This poll is focused on Nintendo's 'Big 3' franchises.

As each of these three series continues to evolve, people's expectations about where each one is heading continues to change as well. Some aspects of these games continues to play it safe and stay true to what 'most fans' want, while other aspects have changed quite significantly, leading to division among gamers.

Which of these three games listed has most satisfied you in relation to the series as a whole, ie you are happy with where the series goes from here? This is not necessarily a question about which game is your favorite, though your choice could be that as well.

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What the hell? Metroid is winning? I'd call Other M more of a step sideways. I'll have to give this category to Skyward's Motion Control. I kind of don't understand how people are calling it a retread, in spite of them.

I hadn't replied to the poll earlier because I was torn between the three, as I feel each does a fantastic job of adding many new elements to each series. Everyone brings up very good points regarding all three games.

I applaud Other M for shaking up the series in many ways and introducing a lot of new elements, especially the fast combat and emphasis on production values. Like @TheBigG753 said, it's a Nintendo game that feels very modern. @carlosrox, you are not alone!

Skyward Sword is an excellent game, and @TriforceBun listed a lot of its features that I greatly enjoyed, especially the combat, greater challenge, and dense areas.

3D Land, to me, is a great example of enabling technology (stereoscopic 3D) to change the way you play the game. 2D and 3D elements are mixed together quite nicely, and actually, though the game is fairly linear, I still feel you have a better sense of exploration compared to Galaxy 2 because there are so many nooks and crannies that you can seek out, and you aren't spending a lot of time 'on-rails' like in some of the Galaxy levels (ie you're flying through space and colelcting star bits with the pointer). Though to be far, the Galaxy games had quite a lot of diversity with gameplay types (like the rolling ball levels, the bubble levels, flying levels, flinging-Mario-with-the-pointer levels, and so forth).

When it comes down to it, I have to say Mario simply satisfies all the notions I have about where Mario games are headed. Though I loved the cinematic feel of the Galaxy games, I find myself not particularly missing that aspect at all in 3D Land, as the game brings back a lot of what I enjoyed about classic Super Mario Bros. games in a modern game play kind of way.

@Simbabbad
Super Mario 3D Land doesn't stagnate, if you read my reply you'll see what I mean. Give the game a try when you can.

I think after the novelty of Skyward Sword wears off (that is, the new kinds of puzzles, the swordplay), we will probably classify it, for better or worse, as "just another Zelda game." Like BigG said, you can very well look at it as Ocarina 5. Right now everything feels super new, but I think as time passes, the formulaic nature of the game will be much more evident (I certainly felt it was as the game went on).

Metroid on the other hand? I guess you can make the argument that it's the only game of its kind in the whole series. I hope they keep certain things from it, but I really hope it's not the standard that they'll be adhering to for future titles (in regards to its story, some of its controls, its progression, linearity, etc).

At the very least, I think Metroid is the only one of the three to question "What makes a Metroid game 'Metroid' " more than the other two. It clung to a LOT of familiar tropes, but the guided 3D nature of the game is more dramatically different from its predecessors than Zelda and Mario.

The question is not about which one is different, it's about moving the series forward. Mario 3D Land moves the series forward, being a 3D game that is playable for the 2D audience. It's huge for Nintendo.

It's not the stereoscopic 3D that moves the series forward, it's the level design, controls, and fixed camera perspective.

I'm not going to vote since I haven't played all the games. You know, the honest thing to do.

The question is:

Poll said:

Which latest Nintendo iteration did the best job of moving the series forward?

A bunch of failed attempts at random new shit isn't moving things forward, it's throwing ideas at the wall and instead of seeing what sticks, they just drench everything in glue so they can jam whatever the fuck they want into it. And that's why Baby Jesus hates Other M.

Come on guys, we can do without barely veiled hostility.

And just to be clear, we can do without open hostility as well.

Hostility toward who?

My only enemy here is Other M, and the demons that summoned it from the depths of hell!

@Xbob42
If you look at the time he posted, you can deduce that he wasn't talking to you.

i'M A SLOW TYPER THAT'S TRUE.

Simbabbad said:

That's right, probably none on home consoles, and maybe a few on portable systems if 3D does become a new norm for portable Nintendo systems, which is far from being sure at this point since Nintendo themselves realized 3D is actually a negative in people's mind.

I was not aware of this, to be honest. Did Nintendo mention this somewhere, perhaps during Iwata's apology earlier this year at the time Nintendo posted their first financial loss in 30 years, in part because 3DS sales failed to meet expectations?

I haven't been keeping up with overall trends, but isn't the 3D market as a whole doing well? 3D TVs, 3D movies, and so forth?

I do understand hesitation at saying Mario 3D Land is an indicator of future Mario games considering there's no sign that Wii U will even be 3D TV compatible.

What Nintendo realized was that pushing 3D was not going to sell as much as pushing awesome Nintendo content and the fact that 3DS is a more powerful DS. They changed their marketing angle.
If Simba could back up the statement: "Nintendo themselves realized 3D is actually a negative in people's mind" that would enlighten me greatly.

Guillaume said:

i'M A SLOW TYPER THAT'S TRUE.

Gordy said:

I'm from Canada and they think I'm slow, eh?

@roykoopa64
Actually it's been confirmed that it COULD support 3D. It's totally there. Guess its just of they wanna do it or not. Don't really see why they wouldn't. Wii U will give them more than enough power to make the most beautiful games of the generation while also enabling 3D.

@anon_mastermind
He's definitely got a point. By he I mean you.



But I already nailed it with my post. I nailed everything. No more need to post guys, I won the thread. I chose the winner, and all strengths an weaknesses of each game :)

Such a beautiful post 'twas. POTY material, really.

Edit: Why is SS winning now? It doesnt move the series forward beyond the music and motion control. While I'd argue the characters and story are better, that's not MOVING THE SERIES FORWARD like its some huge innovation. It should be getting better anyways. By virtue alone that Other M had full voice acting, tons of characters, movie calibre music, and amazing cutscenes/production values all around, it should win.
Full voices is a huge step forward for NINTENDO AS A WHOLE, not just Metroid or these 3 series.

Other M not winning just cuz people don't like it... Ugh. Better than an "did OOT ruin the series?" would be a "has Super Metroid and Metroid Prime ruined the series?" thread.

Interesting thread, this one.

@Shadowlink

I laughed at that more than I should have.

@Guillaume YOUR SLOW TYPING MADE ME LOOK DUMB SO I'M NOT YOUR FRIEND ANYMORE!

@carlosrox

I think the problem is a lot of people don't want that stuff in Metroid. I prefer being isolated and alone in the game, and having the story driven through minimal visual sequences (Super Metroid) or by slowly learning things about the world itself (Metroid Prime). And I'm usually the one defending Other M--the amount of hate that game gets on the internet is pretty ridiculous. But even I think there's very little that the game introduced that I'd like to see incorporated in future Metroid games, outside of potentially some control/movement ideas. Cinema-quality cutscenes and voicing don't really mean much to me, personally, especially for a series like Metroid.

On the other hand, there are several ideas in SS that I'd love future Zeldas to take away, namely the stuff I mentioned earlier in the thread.