Nintendo Wii!

[Novaya Havoc]

So, like, my boyfriend is totally obsessed with the Nintendo Wii. He can't get over it. Like Cartman in South Park, he practically wants to cryogenically freeze himself until the point where he can get one in his hot little hands.

Growing up, I was always a PC gamer. My dad had a computer in our house since '83, so I grew up with those mind-twisting classics like Zork. I still remember when sound cards were this crazy revolutionary phenomenon and the computer could totally talk to you.

Suffice to say, my Inner Gaming Nerd has since disappeared, only to occasionally pop up on the PC with games like Civilization, or casually on the PlayStation 2 and the Nintendo DS.

But my boyfriend cannot freaking shut. up. about. Nintendo. Wii.



Like Macintosh, Nintendo decided since it can't have the most powerful or versitile systems around, it would go by way of the iPod, with a sleek design and limited functionality.

But more, it comes with an accessory meant to revolutionize gaming: a little remote that has a motion sensor. You swing the remote and play baseball! You move the remote and cut something! You swing the remote around your head and... well... I dunno about that one. Basically you get to look ace like this girl here.



Thing is, this formula (like most others) was already tried and tested on PCs back in the day. My dad once got this baseball game that came with a "bat" accessory. You stood in front of the computer and swung the bat to hit the ball. It was super-cool... for about 72 hours. Kind of like my "Dance, Dance Revolution" pad.

Maybe it will be good. Maybe not so much. Nintendo did put out a winner with their handheld DS Lite system (one of the best gaming devices around), but that was on a system that could play older games, and the touch-screen complimented gameplay rather than overtook it.

For all the gaming enthusiasts out there: Nintendo Wii. Remote-fad, or "system to beat?" Nintendo fanboys like my boyfriend will buy whatever system has the next "Legend of Zelda" and insist that the Nintendo Wii will destroy the Sony Empire and trounce the X-Box 360.

I'm not so sure.

Thoughts?

[Fish Sauce]

Nintendo did put out a winner with their handheld DS Lite system (one of the best gaming devices around), but that was on a system that could play older games, and the touch-screen complimented gameplay rather than overtook it.

Which is exactly what I'm hoping will happen with the Nunchuck remote.

Either way, I'm one of those Nintendo fanboys you spoke of :D - Zelda is my favourite game of all time. I'll be grabbing a Wii.

Also, at the moment everyone has a Playstation or X-Box. I have to rely on myself for Nintendo fun!

[Sean T Collins]

Its going to crash and burn. I play video games to relax and twirling some control above my head is not my idea of having fun. I say let the kids have there Zelda’s and Mario while I play the more grown up games like g.t.a and final fantasy. But the ability to download old nes and super nes games could very well be its saving grace.

[Xero Kaiser]

But the ability to download old nes and super nes games could very well be its saving grace.

Why? Anyone who wants an old game emulated them years ago, for free. It's a nice enough feature....I guess, but I don't know who's going to buy a $250 dollar system so they can play 20 year old games.

[Sean T Collins]

Why? Anyone who wants an old game emulated them years ago, for free. It's a nice enough feature....I guess, but I don't know who's going to buy a $250 dollar system so they can play 20 year old games.

a lot of people do not know how to download a emulator or just dont want the risk of geting a virus. I would love to be able to play the old mario games and the old mortal kombats and mario kart and all them games of my youth. I am just going to have to get a super nintendo before they get to hard to find I guess cause I aint getting no wii ( like I could even afford it after the price of the ps3 and the plasma I plain on getting )

[Lee Kaye]

I am going to be watching this closely. I spent most of my childhood playing computer games on my ZX Spectrum as well as in arcades, but nothing apart from Doom 2, SNES MarioKart, and N64 Mario has grabbed me recently and I have pretty much left games behind.

If they get it right and the controller is responsive I can see myself wanting to play again.

[Sean T Collins]

MarioKart for the 64 was no pushover . Goldeneye for the 64 is my favorite game of all time OF ALL TIMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

[The Fury]

Game I currently want:

Kingdom Hearts 2
Final Fantasy XII

Both out for PS2. I currently do not want any new system.

By the time I've got my use out of those and Wii is out here or the PS3 is....well, i'm getting a PS3 basically (backwards compatability helps...PS3 still is right?).

[Novaya Havoc]

By the time I've got my use out of those and Wii is out here or the PS3 is....well, i'm getting a PS3 basically (backwards compatability helps...PS3 still is right?).

PS3 is for both PS2 and PS1, though they're saying some games weren't properly "coded" and may not playback. Not sure which. I'd assume major developers are OK.

Wii will only playback GameCube. Yes, it's comparatively inexpensive, but you're basically building up from 0.

[The Fury]

PS3 is, though they're saying some games weren't properly "coded" and may not playback. Not sure which. I'd assume major developers are OK.

Wii has no playback. Yes, it's comparatively inexpensive, but you're basically building up from 0.

Cool, so the major titles I have and love to keep playing = good. See that where ther eis always a problem with many new consoles.

