Nintendo Wii

[shmokes]

Yep, I just watched it too.  Honestly, I would have rathered pay $300 for a Wii with more competitive graphical horsepower than $200, but in the end it's by far the system I'm most excited by (followed by PS3 with X360 in a distant third).  I think it's hillarious that Nintendo is sticking so doggedly to the name.  When addressing the name for the first time in the conference Reggie Fils Aime said (speaking to the press) something like, "First I'd like to thank those of you who wrote good things about the name when it was first announced . . . both of you."  Zelda looks unbelievable.  Red Steel looks like it could be absolutely fantastic, but I was a little concerned about the control.  It looks like in order to turn you have to move the aiming reticule to the edge of the screen, rather than have something more akin to mouse-look on PC first-person shooters.  It seems like this was done to keep the screen steady for a shooting experience that was kind of a cross between a first-person shooter and a traditional light-gun game.  But it looked like it made navigating around corners and stuff a little sloppy.

Anyway, they showed a slew of other games, many of which looked fantastic.  There will be 27 games playable on the show floor tomorrow, with even more shown in video-only format.

FWIW, Sony unveiled their new controller which underwent a redesign after the one they showed a while back that looked like a boomerang was universally hated.  It now (surprise surprise) has a 6-axis motion sensor in it.  It also looks exactly like a dual shock controller (for the love of god Sony, please please please swap the D-Pad with the left analog stick.  This is no longer 1994.  95% of videogames are 3D!).  Oh...and it doesn't have rumbling anymore, thanks to a lawsuit.

Which reminds me, there are some more innovative details about the controller recently revealed.  Apparently Nintendo is unaffected by rumbling controller lawsuits (or is paying royalties) cos there's DOES have rumbling.  Also, both ends of the Wii controller have motion sensors (analog stick attachment AND the remote-looking thing).  And it has a built-in speaker, so when you are firing an arrow in Zelda, for example, you will hear your bow tighten and the release of the arrow and then you will hear the arrow embed itself in your enemy's chest on your speakers across the room.  Or when you're fishing you can hear the real coming from the controller, rather than your home theater speakers.  Pretty cool!

[Stingray]

I was very much on the fence about which next gen console to get first, but after Sony announced that the PS3 is going to be $500-$600, I'm not only off the fence, but the fence has been torn down. Guess I'll take a Wii.

-S

[Nannuu]

Just watched the Wii video.  I'm impressed.  It looks very cool.  Nintendo and Sega have always been the coolest companies for new stuff.

[lcddream]

looks awesome!

[Dizzle]

I was very much on the fence about which next gen console to get first, but after Sony announced that the PS3 is going to be $500-$600, I'm not only off the fence, but the fence has been torn down. Guess I'll take a Wii.

-S

You won't be the only one.  Sign me up too.

[brophog]

I'm not at all sold on the idea of Nintendo regaining the number 1 position in the market.

I'm not sure they're trying to. In actuality, based on total revenue, Nintendo's still been number 1 for some time due to the portables. Nintendo may not have the leverage that Microsoft or Sony has due to being able to take on a loss on gaming while being supported by other ventures, but I'd say Nintendo is doing alright.

 I think this is the first generation in gaming where hardware doesn't allow you to create new games and genres that the previous did not. Take someone's example of the Atari era and NES era. Did the NES look that much better than the Atari's? No, but it allowed us to make new types of games. The 16 bit era did the same, and of course the 32 bit and beyond brought in the idea of 3D gaming.

Think about when you first saw a Genesis.....yeah, it looked way better than a NES, but you very soon found out that it could do things the NES never dreamed about. I remember the first time I played Madden on the PS2......far different experience than the same game on the PS1. It was night and day for me, and not just because it looked prettier.

That's why, I'm hopeful Nintendo is successful. I think their innovations are going to allow them to make games that are a next step up rather than just looking better. My concern is how hard is it to program for their new controller interface? I can see the possibility of a lot of really bad software out there simply due to the control scheme. Remember when 3D gaming began and analog began and how many games that would have otherwise been fun sucked because you either couldn't see due to poor camera or couldn't move due to poor analog implementation? 

