What is Digg?92 Comments
- inactive, on 10/11/2007, -4/+34Good to hear that Nintendo is recovering so well and learning from its mistakes after the Gamecube.
- McTendo, on 10/11/2007, -4/+26Those scumbags! How dare they take way your freewill and force you to purchase 20 minutes of TV you can watch for free on the internet!
Who wants to start an online petition?? I'M OUTARGED. - STKD, on 10/11/2007, -1/+21Mistakes like making it cheap? Or introducing a wireless controller that was actually useable? including some extremely fine software? Off the top of my head, Animal Crossing, Eternal Darkness, F-Zero GX, Luigi's Mansion, Mario Kart, Metroid Prime 1+2, Burnout 1+2, Pikmin, Resident Evil (Remake and 4 - one of the finest games of the generation according to most), Rogue Leader, Mario Sunshine, the original (and best) Super Monkey Ball, SSBM, the Zelda collection and Wind Waker, Wave Race Blue Storm, Ikaruga... I could go on. The only mistake Nintendo made was in marketing the damn thing. Or NOT marketing, as the case was. No sales = no support.
- JesperL, on 10/11/2007, -9/+27From a business perspective, Nintendo made no mistakes with the Gamecube. With the Gamecube, Nintendo actually made the most profit (with regards to their investment).
- SHIFTderek, on 10/11/2007, -9/+27great. another article about how the wii is unexpectedly popular. didn't everyone already know this?
- chaosdude78, on 10/11/2007, -11/+26What Accessories, I don't know of any that you need to buy. Sure, you could purchase the HD-DVD drive to make it more functional but you probably bought the 360 not planning on having a next-gen drive on it. You could purchase the vision camera but you will have to do the same for the Eyetoy. What other accessories do you have to buy to "bring the 360 to its full potential?"
- markopolo2952, on 10/11/2007, -4/+18Still waiting for those 3rd party games.
The article felt like it was written in January. - drwiii, on 10/11/2007, -1/+13"Gee... Let us see who is more inventive and advanced."
Technology-wise or sales-wise? I can assure you that only one of these two matters. - dheaddy, on 10/11/2007, -1/+13Nintendo will always survive their setbacks e.g. Virtual Boy and to a lesser extent the GC, because they are experts at remaining profitable. As the old meme about the DS says, 'It prints money!'
- ksponge, on 10/11/2007, -3/+15@redrock34 (#7079641)
Mario Strikers is online, Pokemon is online. Not sure where you are getting your info wrong but it's incorrect. - skywake, on 10/11/2007, -6/+17@redrock34
firstly, good graphics help but personally I think we have gotten to the point were it doesn't add much
IMO Super Mario Kart (SNES) will always be one of the best games ever made
better graphics can help but if it is the primary focus then most people (myself included) will forget about it in a week
secondly, there is online play already in Europe & Japan and I say screw the US for a change ;)
I know for a fact that I will be picking up "Super Mario Strikers Charged"... but after exams...
thirdly, it serves you right for buying something based on hype...
if you are disappointed it is your own fault not Nintendo's - imikedaman, on 10/11/2007, -4/+14Why does this keep getting dugg to the front page? Are people just not finished with their console wars yet so they submit a new story?
- beepsy, on 10/11/2007, -2/+11Lets be realistic when it comes to third party games.
Most 3rd party developers put their initial weight behind sony and to a lesser extent microsoft, who were dominant last generation. Several months ago when it became obvious that nintendo had a hit on their hands they started to shift developers over to the wii. Games don't take 3 months to develope, or rather GOOD games don't take 3 months to develop.
It sucks, but that is the reality of the situation. - hockey, on 10/11/2007, -1/+10If you RTFA you will see that the mistake was turning a cold shoulder to third party software developers.
The article focuses on one key thing. With the Wii, Nintendo has apparently finally decided to stop screwing over third party developers. This was their arrogance in the 80's and 90's and this is what caused their fall.
