Someone at 1UP is…

What I know I would like to see is developers recognizing not everyone can play games for long stretches at a time and creating ways that make it easier to play in smaller bursts. Not enough games allow you to save your progress at any time, despite the fact that there are ways to do so without opening the door for exploits. Temporary saves that are deleted once they’re loaded are one possible solution that could perhaps even be integrated at the system level.

How about you?

Ryan Winterhalter wrote a great piece last week about the decline of middle-class games. ”It seems that players are spending more time playing games, but paradoxically spending that extra time with fewer titles,” he says. “Game makers have never in the forty-year history of the medium had such a massive consumer base to sell to, but players have never been so unwilling to try new experiences.”

Previous research from 1995, he says, predicted this polar trend of the rise of indie and AAA titles at the expense of the middle. When inundated with more choice, he says, consumers aggressively seek out either the best product available or the most-well connected popular games like Call of Duty so they can share their gaming experiences with other people.

Concludes Winterhalter, “While I hold out hope for the medium-sized publishers still standing, games may fall into two, broad categories in the future — small indie titles that take advantage of digital distribution to turn a modest profit, and massive AAA blockbusters of little substance. This dichotomy is already transformed the music and film industries, it will do the same to games.”

What do you think: Is the absence of middle-tier games a bad thing?

That’s what Gamaustrua analyst Matt Matthews suspects:

The second point (of last year’s annual console sales) brings out is just how sequel-driven the top end of the market has become. Every game, with exception of Just Dance 2 and Batman: Arkham City is a sequel several times over. I’m just now beginning to try to follow the mobile/tablet gaming market, and while many of the games I see there are derivative, the ones that appear to sell exceptionally well are still original in many ways. If there really is generational fatigue, as Piper Jaffray’s Connor suggests, and consumers are “spending more time on Facebook and the iOS app ecosystem,” then perhaps this heavy dependence on sequels is contributing to that trend.

It’s a valid point. Obviously Facebook and iOS are not only cheaper than console and handheld experiences, but they’re easier to jump in and out of, which a lot of gamers prefer. At the same time, I suspect I’ve played a lot more non-sequels on iOS in the last year than I did on consoles/handhelds. As a friend of the new, that’s a big hook for iOS gaming, however non-epic it still is.

The good news for Nintendo is they have a history of original games — more than any other, perhaps. Problem is, they also have a bad case of sequelitis at times (as they do right now), so it’s up to them to find the proper mix of new vs. retro games.

What do you think?

The following letter comes Infendo reader Verno, who until last week, hadn’t owned a Nintendo console since the Nintendo Entertainment System in the ’80s. He never left games—opting instead to play Xbox, PlayStation, and Sega hardware in that time. But man does he like Nintendo again. Not only that, his letter is a nice reminder of why most of us like Nintendo as much as we do.

We just got a Wii! We got the Mario Kart bundle from Gamestop for $150 that comes with a free (new) copy of Other M as well… So yeah, Mario Kart Wii is the funnest thing to ever happen to our house in a long time! I got the Nintendo bug again (I’m an avid Xbox 360 guy, mostly for the shmups) and found your podcast and LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Was driving to work listening to the one where you talked about Metroid Prime and stuff… Please consider me to be the latest bastard child of the Nintendo family.

In response, Infendo’s David sent around the following memo: “I haven’t heard this much Nintendo joy from someone in a long time. Almost had the same thing happen to me when we bought our GameCube after playing Double Dash during Xmas 05.” Added Derek, “I love hearing the enthusiasm from people who are just discovering the Wii. Such a great and exciting console. I’ve had a lot of fun with it over the years, and it’s neat to hear from someone for whom the fun is just beginning.”

Infendo’s Derek has played Zelda: Ocarina of Time at least once a year — sometimes twice — since the game’s debut in 1998. “All told, I’ve probably beat it 20 times,” he says. “It’s my favorite game, although admittedly it’s also a nostalgic ritual.”

Derek didn’t say what time of the year he returns to this ritual, but I suspect it happens often over the holidays, like Thanksgiving this weekend.

I’m sure Derek isn’t alone. Any readers out there have anual Nintendo rituals, particularly during the holidays? If so, let’s hear it.