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The Latest From the Front in the Console Wars
The October NPD numbers are out, and (now that we know we'll keep getting the information) it's time once again for analysis and reaction from media and businesses alike. GameDaily has a one year later look at the fight that began last holiday season. As for the numbers themselves, with Halo 3 now a known quantity in the market the 360 is down to 366,000 from 527,800 in September. Microsoft is still quite happy with software sales, though. The PS3 only saw 121,000 units sold last month, but early news from November has Sony very excited. And all the while, somehow, the Wii manages to sell even more units. The system is up to 519,000 from 501,000 in September, with the DS slight down to 458,000 from 495,800. As the GameDaily analysis article concludes: "the race for console dominance is still anyone's to win. The 2007 holiday buying season will be crucial to setting all three players' market positions going into next year. Which is all nice to know, of course, but not that important to actually enjoying your system of choice well into the future."
if Wii owners don't keep buying games
It would be very possible. I got a wii about 2 months ago and I've bought a single wii game since then. I want to buy more, I eagerly scan the videogame store shelf every week, but the games tend to be underwhelming at best.
There's Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3 out at the moment,both fantastic games, plus Zak&Wiki (in the US, 2008 EU). Personally, I've also bought and enjoyed (in order of decreasing greatness):
Mario Strikers
Excite Truck
RE4:Wii
Warioware
Eledees
Super Paper Mario
and I'm looking forward to Super Smash Bros Brawl, Battalion Wars 2, Mario Kart Wii and maybe Resident Evil:UC.
What's more, Nintendo has increased Wii production to currently 1.8 million per month.
That's 21.6 million per year, or over 100 million in just 5 years. If they keep this up, they might even catch up with the PS2!
Count yourself lucky you have a Wii, I can't buy one in the UK for love nor money. The shops in London all get small batches which sell out on the day they come in.
For games, check out the Wii section of Metacritic. If you stick with only the green rated games, you're looking at Super Mario Galaxy, Zelda, Resident Evil 4, Metroid and Zack & Wiki as 5 to start off with.
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You need to try Super Mario Galaxy and Super Paper Mario. Both those games don't use the Wiimote is a bad way like a lot of other crappy wii ports at this point, such as Transformers the Movie. I consider that game unplayable on the Wii. I've played it on the PS2, 360, and the Wii - and the Wii version is horrendous.
Back to the Mario franchise - they came out swinging with these games. They are amazing. Also, Mario Strikers Charged. The game play is a blast on all of these and the graphics are great for the Wii. I can't put Super Mario Galaxy down right now. My son loves playing it with me in 2 player mode and it's a great kids game - no sex and no violence. I know that's a huge turn off to most of the slashdot crowd - but if you have little kids like I do, it's a very welcome change for a modern video game. Super Paper Mario is a classic with it's instant flip to 3D mode game play - and Super Mario Galaxy is awesome because of it's "gravity" - if you don't know what I'm talking about, watch an online video of it. That game is a blast.
Try Amazon France, my parents got one from there quite easily. Similarly, people have posted about positive results ordering from Germany. The accute shortages appear to be UK only. Alex.
Right on spot there. No-one buys the Wii over here in Germany, the shelves are always full, whenever I take a look. Seems like Nintendo keeps miscalculating their shipments. Or maybe they know something we don't, then again, what do I know?
A World in a Grain of Sand / Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Infinity in the Palm of your Hand / And Eternity in an Hour.
The PS3 is flopping in getting good games to the market. You didn't understand what I meant?
PS3 is selling pretty much as well as the wii is (except in the states, where wise companies are not marketing heavily until the dollar is worth more), but there aren't any good games for the PS3. So many great games like home and MGS4 and GT5 have not been brought to market.
That's obviously what I meant. Now I'm not at all surprised that Nintendo fans modded me a troll instead of explaining that they disagree with me. Nothing I said was biased or provocative, but some people really really really love nintendo too much to admit that the games on the Wii are actually not good, and probably inferior to those ont he PS3 and certainly far worse than what the 360 offers.
Nintendo is like Apple: there's an element of fans that aren't sensible and willing to accept criticism. No big deal.
But my post wasn't misguided. Your inability to see that I was criticizing Sony is telling. That's right, there are people who think the Wii is lame and Sony is crazy for not getting enough great games out yet. Some people actually don't give a crap which console fares better. You have to twist my comment to a ridiculous degree to assure yourself that I am a Sony fanboy, because it's just not possible to think Wii games are primitive and boring otherwise.
Hey, you're free to think that if you like. I guarantee you that Nintendo agrees with me and is working hard to make some decent games to fix this huge problem with their system.