Wii - my thoughts on its future

[aholden12592]

I have some opinions about the wii. It's a great console right now aand has some great ideas. This is same with gamecube - great ideas and innovations. WHen it came out I was blown away by the small disk and the abilty to carry it around. It got a lot of hype at the beginning but what happened after that - it died. I forgot it was even around. I think this is going to happen with the wii. It has some good stuff but its gonna blow over and it won't get block buster games because of the too original design.

[sikkinixx]

The Wii should do well if it can avoid the death trap Nintendo seems to be heading it for. The main games people are hyped about are all first party Nintendo games. Wii needs more than just Mario/Party/Kart/Tennis/whatever (in his 10,000th adventure) Metriod (in her 1000th adventure), Zelda (in it's 10,000th adventure) etc. It needs kick ass 3rd party games that make it different than the 360/PS3. Just porting games over (a la COD3) with a new control scheme isn't good enough.

Plus, get online up and going! Get rid of lame-ass Wii codes. Get the online stuff running better (I hate waiting so damn long for the store to connect) Get better channels than "Everybody votes!" or the weather channel too (I realize those will come with time but show demos of them to get people excited)

Also, I was at the movies last night (saw 300 pretty sweet movie actually) and they had Wii demo stations there with Nintendo guys. They had 4 set up. 1 had Zelda on it. The other three had Wario Ware on it. Show off more than just Mini-games Nintendo! Show off SSX Blur, show off Excite truck (lame as it is), show off REAL GAMES, not mini-games. It makes the system look/feel so much like a gimick. I realize they want easy stuff ot ease people into playing it and all that but cheesy mini-games are just lame.

[wwooden]

While I think the Wii is very cool and innovative, I am a little worried about it. The trend already is for games with lots of mini games. While these are fun, I don't think they have much lasting value after you play each one a couple times (except for Wii Bowling, just awesome). I think a lot of people are like me; We like the Wii, it is great for a group of people, but if I am going to play a serious game, it is going to be on my 360. The game is going to look better, possibly have better AI and physics, and have better online support. Also, because of the 360's achievements, any game that is on both systems, I am always going to get on the 360.

[Dagless]

My thoughts are that this is the DS as a console.

Not many games in the first 9-12 months, then a sudden surge (history has repeated here, devs avoided the DS until it was proven. The Wii has just hit the proven stage. The GC didn't get here.). This is what a lot of people don't get. There is huge demand for Wii Dev kits, smaller studios simply cannot get hold of them because the system is on a popularity roll.

That said the "winner" of this gen will probably be the DS.

[MacRumorUser]

My biggest fears with the wii was

a) nintendo with it's usually lapsy-daisicle release schedule would end up releasing maybe 1 mario kart, 1 zelda (possibly 2), 1 mario platformer, in it's 5 year lifespan. So that equates to maybe 1 or 2 major titles per year

This seems to be coming true. Mario Party or any other spin off developed by camelot or other third party doesnt count.

b) third party games would be nothing more than either souped up playstation 2 (or stripped down PS3/360) games with wii remote control scheme hacked onto it. With a few mini games thrown in just to prove it's a wii game.

So far (and I acknowledge we've only seen the barest of 3rd party support as yet) this also seems to be coming to fruition.


If nintendo can get a rocket up there bums and make sure we see new AAA titles sooner rather than later (i mean hire some more god damn programmers and artists if its taking that long :rolleyes: ) and third partys also take their fingers out of their lazy asses and produce somthing noteworthy - then it may have a bright beautiful future.

But this easy ride of public appeal they are carried on at the moment is not going to last much longer if the software doesnt start materialising and the 'revolution' doesnt actually happen.


and as for VC

I'm sorry but releasing overprice VC games that I bought and played 10 - 15 years ago may get some people off, but for me......... I bought a Wii for wii games... period

[Old Mac Geezer]

My opinion is that the Wii is just to tide us over until Nintendo's next great system. Remember, that Nintendo is not losing any money on anything they sell related to the Wii. Microsoft and Sony are still using the old model of lose money on the consoles and make it up in game sales. The Wii isn't so far removed from the Gamecube that it could possibly be costing Nintendo much more to produce and they are selling it for more money than they sold the Gamecube for. They also have money coming in from the downloadables which cost them almost nothing to provide relative to the cost of burning the games to a DVD and putting them in a box with a printed manual. They are building up a warchest for the next generation after this one. Then I predict you will see something really killer as a successor to the Wii. Something that Microsoft and Sony will not be prepared for. Until then, though, the Wii is still fun to play.

[ericsthename]

My thoughts are that this is the DS as a console.

Not many games in the first 9-12 months, then a sudden surge (history has repeated here, devs avoided the DS until it was proven. The Wii has just hit the proven stage. The GC didn't get here.). This is what a lot of people don't get. There is huge demand for Wii Dev kits, smaller studios simply cannot get hold of them because the system is on a popularity roll.

That said the "winner" of this gen will probably be the DS.

I've never felt that the comparison between handhelds and consoles was a parallel one.

I bought myself a Wii last week, and the first and only game I bought for it was a 3rd party exclusive. THESE are the games that Nintendo needs! Sure, it will be worth it in the end, because I would buy the system if only for the Mario/Nintendo first party's, but WITHOUT the broader scope, the Wii will see the same future that the GC had.

Having sold and continuing to sell dev kits is a kiddy step in the right direction, but I'm not waiting for a bunch of indie games to bombard the Wii - I want titles that are akin to what are hitting the 360, Crackdown, Gears, Unreal, Oblivion. The 3rd party "big boys" make their hay on blockbuster releases, pouring tons of time, effort and $$ into AAA grade titles.

If these folks don't have enough reason to go to the Wii then I will be sad. If you compare them to stocks, the Wii is a high risk investment, whereas the 360/PS3 are more traditional Portfolio Platformers :p

Any way you spin it, it will be interesting!

[Sky Blue]

I'm sorry but releasing overprice VC games that I bought and played 10 - 15 years ago may get some people off, but for me......... I bought a Wii for wii games... period

It gets me off big time, baby. The VC is worth the price of the Wii alone for me. I haven't actually played a Wii game since.....January?

[bbrosemer]

It gets me off big time, baby. The VC is worth the price of the Wii alone for me. I haven't actually played a Wii game since.....January?
Devs are going to run rampant with this console next year once it passes 360 with the biggest user base...However, in no way will this console compete with 360 sales.. People who buy the 360 or PS3 want to play games for the graphics...

[Dagless]

I've never felt that the comparison between handhelds and consoles was a parallel one.

There are similarities. The most expensive handheld, as well as console, has never come out on top. But, as the DS has proved there is a huge market of non-gamers who want to get involved. The Wii is a static console version of that ideology. I mean if the Wii was just like the PS3/360, taking a traditional route then we'd probably be seeing the PS3 with more sales than the Wii. But it's different, like the DS. And it's showing already.

