今年9月我发表了一篇文章，说的是应该成为所有电子游戏的标准的游戏设计特征。但虽然文中罗列的特征如场景选择、声音测试和和各种其他东西是绝对应该成为标准的东西，但我又想到了一些最好也能包含在游戏中的特征。

以下我罗列了所有任天堂游戏都应该具有的4个重要游戏设计特征：

1、开发者评论

什么？把评论放在游戏中？

是的，我真心觉得这应该成为更多电子游戏的默认特征。可以做成像各种电视节目DVD中的花絮那样，比如《辛普森一家》的DVD中的插话评论。

Director Commentary(from nintendo3dsdaily)

（《超级马里奥之蓝色黄昏DX》的系统应该能启发任天堂）

为什么要加入开发者评论？好吧，理由有二：

1、便于业余游戏设计师和评论者了解最可靠的信息，比如，从任天堂游戏中的有趣的关卡/BOSS设计的评论中学习游戏设计知识，了解什么样的游戏才是好游戏。

2、我们喜欢听到游戏开发中发生的趣事，从不同的角度看看待开发者在开发过程中藏在游戏中的小秘密。想一想我们可能还不知道的关于《Luigi’s Mansion Dark Moon》中隐藏的小玩意，开发团队可以告诉我们的设计过程和游戏的不同关卡和特征。

所以我希望任天堂以后的游戏中能加入开发者评论，最好是用与《超级马里奥之蓝色黄昏DX》类似的执行方式。

2、节庆模式/季节特别内容

还是以《超级马里奥之蓝色黄昏DX》为例，这款游戏又做了一件我认为任天堂游戏也应该做的聪明的小事。

你觉得是什么事？

节庆模式内容。季节特别内容。也就是根据一年的不同时期改变游戏中的内容。

《超级马里奥之蓝色黄昏DX》在这方面做得真的很好，每年的某个时期游戏就会出现只有那个时期可玩的独占关卡。比如，在圣诞节，你可以玩到相当有趣的“副线情节”—-马里奥去偷蘑菇王国的圣诞树星星。游戏使用了新的图像、敌人和音乐。在万圣节，你会玩到“真正的”最终关卡，也就是战胜《恶魔城》中的吸血鬼德古拉。在愚人节，你会进入Green Hill Zone去挑战Sonic。

虽然大部分其他游戏都没有根据一年的不同时期推出新内容，但它们当中有些游戏至少做了一些应季的事。比如说，圣诞节期间，游戏世界的地面上铺了雪，建筑上多了节日装饰品；万圣节期间用落叶之类的可怕装饰品突出节日的气氛。

所以我希望这些东西也成为任天堂游戏的标准。你可以想象一下，如果在圣诞节期间玩《马里奥3D世界》，游戏中的王国变成银装素裹的仙境，背景传来铃儿响叮噹等圣诞歌曲，那样的体验多么美妙。

想象一下，在万圣节期间玩《Luigi’s Mansion Dark Moon》，解锁新的山庄或什么东西来庆祝这个特别节日，会怎么样呢？比如在圣诞节玩游戏，Gloomy Manor关卡增加了圣诞树和彩灯，Secret Mine和Treacherous Mansion关卡的背景是熟悉的角色坐着雪橇乱跑。

《超级马里奥兄弟2》可以在某些关卡中添加一些应季的歌曲。

你知道吗，我其实很惊讶《口袋妖怪》居然没有做类似的事。可以不意外地说，万圣节期间应该推出幽灵或黑暗系的口袋妖怪，对吧？

或者在圣诞节、新年和万圣节等期间可以抓特殊的口袋妖怪。

这才是《口袋妖怪》应该做的事。也许《口袋妖怪》的节日活动也可以以庆典为基础。也就是说，圣诞节主题可以借鉴圣诞相关的传说（不一定是圣诞老人，也可以是麋鹿之类的口袋妖怪）；万圣节主题可以做得恐怖一些（比如来自《睡谷传说》的无头骑士）；愚人节主题可以加入小丑作为口袋妖怪。让玩家有真正的动机在不同的时节继续玩他们喜欢的游戏。

