Discussion What do you think of the new same old Nintendo Direct Style?

[lexony]

While the recent Partner Showcase didn't have much to offer in terms of new games, the format itself got a slight overhaul of the whole Look, all the Animations, the Intro and Music.

Personally I actually like this style much better than the previous one (2019-2023). The glass-look of the Intro and Transitions feels very fresh and more in line with the Indie Worlds. Even though they overall didn't change much of the Look and Feel tbh.

One thing took me off guard: The Music at the end. Outside of the similar structure it dosen't seem to have much to do with previous Melodies at first glance. But here is the thing. Some part of Summary melody at the end sounds very familiar. Listen closely:

Spoiler

Doesn't the hole thing and especially the part at 0:13 sound kinda like....

Spoiler

I know it might be not so obvious at the first moment, but the Summary theme seem to be a remix in some way. It's actually really cool that Nintendo does stuff like this outside of games, the person who did this music was well aware of all the previous tracks.

 

[Raccoon]

maybe it's recency bias but I'll give it to 2024

the 3D design is great

 

[ExoticSpice]

I love it

 

[Pillydillsy]

I Like the new style, but the 2019-2023 style is just perfect

 

[pinetree]

The transition tune could use some work, but it's just great that they've changed it. I wouldn't mind it if they changed it up more often.

 

[jirou]

I wish more games get actual trailers without people talking over them, that's the only big change I need tbh

 

[rêverie]

i've never paid that much attention to it till now, but those themes are both kinda boppin! i like the new visuals but can't decide which audio i like more.

 

[thelegendofcap]

I've been in this game too long that I know a Nintendo era transition when I see one!!

There was the new eShop gift cards, and now more evidence of this with the new Direct-style! It's exciting!

The future is around the corner!

 

[Red Monster]

It changed? I didn’t notice.

 

[LukasManak22]

I noticed that too, it resembles the old Wii U/3DS theme

 

[boodream]

I hate the music.

 

[Ricimer]

I dislike the headline format. The image and literal headline kills the surprise factor. I dislike the host voice too, it feels too cartoony/hammy.

My favorite incarnation was 2011-2014 when it was just Iwata/Reggie reading off announcements and segwaying between segments. The skits were great too.

 

[Dekuman]

There is a theory out these this new style.is to align with new hardware being introduced likely delayed now.

 

[Dr_Phishshoe]

Animation etc is a nice change. Summary music was a bit lacking in oompff like the older partner direct one.

Headlines however are objectively the worst

 

[Dark Cloud]

Idk

 

[lexony]

There is a theory out these this new style.is to align with new hardware being introduced likely delayed now.

This could very well be.

 

[lexony]

What about the new Indie World Design? The music and intro are much better now but I don‘t like the red backdrop they have between segments.

 

[jirou]

I wish more games get actual trailers without people talking over them, that's the only big change I need tbh

I stay relevant

 

[Famicrono]

Visually it's ok but I never liked the narrator.

 

[Earthbounder]

It changed? I didn’t notice.

This was my reaction when I read the OP.

I'm a bit slow when it comes to this stuff.

 

[JorgenRaft]

Don't really mind or care one way or another.

The only kind of annoying thing about Direct presentations is the Nick Jr. narrator. But, at the same time, it's kind of funny and adds to the meme potential.

 

[Red Monster]

Don't really mind or care one way or another.

The only kind of annoying thing about Direct presentations is the Nick Jr. narrator. But, at the same time, it's kind of funny and adds to the meme potential.

coming soon: Nintendo Directs hosted by Face

 

[Razgriz]

I don't really like the new presentation format. Best time period was probably right at the start. Directs used to be a bit more... wacky? Things like the Iwata and Reggie fist fight for the reveal of Mii Fighters in SSB4 for example or like, half the gifs of Reggie being funny come from that early period. Also things like Iwata holding a Banana, the double hands pose and so on. There's just a charming "dad joke"-esque goofiness to old directs that's not really there anymore.

After Reggie retired, they kinda standardized the format into the "executive in front of green screen" style, which was boring but efficient enough.

I am really not a fan of the current "trying too hard to be cool" approach; it's too distracting from the announcements themselves and also feels like a poor fit when like 60% of the presentation is yet another "cosy game". I dunno, it feels like a mismatch and it doesn't do the games any favours either.