Devs are going to run rampant with this console next year once it passes 360 with the biggest user base...

Exactly. But this isn't always a good thing. It just ends up like the PS2 or PC. 99% rubbish. I suppose it also means variation, which would be nice. I just hope theres a level of quality maintained. Nintendo are (were) notorious for games being of a certain quality. A studio I've done animation work for had troubles getting the GBA game "certified". I can't really say about other console makers and their restrictions and controls.

I want my DS Download channel :(

[Agilus]

Exactly. But this isn't always a good thing. It just ends up like the PS2 or PC. 99% rubbish. I suppose it also means variation, which would be nice. I just hope theres a level of quality maintained. Nintendo are (were) notorious for games being of a certain quality. A studio I've done animation work for had troubles getting the GBA game "certified". I can't really say about other console makers and their restrictions and controls.


I'm not sure if this matters. It didn't hurt the PS2, and probably helped it. If you've got more rack space for more games, people see that, and if you seem to be the popular choice, many people respond to that.

[2nyRiggz]

The wii will be fine...as long as they put out games thats good and not that 3rd part gimmick port crap...so far so good but they keep up this stale game lineup then there will be a problem....wii sports can hold people over for only so long.

I'm all for seeing the wii get some great games..I'm hoping they do. VC was never my thing so that part of the wii doen't interest me at all...I just can't get all excited over old arse games at the price nintendo is selling it.



Bless

[rosalindavenue]

I'm starting to get concerned about the 3rd party developers. It looks like they see the wii as a way to do cheap and dirty recycling of old IP-- Prince of Persia , SSX Blur (all old courses), Resident Evil Mash-up, Far Cry, Call of Duty, tony Hawk etc. And not many of these are getting the controls right, if you read the reviews. (Exception seems to be Madden). The Cube proved that Nintendo IP is not enough.

[bobber205]

But haven't you guys played the *@*!ing awesome Avatar game?!

:rolleyes:

(btw I love the Wii)

[JackAxe]

This thread is certainly full of conjecture.

For freak sake people, wait a year before passing "premature" judgements for a console that has only been out for about 5 months.

Look at the 360's launch titles, it was plagued with 3rd party rehashes and it took over a year for there to a "couple" of games (Both first party.) that I would be interested in playing. This has been the norm for all consoles for quite some time and will not change.

People often forget that most popular games, especially in the early years of a console's life are first party. It generally takes years for 3rd party devs to get things right. So for a new console, that's untested water, they're not gong to blow their budget on something that could end up being a failure.

The comments that COD3 didn't get the controls right on the Wii, is complete utter BS. They're nohting more than the opinions of thumb-twiddling NOOBs. It's a FPS, which is a game based on pointing. Low and below the Wii is a precice pointer, given that you're not too far from the sensor bar. It's going to take a bit longer for some of these thumb-twiddlers to get used to a better way of aiming. Last time I checked, you don't use your thumb to aim a gun.

My problem, is that I listened to too many others and didn't try COD3 for myself. I finally played the game for more than a minnute at my friend's store and with a few adjustments in the option's menu, to adjust things to my liking, its controls were absolutely great for a FPS, since holding a Wiimote is similar to holding a gun. FarCry's control's were also quite good, the problem with that game, is that it was nothing more than a scraped-unrefined-Cube game slapped onto the Wii. Just one of many examples of 3rd party devs not investing too much time into something new, before it's proven.

If things aren't better by this time next year, then there's cause for concern. But as of right now, when I see a thread started like this, I see it as nothing more than fear, fear that a console that's not up to the specs of some's likings, has a real chance of dominating and in turn grabbing the most 3rd party support this time around.

Ge, thanks Nintendo for reviving the already dead game industry in the eighties and investing the time to R&D new areas of gaming that other consoles take for granted. I'm so glad they and SGI spent the time to develop the tech that ATI later aquired and has since then used to develop all of their GPUs.

Blah. *grumbles* *conjecture*

<]=)

[sikkinixx]

This thread is certainly full of conjecture.
*snips the rant*

<]=)

Meh, this topic is fine. Now that the PS3 bashing isn't in vogue (or just burned out) anymore something needs to spark conversation.

[zap2]

Its the DS of the home..."gamers" will complain about its lack of non-Nintendo games, say graphics suck, and that its going to fail soon, but it will sell more units then the 360 and PS3.

[bobber205]

In 20 years, when virtual reality is mainstream and everyone has it (think Tron times 100)... Nintendo will release a console like the ps3/360 that has average graphics and is barely interactive.

And since it's wildly different than what we have now it'll sell... big. ;)

[Chone]

I love the Wii, honestly but I really believe most of its success is due to its gimmicky and novelty nature, I've seen many people (especially non gamers) be dazzled by the Wii but in the end... the PS3/360 ends up impressing them more.

To be honest I also had wii fever until I realized better hardware will probably allow more gameplay possibilities than motion sensing can, the TRUE future of gameplay lies in physics. Physics can get you in the game and make it more interactive than motion sensing can in my opinion.

Still, I like the Wii because of the usual Nintendo 1st party but I think that like the GameCube, it will fail. I'll still buy one but I think the PS3/360 will be more succesful.

Though the Wii has an opportunity to grab non gamers if it releases enough games, not that it matters much in the end for the avid gamer crowd (where the money is anyway).

[e²Studios]

Its the DS of the home..."gamers" will complain about its lack of non-Nintendo games, say graphics suck, and that its going to fail soon, but it will sell more units then the 360 and PS3.

I highly doubt in the long term it will outsell either one. It's near the end of the line for the Wii media hype train, people are starting to wonder why last gen's technology is taking so long to produce enough to supplement store stocks. Do you think the consumer is that dumb, that the demand is so high that modern mass production technologies can't keep up? get real!

The GCN started out really strong, but look where it ended up. The Wii will excel is 1st party games, the mario, the zelda, the SSBB. This isnt a bad thing, i love all of those franchises and will end up owning any release that Nintendo made of them.

The unfortunate reality is that they hype will wear off (it already has to a certain degree), and we will end up with GCN 2.0, is that a bad thing? Nah i dont think so, overall i think the GCN had some great games and good hardware to play it on. I just don't see Nintendo staying where they are now for over 6-10 months, to think different is just living in a pipe dream. To each their own though.

Ed

[Dagless]

"DS is going to fail it's a gimmick"

[e²Studios]

"DS is going to fail it's a gimmick"

And the DS didn't enjoy nearly as many sales that the Wii did in the launch time. Stop comparing apples to oranges, its not a valid argument.

Ed

[Dagless]

And the DS didn't enjoy nearly as many sales that the Wii did in the launch time. Stop comparing apples to oranges, its not a valid argument.

Ed

As I said above - exactly the same ideologies for both systems. Both cheapest of their markets, both "underpowered", both "gimmicky", same arguments from the Non-Nintendo people about why they'll fail, both with... *ugh*... Friend Codes.

