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Nintendo's Next-Gen Arsenal 321

Posted by Zonk from the zelda's-got-a-gun dept.
Much of the coverage of the next-gen skirmish so far has focused on Sony and Microsoft. The already-impressive Xbox Live vs. the PS3. Just the same, for the first time in many years Nintendo is definitely in the running for top spot. About.com has a piece looking at what the big N is bringing to the next-gen party this November. From the article: "While Nintendo is trend setting with controllers like the Wiimote and, to a lesser extent, the nunchaku dongle, other companies will be following along. Nintendo's game plan from the genesis of the Wii has been touch and gamer-friendly games. They see the future of gaming in the Wiimote. Everyone else, at this point, seems to be just catching up."
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Nintendo's Next-Gen Arsenal More

Nintendo's Next-Gen Arsenal

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  • about.com (Score:5, Insightful)

    by gEvil (beta) ( 945888 ) on Friday July 28, 2006 @12:09PM (#15800002)
    Anyone else get the funny feeling that about.com has recently struck a deal with slashdot for page impressions?

    • Re:about.com (Score:5, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 28, 2006 @12:23PM (#15800140)
      No.
      • Next Page
      I don't thi
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      nk that About
      • Next Page
      .com needs any
      • Next Page
      help incre
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      sing page impress
      • Next Page
      ions.
      • Next Page
      They already
      • Next Page
      have a techni
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      que in place
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      to do that
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      without slashdot's help.
      • Did they license that technique to tomshardware because the system seems familiar.
        • Quick! If they haven't already, let's file a patent: "Obnoxious technique to fragment short articles to improve advertising hits".
          It would match perfectly the other pending patent I have: "Method. to. create. slogans. for. advertising. campaigns. with. periods."

          Truly original!

    • Re:about.com (Score:3, Insightful)

      by hexix ( 9514 )
      I agree. There is absolutely no new information here. Everything is the same old crap that we've known since E3, written up in the same old style.

      This is the kind of crappy article that I expect on digg. I thought having editors on slashdot prevented this kind of non-news from being posted.

      Oh well, I guess it's just a slow news day.

  • Lets get this over with (Score:4, Funny)

    by DeadMilkman ( 855027 ) on Friday July 28, 2006 @12:13PM (#15800043) Homepage
    *OMG* another "All hail Nintendo" brought to you by Zonk!

    *OMG* Who wants to play with their wii?

    *OMG* Ponies!, Nintendo iz 4 kidz!
    (I want blood, boobs, and blunts. I wanna be a (rated M for mature) HARDCORE gamer!)

    Did I forget any?

  • What it needs the most is... (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Data Link Layer ( 743774 ) on Friday July 28, 2006 @12:15PM (#15800059)
    A good online service comparable to xbox360s live. Imagine super smash brawl with unlimited online oppentens, tournaments galore, and updated content. I play smash bros. melee still but only for the multiplayer. With a quality online feature nintendo will surely take the lead in sales with the next generation consoles.

    • Re:What it needs the most is... (Score:4, Insightful)

      by joe 155 ( 937621 ) on Friday July 28, 2006 @12:18PM (#15800091) Journal
      I would think that the service will be pretty good, the service for the DS is very good (although I wish it would be faster at finding opponents). I also think that the download of games will be a really big selling point, getting old classic games for about £2 would mean that for a party I could get about 5 of the classic fun multiplayer games (inc. Goldeneye and Super Smash Brothers, of course)
      • Another of my favorite group games, although only two players, was Super Dodge Ball [wikipedia.org] on the NES. Loads of fun. It was later ported to the GBA, SNES, and NEO-GEO but I never got a chance to play any of these. So perhaps this is my chance.

        Back in the day, nothing was funnier than whipping the ball at a guy on the sidelines who wasn't looking!

    • Even though they may have something like this, my impression of the Wii was that it was meant as sort of a party console or something the whole family can gather around and play. While being able to play online is a very nice feature, I think Nintendo is going for a more "arcade" atmosphere.

