Can't make up my mind about Nintendo

[Killarapp]

I remember two christmases ago when my family came around frequently just to play the Wii. I really helped Nintendo create a buzz trying to get everyone I knew to try it. Most did, most liked it alot, very few then planned to get one of course, shortages and the high price tag ensured that.

Point is I helped Nintendo, most of their fanbase did, they created a buzz, tried to create a Wii culture, it was seen as a joyous time where soon everyone would play video games. I guess I didn't mind helping Nintendo, Wii sports wasn't at all stale I enjoyed what they offered at the time. On top of that when the crowds went home I had Zelda Twilight Princess to look foward to.

Then I finished that, felt the potensial of such an amazing system and optomistically put the Wii on the shelf for the next exciting time. I accepted that it would be a long time coming for another Wii expereince. The problem you need to just accept with being an early adopter.

And Nintendo's experiment to appeal to a new market worked, as we saw over the triumphant now matter of fact inability to get a Wii. I never felt so connected to a company as I did for early adopting the Wii. Nintendo fans were for a brief time proud and satisfied.

But thats over now, the early adopters, those who followed Nintendo into this crazy idea slowly got frustrated with Nintendo's concerns for its new audience. No mic for online play, games getting easier and more simplified (look how much they took out of MKWii) and online friend codes were our main concern up until recently. Then Nintendo went and announced nothing significant for this core audience at E3. The outrage was audiable over the internets, the sense Nintendo had abandoned us for the other culture we had helped create (the none gamer) and the complete overlooking of the hardcore base that had supported Nintendo thought the differcult times before.

Perhaps were being too harsh, this year has seen Super Smash bros Brawl, Metriod 3, Super Mario Galaxy, Mario Kart Wii and the year previous Zelda TP. Practically the equivelent of their whole gamecube output. Fact was these games were announced years ago, we were just waiting for them. They arrived far later than expected (Galaxy/Metriod was to be a launch title) and now there gone Nintendo seem far less focused on providing more of them. Pikmin, Animal Crossing and the proof the Mario and Zelda teams are hard at work making the sequals (a new Zelda game is coming... really no ****)

It balances out with the stupid things industry legend Miyamoto is saying, a few months ago we were hailing the man for his innovative Super Mario Galaxy, now were cursing him for the pathetic lack of skill in Wii Music 'its a toy, not a game, thats what makes it more fun' and 'the next Zelda/Mario game will be more casual' easily will boil the blood of those who know a casual approach usually means butchering a series, its not what those people who've enjoyed the previous versions want.

Not that i'm against changes to the Zelda formula, 3d Zelda games are getting increasingly stale. But why not overcomplicate the series with full motion control sword play instead of just removing the differculty? Zelda is our series not the person who plays Wii Sports once a week who doesn't plan to ever purchase more software.

On the other hand, Nintendo's silence towards the core audience at E3 is understandable, they are a very secret company, not ones to show things until they are done. Leipzig is in a months time, Nintendo's bount to show something for the core gamers there. If not then Tokyo Game Show in October. By then its looking like Christmas will be Nintendoless this year. Good thing the 3rd party support has a few gems to come... in 2009.

Looks like It's the second round for the Wii. Now the launch games are all out, time for some new IP's using that new controller instead of bragging about sales figures which are as Sony can tell you very fleeting.

Time to put up or shut up.

[Nicko]

Nice blog. I remember when I first got my Wii, it was during a very quiet period for the console. I had Zelda, Resident Evil etc... but once I'd finished them there wasn't a lot of choice. The majority of my friends had bought and sold their systems and I was starting to think that I had bought a failing console (I still to this day don't know anyone in real life that owns a Wii). But then after a couple of months the Wii really started to take off. Since then we've had Galaxy, Metroid, Mario Kart, Wii Fit, SSBB and many more, and I'm really glad I didn't decide to sell mine on. Now I wouldn't sell it for the world, and I'm pretty sure that the Wii has got a fair bit of life in it left to go.

[Lepruk86]

Nintendo have currently abandoned us; at least at E3 - but a game like Resi 4 (one of the best selling wii titles) is a hardcore game that out sold most of the party/mini game crap.

I am not sure why they fail to see this when they look at those numbers...

Now we have had a lot of hits already; but the Wii has been out 2 years almost now and I kind of did expect a few more new IP's etc.

Take my 360; in the first year of owning it (I got it almost 2 years a go mind) I bought about 17 games as well as actually bought about 5 xbla games.

My Wii I own about 7 and there isn't much more I want to currently purchase for it; Games like Star wars FC are good an' all but I think most would agree that the 360/PS3 versions are the ones to buy.

And as I have said many many many many times; I really want some new good plat-formers. As I mentioned elsewhere a game based on the side-scrolling aspects of SMG (as an example) would be amazing; they could make it so creative and difficult as well as offer an advanced level editing/ level sharing kit.

But we have had for HC gamers;

Mario Kart Wii
Zelda TP
SMB:B
Resi 4
Resi UC
Okami
Bully
Scarface
No more Heroes
Zack and wiki (I know annoying but I deem it a little less casual as some of the levels were deviantly hard)
Monkey Ball BB (if you like MB)
Super Paper Mario
Fire Emblem

I am sure I have missed some but if you look at those there is a good selection to play at the moment.

[FooFan]

I also got my Wii very early on in it's life and the feeling of having something that everyone wanted, but couldn't get hold of was great!
Everyone dismissed the Wii when they heard about it and the Next Gen War was said to be between Sony and Microsoft. The thing is that no-one could've predicted just how fun it was to play Wii Sports for the first time with some mates. I think that alone sold loads of copies for Nintendo.

I also remember the slow periods where we would discuss how nothing seemed to be on the horizon for the Wii and no big name titles were appearing... But when I look back at it I think that Nintendo have actually released their major games very well. There's always been gaps between each Major release meaning there's always been something to look forward to. Even now when people were beginning to get the same feelings, E3 has given us Animal Crossing, Picmin 3, COD 5, Force Unleashed and Wii Music to look forward to. Not to mention the already announced Guitar Hero 4.

As you say, Ninty are a very secretive company, they like to surprise us and only show us near-finished work. Who knows what Metroid of Galaxy might have turned out like if they hadn't delayed them? Right now they are 2 of the best games around(Galaxy in particular has been one of the best games I've ever played!), but a launch release date could've taken that status from them.

Personally, there's enough on the horizon to keep me a happy Wii Gamer, but that doesn't mean I don't want to see more! I want to be spoilt for choice and see some great new games appear that show Nintendo haven't forgotten about why they are here in the first place. And tbf... I don't honestly think that they would ever forget that/us