The Wii - taking a look in retrospect

[DJKyRo]

So I'm nearly certain this has been covered at some point, but this is an issue I pursue with some fervor, so if necessary, by all means give me the token insult for reposting what I'm sure is a beaten and bloodied dead horse, so to speak.

Any hxc gamers out there will agree in the sentiment that the Wii is something of a disappointment, to put it mildly. What I want to know is

1) What about the Wii makes it a n00b console?

2) Can Nintendo mend its relationship with gamers?

To answer my own questions:

1) I think the Nintendo tried too much to make its next-gen system to the "appeal to as many people as possible" demographic. Sure, it's great for the family to go get the Wii, as it's got games that anyone can play; I'm talking Wii Sports, Mario Party, Mario Kart, blahblahblahMario, you know the games I'm talking. Heck, to a point there have been a fair amount of respectable franchises brought to the Wii, if you're a Metroid/Mario/Zelda fan. OF course then we go down the road of beating the same old franchises to death, but on Nintendo's next-gen system, what else can be expected?

2) Honestly at this point I don't know what Nintendo can do. The Wii has been financially supportive enough to give Nintendo the idea that the Wii is a good idea, so my wager is that that's the route they'll take in any future systems they come out with. But, if only it exists as fantasy on the part of hxc Nintendo fans out there, not unlike myself, I for one am pulling for the Revolution - of course that was the original name for what is now the Wii, but I'm thinking this could be a route Nintendo could take and really put it in the same category as the PS3 and X360. Of course at the same time, Microsoft and Sony are going to be working on their stuff, so really, the question to take from this is: has Nintendo shot themselves in the foot with respect to their hardcore fans?

 

[GuerrillaClock]

It's not retrospect while the Wii is still out.
anyway, this issue has been done to death in recent weeks, enough with the Nintendo bashing! Just because you don't know any "hardcore" games doesn't mean they don't exist, as I repeated about 10 times over the last week.

 

[Lustwane]

There definitely looks to be some good wii games coming out in the next 6 months.

The main problem with wii is just an amplified version of the main problem with PS3. They added tilt controls so lets shove them in every game we can regardless of weather they need them or not.

What wii does have going for it is circulation, its 'base function' games are multiplayer so even if you don't have one your average gamer knows someone who does. When it does hit its stride it'll be hit hard.

 

[EzraPound]

To anyone who says there isn't enough good Wii games: MadWorld, The Conduit, Punch-Out!! Wii, Kid Icarus, Sin and Punishment 2, Pikmin 3, Dragon Quest X, and, according to Miyamoto, new Mario and Zelda sequels are all coming soon.

As for the n00b factor: admittedly, the Wii hasn't been getting ports of alot of the major releases lately, but it still has a lot of obscure titles like Trauma Center, Zack & Wiki, and Boom Blox that most core gamers overlook while championing the PS3 and Xbox 360. One reason I think 'gamers' criticize the Wii is - other than its genuine lack of third-party support - because over the course of the past decade or so, we've become accustomed to assuming that the best titles are always these long, expansive, story-driven epics à la Zelda or Final Fantasy. Personally, I think the Wii is helping to reshape that notion (in spite of the shovelware), and I have no problem with 'casual titles' - as long as they're well-made. Didn't the NES have alot of 'casual' games? Even the Wii's control scheme suggests a belief in the simplistic.

As for me, I'm happy playing Metroid Prime 3, RE4, Trauma Center, and Wario Land: Shake It! right now.

 

[laikenf]

This, I am sure, will soon turn into yet another wii bashing thread. But I hope I'm proven wrong.

 

[Twilight_guy]

So I'm nearly certain this has been covered at some point, but this is an issue I pursue with some fervor, so if necessary, by all means give me the token insult for reposting what I'm sure is a beaten and bloodied dead horse, so to speak.

Any hxc gamers out there will agree in the sentiment that the Wii is something of a disappointment, to put it mildly. What I want to know is

1) What about the Wii makes it a n00b console?

2) Can Nintendo mend its relationship with gamers?

I consider this an insult good sir. Pistols at dawn!

Seriously, the Wii is doing its job great. It's selling well and applying to its core demographic. Just because it doesn't apply to a "hardcore" audience doesn't mean its broken.
1. The Wii is already outsell other consoles and does attract more new gamers then the 360 or PS3.
2. When the old guard of current "hardcore" gamers disappears Nintendo's current young gamers will replace them. This young generation already likes the Wii. Therefor, yes. All they have to do is wait for a few years. Also, a number of people still like the Wii. Judging from the sales figures, I'd say a lot of people still like the Wii.

 

[JediMB]

Sometimes I wonder when exactly the mainstream gamers became the new hardcore...

 

[KiiWii]

Sometimes I wonder when exactly the mainstream gamers became the new hardcore...

amen to that.

 

[Neosage]

Only n00bs say n00b. n00b. And I like it, house of the dead is great and so is SSBB, mario kart, wii sports, redsteel all good fun.

 

[Wislong]

I don't regret buying a Wii. What's more fun than throwing yourself around the living room, endangering the lives of those around you, to get a leg-less Avitar to hit that tenis Ball?

 

[DJKyRo]

Personally I don't intend to bash on the Wii; as was established, it's selling well to its main demographic. Yet I sit here with my remote in one hand, the nunchuk in the other, and can't help but lament not putting that $250 towards another next-gen console.

However, at the same time, I don't see the Wii as intended for a group of dedicated gamers; for the most part, we (or at least I) didn't get what I wanted out of it; next-gen graphics, for the most part mainly. Of course I'm usually the first to point out that graphics don't make the game, but I digress.

And yeah, in retrospect (which was intended as the console has now been out over a year, which I figured was enough time for people to establish a valid opinion on it), maybe this was a bad call; my bad for not reading through the old forums

 

[Joeshie]

To everyone who says the Wii has good games coming...those lists are paltry compared to the long lists of quality games on the PS3/360.

Just because the Wii gets a few decent looking core games doesn't suddenly make everything all fine and happy again. Not all of us are happy waiting 5-6 months between releases of a good game.

 

[Vlane]

The problem is that you won't get next-gen graphics out of the PS3 or Xbox 360 either though!

Actually you do but maybe you don't want to believe it.

 

[Vlane]

The problem is that you won't get next-gen graphics out of the PS3 or Xbox 360 either though!

Actually you do but maybe you don't want to believe it.

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/28/halo-3-not-hd-runs-at-640p-pixel-counters-claim/
http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/30/ps3-grand-theft-auto-iv-is-640p-nobody-cares/
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/22/call-of-duty-4-not-hd-only-600p-claim-pixel-counters/

Err, say again?

And that tells me what? That those are not next gen graphics?

 

[Malacandrian]

Please, everybody some terminology corrections:
1)This is not next gen, by sheer definition this is the current generation.
2)Retrospect means a look at the past, as the Wii is current gen (see point 1) it isn't retrospect.
3)"n00b" isn't even a word, and the meaning it appears to have gained among "hardcore" gamers certainly doesn't fit in the context you framed it in.

And as for an answer to your question, the simple fact is your question is wrong. Nintendo aren't appealing to the casual gamer, because the casual gamer doesn't exist. They are employing a disruptive marketing strategy. See the birdman article (http://malstrom.50webs.com/birdman.html) for an explanation.