Wii Tops E3 Game Critics Awards

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Wii Tops E3 Game Critics Awards

Posted by ryuzaki0 on Thursday June 1, 2006 @02:23AM from the criticwii-acclaimed dept.

Gamespot reports on the announced winners of the E3 Critics Awards. From the article: "Nintendo, which was nominated a show-high 13 times, took home the show's biggest prize for its Wii console. The system, in the running for the only two categories it could qualify for, was handed the coveted Best of Show award, as well as Best Hardware award. But the Japanese game-maker wasn't done there. The publisher grabbed three more awards for some of its games, including Best Handheld Game (The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass for the DS), Best Sports Game (Wii Sports), and Best Racing Game (Excite Truck for the Wii)."

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Go Big N by ExKoopaTroopa · 2006-06-01 02:28 · Score: 5, Insightful

do you mean people actually prefer playability and fun over pure performance and graphics, and here's me thinking that Sony and Microsoft listened to players opinion's

--
Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do!
1. Re:Go Big N by xtracto · 2006-06-01 05:03 · Score: 1
  
  and here's me thinking that Sony and Microsoft listened to players opinion's
  
  I dont remeber if it was Iwata or Miyamoto, but one of them said that, they specifically did not care to listen *current players* opinion, because, for them, everything is allright. What they wanted is to ask non-players WHY didnt they played, that is the whole point of the blue sea -red sea idea.
  
  --
  Ubuntu is an African word meaning 'I can't configure Debian'
2. Re:Go Big N by poot_rootbeer · 2006-06-01 06:18 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  do you mean people actually prefer playability and fun over pure performance and graphics
  
  One might be able to conclude that the specific people who comprise the voting panel for the E3 Game Critic Awards might, but I would hesitate to draw any conclusions broader than that.
3. Re:Go Big N by justchris · 2006-06-01 14:39 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  To be fair, these are critics, not actual people. /ducks
  
  --
  just some guy
4. Re:Go Big N by john_uy · 2006-06-02 00:10 · Score: 1
  
  yup. i'd like to think that sony and microsoft is trying to sell the latest gaz guzzling suv with all the features making the drivers 'king.' nintendo is those new japanese car makers who really focused on more environment and practicality. guess who's winning now?
  
  as it has been said many times before, i believe the console maket will shift as well.
  
  --
  Live your life each day as if it was your last.
The Truth by MarkVVV · 2006-06-01 02:30 · Score: 3, Funny

This show what gamers really want: fun games. Not 10 Teraflops of boobs...did i say boobs? Hum...thinking about it, Xbox360's DoA might be a good choice :p
1. Re:The Truth by gEvil+(beta) · 2006-06-01 02:43 · Score: 1
  
  I think you've found the one thing (or is it two?) that should be measured in 'flops.'
  
  --
  This guy's the limit!
2. Re:The Truth by Jace+of+Fuse! · 2006-06-01 03:04 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  You know, I'm ALL for boobs in video games. But bounce and volume impress me more than flop.
  
  When video game designers start putting floppy titties in games I think they're going way too far.
  
  Granny-Sag is just one feature NVidia really should hold off on. The market just isn't ready for it.
  
  --
  
  "Everything you know is wrong. (And stupid.)"
  
  Moderation Totals: Wrong=2, Stupid=3, Total=5.
3. Re:The Truth by mgblst · 2006-06-01 03:05 · Score: 1
  
  Personally I prefer 'perks', but heh each to there own.
  
  I always wondered if anyone really bought those granny porn mags. Seems the answer is yes.
PS3 is all but final at this point by suv4x4 · 2006-06-01 02:33 · Score: 2, Interesting

Sony's watching this, and the reaction of the people to the PS3 price and features.

You can bet they're scrambling right now and PS3 might turn out pretty different from what was presented at E3, at the hope to not screw it up. Thing is, attempting to not screw it up is how they screw it up all the time.
1. Re:PS3 is all but final at this point by Wind_Walker · 2006-06-01 02:39 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  It's far far too late in the development cycle for Sony to make major changes to the PS3. They may be able to bring the cost down another $50 without the beancounters screaming too loud, but that's it. They can't redesign the controller, they can't get rid of Blu-Ray, and they definitely can't be seen as copying Nintendo too hard.
2. Re:PS3 is all but final at this point by suv4x4 · 2006-06-01 02:42 · Score: 1
  
  It's far far too late in the development cycle for Sony to make major changes to the PS3.
  
  Won't be the first time they make changes too late, no?
3. Re:PS3 is all but final at this point by Anonymous Coward · 2006-06-01 02:50 · Score: 0
  
  Personally, I don't expect to see much of a change from Sony.
  
  Sony is one of those companies where all the employees believe their own marketing and their hype; I have never dealt with a company that was as full as yes men as Sony and they are incapable of seeing their mistakes. Sony believes that the PS3 is too inexpensive and that people will line up to buy it because "Blu-Ray is better then sex."
  
