Nintendo Coming to Universal Parks

[tankart150]

We can, literally, go through every video game franchise, calculate recent sales and player stats, and point to why they are pale comparisons to the general appeal of Mario and the Nintendo franchises. I've addressed three of the franchises you mention in this list already. Two of these games have only had one game released (Cuphead, Last of Us). Several haven't had new games released in a decade or more (Crash and RCT because remasters don't count), and a few have seen sequel sales and player stats drastically diminish after a strong debut (Titanfall, Destiny). Even CoD and Halo are starting to suffer from over exposure (both of their most recent sequels failed to reach the levels of prior sales).

This isn't a question of if they would work as attractions or lands. Statistically, there is no objective validation that any franchise aside from Mario and Pokémon would actually get people to show up at theme park.

I'm a gamer. I'm not picking these arguments apart because I don't like them. I'm picking them apart because, looking purely at business sense, Universal trying to leverage them is a bad idea.

But Halo is iconic! Watch Chao’s top ten iconic video games video and look at number 1! Also, what do you think about pinball, Space Invaders, PAC Man, Sonic tw Hedgehog, and Galaga?

 

[AlexanderMBush]

But Halo is iconic! Watch Chao’s top ten iconic video games video and look at number 1! Also, what do you think about pinball, Space Invaders, PAC Man, Sonic tw Hedgehog, and Galaga?

Here is the thing, if you only look to one outlet and stick by it, you will not see good results.

 

[zg44]

It should be "Super Nintendo World" just like Japan.

I think it's also very likely that we'll eventually have a similar naming scheme to the Wizarding World where the sections in the various parks have their own subtitles:
- "Super Nintendo World - Mushroom Kingdom"
- "Super Nintendo World - Zelda's Kingdom of Hyrule"
- "Super Nintendo World - Some Pokemon Crap"

It should definitely be like this to match the WWoHP nomenclature among the parks. The individual parks in Orlando can have their own names for the separated lands. Mario, Pokemon, Zelda will definitely be the 3 headliners if/when it appears in all 3 parks, so that's fairly appropriate.

 

[Legacy]

But Halo is iconic! Watch Chao’s top ten iconic video games video and look at number 1! Also, what do you think about pinball, Space Invaders, PAC Man, Sonic tw Hedgehog, and Galaga?

Here:

Best selling game franchises | Video Game Sales Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia

This gives you a roll-up of copies sold. The Mario franchise, with Mario Kart, has sold over 585 million copies. Pokémon, has over 300 million. COD, in third, is at 250 million. These drops are massive. Sonic is only at 150m and Halo isn't even in the top 10.

Again... video games aren't equivalent to other entertainment industries. If a Tomb Raider games sells $60m dollars worth of copies, that's only attached to 1 million people. A movie that makes $60m dollars as reached over 15 million people. There's a massive disparity in audiences.

 

[jseal777]

Children...

 

[tankart150]

Here:

Best selling game franchises | Video Game Sales Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia

This gives you a roll-up of copies sold. The Mario franchise, with Mario Kart, has sold over 585 million copies. Pokémon, has over 300 million. COD, in third, is at 250 million. These drops are massive. Sonic is only at 150m and Halo isn't even in the top 10.

Again... video games aren't equivalent to other entertainment industries. If a Tomb Raider games sells $60m dollars worth of copies, that's only attached to 1 million people. A movie that makes $60m dollars as reached over 15 million people. There's a massive disparity in audiences.

What would you think about pinball and the classic arcade games for a theme park though?

 

[JungleSkip]

Edit: Whoops

 

[Alicia]

I'm 'bout to stop following this thread.

 

[JungleSkip]

What would you think about pinball and the classic arcade games for a theme park though?

Dude. No. Come on. Think about what you’re talking about.

Either way, this thread is about NINTENDO

 

[Joel]

But Halo is iconic! Watch Chao’s top ten iconic video games video and look at number 1! Also, what do you think about pinball, Space Invaders, PAC Man, Sonic tw Hedgehog, and Galaga?

this whole video game back and forth got me feeling like Pam from the Office.. I'll check back on this thread in a few weeks..

 

[Legacy]

What would you think about pinball and the classic arcade games for a theme park though?

:frustrated"

I think it's stupid. Artistically and financially. No. For all the reasons I've already stated.

Nintendo is the only real win, and Universal won it.

 

[Mad Dog]

I'm not a "gamer". But the Nintendo (or Nintendo related) Mario, Donkey Kong, , Zelda, Pokemon do interest me as subjects in a theme park land. As a video game outsider, that's really the only subjects I have any knowledge of or interest in. I would think many in the general public are in the same boat.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

What would you think about pinball and the classic arcade games for a theme park though?

You’ve beaten the horse into glue. Last warning, stop.

 

[youhow2]

Here:

Again... video games aren't equivalent to other entertainment industries. If a Tomb Raider games sells $60m dollars worth of copies, that's only attached to 1 million people. A movie that makes $60m dollars as reached over 15 million people. There's a massive disparity in audiences.

