nytimes.com — The company has changed its strategy in an effort to dominate the newest generation of video game consoles. Nintendo is known for turning out hits with memorable characters like Donkey Kong and the Super Mario Bros., but it has had a reputation for cold-shouldering game software developers because it preferred to do things internally.
Jun 8, 2007 View in Crawl 4
johnhummelJun 8, 2007
Then sell it.
grumbelJun 8, 2007
### firstly, good graphics help but personally I think we have gotten to the point were it doesn't add muchIMO Super Mario Kart (SNES) will always be one of the best games ever madeI agree that SuperMarioKart is one of the best games ever made, it however was also one with very good graphics for its time. It was one of the first racing games that had a full 3D racetrack, i.e. you could turn around on the track, drive in the other direction and stuff like that, this was a big change from all the '2D' racing titles like Top-Gear (do those types of games have a proper name?), where you only could drive forward and strafe to the left or right, but you couldn't turn around.I am not so sure if we are really done with improvements like that, sure, every console can do 3D graphics now, but what about physics engines, large object counts, HDR lighting, huge levels, realistic damage model and stuff like that? When somebody turns all the available computing power into something that actually improves the gameplay instead of just adding more bloom to old stuff? I don't think that we are done with games, not even close considering all the things that are still impossible in a games and there is still plenty of room to put the additional computing power to some decent use.
punchinelliJun 8, 2007
Trolling? I'm not trolling. Seeing every single person on this comment section who is pointing out the Wii's weaknesses being buried is trolling. Fanboys unite!People seem to think I have a grudge against Wii - not the case. I am simply annoyed at people making the statement that Wii is winning the console wars because it is "innovative." This is not the case, as well. Welcome to the real world, people - the reason this thing is selling is because it is targeted at gamers and non-gamers both - and a large percentage out of that whole aren't willing to spend big bucks ($400+) on a system. Wii's "innovation" aren't driving these sales - Wii's cost is.All of you are partly correct - Wii is winning because it was targeted to the masses, and wants to bring "everyone" into gaming. But when you all say that the reason it's targeted to the masses is because it's innovative - that's when your argument is flawed. It's targeted to the masses because it's CHEAP.Example: I have a Wii, despite it only having a couple of games I show any remote interest in. So why do I have it? Because of the damn innovation? No, I have one because it was only $250. Sweet deal. I will admit it. Very good deal. But am I having any more "fun" while playing it so far than the other two big consoles? No.All of your "non-gamer friends" and "grandparents" and "person I've known for 10 years and has never touched a gaming system before until Wii" wouldn't have bought this thing if they played it over at your place and had a BLAST, and discovered it was $600. It would still be sitting on the shelf.Wii is selling because it's cheap.Procede to bury this comment because of your ignorance.
skyteriaJun 8, 2007
I bought mine for $450. I succumbed to Ebay. I'm also in the 18-35 demographic, and I bought the Wii because the other systems represent the same way we've played games for the last 15 years, but with better graphics. Plus I don't have a HD tv, so the better graphics would be lost on me, for a price of $600.
b3mus3dJun 8, 2007
The more Wii owners there are then the more people are interested in the same thing as me, the more games are made for the console, and the more the industry is going to be inclined to innovate instead of churning out the same old stuff over and over.While I agree that a lot of console arguments are juvenile, it actually DOES affect you which console sells the most. And there is nothing wrong with discussing some of the pros and cons of each console, if that's what you're interested in. You're not being forced to join in, and funnily enough you are doing what you moaned about - giving a s**t, and trying to change people's opinions.
chingy1788Jun 9, 2007
HmmIf a company came in with a Console thats more innovative than the Wii, more powerful than the PS3and cheaper than a Gameboy microbutIt only has 1 game on it and only ever will have 1 game on itThat game has only 1 level and its quite boringThere will be no home brew support either, and for 3rd parties to try get home brew on it its dang near impossibleWill you buy it?