[divemaster127]

I watched G4 last nite on E3, & I have issues with some of the new systems...ok last week I purchased a Xbox 360 & a 30" Hdef 16:9 monitor & it looks really good...but after purchasing the 399.99 unit another wireless unit & the wireless network there went $600.00

the playstation III from what G4 stated you need to purchase the $600.00 unit to get all of the goodies, boy that's tough to spend that much again.

The WII,(i prefer revolution), was supposed to sell for $149.00 G4 stated the price will be $249.00 to $299.00, this unit does not support HDef & I just do not care for the controller but being able to play the old games is cool...


opinions
dm

[SirPoonga]

I watched G4 last nite on E3, & I have issues with some of the new systems...ok last week I purchased a Xbox 360 & a 30" Hdef 16:9 monitor & it looks really good...but after purchasing the 399.99 unit another wireless unit & the wireless network there went $600.00

See, that's where microsoft is going to make their money back, on the accessories.  I only picked up an extra controller but $50 for a controller is crazy.

$60 fro a 360 game is crazy.  I've only bought one game for my 360 at full price.  Otherwise I used coupons or bought used.  Rumor has it PS3 games, being bluray, will be more expensive.

[Stingray]

Rumor has it PS3 games, being bluray, will be more expensive.

Of course. Sony has lost all touch with reality. Who is the PS3 for? Royalty? Oil Barons? Not Bill Gates, I'm pretty sure he's a 360 guy...

-S

[farmecologist]

I agree 100%.  The 'next gen' games are too expensive.  I refuse to pay more than $40 for a game.   Ok, I'm cheap.  However, I think the studios are digging themselves into a hole.   The 'spiraling production cost' bit will only work for so long.

[Nannuu]

The games prices don't bother me much since I can see how production costs have gone up given the complexity of games.  I remember paying $70 and $80 for SNES games long ago, so $60 is still cheap.

[brophog]

I'm not sure it's "cheap".....it's still a video game. But I remember paying 70 dollars for SNES games too.....and all I can come up with is I was insane.

[Hoagie_one]

The guy from Microsoft said for the price of the PS3 you could buy a 360 and the Wii, lol

[shmokes]

Yeah, you can tell that if nothing else MS is buying into Nintendo's claim of not wanting to compete directly with MS and Sony, cos not only did he recommend that consumers buy a Wii and a 360, but he raved a bit about how innovative and so on the Wii is. 

[Howard_Casto]

My thoughts are basically that sony stumbled into the market years ago due to some great luck... they remained in the market due to more great luck, they got full of their selves (even though neither of their previous consoles were all that good) and now they think people will buy a ps3 regardless of the price and the lack of the good games. 

600 bucks for a system?  A system that so far doesn't have ANY games that look significantly better than the 360 which has been out for a full year.  A system that doesn't have a harddrive?  A system that uses a disc format that nobody has agreed upon yet, won't be related to game content and quite possibly could become the next beta max?  They've completely lost it.  Also there's no base unit.  You can argue that the 360 is 600 bucks too after you buy all the stuff, but you've got to remember that you can buy the core system and add a little bit at a time.  With sony you are forced to buy 600 dollars worth of stuff, even if you don't use it. 

Personally I only had one controller for my gamecube for the longest time.  I still only have two.  Buying 4 would have been a waste as friends can bring their own controllers.  Same goes for my xbox, still have the two original controllers and that's it.  Buying more would have been a waste... also I didn't buy any memory cards because it has a frikkin harddrive! 

Anyway... moving on...

I can't say enough about the wii (except for the name, that is the gayest thing I've ever heard).  Nintendo "fixed" 3d gaming with the nintendo 64 and now they are going to fix it again with true 3d controllers.  A controller that makes me excited about first person shooters again is nothing short of a miracle!  Also it's a controller that is so versitle you won't have to buy crazy speciality controllers to play games anymore (steering wheels, light guns, ect).  Dated graphics won't hurt it at all as people will have so much fun from the controls nobody will notice.  Don't beleive me?  fire up a game of galaxy force and just try to enjoy it without the massive hydrolic arcade cab. 