      • Re:What it needs the most is... (Score:5, Insightful)

        by WFFS ( 694717 ) on Friday July 28, 2006 @12:22PM (#15800129)
        Not only that, but something that attracts all walks of life. You got games that the little kiddies can actually play (I'm sure I'd buy my daughter a game that would allow her to point the Wii and pop balloons!), games for the regular generation of gamers, games for people like me who grew up with the original NES, games that Baby Boomers can play with their kids, and games that allow the more senior members actually participate without too much problem. Sony and Micrsoft have stuck with the 'bigger is better' mentality, whereas Nintendo have stuck with their roots. Good on 'em.

    • A good online service comparable to xbox360s live. Imagine super smash brawl with unlimited online oppentens, tournaments galore, and updated content. I play smash bros. melee still but only for the multiplayer. With a quality online feature nintendo will surely take the lead in sales with the next generation consoles.

      I'd be curious to know what percentage of potential Nintendo customers would care about online.

      I personally don't. And I suspect where Nintendo has a target market which includes a lot of you

      • And I suspect where Nintendo has a target market which includes a lot of younger children/families, many of those people wouldn't want on-line gameplay.

        Quite to the contrary, I think. My daughter has loved Animal Crossing as soon as it came into our home. She has been frustrated, because we don't have any other kids nearby that won the game as well, and she wants to visit new towns. With online gameplay, it could be possible for her character to visit towns world-wide. I, and I suspect many others,

        • With online capability, Mario Kart Double Dash, and Super Mario Strikers, Tennis, Golf, Baseball, etc. will take on completely new dimensions. I, for one, am looking forward to it, and will purchase it as soon as it is released.

          *laugh* Well, that shows how out of touch with the gaming industry I am. But, I might be one of the ones that Nintendo hopes to bring back into the fold of gaming.

          Online gaming doesn't interest me, but nice, simple, fun games with an easy controller interface might be enough to get

    • Meh, I know Nintendo is doing something in the online venue (old downloadable Nintendo emulators and whatnot), but personally, I don't see the fun in playing SSB Brawl online. The past two semesters, I played an ungodly amount of the original SSB (the vintage 64 version), but I doubt it would've been half as fun had it been done online. Personally, half the fun in playing games like that is the trash talk that goes back and forth, the periodic cig breaks between marathon free for all sessions, and the atmosphere of having four guys crammed on a dorm room couch (all conveniently within arms reach, should a dispute need to be settled properly). Honestly, I think a significant part of the experience would be lost in online play. Not to mention the fact that the SSB franchise is the only (AFAIK) worthwhile multiplayer game that doesn't require split-screen goodness. Sure, a game of Halo across the campus LAN can be fun, but even those rarely go more than a few rooms away, and generally teams are kept within the same room. I'm sure Nintendo will have a decent online system this time around (they certainly got it right with the DS), but it won't be the reason I get a Wii.

      Online will (and should) be icing on the cake, but it certainly isn't a selling point (at least for me). It might benefit a couple of games here and there, but at least for the ones I'm keenly interested in (Zelda, Metroid, and maybe a new Mario Tennis with the controller?!?) don't require an online aspect at all.

  • It all seemed so elegant... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 28, 2006 @12:15PM (#15800060)
    with the Wii design, the wii colors, and the wiimote............right up until I hit nunchaku dongle.

    It reminds me of when someone is speaking french and then says an english proper name. For a split second the wheels fall right off.

  • Sony v Microsoft? (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Much of the coverage of the next-gen skirmish so far has focused on Sony and Microsoft.

    Really? From reading Slashdot I thought it was 85% Sony bashing, 13% Wii adulation and 2% Atari/Colecovision. Oh and trace amounts of Xbox.

  • The nunchaku dongle is said to be the first... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 28, 2006 @12:17PM (#15800081)
    ...copy protection system that can hit you in the balls.