[e²Studios]

As I said above - exactly the same ideologies for both systems. Both cheapest of their markets, both "underpowered", both "gimmicky", same arguments from the Non-Nintendo people about why they'll fail, both with... *ugh*... Friend Codes.

Ok then in that case lets compare the PS2 and PS3, the PS2 had a ***** launch the numbers were worse than the PS3 launch. Both met negative press, and had production issues. So with the way you talk about how the Wii will match the history of the DS then the PS3 is guaranteed to be #1, just like history had it with the PS2.

That pendulum can swing both ways.

Ed

[pcypert]

I've seen a few folks bringing their Wii's back...asians want lots of games and most are unhappy with things now (not that Thailand represents a huge user base).

More will come out for it and it will be ok. All the folks buying them now aren't going to just throw them out in two months when they're sick of Wii sports....but they might forget they have it lying around.

The only other thing that worries me is Nintendo's horrible release ethics. They are plagued with delays and really drawn out development lives. They need to snap things in gear. Xbox 360 has one such developer (Halo 3) so people put up with it...but if all the major releases are like this...

Paul

[Verto]

The Wii needs more than stupid party games, or it will become a failed novelty.

[e²Studios]

The Wii needs more than stupid party games, or it will become a failed novelty.

I think that is the biggest strength of the Wii. The group aspect of the Wii is awesome. Now mind you Motorstorm online beats the socks off of anything Excite truck can do, but thats an unfair comparison in my opinion.

I don't think it will fail, i do however think that it will ultimately end up in the same position as the GCN did. Blame it on Nintendo development delays, the novelty of motion wearing off, the mass media forgetting about it, or a multitude of things.

That said, I still love my Wii. I just wish i could use a standard controller with some games, along with *ahem* ONLINE multi-player games without annoying codes.. Wake up Nintendo..

[Verto]

I just wish i could use a standard controller with some games

Especially since a lot of the games don't have anything near 1:1, so all you are doing is waving your arm to hit the X button, so to speak.

And sure, party games can be fun. But reliance of them would be a mistake. The Wii needs serious games, like Metroid, or an RPG. It needs games like Tennis or Bowling with 1:1. LucasArts needs to pump out a Star Wars game, with 1:1 lightsaber action, etc. And above all, the Wii needs games that are developed FOR the Wii, not halfassed ports with Wii controls tacked on.

Wii Sports is fun, but like I said, without true 1:1 it loses a lot of its luster. Fun to play, but still disappointing.

Zelda was a GC port. Great game, but still a GC port.

WarioWare...meh. What a disappointment.

[Chone]

As I said above - exactly the same ideologies for both systems. Both cheapest of their markets, both "underpowered", both "gimmicky", same arguments from the Non-Nintendo people about why they'll fail, both with... *ugh*... Friend Codes.

What you are forgetting Jimmy, however, is that Nintendo was pretty much the undisputed king of the handheld market (actually, the only player in the handheld market), it came before the PSP and well... it had all the tides in its favor to success.

The Wii on the other hand has the disadvantage because Nintendo is 3rd on the console arena, it came out later and its much different from a handheld... consoles in general are much different to handhelds.

You really are comparing apples to oranges.

[howyoudoin]

Based on sales numbers of certain software titles for the DS, I would assume the same thing will happen for nintendo for the Wii. Super Mario DS is one of the top sellers along with brain age and nintendogs. Games that the hardcore gamer could care less about but its selling the DS here in the states. I believe the same will happen for the Wii. It will not be the hardcore gamers that decide the system but the casual games. If Nintendo released a full simluation bowling game for the Wii in the fall I would probably guess it would be the top seller thru christmas.

[ericsthename]

Especially since a lot of the games don't have anything near 1:1, so all you are doing is waving your arm to hit the X button, so to speak.

And sure, party games can be fun. But reliance of them would be a mistake. The Wii needs serious games, like Metroid, or an RPG. It needs games like Tennis or Bowling with 1:1. LucasArts needs to pump out a Star Wars game, with 1:1 lightsaber action, etc. And above all, the Wii needs games that are developed FOR the Wii, not halfassed ports with Wii controls tacked on.

Wii Sports is fun, but like I said, without true 1:1 it loses a lot of its luster. Fun to play, but still disappointing.

Zelda was a GC port. Great game, but still a GC port.

WarioWare...meh. What a disappointment.

I was extremely disappointed when I plugged in my Wii, popped in Wiisports and fired up a game of tennis only to find that the only thing the wiimote added to the equation was SOME form of movement. Having played tennis, golf and baseball all quite competitively I wanted to add some flair or at least some technique to gaming - in the end all you do is make half assed gestures.

Props to them for taking a step in the direction, but what really threw me was when I found I could swing backhanded and still hit a forehand in tennis. And in golf... you cant even swing properly or it goes into the red and goes "weeeeooooohhhh". In the end you end up making these geriatric like gestures which arn't mimicked by your character.

It may only be the teething stage of a great technology, but nintendo's tried these things before... virtualboy anyone?

[JackAxe]

It may only be the teething stage of a great technology, but nintendo's tried these things before... virtualboy anyone?

Nintendo's sports are simplified, but still fun.

A console that caused seizures in normal peeps was bound to fail. :) I have one in my closet. Thankfully I didn't buy it. When I want a headache I fire up its red screen-o-death. Overall the design was simply too impractical, especially for a portable. Fortuanly the Wii doesn't fit this build and really appeals to a wide range of peeps. It only causes sore muscles and broken TVs.

<]=)

[JackAxe]

What you are forgetting Jimmy, however, is that Nintendo was pretty much the undisputed king of the handheld market (actually, the only player in the handheld market), it came before the PSP and well... it had all the tides in its favor to success.

The Wii on the other hand has the disadvantage because Nintendo is 3rd on the console arena, it came out later and its much different from a handheld... consoles in general are much different to handhelds.

You really are comparing apples to oranges.

When you push all others out, that tends to happen. :)
Atari Lynx R.I.P.
Turbo Express R.I.P.
Pocket NeoGeo R.I.P.
PSP Life Support.

Nintendo does have many favors in their court like experience and a huge GBA selection. But Sony on the other hand, had its massive success with its consoles, tons of developer support, and a strong know how of portables in other markets. They were propped up high enough that they could have turned the market on Nintendo and pulled another PS2.

Both the DS and PSP were both introduced at the same E3, which was the last one I attended. The DS even before it was released was plagued with negative press, because the PSP looked soo much nicer all around. Even after the DS came out, the majority were still leaning towards the PSP, which was released only a few months later.

