Nintendo's Next-Gen Arsenal

Much of the coverage of the next-gen skirmish so far has focused on Sony and Microsoft. The already-impressive Xbox Live vs. the PS3. Just the same, for the first time in many years Nintendo is definitely in the running for top spot. About.com has a piece looking at what the big N is bringing to the next-gen party this November. From the article: "While Nintendo is trend setting with controllers like the Wiimote and, to a lesser extent, the nunchaku dongle, other companies will be following along. Nintendo's game plan from the genesis of the Wii has been touch and gamer-friendly games. They see the future of gaming in the Wiimote. Everyone else, at this point, seems to be just catching up."

Comments

I hope this works...

[ItMustBeEsoteric]

Because I'm sick of liking a keyboard and mouse more than any controller available. Does anyone else here feel the same? I'd bet you do. Now think about how ridiculous that is. Sure, we use the keyboard and mouse more often, but they (mostly) weren't designed for gaming. Yet my Apple keyboard and Microsoft trackball are better than any controller I've tried.

Design issues, much? I hated Halo on the XBox. Really, really hated. On PC...god, what a difference.

I also remember the thrill that was Duckhunt back in the day--Nintendo gave me my personal first experience of an alternative gaming controller. I really hope that they can make it that...well, awesome for me again. And that I can shoot the damned dog this time.

Backward Compatible with NES?

[Stringer Bell]

I was a gamer back when the NES was in its heyday. Then the SNES came out with controllers that had a hundred and dickety-two buttons, and suddenly I turned into Grandpa Simpson overnight.

I heard a rumor that Wii was going to support original NES games. If true, this could lead me to buy my first console since I was in high school. Unfortunately, the official Wii site doesn't address this at all. That's probably a bad sign, but still I hold out hope. Has anyone else heard this, or can anyone else corroborate the story?

Re:What it needs the most is...

[mattmacf]

Meh, I know Nintendo is doing something in the online venue (old downloadable Nintendo emulators and whatnot), but personally, I don't see the fun in playing SSB Brawl online. The past two semesters, I played an ungodly amount of the original SSB (the vintage 64 version), but I doubt it would've been half as fun had it been done online. Personally, half the fun in playing games like that is the trash talk that goes back and forth, the periodic cig breaks between marathon free for all sessions, and the atmosphere of having four guys crammed on a dorm room couch (all conveniently within arms reach, should a dispute need to be settled properly). Honestly, I think a significant part of the experience would be lost in online play. Not to mention the fact that the SSB franchise is the only (AFAIK) worthwhile multiplayer game that doesn't require split-screen goodness. Sure, a game of Halo across the campus LAN can be fun, but even those rarely go more than a few rooms away, and generally teams are kept within the same room. I'm sure Nintendo will have a decent online system this time around (they certainly got it right with the DS), but it won't be the reason I get a Wii.

Online will (and should) be icing on the cake, but it certainly isn't a selling point (at least for me). It might benefit a couple of games here and there, but at least for the ones I'm keenly interested in (Zelda, Metroid, and maybe a new Mario Tennis with the controller?!?) don't require an online aspect at all.

Re:The big N not getting much coverage, eh?

[rcastro0]

Guess who wins?

Spoiler Alert: Answers posted below
(to save your mouse three clicks)

PS3: 389 appearances on a Slashdot title
XBOX 360: 334 appearances
Wii (or Nintendor Revolution): 70 appearances