  Its actually very sad to see a company change from being a solid engineering company that is full of smart people to being a marketing company full of yes men; to a certain extent, it is like watching someone put their hand in a wood chipper to free a loose branch.
4. Re:PS3 is all but final at this point by Golias · 2006-06-01 02:52 · Score: 1
  
  Was there a PS3 at this year's E3 for the Wii to compete against for this award? I thought the thing wasn't built yet.
  
  For that matter, was the X-Box 360 eligible, or did they have a prototype at last year's show?
  
  It would be nice if the article had mentioned what other consoles were nominated against it.
  
  --
  Information wants to be anthropomorphized.
5. Re:PS3 is all but final at this point by Volante3192 · 2006-06-01 02:56 · Score: 1
  
  You mean like this?
  
  Best Hardware
  DS Lite (Nintendo)
  Logitech G25 Racing Wheel (Logitech for PC)
  PlayStation 3 (Sony Computer Entertainment)
  Wii (Nintendo)
  Xbox 360 Wireless Headset (Microsoft for Xbox 360)
6. Re:PS3 is all but final at this point by mikeisme77 · 2006-06-01 02:56 · Score: 1
  
  Did you read TFA? It shows the nominees and highlights the winner... XBox 360 was not a nominee (and probably was inelgible). PS3 was a nominee. The DS Lite was a nominee, as were the Logitech steering wheel, 360 wireless headset, and I think maybe some others.
  
  --
  Read my blog posts on usability.
7. Re:PS3 is all but final at this point by grammar+fascist · 2006-06-01 02:58 · Score: 1
  
  ... they can't get rid of Blu-Ray...
  
  I can't think of how they could possibly anger their fans by not including Blu-Ray. Developers, possibly, for changing the game disc storage capacity. The hardware division that's intent on foisting it on everybody as the new high-density DVD standard? You bet.
  
  The word that comes to mind when I consider Sony's market presence is "lumbering" - like too many people are trying to drive the Gundam. They can only move in a straight line, or fall down.
  
  Big N doesn't have these problems.
  
  --
  I got my Linux laptop at System76.
8. Re:PS3 is all but final at this point by Golias · 2006-06-01 03:11 · Score: 1
  
  Thanks, I missed that bit.
  
  Personally, I think the DS Lite is the most impressive gadget on that list, but it looks like the critics are all about the Wii.
  
  --
  Information wants to be anthropomorphized.
9. Re:PS3 is all but final at this point by suv4x4 · 2006-06-01 03:14 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Personally, I think the DS Lite is the most impressive gadget on that list, but it looks like the critics are all about the Wii.
  
  Yup, I bet Nintendo is pretty mad at Nintendo for stealing their award this year ;)
10. Re:PS3 is all but final at this point by suv4x4 · 2006-06-01 03:17 · Score: 1
  
  Sony believes that the PS3 is too inexpensive and that people will line up to buy it because "Blu-Ray is better then sex."
  
  Is that an actual quote in the quotes up there? I mean as something a Sony rep said?
  If so, things are far more ridiculous that I could ever imagine.
11. Re:PS3 is all but final at this point by Golias · 2006-06-01 04:25 · Score: 1
  
  Yup, I bet Nintendo is pretty mad at Nintendo for stealing their award this year ;)
  
  Why would I care what Nintendo thinks? Will they give me money if I cheer for them getting lots of awards?
  
  I happen think the DS Lite is a pretty cool gadget. It's quite an amazing display of miniaturization.
  
  The Wii, on the other hand, is perhaps the least impressive of three very unimpressive new living-room consoles. I mean, apart from a funky tilty controller thingie and (very) slightly better graphics, is there really anything about the Wii that makes it more than an tiny incremental step up from the GameCube?
  
  That's why I think the DS Lite should have walked away with the "Best Hardware" award.
  
  --
  Information wants to be anthropomorphized.
12. Re:PS3 is all but final at this point by poot_rootbeer · 2006-06-01 06:23 · Score: 1
  
  The DS, on the other hand, is perhaps the least impressive of the new handheld consoles. I mean, apart from a funky touchscreen thingie and (very) slightly better graphics, is there really anything about the Wii that makes it more than an tiny incremental step up from the Gameboy Advance?
13. Re:PS3 is all but final at this point by Golias · 2006-06-01 06:59 · Score: 1
  
  The size. I have a PSP, and the one and only thing that sucks about it is that it's about as big as the old Apple Newton.
  
  The DS Lite is downright tiny, yet still plays DS and Gameboy games. That's pretty freakin' cool.
  
  --
  Information wants to be anthropomorphized.
14. Re:PS3 is all but final at this point by jizziknight · 2006-06-01 07:56 · Score: 1
  
  Least impressive of the three? Think again.
  
  What is the PS3 but a beefed up PS2 minus DualShock, plus DualShake and Blu-ray?
  
  What is the Xbox 360 but a beefed up Xbox?
  
  I think you're missing the entire point of the Wii. Different and/or better gameplay. BUT OMG IT DOESN'T SUPPORT HD!!1one You're also forgetting the fact that the final specs haven't been released yet, only that they're based off the GC hardware. Big deal. Any argument about the Wii being less powerful is meaningless until we know the final specs.
  