3、真正的难度级别

这一点不用多说。但我认为任天堂真的应该接受难度级别是现代游戏的必要部分这一事实了。

游戏的“平衡性”并没有导致难度级别成为无用的功能，但宫本茂似乎是这么想的。

加入难度级别选项是为了让那些已经精通该游戏的人不会无聊到犯困，而那些完全不擅长游戏到攻略也救不了的人可以至少专注于游戏剧情之类的东西。

不要再挣扎了任天堂，像其他人一样接受难度级别吧。

4、“New Game Plus”模式

最后，我认为任天堂游戏应该有的最后一个大特征是“New Game Plus”模式——这一度被行业视为标准。

什么是“New Game Plus”？基本上就是你打败最终BOSS后解锁出来的额外游戏版本，这个版本有新挑战、新关卡等。《塞尔达传说1》的“ Second Quest”就是经典例子，它添加了全新的地下城地图、一些新敌人（比如朝你挥剑的Stalfo和使你禁用剑的Bubble）和重新设计的主世界（有新地下城、商店、区域入口等）。你第一次通关后，就会看到一个新世界，这基本上使游戏长度翻倍。

《塞尔达传说：时之笛》的重制版在这方面也做得很好，3DS版游戏中加入了“Master Quest”模式（即重新设计的地下城，镜像世界和双重伤害），当你第一次通关后，这个模式就会解锁。

然而不幸的是，New Game Plus模式在最近的游戏中似乎做得不那么好了。当然有例外（游戏邦注：欧美版《Luigi’s Mansion 1》更新了Hidden Mansion作为New Game Plus模式，添加了大量敌人、修改了BOSS战和镜像庄园），但最近的《塞尔达传说》系列做的不过是添加双重伤害这种老套的设定和其他东西的细微修改。

确实，近年来唯一可能做得还算不错的例外就是《Mario & Luigi Dream Team》中的“Hard”模式，它至少把伤害增加了10倍，限制玩家每种道具只能带10个，失败后禁止继续游戏，修改大BOSS的攻击模式，大大修改了BOSS冲击和细微修改了结局。但即使这样也算不上突破。

未来的任天堂游戏需要的是真正好的New Game Plus模式。对于平台游戏和动作冒险游戏，它应该是具有新关卡、新BOSS和（新进攻方式）和更严格限制的更高难度的版本。对于RPG，它应该是能够保留第一轮游戏时获得的装备和道具。

强制执行双重伤害？。不够，什么叫困难？应该把伤害值增加10倍。换句话说，每一次攻击造成的伤害值都是正常模式下的10倍。

想象一下，如果除了重新设计的地下城和新BOSS进攻模式，甚至Keese每被击中一次就扣掉五点血，这样的《塞尔达传说》会变得多么可怕。“Iron Knuckle”关卡现在可怕吗？每次伤害扣除40点血怎么样？换句话说，第一次攻击现在都相当于致命一击。

你看到重新设计的屋子大小只有通常的四分之一，还有四个巨大的Iron Knuckles在里面！那才是真正的“专家级”挑战。现在的“Hero”模式（最强敌人每次攻击造成四点伤害）之所以糟糕，是因为任天堂太怕真正考验玩家。

在更多游戏中加入New Game Plus模式，使它们与Master Quest的《Dream Team》的Hard模式相结合，那才是第一次通关后的真正奖励。

以上。开发者评论、节庆模式、难度级别和New Game Plus模式就是我认为应该成为所有任天堂游戏的默认设计的特征。

不知读者们怎么看？你希望任天堂游戏中出现这些特征吗？（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，拒绝任何不保留版权的转载，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

Opinion; Four More Important Game Design Features all Nintendo Games Should Have

by Nin3DS4

Back in September this year, I posted an interesting little article about game design features that should be standard in all video games.  But while the features listed there like a scene select, sound test and various others are definitely some of the things that should be standard, I’ve always thought there were a few more neat features that should be included in more games too.