If the DS had not been successfull, I can say for certain that the Wii would not have got the same level of reception, nor level of developers support. It also helped that most developers were bored of the mundane rut all consoles had fallen into and that Nintendo was truly offering something new for them to tinker with. Nintendo isn't a stranger to being successfull. They were king of the console arena for well over a decade and have always made a profit unlike others. The Wii is still in high demand and has been well recieved and most of us still enjoy it. Compared to the DS when it was only 5 months old, the Wii has way more going for it

I know the XBox sold a smidgen more than the Cube, but I wonder if that was because of the replacments. A majority of my friends own XBoxes and all have replaced it at least once, where as our Cubes didn't break. :)

<]=)

[JackAxe]

Meh, this topic is fine. Now that the PS3 bashing isn't in vogue (or just burned out) anymore something needs to spark conversation.

So true. :) I tend to rant more when I'm lacking in sleep. :o

<]=)

[Dagless]

You really are comparing apples to oranges.

Right. So I suppose both systems aren't partially aimed at an untouched market, that's why the DS did so well. What were the figures? 48&#37; of DS owners are female? 30% had never had a game system before?

I suppose it's ludicrous to suggest the Wii has the same idea for the home market.

Nevermind then!

[TheGimp]

For starters, what the Wii needs is version of Wii sports that doesn't look like a tech demo (e.g. a tennis game that looks at least as good as Virtua Tennis on the PSP - why the hell not?) and is deeper overall. At least offer a demo or glimpse of an improved version of those minigames. So far the only expanded game utilizing Wii sports mechanics appears to be the upcoming Tiger woods. Nintendo needs to look as if it is working for a living if they are going to continue to get other people's hard-earned cash. However, many consumers either don't earn their cash themselves, or have such fat loot that the Wii will survive on impulse buying alone.

[MacRumorUser]

Problem is TigerWoods over complicates the mechanic, but generally I agree with you completely.

Wii need the games (and by that I mean We ;) )


I got asked only yesterday by the late middle aged couple who bought a wii for wii sport's is there any new version due out soon - they were growing a little bored after playing the original so much. What could I say ? The next game they may buy is brainage but thats still 2-3 months away. By which point they probably will have lost all interest in the wii and it will be sat on the sky box collecting dust.

Nintendo have let themselves down in my honest opinion. They claim they were going for that 'new' market but dont seem to have had the goods to bolster it after release.

It's ok saying Wii Music will be out by the end of the year, but by that time a lot of wii's may be sitting idle and the audience for those games may have grown impatient and developed nothing but apathy.

Nintendo fans will keep on riding the wii train regardless of droughts and poor game releases - but everyone else will be muttering under their breath.

[zap2]

Problem is TigerWoods over complicates the mechanic, but generally I agree with you completely.

Wii need the games (and by that I mean We ;) )


I got asked only yesterday by the late middle aged couple who bought a wii for wii sport's is there any new version due out soon - they were growing a little bored after playing the original so much. What could I say ? The next game they may buy is brainage but thats still 2-3 months away. By which point they probably will have lost all interest in the wii and it will be sat on the sky box collecting dust.

Nintendo have let themselves down in my honest opinion. They claim they were going for that 'new' market but dont seem to have had the goods to bolster it after release.

It's ok saying Wii Music will be out by the end of the year, but by that time a lot of wii's may be sitting idle and the audience for those games may have grown impatient and developed nothing but apathy.

Nintendo fans will keep on riding the wii train regardless of droughts and poor game releases - but everyone else will be muttering under their breath.

You tell them about Wii Play? Its not as good as Wii Sports, but still worth a go. Plus Wario Ware is a fun mini-game game.

[MacRumorUser]

You tell them about Wii Play? Its not as good as Wii Sports, but still worth a go. Plus Wario Ware is a fun mini-game game.

Yeah they have had that since they got the machine because they needed the extra controller. :o

They've tried my copy of Wario and didn't paticularly go for it (the presentation put them off more than anything else - and I must admit I too think the character cut scenes / stories in-between the mini-games are annoying) and anything requiring 'button combinations' and 'the nunchuck' attachment are a no no.

They need somthing like a wii version of DS '42 All Time Classics (ClubHouse Games in the USA) - as I say Brain-age is a definite... but elsewhere on the schedule there doesnt seem to be anything that would suit. :o

[Chone]

Right. So I suppose both systems aren't partially aimed at an untouched market, that's why the DS did so well. What were the figures? 48% of DS owners are female? 30% had never had a game system before?

I suppose it's ludicrous to suggest the Wii has the same idea for the home market.

Nevermind then!

I didn't say otherwise, you are right, the Wii is similar to the DS in THAT particular aspect but its not in the same situation as the DS. And again, the console market works differently from the handheld market.

Nobody knows what will happen to the Wii but making predictions that it will be more succesful than the 360 and the PS3 because the DS was more succesful than the PSP is really an stupid statement because they are not the same thing.

[DeathChill]

Nobody knows what will happen to the Wii but making predictions that it will be more succesful than the 360 and the PS3 because the DS was more succesful than the PSP is really an stupid statement because they are not the same thing.

This is a true statement right here. I completely agree with it. You can't say because the DS beat the PSP that the Wii will beat the PS3 and 360. I believe that the Wii could and probably will beat the PS3 and 360 for the same reasons but it is not assured; just like the iPhone taking over the phone market is not assured just because the iPod took over the MP3 Player market.

[2nyRiggz]

PSP Life Support.
<]=)

I'm going to jack this thread for a minute....Why do people say this when the PSP is doing well..I just don't understand this..



Bless

[zap2]

I'm going to jack this thread for a minute....Why do people say this when the PSP is doing well..I just don't understand this..



Bless

Well is in the eye of the beholder....one could say it doing well because its made a market in handheld, but considering Sony owned the home market when they released the PSP, and it was shinier, faster, stronger and smarter hardware, I'm sure Sony though they would eat Nitnendo

[2nyRiggz]

^I hear that. I guess you can say its like the GC(in sales aspect)...the system did well but the public still see it as a failure. I wasn't one of those that thought sony would eat nintendo but I did and still do think they will eventually give Nintendo a run.



Bless

[GFLPraxis]

My biggest fears with the wii was

a) nintendo with it's usually lapsy-daisicle release schedule would end up releasing maybe 1 mario kart, 1 zelda (possibly 2), 1 mario platformer, in it's 5 year lifespan. So that equates to maybe 1 or 2 major titles per year

This seems to be coming true. Mario Party or any other spin off developed by camelot or other third party doesnt count.

Hm, I'm not sure what's so bad about this. People complain about "too many megaman games"...what's wrong with Nintendo releasing one of each franchise every two years? They have so many franchises, that means we'll be getting several games a year (Mario, Paper Mario, Zelda, Smash Bros, Pokemon, Mario Kart, Metroid...)

b) third party games would be nothing more than either souped up playstation 2 (or stripped down PS3/360) games with wii remote control scheme hacked onto it. With a few mini games thrown in just to prove it's a wii game.

So far (and I acknowledge we've only seen the barest of 3rd party support as yet) this also seems to be coming to fruition.