In my opinion the wii is the must buy this season, and I'm a huge m$ fan.  You'll also want to eventually pick up a 360 as the wii's graphical capabilities are rather limited, and thus several of your great third-party games will never make it to the wii. 

If you are completely insaine or REAAAAAAAAALLLLLLY like Metal Gear you could get a ps3 instead.  I honestly can't think of a single good thing to say about the ps3.  The whole blue-ray thing is dumb, the strange co-processor architecture is dumb, so far all the exclusive games look pretty dumb  and the price is REALLLY dumb.  The ps2 has some cool games coming out though, but I guess that doesn't really count does it?

[Stingray]

If you are completely insaine or REAAAAAAAAALLLLLLY like Metal Gear you could get a ps3 instead. 

I'd rather beat myself to death with a live fruitbat than endure another insipid Metal Gear game.

-S

[RayB]

Dated graphics won't hurt it at all as people will have so much fun from the controls nobody will notice.  Don't beleive me?  fire up a game of galaxy force and just try to enjoy it without the massive hydrolic arcade cab.

I don't even think it's fair to call the graphics "dated". The system is DOUBLE the power of the GameCube. Anyone who has seen Resident Evil 5 for the GC knowns how much better it looks than any PS2 game, so if the Wii is gonna give me graphics that look twice as good as that?! --I'm gonna be more than happy.

[shmokes]

Well, maybe it's just the law of diminishing returns (is that a law?), but judging by the games shown at E3, double the power doesn't equal twice as good graphics, or anything like that.  The graphics of Red Steel or Metroid don't even begin to approach those of Assassin's Creed, Gears of War, Metal Gear, etc.  In fact, what we've seen so far looks pretty much the same as what can already be done on the Gamecube.

Considering the level of graphics in PS3 and 360 games, which are direct competitors to the Wii, nomatter what Nintendo would have you believe, I think one really doesn't have much of a choice but to describe the graphics as "dated".

Then you come to terms with it and buy a Wii anyway because it looks like more fun in spite of clearly inferior graphics.

[brophog]

Let's look at this with a bit of motivation.

Why wouldn't MS want Sony gone? If you have two competitors and one of them flat gives you a share of the market while the other is competing directly against you with similiar financial resources........it's really a no brainer.

For the games MS wants to produce, it's only real competitior is Sony. If they can use Nintendo to help knock Sony out, of course they're going to do it.

[RayB]

Well, maybe it's just the law of diminishing returns (is that a law?), but judging by the games shown at E3, double the power doesn't equal twice as good graphics, or anything like that.  The graphics of Red Steel or Metroid don't even begin to approach those of Assassin's Creed, Gears of War, Metal Gear, etc.  In fact, what we've seen so far looks pretty much the same as what can already be done on the Gamecube.

That's true, but the reason for that is that the games WERE developed on GC hardware. Wii dev kits weren't even available until a couple months ago. I would HOPE developers will be revamping all their textures between now and their release dates.

Knowing this, I have pretty high hopes for the Wii.

[versapak]

That's true, but the reason for that is that the games WERE developed on GC hardware. Wii dev kits weren't even available until a couple months ago. I would HOPE developers will be revamping all their textures between now and their release dates.

Knowing this, I have pretty high hopes for the Wii.

Even if the graphics aren't improved on these early titles, it shouldn't matter. I think the novelty of the new controller will be able to get us by until the 2nd gen of titles that were developed with all the final Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii stuff. Then we will get some nicer visuals to go with those nifty controls.

The DS has definitely been a great reminder that graphics aren't everything.

[SirPoonga]

The Wii is still using dated graphics.  The xbox1 is slightly more powerful.

I think alot of people are going to get the Wii.  The question is will good games come out.  I have a feeling this controller is going to be like cell shading.  There are some games where cel shading makes sense but there are alot more that use it for the sake of using it.  I  have a feeling we are going to see some crappy games on the Wii just because some developer wants to use the controller when a normal controller would have been fine.