  --
  Everything I say is a lie. Except that... and that... and that, and that, and that, and that... and that.
Am I the only one by Anonymous Coward · 2006-06-01 02:35 · Score: 0

who reads "Wii Sports" and thinks about either midget tennis or super-deformed Nintendo characters with big heads running around on stubby legs?
1. Re:Am I the only one by KDR_11k · 2006-06-01 06:30 · Score: 1
  
  It has super deformed Nintendo executives running around on stubby legs.
  
  --
  Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
2. Re:Am I the only one by Tweekster · 2006-06-01 07:47 · Score: 1
  
  Midget Tennis!!!!! Now that would be a great game
  
  --
  The phrase "more better" is acceptable English. suck it grammar Nazis
no suprise here by Anonymous Coward · 2006-06-01 02:36 · Score: 0

With Nintendo Waving their Wii around it was bound to win several awards from critics.
everytime by Payday_Jones · 2006-06-01 02:41 · Score: 3, Funny

blah blah blah This is Nintendo's Comeback blah blah blah Sony is the Devil blah blah blah 360's are all sold out blah blah blah Sony is teh h4x0rzz!!! blah blah blah Nintendo is the only company that cares blah blah blah There are 360's EVERWHERE blah blah blah with the bundle PS3s will cost over 7 million dollars a piece blah blah blah 360 = Dreamcast blah blah blah Nintendo is for kids blah blah blah Microsoft is the Devil blah blah blah somthing about Root Kits and disassociation blah blah blah 360 is just .5 of a generational leap blah blah blah Nintendo is just repackaging the Cube blah blah blah Microsoft is teh h4x0rzzz blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah There we go, that about covers this forum for the day!!

--
"God is a comedian playing to an audience too scared to laugh"
1. Re:everytime by Anonymous Coward · 2006-06-01 03:00 · Score: 0
  
  blahblahblah Sony didn't steal from Nintendo blahblahblah wanted to release a boomerang controller blahblahblah but Wii-tech^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hinnovation didn't fit into it blahblahblah so controller will looks like Dualshock again blahblahblah lies blahblahblah Nintendo-Fanboy writing this comment on slashdot blahblahblah
2. Re:everytime by Anonymous Coward · 2006-06-01 03:18 · Score: 0
  
  Great. Now everybody's comments will be -1 Redundant!
Some people... by Jace+of+Fuse! · 2006-06-01 02:45 · Score: 5, Interesting

Some people prefer fun and playability, but mostly only people who either aren't hardcore gamers or people who have been gaming for over 20 years and have since become very jaded.

I was recently talking to a co-worker of mine who thinks he's an old school hardcore gamer because he has been playing games "Ever since back in the day of the old Playstation 1" as he said. He knows I have all of the systems, and including some obscure old ones from back when, as he says, "not many people really played video games."

While having our discussion, he asked me if there were any games I had that he could borrow that I thought he could play and perhaps get his girlfriend interested. She normally gets bothered by him when he plays games and he wanted something he thought they could both enjoy.

My first suggestion was Katamari Damacy. He asked what it was, and I told him. His next question really bothered me. "How are the graphics?"

I admit this almost took me by surprise. I tried my best to describe the graphics and he seemed to lose interest in it. He said he didn't want to play something "so cartoony". We went back and forth overy several more titles and he kept reminding me about his tastes in games and what he liked, and was hoping I had some ideas for something that they both might enjoy.

I said "Dude, trust me, women love Katamari." But he kept trying to shift my suggestions more towards games with realistic graphics and he wanted war and sports.

Is it any wonder his girlfriend hates it when he plays games?

Oddly enough, I'm slowly starting to suspect that his tastes in gaming reflect a large portion of the non-tech-savvy, average joe gamer of today that think they're hard-core. "The Playstation Generation". What bothers me even more is they're probably soon to be replaced with a new "Xbox Generation" of kids who think games not only must look realistic but have to be online play to be any good.

n00bs.

--

"Everything you know is wrong. (And stupid.)"

Moderation Totals: Wrong=2, Stupid=3, Total=5.
1. Re:Some people... by Winckle · 2006-06-01 02:50 · Score: 1
  
  I had the same problem explaining Super Monkey Ball 2 to a few friends.
  
  "It's about monkeys in these plastic balls..."
  *Interrupting me*
  "What?!"
  "Sigh, nevermind."
2. Re:Some people... by Skreems · 2006-06-01 02:53 · Score: 1
  
  Both you and the GP have some pretty stupid friends :-P
  
  --
  Slashdot needs a "-1, Wrong" moderation option.
  The Urban Hippie
3. Re:Some people... by Jace+of+Fuse! · 2006-06-01 03:00 · Score: 1
  
  Not all Co-Workers are friends. :)
  
  --
  
  "Everything you know is wrong. (And stupid.)"
  
