All the figures show that Nintendo’s Wii console is currently the hottest of the 3, with units selling out almost as soon as they hit the shops, and plenty of places still have queues even though the console was launched almost 6 months ago. The console is still new enough to be generating plenty on buzz on the’net (wii gets more mentions amongst bloggers than the xbox 360 or ps3)and most people seem pretty happy with theirs.
But is the honeymoon period over for Nintendo? People will only try so many times before they get pissed off at missing out on a console because there aren’t enough being made, and the buzz will die down once the novelty wears off. Once this period of initial hype slows, it’s the games that make or break a console.
Games are what let down the Gamecube, there were some great games, but most of the sucked. The gaps in between great games was also too large.Many of the great games at the moment for the Wii are just the latest franchise from the old hits, perhaps with the exception of Sports, there isn’t an original game amongst them. Sure there are original control systems, but they’re not one and the same.
I saw Nintendo’s lineup for Q1 & 2 the other day, and that’s really what sparked this post, I really expected some more cracking games to keep the momentum going:
- April 9 – Super Paper Mario – Nintendo
- April – Prince of Persia Rival Swords – Ubisoft
- April – Bust-A-Move Bash – Majesco
- April – Bioncle Heroes – Eidos
- May 15 – Mortal Kombat: Armageddon – Midway
- May 29 – Mario Party 8 – Nintendo
- May – Tamagotchi Party On – Namco Bandai
- May – Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – Disney Interactive
- May – Escape from Bug Island – Eidos
- May – Spider-Man The Movie 3 – Activision
- June 11 – Big Brain Academy – Nintendo
- June 25 – Pokemon Battle Revolution – Nintendo
- June – Cosmic Family – Ubisoft
- Spring – Heatseeker – Codemasters
- Q2 – Legend of the Dragon – American Game Factory
- Summer – Shrek the Third – Activision
- Summer – Transformers the Game – Activision
[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
Mario is the only one that kind of tweaks my interest, and that’s kind of next out. Prince of Persia might be worth a look, and the control system will make or break that game. Even then they’re both rehashes of tried and tested games, with little to make them different from their Gamecube incarnations than a new controller. (You know, perhaps there are no origional games any more, all we’re going to get is the same tried and tested games with better graphics, this is why 3rd party content is vital for the Wii Channels)
Don’t even get me started on the lack of anything remotely like online play.
Ok, so just as I was thinking about this post, Sony go and realease their “Sony Home” which is a bit like the Mii plaza except it actually appears to DO SOMETHING!! It’s exactly what I was hoping the Mii Plaze would be. How many of you go to your Mii Parade only to be told there’s nothing there? Why doesn’t it list all my contacts (that have jumped through the right hoops to see me as a contact) and what games they are playing? Why can’t I chat to them? Why can’t I play them online at any of the Wii Sports games?
Nintendo have reacted by saying that it’s a case of “Mii too” … Wii wish
Then I read that Miyamoto is creating a channel for the Wii too, great that should be good. A popularity channel? Just what the internet needs, another pissing contest. As if the “Everybody Votes” channel wasn’t bad enough. I only hope that there’s something I’m missing about this.
Ok, now if you’ve read this far, first of, thanks! but second, don’t be fooled into thinking I’m a Wii hater, I’m not. I certainly won’t be making the same mistake I made with my Gamecube and trading it in for a PS3, I just hope Nintendo don’t fuck things up.
Stubblog 