Nearly 2 million in sales, New Super Mario Bros. Wii is on track to be one of the best selling games this year. It also has the distinction of being one of the best Mario games since Super Mario Galaxy. Not bad for a system made for moms and old people. The Wii, in the eyes of hardcore gamers, is a s****y system. Despite the high number of systems sold, it isn’t a good system in the eyes of many hardcore gamers and members of the press (IGN and Gametrailers share this notion). It has weak graphics, no solid internet infrastructure, no third party games, weaker software and worst of all, no achievements. When these ‘criticisms’ spill over to message boards, Wii owners who try to defend their system are either derided as kool-aid drinking fanboys. While it seems pointless to ask for logic on a message board, the question on my mind is: Can the Wii ever get defended as a real game system?
When it was touted and hyped before launch, everyone was in love with the Wii and its revolutionary concept of the remote as a controller. With people hoping that it would trounce Sony’s PS3 due to Sony’s arrogance with the pricing and their attitudes towards other systems. And the Wii has, trumping both the Xbox 360 and PS3 combined worldwide. This should be good right? Well if you listen to Gametrailers.com Editorial Director Shane Satterfield and Wii Editors Matt Casamassina and Craig Harris at IGN, the Wii is the worst system ever. While their entitled to their own opinion and people defend that line, one would think that ‘journalists’ like that would be a little more educated in their facts before making such a blanket statement as that. You can’t convince them otherwise though. Here’s a sample of arguments many ‘hardcore’ gamers love to use.
‘The Wii’s visuals suck because they aren’t HD’-I have an HDTV and when I play some PS3 games, it looks good. But good looks can’t save a game if it’s no fun to play. Somehow, that argument has been shuttered away and has transformed to HD graphics being a standard. As if HD visuals is the only benchmark for progress. Okami is still one of the best looking games because it favors style over technical progress. Muramasa: The Demon Blade is one of the best-looking games to be released this year yet it gets pooed as it’s in 2D and hand drawn, instead of having millions of polygons pumped into it, so hardcore gamers: What’s so great about HD visuals if the games are boring?
‘There’s no good third party games on the Wii and it’ll end up like the Nintendo 64′-While third parties did abandon Nintendo due to technical limitations and the Wii will never see games like Gears of War, Halo, Call of Duty, so therefore it’s not a real system. And people point to the sales of Call of Duty in November as being a mass appeal product. And while third parties do sell better on the X360 and PS3, a lot of the games seem to be the same: first person shooter. September-November has seen a shooting game at the top of the charts. But is that the only mark of the hardcore a first person shooter? This is the variety that sells? What’s really any different about Borderlands, Modern Warfare 2, Halo ODST, and Left 4 Dead 2? No matter what the goal is, you only meet them by shooting stuff in the first person perspective. So, hardcore gamers: How does a first person shooter invalidate the existence of Madworld, House of the Dead: Overkill, Klonoa, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10, Muramasa: The Demon Blade, Dead Space Extraction, Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles and renders these games lesser games?
‘Nintendo’s games are just the same and they spend no money on them’-This is big so f’n what? While New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a 2D side scroller, it’s an amazing 2D side scroller. Twilight Princess was a huge, amazing quest. Metroid Prime 3 was thrilling, showing why it’s still the best when it comes to level design. Punch-Out!! is the most amazing puzzle game you’ll ever play using boxing mechanics. Many journalists tend to forget that any part of an amazing game is the execution in the level design and play mechanics, not just how purty it looks. Innovation means nothing is the game is boring and its a pain to play. And if Nintendo games are going to graded harshly for the brilliant execution of mechanics and design they’ve already perfected, then how come the FPS games aren’t held to the same standard?
The money equation is a stupid one because anyone who’s gone through the credits of Nintendo’s games knows that they spend tons of money on development. 100-men teams are the norm for their games (and it’s not known how many people are on their debug team, the Super Mario Club). As a former tester, games that require 100 people aren’t cheap. So, hardcore gamers: Can you spend your into a AAA game?