  • Nintendo's Strength (Score:5, Insightful)

    by WFFS ( 694717 ) on Friday July 28, 2006 @12:19PM (#15800096)
    I think the strength of Nintendo, is that while the PS and XBox have continued along their paths of getting better machinery to make games faster and look more realistic, Nintendo have veered to the left slightly and concentrated on making the gaming experience better. Of course there are some weaknesses as well, but time will tell if this will be a money making strategy. I personally think that both camps will live in harmony for the near future, though the PS and XBox's prices are hard hitters. Thank goodness the PS2 will be supported for the next 5 years. The only things I could improve for the Wii, is to have a built in DVD player, and to get Final Fantasy back on their system. Without those, I actually have to think before I put down my $50 deposit!

    • Re:Nintendo's Strength (Score:4, Interesting)

      by Manmademan ( 952354 ) on Friday July 28, 2006 @12:32PM (#15800208)
      I think the strength of Nintendo, is that while the PS and XBox have continued along their paths of getting better machinery to make games faster and look more realistic, Nintendo have veered to the left slightly and concentrated on making the gaming experience better.

      The issue with this assertion is that "better" is HIGHLY subjective. To fans of hyper detailed, high physics games that do NOT lend themselves well to using the wii remote as a controller, (say, for instance, something like the next iteration of virtua fighter) what Nintendo is doing may not be making their gaming experience better at all.

      What nintendo IS doing is using the wii controller to try to exploit an untapped demographic- the much older, much younger, or simply has less time casual gamer that has already decided they don't enjoy "traditional" videogames, but might be drawn in (or in some cases BACK in) by the different approach the Wii uses, much like what has happened with the Nintendo DS.

      • I don't know, I could see a virtua fighter like game. The Wii graphics on non-hd screens are going to be damn near equal the other consoles. And it'd be really cool if your fighter punched by moving the wiimote forward for left hand and the nunchaku for right. Maybe holding the trigger would be a kick instead of a punch? Jerking it up at an angle could be a jump. I think the controller would owrk just fine.

        • I don't know, I could see a virtua fighter like game. The Wii graphics on non-hd screens are going to be damn near equal the other consoles. And it'd be really cool if your fighter punched by moving the wiimote forward for left hand and the nunchaku for right. Maybe holding the trigger would be a kick instead of a punch? Jerking it up at an angle could be a jump. I think the controller would work just fine.

          the problem with this setup is that this is EXTREMELY clumsy for something that demands twitch refle

          • Re:Nintendo's Strength (Score:3, Interesting)

            by c_forq ( 924234 )
            Photorealism has happened in games, just they are encoded video files and not rendered. When it comes to rendered work, I still have yet to see anything pass the "uncanny vally" for humans, so I highly doubt anything in this generation of consoles will. The most realistic games I can recall off the top of my head are Shenmu(sp?) for Dreamcast and Resident Evil 4 for Gamecube, niether of which have the power of the PS2, X-Box, or 360. As for controlling fighters, remember the remote can be used as a stand
          • I think photorealism is the wrong objective, as it's too focused on still images. I think realism (not just photo-) is becoming less about what we've come to think of as "graphics power" (which is largely just fill rate), and more about physics and animation. IMO current graphics already look much better in a screenshot than when actually playing a game. It's when you shoot a rocket launcher at a building and the explosion dissapates without a trace that the virtual world becomes absurd.

            • Photorealism has happened in games, just they are encoded video files and not rendered. When it comes to rendered work, I still have yet to see anything pass the "uncanny vally" for humans, so I highly doubt anything in this generation of consoles will.

              I think photorealism is the wrong objective, as it's too focused on still images. I think realism (not just photo-) is becoming less about what we've come to think of as "graphics power" (which is largely just fill rate), and more about physics and animatio

      • I think you nailed it. I think *I* am the target consumer for the Wii.

        I stopped buying video games around the SNES days, but still have (and play) my NES. If I can buy this thing and play the old SNES "Monopoly" with my buddies around the country- w00t - my money is already as good as theirs.