That's the mistake they are rectifying. - johnhummel, on 10/11/2007, -1/+9I'll digg you up because I think you're half right. But when I hear old people talking about "My arms sore because I was playing Wii at a party this weekend", then it's more than just price, or else PS2 sales would do the same thing.
I think it's a combination: cheap price + innovative controls. But I do agree that price probably has at least 50% to do with that. I have heard people say "Well, the 360 has lots of casual games, and so will the PS3!" But Grandpa isn't going to buy a $400 360 just to play Pac-Man.
Then again, I don't think that Grandpa would pay $250 for Pac-Man either - but he might for a "real" golf game. So I think it's 50/50 - price + innovative controls. - johnhummel, on 10/11/2007, -2/+10"...and access for normal people"
I think that's the key right there. Now, there are some people such as CliffyB's brother that are crying "Oh, noes - the casual gamers are coming and nobody will make teh hard core games anymore!"
Which is, of course, *****. Last time I checked, the emergence of talking movies didn't mean that all artistic movies ceased to be made - movies like "Babel" and "Hotel Rwanda" and others are still being created, right alongside "The Hitcher" remakes.
But gaming moved away from its casual roots for a long time, and it looks to be coming back. My wife is playing a console for the first time in the 13 years we've been married. My father had me buy one for him (because he didn't want to stand in line around Christmas time, and I figured "Eh - what the hell"). My hair stylist uses one, for pete's sake.
There's a great article at GigaOM: http://gigaom.com/2007/06/04/game-business-its-crisis-of-attention/ that goes into this issue, where the game industry focused on mostly 18-30 year old men because the developers are mostly 18-30 year old men (and the few women such as Ms. Jade Raymond get more pictures of her than the game in interviews) covered by gaming journalists who are 18-30 year old men. So now, outsiders are making games for everyone else - well, other than Nintendo, which seems to be the only gaming "insider" who "gets it".
Miyamoto have a talk where he described how he started rethinking how he made games, by making them for his wife. If she turned her head and looked at it, that was a point. If she watched someone play it, another point. When it got to the point that she picked up the controller and played, then he knew he had a success - and some 10 million sales of Nintendogs, Brain Age, Wii Sports and Wii Play each, it seems that he's right.
Casual gaming and hard core gaming will life on quite well side by side, just as fancy arthouse movies and commercial schlock movies do, just as "Heroes" is on the same network that brings you "About Jim" (side note: what's with the comedies with stupid sloppy fat guys having hot wives? Are they saying that fat guys are really hung and that's why they're wives keep them?).
Nintendo got it, and now they're profiting by it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to order my copy of Resident Evil 4 - I haven't played it at all, and I'm very curious to see how it looks on the Wii. - fantasticFlan, on 10/11/2007, -1/+8What do you think "inventive" means?
If the Wiimote is just a Power Glove, the PS3 and XBox360 controllers date back even farther.
I suppose you could call Sony inventive for using a drastically different architecture (which they helped invent), but it hasn't yet yielded much. - Elric1977, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7@ seraph82
I never had to buy any of those things. If your Wii's WiFi didn't work, you should have taken it back. All I had to buy was an extra controller and nunchuck. I CHOSE to buy two games, and it was still a good 150CDN cheaper than the 360. And I haven't stopped playing yet. - MrFlesh, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7I was all excited about the Wii I picked one up played it for like two weeks and haven't touched it since....sure zelda was fun and mario party was fun and virtual console was fun...but there's nothing comming out for it that isn't a rehash of a franchise. And there is so little news that I hardly even pay attention to what's comming out for the Wii anymore.
- radio1mike, on 10/11/2007, -3/+9Nintendo took a big gamble. And won!
They shifted the console war back to gameplay, fun and access for normal people. Instead of monster graphics and monster performance. Imagine having a simpler kind of fun, where it does not involve a headshot or punching someone's head off.
