I'm not going to lie...I love games like Warioware and to some extent Wii sports...(usually after a few, but still) FPS could be cool too on the Wii... I just think that they're doing a big disservice to both the Link and Mario games by A) incorporating silly pointless arm movements that have no place in an adventure game (my opinion, obviously), and B) not taking these games to the "next level" by way of graphics, innovative gameplay (not arm waving, mind you) I used to really dislike the Wii until I realized it serves several purposes. It's a party system, it's a gimmick, it's for kids, it's like a freakin' board game. It kinda brings back the feeling of old school arcades. And that's awesome, and some of the games are really fun. I just don't think it's conducive to one player gaming experiences like Zelda or Mario. I feel like tinman here, trying to remind everyone of a time when the Rockets were a powerhouse, except instead of the Rockets, I'm talking about Nintendo. Seriously, the big N used to make the most powerful gaming systems around...Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64...those were all the most powerful systems at the time of their release. Graphics aren't everything...but you couldn't have done Mario 64 on a PS1. You couldn't have done Goldeneye or Starfox either. The gameplay has to be there...but seeing something we've never seen before and doing something we've never done is a huge appeal to playing video games. So now Nintendo been reduced to a gimmicky system with outdated looking games. At least it's selling (amazingly) well. I'd rather Nintendo just go the Sega route and give up their systems and produce games/technology for other ones.
and the 360 and PS3 uses its graphics as a selling point besides gameplay, while the Wii uses its motion sensing as a selling point besides gameplay. Let's call that a wash. I'm a fan of the 360 and its games, but it doesn't mean I don't recognize the Wii and what it can do and what it offers that the 360 can't. It's just something I'm not interested in right now. I don't even know what the definition of a hardcore gamer is, but if it involves some sort of silly idea that you have to play a game for a certain amount of consecutive hours without defecating or eating, I'm not sure that's a badge of honor that anyone would want.
Everyone should be able to recognize how different the experience is from say, the 360 to the Wii. As a gamer, I want to see what those experiences are like. What you are seeing with the Wii is simple; clearly it is not up to par power wise with the other systems. however that isn't really the biggest issue. Because, as any gamer knows, a good game is a good game. There's a lot of parts that make up the whole. The problem is that developers didn't want to take a chance on they system, and now that it is selling a ****load they re rushing to catch up. And their games reflect that. Now, as far as the actual games from nintendo themselves, to say that they haven't been putting out quality is so far incorrect. To say they haven't been putting out quantity may be more correct, thought it is hard to completely agree with that when you consider they are going to have a new Zelda, Metroid and Mario game before the system is one year old. But they are good games. Like Galaxy coming up. The press (and word of mouth) so far has been amazing. I hated Sunshine, so I'm glad to see a real new Mario game coming down the pipeline: http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3164124 (9.5) http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=86873 (10/10)
I used to think that too until I played Rachet and Clank. I'm so happy it exists now. It was a really cool aspect of the game when it came in at random parts. Most of the time, it's when you were falling through the air and you had to navigate through air traffic or exploding bombs.
That eurogamer review, despite being a little too wordy (not to mention the abundance of j*zz being spewed over the game in that review) has softened my position a little bit about the game... It re-enforces some of my nagging complaints about the game, such as the same story being told over and over again...but they do paint a more vivid picture of the interesting gameplay.