  Moderation Totals: Wrong=2, Stupid=3, Total=5.
4. Re:Some people... by TahitiBlue · 2006-06-01 03:09 · Score: 1
  
  Imagine trying to explain an Infocom adventure or a Rogue-like to them!
5. Re:Some people... by mikeisme77 · 2006-06-01 03:10 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Being an old school gamer from back before the playstation, and probably playing online games before 1337 speak crap got into them, then you should know that n00b is really newb or newbie and is used to describe new players and not just people who you think are stupid.
  On a more serious/less ranting note... I completely agree with you that the PlayStation generation needs to stop calling themselves hardcore gamers--especially if they aren't willing to try out new games. Hardcore gamers are the people who are willing to give any game a try--especially if its innovative--as long as its controls don't make it unplayable. Hardcore gamers aren't the people who only play the "cool" games or just the "best" games. Hardcore gamers are just as comfortable with Pokemon as they are with Halo 26.592. And as for a game that both him and his girlfriend can enjoy, I would suggest Crazy Taxi, Brain Age, or Shenmue (surprisingly... I didn't think this was a game non-gamers would enjoy until my girlfriend and her sister spent part of their summer going through it).
  
  --
  Read my blog posts on usability.
6. Re:Some people... by MMC+Monster · 2006-06-01 03:11 · Score: 1
  
  Just bring me M.U.L.E. on a modern system with internet play.
  
  The graphics sucked, but the gameplay was incredible. I remember playing with three friends for hours on my C64. The supply-and-demand market in the game was incredibly simple yet always a blast to try to optimize.
  
  Is there anything even close to the game available now?
  
  --
  Help! I'm a slashdot refugee.
7. Re:Some people... by jizziknight · 2006-06-01 03:13 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  I think we need to redefine what a "hardcore gamer" is. I think I've said this before, but the widely accepted definition, is IMHO, wrong. A hardcore gamer is NOT someone who plays FPS's and war simulations. A hardcore gamer IS someone who either excells at nearly any type/genre of game and/or plays games for hours on end. You don't necessarily have to play intense, fast paced games to be a hardcore gamer. Also, if you've never played any console older than the original playstation, you are not hardcore. You've not endured enough slow framerates and flashing-induced headaches (Gunstar Heroes on the Genesis, anyone?) to be considered hardcore. Sorry. As an aside, and perhaps a suggestion for your friend.... I got my ex hooked on Phantasy Star Online. You can play cooperatively, the graphics are ok, and it's still a shooting/fighting type of game. She liked it because even though I was still a bazillion times better at it than her, I wasn't killing her specifically, and it wasn't too fast paced. She had time to stop and think. And if she got in a pinch, I was always there to back her up.
  
  --
  Everything I say is a lie. Except that... and that... and that, and that, and that, and that... and that.
8. Re:Some people... by Anonymous Coward · 2006-06-01 03:14 · Score: 0
  
  A point I have to make to people way too often.
  
  "I was talking to my coworker about that the other day".
  "Oh, did your friend like it?"
  I have no idea if my friend liked it or not. As I said it was my coworker I was talking to."
  
  Why do some people have such a hard time understanding that I don't particularly like the people I work with, they just happen to be the people who work at the same company.
9. Re:Some people... by mlk · 2006-06-01 03:15 · Score: 1
  
  I have fun explaining Rogue-em-ups to people in the games biz.
  
  --
  Wow, I should not post when knackered.
10. Re:Some people... by 'nother+poster · 2006-06-01 03:18 · Score: 1
  
  How do you play a text adventure with a DualShock2 controller?!?!?!
11. Re:Some people... by M.C.+Hampster · 2006-06-01 03:19 · Score: 1
  
  I didn't explain it to them. I just put it on for us to play on a Game Night and started up the party games. It's the most popular game for Game Night now.
  
  --
  Forget the whales - save the babies.
12. Re:Some people... by Jace+of+Fuse! · 2006-06-01 03:26 · Score: 1
  
  The use of the "n00b" bit was used because he's exactly the sort of dude who would normally use it himself. I normally wouldn't, and that may in fact be the first time I've ever typed it in a post at all. A failed attempt at humor or irony, I guess.
  
  But yes, I agree. A real hardcore gamer would try anything in spite of it's graphical style, control scheme, or platform. Crazy Taxi would have been a good suggestion, actually. I never even thought to bring that one up. Shenmue I wouldn't have thought to suggest, but I may try exposing some poeple I know to it to see how they react.
  
  As for Brain Age, it wasn't out back then.
  
  --
  
  "Everything you know is wrong. (And stupid.)"
  
  Moderation Totals: Wrong=2, Stupid=3, Total=5.
13. Re:Some people... by revlayle · 2006-06-01 04:02 · Score: 1
  
  Closest game I have seen that i think is still available is at http://www.shrapnelgames.com/gilligames/Space_HoRS E/1.htm
  
  Apparently this game was directly influenced by M.U.L.E.
14. Re:Some people... by Kesch · 2006-06-01 04:04 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  "Dude, trust me, women love Katamari."
  
