Comments From Miyamoto On Wii, Industry

This past December, Nintendo designer Shigeru Miyamoto sat down with the Talk Asia program. It was only just recently translated and (via Ars Technica), CNN is carrying the resulting commentary. Miyamoto discusses the creation of Mario, the future of the Nintendo, the problems facing the games industry today, and the 'awesomeness' of the Wii's name. "I think anyone can enjoy video games. But some people shy away from them, just by looking at the shape of the console, or they think it is complicated when they have to plug the machine into their television set. However, I think if it is something that is simple to connect and play, it can be enjoyed by anybody, especially if they can interact with the characters. We also have to think about the themes of the games. There is an abundance of themes that people are interested in, and video games have only touched on few of them."

Comments

I'd enjoy the Wii more if it played Rocket Jockey!

[JoshDM]

Whenever I see a reminiscence about fun, yet somewhat dated PC games, the same group of popular gems like X-COM, Fallout, Star Control II, and Syndicate get the most attention. During these conversations, I always bring up a small lost gem, but very few have heard of it and even fewer have played it. This diamond in the rough? Rocket Science's "Rocket Jockey". Published by SegaSoft back in 1997, Rocket Jockey lived a short life between being too powerful for some machines and yet incompatible with next generation PCs. In addition, the coveted LAN play-enabling patch was released far too late in the game, after any popularity Rocket Jockey had built faded away. Rumor had it the game would be released to the Playstation, but this never came to fruition. Rocket Jockey is a game about a future sport; rocket... jockeying. As a Rocket Jockey, you straddle a rocket and ride it around a gladiatorial style arena at high speeds. Armed with a grapple on either side to help steer in a 1989 Batmobile fashion, you can enter any of three modes of play: 1) Rocket Racing: speed around an obstacle course to be the fastest competitor (or solo for a time trial). 2) Rocket Ball: a polo-style sport involving snagging balls with the grapple and whipping them appropriately into goals before your opponents can stop you or score more. 3) Rocket War: a gladiatorial battle against other competitors which involves ramming other rockets, snagging jockeys off their mounts with the grapple, tying various items (jockeys, rockets, poles, bombs) to other items (jockeys, rockets, poles, bombs) for style points. Simplistic as they sound, this was an incredible and intuitive game, pure unadulterated genius. Besides the addictive game-play (oh, the screams of a competitor jockey ripped from his rocket and swung into a pole), what also stood out with Rocket Jockey was the classy style; down-home 1950's Americana sensibilities reminiscent of Interplay's Fallout series combined with snarky, nihilistic future ad designs. And the music. Oh, the music. The game was accompanied by a surf guitar soundtrack from none other than Dick Dale himself. No game I know of has even come close to being anything like Rocket Jockey (Jet Moto?). And that's the clincher; it would be so simple to recreate today. To not give this game a proper revival would be a crime. And that's where the Wii comes in. The controls are a near-perfect match. The rocket is controlled by leaning; left or right and you drift in that direction. Up or down were the same, though there wasn't much of a height radius (rockets only went, at most, ten feet from the ground, just enough to ram an opponent off rocket). This basic guidance could be controlled with the Wiimote, with emphasis based on increasing the angle the Wiimote is bent. Being a PC game, speed and launching and releasing the grapples (left and right) were all keyboard based. Velocity (speed, braking) could be handled with A and B, and the Nunchuk could conform to a nice grapple. Aiming was originally nonexistant; it was based on the rocket's angle of lean. With a slight adjustment an aim factor could be a variable handled by the analog stick. This game was way too short lived and was so good it cries to be remade for the modern day. Fan attempts have been made to bring it to Unreal Tournament and other platforms. In a recent attempt to get in touch with one of the former developers, I was informed that lawyers constantly botched earlier attempts to get this game properly licensed for a remake. With my prodding, said contact did put forth the idea of porting or re-developing Rocket Jockey to the few remaining Rocket Science alumni. So far, nothing yet has come of this. If anyone out there can do anything for this game, I implore you to try. With the additional promise of online multi-player (or at least split-screen local), an update of Rocket Jockey has the potential to be a future solid gold hit.

Video Games for Dummies

[EveryNickIsTaken]

But some people shy away from them, just by looking at the shape of the console, or they think it is complicated when they have to plug the machine into their television set. However, I think if it is something that is simple to connect and play, it can be enjoyed by anybody.."
Nice. He's essentially saying the Wii is for morons.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[PrescriptionWarning]

so I guess until they build a projector right there into the game console, many people are essentially screwed!

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[Anonymous Coward]

'Morons' is a huge market.

PS: Serviced your car at home recently?

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[HappySqurriel]

Being intimidated and being a moron are two very different things ... Maybe I'm the only person in the world who has noticed this but many people refuse to learn how to drive a standard because it "seems" too complicated.

I don't know if it has always been this way but most adults today are afraid to attempt anything where they feel they will not be instantly successful.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[EveryNickIsTaken]

I'm sorry, but anyone who is "intimidated" by the prospect of having to plug something into their TV would likely not have the technological know-how to even turn the console on and stick the disk in. To say that this is the market you're aiming for is just idiotic.

I'm really hoping something was lost in translation in this interviwew.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[techpawn]

Fear of failure and being "pwned" by someone half your age doesn't always play into the "fun" most people try to get from entertainment.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[Aladrin]

Standard shift -does- add complexity to a vehicle. For most people, this added complexity is completely unwelcome.

I drive stick and love it. I refuse to drive an automatic. But I -get- something from it. More control. These people don't get anything from it, and it would take them time and effort to learn, for nothing.

And yes, most adults shy away from things they are certain to fail at on their first try. There's SO many other things to do that don't involve failure that it's not a big surprise to me.

Nintendo is aiming at this market of people. They are making games that are easy and fun to learn and play, and making the console simple enough that they won't be scared of all the learning involved in just turning it on the first time. (Oddly, the sensor bar is against this, and so are the GC ports on the side. They are, thankfully, hidden until you look for them, though.)

My mom keeps asking to come over and play the 91-pin bowling game. Her previous video game experience includes Pac Man, atari 2600 pinball, and Space Invaders. Oh, and the cheezy games on Reflexive.net, also. They've already snared 1 non-gamer in my household. My sister and her friend have asked to play the boxing game to work out their arms, also. They left exhausted the first time they tried that... Haven't been back, though.

It's working for them. Now they need to make more of the WiiSports-type games, and quickly! WiiPlay is NOT like it at all. I'm very disappointed.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[Wilson_6500]

The Wii is easily one of the more complex Nintendo systems to set up--if not the most complex. Not only do you have to plug something into the TV at the back, but you also have to position, align, and affix the sensor bar. God help you if you don't have a table edge to line it up with! Then there's the memory card--perhaps it was just my console, but the SD card didn't seem to want to "click" into place properly. That threw me for a serious loop--I had to check twice if I wasn't putting it in upside-down. Then there's the system menu--what other Nintendo console (the DS?) has ever had a setup menu with quite as many options as this one? Wifi _alone_ could scare away even a relatively competent console gamer who has little computing experience otherwise.

I honestly don't know what he quite meant. The SNES was dirt simple to set up and run compared to the Wii. Sure, it can be set up as braindead as any other appliance (blinking VCR, anyone?), except for the sensor bar and SD card. I'm also not criticizing the Wii interface OR saying that plugging in the sensor bar is hard to do or beyond anyone--I just don't understand how the Wii can be pointed to as something that's simpler than a machine that just needs to be plugged into the television.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[HappySqurriel]

I'm guessing you've never actually talked to a woman, or even a non-geeky man ...

Maybe I'm unique, but I have helped dozens of people set up their DVD players, Surround Sound Systems, and videogame systems; just because they're intimidated when looking at dozens of inputs of various shapes and sizes on the back of their TV does not mean that they have no interest in gaming.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[recursiv]

I refuse to learn to drive stick because it *is* more complicated and adds no value for me. I have no problem attempting and failing, but I won't bother attempting if there is no possible gain. I think that is the reason most people don't drive manual.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

"Nice. He's essentially saying the Wii is for morons."

Semi OT: Good design isn't about user intelligence, it's about user interest level. If you hand somebody that is really interested in gaming a machine that requires an OS install, they'll go through the steps to follow the process. If you hand that same machine to somebody who doesn't care much, they'll lose interest rather quickly and skip it. Intelligence doesn't factor into it.

This is something that applies to... well... just about ANYTHING you present to other people. I could, for example, convert this post to ROT-13. You're smart, you could decode it, right? I doubt you would, though. I certainly think most people here wouldn't bother, anyway. It isn't because you and everybody else here are incapable of translating it, it's because I would have made a bad design choice while trying to communicate my views with you. It wouldn't be very accurate of me to say that anybody who skipped my post is 'a moron'. If anything, I'd be the moron for doing something like that and expecting anybody to invest the time.

So, no, he isn't saying the Wii is for morons.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[El Gigante de Justic]

While there are a lot of setup menus and such, the manual does a very good job of explaining all of them.

  I think the main point of simplicity he is talking about is the controller. If you take someone who hasn't played video games since the days of NES, Atari or Pong (if they've played at all), the XBox and PSX/2/3 controllers can be very intimidating. Even the SNES controller could be intimidating to some. Even for games with complex controls, the Wii controls, while they may initially seem tricky, are easier to remember - for example, when playing Madden on the XBox, I could never remember which button was Catch and which button was Swat when playing pass defense, while on the Wii they are easy to remember because you literally make a catching or swatting motion.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[nomadic]

Maybe I'm the only person in the world who has noticed this but many people refuse to learn how to drive a standard because it "seems" too complicated.

I refuse to learn how to drive standard because a) I work for a living, b) value my time off, and c) don't see how paying money and spending time to learn how to drive something I currently don't need to drive would be productive.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[Phanatic1a]

These people don't get anything from it, and it would take them time and effort to learn, for nothing.

On the contrary, it would be better for everyone to learn how to drive on a manual transmission.

I'm not saying that everyone should be required to drive manual transmissions, that we outlaw automatics. But if you learn to drive on a manual, you're probably going to be a better driver.

Why? Because automatics and CVTs are reactionary; you do something, and then the transmission adjusts to what you just did. Manuals are anticipatory, you decide in advance of what you want to, and then shift to bring that outcome about.

It's the difference between some mushhead in an SUV braking all the way through a turn, and someone in an S2000 slowing and downshifting before the turn, and then accelerating out of it and upshifting. The latter driver had to be looking ahead, thinking of what he was going to do before the turn came up. Learning how to drive with that mindset makes you a more anticipatory driver, even if you never drive another manual again.

Okay, huge digression from the topic, but you hit a nerve.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[TheThiefMaster]

"Many people" I assume refers to Americans, because almost all UK driving lessons are in cars with manual gears. It's not something you have to take extra time to learn, after already having learnt in an automatic (like some of the replies to your post suggested) instead nearly everyone learns to drive in a manual from the start.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[hjf]

I drive a stick because I'm in Argentina, and we are "european-style", so traditionally we never had automatic. Just in the last few years "affordable" cars began to have automatic as an option. And I mean Honda Fit, Civic, Toyota Corolla and that's about it. Previously you needed an expensive car (an Honda CR-V, a Mercedes or a BMW) just to have the.. pleasure? of driving automatic.

Personally, I like both. I learned to drive on a Renault 18, with stick. It was annoying at first, but it was easy. It had a "deep clutch", you had to push it really in to fully engage it, and considering that the clutch is "analog", it was a bonus for learning. In 2004 we switched to a Chevrolet Meriva. This one had a short clutch, kind of "on-off". It was a little harder (even my dad, who's been driving for over 40 years now, had the engine turning off from bad clutching a couple of times).

Now we have a 1998 BMW 528i, automatic + sequential, street and sport program, etc. I love to just push the gas and have the car do everything. He likes to use the sequential mode, but it's annoying for him that the car actually shifts one or two seconds after you command it to shift. But he finally fell for the automatic while driving on the road with cruise control enabled (another feature that cars here don't have).

But anyway, I recommend you to learn to drive a stick. "You never know when you might need it". So there's no "no possible gain" for you. Also, there's no possible loss for you either. Your reasoning reminds me of the Cambodian army's: they kill war prisoners because "we gain nothing for keeping you, but we lose nothing for killing you".

So, stop being an ass and start doing things "just because". Knowledge doesn't take up space in your brain.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[steveo777]

I agree completely. I like having control over my vehicle. Active torque control, Steering assist, automatic transmissions. Cars are now point and shoot. Making it easier and easier for the driver to not concern themselves and get on the phone, read a magazine (a big nerve there), and other things.