[shmokes]

 

The xbox1 is slightly more powerful.

Bah!  That's nonsense.  The Xbox1 has a slightly higher clock speed, but they are utterly different architectures.  The Wii's processor, if I understand correctly, has basically the same architecture as the Gamecube with a doubled clockspeed.  but surely you don't think that Xbox1 is twice as powerful as the Gamecube.  Between the three current gen systems (360 excluded, of course), Gamecube is only second to Xbox, but is more powerful than PS2.  If the Wii truly is twice as powerful as the Gamecube, or even 1.5 times as powerful, it is significantly more capable than Xbox1.

[DaveMMR]

Meh - graphics!  I'm numb to it all now.  I went to a friend's house and played around with his 360.  I never remember feeling 'awestruck' by the graphics.  By the way, some of my most favorite games of the just past generation of consoles weren't exactly pushing the graphical envelope (e.g. Katamari Damacy, Warriors, Viewtiful Joe, Rez - though some of those choices had a 'style' that lent itself to simpler graphics).

Personally, I was excited about the release of the PS3 until I saw the pricetag.  $600?!   Wii sounds more in my pricerange - especially when all I want to buy a console for is to play games, not watch some Blu-Ray DVD's without an HD display.

Finally, I often wonder why people get so hung up on Nintendo games being 'kiddee'.  Be that as it may, it should be noted that a lot of these games are excellent, despite their ESRB rating.  And, personally, I'm not the type to embrace a game just because it's rated "Mature".  Personally, I was sick to death of the whole "Grand Theft Auto" gameplay (I skipped San Andreas).  Fun is fun, that's it. 

I don't know - it looks pretty cool (name notwithstanding).  I may be picking one up.

 

[brophog]

I  have a feeling we are going to see some crappy games on the Wii just because some developer wants to use the controller when a normal controller would have been fine.

There is a normal controller for the Wii as well. It looks like a crossbreed for a dual scock  and a fat SNES controller.

[versapak]

 

The xbox1 is slightly more powerful.

Bah!  That's nonsense.  The Xbox1 has a slightly higher clock speed, but they are utterly different architectures.  The Wii's processor, if I understand correctly, has basically the same architecture as the Gamecube with a doubled clockspeed.  but surely you don't think that Xbox1 is twice as powerful as the Gamecube.  Between the three current gen systems (360 excluded, of course), Gamecube is only second to Xbox, but is more powerful than PS2.  If the Wii truly is twice as powerful as the Gamecube, or even 1.5 times as powerful, it is significantly more capable than Xbox1.

heh


He never said the Xbox was twice as powerful. :p


He said it was slightly more powerful.


I think the Wii is going to be great for the few games that really utilize it, but I doubt it will end up being the primary gaming system for many. Nintendo is basically releasing a whole new console just for a gamecube peripheral.

I guess it makes sense to do this, since it will get looked at less like a peripheral, and it won't have to be associated with the gamecube, which is widely thought of as a pretty dead console.

[AtomSmasher]

He never said the Xbox was twice as powerful. :p

He said it was slightly more powerful.

Right, he said the XBox was slightly more powerful then the Wii, but the Wii is twice as powerful as the Gamecube, so the XBox must be more then twice as powerful as the gamecube.  That simply isn't true, at the very worst the Wii's graphics should be slightly better then the XBox, but I'm guessing the third or fourth gen games will be better by a fair margin.

[SirPoonga]

I  have a feeling we are going to see some crappy games on the Wii just because some developer wants to use the controller when a normal controller would have been fine.

There is a normal controller for the Wii as well. It looks like a crossbreed for a dual scock  and a fat SNES controller.

Exactly.  You know people are going to make games that use the wand wen it doesn;t make sense.

[versapak]

He never said the Xbox was twice as powerful. :p

He said it was slightly more powerful.

Right, he said the XBox was slightly more powerful then the Wii, but the Wii is twice as powerful as the Gamecube, so the XBox must be more then twice as powerful as the gamecube.  That simply isn't true, at the very worst the Wii's graphics should be slightly better then the XBox, but I'm guessing the third or fourth gen games will be better by a fair margin.