Yup. Just like on the DS, the initial titles were GBA ports with a touch screen added and the barest of support (special moves or minigames).

All of a sudden devs are snapping up Wii dev kits. Next year we're gonna see some big third party things.

[GFLPraxis]

I'm going to jack this thread for a minute....Why do people say this when the PSP is doing well..I just don't understand this..



Bless

PSP is not doing well. The average attach rate is very low (this is retail speak for how many PSP's sold compared to how many games sold), so PSP owners don't buy a lot of games (again on average), meaning it's not very profitable. The sales numbers are a lot weaker than the Nintendo DS (especially in Japan!), and third party support is not extremely strong.

The PSP only just started getting actually decent games in late 2006, as well. And the price is still double the NDS, while lacking the library.


This is not a PSP-bashing post; I'm talking about its market position.

^I hear that. I guess you can say its like the GC(in sales aspect)...the system did well but the public still see it as a failure. I wasn't one of those that thought sony would eat nintendo but I did and still do think they will eventually give Nintendo a run.

The difference between the PSP and GC is that the GC was a lot more profitable for the company (sold for a profit, sold a lot of games to owners). PSP takes a loss on hardware and doesn't sell that many games (well, they haven't had a price drop so they might be making a little money now).

[e²Studios]

Next year we're gonna see some big third party things.

Next year will be too little too late. The average consumer would have forgotten about the Wii if they have to wait a year, that white box on their entertainment stand just became a home for dust bunnies.

Ed

[MacRumorUser]

Hm, I'm not sure what's so bad about this

simple.. I want more than 1 or 2 major game releases per year.

what's wrong with spin offs ? mostly they suck - mario baseball anyone ;)


Next year will be too little too late. The average consumer would have forgotten about the Wii if they have to wait a year, that white box on their entertainment stand just became a home for dust bunnies.

Ed

Exactly what I fear will happen to the "non gamers" I know who have bought one. There's nothing for them on the release radar - by the time there is... they may simply not care.

[GFLPraxis]

simple.. I want more than 1 or 2 major game releases per year.

Well, there's enough franchises to get more than that. I fully agree. I want 3-4 first party major releases per year. Just spread them across different franchises.

Next year will be too little too late. The average consumer would have forgotten about the Wii if they have to wait a year, that white box on their entertainment stand just became a home for dust bunnies.

Ed

Depends how much first party goodness we can get this year.

Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid, SSBB, Mario Party, Super Paper Mario, Fire Emblem, Batallion Wars II, Super Mario Strikers Charged, Pokemon Battle Revolution.

If Nintendo can get 2/3rds of these out this year, that ought to hold things till next year.
Plus, if Square Enix can get either of their supposed 'launch titles' out this year, that would help.

I'm hopeful. I do worry for the casual gamers I know though. Mario Party will help with that regards, but I also know people who played the original XBox and like games like Halo and Call of Duty...and the Wii Call of Duty took out stuff like multiplayer.

[e²Studios]

Depends how much first party goodness we can get this year.

Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid, SSBB, Mario Party, Super Paper Mario, Fire Emblem, Batallion Wars II, Super Mario Strikers Charged, Pokemon Battle Revolution.

If Nintendo can get 2/3rds of these out this year, that ought to hold things till next year.
Plus, if Square Enix can get either of their supposed 'launch titles' out this year, that would help.

If Nintendo can get 2 of those out this year that would be an accomplishment. Nintendo isnt very good when it comes to development times. I wouldn't be at all shocked if the April 10th date slipped for Paper Mario, or if Galaxy was put off until Q1 of 2008.

Ed

[zap2]

If Nintendo can get 2 of those out this year that would be an accomplishment. Nintendo isnt very good when it comes to development times. I wouldn't be at all shocked if the April 10th date slipped for Paper Mario, or if Galaxy was put off until Q1 of 2008.

Ed

They'll get at fire Emblem, Pokemon as they are already out in Japan, and how long could it take them to get it out in English. Also Mario Party as its been pushed back all ready.

I'd hope we get at least 1 of the big 1 (Metriod, SSBB or Mario)

And BWii would be great too

[Dagless]

First party this year, 3rd party next year. I see now't wrong there.

Throw "But Nintendo never release" all over the show if you care, we've heard nothing about Galaxy being a 2008 game but we have heard its on track, along with the rest of the 2007 releases. There is no new console coming out so they won't be holding back for that release any more.

Be careful though. We don't want a repeat. (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=500) (check out nobody special's post for giggles)

[GFLPraxis]

If Nintendo can get 2 of those out this year that would be an accomplishment. Nintendo isnt very good when it comes to development times. I wouldn't be at all shocked if the April 10th date slipped for Paper Mario, or if Galaxy was put off until Q1 of 2008.

Ed

The way I figure it, Batallion Wars II and Super Mario Strikers Charged are upgrades on existing game engines that worked on GameCube. They should be this year.

Paper Mario is supposed to be April, so it should at least be in 2007.

Pokemon Battle Revolution is already out in Japan, so it should be 2007.

Super Mario Galaxy should be 2007. Nintendo promised (though they also promised Zelda 2005...)

Between Metroid, SSBB, and Fire Emblem, at least one and possibly all three could be delayed into 2007.

Nintendo might hold some back for Spring 2008 just to avoid flooding everything at Christmastime though. But I expect BWII, SMSC, SPM, PBR, and Galaxy to be ready for release in 2007, assuming Nintendo doesn't deliberately hold them back.

[pcypert]

If anyone wants a Jap Wii so they don't have to wait on games let me know :)

I can get you Pokemon now and you can see if it's really going to be something or not. From playing around on it I'd say no, but these games aren't really my cup of tea.

Paul

[Dagless]

If anyone wants a Jap Wii so they don't have to wait on games let me know :)

I can get you Pokemon now and you can see if it's really going to be something or not. From playing around on it I'd say no, but these games aren't really my cup of tea.

Paul

That's a funny thing to say. Because you don't like it means it won't be a hit?

[MacRumorUser]

That's a funny thing to say. Because you don't like it means it won't be a hit?

Dare I even respond to that open invitation ? ;) :p

[Sky Blue]

If anyone wants a Jap Wii so they don't have to wait on games let me know :)

I can get you Pokemon now and you can see if it's really going to be something or not. From playing around on it I'd say no, but these games aren't really my cup of tea.

Paul

So you have a Wii now?

[zero2dash]

I like the Wii, it's very fun and offers something I've never experienced before.

Even if Wii Sports is the only game I owned for the system, I'd still enjoy it and feel like I got my money's worth.

If I want mainstream gaming with mainstream features and third party out the wazoo, that's what my 360 is for.

[pcypert]

I said nothing about it being or not being a hit....i was merely saying you can see for yourself if its something to get excited about or something to look forward to over the summer. For me, no...but I stated my bias in the same comment. I don't really like Pokemon games so I'm not the best judge. Notice how I also said you can judge it for yourself. I didn't try to say my opinion was fact.