  T-Shirt 1: Chicks Dig Katamari
  T-Shirt 2: Chicks Roll Over for Katamari
  T-Shirt 3: Chicks Go Head-over-heels for Katamari
  T-Shirt 4: Katamari- Bigger is Better
  
  --
  If this signature is witty enough, maybe somebody will like me.
15. Re:Some people... by orta · 2006-06-01 04:04 · Score: 0
  
  I remember getting two of my sisters, and three non serious game players to play the fork lift truck parts of Shenmue for me when I was bored, that way I could afford to buy all those cute little toys. Weird how what should be the most boring repetative bits of the game can be the parts that really appeal to someone (It's meant to be the main characters job for those not in the know)
  
  --
  my band is more brutal techno punk than yours
16. Re:Some people... by mikeisme77 · 2006-06-01 04:10 · Score: 1
  
  The whole "n00b" thing is just a pet peeve of mine, so sorry about that rant. I just kind of see it as part of how these new gamers are trying to call themselves all hardcore when they're really just posers/PlayStation generation. But you seem to have a similar take on it.
  Let me know how people react if you expose them to Shenmue as I was/still am shocked that my girlfriend and her sister got into it. My girlfriend plays game a decent amount, but just things like Paper Mario, Nintendogs, etc. (cutesy games that are still fun--and she did have a TurboGrafx 16 and then later on an N64 and GameBoy, no systems since then), but her sister doesn't really play games at all. So I really didn't think it would be something either of them would get into since I always saw it more as an interesting experiment more so than a game (although I can't wait for the next installments to come out--if they ever come out... especially now that Suzuki has left AM2). But if the game really is a game that appeals to the average people (or maybe just women) then maybe its commercial failure was due to bad marketing (and we all know Sega is famous for bad marketing) and maybe if the Wii includes Dreamcast in the VirtualConsole then a new set of people will be exposed to Shenmue and will demand that Sega release the final chapters (since the artwork, story, etc. are all finished). Rumor (from sometime in 2005--in an interview with an anonymous AM2 insider) has it that Shenmue will be coming to one of the new consoles but they didn't say which one nor did they say when--but they said it would be released in its entirety (Ch. 1-16 all in one set), but I haven't read anything about it since then... so it may just be another glimmer of false hope...
  
  --
  Read my blog posts on usability.
17. Re:Some people... by ExKoopaTroopa · 2006-06-01 04:33 · Score: 1
  
  Some people prefer fun and playability, but mostly only people who either aren't hardcore gamers or people who have been gaming for over 20 years and have since become very jaded. I was recently talking to a co-worker of mine who thinks he's an old school hardcore gamer because he has been playing games "Ever since back in the day of the old Playstation 1" as he said. He knows I have all of the systems, and including some obscure old ones from back when, as he says, "not many people really played video games."
  
  Spot on. I consider myself a hardcore and old school gamer (10 hours + of gaming per week, started with "space invaders" and "soccer" on c64 and going on to most major platforms since) but I'll admit being a Nintendo fanboy (Miyamoto's work taught me all the important lessons in life)
  
  Having played eye-toy games with some non-gamers on more than one occasion, as soon as Nintendo released details about the controller I just knew it's going to be the best thing to shorten the divide between non-gamers, casuals and hardcores. I bet even your PS1 friend won't resist once he's tried it out
  
  --
  Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do!
18. Re:Some people... by Anonymous Coward · 2006-06-01 05:29 · Score: 0
  
  You don't necessarily have to play intense, fast paced games to be a hardcore gamer.
  
  That's right. I'm Tetris HARDCORE, yo!
19. Re:Some people... by gforce811 · 2006-06-01 06:03 · Score: 0
  
  You hit the nail on the head, buddy. Well said.
  
  P.S. - My girlfriend loves Katamari.
20. Re:Some people... by cowscows · 2006-06-01 07:02 · Score: 1
  
  I think a hardcore gamer is simply someone who dedicates the bulk of their time to gaming. It doesn't have anything to do with what games you play, or how many years you've been playing them. It's really just how much time you spend with them. I remember spending endless hours with an Atari machine and then my NES, but nowadays I'm lucky to get an hour per day to play games. I was a hardcare gamer when I was younger, but not anymore.
  
  Simply put, It's not being a hardcore gamer that makes you like violence and boobs in your games. Being a teenage male makes you like those things. Being a teenager also means you're likely to have less responsibility, and therefore more free time. And it's much easier to be a hardcore gamer if you've got lots of free time.
  
  It's not always like that. My mom has a job where she sits at a desk at home waiting for people to call most of the day. She probably spends 4-6 hours per day playing Snood. It's dedicated to just one game, but that still seems pretty hardcore to me.
  
  But anyways, hardcore games aren't necessarily bad. One of the things that makes a game fun is recieving a sense of accomplishment from it. This can happen on many levels, but gaining new abilities or skills with the game is a good way for it to happen. The intense and long learning curve rewards many many hours of play, and so it appeals to people who have that time to spend. The downside to that is that it creates barriers for people who don't have those long hours.
  
  Enter Nintendo, recognizing this fact, and targeting the rest of us. I'm not a hardcore gamer because I don't like games anymore, I just don't have the time to dedicate to it. I want to play games more, it's just hard to make happen, and it's been hard to find games that reward me for short and sporadic periods of play time. And there are a lot of people my age who are in the exact same boat. So with the DS and the Wii, Nintendo is trying to change this. And if the hardcore gamers want to come along for the ride, Nintendo will be happy to take their money as well.
  
