GBA, marketed towards children?

[Static_Fred]

Ok, this is the impression i have with GBA: it's marketed solely to kids...
BUT WHY? I have to admit, i'm 22 years old and love my GBA SP because when i see some of the old school games such as Zelda: link to the past, or Super Mario, it brings back memories from MY childhood that got me into this gaming thing! I'm not sure if i can say that the kids out there can appreciate these games anyways! They want something hip and cool like Pokemon instead. I'm not griping about anything, except for the fact that I'm sure there's other people who share my same feelings and I just think there's a bigger market for these handhelds than what Nintendo realizes.

[Aylmer]

I pick up Nintendo's printed catalog whenever I go to ToysR Us to look araound, and I think they are definately aware that adults like their games, too. In the full color freebie book they put out, there have been no kids featured in any of the promos.

Also, I think that the GBA-SP may be a little too delicate for smaller kids . I've heard that attaching/pulling anything to the new connector (for recharging and headphones) while the machine is on is a recipe for disaster.

Then there're the games. There has been a flood of games for the GBA lately that are not kiddie games by a long stretch. Like Ultimate Brain Games, or Chessmaster, or Super Bubble Pop.

I think Nintendo is covering all the bases. I also know several other adults that have purchased a GBA when I've shown them mine.

Maybe if they made a GBA with an executive black vinyl cover, that you could get monogrammed, then more suits would buy the thing.

[Gadfly2317]

<div class=\"smallfont\">I pick up Nintendo's printed catalog whenever I go to ToysR Us to look araound, and I think they are definately aware that adults like their games, too. In the full color freebie book they put out, there have been no kids featured in any of the promos.

Also, I think that the GBA-SP may be a little too delicate for smaller kids . I've heard that attaching/pulling anything to the new connector (for recharging and headphones) while the machine is on is a recipe for disaster.

Then there're the games. There has been a flood of games for the GBA lately that are not kiddie games by a long stretch. Like Ultimate Brain Games, or Chessmaster, or Super Bubble Pop.

I think Nintendo is covering all the bases. I also know several other adults that have purchased a GBA when I've shown them mine.

Maybe if they made a GBA with an executive black vinyl cover, that you could get monogrammed, then more suits would buy the thing.</div>

Seems like a system for kids and game addicts. You definitely see adults playing this thing on the El and on buses. Game junkies, uhg. I'm probably one too, but at least I try to use the commute to read a book and wait until the privacy of my home to main-line digital escapism.

I've never understood pokemon. There are definitely games on there that appeal to all ages. But even complex stuff like FF Tactics seems really "kiddie" in many aspects (misfit with a teddie bear! :rolleyes:. ) I'm wondering if many older gamers aren't somewhat stunted in their maturation in general, regardless of how "mature" the graphics and themes of the game.

[Aylmer]

I think there have always been adults prone to gaming, even in the pre digital era. My wife has her grandfather's dice set he kept in his pocket when he was flying over Europe in WW2, and many of the old movies show people who can produce a deck of cards in a moment's notice.

I worked in a bookstore for a couple of years, and I sold lots of strategy guides to retirees (there are many of them here in AZ). Little old ladies would come in and buy guides for stuff like Soul Reaver and FF. This wasn't a rare occurance, I saw it happen several times a week. I also sold lots of crossword puzzle books and other traditional gaming gear.

Perhaps the gaming industry needs to redirect some of it's marketing effort.

[Gadfly2317]

Mostly, I just saw a GBA ad on TV last night. I don't watch hardly any TV, so I don't know if this type of ad is typical, but it was a prime time ad on MTV for FF:Tactics advance. It seemed geared towards teens.

Generally, I've thought they've marketed this towards kids, and it has put them in direct competition with themselves on the GC. If I were a kid, I think the GBA would appeal to me because of its portability, and its privacy, that I wouldn't have to wait to play until the parents were not watching TV (assuming you are in a one tv household.)

I don't think they have to market too hard to adults. There are gadget heads and old nintendo fans who'll dig on this thing and the old school games without much prompting.

[GTA2_GBC]

i disagree,
but in a way agree,
kids do seem to like these old games..ALOT,
but NINTENDO(R) would get more money targeting both..they acually have targeted adults in the game titled, "playboy" or something like that