Nintendo: We don't just rehash games | Technobubble

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, what does that make repetition?

With a lineup of gaming properties that include much beloved series such as "Super Mario," "Pokemon" and "The Legend of Zelda," one can forgive Nintendo for revisiting titles to please its loyal fans while also improving its bottom line.

Nintendo's penchant for making new versions of its high-profile games, however, also causes some critics to say the company only releases the same games.

It's criticism that does not get ascribed as often to in-house games published by rivals Sony and Microsoft such as Uncharted and Halo. Fairly or unfairly, this is likely because stronger third-party support makes the overall lineup of Sony and Microsoft systems more diversified. Meanwhile, it can be argued that out of the new-generation systems, the Wii U fielded the best library of exclusives in 2014.

The criticism about repetition is something that Bill Trinen, director of product marketing at Nintendo of America, addressed during a conversation with the Reno Gazette-Journal.

A closer look, for example, shows that the company does not always put out a new version of the same title each year unlike some popular games that always see annual releases, he said.

"You see that with Super Smash Bros., which has been seven years since it last came out," Trinen said. "With Pikmin 3, you saw a big gap as well."

Even the primary Super Mario games, which release more frequently than most other Nintendo intellectual property, did not have a new version in the last year so it's not an annual event, Trinen said. Meanwhile, the company continues to work on new IP such as "Splatoon," which is penciled in for a 2015 release.

Even when Nintendo decides to release a new version of an existing title, it tries to ensure that it does not just rehash old formulas. This could include more obvious changes such as the new look and mechanics in "Kirby's Epic Yarn," for example. Other times, the changes can seem more subtle, like the addition of new characters with different gameplay mechanics in "Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze."

Trinen says it's an approach that stems from Nintendo's game development philosophy, which focuses on gameplay mechanics first and foremost.

"They start with small ideas, flesh those out and have fun experimenting with them," Trinen said. "Once they get something that they feel is a strong game, a full team gets together to finalize the idea and develop the game."

It's the same approach that led to the development of ink-based shooter Splatoon, which started out as a side project before turning into a full game. The company's emphasis on encouraging experimentation among its development teams is also responsible for giving birth to games such as Captain Toad and NES Remix. Captain Toad, for example, started as a side project for "Super Mario 3D World" while "NES Remix" — which is appearing on the 3DS for the first time in "Ultimate NES Remix" — was a side project during development of "Super Mario 3D Land."

"Internally, they just have a very big culture of experimentation, even when working on a big game," Trinen said.

Of course, player input also influences decisions regarding the development of new games based on existing IP. During the latest E3, Nintendo paid close attention to fan response for "Mario Maker," which allows players to create custom stages based on the original Super Mario Bros. game and give them an updated 2.5D-style graphical look.

It's the kind of response that will determine if other classic franchises such as Metroid might get the same treatment.

"During E3, we had everyone from moms and kids to longtime Nintendo fans and newer folks who just got into gaming lately just having tons of fun with the way they're able to create stages," Trinen said. "Depending on how people react, we'll see if the teams take a similar approach with other franchises."