I think this thread is easily related to the discussion on the Wii controls. I feel much more in control when I'm playing the Wii. For much the same reason that people like having the steering wheel for racing games. Or just look at Steel Battalion. People like being in control. And the standard controller is essentially dead. Standard being the Wii controller and automatic being the game pad.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[Phisbut]

b) value my time off
c) don't see how paying money and spending time

I don't know how things are where you live, but over here, cars with automatic transmission typically sell at $1000 more than the exact same model with manual transmission. I learned to drive with stick in less than a day, and it saved me $1000 on my car. I bet you have a wonderfully paying job to value your time off at more than $1000 a day.

I don't see how paying a lot of money to get a car that doesn't require a single day of training is such a good investment.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[localman]

Nice. He's essentially saying the Wii is for morons.

Or busy people. Let's remember that not everyone in the world has the same priorities as us. There's nothing stupid about that.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[drsquare]

On the contrary, it would be better for everyone to learn how to drive on a manual transmission.

Why do so many Americans drive automatic cars? As far as I'm aware that phenomonom hasn't spread anywhere else.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[seebs]

Empirically, aligning the sensor bar does not require nearly that level of care. I just sorta put mine on top of the display and it works fine.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[Aladrin]

I wrote a whole long story about my father and a luxury car, then realized it had -nothing- to do with what you said. -sigh- Anyhow...

I don't have facts to say whether stick or manual drivers are better drivers, but as for 'having to look ahead' ... I think you give people too much credit. It's not long before shifting and braking are both automatic responses to what the driver wants to do. Both people are looking/thinking the same distance ahead. But the S2000 driver has to deal with the stick and clutch, where the SUV just has the brake. I can't see how that's better, especially since both are automatic to the driver now.

I think instead the car itself is both a bigger problem -and- an indication of the type of driver. An S2000 driver drives because he likes driving. An SUV driver drives because he needs to go somewhere. The S2000 has their mind on the road because that's their end goal. The SUV itself is a bigger problem because it is inherently less maneuverable.

I don't think making the SUV driver learn stick will do anything.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[gstoddart]

Standard shift -does- add complexity to a vehicle. For most people, this added complexity is completely unwelcome.

Exactly correct. If you've ever seen those "'s Worst Driver" shows which get played on things like Discovery, you get to see prime examples of this.

Driving a manual-shift transmission involves having all four limbs, simultaneously doing different things in concert so it all works. Some people can barely focus on steering and handling gas/brake with a single foot. (I don't mean this to be elitist -- driving is a complex task that an awful lot of people don't seem to actually know how to do very well.)

I would definitely agree that there are perfectly valid reasons why people would avoid driving a manual transmission like the plague. (Me, every time I see a right-hand drive standard, I shudder because the wrong hands would be doing the wrong things, and I'm not sure I could do that. :-P)

Cheers

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[twistedsymphony]

People like being in control. And the standard controller is essentially dead. Standard being the Wii controller and automatic being the game pad.

I beg to differ, I've found most of the implementations of control via the Wii remote sloppy at best. If anything the Wii remote is the automatic here... it relies heavy on computer control to interpret user intent so a heavily filtered set of data points is recognized to trigger action A rather then button A triggers Action A. It's a less complex system for the user but accomplishes this with a more complex system under the hood. It's easier to use and requires less user training (like an automatic) but a standard pad interprets user input unquestionably but requires far more user familiarity and finesse (like a stick shift).

The automatic was introduced to encourage more females and other predominantly non-driving demographics (who found to the task of driving too complex) to start driving the Wii remote hopes to do the same thing to gaming.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[Rycross]

Driving a stick can be more of a hassle than an automatic. I really hate my stick shift in stop-and-go traffic, and I think that, spread over 5 years, $1000 to avoid the hassle of having to deal with a stick and clutch are a good bargain.

Then again, I feel like driving is a pain altogether. I prefer public transit.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[tepples]

so I guess until they build a projector right there into the game console, many people are essentially screwed! That or people are flocking to the DS, which was the first popular 3D handheld system.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[philipgar]

Driving a stick shift car can be fun, and it can save money on a car purchase. However if you're buying a new car, money isn't your top priority to begin with. If money is that big of an issue, you're probably looking at used cars, and there the price difference is likely to be a lot less than $1000.

Also, as someone else responded, it is not about the one day of learning how to drive stick shift cars. If you live somewhere where you do lots of stop and go traffic, stick shifts can get annoying. Even worse is if you live someplace where there's lots of traffic. I remember a while back when I'd commute 35-40 mins each way, and on one of the interstates the traffic would vary between 5mph and 45mph, sometimes peaking up to high way speeds. Driving a stick shift in this sort of traffic was absolutely miserable. You were constantly changing gears. Also, driving a stick shift gets annoying when you're trying to multitask and eat a hamburger or something. Also if you live somewhere with a lot of hills, it can be quite annoying to drive (parallel parking on a hill sucks).

That said, when you're getting onto an empty road or freeway nothing beats flooring a stick shift. It's just so fun to feel the power and the control you have over your car.

Phil

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[nasch]

I don't know how things are where you live, but over here, cars with automatic transmission typically sell at $1000 more than the exact same model with manual transmission.

In the US, many, perhaps most cars above the economy level are not available with a manual transmission. In many cases when they do offer an automatic it's only with the smaller engine option. Almost all vans, trucks, and SUVs are automatic only. As far as I know, the Dodge Viper and Subaru Impreza WRX STI are the only vehicles sold in the US exclusively with a clutch pedal (please tell me if there are others). Some cars have paddle-shift manual transmissions, but no clutch pedal.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[KDR_11k]

We've been so sloppy when we plugged the Wii into a projector we just put two candles at roughly the right positions and it worked fine.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[nomadic]

I bet you have a wonderfully paying job to value your time off at more than $1000 a day.

At my standard billing rate, yes, my day would be worth more than that.

However, since I'm salaried it's not the actual money I'd lose out, but rather my inability to take a day off. I have too much to do. I plan on eventually learning how to drive a stick but right now it doesn't make sense.

Besides which, my car should last a few more years, so any savings would be well down the road.

My main objection was to this hypothesis that people don't learn stick because they think it's too hard, which I thought was silly.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[Littleman_TAMU]

I think GP's point was that targeting your product to a group of people that probably can't even set up said product might not be the best idea. That said, I don't think it's that big of a deal. The Wii is incredibly easy to setup especially if your TV has a set of composite inputs on the front. It's not at all like wiring surround sound. I also agree with GGP about the manual transmission thing. It's basically like riding a bike in terms of the learning process and retention of knowledge. It takes practice at first, but once you've got it, you've got it. It does seem like people don't even want to follow simple installation instructions anymore. Thank our instant gratification culture for that.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[Littleman_TAMU]

Also, as someone else responded, it is not about the one day of learning how to drive stick shift cars. If you live somewhere where you do lots of stop and go traffic, stick shifts can get annoying. Even worse is if you live someplace where there's lots of traffic. I remember a while back when I'd commute 35-40 mins each way, and on one of the interstates the traffic would vary between 5mph and 45mph, sometimes peaking up to high way speeds. Driving a stick shift in this sort of traffic was absolutely miserable. You were constantly changing gears. Also, driving a stick shift gets annoying when you're trying to multitask and eat a hamburger or something. Also if you live somewhere with a lot of hills, it can be quite annoying to drive (parallel parking on a hill sucks). I use that time to practice shifting more smoothly. It really helps. After awhile you don't even notice the "hassle" anymore. You can always use your knees for multitasking though I like manual transmission in that it reduces your desire to multitask. Just wait for a light, parking lot, or get a hands-free set for returning those phone calls.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[Littleman_TAMU]

My main objection was to this hypothesis that people don't learn stick because they think it's too hard, which I thought was silly. You're planning on learning though. The people I've encountered, and I think it's a decent hypothesis that just doesn't apply to you since you will learn, that don't and probably won't ever learn stick cite difficulty when asked why they won't learn.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[twosmokes]

True, but how many times in the past did you have to read the manual to connect a console?
Consoles have gotten more complex, there's no way around that.

On the controller thing... I think this is more up to the developer than the manufacturer. A game can be as simple or as complex as desired with any of the consoles. Katamari had a simple control scheme. Most racing games are steer, break, and gas. I don't think anyone who isn't into gaming has based their decision to continue not-gaming based on the controller. It's more likely that they have other hobbies that are more meaningful to them.

I still don't think that the Wii is going to have the mass appeal everyone seems to think. I have one and I like it, but until the Wii turns out to be the greatest selling console ever I can't believe the hype.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[king-manic]

You often pay the $1000 back a few times over to a mechanic when you need to replace your clutch. You dont' wear otu a automatic transmission as much because it switches gear much more smoothly then a human can.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[IthnkImParanoid]

San Francisco.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[MikeBabcock]

Totally off-topic but I agree.

I have had many people ask why I use the auto-stick to down-shift before corners in my G6 GT and I have to explain the concept of using downshifting to assist slowing the car as well as aiding my acceleration out of (and through) the corner). In a front-wheel drive, I'd rather have my foot on the gas through the corner than on the brakes.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[Anonymous Coward]

Our gas is cheap so we don't care about the few miles per gallon boost you usually get with a manual vs. an automatic transmission. Also, Europeans don't seem to mind driving those cheap little clown cars that we wouldn't be caught dead in (pardon the pun) and since manual transmissions are cheaper to manufacture than automatics you people seem more drawn to them. Fucking faggot euro-trash fucks. Fuck off.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[Anonymous Coward]

Costs a hell of a lot less for to change a set of brake pads than it does to drop a new transmission in a car. Especially a road turd like a G6. They haven't been out long enough for the hundred thousand mile GM rot to set in so there aren't too many in the junk yard yet for your spare part needs. Might take that into consideration while your using your tranny to slow your shit down.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[LKM]

Oh my, where did you learn to drive? Are you seriously suggesting that using the brakes is better than using the engine brake? I actually have a friend who thought that, too. Then he made a trip to the Swiss alps. Overheated this brakes when driving down, and promptly drove straight through a bend. Fortunately, he himself didn't suffer any damages :-)

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[LKM]

Where I live (Switzerland), everyone learns how to drive with a stick. You can't drive with a stick, you don't drive at all. Personally, I don't have an issue with automatic transmission, but calling manual gear shifting "a hassle" is a bit much. After a few days, you don't even think about it anymore.

Agree about public transport, though. You get from point A to point B while actually being able to do something productive, other than swearing at those retarded sunday drivers who constantly get in your way :-)

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[Anonymous Coward]

Hi there. Maybe you are in Europe so I will try to explain this as simply as I can without coming across as condescending. You see, I understand you people over there aren't used to an automatic transmission as you all mostly use manuals. The thing about an automatic is (putting it simply) it basically uses fluid to transfer the torque internally. This fluid has a tendency to run hot. In the case of the G6, if the GP poster is using his manu-matic gimmick to downshift his automatic transmission to slow down, he runs the very real risk of over revving his tranny and causing serious damage. In the case of your friend that went to Swizerland, he was probably driving a manual which doesn't have this problem so of course he would need to downshift and use engine braking. Does this make sense to you or maybe I can explain it more simply if necessary.

I learned to drive in Phoenix, AZ. Hills tend to be less of an issue than in the Swiss alps I would presume. When I drive a manual, I engine brake. When I drive an automatic I let it do it's thing on its own. I certainly don't force a downshift. That can get expensive :).

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[cyberon22]

Lots of benefits, one of the most obvious from the driving perspective is much better acceleration -- manual cars can shift up faster and easier than automatics do (you don't need to wait for the engine to go into overdrive before it decides to shift). Another is less damage to your transmission through normal driving and less expensive transmission repairs should you need.

It is also cool/useful to shift down and use the shift as a breaking/speed-control device when driving in places like indoor parking lots/ramps/etc.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[Breakfast Pants]

You wear out a clutch more often than you wear out an automatic transition, yes. But that is a false comparison. An automatic transmission wears out much quicker than a manual transmission. And it cost much more to replace/repair. End then end, you pretty much break even on maintenance, and thus save $1000 net.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[Anonymous Coward]

Wow, you're a real prick. Why don't you spend the next year learning to speak Klingon, since "you never know if you might need it?"

Ass.

Re:Video Games for Dummies

[hjf]

Lots of benefits, one of the most obvious from the driving perspective is much better acceleration -- manual cars can shift up faster and easier than automatics do

Oh yeah, you know, every day I need to drive like a maniac and can't wait 1 second for the shift to kick in. That jerk at the traffic light always calls me a chicken and I have to race him. Seriously, do you need the kind of acceleration that a manual gearbox will give you?

Another is less damage to your transmission through normal driving and less expensive transmission repairs should you need.

