Nintendo hasn’t created new intellectual property since Captain Olimar from “Pikmin” in 2001. Considering that, the idea that anyone still buys Nintendo games is astounding, but yet the company has been subtly encouraged not to make new IPs. Why bother when oldies but goodies still sell?

Now is the time for gamers to stop buying.

It’s no longer OK for Nintendo to keep rehashing the old favorites — it’s bordering exploitation. Fortunately, back when Nintendo did create characters, they made timeless ones that were able to go on any number of adventures.

Mario can always save Princess Peach. Link can always save Princess Zelda. Donkey Kong can always go bananas. Samus can always kill the same aliens over and over. Kirby can always be cute and eat people. Pokémon trainers can always catch them all. Then, when they’re all bored of doing that, they can race carts, party or just fight each other.

See the pattern? If not, just look at some of the newer Nintendo games to be released. There’s “The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword,” “Super Mario 3D Land,” “Pokémon: Black and White,” “Mario Kart 7” and “Kirby’s Return to Dream Land.” Then look at the recently released games that are just 3D versions of the same game — “Star Fox 64 3D” and “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D.”

Those are a lot of games all with old characters. In comparison, Microsoft and Sony hardly have any IPs that extend past three games, and if they do, the characters are drastically different or completely new while in the same universe.

These days, Nintendo just gets by on nostalgia, hoping that old players will want to see their childhood favorites brought back to life and new players be brought in by the old ones. This worked for a great many years, but now the magic is starting to run out.

While the Nintendo Wii is still the highest selling console out of the big three (the others being the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3), it won’t, can’t and shouldn’t last for much longer. While Nintendo has been remaking the same thing for decades, Microsoft and Sony continue to innovate, and it’s no longer fair to gamers.

Nintendo has a unique perspective on development, and its games are so unique compared to the rest. By all rights, it should be able to come up with new characters on par with the older ones, but the maker refuses to even try. Gamers deserve something new, and it’s about time Nintendo pony up.

So, to discourage its irresponsible behavior, I’m not buying any more Nintendo games until it comes up with something new. Sure, one man may not make a difference, but I welcome you to join me in protest. Maybe someday Nintendo will get the hint and change its game-making strategy.

— Jason Krell is a junior studying creative writing and Italian. He can be reached at arts@wildcat.arizona.edu.