Wow, the 360 and ps3 rely on HD graphics, mostly crap and recycled FPS games (esp for 360), internet play and button pushing for their fun...how cool good points. 3rd party companies were slow on the draw...they thought like some on here that the Wii is "stupid" and only consists of remote "wagging". But they have been called on shortsightedness and now they look stupid. Still, some people just dont see it. a lot of the 3rd party games have been crap...actually just poor ports. But Zelda was great. RE4 showed how much the remote can vastly improve gameplay. Elebits is underrated but a great game. Metroid has been highly praised...and the same seems likely for Smash brothers and Mario Galaxy. yeah i dont understand this "hardcore" gamer crap either. Some nerd elitist status symbol? who knows, but its utterly r****ded to see people toss this word around
here's the thing. do I wish the graphics on my wii were better? of course. if metroid prime 3 had the same graphics gears of war did no one would touch a ps3 [or a 360 for that matter]. nintendo is stacking cash like nobodies' business though. the wii has ALREADY outsold the 360 [which had a 1 year head start] and the system isn't even a year old. not to mention nintendo makes a profit on each wii / ds that is sold -- while sony / ms loses money for each ps3 / xbox. if you think nintendo is hurting, you've got another thing coming. next generation all bets are off. again, do I wish the graphics were better? yeah, but nintendo had the right idea. they didn't go after the gamer demographic, they went after EVERYONE and it has paid off greatly. people are wondering who is going to win the console war, it's already over. nintendo by a land slide. the question is who is going to come in second, and as of right now it's 360 hands down.
Well, duh. I'm not arguing that Nintendo isn't successful by doing this... But I don't own Nintendo stock, so as a gamer, I'd rather Nintendo just pack it up and put their games on a higher quality system, if they're not willing to produce that system themselves. I highly doubt something like the PS3 couldn't implement the same technology that the Wii has. Business is business, I suppose...
k then let me throw something else at you. I've been playing consoles since I was 5 or so I guess [I'm 24]. the wiimote is without question the biggest innovation in consoles in maybe the past decade [other than online play]. everything else has just been an advancement in graphics. the wiimote in a first person shooter is 1 step below mouse and keyboard and light years ahead of any controller. you may assume that it's just a gimmick but that's likely because you don't have a wii. it adds another level of realism and depth to every game. a perfect example is on zelda, the speaker on the wiimote [though admittedly not of the HIGHEST quality for a speaker] makes the initial sounds when you shoot your bow, then the sound becomes louder in your tv the further it gets away. turning knobs and pushing levers within metroid by using the motion controls within the remote feels completely natural and like it's something that should have been done for a long time [using the grapple beam by thrusting the nunchuku attachment is just as cool]. they're doing a lot of cool things with the wiimote it's definitely not a gimmick. I'll take my wii over any of the other consoles any day. nintendo isn't without their faults, I do wish they had done more with the graphics -- however the size and cost of the console is very good. they also should have pushed more for online with a lot of their games [I think there is more to come on that front]. anywho, nintendo definitely is doing the right thing and that's why they're dominating everyone else right now. they're trying to innovate, hell look at the ds. it seems like your only view of "quality" is graphics. nintendo is definitely putting out quality consoles with cutting edge technology. they...just aren't trying to compete in the graphics war that the console industry has become.
Sorry, no, I think the biggest innovation in consoles is them becoming media centers and movie players for your living room. Putting a speaker on a controller and advanced zapper technology aren't earth shattering inventions to me.
Are you serious? Gaming consoles should do exactly what their name implies...be a platform for playing video games. The fact that the PS3 and 360 can be entertainment hubs for my house means nothing to me....because I'd rather get a standalone dvd player that does one thing, but does it better than anything else, and that's play dvds. How can you not at least appreciate the innovativeness and breakthroughs in gaming the Wii has produced. I mean Nintendo must be doing something right when Sony tries to copy your controller technology. And Twilight Princess absolutely rocked with the wiimote...it was so natural and added so much to the gameplay to be able to swing the controller like a sword.
I'm going to have to disagree with that. The two things you point out have absolutely nothing to do with games. As a gamer, that part doesn't necessarily matter. People that buy simply to have a media center and maybe touch an occasional game too really don't do much to help the medium. They just stuck something that already existed (movie players and media centers) with a games system and caused an increase in prices. Something that most people, who still see a 'video game console', are going to be hesitant to get behind. Don't misunderstand; I like the combination. I use it. But as the slow adoption of HD gaming shows, it's prices and the fact that people just want to play video games that tend to make the biggest impact with people. Now, if you'd perhaps said the integration of online, or the community aspects combined with gaming that Live and PSN offer...well, then I think that's much more important. But the fact that I can play a movie in my console? I don't consider that an innovative move for the game industry.