Seriously some of the best gaming memories I have are playing against my dad in Kaboom and Space Invaders on my Atari VCS. (Yeh, I had one when they were called VCS, not a 2600...) Anyways... That's the great stuff. And now the Wii provides again. - Lasereth, on 10/11/2007, -4/+10The innovation of the Wii has much less to do with why it's selling than its price. No one wants to admit it though. The reason the Wii is selling so well is partly because of its controller, but mostly because it's $250, which is WELL under the competition. Don't want to believe it? Ok, consider this: the PS3 is $250 and the Wii is $600. Would you rather have an XBox 360 + Gears of War + a PS3 + Resistance: Fall of Man, or a Wii? Of course everyone would pick the first choice. It's all about price. I'm not bashing Nintendo because they made a great decision on how to remain in the console race. I just hate how everyone attributes the Wii's success to its super innovation, when in reality 90% of the Wii games are horrible, the motion controllers suck, and people like to play it drunk so the games seem good anyway. $250. $250. $250. That's the reason the Wii is selling out everywhere.
- allenb, on 10/11/2007, -2/+7"I'm back to the Wii, attempting to play Zelda and having to swing the stupid controller everytime I want to attack something. That gets just a tad repetitive."
As opposed to pushing buttons, which has no end of variety. - Elranzer, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6@seraph82:
HDMI cables for the Wii? Honestly? - Buelldozer, on 10/11/2007, -2/+7See, you're a male between the age of 18 and 30. You are not the traditional "casual" gamer from days of yore and therefore the Wii holds less interest for you. I can assure you however that there are FAR more people outside the male 18-30 demographic then there are inside it.
For instance my wife would have no fun playing the game you just described, but I can hardly pry her off the Wii...and she hasn't been a gamer in the 12 years we've been married.
Nintendo is after a whole different demographic and you are only in it incidentally, not by primary design. The fact that the entire video game industry no longer completely revolves around you is something you "hardcore" gamers are going to have to get used to.
In the meantime I'm sure that many, many, many FPSs will continue to roll of the assembly lines for you to get your teabagging fix with. - ksponge, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6@ibeetle (#7079946)
Or chip it and download new games? If you can solder. - Superperson, on 10/11/2007, -1/+5I think there's a mistake in the article. It claims that the Mario+Sonic Olympics game is the first time Nintendo's liscenced their Mario characters. It's not. Off the top of my head, there's the horrendous CD-i Hotel Mario, and the EA-produced SSX and NBA Street.
- STKD, on 10/11/2007, -3/+7And we all know how well Sony inventions tend to go...
Betamax, Minidisc (superb backup format), Memory Stick, UMD... PS3 bombs, where does that leave Cell? Not very far. - WocEnasni, on 10/11/2007, -4/+8I had some friends over the other night to play the Wii, and my friend Cortney said "Thanks for having us over, this was the most excited I've ever been playing video games." I think that sums it up perfectly.
- allenb, on 10/11/2007, -2/+5"And the cost factor outweighs the innovation factor 2:1."
Utter nonsense. Anyone can pull ratios out of their backside, but I can say with total honesty that everyone I know who bought a Wii after playing mine did so because of how much fun they had, not because they thought it was cheap. None of them are traditional gamers, and none of them have bought any console other than the Wii - including the cheaper PS2.
The price of the Wii is an irrelevance in every sense - except that it isn't prohibitive. - KuJo6784, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3@ halleyscomet
If seeing something go from widescreen to fullscreen when the gameplay starts infuriates you, then No.
If having a trillion lines of text appear during a trip around the gameboard bothers you, then No.
I'd have to say that the mini-games are only alright if somewhat hastily thrown in there. A better purchase in my opinion would be Rayman's Raving Rabbids (although the 2nd one has been announced for late this year) or Wario Ware, both of which are good fun for groups of people of all ages. - joeyjojo402, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4Who gives a *****? Just play what you want and stop trying to change other people's opinions.