  I just don't expect that the hardcore guys will be that satisfied with what they get. Most Wii games probably won't provide the long hours of entertainmnent that we're used to seeing. They'll need to be judged from a different perspective. It'll be interesting to see if the gaming media understands that.
  
  --
  One time I threw a brick at a duck.
21. Re:Some people... by copenja · 2006-06-01 07:18 · Score: 1
  
  I think the enjoyment of games is very subjective. Let your buddy enjoy what he likes (war/sports/graphics) and you enjoy what you like. No need to get all self-righteuous on him.
22. Re:Some people... by jizziknight · 2006-06-01 07:20 · Score: 1
  
  I agree with you entirely. Well... almost. I think hardcore gamers who grew up/started out on pre-ps1 systems have a greater appreciation for the games, what they were, what they've become, and so on. I also think that being a hardcore gamer took a lot more effort and dedication back in the day than it does now. Sure the newer games are more immersive, but that makes it easier to play them for hours on end. I remember playing Tetris and Super Mario Brothers on my original GameBoy until my arms were too tired to hold the thing up, my thumbs were bruised, and my vision was blurred. Old school hardcore gamers are, IMO, more hardcore than todays hardcore gamers. Sure I can sit down and play Rise of Nations for hours and hours, but imagine doing something similar on a system with a totally non-ergonomic controller, 16 bit color, and a painfully slow framerate. How many of todays hardcore gamers would be able to do it?
  
  --
  Everything I say is a lie. Except that... and that... and that, and that, and that, and that... and that.
23. Re:Some people... by AuMatar · 2006-06-01 07:50 · Score: 1
  
  Two things:
  
  1)The two sets aren't discrete. People do fall into both sets.
  2)If you're talking about non-work related things to a coworker, its either small talk to be polite or he's a friend.
  
  --
  I still have more fans than freaks. WTF is wrong with you people?
24. Re:Some people... by ClamIAm · 2006-06-01 09:49 · Score: 1
  
  The Playstation generation. hint: it's a series of 4. hit 'next' a few times :)
25. Re:Some people... by Macgrrl · 2006-06-01 15:57 · Score: 1
  
  So...are Hardcore gamers people who still have RSI from too much Tetris in greyscale on a MacSE?...
  
  --
  Sara
  Designer, Gamer, Macgrrl in an XP World
26. Re:Some people... by faffod · 2006-06-01 17:22 · Score: 1
  
  Just how did Miyamoto's work teach you about sex?
27. Re:Some people... by ExKoopaTroopa · 2006-06-01 20:54 · Score: 1
  
  what is this sex your talking about ?
  
  --
  Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do!
28. Re:Some people... by mikeisme77 · 2006-06-01 22:12 · Score: 1
  
  Not necessisarily. They're just gamers who play all types of games and don't see a game as being "beneath them". If somebody is too much of a snob to pick up and play a game like Kirby Canvas Curse, Super Princess Peach, Nintendogs etc. (those examples are aimed at male gamers since they're normally the ones talking smack about perfectly good games while also purporting to be "hardcore gamers"--and I chose them because they feature things like a rainbow colored line, virtual pet, etc. that these jocks pretending to be gamers would look at and say "that's not hardcore") because they think they're a "hardcore" gamer and only play FPS, racing, and sports games then they're all talk.
  
  --
  Read my blog posts on usability.
Yes. by Anonymous Coward · 2006-06-01 02:55 · Score: 0

You are.
More stuff that doesn't yet exist... by OldeTimeGeek · 2006-06-01 03:34 · Score: 1

Let's see, there are at least three items on the list that only exist in product brochures and in marketer's minds...
What's next, an award for Duke Nukem Forever?
1. Re:More stuff that doesn't yet exist... by Minced · 2006-06-01 03:42 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  Actually, to be elible for any of the awards the product/game HAS to be in playable form (apart from the Best Cinematics category). Since Nintendo had 27 Wii games on the floor including Wii Sports and ExciteTruck I don't see where you say they "only exist in product brochures and in marketer's minds..." Oh, and DNF doesn't have a playable form let alone a video form that reflects ANYTHING of what the current game might even be.
2. Re:More stuff that doesn't yet exist... by Rod+Beauvex · 2006-06-01 16:43 · Score: 1
  
  Didn't DNF win the lifetime achievement award?
Mod Funny or the Joke's on You! by MeanderingMind · 2006-06-01 04:07 · Score: 1

There is no justice in this world if the parent isn't moderated funny.

--
Thunderclone: ONE MAN ENTERS! TWO MEN LEAVE! ONE MAN ENTERS! TWO MEN LEAVE!
The right method... by MeanderingMind · 2006-06-01 04:16 · Score: 1

Trying to explain a game like Katamari Damancy is like trying to describe an anime. Pick any, and you'll suddenly realize how ridiculous it sounds. Whether it's Dragon Ball Z, Bleach, Mobile Suit Gundam, or Evangelion, you'll be hard pressed to find one that makes sense upon description.

The best idea is just to engineer a situation where you can sit them down and get them to watch 2 episode (or in this case play for 20 minutes). It's like Nintendo says, "Playing is believing".