    • The only things I could improve for the Wii, is to have a built in DVD player

      The Wii does have a built-in DVD player, what it lacks is built-in CSS decryption.

    • Nintendo have veered to the left slightly and concentrated on making the gaming experience better

      Actually, it seems like they've focused on making the gaming experience different. Whether this is better or not has yet to be determined. Despite the hype, most of the E3 reviews were cautiously optimistic at best: Red Steel uses canned moved, FPS control of Metroid wasn't as expected, Zelda wasn't very intuitive, Sonic is hard to control. Super Mario Galaxy was apparently great, but that's not really

    • Re:Nintendo's Strength (Score:2, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward
      "I think the strength of Nintendo, is that while the PS and XBox have continued along their paths of getting better machinery to make games faster and look more realistic, ... "

      Sorry, but the only thing I could think of was:

      The intentional focus on realism is a weak spot, and it occasionally gets hit for massive damage.

  • I hope this works... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by ItMustBeEsoteric ( 732632 ) <ryangilbertNO@SPAMgmail.com> on Friday July 28, 2006 @12:19PM (#15800101)
    Because I'm sick of liking a keyboard and mouse more than any controller available. Does anyone else here feel the same? I'd bet you do. Now think about how ridiculous that is. Sure, we use the keyboard and mouse more often, but they (mostly) weren't designed for gaming. Yet my Apple keyboard and Microsoft trackball are better than any controller I've tried.

    Design issues, much? I hated Halo on the XBox. Really, really hated. On PC...god, what a difference.

    I also remember the thrill that was Duckhunt back in the day--Nintendo gave me my personal first experience of an alternative gaming controller. I really hope that they can make it that...well, awesome for me again. And that I can shoot the damned dog this time.

    • I hate to advertise, but I love my zboard. Of course, I've got a real keyboard underneath for MMO's that req chat too. But yeah, I agree completely, the PS2 controller is just awful.

    • Re:I hope this works... (Score:5, Insightful)

      by mrxak ( 727974 ) on Friday July 28, 2006 @12:29PM (#15800174)
      I simply refuse to play any sort of FPS on a console. I need my keyboard and mouse. And so many other games that I like to play just don't translate at all to consoles. Can you imagine Civ IV on an Xbox?

      • I simply refuse to play any sort of FPS on a console. I need my keyboard and mouse. And so many other games that I like to play just don't translate at all to consoles. Can you imagine Civ IV on an Xbox?

        as the Xbox360 is perfectly capable of using any USB mouse or keyboard, sure. But that's beside the point. The games you enjoy (FPS and RTS) work so well with the mouse and keyboard because those particular genres were DESIGNED AROUND that setup and require it to play well. in fact, they are almost the onl

      • I have to agree, but there is one exception in my opinion. Metroid Prime/Echoes for the Gamecube rocked my world and is on the list of FPS that I did actually feel the need to finish. The thing with Metroid, though, is that Retrogames realized the limitations of FPS on a controller and implemented the lock on feature that made it possible to rock in that game. Between that and the limited RPG elements to the game, they are both classics and ones that I have played over again. If you haven't given them a
      • Can you imagine Civ IV on an Xbox?

        Sure, with a mouse.

        Various companies have provided mice for their systems in the past; There was one for the PS1, for the Dreamcast, and if we go back in time a bit, the Super Nintendo. (I have them all, even though I will probably never use any of them, except the dreamcast one which I've already used to play Quake on DC.)

    • Looking at the sales of PC games vs console games, yeah, you are almost alone.

      Mouse and Keyboard is the best interface for controlling games designed to be controlled ... with a mouse and a keyboard. Like FPSs, RTSs and Western RPGs.
    • Yet my Apple keyboard and Microsoft trackball are better than any controller I've tried.

      For what? Fragging? No thanks.

      I consider my games as a leisure activity. Something I can sit down and relax with, in a big comfy chair, optimally far from the TV, with an ergonomic controller in hand to put my thoughts directly into action. If the weather is cold, throw a duvet over yourself and you can just keep on playing.