I've been borrowing a Wii for a while now. Sort of a halo effect like the ipod for mac (my DS to Wii experience)....I'm a quick to get into game kind of guy because my life doesn't really allow 5 hours at a time for gaming. I LOVE the games on the 360, but they take a bit of time for me to get into...so I've been thinking more and more about trading for a Wii (was going to add a Wii this summer to the 360 instead of trading and still might do it that way as now you can only buy modded Wiis and for about double the cost till the novelty of modded Wii's goes down here). I'm in really good with a shop since I bought 17 360 titles and 25+DS titles from them :) . Also I was a big paper mario fan and what not.

So I borrowed to see if having one for a while would change my opinions on the controls...so far it still hasn't. Games are ok...I like short easy to play games, but not mini games. I like platformers, fps's, etc...still not accurate enough (possibly still user error on my part) for fps at any kind of hardcore level as the player still does the odd 360 when I'm trying to do something else..often at really inopportune times. I've played most of what's out in the States and Japan...not much VC stuff though as I haven't hooked it up to the internet yet...finally started playing Fifa 07 online and that's taking up all my online gaming time.

Sorry but for me there's nothing in this Pokemon to convert me over...I wish there was as I'd like something else to do...but at the moment no. Really if I got a Wii now VC would take up 50% of my Wii time with 45% going to catching up on the re branded "Wii Classic" GC games (are they re marketing stuff over there like this?) and sadly only 5% going to actual Wii games. That's not too bad a proposition really in the grand scheme of things though. If I could find a buyer for my 360 (they all want me to take a huge loss right now even though it's only a month old) I might do this...but think I'd rather wait and add as Live is starting to grow on me as are the games for it and there are a few titles coming up I'd love to play.

But again none of this is an attack on the Wii. I still really like the potential and the types of games I think it'll get. I will still probably buy one...maybe sooner than later. Just my preferences openly stated. Not trying to say something is bad because I don't understand it, but trying to let games be what they are and giving them an honest chance.

Paul

[Noonzio]

I have some opinions about the Wii too.

[MacRumorUser]

I have some opinions about the Wii too.

LOL. How do you feel about Sushi ? ;)

[Sky Blue]

you can see for yourself if its something to get excited about or something to look forward to over the summer. For me, no...

cool. I'm not excited about Halo 3, so it's a pity it's going to bomb so bad :(

[pcypert]

What the heck is that...never did I say it would bomb...ever. I don't understand the point you're trying to make at all.

Paul

[jdechko]

It really rubs me wrong when people start talking about how Nintendo needs to move away from the old IP and into new stuff. It's a problem with all 3 systems. This isn't to bash any one company because they all seem bad about it. The Mario Party series is probably the worst offender with a game per year since inception. But Final Fantasy keeps on going too (albeit at a slower rate). And as far as branching out into new genres, we still have the futuristic alien space-marine shooters, but now in glorious 1080p. Woo-freaking-hoo. And EA keeps force-feeding us the same crap with their sports franchises. I swear they have all the different madden features/modes in a hat and every year they pick 3 of them and that's what the next year's game will have (but with improved graphics... ooohhh). That coupled with the dozen or so sims "expansion packs" is too much.

All that being said, the gamer in me is disappointed at the state of affairs in the market overall, and with the "Nintendo Drought". The husband/father in me says I don't have enough money to buy all the games I want anyway, so it's no big deal to me.

My opinion.

[zero2dash]

It really rubs me wrong when people start talking about how Nintendo needs to move away from the old IP and into new stuff. It's a problem with all 3 systems. This isn't to bash any one company because they all seem bad about it.

A-frickin'-men! :D

The Mario Party series is probably the worst offender with a game per year since inception.

I agree.*

[* But this will be the first Mario Party game I buy..the Wii one.] :)

That coupled with the dozen or so sims "expansion packs" is too much.

I'm somewhat of a drive-by-sucker on those, since my wife is a Sims 2 nut, so, by association...I'm suckered into the add-on packs. :D She's good about it though; she played Sims 2/Nightlife for a long time before asking for an add-on pack, so last month I got her the Glamour Life and Pets add-ons.

All that being said, the gamer in me is disappointed at the state of affairs in the market overall, and with the "Nintendo Drought". The husband/father in me says I don't have enough money to buy all the games I want anyway, so it's no big deal to me.

Amen to that, especially the husband/father part. Sheesh...seems like every time new games come out, our "bills to pay" to "free money for games" ratio gets worse and worse. :o

[TheGimp]

For most Zelda and Mario fans, the prospect of innovation in gameplay is clearly a low priority, really just the 'topping on the cake' (taken from one of the subtitles in the movie "'The Host"). The fact that so many people claim the VC alone justifies the Wii pricetag lends credence to the notion that Nintendo is, especially these days, mostly about nostalgia. For example, no matter *what* is wrong with a classic game from a contemporary perspective (almost to the point of including emulation, if these forums are any indication - especially if one is a lonely indie game developer wanking to my one's own games with cell phone graphics), if a person can recall better days in which one imagines that game contributing prominently to an imagined sense of better well-being, then that game will get purchased for all manner of platforms - the sexier the form factor the better - without there being a sense of anything missing.

Let's face it, even if Nintendo's latest console hardware turned out to be indentical in every respect to the gamecube except for updated bios and/or firmware enabling exclusive compatibility with the latest Zelda game (any game branded as such, not just TP), people would still buy it. No, you say? Many would justify the purchase on the grounds that that one piece of software would be 'worth' whatever the maximum price they could afford to pay for it. For some that might be $400-$500 (I just won't go skiing this winter, that's all. sniff.), for others it might be more, especially if one could rationalize that said entertainment could conceivably be consumed in its entirety in time to recoup one's cost on ebay or the like. A small number of pretend extras (think 'everyone votes' or pictadoodle ) with imagined real worth might help seal the deal, but as well, such would be just 'topping on the cake' for those already sold on a software title. Sure it would be an embarassment to one's values, but a popular joke concerning mopeds and fat girls comes to mind...

Obviously the Wii is more, but it doesn't need to be in this market.

[ChrisK018]

^ I clearly fall into the Mario/Zelda fan camp, and it did not take much arm twisting for me to get the Wii. I like the nostalgia factor with the older games (though I kind of wonder why as I play Super Mario World on the Wii... the music maybe?)

As a previous poster says, I feel the same way about other systems franchise titles, a la Final Fantasy. If the PS3 FF incarnation is anywhere near as good as FFXII was I will get it. Metal Gear heads are the same way.

The Wii's future is fine. They have all their franchise titles in the pipeline and they'll be quality games with a few new features and the same predictable storylines.

If Nintendo can get one or two AAA third party titles this year I think the Wii's future would upgrade from 'fine' to 'excellent.'