Well, tell that to my mother. A few weeks ago I showed her something she had never used before: third shift. She's lazy so she always goes just the bare minimum in 1st and sticks it to 2nd all the way "because traffic is slow". So we get to a clear street... and she just goes in 2nd. Lately she has been shifting to 3rd (after I showed her how much gas 2nd uses). Sure, now there's the problem that when she turns, she doesn't go back to 2nd... and she kicks the clutch just when the engine is about to turn off. Also when driving in the city, constant shifting wears your clutch. Anyway, even driving that way, our Renault 18 lasted 12 years of her driving every day to school (she's a teacher). So I guess manual transmissions can stand a lot of beating.

It is also cool/useful to shift down and use the shift as a breaking/speed-control device when driving in places like indoor parking lots/ramps/etc.

True that. Less wear on your brakes too, but again... that's too complicated for my mom. JUST LET ME DO THINGS MY OWN WAY!! she screams. I mean, most women (and quite a few men) do that to their manual shift. So for them, automatic is the way to go. I prefer automatic, but it would be nice to have both (my dad has a 1998 BMW 528i automatic and sequential, but it's not the same thing: the car is supervising the gearbox and will shift even if you didn't, or won't let you shift if the engine is not revved high enough. But the most annoying part is how much it takes to shift: about 1 second. Unless you hit the gas after making the shift, but then the car bumps a little. I don't think that's good for the transmission).

If only the Wii had Rocket Jockey (readable)

[JoshDM]

Whenever I see a reminiscence about fun, yet somewhat dated PC games, the same group of popular gems like X-COM, Fallout, Star Control II, and Syndicate get the most attention. During these conversations, I always bring up a small lost gem, but very few have heard of it and even fewer have played it. This diamond in the rough? Rocket Science's "Rocket Jockey".

Published by SegaSoft back in 1997, Rocket Jockey lived a short life between being too powerful for some machines and yet incompatible with next generation PCs. In addition, the coveted LAN play-enabling patch was released far too late in the game, after any popularity Rocket Jockey had built faded away. Rumor had it the game would be released to the Playstation, but this never came to fruition.

Rocket Jockey is a game about a future sport; rocket... jockeying. As a Rocket Jockey, you straddle a rocket and ride it around a gladiatorial style arena at high speeds. Armed with a grapple on either side to help steer in a 19896 Batmobile fashion, you can enter any of three modes of play:
1) Rocket Racing: speed around an obstacle course to be the fastest competitor (or solo for a time trial).
2) Rocket Ball: a polo-style sport involving snagging balls with the grapple and whipping them appropriately into goals before your opponents can stop you or score more.
3) Rocket War: a gladiatorial battle against other competitors which involves ramming other rockets, snagging jockeys off their mounts with the grapple, tying various items (jockeys, rockets, poles, bombs) to other items (jockeys, rockets, poles, bombs) for style points.

Simplistic as they sound, this was an incredible and intuitive game, pure unadulterated genius. Besides the addictive game-play (oh, the screams of a competitor jockey ripped from his rocket and swung into a pole), what also stood out with Rocket Jockey was the classy style; down-home 1950's Americana sensibilities reminiscent of Interplay's Fallout series combined with snarky, nihilistic future ad designs. And the music. Oh, the music. The game was accompanied by a surf guitar soundtrack from none other than Dick Dale himself.

No game I know of has even come close to being anything like Rocket Jockey (Jet Moto?). And that's the clincher; it would be so simple to recreate today. To not give this game a proper revival would be a crime. And that's where the Wii comes in. The controls are a near-perfect match.

The rocket is controlled by leaning; left or right and you drift in that direction. Up or down were the same, though there wasn't much of a height radius (rockets only went, at most, ten feet from the ground, just enough to ram an opponent off rocket). This basic guidance could be controlled with the Wiimote, with emphasis based on increasing the angle the Wiimote is bent. Being a PC game, speed and launching and releasing the grapples (left and right) were all keyboard based. Velocity (speed, braking) could be handled with A and B, and the Nunchuk could conform to a nice grapple. Aiming was originally nonexistant; it was based on the rocket's angle of lean. With a slight adjustment an aim factor could be a variable handled by the analog stick.

This game was way too short lived and was so good it cries to be remade for the modern day. Fan attempts have been made to bring it to Unreal Tournament and other platforms. In a recent attempt to get in touch with one of the former developers, I was informed that lawyers constantly botched earlier attempts to get this game properly licensed for a remake. With my prodding, said contact did put forth the idea of porting or re-developing Rocket Jockey to the few remaining Rocket Science alumni. So far, nothing yet has come of this. If anyone out there can do anything for this game, I implore you to try. With the additional promise of online multi-player (or at least split-screen local), an update of Rocket Jockey has the potential to be a future solid gold hit.

Re:If only the Wii had Rocket Jockey (readable)

[Devir]

I loved rocket jockey. I bought it cheap when Egghead decided to go online only and close all their stores (sad face).

From what i remember of that game is i spent a very large portion of my time grapling opponents and draging them around the arena "Ben Hur" style. It was an extremely simple game at its core, but tons of fun. I've been dying for a remake/sequal ever since. Reading this post makes me want to dig out my CD and play it again. Ironically I've been thinking about this game for the last month or two.

Re:If only the Wii had Rocket Jockey (readable)

[feepness]

The rocket is controlled by leaning; left or right and you drift in that direction. Up or down were the same, though there wasn't much of a height radius (rockets only went, at most, ten feet from the ground, just enough to ram an opponent off rocket). This basic guidance could be controlled with the Wiimote, with emphasis based on increasing the angle the Wiimote is bent. Being a PC game, speed and launching and releasing the grapples (left and right) were all keyboard based. Velocity (speed, braking) could be handled with A and B, and the Nunchuk could conform to a nice grapple. Aiming was originally nonexistant; it was based on the rocket's angle of lean. With a slight adjustment an aim factor could be a variable handled by the analog stick.

Sounds like it would work on the SIXAXIS as well.

Kind Of Sad

[Anonymous Coward]

Miyamoto use to be absolutely godlike in his ability to come up with enduring gameplay elements in his games. It is so sad to see him now pretty much just towing the Nintendo line as the company tries to market old technology with a pointer tack on.

All over the Net Wii owners are starting to say the same thing - I haven't played my Wii for a long time, it's just gathering dust, no one wants to come over and play Wii Sports anymore, the novelty has worn off. Outside of the usual hyped anecdotes from console fans, there is absolutely no evidence that anyone outside the usual Nintendo demographic is buying the Wii in any greater numbers than other consoles.

Looking out over the coming year's Wii release list of games there is absolutely nothing that is revolutionary or disproportionately innovative relative to other consoles. There are the usual halfass ports that GameCube owners know very well and the standard Nintendo first part titles with aiming moved from your thumb to your wrist and some button presses replaced with waggles.

Re:Kind Of Sad

[Applekid]

If you no longer want your Wii, now would be the time to sell it. Since they're still pretty tough to be had in stores you could probably get very close to retail for it. Same goes to everyone saying they don't play it anymore. Why keep it?

Unless, of course, the idea is to have it just to have it, which is a bad idea regardless of who's making it.

When the DS came out, the first year had games that were all novelty and pretty much stinkers. Forget Nintendo, remember the PS2 launch? Hopefully the Wii ramps up faster.

Re:Kind Of Sad

[jibster]

Why am I responding to a troll? Because its friday and I'm waiting for a train.

We love our Wii. Myself and my girlfriend play it every other night. When people come over they figit until we turn it on. We do need games I'll give you that but they will come. Its the DS all over again.

Re:Kind Of Sad

[badasscat]

Miyamoto use to be absolutely godlike in his ability to come up with enduring gameplay elements in his games. It is so sad to see him now pretty much just towing the Nintendo line

It's pretty difficult to be a rebel when you are the one in authority.

As Miyamoto says, he's no longer a Nintendo employee. He's on the board of directors. He's also the head of EAD.

He's not "toeing Nintendo's line", Nintendo's toeing his line. I don't think some people realize how powerful he is. He has nearly as much authority on paper as Iwata and probably more in practice, because CEO's come and go but the loss of Miyamoto would be devastating to the company. He is not just a game designer. He is one of Nintendo's top executives, and he oversees all game development for the entire company as well as most hardware development.

Re:Kind Of Sad

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm sorry, but if you want to boost the price of Sony stock, you'll have to troll elsewhere.

Re:Kind Of Sad

[CronoCloud]

But he's crazy. You can't let him near the controller design people or he fucks it up (N64 and Gamecube) Nintendo had a great controller in the SNES pad and then he goes and does his batshit "I have a great idea I haven't really though through" and then they implement it, badly.

Re:Kind Of Sad

[MeanderingMind]

Actually, the only thing weird about those controllers was how they looked.

The N64 controller introduced a fair number of concepts we still see in controllers today. The Analog Stick and the Trigger being the principle ones. Certainly they were both elements of generations of joysticks that came before, but not since the Atari days had anyone bothered to consider them useful. Nintendo saw that with the advent of 3D games the analog stick would be imperative, and did something about it.

Most importantly, you need to remember that Yamauchi was dictator at Nintendo at the time. It was his vision that guided the aestetics of the N64 and the Gamecube. The Gamecube and Gameboy advance were purple because he wanted them to be so.

My experience with both controllers was positive. They were comfortable and effective at their tasks. I will grant you that the N64 controller's analog stick was easily worn down if you played demanding games such as Mario Party (the original one wreaked havoc upon it) and that the positioning of the Gamecube controller's analog sticks was slightly less orthogonal than the Xbox's. However, to call him 'batshit' is ludicrous.

We owe Miyamoto, and everyone like him, our industry. If 'batshit' is what it takes to make good games, then we should all be 'batshit'.

Re:Kind Of Sad

[CronoCloud]

Oh sure, from a game design point of view he's the good sort of batshit. Still thinks like a kid in some ways. But controllers...ugh.

I loathe the N64 controller, every time I pick it up I wish I could hook up a dual shock to the N64. It's too big, too bulky, too heavy and the analog stick, though better than what had come before, quite frankly sucks. The Gamecube controller, though better, has those wacky buttons equally sized ones are better, for more versatility in control setups, and that funky little right stick and too small d-pad.

And what really drives me batty is that the SNES controller is perfect and Nintendo couldn't figure out how to copy themselves and add a analog stick, which is essentially what Sony did. They essentially admit they were wrong with their old controllers with the new Wii classic controller.

That's the kind controller I wanted the N64 and Gamecube to have.

Re:Kind Of Sad

[Millennium]

Miyamoto use to be absolutely godlike in his ability to come up with enduring gameplay elements in his games. It is so sad to see him now pretty much just towing the Nintendo line as the company tries to market old technology with a pointer tack on.

Miyamoto is "toeing the company line"? No, my friend; Miyamoto is the company line. Have you never heard of the Miyahon Check?

Re:Kind Of Sad

[LKM]

The N64 controller was pure genius. When it came out, Nintendo probably wasn't sure whether the analog stick would work out. So they created a controller that could both be used like a traditional controller, or like a controller with an analog stick, or like a controller with two directional elements, thus creating a controller that was backwards- and forwards-compatible. This controller works with sidescrollers and beat-em-ups as well as it does with 3D jump-n-runs or FPSs.

And apart from the Xbox S, the GC controller was easily the best controller of the last gen. The only two problems with the GC controller are the d-pad (which is way too small) and the z Button (which I think was only put in there for N64 compatibility).

Re:Kind Of Sad

[LKM]

The Gamecube controller, though better, has those wacky buttons equally sized ones are better

No, they're not. These buttons are pure genius: You don't need to remember their names. If a game tells you to press "X", it's always shown using the shape, size and color of the button itself, which instantly makes it obvious which button is meant. I'm still not always sure which button is "x" and which is"triangle" on the PS[1|2|P]. Nintendo got this right.

Re:Kind Of Sad

[CronoCloud]

It amazes me that some people who could remember the SNES button layout or other extemely complex things (like how to frickin code) say they can't remember the trianglel, circle, X, square layout of the dual shock.

Clockwise from top: triangle, circle, X, square.

or if you map it to the SNES layout: X, A, B, Y

Re:Kind Of Sad

[LKM]

The PS signs simply don't make sense. The letters make sense. They're from right to left, BA is bottom, YX top. And as I said, the Cube buttons also have distinctive forms, which makes it dead simple to figure out which one the game is talking about.

Nintendo doesn't really want change ...

[Anonymous Coward]

they want cash

the change i'd like to see are open, affordable platforms

pls, keep your consoles, i'd rather stick to my free pc

Re:Nintendo doesn't really want change ...

[Guppy06]

"i'd rather stick to my free pc"

Tux Racing on a keyboard is good enough for anybody!

Re:I'd enjoy the Wii more if it played Rocket Jock

[Anonymous Coward]

It's a sailboat!

Is Anyone Still Playing Their Wii?

[TionVaria]

I remember those toys you would desperately want when you were a kid for Christmas and they were a blast Christmas day when you finally got them. And then a few days later they were abandoned off in some closet or corner after you realized you were dumb to fall for the marketing hype.