      I do not consider being hunched over workbench, arms splayed wide over two seperate devices, one o
      • WASD? The keys aren't even lined up properly!

        The real problem is that they're under the wrong fingers. Why so many games default to WASD instead of ESDF is beyond me. At least most of them are configurable. The few I've found that aren't are incredibly annoying.

        That said, I do need to get a better desk chair and a footrest under my desk at home so that i can kick back and play games properly, or maybe scare up a copy of windows that will work on my laptop.
    • "Because I'm sick of liking a keyboard and mouse more than any controller available. Does anyone else here feel the same?"

      100% of the time? No. When playing FPS games or games like GTA, then yes, I agree, no argument or even a footnote. But I also play platformers like Mario or the Brain games on my DS. With those games, I MUCH prefer the console controller. (or the touch screen...) I have high hopes that the WiiMote will be a happy medium.
    • So, basically, your post sums to "I'm stubborn and I can't learn new things, and instead of just admitting that to myself I feel the need for everyone else in the world to regress to my level. Also I'm 1337er than you because I played back when FPSes were only on PC."

      Obviously, the millions and millions of people who bought Halo 2 didn't think the controller was so bad.

  • Google Trends! (Score:2, Informative)

    by AsmCoder8088 ( 745645 )
    Yes, in another news, one can find interesting patterns like this... [google.com]

  • Their great experiment (Score:4, Interesting)

    by andrewman327 ( 635952 ) on Friday July 28, 2006 @12:21PM (#15800120) Homepage Journal
    I am very glad to see Nintendo willing to experiement with the ways that gamers interface with their devices. Although there have been many different devices made (microphone, DDR mat, Duck Hunt gun, etc.) the latest evolution of the standard controller has maintained hegemony. I wonder what users will think of these new interfaces. They might love them or feel odd because of the change from what they know. Since the big N is (generally) targeting a younger audience, the user base may not be as set in its ways and a new generation of gamers might grow up not as entrenched in the gamepad paradigm of device interaction.

  • Backward Compatible with NES? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Stringer Bell ( 989985 ) on Friday July 28, 2006 @12:25PM (#15800148)

    I was a gamer back when the NES was in its heyday. Then the SNES came out with controllers that had a hundred and dickety-two buttons, and suddenly I turned into Grandpa Simpson overnight.

    I heard a rumor that Wii was going to support original NES games. If true, this could lead me to buy my first console since I was in high school. Unfortunately, the official Wii site doesn't address this at all. That's probably a bad sign, but still I hold out hope. Has anyone else heard this, or can anyone else corroborate the story?

    • Re:Backward Compatible with NES? (Score:5, Informative)

      by PacoHernandez ( 939349 ) on Friday July 28, 2006 @12:30PM (#15800191)
      From the official Nintendo Wii Website [nintendo.com]:

      Virtual Console: Wii will have downloadable access to 20 years of fan-favorite titles originally released for Nintendo 64, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and even the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The Virtual Console also will feature a "best of" selection from Sega Genesis titles and games from the TurboGrafx console (a system jointly developed by NEC and Hudson). It also will be home to new games conceived by indie developers whose creativity is larger than their budgets.
    • Wii's Virtual Console allows you to download games from NES, SNES, N64, Sega Genesis (possibly Master System as well?), and Turbo Graphix 16. Not all games will be available (damn copyright), but most or all of Nintendo's first party lineup will be.

    • Re:Backward Compatible with NES? (Score:4, Informative)

      by Oopsz ( 127422 ) on Friday July 28, 2006 @12:36PM (#15800239) Homepage
      rtfa?