‘The Wii’s Wi-Fi Connection sucks’-No lie, I personally detest the Friend code system. I hate having to find numbers and exchange just to play one lame game. I understand why Nintendo went this route. But since I can download some of the best games by Nintendo pretty easily and some of the games I play on the Wii don’t have anything that screams ‘online multiplayer’, I won’t raise that big of a stink.
‘The Wii needs achievements’-Some Wii games do have some sort of system of ego gratification. And when I earn a trophy in a PS3 game, it’s not getting anything more than a ‘yay’ from me. The whole achievement/trophy system is a nice metagame. And many people claims to have played or purchased crappy games just for achievements. How is this any better than criticizing the Wii for the supposed shovelware on their system? And what do you do with games after the achievements are obtained?
In conclusion, I’m not here to rag on 360 and PS3 owners about their taste in games. I have a PS3 and I like the games I play on the system. However, my rationale for playing games is no different than why I play games on the Wii. It’s based on the execution of the gameplay. Some games on the Wii are amazing and should be held to the same standards as the other systems.
But Wii owners, you can do yourself a favor and actually buy some of the great third party games that came out.
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Yea…I agree with a lot said here.
I really think it’s just a matter of expectations. The online gaming community is JUST that, and as a result, their opinions never get countered by casual or non-gamer opinions so the Wii’s “horribleness” is over-exaggerated online, whereas off the internet? I NEVER hear anyone in the casual/non-gaming audience talk about the 360 or PS3 except in relation to Rock Band/Guitar Hero.
Everyone talks about the Wii. It’s like the complete reverse — they actually complain about the PS3 and 360 having no games they can play with their friends/family.
It’s all about expectations.
Look, ive been banned from every single gaming forum in the world because my opinion is:
I didnt bought the wii to play muramasa.
I dont want a 2d Mario game.
I dont wanna play Little King Story
I want motion controls just like it was promised back in 2006.
I want a 1-on-1 lightsaber game. An action 3rd person shooter with full body control. A full motion controled basketball game.
You can have your HD, your first person shooters. I just want the motion control that nintendo promised 3 years ago.
Nintendo FAILED the motion control promise.
And A LOT of consumers, real consumers, not podcast listerners or forum posters, feel the same way as i do.
Huzzah and a crunchy, crunchy Kudos to you good sir. This bizarre hatred of the Wii that IGN has been emanating for the past year or so has literally driven me from taking anything they say seriously anymore. I also agree that a lot of people dump on Nintendo for not being innovative enough, yet they praise FPS after FPS as “GOTY”. Exactly how many times can you fight off evil aliens/nazis/nazi-alien hybrids before it gets old?
As for third party games, I’ve actually bought more new 3rd party games for the Wii than I have any other Nintendo console in the past. There is truely some great stuff for the Wii out there.
KWES,
you are extremely wise. please never change.
please read over our website (www.wiiaredeep.com) I think you’ll find most of your ideas are echoed in our Mission Statement and our Little Big Perspective sections.
look it over, and if you have the time, join our forums or drop me an email.
us level-headed gamers have to stick together in times like these.
once again, kudos for sticking your neck out!
Cacildo
well Nintendo just released Motionplus before anybody else.
Their you have it all you have to do stop complaining and use it!
100% truth in all, that i can’t share anything else…
John
use motion plus with what games??
Avatar?
Academy of champions?
Sponge bob?
Please, i want real games for it.