What exactly are people doing with their Wii? People can't possibly still be playing WiiSports.

Re:Is Anyone Still Playing Their Wii?

[NonSequor]

You may be surprised to learn this but there is more than one game available for the Wii.

Re:Is Anyone Still Playing Their Wii?

[HappySqurriel]

Personally, after finishing Zelda I started to play Red Steel which is not a particularly great game but is far better than the reviews would lead you to believe; from that I moved onto trauma center which is an enjoyable little game. Wii Sports still gets a lot of play at "parties" but Rayman seems to have been abandoned in favour of Wario Ware ...

We have Sonic and SSX comming up which I'm a little optimistic about ... Mario Party 8 comes out in March which will (likely) replace Wario Ware at parties

Re:Is Anyone Still Playing Their Wii?

[Devir]

Rayman: psycho bunnies.

Re:Is Anyone Still Playing Their Wii?

[Anonymous Coward]

On the contrary, I am, as are my friends. We just had our second Wii party, complete with Sports, WarioWare and Rayman and are planning our third for this weekend. Did I mention the aveage age of the Wii-party'ers is 26? We're not a bunch of teenagers who get jaded and move on to the next shiny thing that quickly.

Considering I don't have a lot of time to play on my own, I'm still going through Zelda and Trauma Center. I still enjoy my Wii a ton, as much as when I first picked it up 2 months ago.

Re:Is Anyone Still Playing Their Wii?

[UbuntuDupe]

Personally, after finishing Zelda I started to play Red Steel which is not a particularly great game but is far better than the reviews would lead you to believe; from that I moved onto trauma center which is an enjoyable little game. Wii Sports still gets a lot of play at "parties" but Rayman seems to have been abandoned in favour of Wario Ware ...

I largely agree. Red Steel isn't very polished, but on the important matter -- is it fun to play? -- it does very well. Most swordfighting games fail in that blocking requires an insane reaction time, but in Red Steel, it's an instinctual, intuitive motion. And believe me, you have not lived until you've made the leader of a large group surrender. (clank clank ca-clank-clank-clank as they drop their weapons :-P ) I sold Zelda and Rayman, but kept Red Steel. Zelda was of course very fun, but has very low replay value. (No, hunting down pieces of heart does not count as replay value.) Rayman was fun too, but lost its appeal quickly. People actually didn't even like it as a party game. To unlock the special shootout modes, you had to do a ton of easy shootouts -- just not worth it.

Re:Is Anyone Still Playing Their Wii?

[Anonymous Coward]

It appears you are still in denial over buying a system with bad to mediocre games and a controller that doesn't work very well in reality. Don't worry, you're just a little behind us other Wii owners who have moved on from Denial to Bitterness.

Although Delusion is a less popular, but equally valid, option, "the real innovative Wii games are just about to hit the shelves..."

Whatever works for you.

Re:Is Anyone Still Playing Their Wii?

[zopapito]

A little bit off topic but Mario Party 8 was delayed to Q2 2007. EB Games has it coming out in 6/1/07. Just thought to let you know.

Re:Is Anyone Still Playing Their Wii?

[rjung2k]

"What exactly are people doing with their Wii? People can't possibly still be playing WiiSports."

I'm still playing Wii Sports every day, mostly doing a quickie fitness test and maybe a game or two of bowling or tennis. Outside of that, my family also gets in games of ExciteTruck, WarioWare, and Wii Play (which is decent for a $10 disc), along with Super Mario Bros. on the Virtual Console.

I admit it's a little light at the moment, but Sonic and the Secret Rings and SSX: Blur are coming within the next few weeks, so I'm not hurting for deeper games.

Re:Is Anyone Still Playing Their Wii?

[quadelirus]

I think so. I'm waiting for the better shooter games and such to come out, but its just like any other console, with worse graphics and better controls. Personally I prefer the gameplay in for instance Madden on the Wii to any sports game on any other console. For someone like me, who is not a true gamer, but a recreational time waster, the wii remains really fun.

Re:Is Anyone Still Playing Their Wii?

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm assuming you figure if you keep saying the same thing over and over it'll come true. Good luck with that one.

Re:Is Anyone Still Playing Their Wii?

[trdrstv]

Personally I prefer the gameplay in for instance Madden on the Wii to any sports game on any other console.

Agreed. However they spent alot of time refining the motion controls (which work wonderfully), and not enough on the pointer. Why is it wonky even in menus or picking a play? I don't get it, but I love the ability to change my guy on the line to a specific player by pointing rather than cycling through them (when it works). It's not even a fault of the remote, just (IMHO not enough attention or time on that 1 aspect). If Madden 08 fixes that, and offers online play I'd be thrilled.

Also, I can't wait to see the Wii Tiger Woods...

Re:Is Anyone Still Playing Their Wii?

[ShawnMcCool42]

I'm a HUGE fan of the Nintendo DS. What a GREAT system!

However... I stood in line for the Wii for 9 hours. After which I was so happy. 2 weeks later we were all playing Gears of War on my roommate's xbox360. What happened with the Wii? No interesting games is what happenend. No only play is what happenend.

I then put my Wii up for auction on eBay, someone local to me said they had store credit and no money. So, I traded him my used Wii + games + accessories (roughly $390 worth) for a brand new sealed premium 360, gears of war, and controller charger (roughly $520 worth).

I couldn't have made a better decision. Xbox live arcade continues to be a wonderful source of entertainment, and the ability to video and voice chat with my friends who are in the military or dispersed for other reasons is wonderful. Tons of multiplayer fun, tons of new titles. Xbox live arcade delivers updated (online enabled, achievements, ranked tournaments) games for the same cost as the dusty old Virtual Console games. Don't get me wrong, I love many of the games on Nintendo's Virtual console.. However, when the 360 delivers updated arcade content for the same price as original 16-bit content I can't help but to feel completely and utterly ripped off.

Plus, the graphics on games like Call of Duty just BLOW (i hate that game anyway, by the way... I get tired of playing the SAME DAMN WWII shooter... ZZZzz...).

Once Nintendo comes out with online play and/or some decent games I'll consider purchasing a new one. But, seriously.. What an underwhelming launch... It's a launch that relies solely on Zelda and novelty, which wouldn't be so bad compared to other console launches if it wasn't competing with the 360.

Not to mention that after owning both a Wii and DS I've come to the conclusion that the stylus is just more fun to use than the Wii controller as a pointing device. The benefit of the controller is its motion detection, developers! We don't want to have to point and aim the controllers at the screen. The wiimote is NOT a stylus, and doesn't feel all that much link one.. Trying to play any first person shooter on the damn thing is damn near impossible! Play Metroid Prime: Hunters on DS... The damn thing controls like a DREAM! The Wiimote is a different type of input device than a stylus, you could make FPS controls much easier by tilting and rotating it to change the view rather than pointing the remote at the screen. As it is now there's no sense of immersion, and I'm not exactly your average gaming newbie either...

Wii has lots of problems, however I have high hopes. If they stop ramming our anuses with the Virtual Console prices (or hell, by all means charge the same and UPDATE THE CONTENT FOR ONLINE PLAY PEOPLE... SHEEESH!) and actually learn to use the controller we have a lot of gaming joy ahead.

Just not so much right now...

Re:Is Anyone Still Playing Their Wii?

[LKM]

Yeah. I'm still pissed about the NES, too. That god damned D-Pad is never going to fit anything other than Mario Bros. What the hell was I thinking? It just doesn't work very well in reality, and the real innovative games will never hit the shelves.

Re:Is Anyone Still Playing Their Wii?

[LKM]

360: over a year of great games. Wii: pretty much the launch lineup and a few newer games which missed launch. Nintendo actually only sent out the online dev kits a few weeks ago. Anyway, in Europe, we just got Excite Truck, which I love. So I'm happy for now :-)

Re:I'd enjoy the Wii more if it played Rocket Jock

[JoshDM]

Dude, I know. Sorry. There should be an edit feature. And please don't give me any of that "hit Preview Button" hoo-hah. I post many a sailboat b/c I constantly omit hitting that button.

Re:I'd enjoy the Wii more if it played Rocket Jock

[tzhuge]

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, LoadStar, and WingNuts... bring those back too... a rail shooter on the Wii probably works quite well (I haven't tried Rayman yet).

Nintendo fans are blind!

[Intangible Fact]

The Wii was clearly made for the general public.

(General Public)- A group a people that don't have a basic understanding of video games.

The 360 and PS3 will always win when playing games by yourself. Wii is meant for quick and easy fun.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[AbsoluteXyro]

Yeah, the only games Wii will ever have are those silly multiplayer games, like that sword fighting game called Zelda.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[Anonymous Coward]

That is the dumbest shit I've ever read.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[Anonymous Coward]

Quick and easy fun? And that's bad?

So, what? Gamers supposed "work" for our fun now? And isn't the 360's selling point the online multiplayer? That's hardly playing by yourself.

Time to reach around, and pull your head out of... well wherever you had to work to stick it in.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[wilgibson]

If blind=fun, then I guess I'm blind!

The 360 and PS3 will always win when playing games by yourself.

/sarcasm Obvious enough, I must be deluding myself into believing I'm having fun when I play Zelda, Trauma Center, Excite Truck, Elebits, Rayman, WiiPlay and WiiSports(all games I own) when I'm at home by myself, because no one can have fun by them self when using the Wii. NO ONE!

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[seebs]

I have a question for you.

I have a Wii, and I love it to bits. I've been playing it a fair amount. I also have a PS3. I haven't gotten a game for it yet, because none of them look interesting.

I have more than one 60+ character on World of Warcraft. I own a Sega Genesis+Sega CD, SNES, 3DO, Saturn, PS1, PS2, and N64. I have something in excess of 200 various games for PC and Mac. I have written my own video games for my own amusement, I have done major revision work on one of the roguelike variants, I've contributed code to Angband (which was even in the official distribution for a whole sub-release before the entire spell system got converted to lua!), and I probably spend in excess of twenty hours a week playing video games. I have published papers (admittedly, not peer-reviewed) on game design and usability.

And yet, I think the Wii is clearly well-suited to people like me.

So, is the problem that, having an advanced understanding of video games, I am not a person with only a basic understanding, who would naturally prefer the PS3?

Seems to me that the Wii is a much better machine for [b]playing games[/b] than either of the competitors. Yes, they have very impressive graphics. The Wii has a controller which is flat out better for playing games. Since I'm interested in playing games, not watching photorealistic cut scenes, playing movies, or otherwise doing things which are not "playing games", the Wii is by far the best of the current options.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[Intangible Fact]

Such simple people. All the games on the Wii are so Incredibly easy. Go play a real game that test your abilities.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[Intangible Fact]

How can you consider the Wii to be the best system to purchase based on the controls when most of the games currently on the system make the controls feel tacked on.

The Wii is a better machine for playing party games, but when it comes to FPS or adventure it sucks. The PC and other consoles provide a better controls.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[ShaggyIan]

That statement is so poorly considered I felt compelled. . . nay, obligated. . . to register so that I could respond to it.

I am 30 years old. I cut my gaming teeth with games like Silent Service for the Commodore 64. I've owned so many gaming systems I shudder to think about it. The Wii is on that list. The 360 and PS3 are not (yet). I've seen no reason to shell out those kind of bucks for a system that I have little interest in at this point. When the price comes down and the libraries interest me, then I might pick one up.

"A group a people that don't have a basic understanding of video games." Really? Let me teach you the two basic things to understand about video games. . .

1) Video games are for fun/enjoyment (in general, you masochists). Pretty graphics != fun. While the PS3 and 360 might have better graphics, I haven't seen anything yet that I thought "I really want that, that looks like fun". Wii is meant for quick and easy fun? That sounds like a winner to me every time. Your statement makes me wonder why you play games in the first place. It sounds like for you, pretty graphics and FPS games are fun/enjoyable. That's fine, go buy your PS3 and 360. I haven't heard a reason yet to denigrate the Wii.

2) Video games make money. Right now, the Wii is definitely making money. Especially because of its appeal to the general public. I would venture a guess that the Sony folks who aren't thinking long-term are getting very nervous about now. Nintendo has my respect in going for the casual gamer (i.e. large market) instead of the hardcore (e.g. teenager without a job). There's a large untapped market, and an entry level economics class will teach you that untapped markets are the easy money.

Until the Wii entered my house, I was usually playing games by myself. Part of the reason I love the Wii is that my wife/mother will play it with me. That doesn't mean I don't still love Final Fantasy Tactics, and Twisted Metal Black, but it does mean I don't play them as much anymore.