I have a load of games suddenly I can't play. I have a PS" and game son it, if I get any concole it will solely be because I can play not only PS3 games but PS2 and PS1 as well from 1 console, not 3. Of course being able to play DVDs and Blu-Ray and many other things helps as well. But the the PS3 likethe PS2 is and probably will be advertised not as a games console but an 'entertainment system'.

Also, the linkup you can supposedly do the PSP helps as well as me gots one of those. :D

[Novaya Havoc]

Cool, so the major titles I have and love to keep playing = good. See that where ther eis always a problem with many new consoles.

I have a load of games suddenly I can't play. I have a PS" and game son it, if I get any concole it will solely be because I can play not only PS3 games but PS2 and PS1 as well from 1 console, not 3. Of course being able to play DVDs and Blu-Ray and many other things helps as well. But the the PS3 likethe PS2 is and probably will be advertised not as a games console but an 'entertainment system'.

Also, the linkup you can supposedly do the PSP helps as well as me gots one of those. :D

Exactly. One of the big reasons why I purchased a second PS2 (one is here with me; the other is back with my sis at home) was for DVD-playing capabilities. For singles such as myself, it's great to have an inexpensive DVD player with a great gaming system. Since I have a small apartment, it's also nice to conserve the space.

I don't devote much time to gaming, so a strict game-playing console system isn't very appealing to me, whereas I'm sure it is for many others. For a strict gaming console, I bought the Nintendo DS. It really is a great little system. But from a console, I expect more than just the ability to play games. Games are too freaking expensive in the long run to really invest all that money in them.

And FFXII is ace, Fury. ;)

[Fish Sauce]

Its going to crash and burn. I play video games to relax and twirling some control above my head is not my idea of having fun. I say let the kids have there Zelda’s and Mario while I play the more grown up games like g.t.a and final fantasy. But the ability to download old nes and super nes games could very well be its saving grace.

Whoa, take it easy. I like GTA as much as the next guy - though I will say it gets a bit tedious after a while.

I've never played through a Final Fantasy game, but what makes it more "grown up" than Zelda? If you base it on Windwaker, sure, the graphics are more cartoony, but any others? Twilight Princess looks awesome, and Ocarina of Time is a classic, with it and Goldeneye being my all time favourite games.

Why so much hate?

[The Fury]

Games are too freaking expensive in the long run to really invest all that money in them.

And FFXII is ace, Fury. ;)

This is true. Games are expensive. Backwards compat means that games I buy will not only last until the console is out of date but longer as I will still play the games I like.

I'm guessing it is ace. I have to wait until February apparently.

I currently want to kill all Japanese and anerican's who have it.

[The Fury]

If you base it on Windwaker, sure, the graphics are more cartoony, but any others? Twilight Princess looks awesome, and Ocarina of Time is a classic, with it and Goldeneye being my all time favourite games.

Why so much hate?

GoldenEye is one of the best multiplayer games, this helps.

N64 was had some good games that were mainly produced by Nintendo. Same with the GC. it's main games were Nintendo games. Any Other games were like FIFA or Madden which were available on other systems.

Nintendo need to get more exclusive games that are not their own.

but then...they are making huge amounts of profit at the moment, but I think that's mainly due to handheld systems.

Although, I think X-box 360 will be the loser out of the 3. It has been out a year or more around the world and sold as many units as the PS2 has in that time. (I think that i what those figures i found once said)

[Novaya Havoc]

Whoa, take it easy. I like GTA as much as the next guy - though I will say it gets a bit tedious after a while.

I've never played through a Final Fantasy game, but what makes it more "grown up" than Zelda? If you base it on Windwaker, sure, the graphics are more cartoony, but any others? Twilight Princess looks awesome, and Ocarina of Time is a classic, with it and Goldeneye being my all time favourite games.

Why so much hate?

What's irked me about Zelda is that when given the processing power and graphical capabilities, the stories haven't much evolved since the Super Nintendo. The characters are anemic when it comes to development.

Zelda still maintains a fun franchise, but -- for me -- mostly on the handheld platforms. Minish Cap was a lot of fun. I just expect more from console gaming. My b/f finally coerced me to play the N64 Zeldas after months of repeated pleading, even though he would rather die than play any of my PC classics or the stuff I do have for PlayStation (Metal Gear Solid, ANY Final Fantasy, or any Silent Hill).

I hated Ocarina of Time. And I couldn't finish Majora's Mask. I won't get into it, really, considering the last time I tried to explain why I thought Ocarina was a pretty mediocre game, he got super-defensive and said I wasn't a "True Zelda Fan" and a "Sony Fanboy." Crazy stuff!

But I will admit that Wind Waker was a good dose of fun. Great graphics, good use of "exploration," and there was always something to do. Twilight Princess looks great, but with the more "serious" visuals, I expect a more serious story that does something more than scratch the surfaces of their characters.

Final Fantasy is "more mature" in its story sense. That franchise has always been story driven, with warring kingdoms, corrupted corporations, mysteries, mercenaries, and magic. Each installment manages to create a unique world and a new sense of gameplay. Most important, though, is that I feel some connection with the characters and are interested in their stories.

Zelda just doesn't do that for me. It's getting tired. I thought FF was, too, once they released the dreck FFX-2 and the VII spin-off, but FFXII brought it back.