Ahhhhhhh

Okay, I see where ya be comin from now.

[brophog]

I  have a feeling we are going to see some crappy games on the Wii just because some developer wants to use the controller when a normal controller would have been fine.

There is a normal controller for the Wii as well. It looks like a crossbreed for a dual scock  and a fat SNES controller.

Exactly.  You know people are going to make games that use the wand wen it doesn;t make sense.

Do you have an example? I can't imagine a fighting game working well, but I can't think of too many other genre's that wouldn't work.

You still have one analog stick and several buttons. I can see companies being almost "forced" to use the wand simply to show it off. This seemed to happen with the first generation of games on the Nintendo DS, but it seems that has ceased and common sense has prevailed.

[SirPoonga]

Of course I don't have examples, it isn't out yet.  Read my previous reply.  I see it is like cel shading.  Cool but will be over used and not used in appropiate situations.

[shmokes]

 I can't imagine a fighting game working well,

Au contraire!!!  Can you IMAGINE the next Fight Night?  For anybody who hasn't played the Fight Night series for current gen or 360, pick it up immediately.  The control system is incredibly intuitive -- simple, intuitive and deep simultaneously.  But the control system absolutely begs to be adapted to the Wii, especially since we find that both the Wiimote and the nunchuck have motion sensing capabilities. 


edit: I know that Fight Night isn't a "fighter" in the traditional sense of the word 

[versapak]

 I can't imagine a fighting game working well,

Au contraire!!!  Can you IMAGINE the next Fight Night?  For anybody who hasn't played the Fight Night series for current gen or 360, pick it up immediately.  The control system is incredibly intuitive -- simple, intuitive and deep simultaneously.  But the control system absolutely begs to be adapted to the Wii, especially since we find that both the Wiimote and the nunchuck have motion sensing capabilities. 


edit: I know that Fight Night isn't a "fighter" in the traditional sense of the word 

Maybe if the remote and puck weren't attatched to each other via cable, but seeing as they are, I don't really get much excitement from the idea.

[shmokes]

I don't know . . . I'm punching in the air right now, the way I imagine the game working and I can't imagine needing a longer cable unless you really plan on flailing about.  Who knows?  I guess we'll see, as EA is working on the system and it seems like they would be crazy not to do this.  In fact, I'll bet the Fight Night team is watering at the mouth to give it a go.

[Grasshopper]

I think that potentially these controllers could be very good indeed for fighters. Just imagine being able to punch, block etc with your arms. But I also find it a bit depressing that this development could represent yet another nail in the coffin of joystick and button games.

As they say, every silver lining has a cloud.

[RayB]

Fighting games?! Ugh. I got so tired of those by the time Tekken 3 came out.  Definitely not the Wii's audience anyways...

[SirPoonga]

Any game is for the Wii audience.  That's Nintendo's motto this time, everyone's a gamer

If you think fighting games are for Nintendo then I guess you also think Resident Evil isn't for Nintendo either?

[Howard_Casto]

Fighting games?! Ugh. I got so tired of those by the time Tekken 3 came out.  Definitely not the Wii's audience anyways...

Well the tekken series is a horrible, horrible series and not really a fighting game (it's a grappler, like wrestling)  so that might have had something to do with it. 


The reason everyone (inculding me) is sick of fighters is because while the graphics have finally moved to true 3d, you still play on a 2d plane.  Fighter developers, rather than trying to make a new style of fighter (like they did in my day) just add two new characters and 30 new types of useless combos to try to keep the fanboys happy.  When an entire genre hasn't evolved at all in over 10 years it does tend to get boring.   

The wii controller might be able to fix this because finally we can have true 3d gameplay to go with the 3d graphics.  Personally I'm waiting for punch-out 3d 

[RayB]

Personally I'm waiting for punch-out 3d 

YEAAHHH!!!!! 

[SirPoonga]

Apparently these are the launch titles.
http://wiinintendo.net/?p=193

Only three first party games.