Motion Plus has 2 real games until now. Tiger Woods and Wii Sports Resort. Both of em are amazing. Works flawlessly. However, they still the only games with (reaL) motion plus support
IS THERE ANY REASON TO DEFEND PS3 X30
OBSOLETE GAMEPLAY CONTROLS
LONG OUTRAGUSLY LONG LOAD TIMES
BUILD QUALITY X360S BUILD QUALITY IS SIMPLY NOT DEPENDABLE NO SANE PERSON PARTS WITH CASH FOR A PRODUCT THAT WILL BREAK DOWN THAT IS INSANE
PS3 STILL POOR BUILD QUALITY BETTER THAN THE STUPID PS2 BUT STILL NO WERE NEAR NINTENDO STANDARDS
SONY HAVE NOT HELPED GAMING THEY ARE IN A SET TOP BOX WAR WITH MICROSOFT
MICROSOFT HAVE DONE NOTHING FOR GAMING THERE IN A DEFEND THE PC WAR BUILD ARE OWN SET TOP BOX WAR
NINTENDO IS EVOLVING GAMING THATYS THE POINT OF A NEXT NEW GEN CONSOLE
COUGH PS3 COUCH X360
MEANING OF THE WORD HARDCORE = A INDUSTRY SLAVE OR TOOL
MEANING OF TRUE GAMER =HE/SHE UNDERSTANDS WHAT A GAME IS AND WHATS GOOD FOR IT = ANTI INDUSTRY = Wii owner
GAMING IS AT WAR WITH INDUSTRY GAMERS HAVE CHOSEN THE WII ]
MORONS CALLING THEMSELFS CORE BRAINWASHED BY SONY AND MICROSOFT STUPIDLY PURCHOSED A OBSOLETE CONCEPT
THE CONSUMER IS DEFENDING THE WII BY BUYING IT IN NUMBERS NEVER BEFORE SEEN BY A CONSOLE
LONG LOADING TIMES IS NOT D’game
OUT DATED NON EVOLVING CONTROLLERS IS NOT D’game
POOR BUILD QUALITY IS NOT D’game
NINTENDO = HIGHEST PROFIT COMPANY ON EARTH PER EMPLOYEE
NINTENDO= HIGHEST PROFITS IN GAMING
NINTENDO=120 YEARS OF PROFIT AND INNOVATION
SONY OPERATES AT BILLIONS LOSES
SONY HAS A 5 BIILION HOLE CREATED BY PS3
EVERY PENNY IN PROFIT EVER EARNED BY PS1 PS2 HAS BEEN WIPED OUT BY PS3
XBOX 1 HAS LEFT A 4 BILLION HOLE AT MICROSOFT
X360 ANOTHER 4 BILLION HOLE AND COUNTING
PS3 X360 WILL NEVER EVER PROFIT AND BOTH SONY AND MICRO HAVE WASTED BILLIONS AND BILLIONS IN THE CONSOLE WAR
THE QUESTION IS WHO DEFENDS SONY AND MICRSOFT
THERE IS NO CASUAL CONSOLE THERE IS ONLY DISRUPTION AND NINTENDO WILL WIN WITH IT
I LOVE HOW EVERYONE WHO THINKS THEY KNOW GAMING BUT DOESNT LIKE IGN’S MATT AND EVERY OTHER FOOL WHO CANNOT TAKE PS3 SLIMS FLOP AND WIIS CONTINUED LEAD
PS3 SLIM FLOPPED LIVE WITH IT AND NEW SUPER MARIO BROS WII OUT SOLD LITTLE BIG PLANET LIKE 10 X OVER
NOW EVERYONE HATES WII AGAIN
YOUR ALL IDIOTS NINTENDO IS THE GAME AND A 2D MARIO IS THE PINNACLE OF CORE
LITTLEBIGPLANET IS A FLOUTY GAMEPLAY JOKE ]
MARIO IS A 2D MASTERPEASE = IM A TRUE GAMER NOT A HARDCORE HARDCORE MEANS TOOL /SLAVE
TRUE GAMER MEANS GAMER AND GAMING EDUCATED I.E OWNS A Wii
wiiboy and malstrom fight this war like nintendo themselfs the gamers are winning the redneck-corezzzz are loosing
^I’m sorry, but exactly what is wrong with you two? Quit the capslock.
Some points I disagree, but I mostly agree with you, KWES. The Wii gets a lot more negativity from the HD people (I refuse to call them hardcore) than it deserves.
I agree w/ KWES and BigLord, no doubt.
‘Core’ or ‘hardcore’ is an extremely broad term that includes so many different people of so many different tastes that while the Wii isn’t lacking in quality ‘core’ titles that’s not to say it’s not lacking in a particular ‘core’ subcategory. This is the cold hard fact of every system, no console ever made has offered equal depth in every possible genre/style of ‘core’ game. The Wii however, just so happens to be lacking in some of the genres/styles that are currently ‘in’ in the modern gaming market. Sandbox games, Shooters, Western RPG’s, Cinematic Action games; these are the kinds of games that are currently getting the most attention from the industry as a whole and unfortunately for the Wii, some of the areas where it’s library is most thin.