--
Thunderclone: ONE MAN ENTERS! TWO MEN LEAVE! ONE MAN ENTERS! TWO MEN LEAVE!
1. Re:The right method... by Golias · 2006-06-01 05:42 · Score: 1
  
  Trying to explain a game like Katamari Damancy is like trying to describe an anime. Pick any, and you'll suddenly realize how ridiculous it sounds.
  
  "Grave of the Fireflies" is about two orphaned children struggling to survive in the wake of the fire-bombing of Tokyo in World War II.
  
  Hmm... That doesn't sound so ridiculous. I'll try another.
  
  "Sailor Moon" is a series targeted to young girls, but also enjoyed by all ages and genders, about a middle-school girl who transforms into a Super-hero and protects innocent people from monsters and demons.
  
  Straightforward enough. Let's see.
  
  "Cowboy Bebop" is a sci-fi about an ex-mafia soldier and an ex-cop who, together with a young computer hacker and a self-proclaimed "gypsy" woman, travel by spaceship through hyper-space gates to collect bounties on fugitives. One such gate, in orbit over the Earth, exploded in the distant past, leaving a few space stations, the terra-formed planet Mars and a couple of the moons around Jupiter as the only places where people could live in relative comfort.
  
  Kind of complex, but still easier to explain than "Lost."
  
  --
  Information wants to be anthropomorphized.
2. Re:The right method... by MeanderingMind · 2006-06-01 09:12 · Score: 1
  
  I bow to your supirior descriptive skills.
  
  In any case, for everyone descriptionally challenged, I think my method is a viable alternative.
  
  --
  Thunderclone: ONE MAN ENTERS! TWO MEN LEAVE! ONE MAN ENTERS! TWO MEN LEAVE!
Don't give too much weight by Anonymous Coward · 2006-06-01 04:49 · Score: 0

...to E3 critic awards. Games like the obscure "Stretch Panic" (by development legend Treasure) got an E3 award when it was shown, and was even the impetus for me purchasing it. But GOD, while it's innovative for its time, what a BORING stupid game.

Point is: After all the hype and excitement dies down, only actual performance in the marketplace will tell us the truth. It's entirely possible the Wii digs itself a niche and never goes beyond that.

It concerns me greatly that at least half of Nintendo's own testimonial videos include the people saying "the controls take getting used to". One guy even says "the controls have a steep learning curve". This is EXACLTY the kind of barrier to entry that Nintendo was hoping to tear down!
1. Re:Don't give too much weight by LKM · 2006-06-01 09:24 · Score: 1
  
  One guy even says "the controls have a steep learning curve".
  
  Ah, but that's not neccessarily a bad thing. Two points:
  
  First, he's a gamer. Gamers are used to traditional controllers. Naturally, playing games with the Wii controller feels weird for them - more so than for non-gamers.
  
  Second, "steep learning curve" is not the same as "complicated". There's nothing wrong with having to learn playing a game. It's only wrong if doing so is boring or complicated. But it seems learning to use the Wii controller is quite a lot of fun - almost like learning to play a real game.
  
  I guess that most people won't mind learning the control games using the Wii controller, just like they don't mind learning to play baseball, hit and catch the ball. Learning to play it is part of the game, after all.
  
  They do mind having to memorize complicated functions and buttons, though. And the Wii doesn't use those for most "casual" games.
Wii Sports??? Best Sports Game??? by Anonymous Coward · 2006-06-01 05:17 · Score: 3, Interesting

C'mon, I was at E3, I played Wii Sports: Tennis and Baseball. At first, it was pretty fun, but then I realized that I would have absolutely no interest in playing a full game. Yes, the Wii controller is neat, but I have doubts about it's staying power, or the game's ability to keep you drawn in after the novelty of the controller wears off. I felt the same thing as I was playing Metroid Prime 3, at first, it was nifty and exciting, but as I got used to the wiimote, the game just seemed like another Metroid Prime game. Not that it's a bad thing - but the controller isn't going to save the day if the games just aren't engaging.
Sports party! by rjung2k · 2006-06-01 09:08 · Score: 1

The problem is that (I'm guessing here) you played Wii Tennis by yourself.

I imagine it would be a blast with friends -- and the Wiimote will make it much easier to talk your (non-gaming) friends into joining in.

--
--R.J.
Electric-Escape.net
1. Re:Sports party! by Anonymous Coward · 2006-06-01 15:09 · Score: 0
  
  Yes, I did play it alone. And yes, it's fun at first, playing against someone, but eventually, the thrill of the new controller wears off, and you're left with little cartoon tennis players.
  I did play the shooting demo (aka Duck Hunt) against a person, and that was fun, but again, I can't see myself playing it often. As a diversion, the Wii seems fine, but I'm skeptical about it's ability to handle longer term games.
  
  Soon after leaving the Wii exhibition, I went and played some Virtua Tennis for the PS3, and could see myself actually playing more than one match.
  