      Yes, the wii will let you play NES games. but you can't plug in your old carts-- you have to buy them from nintendo using the "Virtual console" service. Prices haven't been announced, but I think NES games will be in the sub-$5 range, SNES games sub-$10 and N64 games sub-$20. They're a little high compared to free roms, but if they release in that range I'll probably end up buying my entire collection over again.. over 60 NES games and 30 SNES gams :P
      • It would be wonderful if you could download stuff for free where you can verify proof-of-ownership (which are the only legal free ROMs, except for a select few which have been released by the copyright-holders), but that won't be the case I'd imagine. I've heard something around the $8 mark, which is a fair price to no longer need to give blowjobs [thinkgeek.com] to play my old classics. I'd be really thrilled if it could download ROMs off a USB stick or something, for those ones you've downloaded for free of games you *

      • Yes, the wii will let you play NES games. but you can't plug in your old carts-- you have to buy them from nintendo using the "Virtual console" service. Prices haven't been announced, but I think NES games will be in the sub-$5 range, SNES games sub-$10 and N64 games sub-$20. They're a little high compared to free roms, but if they release in that range I'll probably end up buying my entire collection over again.. over 60 NES games and 30 SNES gams :P

        Cripes, dude.... if you're going to spend... $600 (!)

        • If that console plays PS1 and PS2 games, then you have access to the largest single 'base' of videogames in the history of mankind (save perhaps the PC - not sure actually).

          Considering that a modern x86 PC can emulate just about any gaming hardware, from arcade games of the 1970's up through PSone and N64, plus native PC games, I would imagine that it wins the "largest game library" crown hands-down.

          It's also yet to be seen how comprehensive the PS3's backwards compatibility will be. My hopes aren't too hi

          • Considering that a modern x86 PC can emulate just about any gaming hardware, from arcade games of the 1970's up through PSone and N64, plus native PC games, I would imagine that it wins the "largest game library" crown hands-down.

            Fair point. I guess there's no PS2/N64/Xbox emulation though.

            It's also yet to be seen how comprehensive the PS3's backwards compatibility will be. My hopes aren't too high there.

            Er, why? Sony's track record for backwards compatibility is outstanding. There were perhaps four P

            • It may sound ridiculous, but the reason that the PS2's backwards compatibility was so good was because Sony actually built a miniaturized version of the PS1 hardware into the PS2. The PS2 firmware would simply run PS1 games off of that hardware when the time came.

              There is reason to be concerned when it comes to the PS3. There is no indication that Sony is taking the same approach with regards to minaturized PS1/PS2 architectures inside the PS3. This would leave any backwards compatibility to be handled i

              • Re:Backward Compatible with NES? (Score:4, Interesting)

                by thatguywhoiam ( 524290 ) on Friday July 28, 2006 @03:05PM (#15801537)
                It may sound ridiculous, but the reason that the PS2's backwards compatibility was so good was because Sony actually built a miniaturized version of the PS1 hardware into the PS2. The PS2 firmware would simply run PS1 games off of that hardware when the time came.

                Not ridiculous at all - I am familiar with this technique (the sound controller chip in the PS2 is a PS1, basically).

                There is reason to be concerned when it comes to the PS3. There is no indication that Sony is taking the same approach with regards to minaturized PS1/PS2 architectures inside the PS3. This would leave any backwards compatibility to be handled in software- just like the XBox360. And as we've seen, that hasn't been very complete or very robust.

                Well to be fair, 'no indication' literally means we have no idea one way or the other; they simply haven't said.

                What we do know is that the PS2 has been miniaturized to a single chip quite some time ago (I believe the ill-fated "PSX" DVR mutant they released in Japan used this, as well as the 'slim' PS2). But even if they go the software route, we always have firmware updates to look forward to... weee.

                Xbox360 had a bit of a unique problem in that they were not just changing chip architectures radically but also going to multiproc. You could say the same thing about PS3. It is this reason, and the single-chip approach mentioned above, that makes me think they'll go with a hybrid; an updateable (EPROM-like) hardware emulation that can be patched to iron out compatibility wrinkles. Microsoft actually *ported* those Xbox games; I really doubt Sony will go to that trouble. Thanks for the reply.

  • The big N not getting much coverage, eh? (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Much of the coverage of the next-gen skirmish so far has focused on Sony and Microsoft.

