to buy more Xbox 360s, Microsoft made without a doubt the single most shoddiest hardware ever to reach the masses. The fans with stupid smiles on their faces didn't care. They happily paid for Microsoft's brash and greedy manufacturing tactics. "Go ahead! Kick us while we're down, Microsoft! We're good for it!" Thank God I don't have an addiction to shooters (which seemingly is all Microsoft ever puts out), or I might have bought a second one myself.

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Microsoft is without a doubt my least favorite of the big three. However, not all is bad. Xbox Live Arcade is second to none with great titles and great deals. In fact, since all Microsoft seemingly does is release shooters for the dudebro crowd, it's a relief to see them support indie developers unlike some companies (cough, Nintendo). I'm sure this list made some of you mad, so let me know your transgressions in the comments section. I'll be deleting the obvious trollbait, so try to show some restraint. We all know the Microsoft console warrior is overflowing with testosterone, so keep it civil. Peace.

Top Five Reasons to Hate Capcom

For those who frequent SuperPhillip Central, you know that I loathe hatred in the gaming community. It's a cheap way to get hits, and there's already so much of it that I think people get tired of it and yearn for something more positive. Well, Capcom, one of my former favorite third-parties, has forced my hand with crappy move after crappy move, and I've compiled a list of five reasons to despise Capcom. Maybe you'll agree with some of them, hm?

5) Ultimate Marvel VS. Capcom 3 being unveiled less than a year after the vanilla release

It was but this February of this year that gamers forked over sixty dollars American to play this beyond-hyped-to-Hell-and-back game only to realize their money was worthless. Less than a year later a newer edition would be announced with more fighters, stages, and balance. What was the purpose of paying sixty bucks in the first place-- to play the beta? To play test an incomplete game? As if Marvel VS. Capcom 3 wasn't already enough of a barebones fighter to begin with, and many other fighters in the genre are far more capable. SuperPhillip will not be attending this fight.

4) Charging twenty bucks for up-rezzed ports of Resident Evil 4 and Code Veronica

Masters of rereleasing games, Capcom is rereleasing Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil: Code Veronica. The difference this time? HD. That's all. Who cares if you can play a superior version of Resident Evil 4 on the Wii with subjectively better and more fun controls for half the price, own a physical copy of the game, and not be bothered by DRM (more on that later)? Capcom certainly doesn't. Then again this is the company that wants you to repurchase Dead Rising 2: Frank West Version this fall. This is a slap to the face of many-a Resident Evil fan, and I cannot help but imagine that fans will eat this crap up and smile. Way to show Capcom, guys!

3) The DRM dilemma

DRM became a standard practice on the PlayStation 3 thanks to Capcom. DRM is a process where the digital game you paid for with your hard-earned money is tied to PSN, so if PSN goes down or gets hacked again (worst-case scenario), you cannot play it. This trend, I believe (correct me if I'm wrong, folks), began with Bionic Commando: Rearmed, and it will continue with the duo of Resident Evil ports. The excuse for this practice is to prevent game-sharing, but all it does is cause headaches.

2) Killing in the name of...

Breath of Fire, how we hardly knew ye... Darkstalkers... you, too, were a good friend. Let's not forget Power Stone, either. I fear we'll have to add Mega Man to the list as well. What do these franchises have in common? I'll be sad to divulge that information. They're properties that Capcom has put down to pasture over the past decade. Why focus on these when you can milk the same four or five franchises, farm out games to Western devs for cheap, and break big at the bank? The legacies of these games continue to be crapped on, and it irritates me that these properties are wasted when they could be greatly expanded upon.

1) Mega Man Legends 3's abrupt cancellation and Capcom's F.U. to the project's fans

When Mega Man Legends 3 was announced for the Nintendo 3DS, Mega Man fans from all over cheered in unison. Finally poor Mega Man Volnutt would get off that moon! Soon a development website came about asking for fan participation. Fans voted on Mega Man's suit, enemies to be included in the game, the look of the game's new heroine who would be called Aero, and much more. Then suddenly, out of the blue, the project was cancelled and dreams were shattered. All the input from fans was for naught. Capcom didn't even give a reason until a snobby Euro Capcom worker tweeted that it was the fans' fault for not giving enough to the project. Way to soften the blow. So not only is Mega Man Legends 3 dead, but it's not Capcom's fault but the fans. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

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Capcom has done a lot this generation to anger fans. You thought you saw bad temper tantrums when Nintendo of America said "no" to localizing Xenoblade? That's nothing compared to what I saw when Mega Man Legends 3 was cancelled. With their continuing downward spiral, it's really a shame to see Capcom go from Capgod to Crapcom in such a short duration of time. You can bet that this blogger will be purchasing all Capcom games used from now on.