[Corrosive vinyl]

I agree with a lot of people about how the wii is coming out with their 1st party games and in a little while the 3rd party's are going to jump on. Look at the GC, it has a huge library of games, but how many games came out after a year of the console being out? And like previously pointed out, it has been out for a whopping 5 months. How many PS2 games came out after a yaear of that console being released? I would have to say quite a few, it always takes people a bit of convincing before they decide to put money and time into something, especially if they don't know if it will all be for nothing.

Another thing to point out is when I was talking with this guy at toys r us he talked to me about DBZ for the wii. Usually I am not interested in straight up fighter games, but with the addition of the wii controls, it sounded very interesting, and I thought i might check it out if I got the chance. What made me change my mind was how you made each character do their moves. It's like, if you watched the show all you have to do is immitate what each character did to do X and you did X. rather cool idea, and much more unique then the latest port with fancy graphics.

[MacRumorUser]

If Nintendo can get one or two AAA third party titles this year I think the Wii's future would upgrade from 'fine' to 'excellent.'

Do you know how many games are released per year ? Your being very generous to developers for only wanting so little quality games.

I want & expect more than 1 or 2 AAA 3rd party games
I want & expect more than 1 or 2 AAA first party titles.

I spent €430 + on my wii by the time you include extra cables, nunchucks, remotes, memory card etc..

I want to be able to milk that investment with a sizeable quantity of great games THIS YEAR. Not this mythical 'sometime in the future' routine.

At E3 they promised Metroid for launch - where is it now ?
At E3 they promised Mario for Jan-Feb 2007 - we'll be lucky if we see it this year ?

Am I justified in my annoyance with the release radar so far.... damn right.
Give me a firm release date Nintendo - people here moan about the bull crap marketing Sony do - well Nintendo are doing no better in my book.

As someone who pre-ordered Zelda on March 21st 2004 - I'm skeptical I will see Smash Bros, Mario Galaxy till 2008 or Mario Kart till 2008/9, and a real Wii developed version of Zelda till at least 2009.

[Dagless]

Obviously the Wii is more, but it doesn't need to be in this market.

That's what I've been saying about the PS3/360. 2 systems gunning for the same pie. When a system is offering virtually identical performance (please show me otherwise, 360 or PS3), then one system needs to go and all the "power" games get released for that. Rather than making graphics whores go out and buy 2 systems.

[Corrosive vinyl]

I agree jimmi.... the 360 and the ps3 are both powerhouse graphics machines... they are gunning for that demographic... the problem is that they both are... so one has to give. the Wii is vying for something different... it does have an upgraded graphics chip... but not nearly as much of a jump in graphics as the 360 and ps3 to their counterparts. that is why the Wii is getting ahead of the market.. there is nothing in it's way, no other console that is trying to do what the Wii is doing, it is unique. The ps3 is having difficulties because it is competing with the 360, which is cheaper and has a lot of the same games, and can get a lot of mods.

[Dagless]

^ Exactly. If something was out to compete against the Wii from another company we'd see a drastically better output. Nintendo has made their own market here. It's underpowered, cheap but marketed right and feels different to use. And by better output I mean more pressure on Nintendo to get games out, some huge hitters on the VC (Mario Bros 3, Yoshis Island, Super Metroid, more consoles, independant download games...) and lower prices all round. But theres no pressure on Nintendo. Everything is going their way.

Right now the only competition for the Wii is the DS.

But back to the PS3/360 - there are so many games from Sony's previous roster making their way to 360 or just becoming multiplatform that it's no longer funny. For a cynical split-

Rumble, best online in any console.
Gyros, larger capacity medium.

[dan-o-mac]

I have some opinions about the wii. It's a great console right now aand has some great ideas. This is same with gamecube - great ideas and innovations. WHen it came out I was blown away by the small disk and the abilty to carry it around. It got a lot of hype at the beginning but what happened after that - it died. I forgot it was even around. I think this is going to happen with the wii. It has some good stuff but its gonna blow over and it won't get block buster games because of the too original design.


A handle and smaller disk. Gotta ask why were you blown away by such lackluster features. :confused:

[Corrosive vinyl]

you could call the Wii cheap, but it is smart also... the execs at nintendo decided to use a cheaper chip, which is still more powerful then the last consoles chip, and spent the money on the Wiimotes and the online game store. I think it was a much smarter thing to do then spending money on processing power and saying, "hey, check out these graphics", which isn't what nintendo is about. They are about the experience. They would much rather have a fun game then a real-looking game.

[Coded-Dude]

Right now the only competition for the Wii is the DS.

cough PS2 cough :cool:

[Dagless]

oh yea, the PS2 is competition to everything in the non-handheld market at the moment :cool:

I won't say these numbers are huge because the systems broke a lot. It was a very successful console.

[Coded-Dude]

oh yea, the PS2 is competition to everything in the non-handheld market at the moment :cool:

I won't say these numbers are huge because the systems broke a lot. It was a very successful console.

Um....how about most successful console OF ALL TIME!. :cool: ....so far. :p

Anywho, Wii will be huge as well, it already has a large enough user base to go the distance, but the games need to hurry up(as with any new console)
I won't purchase the Wii(again) until Mario Galaxies has hit the shelves.

[madog]

It really rubs me wrong when people start talking about how Nintendo needs to move away from the old IP and into new stuff. It's a problem with all 3 systems.

So true.... yet...

For most Zelda and Mario fans, the prospect of innovation in gameplay is clearly a low priority

Obviously.

But those who buy every Madden/Tiger/EA or games with Solid Snake or a FF games [hey, every now and then it's different characters!] games are clearly pioneers. Those people fall in the same category as you label Zelda and Mario fans... clearly.

I guess it's safe to say that people who have purchased a tetris game in the past 5 years do not respect this "innovation of gameplay" as you do.

Personally, I think that people who play PS and and XBOX are scared of innovative games and play styles because it's the same sports game and the same FPS over and over. Then again, that's not really correct because there are some really great and different games out there, so I won't lump all of those players together.

People like what they like. And where you say "most" fans, that's saying a bit too much in my opinion.

Now if you'll excuse me, I can't wait to get off work and go home and play my Zelda. And because I'm a Nintendo "fanboy" and anything that isn't Zelda or Mario scares me cause it's different.

[monke]

Hi-def TV's still aren't a huge factor in today's world. The ones who want it, get it. The ones who don't, quite obviously don't get it.

Nintendo is aimed at kids, and youth in general. They make consoles for fun and fun only. An 8 year old probably doesn't care if he's playing in HD or not, as long as he's playing it's all good.

The Wii should be successful, but it's future depends on how many people buy into the HD side of life.

[Dagless]

Hi-def TV's still aren't a huge factor in today's world. The ones who want it, get it. The ones who don't, quite obviously don't get it.

Nintendo is aimed at kids, and youth in general. They make consoles for fun and fun only. An 8 year old probably doesn't care if he's playing in HD or not, as long as he's playing it's all good.