- grumbel, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3### firstly, good graphics help but personally I think we have gotten to the point were it doesn't add much
IMO Super Mario Kart (SNES) will always be one of the best games ever made
I 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. - Buelldozer, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3You're right but some things are better forgotten. :)
- AntidoteSqrd, on 10/11/2007, -2/+5This article says that the PS2 was more powerful than they gamecube... wrong. It also includes the DS in a list of innovations that were outsold, except that the DS has a far superior lead over the PSP.
- Wormwood, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2@Elric1977
I think when seraph82 was talking about a WiFi adapter, he meant to refer to the one that's attached to a PC to turn in into a WiFi hotspot. If he was looking at Ethernet adapters, he probably doesn't have a WiFi network in his household (yet.) Not everybody's gone wireless yet, especially if they only have one PC. - Exhaust, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2@halleyscomet
You're the definition of hypocrite. You say to punchinelli "You're an elitist" Yet what are you doing. You're posting a reply to every comment pontificating how great the Wii is over and over. You're a Wii elitist. You think you're so special because you picked the console that selling so you get on digg and find these articles so you can post comments to show everyone how smart you are because you like the Wii.
You say you "pity" him... You know what I pity you.
You don't know ***** about video games or the industry. The NES was high end for its time. Mario and Zelda are not third party games like you told someone above who said there are no good third party games.
The fact is all the consoles have good points and bad points. There are things wrong with the Wii just as there are things wrong with the 360 and PS3. Just play what you like instead of getting on a message board talking down to people who enjoy different types of games. - skyteria, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2I 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.
- Lasereth, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Yeah I'll give you 50%. The Wii controller is amazing and has lots of potential, but few games use it worth a crap right now.
I'll argue it to the grave because simple logic proves it: the world argues that the Wii is selling so many consoles because of its fun games and cool controller, yet if anyone says the price has anything to do with it then they instantly defend how fun the console is. So if the controls and fun factor REALLY are why it's selling, then the price shouldn't affect it, correct? So basically, the PS3 isn't selling as well because it lacks a fun factor and a cool controller. With these logical points laid out, it could also be said that the PS3 could be $250 and the Wii could be $600 and the sales would remain the same, correct? WRONG. If the PS3 was $250, gamers would be praising Sony for the incredible system they have and how they truly care about gamers for the value you get. If the Wii was $600, it would be the next Dreamcast with everyone bashing it, the sales figures being craptastic, and Nintendo turning the way of Sega (software only). Price is the control point of this console war whether anyone wants to admit it or not. No one wants to buy a $600 console with 2 good games. Everyone wants to buy a $250 console with 2 good games. I can afford a Wii. My grandma can afford one. My little sister could buy one in first grade with her allowance. Drunkards on the street can afford it. Starving kids in Somalia can afford it it's so freaking cheap.
Sony made a huge mistake this time around and Nintendo showed how you can turn a company around in the blink of an eye with a good marketing effort and a MASSIVE price difference between competitors. - punchinelli, on 10/11/2007, -2/+4Precisely - and if the Wii was $400 instead of $250, you wouldn't have bought it. You didn't buy it because it was innovative. You bought it because it was CHEAP and innovative. And the cost factor outweighs the innovation factor 2:1.
Nintendo is genius for doing this. I can't deny that! - staticneuron, on 10/11/2007, -7/+9@chaosdude78
Well for starters I had to purchase my wi-fi for my 360 and I also purchased the play and charge kit for rechargable batteries and to play on live I hat to pay $50.
That was $170 on top of my original $400 purchase ($190 if you count the P&C for my additional controller).
The $600 dollar PS3 I purchased months later came with all of that. What is worse is that if I did want HD-DVD it would have made my 360 WAY more expensive than my PS3. No matter if you need it "now" or not having all those parts built in is a great value and you might find yourself using it in certain situations. The Wi-fi for my 360 came in very useful and I am now using the accessories and features for my PS3 in ways I didn't really think of originally.