 

[Aether]

I...honestly haven't realized. I'm really just for the games there and couldn't care less for the framing graphics. If they removed all of then and just had a black bar unter the footage that shows the game info in calibri I would be fine (even if I would prefere a monospaced font)

 

[coldsauce]

I wish more games get actual trailers without people talking over them, that's the only big change I need tbh

If you want trailers without voiceovers, then why not just watch them on demand on Youtube? The narrator is the reason why the current Direct format is sooooo good because we actually get information about the games. This is why I kinda hated the old State of Play format, where it's literally just a glorified trailer playlist, with fancy animated transitions.

 

[jirou]

If you want trailers without voiceovers, then why not just watch them on demand on Youtube? The narrator is the reason why the current Direct format is sooooo good because we actually get information about the games. This is why I kinda hated the old State of Play format, where it's literally just a glorified trailer playlist, with fancy animated transitions.

Because those trailers still have the voiceover even on demand.

 

[lexony]

I...honestly haven't realized. I'm really just for the games there and couldn't care less for the framing graphics. If they removed all of then and just had a black bar unter the footage that shows the game info in calibri I would be fine (even if I would prefere a monospaced font)

You’d make every Graphic Designer cry

 

[Aether]

You’d make every Graphic Designer cry

Nah, I appreciate great graphic design (and design in general), but the context is important.

Those graphics (and to a big degree it's similar for TV programming) are made to string together a bunch of thematically, tonal and visual unconnected videos.

If you're lucky you get something like Nickelodeon which had a clear audience and scope, so it fit well together.

Nintendo is showing to broad of a content here, and uses really save branding, leading to it just being empty filler. That's why I'm just not interested, there is no real through line with the advertised product or show content and all they'll do will be modern and corporate in regards to the branding.

Someone like apple has a way clearer line where there graphic design and there product design align.

It's kinda like taking a great clock design, dumping it down to some graphics, slapping a license and selling the clock face as a family of the real thing, missing that not only the face, but the used materials and the overall watch is the design. Design can't work without context, and the direct branding and the games they show exist in 2 different spaces.

Edit:
That doesn't mean others can't care, I just thought maybe I should elaborate why I don't xD

 

[lexony]

Nah, I appreciate great graphic design (and design in general), but the context is important.

Those graphics (and to a big degree it's similar for TV programming) are made to string together a bunch of thematically, tonal and visual unconnected videos.

If you're lucky you get something like Nickelodeon which had a clear audience and scope, so it fit well together.

Nintendo is showing to broad of a content here, and uses really save branding, leading to it just being empty filler. That's why I'm just not interested, there is no real through line with the advertised product or show content and all they'll do will be modern and corporate in regards to the branding.

Someone like apple has a way clearer line where there graphic design and there product design align.

It's kinda like taking a great clock design, dumping it down to some graphics, slapping a license and selling the clock face as a family of the real thing, missing that not only the face, but the used materials and the overall watch is the design. Design can't work without context, and the direct branding and the games they show exist in 2 different spaces.

Edit:
That doesn't mean others can't care, I just thought maybe I should elaborate why I don't xD

I'd say it actually is quite difficult to make this type of shows where you have to string together unconnected videos and still want to communicate an overall brand. Directs are made in a way so that the branding is still distinctive (and I'd say Nintendo Direct feel different enough than other formats in this genre), while not being too noticeable. You can just watch them without ever getting annoyed too much with everything around, while still knowing what kind of show it is. I'd say they achieve this greatly, given that many people here in this thread were not noticing that some of the branding has changed.

It is comparable to fonts. If I read a long text which is styled in a very conceptional way with a fancy Typeface I would get annoyed really fast while the same text in Helvetica 12pt wouldn't make me ever think about in what it is written in. Nickelodeon has a very high concept TV ident, but it is kinda in your face and an approach like this wouldn't fit for most TV programming. Graphic Design comes in different forms and that doesn't make it necessarily good or bad.

While you wouldn't care having black bars with Mono-space texts, this would be the other extreme. For Directs as a format it would be devastating. It'd lose any identity at all and I think people would question the very existence of this kind of trailer show, but who knows.

Don't get me wrong, everyone has a different taste of course and I recognize that I am a bit nerdy about stuff like this