    Suprisingly, he's right...

    Playstation [google.com],
    Xbox [google.com], and
    The big N [google.com]

    Guess who wins?

  • Nintendo only for kids? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by kayakun ( 986097 ) on Friday July 28, 2006 @12:30PM (#15800184)
    I'm so glad to see Nintendo doing something innovative and getting back in the game. I was raised on NES, SNES, and N64, but hated what Nintendo did with the Gamecube. A lot of gamers my age (college-aged) complain that Nintendo is only for kids and doesn't have the hardcore gaming that they look for. Now I don't enjoy the really kiddie games, but I love how creative Nintendo's games can be. Sure, you can have all sorts of realistic high-end FPS, even some with twists (like Prey), but after years of playing those games, it's fun to play something where you run around jumping on walking mushrooms or ride a dinosaur that has a tongue like a chameleon. Sony has a lot of fantasy games, but they don't appeal to me as much as the Nintendo games did.

    I just hope that with the Wii, I can get creative, quirky-as-hell games that are actually challenging and entertaining. I think the Wii-mote will open up tons of doors for some very interesting games. Hopefully developpers pull it off.

    ----------------

    With such a cheap price-tag on the Wii, I'd rather get a Wii and Xbox than spend that combined money to get a PS3.
    • I'm scratching my head over what you said about the gamecube. you say you hate it but then go on to say you love nintendo's first party games. now the gamecube really didnt do all that much different from the n64, it just had a bit more power behind it. so this leads me to ask, why hate the gamecube and yet love nintendo and its earlier systems?

  • Dongles (Score:2, Funny)

    by kernel_pat ( 964314 )
    They plan to revolutionise the gaming market with the wiimote and to a lesser extent the wiiblowupdoll and with the online gaming capability users will be able to upload their stamina on the blow up doll and compare their scores with each other.
  • Nintendo has released some cryptic remarks [aussie-nintendo.com] about the potential for the release date. Gamers have deduced that it will probably be October 2. I certain hope it does well since Nintendo is one of the top 10 holdings of my Fidelity Asia-Pacific basin mutual fund...

  • A Wii Skeptic (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Quarem ( 143878 )
    This is probably not the outlet to express such opinions, but while I am interested to see what is actually going to come of the Wii I am still really skeptical about the system. To me it seems more like a slightly upgraded Gamecube with a new controller. I'm not sure if that is worth $200 or more.

    It is just far to early to be making any judgments about the Wii. The system is all about game-play and we do not really have any experience with the Wii's game-play to make any judgments about it. Is the game
  • DID YOU KNOW? NINTENDO GAME OFFERINGS HEAT UP AS THE WEATHER COOLS DOWN

    July 25, 2006 - The fourth quarter of 2006 will herald a new era for Nintendo with the launch of its remarkable new Wii(TM) home video game system. But that's not what this news item is about! How could that be, you ask? Perhaps the secret to the launch information for Wii is somehow encoded in the text of this news item. You might want to pore over it for a few hours before staying up all night to debate phraseology and comma pla
  • It's still too early to tell. The only comparison there is right now is the xbox and the negative things that happened with release against 2 consoles that are still a ways from release.

    Also this kind of irked me.
    "Everyone else, at this point, seems to be just catching up." in reference to Nintendo.