This... "I don't need this feature".... is just useless rationalization because you only see that comment pop up when there is an article praising the features of the PS3. When feature most are not going to use pop up about other system (who really need everybody votes and what does that have to do with gaming?) it is the greatest thing ever. If the bias people shown weren't so clear most of these comments would seem less pathetic. - chingy1788, on 10/11/2007, -2/+4hmmm
A console with good graphics or even an innovative interface will grab buyers through hype
But
If it doesn't have a good selection of games the console becomes a flop
A good selection doesn't mean that there are many many games
There must be some good games, some that you can really get into, some that you can just relieve stress on, and some just for nothing but crazy fun
After a few games, you wouldn't think about the graphics, you wouldn't think about the game play style
You would be stuck in that game and playing like crazy, everything else doesn't matter you are in your own world - horward, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Your argument doesn't make much sense. If people just wanted a cheap console then they could go with the PS2 and get a robust library of titles that could be had far cheaper than the current titles for the Wii. Or if people just wanted simple minigames that were cheap, they could play any number of free titles on MSN games, newgrounds, or dozens of other sites that collect flash games. If people only wanted a cheap gaming system, there are far better alternatives than the Wii. If the single reason that you bought the system was that it was $250, then you were robbed. I'm sure you could find a nice Dreamcast and a couple of games you have a remote interest in for under $50.
As for your other argument, the Wii is innovative. It's the first console that has allowed you to create an avatar that will carry over into several games. It's the first console that has allowed users to buy games online without first signing up for a subscription service. While the power glove did have motion sensing, the Wii does it much better and has the nunchuk for moving the character while you do advanced aiming with the wiimote. It's these ideas that seemed interesting to me so I decided to get the system.
Finally, yeah, you are trolling. posting several posts on a message board when you know damn well that nobody is going to agree with you and are likely to respond with rampant fanboyism is pretty much the definition of trolling. - b3mus3d, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I would rather have seen Sega license it's characters to Nintendo - Sega's 3d games have been extremely hit and miss, to be honest.
If sonic is in Smash Bros Brawl it will be awesome. - b3mus3d, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1The 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 *****, and trying to change people's opinions. - KingGoonie, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2uh.. punch... I know people who purchased a wii over 360 or PS3 because they believe it a better system. I know poeple who have all 3 systems and haven't played the PS3 since week after launch...
Its about the system itself.
If PS3 lowered its price to 400 and Wii raised it to 400... you can be pretty damn sure the Wii would still outsell by a big margin. - halleyscomet, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3@punchinelli
You have a real grudge against the Wii. Does it somehow threaten your manhood to realize that the photo-realistic graphics and high price tag you so value isn't really relevant to the average person? Does it shake your self esteem to realize that most people care more about a game you can have fun playing than a game that's ultra pretty?
I have a news flash for you, you're not intimidating anyone with your trolling. People recognize you for what you are, a kid trying to use his game console as an anatomical compensator, insulting the Wii owners because it strokes his ego.
I sincerely hope you're in high school, because if you've reached adulthood with that kind of petty aggression then you're a sad human being to say the least. - Fraff5, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3Can't we have headshots with the Wii Remote?
- chingy1788, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Hmm
If a company came in with a Console thats more innovative than the Wii, more powerful than the PS3
and cheaper than a Gameboy micro
but
It only has 1 game on it and only ever will have 1 game on it
That game has only 1 level and its quite boring
There will be no home brew support either, and for 3rd parties to try get home brew on it its dang near impossible
Will you buy it? - punchinelli, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3Trolling? 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. - morningmatters, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Not sure why is this news but Nintendo's most profitable line since the 90s has always been the Gameboy series, which has an extensive library of 3rd party softwares.
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