So here it is, my list of four more important game design features that all Nintendo games should have,

1. Developer Commentary

Wait what?  Commentary in a video game?

Yeah, I really do think this would be amazing feature to have as default in more video games.  It’d work like the episode commentaries in various TV show DVDs, like the ones included on the DVD releases of each Simpsons season.

About: Super Mario Blue Twilight DX’s system should be an inspiration to Nintendo.

But why would this be useful?  Well, two reasons actually:

1. It’d be a nice way for amateur game designers and academics to learn from the best, using Nintendo’s interesting level/boss design comments as the basis for improving their own knowledge of video game design and what makes a good game.

2. We’d get to hear all kinds of interesting stories from the game’s development (that wouldn’t fit in Iwata Asks) as well have a fun way to see the intriguing background details and easter eggs the devs snuck into each part of the game during development.  Think about all the cool stuff we probably don’t yet know about Luigi’s Mansion Dark Moon, the types of things the actual development team themselves could teach us about the design process and the game’s different levels and features.

So to start the list, I’d like to see developer commentaries in at least some future Nintendo games, preferrably implemented in a way similar to how they were in Super Mario Bros Blue Twilight DX.

2. Holiday Mode/Seasonal Bonuses

Talking of Super Mario Blue Twilight DX for a second, there’s also another clever little thing it included that I’d really like to see in more Nintendo made titles.

What was that you may wonder?

Holiday mode content.  Seasonal bonuses.  Stuff that changes based on the time of year in which you play the game.

Blue Twilight DX did this really well, by actually have all new exclusive levels only playable (initially) at a certain time of year.  Ob Christmas, you got to play a really neat little ‘side story’ involving Mario’s hunt to get back the stolen Mushroom Kingdom Christmas Tree star.  With new graphics, enemies and music:

On Halloween, you got the ‘true’ final level, complete with a fight against Dracula from Castlevania:

Heck, you even got to enter Green Hill Zone and fight Sonic on April Fool’s Day!

Yet while most other games don’t quite go this far on different days of the year, quite a few of them at least do something to mark the ocassion.  Like say, having snow on the ground and Christmas decorations up when you play on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  Or having falling leaves and creepy Halloween decor on Halloween.

So I’d really like to see something like this become a standard in Nintendo’s own games too.  For example, can you imagine how neat it’d be if like in Sonic, playing Mario 3D World on Christmas turned the kingdom in a snowy winter wonderland complete with Jingle Bells and other Christmasy songs playing in the background?

Imagine how cool for example it’d be if playing Luigi’s Mansion Dark Moon on halloween unlocked a new mansion or something to celebrate the very appropriate time of year?  If playing on Christmas added visual touches like Christmas Tree and lights in Gloomy Manor and a familiar figure on a sleigh flying past in the background in places like the Secret Mine and Treacherous Mansion?

New Super Mario Bros 2 could have these songs play in certain levels:

Heck, do you know what?

I’m actually surprised Pokemon hasn’t done anything like this yet.  It doesn’t seem too unexpected for say, Halloween to make Ghost and Dark type Pokemon appear in more areas, right?

Or maybe to have certain Pokemon only catchable on Christmas, New Year’s Day, Halloween, etc…

That’s how really to do event Pokemon, not this silly wifi or machine distribution crap.  Heck, maybe the theme of the event Pokemon can be based on the celebration too.  So the Christmas one could be something from Christmas related folklore (no not Father Christmas/Santa Claus, maybe something like an elf Pokemon or one based on Rudolph), the halloween one can be something with a horror theme (maybe the Headless Horseman from the Legend of Sleepy Hollow), you could even have a joke clown like Pokemon on April Fool’s Day or something.  Give people a real incentive to keep replaying their favourite games on all different times of the year.