  Also, whether or not the system is fun to play with friends is largely irrelevant for most "older" gamers. I'm 32, and I play online against my friends, because after fighting traffic, staying at work late, or dealing with wives and kids, or 1000 miles separation, there just isn't a convenient time for "career people" to get together and play. As an added bonus, we don't have to deal with split screens, or someone checking out the play you're calling in a sports game. Yes, the Wii will be a blast to play with friends, at first, but I just can't see it providing the hours on end gaming entertainment I get from my 360 or PC. And yes, I will be buying one at launch.
2. Re:Sports party! by LKM · 2006-06-01 20:37 · Score: 1
  
  you're left with little cartoon tennis players.
  
  So... you're saying it would have been better with more realistic graphics?
Playstation Generation believes a huge myth by Rosebud128 · 2006-06-01 11:19 · Score: 2, Interesting

It actually is nothing about the graphics. He revealed it when he said that 'not many people really played video games'.

The big myth is that people like him believed gaming became 'mainstream' with the Playstation. The Playstation Generation believes that prior systems such as the NES, Atari, and computers such as the Commodore 64 had very few people playing them. But, behold, Sony appeared and suddenly gaming became 'mainstream'. This has been the most effective marketing technique I've seen in console gaming.

Gaming has never become mainstream when you account for population growth. Consoles have not penetrated past a third of households which was established during the NES days. Most of the growth in the industry has come from multiple console ownership. With Sony's introduction into the industry came huge marketing muscle. The huge marketing budgets keep telling gamers how 'cool' they now are. But sales numbers are stubborn things. If gaming is now 'mainstream', then why is Super Mario Brothers 3 still the best selling non-bundled game by a mile?

This myth is also believed by Xbox fans (or the Xbox Generation). They believe Halo and Halo 2 are some of the best selling games ever made. I sit them down and show them the numbers. Three games on the Gamecube practically matched Halo in sales: Super Smash Brothers Melee, Mario Kart Double Dash, and Super Mario Sunshine (which was seen as a disapointment). Goldeneye (for the N64) outsold Halo 2. Donkey Kong Country, Super Mario Kart (SNES and N64 version), Final Fantasy 7, all outsold Halo 2. In fact, Halo 2 doesn't even appear in the top 25 best selling console games. After seeing the numbers, almost every Xbox Generation member then says, "But Halo 2 had be biggest opening beating the movie Spiderman 2!" It's sad they don't realize that this doesn't show the popularity of Halo 2 but the power of Microsoft's marketing of super-hyped sales.

Xbox Live for the Xbox only had two million subscribers. Yet, the Xbox Generation believes that is 'mainstream'. Around 20 million Xboxes sold is an "amazing success". Around 20 million Gamecubes sold is a "horrible failure". Hilariously, the Xbox Generation thinks the Xbox 360 is much cheaper than the Playstation 3. But an Xbox 360 plus four years of Xbox Live costs the same as the $600 PS3.

Marketing has also been very effective with the word 'hardcore'. A 'hardcore gamer' is, essentially, a nerd gamer. (not mocking it, just saying what it is)
In their view, if you play games such as Civilization, Zelda, or even World of Warcraft, you are a 'nerd gamer'. But if you play realistic war and sports games, then you are 'hardcore'. They believe 'hardcore' is synonymous with 'cool' where hardcore used to mean 'dedicated, nerd-like, obsessed, and skilled'.

Gaming now has to be mainstream, after all, Sony/Microsoft said so! Nintendo and Sega also have marketing but nothing that approaches the budgets of Sony and Microsoft. Anyone remember during the 16-bit days of kids preferring the Genesis not because of its games but because of its 'rebellious image'? This is the same sad story going on with these self-declared 'hardcore' gamers.

Marketing works... only for a little while. Then reality appears. The reality, for Xbox Generation, is that the Xbox 360 is only selling around the same level as the original Xbox (flopped just as hard in Japan) and to the same exact demographic. The Halo franchise has reached the tipping point similiar to what happened in the middle of the Metal Gear Solid franchise. Halo 3 will most likely not sell as much as Halo 2.

The reality for the Playstation Generation is that $600 price tag (no console can be mainstream with that price tag). Gran Turismo 4 sold considerably less than Gran Turismo 3. Metal Gear Solid 3 sold less than Metal Gear Solid 2. Final Fantasy has been selling less. Animal Crossing DS has outsold Final Fantasy 12 in Japan. Grand Theft Auto 3 sold only two million on the PSP. The Playstation's exclusive franchises are in decline.

Thes
Lessons I learned from Gaming... by Macgrrl · 2006-06-01 16:10 · Score: 1

1. Full screen games are exactly the reason why you still need a clock next to your computer.

2. While RSI may be dodgy science at times, the effects are real. Damn you Tetris.

3. Blue Elf needs food. Badly.

4. American's don't know when they have it good regarding network ping times.

5. Collectible Card Games aren't really as addictive as crack, but pre-painted minis are.

6. Beware of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup. (How did that ancient gold dragon get into that 10'x10' room anyway?)

7. Despite the laws of probability, some dice really are lucky or unlucky.

8. There really is such a thing as too many expansion packs, especially if you are trying to finish a game of Talisman before going back to work on Monday morning.

9. The best strategy games come out of Germany.

10. There is a strong correlation between geeks and gaming.

--
Sara
Designer, Gamer, Macgrrl in an XP World