The Wii should be successful, but it's future depends on how many people buy into the HD side of life.

Aimed at kids? I suppose that's why there's a huge market of older games on the Wii?

I'm 21 and I don't care for HDTV. We don't get a proper service in the UK but I download 4gb 40 minute shows, full quality like. Too many artefacts for my taste. Especially bad in TV show rooms. Bigger the TV - more "JPEG in motion" it looks.

[TheGimp]

While we're in the business of chopping posts up into sound bites...

So true.... yet...

Obviously.

But those who buy every Madden/Tiger/EA or games with Solid Snake or a FF games [hey, every now and then it's different characters!] games are clearly pioneers. Those people fall in the same category as you label Zelda and Mario fans... clearly.


You are incorrect. People who purchase the games you mentioned are clearly not pioneers either. Whoever said they were? However I am flattered that my choice of words induced you to scramble out on a limb and leave my innocent adverb dangling out there with your wounded pride.


I guess it's safe to say that people who have purchased a tetris game in the past 5 years do not respect this "innovation of gameplay" as you do.

Your analogy would be more valid if it referred to people purchasing a new console just to play the latest tetris game, perhaps with a motion sensing device, whereas folks owning a certain other 'next-gen' console are already enjoying one of Alexi's latest (and greatest) creations as a bundled bonus, and in so doing are using their heads in a novel way (ay, in a more *revolutionary* way - thank you for the Flowers Alexi) instead of having visions of the same L-shaped pieces overlayed on rush-hour traffic. Funny you chose Tetris as an example.


Personally, I think that people who play PS and and XBOX are scared of innovative games and play styles because it's the same sports game and the same FPS over and over. Then again, that's not really correct because there are some really great and different games out there, so I won't lump all of those players together.

If your statement is 'really not correct', then why make it? Is your backspace key non-functional? In any case, you missed my point entirely. Must have been the 'topping on the cake' part that threw your parser. Bots these days...

People like what they like.

Obviously!

And where you say "most" fans, that's saying a bit too much in my opinion.

How so? Please finish your one provocative idea. If I was 'saying a bit too much', maybe it was because I bother to reckon and, in so doing, come to certain realizations. Supportive of that categorization is the fact that my original post was immediately followed by one in which a MR member clearly identifying himself as a fan belonging to that very group. In fact he developed the idea further by calling it a "Zelda/Mario camp". Unlike you, he did not seem to resent the notion of populating such a fun place.

Now if you'll excuse me, I can't wait to get off work and go home and play my Zelda.

My aren't you polite. Why don't you go do that. Just remember to wash your hands first.

[TantalizedMind]

I haven't played my Wii since December. I waited two days in line... and I still don't play that thing. It's all about Xbox Live. You can't beat it.

[Coded-Dude]

You can't beat it.
Famous last words........:p

j/k

[2nyRiggz]

I haven't played my Wii since December. I waited two days in line... and I still don't play that thing. It's all about Xbox Live. You can't beat it.

I feel your pain but play a little Zelda..it is the greatest game of this generation and it will keep you focus with its endless text and nostalgic music.


Bless

[michaelltd]

I predict in about 100 or so years, the Wii will be dead!

And by then the Wii's successor will be dead!

And it's successor's successor..

And it's successor's successor's successor..




And I predict all of us will be dead... :(

[ChrisK018]

Do you know how many games are released per year ? Your being very generous to developers for only wanting so little quality games.

I want & expect more than 1 or 2 AAA 3rd party games
I want & expect more than 1 or 2 AAA first party titles.

I spent €430 + on my wii by the time you include extra cables, nunchucks, remotes, memory card etc..

I want to be able to milk that investment with a sizeable quantity of great games THIS YEAR. Not this mythical 'sometime in the future' routine.

At E3 they promised Metroid for launch - where is it now ?
At E3 they promised Mario for Jan-Feb 2007 - we'll be lucky if we see it this year ?

Am I justified in my annoyance with the release radar so far.... damn right.
Give me a firm release date Nintendo - people here moan about the bull crap marketing Sony do - well Nintendo are doing no better in my book.

As someone who pre-ordered Zelda on March 21st 2004 - I'm skeptical I will see Smash Bros, Mario Galaxy till 2008 or Mario Kart till 2008/9, and a real Wii developed version of Zelda till at least 2009.

I would love it if first, second, third and fourth party developers came out with a slew of AAA games that I wanted to play every free second I had, yet I don't think the cost of the system really factors into that. For example, since the PS3 costs more, should the games be better and come out more frequently? (Um... besides to the people that already feel like PS3 or 360 games are automatically better due to graphics or their hatred of any specific systems).

It would be nice if there were always great movies coming out that I liked 'worthy' of my investment, and sweet new albums getting churned out by my favorite bands and new bands too.

I agree, MRU, that I probably set the bar a little low. Nintendo has a well-known track record for delays, yet I'm happy to wait if the game is good enough, and for me, Nintendo's games usually are. That's why I do other things like read books and play soccer/football.

I still think the Wii is doing pretty darn good.

[Corrosive vinyl]

I agree.. there arent going to be AAA games coming out right away, but think of the life of the GC. There are all the AAA games on the console we want... but how long has it taken to get all of them? We know that there are all the AAA games in the works, like Mario, metroid, etc. We just have to wait untill they get all the bugs out so when they are released we aren't upset about them having all the bugs in the game. In the meantime.. I think there is a decent amount of games available... plus all the VC games... and what about all your old game systems and computer and biking and....

[Dagless]

Funnily enough the reason why we're all waiting for any game on any system is for the developers to make a good AAA game. Takes time to make a good game!

[Formativeyears]

I have (I think) a relatively different perspective on the supposed "console wars". I'm a 28 year old male and I got a Wii for Christmas last year. I'm certainly not a hardcore gamer. Online play doesn't interest me and I have no desire to buy something like the PS3 or the Xbox 360 simply because most of the games for those systems don't appeal to me and I can't see spending that much money on a game console. I am genuinely excited about the Wii because it is so different and just perfect for someone like me and my family. My brother and sister and I get together every Sunday night to play Wii Sports, Warioware, Rayman, Zelda, Monkey Ball or some of the VC games. This is something that we never did in the past and it is great because it appeals to all of us. I know that alot of gamers value online play, but these experiences with actual people in the room are much more rewarding in my opinion. We are all very excited about upcoming titles like Paper Mario, Mario Galaxy, Kororpina, Cooking Mama, Mario Party, and Smash Bros. I also think there are countless games in the works from both first and third parties that we haven't heard a word about yet. The Wii has become something of a cultural phenomenon and I think that this will only improve as times goes on. I certainly don't think it will fail. I also think the Xbox 360 and PS3 will do great in the marketplace too. Frankly I will never understand why there is such an obsession in the gaming world about which console will win or lose, particularly when it is still very soon in the life of all three consoles. It is a games console afterall... just have fun with it!