As far as console innovations go...I stand by the fact that the biggest innovation is getting people to think that these things can be the centerpiece of their media room, and the increasing functionality related to that. I didn't say it was the greatest gameplay innovation (that belongs to the adaptation of analog control vs. the d-pad) I VASTLY preferred Twilight Princess on Gamecube than the Wii version, I guess I'm weird. I won't be able to fully appreciate the innovativeness of the Wiimote until it evolves into something a bit more advanced. Then I can look back and say the Wii was an amazing stepping stone to get there. But for my action/adventure/sports (pretty much anything non party related or FPS) I'd rather play with a traditional controller. I DO enjoy the speaker on the Wiimote though. There's a minigame in Warioware where you have to pick it up and answer it like a phone and then they say something totally weird...it cracks me up everytime...
Again, it has nothing to do with gaming itself (unlike the analog/digital control example you posted). So how can it be an innovation for gaming consoles? Even the 'use in the media room' angle...people have been playing movies on them since the PS2. Like what, exactly? And doesn't that fall more on the game developers?
While I still love the 360 as my favorite system, I completely agree on all your points. If there is one company that's trying to innovate, it's Nintendo. They are also not going to be a software company anytime soon (they have even said the day they have to be forced to go 3rd party is the day they stop making video games). Nintendo has just moved into the 2nd most profitable Japanese company only behind Toyota. They are going to be around innovating for a long long time, and as a gamer, I couldn't be happier with that.
Er...yeah, I AM talking about the PS2... I'm not only including this crop of systems...I thought we were talking about gaming advancements in general. And again NOT talking about gaming advancements...talking about the advancement of the consoles themselves. Well, I'm thinking long-term. Like the Wii being the first stepping stone towards virtual reality. Or interactivity in games that relies less on arm waving.
I absolutely love my family's Wii. The Wii is a real "pick up and play" system. You don't need special "hardcore gamer" powers at mashing 11 buttons to play a game. Just point and click or slash, wave, shake or twist. I've seen my mother-in-law, her sister, young children and relatives who had no interest in gaming fawning over the Wii after one play. I, personally, enjoy the immersion the controls allow. Playing Zelda and The Godfather were some of the best experiences I've had with adventure games in a very long time. I really got a kick out of jacking up and pimp slapping gangsters and extorting businesses with the "black hand" system. It never got old. My wife thought I was a little too into it at times, especially when I was slamming someone into a wall or shoving them off a rooftop. EA did a great job with those controls. No purposeless arm-waving, just good intuitive smacking and grabbing. I also enjoy Trama Center. The graphics are cartoony but the surgeries get intense and the graphics/art direction gives the game character. I rarely feel like I am missing HD. Using the remote as a surgical tool adds to the challenge. It really is a step below a mouse. Sure, some call this "arm waving," but it sure as hell beats "button mashing." There is a reason Wii's keep selling out. It's not novelty. It is the fact that the system provides a low barrier and, in true Nintendo fashion, it has many games that emphasize social gaming with people in the same room. Admittedly most of the games we own are best played in a group. So I play quite a bit with my daughters. ( But I plan to pick up Metroid soon and will be adding Mario, too. The solo experience in Zelda was nice so I am looking forward to these next two.) Anyway, the Wii has expanded the gaming market. That is real innovation. Instead of selling to the same niche market of graphics hounds, Nintendo stuck out its neck and brought back old-school, quick play gaming.
actually, I bought and love R&C myself (serious contender for GotY as far as I'm concerned)...but it sure as hell is NOT because of all the Sixaxis minigames I hated the control in every single one of them...seriously, go to Options and turn off the setting for sixaxis and then play the minigames with the analog sticks. it is way easier and much less frustrating