1 Video Game Copy sold =/= 1 Exposure. I have a few friends who have never owned a console who would beat me to my parents house from school back in high school to play Halo 3 after I introduced them. There were hours and hours co-op, hours and hours of online split-screen. Countless all night game sessions with the uninitiated stepping up to the controller. Many again, whom never owned a console.


You can not evaluate the video game industry and it's impression on people/popularity through sales metrics alone.

 

[Paulio]

1 Video Game Copy sold =/= 1 Exposure. I have a few friends who have never owned a console who would beat me to my parents house from school back in high school to play Halo 3 after I introduced them. There were hours and hours co-op, hours and hours of online split-screen. Countless all night game sessions with the uninitiated stepping up to the controller. Many again, whom never owned a console.


You can not evaluate the video game industry and it's impression on people/popularity through sales metrics alone.

Can we get back to Nintendo talk and its theme park please?

 

[Alicia]

If the Mario Kart ride has, hmmm, 12 or so scenes (10 plus load/unload) what would you think they are?

And no, screen tunnel transitions between them do not count as scenes.

 

[Paulio]

It should definitely be like this to match the WWoHP nomenclature among the parks. The individual parks in Orlando can have their own names for the separated lands. Mario, Pokemon, Zelda will definitely be the 3 headliners if/when it appears in all 3 parks, so that's fairly appropriate.

Super Nintendo World in Los Angeles and Japan should be like Marvel Super Hero Island at IOA where it has Marvel rides with its own existing universes so Nintendo fans wouldn't be upset. SNW in Orlando can have their own franchises on separate lands like Harry Potter so guests and various demographics of Nintendo fans would get exactly what they wanted.

 

[Legacy]

You can not evaluate the video game industry and it's impression on people/popularity through sales metrics alone.

From a business perspective, and within the context of a theme park, you absolutely can. If they won't spend the money on their own copy of the game (or can't afford it), they can't be relied upon to spend the money on a vacation at a theme park. The sales metrics, the actual money a product brings in, is the only metric that matters in theme parks.

Do you really think Disney would have built Pandora if it wasn't the highest grossing movie in history? Or Universal would have built Harry Potter anything if the books weren't best sellers (which led to the movies in the first place)?

Nintendo, and Mario specifically, are the only really effective wins here. They have universal appeal and impressions that other video game franchises simply do not have. Just because everyone you play games with plays Overwatch (or Destiny or Rocket League or WOW or Halo or whatever have you) doesn't mean everyone does. That's why they don't work. It's why Nintendo is the only one that works.

If the Mario Kart ride has, hmmm, 12 or so scenes (10 plus load/unload) what would you think they are?

And no, screen tunnel transitions between them do not count as scenes.

Ten scenes? That's way more than I expected.

I still think the "scenes" or races (however it's structured) will fill certain archetypes. The Mario Kart games have a finite set of environments that they just build new courses in. If each scene is a specific course, I imagine they'll address as money of them as possible. I didn't include "jungle" courses because of DK being next door.


Mario Circuit
Moo Moo Farm/Donut Plains (Plain race)
Koopa Beach/Cheep Cheep Beach (Beach/Tropic Race)
Sherbet Land (Snow race)
Bowser Castle (Castle race)
Ghost Valley/Luigi's Mansion (Mansion race)
Delfino Square (Urban race)
Rock Rock Mountain/Chocolate Mountain (Mountain race)
Toad Factory/Tick Tock Clock (Industrial race)
Wario Stadium/Toad Circuit (Stadium race)
Rainbow Road

To be fair, the scenes could be as simple as:

Load
Starting Line
Item Select
Drive-by (where another driver throws their item at you)
Spin out (where you're hit)
Hairpin Turn/Boost
Straight away (passing other drivers)
Item Select
It's a Hit (where you hit another driver with your item)
Hairpin turn/Boost
Final stretch/Finish Line
Pedestal
Unload

 

[Alicia]

Ten scenes? That's way more than I expected.

Mario Circuit
Moo Moo Farm/Donut Plains (Plain race)
Koopa Beach/Cheep Cheep Beach (Beach/Tropic Race)
Sherbet Land (Snow race)
Bowser Castle (Castle race)
Ghost Valley/Luigi's Mansion (Mansion race)
Delfino Square (Urban race)
Rock Rock Mountain/Chocolate Mountain (Mountain race)
Toad Factory/Tick Tock Clock (Industrial race)
Wario Stadium/Toad Circuit (Stadium race)
Rainbow Road

I believe half of these may be correct. Nicely done. Although, a MK ride kinda writes itself. There’s some staples as well as fan favorites you gotta involve to make everyone happy.

And I believe it’ll be kinda like a “best of” type thing, but technically only one race... even though we pass through many locales.

Also, this is new:

 

[Mad Dog]

Mario Through the Sewer Pipe Tunnel