Its a simple lesson that so, so many people forget. Take for example, the Nintendo DS. To have a game published, one must follow certain guidelines, all within a 200 page document. These guidelines are rather, simple, common-sense ideas, which Nintendo knows it must stress to achieve a common look/feel for their platform. Some of these guidelines are things like the usage of the buttons, what the opening sequence must contain(Hint, Nintendo logo, then the company logo, then a dialog saying, “Touch here!”, much like the ubiquotous “Press Start to Play” on Playstation games.)

One of their guidelines, I admit is absolutely inspired. They insist that all DS games must, positively, absotively, pause with no negative side effects when the DS is closed. At any point in time, including game cut-scenes.  Now, while that makes sense, think about it. If Nintendo did not insist on the developers making sure there were no side effects, then some big AAA game would come out, and go horribly spazzy if a player closed the DS.

Game developers often fail to take into account the so-called “Real World”. We can’t play continuosly for 8 hours. We can’t go raiding for six hours, we can’t avoid the biological processes. Game developers assume gamers will sit down and devote every essence of their life to the game. Not so. Especially on a portable platform like the DS. People whom use the DS have busy lives, dinner is cooking, on the bus, on the go type lives. They have downtime, they want to play, but that downtime is understandably limited. Being able to pause at any time is a godsend for people that live in the real world. It is, in short, a necessary game feature for all games from now on. In addition, being able to save at any point in time is phenomenal! (That is directed at Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass).

Nintendo, to ensure that all games provide a basic, beneficent experience, has set down guidelines, and that leads to a certain polish on the platform. Games work in certain ways, and that improves our feelings towards the platform and the brand, Nintendo in this case.

Nintendo not only ensures complete polish in their own products, but basic polish in all the games on  their platforms. This, in one word, is fantastic.