So I suppose my point is, please go play with yourself, and leave your drivel/troll unposted.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[AbsoluteXyro]

Isn't it a little early in the console's life span to be making calls like that? Twilight Princess is probably one of the best adventure games out there, if not THE best. Also, the Wii has the potential to be the perfect FPS machine, and as developers learn to develop for the Wii remote I am sure we will see some incredible FPS titles hit the Wii. Your argument is flimsy at best!

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[Intangible Fact]

So your telling me that playing Lost Planet, GOW, Crackdown (Demo), MotorStorm isn't fun? You would rather pretend to be a half-ass surgeon in trama center or fight some rabid rabbits? Wow...I like your high standards.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[Anonymous Coward]

The 360 and PS3 will always win when playing games by yourself. Wii is meant for quick and easy fun.

But Prostitutes are meant for quick and easy fun too, and they've been around for like, forever. And most of the time, you get a prostitute by yourself.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[Krakhan]

Yes, because playing and beating a game like The Immortal is a sure test that you are a true gamer. What an awesome argument you've made.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[Phisbut]

Go play a real game that test your abilities.

I don't always play games to test my abilities. I play games to *gasp* have fun.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[MeanderingMind]

Isn't the point of any video game pretending to be something we aren't? Whether it's a soldier, a racer, a hedgehog, a fat plumber, a surgeon, a guitar master, or a field marshal; all video games place us in positions we do not normally have access to. That's the appeal of video games.

Like any other media each genre (and any particular sub-category or instance thereof) will appeal to some gamers more than others. You can note that you do not agree with his taste in video games, but insinuating that his standards are somehow flawed because he chooses X over Y is disingenuous.

In the end, every character we live vicariously through in video games is "half-assed", as we are not actually living that dream.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[ShaggyIan]

Not fun enough to make me want to drop that kind of money to play them by myself. Not when I have a cheaper alternative that can involve my family. Which standards do you refer to exactly? Graphics? Popularity? I have one standard. I have to enjoy the game enough to justify it's cost to me.

I haven't played a FPS that held my interest since Half Life and Deus Ex. I find the control scheme on the PC vastly preferable for FPS games anyway. Crackdown? Another GTA clone. MotorStorm? Wooo, another racing game. Hold me back. I notice that the first thing most reviewers talk about on any of these is the graphics. Not interested. I don't even own an HDTV. It sounds like your standards differ greatly from mine.

Trauma Center doesn't look like fun, so I don't own it. Rayman is fun for me (in bursts at least), and moreso for my wife, so we own that one.

Honestly, the most fun I've had on my Wii thus far has been Wii Sports and Pikmin for the GC. Both of those were "free" to me.

My point is simply that not caring so much about hi-res graphics and FPS/racing games (which permeate the 360 and PS3) does not mean folks don't understand games. At the end of the day, we all have to decide what is fun for us, and how much we're willing to pay for that. I am certainly not willing to pony up the bucks for those systems yet, because my $:fun ratio would not be very good. Was I interested in Dead Rising, GOW, ChromeHounds? Yes. Enough to pony up for a 360? No.

FWIW: My favorite genre (judging by number of purchases) is strategy. You don't see games like Total War on a console. Hell, I'm currently playing The Ur-Quan Masters (http://sc2.sourceforge.net/). There's some high tech stuff for you. So far, it seems like fun, and it cost me nothing.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[Darkforge]

I also have a PS3. I haven't gotten a game for it yet, because none of them look interesting. [...] Since I'm interested in playing games, not watching photorealistic cut scenes, playing movies, or otherwise doing things which are not "playing games", the Wii is by far the best of the current options.

This is so outlandish I fear you must be some sort of troll (and if so, congratulations, you got me).

What sort of idiot would spend $600 on a console and never use it? Did you even open the box? I could understand not buying any games if you wanted to use it to watch Bluray movies with it or something, but since you apparently have no intention of doing either, I have to assume that either you're a moron, or you're so rich that you can afford to just throw away $600. (Or both... I can't rule that out!)

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[seebs]

Hint: Go poking around for articles with my name as a byline.

Did you know that the PS3 runs Linux, and has a Cell processor?

Did you know that I write a LOT of material about Linux, and a lot more material about the Cell processor?

I have a very compelling reason to own a PS3, which involves neither movies nor games.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[seebs]

How can you consider the Wii to be the best system to purchase based on the controls when most of the games currently on the system make the controls feel tacked on.

The same way I can consider the Wii to be the best system to purchase when elephants are usually a vivid pink and fly around using rocket packs.

Since, right now, most of the games I have do not "make the controls feel tacked on", your question refers only to a hypothetical situation which does not obtain.

The Wii is a better machine for playing party games, but when it comes to FPS or adventure it sucks. The PC and other consoles provide a better controls.

Written like someone who hasn't played it. There is simply no way I can imagine being persuaded to play another analog stick shooter, having had access to an actual pointing device on a console. The Remote kicks the ass of analog sticks for aiming. PC controls are arguably even more flexible, but the Wii is a lot easier to use. (Admittedly, the FPS games out for it have mostly been lame; amusingly, Elebits, while not at all FPS-like in plot or structure, has the controls of a fairly nice FPS.)

But as an example, consider Wii Sports. I dismissed it at first as being really simplistic, but I thought I'd try the tennis a bit more, and then I discovered something: In fact, there's a lot of control over the ball in that game. It doesn't LOOK like it at first, because I am not a tennis player, so I didn't know anything about control, but in fact, just playing has gotten me a lot more skilled; I can now aim the ball, most of the time. Suddenly, an apparently "tacked on" game has become a really good experience. The controls are not just subtituting "wave your arm" for "push the swing button". No, the controls are using arm motions for aiming, for lob, for spin... For all the things you would actually control with your swing playing Tennis.

Similarly, I've gotten smacked down by multiple 3D Zelda games in the past because the controls are always a little obnoxious; most noticably, I hate trying to aim with an analog stick while something is trying to hit me. In Twilight Princess, aiming is effortless and instantaneous, and the net result is that the game is a lot easier.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[Anonymous Coward]

Hah, you act like a measly six hundred bucks is some vast fortune. What's the weather like over there in Cambodia?

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[CronoCloud]

Ok, you worked on Angband and prefer the Wii? Wouldn't you rather have a console that you can play Angband on? Meaning the PS2/PS3?

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[tepples]

The same way I can consider the Wii to be the best system to purchase when elephants are usually a vivid pink and fly around using rocket packs. Let me guess, you're waiting for Animal Crossing Thwii like I am, right?

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[Anonymous Coward]

Part of the reason I love the Wii is that my wife/mother will play it with me. The man from Arkansas is right!

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[king-manic]

People will buy it in expectation of games to come. I have a $750 GC for EB game. This is the for the PS3, some accesories and MGS4 when it comes out. Some people get it earlier to allow them to watch blu ray. MGS4, FFxiii, GT:HD are all motivations for me to get the machines as well as my 80 game back library of sony Ps2/Ps1 titles.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[PyroMosh]

So what's this "very compelling" reason? You've got me on the edge of my seat.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[LKM]

Yes, some of the controls of the launch games feel tacked-on - Zelda could have done more with it, for example. However, even in this state, they are simply better than comparable traditional control schemes. Twilight Princess on the Wii quite simply controls much better than Wind Waker.

Furthermore, claiming that the dual shock provides better control for FPS than the Wii remote is, quite simply, utterly absurd.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[seebs]

I play Angband on a desktop computer. I don't need a console for that. Angband would suck badly on a console; it depends on a huge array of key options and a screen with a huge amount of data, rather than on simpler graphics and fewer buttons.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[seebs]

Hee.

No, actually, I hated Animal Crossing. Too materialistic for me.

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[CronoCloud]

I don't think you got the point:

Take a PS3 (or PS2) with the officially supported ability to run Linux, ability to output at high resolutions, 1080p for the PS3, 1080i for the PS2, and USB ports for a keyboard. They meet your requirements, so what's the problem. I've played Rogue, Nethack, and yes, Angband on a PS2 with the LInux kit.

Where have you been to not know this was possible>

And since Angband can be played ASCII aren't it's graphics simpler than any PS2/PS3 native-mode RPG?

Re:Nintendo fans are blind!

[Canthros]

Yeah, fun games totally went out with the last millenium. It's all about games that are excruciating to play. I hear the next console from Sony will include electrodes in the controllers, to shock players at random intervals (hardcore gamers love this sort of thing: it keeps them on their toes)!

Seriously, guy. You need a better hobby than this.

Re:I'd enjoy the Wii more if it played Rocket Jock

[Virak]

Go to "Preferences", click "Comments", scroll to the bottom, set "Comment Post Mode" to "Plain Old Text", and BAM! No more sailboats.

I Fell For The Wii Hype

[Anonymous Coward]

And all I have to show for it is a dusty unused console. I could have just bought Zelda TP for my GameCube, could have gotten my fill of Wii Sports at a friends house in one night. Now I feel like an idiot for falling for the hype. I would have already have sold my Wii if I wasn't so fucking lazy.

I honestly fell for the talk about 'amazing never before seen gameplay' with the Wiimote.

Yeah right. I would love to have someone point out where are these amazing games for the Wii in 2007 or 2008.

Re:I Fell For The Wii Hype

[drummerboybac]

I would love to have someone point out a poster who says their Wii is gathering dust that is NOT posting as an AC

Re:I Fell For The Wii Hype

[HappySqurriel]

Well, my Wii is gathering dust because I haven't been cleaning much because I've been playing my Wii ...

Re:I Fell For The Wii Hype

[Anonymous Coward]

Gee, how about...this thread... Nope, Nintendo fanboys aren't crazy, nope, not a bit... Just like Apple/Mac threads, Nintendo fanboys love to carpet bomb entire threads with anything even remotely negative about Nintendo into moderation oblivion.

Re:I Fell For The Wii Hype

[Anonymous Coward]

I feel for you bro - but the upside is that you didn't buy the worthless POS that is the PS3 - there are NO good games available for it 3 months after launch, and nothing in the lineup for 2007 OR 2008 that is not gameplay that is in anyway revolutionary - just better looking PS2 games.

Believe me, with the quality of games coming up for the Wii you will be glad that you bought one. And if you don't want it, sell it and make a nice profit - Wii's on eBay are going for near PS3 prices, while no-one can actually offload their over=hyped, PS3s.

Re:I Fell For The Wii Hype

[mingot]

I'll bite, then. I have a Wii (camped for it with my 10 year old daughter). I spent more time in the line than I have playing the system. I have zelda, monkey ball, and (of course) sports.

I bought monkey ball for the GC on the day that system launched and still play it on occasion. The Wii version, using the new controller, was a royal PITA. Sports was moderately fun. Zelda pissed me off becuase it looked worse than windwaker (trying to do realistic instead of stylized on underpowered hardware is a huge mistake, IMP) and had irritating platform jumping. It just wasn't fun :/

With all of that said, I know I am in the minority here.

Re:I Fell For The Wii Hype

[scatteredsun]

There's some dust on mine...

I play it a lot, I just don't dust.

Re:I Fell For The Wii Hype

[MeanderingMind]

*Hearty Applause*

That took guts, and for that you deserve some recognition.

It's completely ridiculous to assume that everyone in this world is going to enjoy the Wii. It should come as no surprise that people are going to have reactions outside of "Wow!".

However, it is only very rarely that anyone voices a dissenting viewpoint here concerning the Wii that does not hide themselves as an AC. Rarer still is the AC post that seems to have any connection to reality.

I will add that I myself haven't played my Wii much lately, but this is true of all my consoles. My computer and my DS have been stealing my attention away from the television.

Re:I Fell For The Wii Hype

[drummerboybac]

Thank you for replying to my previous post with the huevos to actually have your name attached. Even as a recent Wii purchaser, it's nice to hear about both good and bad experiences.

Re:I Fell For The Wii Hype

[Anonymous Coward]

Mine's collecting dust because I don't have to brush it off to turn it on.

Re:I Fell For The Wii Hype

[trdrstv]

Honestly, I use my Wii pretty much Daily, and have for quite a while. I don't always play games on, it, but it is quickly replacing my computer for casual tasks like checking my hotmail, the weather and news. Also WiiToob and 'Finetune' are great for Wii's version of Opera.

The games are fun, and I have a healthy collection already of both Wii, and VC games which I think is important. Sometimes I want to play a game, but simply don't have the energy for something like Rayman, or Warioware so I fire up StreetFighter, or Mario 64.

Re:I Fell For The Wii Hype

[KDR_11k]

My wii is technically not gathering dust but that's because there's a GC on top of it (Freeloader support on a PAL Wii is spotty to say the least so the GC stays where it is) that would catch the dust instead. I don't use it much but I bought it one week after release knowing that I wouldn't use it now (from experience with my DS) because I expect that there will be interesting games for it before there'll be a pricedrop and why not have a few hours of fun with Wii Sports and the Virtual Console in the meantime? I got Twilight Princess on the GC because I value camera controls highly and the Wii version lacked those. Sure, faster aiming would have helped against those freaking sniper orcs but those arrows do little damage compared to the frustration that misaimed jumps because of bad camera perspectives cause.