    If their controler is what they are hoping will get them top place their going to fail awfuly. Microsoft all ready has a ton of games released, a 3 year old online gaming system (and content pushing s
  • that the people in those publicity shots aren't fat and lazy like the rest of us?
  • If the Virtual Console is based on a subscription rather than a pay per software model it will blow away XBOX live. I would gladly buy a Wii and $10/month subscription to play any NES/SNES/N64 game ever made. If people have to buy them though it will never take off. Nintendos true power is its huge arsenal of IP, which can be immediately leveraged by its even bigger back catalog of iconic mega hit games. Virtual Console could easily be the device that unites a nostalgic era of 80s gamers and their kids.
  • The new xbox gets very little credit for what its done. There seems to be a more attention being paid to the potential success of the Wii and the potential dissaster of the ps3 than to the 360. It seems to me that Microsoft has been playing this round very well, with upcoming games that show of its power, live/live arcade, reasonable price (at least in comparison to its most direct competitor), and they still have trouble getting some praise. (I dont know where my bias comes from, I dont even have a 360)
    • It gets very little credit for what it's done? Well... what has it done? I've played the 360 and the gaming experience (what video game consoles are all about) was par to a regular xbox. Same controller, same game-play, better graphics (but it's not like the xbox's were horrible). Why were all the other consoles so amazing when they came out?... because they were different! Going from a SNES to an N64? Fantastic 3D, analog stick, trigger, 4 player awesomeness. Leaps and bounds were had, but now it's

  • II'm iimpressed (Score:2, Interesting)

    by ACQ ( 966887 )
    Now that much of the fanfair has died down for the Wii, I can look at the console with a more objective point-of-view. As a father of two little girls and being a veteran gamer, I see the Wii as being by far the most innovative, fun, and appropriate entertainment device for my kids, my wife, and myself. Frankly, I'm bored stiff with the current offering of games out there (excluding NDS). The old days of Duke Nukem and UT are far behind me. I enjoy my NDS more than any system I've ever played on. Even more
  • Nintendo doesn't need to be "saved". They're extremely profitable and are not in any financial danger. A few months ago they were still in the #2 spot in world-wide sales. They've almost always been in the #1 spot for portable gaming.

    Why is it that people keep referring to Nintendo as "doomed"?
  • What Nintendo is doing with the Wii is great. It's new. It's different. It looks fun. But is it sustainable entertainment?

    As a pretty avid gamer I see myself tiring of the Wiimote (great name, btw). Wouldn't your wrist tire quickly? It just doesn't seem to work well for long periods of gaming (>2hrs).

    Okay, so the average gamer is not hardcore. I understand that. But will they stay entertained? At some point the novelty of the wiimote and wiigames (made that one up) will wear off and the system
  • What's this, a new footy game? OK, soccer.

  • Zelda at launch? A first time for everything. (Score:4, Interesting)

    by kinglink ( 195330 ) on Friday July 28, 2006 @03:43PM (#15801820)
    If anything is going to spur the wii on to huge numbers it's Zelda.

    Now before you say "what about Mario" Mario is always coming. People bought the Gamecube for Mario, and got Sunshine, and people were happy. You got Luigi's mansion at the begining though and people weren't doing backflips celebrating that game.

    But Zelda at launch is going to be interesting. This Zelda has definatly been under development longer, better graphics, and new controls, and lack of cell-shaded graphics I hope. It's going to push the system I believe, coupled with a Metroid Prime (which is good but remember Metroid Prime has ONLY been played by Gamecube owners and players)

    The one problem they will have with their virtual console vs. Marketplace is no achievement points (from my understanding) Is it a system killer? Nah, but it's something I wouldn't say no too.

    The most interesting thing is this is the first time Nintendo really did a cross platform game themselves, but on the other hand it does look like it has the power to really launch the system and I'm sure everyone has heard at least one person who was going to buy the Gamecube for Twilight princess, of them many probably are going to pick up a Wii for this game as it's close to the same price.

    The only problem I forsee at launch is a lack of systems which will be a sad day. Btw, at the same time the PS3 is only planning 1 million systems for a world wide launch? I've got to guess they know they should have lower expectations than they did for the Ps2.

  • "Everyone else seems to be catching up" (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Zhe Mappel ( 607548 ) on Friday July 28, 2006 @04:20PM (#15802124)
    That's a narrow geek observation. Most game buyers won't care who came first; they'll see the remote as nothing more than another peripheral which either comes with or can be bought for their system.

    If anything, what could make the Nintendo a winner in the next-gen sweepstakes is cost. In the 2007 recession, not a lot of people will be buying $500 PS3s or even $300 Xbox 360s.

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