3. Actual Difficulty Levels

Not much of a new suggestion this one, but I think it’s really time that Nintendo accept that difficulty levels are a necessary part of any modern video game and move to accomodate this.

And no, game ‘balance’ does not make difficulty levels a useless feature, like Miyamoto seems to think.

No, it makes it so those who are good at the game get an option which doesn’t bore them to sleep, and those who are completely useless to the point even a tutorial can’t help get an option which lets them at least focus on the storyline or whatever.

Just stop fighting it Nintendo, and just add difficulty levels like everyone else does for good reason.

4. New Game Plus Mode

Finally, the last major feature I think Nintendo should have in their games now is one that was at one time seen as standard within the industry, the New Game Plus.

What is this?  Well basically, it’s an additional version of the main game you unlock for beating the final boss that adds new challenges, level designs and ideas to the mix.  Zelda 1 did this really well with the Second Quest, which added all new dungeon maps, some new enemies (like Stalfos that shoot their swords at you and Bubbles that permanently disabled your sword until you hit one of the opposite colour) and a redesigned overworld with new dungeon/shop/area entrances and things.  It was glorious, and basically doubled the length of the game once you beat it.

And the remakes of Ocarina of Time did it well too, with the 3DS game including the full Master Quest mode (aka redesigned dungeons, mirrored world and double damage) being unlockable when you beat the game for the first time.

Unfortunately though, it seems that for the most part, New Game Plus modes in recent games haven’t been as good any more.  Oh sure, exceptions do exist (the European version of Luigi’s Mansion 1 upgraded the Hidden Mansion to a full New Game Plus thing with tons more enemies in rooms, boss battle changes and a mirrored mansion), but generally it seems the only thing most recent Zelda games do is the whole double damage cliche with minimal other things.

Above: The PAL version of Luigi’s Mansion 1 had Luigi ride on the freaking Poltergust during a New Game Plus boss fight!

Indeed, the only possible exception of a half decent New Game Plus in recent years is that Hard mode in Mario & Luigi Dream Team, which at least multiplied the damage by about ten, limited you to ten of each item, stopped you continuing battles after defeat, changed giant boss attack patterns and drastically edited the Boss Rush before giving you a few minor changes in the ending.  But even that didn’t really go far enough.

What Nintendo needs in future games is a good New Game Plus mode.  For platformers and action adventures, this should be a harder difficulty version with remixed/redesigned levels, new boss attacks and patterns and crueler restrictions.  For RPGs, it should be that plus the ability to keep gear and upgrades gained the first time around.  And in all of them?

Screw double damage.  No, you want hard?  Make it decuple damage.  So in other words, every attack does ten times its normal amount of damage.

Imagine how scary a Zelda game would be if in addition to redesigned dungeons in the New Game Plus and new boss patterns, even the Keese took off five hearts per hit.  And is an Iron Knuckle scary now?  Oh just wait for the hell of it taking off the equivalent of FORTY hearts worth of damage.  So in other words, every one of their attacks is now a one hit kill.

And then you see that the redesigned room is both a quarter of the usual size, and now has a whopping four Iron Knuckles in it!  That’s a real ‘expert’ challenge.  Not this crappy ‘Hero Mode’ where the most powerful enemy does about four hearts worth of damage because Nintendo’s too scared to genuinely challenge players.

Put New Game Plus modes in more games and make them a combination of Master Quest and Dream Team’s Hard mode, and that’s should a real cool bonus for beating the game the first time.

Well, that ends the list. Developer commentaries, holiday modes, difficulty levels and new game plus features are the things I think should also be made default in all Nintendo games.

But what do you think?  Would you want all this stuff in more Nintendo made titles?(source:nintendo3dsdaily)