Re:I Fell For The Wii Hype

[seebs]

Monkey Ball for Wii has sucky controls. However, they are poorly implemented controls on a good controller. Compare it to Wario Ware before you dismiss the controller as not working well.

Re:I Fell For The Wii Hype

[cloudwilliam]

Maybe the problem isn't with the Wii or with the hype surrounding it. Maybe the problem is that you're "fucking lazy." Enjoying the Wii means you have to get off your ass and move more than just your thumbs.

Certainly there aren't a lot of games out right now, and I have honestly been spending more time on my Gamecube than on my Wii. But to be fair, the system has only been out three months. Expecting an immediate flood of great games from a system most third-party developers probably assumed would fail isn't realistic.

But if you really don't like it, and you're too lazy to sell it, the least you could do is stop complaining about it. As far as I can see, the only problems here are your own.

Re:I Fell For The Wii Hype

[LKM]

I would have preferred Twilight Princess to have the Wind Waker graphics, too. The graphics are a total fan service. People wanted them, and they got them. The game itself, however, is better than Wind Waker. Give it a try.

Re:I'd enjoy the Wii more if it played Rocket Jock

[Anonymous Coward]

crashes into a wall of text

Break tags are your friend!

Re:I'd enjoy the Wii more if it played Rocket Jock

[Anonymous Coward]

motherfukkin WALL of text

The proof is in the Wii...

[gamer4Life]

The controller is shaped like a remote control, something everyone is familiar with, the characters are cartoons, which people of all ages can relate to, and the controls are as simple as moving your body.

The success of the Wii validates everything Miyamoto says.

Re:The proof is in the Wii...

[Anonymous Coward]

"The success of the Wii validates everything Miyamoto says."

Yep, it couldn't possibly be that the same GameCube demographic is buying the Wii!

Sounds like someone needs to go back and look at previous Nintendo console monthly sales breakdowns...

Re:The proof is in the Wii...

[HappySqurriel]

America Japan The American chart is pretty useless at this point in time being that there are only 2 data points, but something to take note of is that the Gamecube never had a shortage and estimates of the Wii's January sales in North America are 500,000 (as compared to the Gamecube's 64,000). The Japaneese chart pretty much needs no comments.

Re:The proof is in the Wii...

[Anonymous Coward]

Linking to vgacharts???

What better way to show the board you are a dimwitted fanboy!

"estimates of the Wii's January sales in North America are 500,00"

Oh god...

Re:The proof is in the Wii...

[HappySqurriel]

Linking to vgacharts???

Why would it be a bad thing to link to vgcharts? They essentially just archive Media-Create and NPD's sales charts and have some (limited) functionality to compare the data ...

Oh god...

"According to Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter, US console sales for the month of January will see the Wii extend its lead over the PlayStation 3, with some 500,000 units expected to have been sold. This is 200,000 units higher than the estimated 300,000 sales of the PS3 for the same period."

Yes, unlike you I have sources that back up my claims

Re:The proof is in the Wii...

[rjung2k]

"Why would it be a bad thing to link to vgcharts? They essentially just archive Media-Create and NPD's sales charts and have some (limited) functionality to compare the data ..."

Actually, IIRC the owner of the vgcharts site has admitted that he regularly "massages" the data to be "consistent" with whatever "trends" he sees. While it's not like the numbers are pulled from whole cloth, it's sufficiently unreliable that its results should be disregarded IMO.

Re:The proof is in the Wii...

[MeanderingMind]

Well, you could always look at the following link as well. Searching the News section for Japan can give you a good look at both software and hardware sales numbers from the far east.

http://www.gamesarefun.com/news.php?newsid=7480

In March we should be getting official numbers for three new systems from both sides of the Pacific. It shouldn't be too difficult at that point to look up the old GameCube numbers and make a fair comparison.

If you have any sources to validate your points, it might be good to put them on the table that we might have a reasonable discussion.

Re:The proof is in the Wii...

[Shadow99_1]

You have obviously never meet my parents... My mom can't manage to use a remote to save her life and both think that cartoons are for kids... Not anyone who has to deal with the 'real world'...

Re:The proof is in the Wii...

[HappySqurriel]

No, that's Nextgenwars ...

VGCharts.org takes the data from NPD, DENGKAI and Media-create and posts them on their site ...
Find a news story about NPD's December numbers, look at their December sales numbers and they're identical

Re:The proof is in the Wii...

[seebs]

They are now, but they weren't. When the December NPD numbers came out, vgcharts suddenly went from reporting 4M Wiis sold to reporting 3.5M Wiis sold.

They update when the real numbers come out, but they guess in the meantime.

Rail Shooter (Rabbids) + Why Game Lists don't work

[Anonymous Coward]

"Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, LoadStar, and WingNuts... bring those back too... a rail shooter on the Wii probably works quite well (I haven't tried Rayman yet)."

Rayman's rail shooter is pretty fun, but limited.

In other news, you posted a list of games without backing them up with a "why" they are good; that's where the parent sailboat poster wins. He explains his argument with more than a "it's a good game" and why it would work on the Wii.

It's Far harder

[Bullfish]

To make games that anyone (literally) can pick up and play, and enjoy, without the crutch of violence and fancy visuals. I like fancy visuals and I do like my counterstrike, but frankly they are truly deriviative and really add nothing truly new over their predecessors. It seems that to use less graphic power and not use the dramatic tension that violence provides requires the kind of out of the box thinking that this guy brings to the table. Games are supposed to be fun, they really are toys, (even the PS3 and 360). That's why you buy them. Those two systems don't have the mass appeal that the Wii is getting by sticking to it's path. And at the Wii's price... many people will get one fix on their 360 pr PS3 and the other with the Wii. In the end, you can have all the violent viseo games you want, but if you really just want fun games that you can play with anyone, it's much harder to do. This guy really deserves to be called a genius.

Re:It's Far harder

[king-manic]

To make games that anyone (literally) can pick up and play, and enjoy, without the crutch of violence and fancy visuals.

They also trade off depth for a shallow learnign curve. Which means after a couple of sessions, the game is stale. Niche games with depth like FF:tactics can keep a interested gamer in it for months or even years while Rayman rabbits got old about the 2nd hour. Ditto with the wii sports. Zelda is the only exception out of the launch titles and even then is often refered to as tedious.

Re:It's Far harder

[FunkSoulBrother]

Trauma Center for the Wii had a relatively easy learning curve but a lot of depth IMO. You really needed to plan and strategize to have a shot at even beating the later challenges, let along getting anything above a "C" ranking.

Re:It's Far harder

[LKM]

Easy to pick up does not imply lack of depth. Games like Tetris or Mario Kart (and even Wii Sports, to a certain degree) are very easy to pick up and to learn. They have simple rules, but these rules result in deep gameplay.

If you've only played Wii Sports for two hours, you haven't even scratched the surface. Did you know that you can slice the ball in Wii Tennis? Or that you can make uppercuts in Wii Boxing? Thinking that you've seen Wii Boxing after two hours is like thinking that you're a pro bowler after two hours. After all, you're just throwing a damn ball at a few wooden figures, where's the depth? And actually, I'm mentioning that because I've played a lot of Wii Bowling, but I don't play real bowling. I always win in Wii Bowling, but a week ago, I played against a pal who goes bowling in real life. He had never played Wii Bowling, but he actually almost beat me the first time he played it. There's your depth.

Re:It's Far harder

[king-manic]

Easy to pick up does not imply lack of depth. Games like Tetris or Mario Kart (and even Wii Sports, to a certain degree) are very easy to pick up and to learn. They have simple rules, but these rules result in deep gameplay.

If you've only played Wii Sports for two hours, you haven't even scratched the surface. Did you know that you can slice the ball in Wii Tennis? Or that you can make uppercuts in Wii Boxing? Thinking that you've seen Wii Boxing after two hours is like thinking that you're a pro bowler after two hours. After all, you're just throwing a damn ball at a few wooden figures, where's the depth? And actually, I'm mentioning that because I've played a lot of Wii Bowling, but I don't play real bowling. I always win in Wii Bowling, but a week ago, I played against a pal who goes bowling in real life. He had never played Wii Bowling, but he actually almost beat me the first time he played it. There's your depth.

You actually gave an example of the lack of depth. Wii bowling and real bowling are vastly different. go to the alley and try it. And he almost beat you. A example of a deep game is like Warcraft 3. No combination of 4 or less of my friends can beat me. We have the same starting point but the skill levels are just so different. But anyone can beat anyone in mario party 8. Even wii boxing, the vetrans can be taken by the noob. Chess is deep. Checkers is not. Take a long time to even get proficient in chess. checkers is easy to learn but has much less depth. Streetfighter alpha 3 is deep. Marvel vs Street fighter less so, smash bros even less.

Re:It's Far harder

[LKM]

Wii bowling and real bowling are vastly different

They do not seem to be, as I said. Despite having been playing it since the Wii came out, somebody who had never played it before, but does bowl in real life, was competitive right from the start, when "normal" people don't stand a chance against me.

Even wii boxing, the vetrans can be taken by the noob

Totally wrong. I'm guessing you really haven't played it more than two hours. The only person I know who can compete with me in Wii Boxing is my brother. Everyone else goes down in the first round, without doing more than a few dots of damage to me. Everyone can pick Boxing up and start, but the game is much deeper than just flailing around like an insane monkey.

I'm thinking part of the issue is that you're confusing complexity with depth, and part of it is that you haven't really played the games you're talking about.

Re:It's Far harder

[king-manic]

Again, from my experience with wii sports. It is shallow. The guy who owns the wii and has been playing with it for weeks was taken down soundly by me in boxing. The bowling is fairly limited and once you get the hang of the controls it's a fairly shallow bit, we usually have 7 or 8 people over at my friends house at any given time. All our scores in bowling are about the same. Despite some of us playing it a lot more and some of us being hardcore gamers. Anyone who has had some time with wii sports will relate that it isn't that deep. Compare it to SF3. The gradation of skill is a lot more meaningful there as compared to the timing game you play with wii sports boxing.

Re:It's Far harder

[LKM]

The guy who owns the wii and has been playing with it for weeks was taken down soundly by me in boxing

That's probably because he's a moron :-)

Seriously though, Wii Boxing clearly isn't SF3. But it's everything but shallow. I actually wrote about some non-obvious strategies and features here. Get used to these and you'll beat anyone who doesn't know about them.

Re:I'd enjoy the Wii more if it played Rocket Jock

[suso]

Ok, I'll bite. What is a "sailboat" in this context? Never heard that word used the way you are using it. And I couldn't find it in any lingo dictionary.

Re:I'd enjoy the Wii more if it played Rocket Jock

[Rycross]

You know those pictures that basically are a huge pattern of colors but when you cross your eyes a certain way a 3d picture appears? Thats probably what he's referring to.

Still Playing

[lucyfersam]

Miyamoto is still a luminary of game design, and I look forward to his future projects. Wii Sports is still incredibly popular (it just passed a million units sold in Japan, where it is not a pack in), and people are still waiting in line to buy units here in the US. Twilight Princess is an excellent game, though not having tried the GC version I can't really speak on it being more immersive than using a controller. I still play my Wii whenever I can find time, as does everyone I know who has one. In addition to Wii Sports, games like Wario Ware, Rayman, and Excite Truck continue to be a great deal of fun, and I still haven't had time to start on Trauma Center due to playing the other games. Add in the virtual console and a long list of games I want there, and the Wii has an amazing lineup already, and enough to keep someone who doesn't spend there whole life playing video games busy for some time to come. Whenever the NPD numbers for Jan come out, I think we will see that the Wii is continuing to dominate console sales, given that stores can't seem to keep them on the shelves for more than a few minutes at a time.

As far as Miyamoto and Nintendo at large being able to access new markets, my mother has purchased both a DS and a Wii in the last 3 months. She wouldn't even allow my brother and I to have a NES when we were growing up, so that's a pretty big shift for her, largely due to a fresh look at game design being encouraged by Nintendo.

Re:Still Playing

[meringuoid]

Twilight Princess is an excellent game, though not having tried the GC version I can't really speak on it being more immersive than using a controller.

I assume the GC version handles much the same as Ocarina or Wind Waker. In which case I love the Wiimote for aiming - especially when Spider-Maning through the sky city with dual hookshots - and I could never go back to an analogue stick for that, but shaking the nunchuck for the spin attack, or shoving it for the shield charge, that doesn't quite work.

