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Video Games: America vs Japan

Page history last edited by J. Adam Caudill 13 years, 2 months ago

From the Atari to Microsoft's Xbox 360, video games, and their consoles, have come a long way from they once were. 

 


In The Beginning:

Japan Takes The Lead

 


 

 Probably the most famous game, the origin of the fame for Nintendo's mascot, Super Mario Brothers on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). To this day it remains one of my favorite all-time games and one of the best selling for this console. It was this game and console that really established Nintendo as a major playing in the personal video game industry. To give a little history, Nintendo was first a playing card company that was founded in Kyoto, Japan in 1889. It wasn't until 1983 that Nintendo launched the Family Computer (Famicom) or the NES as we know it. Then in 1991 the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) was released to the US public. 

 

     Furthermore, on September 29, 1996 the Nintendo 64 was introduced into North America. Followed by, the Nintendo GameCube was released im November 18, 2001 for N. America. Finally, and the most recent game console, the Nintendo Wii.

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile.....

Back in America

 

The newest member of the video gaming elite companies launched their first product on November 15, 2002, Microsoft's Xbox. This set the stage for an American company to take control of the video gaming medium and appeal to the hardcore gamer. After the commercial success of the Xbox, Microsoft launched the Xbox 360 on November 22, 2005, their current console system.  

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Split in Gaming Theologies....?

Hardcore vs. Causal Themes

 

When the seventh generation of gaming began, Nintendo decided to try a new tactic in controller theory, the motion sense ideal. With that they also changed their approach to their genre of games (except their previous best-seller franchises). For instance, with the introduction of the Wii, games like Wii FitWii Sports and Wii Play were created.

 

Gaming System Examples of Most Popular Game Units Sold Game Classification
Nintendo Entertainment System

Super Mario Bros.Super Mario Bros. 3Super Mario Bros. 2The Legend of Zelda

(40.23 million) (18 million) (10 million)

 (6.51 million)

Hardcore 
Super Nintendo Entertainment System  

Super Mario WorldDonkey Kong CountrySuper Mario Kart

 (20 million) (8 million) (8 million)

Hardcore 
Nintendo 64 

Super Mario 64Mario Kart 64GoldenEye 007

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

 (11 million) (9 million) (8 million) 

(7.6 million)

Hardcore 
Nintendo GameCube 

Super Smash Bros. MeleeMario Kart: Double Dash‼Super Mario Sunshine

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

(7.09 million) (7 million) (5.5 million)

 (3.07 million)

Hardcore 
Nintendo Wii 

Wii SportsWii PlayWii Sports ResortWii Fit 

 (75.66 million) (27.38 million) 

 (26.35 million) (22.61 million)

Causal  
       
Xbox

Halo 2Halo: Combat EvolvedTom Clancy's Splinter CellFable 

(8 million) (5 million) (3 million) 

(3 million)

Hardcore 
Xbox 360 

Halo 3Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2Gears of WarGears of War 2

 (8.1 million) (7.481 million) (5 million)

(5 million)

Hardcore 

 

Total games Nintendo has sold as of December 14, 2009: 3.5 billion.

Total Xbox 360 games sold as of December 2009: 353.8 million.

 

Explanation....?

Food for Thought

 

Well, the answer may lay in the fact that in Japanese culture the family comes first and is extremely important. Whereas, here in America, we are looking for entertainment. Then, if that is so....why did Nintendo design 'hardcore' game in the beginning? The answer to that is, that in the beginning those games did bring the family together. However towards the Gamecube era, the pre-teens to young Adults of Japan started to find the games more interesting and entertaining than older adult....leading to a division in entertainment.

 

 

Examples of Modding for More Entertainment:

 

       

 

        


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