I think relative to the screen, and shove towards the screen or parallel to it when trying to carry out those moves. However, because I've been using the nunchuck just as a one-handed joystick for a long time in the game, I'm not pointing it at the screen, but at some random angle selected for arm comfort. So 'shove towards screen' to me = 'up and forwards at about 45 degrees' to the nunchuck, and the move only works about 50% of the time.

For Wii Sports, or Wario Ware, where you're standing up and focusing on hand movements, nunchuck motion control is great. For Zelda, which is more of a sofa game, it isn't so good.

Re:Still Playing

[TheDreadSlashdotterD]

- and I could never go back to an analogue stick for that, but shaking the nunchuck for the spin attack, or shoving it for the shield charge, that doesn't quite work.

Doesn't quite work? In OoT, I never bothered with the spin attack because I couldn't integrate it into my normal attack. Shaking the nunchuck lets me do that.

And, yes, I have played the gamecube version of Twilight Princess, and I have to say that I could never go back to a button interface for that.

Re:Still Playing

[KDR_11k]

OoT doesn't use the enemy numbers TP does, I used the spin attack quite often when I was surrounded or needed to do a lot of damage in one strike in TP for the GC. Of course charging it is suicide, you have to rotate the stick if you want to pull it off.

The Dangers Of Claiming Innovation

[Anonymous Coward]

Something I've learned over the years is just how dangerous it is to try to base your marketing on claims of innovation. Unlike most other marketing claims which people let slide, people tend to actually hold companies to their innovation claims.

I have seen a trend where people use to refer to the Wii as innovative, but now we are seeing more and more Wii owners referring to the console as 'innovative' with bitter sarcasm. Not good. Very similar to the problems Apple gets themselves into with their similar claims. Works great for you core fanbase but ends up doing a great deal of damage to attracting people outside that core group.

Without having graphics or online play to fall back on, the Wii getting a reputation for being 'innovative' and not innovative is a troubling sign for the future of the console as we move beyond the holiday sales rush.

Re:The Dangers Of Claiming Innovation

[Anonymous Coward]

Anonymous Coward Sony Fanboy Troll,

Can you troll elsewhere?

Not once have you ever backed up any of you claims with anything which could be related to proof ...

Just go away and watch your beloved PS3 die a slow painful death ...

Re:The Dangers Of Claiming Innovation

[Anonymous Coward]

Sheesh, we need a new feature here on Slashdot, where ACs who make more than two top-level posts to the same discussion get their IP addresses displayed.

Re:The Dangers Of Claiming Innovation

[MeanderingMind]

I am fully willing to accept the possible reality that there are Wii owners who are not satisfied, are bored, or who think the controller isn't all it is cracked up to be.

However, I am not willing to accept these possibilities when the only indication of them is an anonymous poster without sources saying it is so without even an anecdote of his own.

If there is an issue with the Wii on the scale many ACs claim, surely it should be simple enough for them to bring sources from message boards, actual news articles, and blogs supporting their views. As it stands, I have yet to see one do so.

If you have an anecdote of your own, post with your name attached. The possibility exists you will be moderated down. However, if what you speak is truth, surely the message is more important than a karma ranking on a website?

Re:I'd enjoy the Wii more if it played Rocket Jock

[Adam Zweimiller]

Yeah man, I'm only 21 and I remember playing the demo of Rocket Jockey obsessively. I couldn't have been no more than 8 at the most. I loved tethering other driver's to the poles and then watching them squirm. Good times :)

Re:Rail Shooter (Rabbids) + Why Game Lists don't w

[tzhuge]

FYI: Those are all games by Rocket Science, the studio that made Rocket Jockey.

Re:I'd enjoy the Wii more if it played Rocket Jock

[JoshDM]

Done.

Thanks.

Re:I'd enjoy the Wii more if it played Rocket Jock

[toolie]

Ok, I'll bite. What is a "sailboat" in this context? Never heard that word used the way you are using it. And I couldn't find it in any lingo dictionary.

Little Girl: Wow. It's a schooner.
Willam Black: Ha ha ha ha. You dumb bastard. It's not a schooner... it's a Sailboat.
Little Boy: A schooner is a sailboat stupid head.
Willam Black: You know what, there is NO Easter Bunny! Over there, that's just a guy in a suit!

Mallrats references are awesome.

Please stop. You're sounding silly.

[Anonymous Coward]

"Looking out over the coming year's Wii release list of games there is absolutely nothing that is revolutionary or disproportionately innovative relative to other consoles"

Conveniently neglecting the fact that this generation of consoles has not had anything remotely revolutionary with the exception of Nintendo's control device. Heck, just the release of a Wii version of a new Zelda game makes the Wii a must-buy if you're a serious gamer.

But what's so revolutionary about this generation of video games? 3D graphics? No. The PS1/N64 were the first. Everything else since has been a refinement of graphics. Last generation, Microsoft had the innovation of a coherent online strategy. This generation? There was no need for it except that people's televisions are getting better and we wanted prettier graphics.

Big deal.

Nintendo has already released a critically claimed and very popular console. It has a revolutionary control device. That's the only innovation so far this generation of consoles. No doubt, Sony and Microsoft will add it this generation in a limited way and fully integrate it in their next generation in 2009/2010.

It sounds like it bothers you that Nintendo has taken all the wind out of the Sony and MS's sails with the Wii. The only thing it means is that Sony won't be the decisive leader like they were with the PS1 and PS2. The PSP really hasn't done that much. Sony has proven to be very fallible in the video game market. That's good. It will force prices lower across the board. It will put pressure on Sony to increase value or lower price. Microsoft is just quietly humming along. And Nintendo has exploited a big opening by Sony when they prices their consoles so high.

As to getting bored with Wii Sports. OF COURSE YOU GET BORED WITH IT!!! It's a free demo game Nintendo threw into the box to demonstrate how the controls could be used. It also got people talking about the box. It was a brilliant piece of marketing, and at no cost to the consumer. Another mistake by Sony... exploited by a more nimble competitor.

Don't worry about Wii or Sony or markets, or anything like that. Just buy what you want because it's fun to plan. Not because you believe some half-assed fairy tale about how this console will last 10 years, or that it produces "Toy-Story" in real time, but because you enjoy it.

And don't worry that somebody on /. enjoys something different than you. Really. Get over it.

Re:Please stop. You're sounding silly.

[Anonymous Coward]

Waaaaa!!! My Wii is 'teh Innovative'!!! Waaaa!!!

Oh please you pathetic fanboy. It's a fucking GameCube with a pointer bolted on! Instead of aiming with your thumb you aim with your wrist and instead of pressing a button you flick your wrist.

Woohoo! There's some industry changing innovation you got there Nintendo!

Re:I'd enjoy the Wii more if it played Rocket Jock

[friedmud]

It's a reference to the movie "Mallrats" ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113749/ ).

In the movie a character named Willam tries throughout the movie to see one of those "3D Pictures" (where you make it out of focus and see a 3d scene http://www.magiceye.com/ ). The picture he is trying to see is of a Sailboat (or as a kid points out in the movie, a "Schooner").

So, basically, the poster is saying that the original post looks like a huge jumbly mess.

Friedmud

Well then sell it

[tkrotchko]

Sell it on ebay. You'll get at least $200.

If you don't like it, you don't like it. You can easily recoup most, if not all, of your money by reselling. They're still hard to get, the price is low. If you put it on "buy it now" on ebay for $200, you'll have it sold within the hour.

Troll food

[Headcase88]

• Zelda: Easy fighting, yes (not as easy as Wind Waker). The puzzles are hardly easy. I wish there was a second play-through that doubled damage done to you. Alas.
• Trauma Center: Oh yeah, this game is way too easy.
• Rayman: Get close to 1000 points in almost every game in score attack mode and I'll concede (hint: you won't, because of a combination of high difficulty and eventual boredom).
• Wii Sports: I haven't gotten one gold medal, let alone a platinum medal in any of the 15 training games. Now I beat Ikaruga on normal with 3 continues ("easy" with none), I can beat all the levels in Freq/Amplitude, all the gems in Crash Bandicoot (in the first crash this is hard, trust me), all the platinums in Blast Corps, yet I can't get one measly gold in Wii Sports? With more effort, I could, but fact remains, you lose, I win.

Re:Troll food

[Anonymous Coward]

Zelda: Easy fighting, yes (not as easy as Wind Waker). The puzzles are hardly easy. I wish there was a second play-through that doubled damage done to you. Alas. You do realize that all of the heart containers are optional don't you?

Awesome name? Hardly...

[Kalendraf]

" We debated how the Wii might be thought of in the English speaking countries. And we came to a conclusion that there is no other choice but to use this short, appealing name." No matter how they try to spin it, and regardless of its success in the market, "Wii" is still a horrible name for a product. I know some people that will never own one, in part because of its idiotic name. Fortunately for Nintendo their poor name choice doesn't seem to be hurting sales. Otherwise, they'd currently be in a stiff competition with the PS3 to see which game system could occupy more floor & shelf space at retail outlets.

Re:Please stop. You're sounding silly.

[djchristensen]

Let me guess--you're the guy in line behind me for a Wii, and when there
weren't enough, you "settled" for a PS3. So now you've never actually
played the Wii, and you're pissed that you spent $600 on a console when
all your non-hardcore gamer friends are at the house of the guy who stuck
it out and snagged a Wii.

Seriously, I had no intention of ever buying a console until the Wii
caught my attention. I don't have the time or the inclination to spend
hours a day learning arcane controller-button sequences. With the Wii,
the controls tend to be completely intuitive.

Um... try out the controller dude.

[zstlaw]

Please play platform before speaking. Tacked on controls? Have you ever used a Nintendo controller? Gamecube was the easiest to hold off all 3 of the last generation, I know this because when my tendons acted up it was the only one I could play for any length of time. Nintendo has done wonderful things with ergonomics compared to MS and Sony which are ok, but a little awkward if you examine wrist rotation and thumb placement.

Now let me examine how well it is integrated with the system. Well rotating the Wiimote also rotates the cursor on the system menus. You can also pick up Miis and shake them by pinching them between your thumb and forefinger. Red steel also uses this to drag around save files and options. In wii sports tennis position of your racket and twist of your wrist determines angle and spin of the ball just like in real tennis. I has simular experience in the bowling game. The moves are simplified so my friends can play almost as well as me, but my skill in these sports gave me an edge initially because normal motions translated so well.

Well what about other games... Smooth moves, Rayman, and Wii Play the controllers are INTEGRAL to the very game concept! I can not even fathom where you are coming from...

Now Sixaxis is obviously tacked on, I have never found a use for the "tilt" controls on the PS3. Also the idea of moving and aiming via very small thumb motions on BOTH X360 and PS3 is counter intuitive. I never realized how absurd it was until I played a console where I could just point and shoot. (Wii and computer)

Some may argue that computer is best controller for FPS, but I feel this is usually true because you get more modes of simultaneous entry (i.e. buttons) so you can circle jump strafe while shooting rockets at your jumping-strafing-wall-hopping friend. I am sorry but "computer" controls do not impress me either as I have yet to see a paint ball opponent strafe-jump out of my line of fire.

Lastly I dislike a computer control because after a long day programming I frequently CAN'T use it due to arm pain. I will grant that mouse is a great control vehicle as it makes aiming and selecting items easy, but this is the same concept as the Wiimote. You point you hit, but on the wiimote you point at the item and on the mouse you are moving it in an abstracted fashion that is 90 degrees out of phase with the screen. (Try to get your kid or grandfather to use a mouse for the first time and watch them struggle to figure out how to move it - the level of abstraction is a noticeable barrier to entry for new players.)

Now wiimote is far from perfect but I salute Nintendo for making a step in the right direction and look forward to seeing what the other consoles come up with for the next generation. This is a definite beginning of a new paradigm for consoles control.

Genius

[Soiden]

Miyamoto-san is a genius. He is clear about whta he has to do for the Wii, and I know he will do it perfectly.

Re:Genius

[Anonymous Coward]

> Miyamoto-san is a genius. He is clear about whta he has to do for the Wii, and I know he will do it perfectly.

My god you are a worthless faggot

Re:Awesome name? Hardly...

[Anonymous Coward]

I know some people that will never own one, in part because of its idiotic name. Wow, you know some really ignorant, closed-minded folks!

360/PS3 for Adults

[Intangible Fact]

If I wanted to play a little kids games I would play the Wii. Mario, Zelda, Wario, Raymon, Super Monkey Ball does not appeal to people that enjoy action/realism like R6V, Gow, Motorstorm, ect. I grew alway from those Nintendo mascots when I got into high school. Thats why I had a Xbox and PS2 last gen. I still play SM3 on my SNES with my girl from time to time, but thats it.

Re:360/PS3 for Adults

[LKM]

Let me guess: You're six years old? Did daddy leave his computer running or something? Fun fact: "Mature" games are actually targeted at teens. Another fun fact: Children prefer the 360 and the PS3 over the Wii.

Can I ask for a wii golf game

[majortom1981]

ALL I want is a wii sports golf game. A full one with the right swing mechanics. I want the graphics to stay the same as in the wii sprots golf in wii sports. I hope nitnendo does that. For soem reason I love the graphics in that game .

Re:Can I ask for a wii golf game

[ShadowsHawk]

Agreed. The putting killed golf for me.

Mod Parent Up

[0kComputer]

I remember those toys you would desperately want when you were a kid for Christmas and they were a blast Christmas day when you finally got them. And then a few days later they were abandoned off in some closet or corner after you realized you were dumb to fall for the marketing hype. What exactly are people doing with their Wii? People can't possibly still be playing WiiSports.
Hmm, this got modded flame bait for some reason, but I think its a legit point

Re:Awesome name? Hardly...

[Anonymous Coward]

> I know some people that will never own one, in part because of its idiotic name.

The words: Superficial and Image-whores come to mind.
Those people are the idiots, not Nintendo.

Re: Ikaruga !!!!

[trdrstv]

I beat Ikaruga on normal with 3 continues ("easy" with none)

*CLAPS LOUDLY, EVEN OBNOXIOUSLY* That sir is quite an achievement. Part of me wants to call you a liar simply because I know what that feat means, but I will take you at your word. Congratulations.

Any advice for the rest of us?

Rocket Science Games

[Anonymous Coward]

So are they all good enough to warrant being remade, or were you just making a statement?

I agree that Rocket Jocket warrants being remade.

Re:Please stop. You're sounding silly.

[LordRobin]

I don't have the time or the inclination to spend hours a day learning arcane controller-button sequences.

Preach on, brother!

Thanks to the Wii, I'm finding myself excited by the prospect of playing video games. The last time I was this excited was when my parents owned a Commodore 64, and most games were controlled by a joystick with one fire button.

I'm no gamer. Always wanted to be, but the controllers always put me off.

------RM

Re:Calling Flaimbait for what it was....

[trdrstv]

I remember those toys you would desperately want when you were a kid for Christmas and they were a blast Christmas day when you finally got them. And then a few days later they were abandoned off in some closet or corner after you realized you were dumb to fall for the marketing hype. What exactly are people doing with their Wii? People can't possibly still be playing WiiSports.

Hmm, this got modded flame bait for some reason, but I think its a legit point

It was meant to be flamebait, so it was modded flamebait. They made the presumption the Wii is only capable of one thing, is a passing fad, and that buying it would be a mistake. They could have phrased the question in a different manner do ask a legitimate question, but didn't. To take the flamebait out of the question and simply ask "What exactly are people doing with their Wii?"

Currently, I use the Channels (internet, weather, and news) almost daily, and the games I'm playing (currently) are WarioWare: Smooth Moves, Mario64 (on the VC), and F-Zero GX. I just bought Wii Play and will try that out tonight.

Cheers.

Like Golf?

[Petersko]

"And yes, most adults shy away from things they are certain to fail at on their first try. There's SO many other things to do that don't involve failure that it's not a big surprise to me."

Clearly you've never golfed.

Re:Like Golf?

[Breakfast Pants]

Actually, most adults don't play golf.

Fine words

[My name is Bucket]

These are all lovely sentiments, but I'm afraid that Nintendo hasn't done anything I've even remotely been interested in for a solid decade. N64: ridiculous controller, barely 3D. Gamecube: flopped. GBAdvance: great potential for handheld gaming technology, reduced to truckloads of franchise rehashes, currently fossilizing in my drawer. DS: gimmicky. Wii: forces developers to "innovate" (i.e. come up with new ideas that they can't capitalize on through other consoles).

Re:Fine words

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm going to start out by agreeing about the n64 controller. the left half of that was just never used. It was gross miscalculation on nintendo's part, and you could see the correction in the GC controller.
Now, as for the rest, what are you smoking?
N64, home of 3 of the best games of the generation, Ocarina of time, Mario 64, and Goldeneye. I played a fuckton of ps1 with friends, but nothing there made me want to own it.
GameCube. "flopped" so... your interest in a system is contingent upon it winning the generation? I bought a ps2 first, but man, i enjoyed the hell out of the metroid primes, and even if Windwaker wasnt your thing, OoT masterquest was the shit. Also, the games i played that were also on ps2 (mainly Prince of Persia) just looked better on gamecube. GBA. fine, i never got too into the handheld thing until... DS: yes, its sooo gimmicky and lame that I've not been able to find one in the past 3 months of shopping. the guys at best buy laughed at me and said i'd have better luck getting a wii (in early december) cause they couldnt even predict when they'd be coming in. Also, having played (on a friend's) warioware and the new mario, the gameplay is anything but gimmicky, and if that's really your impression, then, well, maybe you should just go play some halo, since you're obviously the hardest of the hardcore gamers. Wii: fuck, you're right, i *hate* having to play innovative games. and man, its sooo unfair to devs to ask them to do something new and interesting. wait, wasnt your complaint about the GBA that it got buried under franchisegames? well, the Wii is pretty much the exact opposite of that, so what's your problem? last time i checked, all the major developers LEAPT on the Wii release with a very decent list of titles, and are still putting them out... so... yeah, what, exactly, are you talking about?
So, hating nintendo is fun and all that, obviously, but seriously, it sounds like you've not even touched a nintendo product in the past decade enough to form a decent opinion.

Re:Fine words

[Junks Jerzey]

DS: gimmicky

Everyone thought the DS would be gimmicky. Two screens? Stylus? Microphone? How weird!

But it has turned out to be a great system with some of the more innovative games of the last decade: Nintendogs, Kirby Canvas Curse, Brain Age, WarioWare Touched (tons better than the original), to name a few. I was pleasantly surprised, after all the ho-hum Nintendo titles for the Game Cube.

Re:Fine words

[Anonymous Coward]

I can't say I agree with the bulk of this post. The GameCube only flopped because it didn't have enough 3rd party support. It was technically an impressive system, and was quite cheap as well. The DS might seem gimmicky, but it's currently doing extremely well, and most people are responding enthusiastically to it. Your argument against the Wii is just silly. Forcing developers to innovate is a lot better than allowing them to replicate. We've all played racing games, and we've all played adventure games. I would weep if the same old games using the same old control schemes continued to be released for next-gen consoles (which is why I'm staying the hell away from the PS3). The Wii might not be a step forward in some peoples' minds, but it's a very welcome step sideways. It offers something new, and that's what I wanted.

Does X11 for PS3 support the RSX?

[tepples]

Did you know that the PS3 runs Linux The drivers available to PS3 Linux don't even provide 2D video acceleration. How is a hobbyist supposed to make decent games for that?

Re:Does X11 for PS3 support the RSX?

[seebs]

I wasn't even using X; I was ssh'd in and playing with the compiler.

But since people pay me to write about Linux, that's a good reason to have a PS3.

Gap between Linux for PS2 and PS3 availability

[tepples]

Wouldn't you rather have a console that you can play Angband on? Meaning the PS2/PS3? The PS2 is no longer sold, and the PS2 Slimline doesn't run Linux therefore doesn't run Angband. The PS3 is not out yet; in fact, Sony sued Lik-Sang into oblivion to keep it from coming out.

That's easy

[Littleman_TAMU]

We're fat and lazy. We need the extra hand to hold our double Big Mac and/or cell phone. You need to study up on your American stereotypes :)

Convert, eh?

[Dragon By Proxy]

Guvf vf fbzrguvat gung nccyvrf gb... jryy... whfg nobhg NALGUVAT lbh cerfrag gb bgure crbcyr. V pbhyq, sbe rknzcyr, pbaireg guvf cbfg gb EBG-13. Lbh'er fzneg, lbh pbhyq qrpbqr vg, evtug? V qbhog lbh jbhyq, gubhtu. V pregnvayl guvax zbfg crbcyr urer jbhyqa'g obgure, naljnl. Vg vfa'g orpnhfr lbh naq rirelobql ryfr urer ner vapncnoyr bs genafyngvat vg, vg'f orpnhfr V jbhyq unir znqr n onq qrfvta pubvpr juvyr gelvat gb pbzzhavpngr zl ivrjf jvgu lbh. Vg jbhyqa'g or irel npphengr bs zr gb fnl gung nalobql jub fxvccrq zl cbfg vf 'n zbeba'. Vs nalguvat, V'q or gur zbeba sbe qbvat fbzrguvat yvxr gung naq rkcrpgvat nalobql gb vairfg gur gvzr.


(there, I did it for you)

With no description of what's actually happening..

[Vacardo]

AR: So this it - the thing everybody's been waiting for. Let's give it a whirl. Ready?

AR: Oh, backhand!

AR: This is absolutely amazing. How long did it take to come up with something like this?

It leaves alot to the imagination... I don't even want to know what's going on here...

Error in the article

[Stormwatch]

The interviewer says:

And you know better than anybody almost that in your industry a single game can revolutionize the entire gaming industry -- and you experienced that with Super Mario Brothers which invented the side scrolling adventure.

Wrong. SMB is obviously not an adventure, it is a platformer; but it is not the first side scrolling platformer either, far from it. Rock-Ola's Jump Bug was the first, 4 years before SMB.

Re:Error in the article

[HappySqurriel]

It is an interview that was translated from japaneese ...

It is quite likely that "Side Scrolling Adventure" is a (reasonably) correct translation

Re:Calling Flaimbait for what it was....

[Anonymous Coward]

So it's ok to compare the Wii to the Second Coming, but it's an offense to claim that it's not all it was cracked up to be?

Sounds like a bunch of fanboys just want to silence an opposing opinion.

What...

[LKM]

Are you telling me that people in the US learn how to drive using automatic transmission? That's... in...teresting (Okay, I was about to end that word in "sane").

You're the moron

[LKM]

And I hope you don't design any kind of UI as part of your job. Although I think you might be the idiot who designed my P990i's interface.

Bought at launch, still playing every day

[LKM]

What exactly are people doing with their Wii? People can't possibly still be playing WiiSports.

I play the training mode and a few rounds of Wii Boxing almost every evening. I'm also only about 25 hours into Zelda - I try to make enough time to play a few hours every few days. In europe, we just got Excite Truck, which I absolutely love - it's Mario Kart with trucks, twice the speed and huge jumps. It's an incredibly pity that there's no four-player mode.

I also tend to read the news on my Wii from time to time, and I bought about a dozen VC games (Comix Zone is a blast, A Link to the Past is an absolute must for those who never played it, there's Mario Kart 64...). And then, there are the GC games. If you own a Wii but have not owned a GC, there are a ton of games you've missed: Zelda: Wind Waker, Four Swords (again, you need friends and a bunch of GBAs for that), Metroid Prime, Resident Evil 4, F-Zero GX, Mario Kart: Double Dash, the Bongo games...

What really keeps the Wii going, though, is the party games. People often come over for a few rounds of Wii Tennis, Warioware, Wii Play (some people just love the panzer game), super Monkey Ball or Rayman. If you have no friends or don't game with them, the Wii is probably not for you right now. If you do, there's no better console.

Oh, and if you don't game with your friends, force them to play with the Wii! Some of my (mostly female) friends who claimed they would never touch a console actually call me to ask whether they can come over for a few rounds of Wii Tennis. It's quite astonishing.

It's a pity that there aren't more A-List Wii titles available right now, but it's not as if there was nothing available to do on the Wii.

Not very hard at all

[tkrotchko]

but you also have to position, align, and affix the sensor bar

You can't be serious? I put it on top of the TV and aligned it with the top edge. It's a 30 second job. And most of that is pulling the paper off the double sided sticky tape.

Re:Calling Flaimbait for what it was....

[LKM]

I guess it all depends on how you say something. Isn't human nature fascinating? Glad you found out about its existence, even if you're a bit late to the game.

Ah!

[LKM]

Thanks for that explanation, and I'm sorry because my former post was indeed rude. Yes, my pal was driving with a manual, and I did not realize that the G6 does not have a real manual.

You mean it's not obvious to you?

[Anonymous Coward]

They're playing Wiife Beater.

Re:360/PS3 for Adults? Bah...

[trdrstv]

Mario, Zelda, Wario, Rayman, Super Monkey Ball does not appeal to people that enjoy action/realism like R6V, Gow, Motorstorm, etc.

Speak for yourself. I find your post Ironic in that I have each of the aforementioned Nintendo games for the Wii (if you count Mario64 as the 'Mario' game) and I beat Gear of War on Insane, Enjoy Dead Rising immensely and will eventualy get around to Rainbow 6 Vegas... (That is after I get all 120 stars in Mario64). These games are extremely fun for anyone who isn't overly concered that playing them makes then 'teh Kiddie'.

If you want to play a game 'for Kiddies' go play DoA Beach Volleyball 2 with the new, and improved 'jiggle engine'...