Basically, the Wii’s library is not lacking in great ‘core’ games but rather, simply put, it’s library is chock full of ‘sleeper hits’ and ‘cult classics’ instead of Johnny Q Blockbusters. So since not only does Johnny Q Blockbuster get a lot more attention from the media but also significantly better sales, the illusion is created that the Wii’s library is lacking in ‘core’ software when in reality it’s merely lacking in ‘mainstream’ software. Sadly 95% of the pseudo informed ‘gamers’ in this industry can’t tell the difference between mainstream and hardcore.
In the end, the Wii is a perfectly fine system for gamers just like every other relevant system before it. It is, however, simply not nor will it ever be suited for fist pumping frat boys who can’t tell a video game from a doorknob unless it gets 1000 commercials aired on MTV and Spike TV per day. Sadly, that crowd makes up a large portion of both the userbase and the staff of mainstream gaming sites/mags like Game Informer, IGN, 1up, Kotaku, GameSpot, GameTrailers etc and as such they feel threatened by the Wii’s success and do everything in their power to bring it down. Knowing that the sheep they call their ‘readers’ will just nod and agree means they’ve no fear of any significant backlash so they’re free to manipulate the weak minds of as many faux gamers as they wish.
It’s just the sad state of the current industry and ultimate effect of the mainstream invasion that has been building for over a fifteen years. The Wii threatened to introduce a new demographic and the bitter, selfish mainstream has set out to demonize this new demographic and any company that supports it for fear that they will no longer be catered to hand and foot if their marketshare is threatened.
YES – IT APPEALS TO THE MASSES
Cacildo: How about looking at all the games you can play, regardless of whether or not you think the Motion Controls work?
Ultimately, if a console wins or loses doesn’t depend on its fancy DVD player, its online or achievements. It depends on its games. This is why Nintendo wins.
I agree largely with Matt. You have to have a broader prospective about this.
I’m old enough to have had a 2600. it was a hand me down from my uncles, so it came with a ton of games in a battered cardboard box. Whatever the flaws of Atari, their games had variety. When I got my NES at about ten, it came with two
games on one cart, and they were totally different types of games. Nintendo continued the variety, but upped the quality.
A few years later I received a Genesis, which came with Altered Beast. Never mind that it is a pretty crappy game, I was blown away by the sprites, colors, and scratchy voice. I was a pretty dumb kid. But something I didn’t realize at the time was graphics/sound were taking over for gameplay. Yes, I realize that a lot of games for the Genesis were arcade ports, which aren’t meant to be deep, but still… And though I can’t pinpoint it, it was around this time that more bandwagon games came out. At first it was shooters. You know, you fly
a lousily equipped space ship through an alien armada. Their were a ton of these games out, then it was deluge of fighters. There were good ones, but a lot of both kinds were crap. (Shovelware? It’s not new.)
Later on I bought a used Playstation and my three favorite games were Twisted Metal 2, Monster Rancher and Castlevania : Sotn.
Eventually my psone gave out, and I spent ten dollars on a used Nes and on average $3.00 per game for around fifty games. (I was poor that summer, and it was probably related to the fact that I turned 21.) Still, it was very enjoyable to play games I’d never heard of, couldn’t find, or couldn’t afford ten years ago. The part that amazed me was that everyone who came over male or female, wanted to play. Well, the Nes eventually joined the SEGA collection in storage. I bought an xbox. Twice, because the first one broke. I LOVED Halo, and I got the 2-pack GTA collection and it was great, for awhile. Then, something happened. I got bored with shooting things. I bought a couple of retro compilation discs and then nothing. I wasn’t going to play a Gamecube because that was for little kids and it looked kind of goofy. So the Xbox went into the vault. I thought I had outgrown gaming, because after all, if advanced technology couldn’t hold my interest, what could?
Initially, I dismissed the Wii as some kind of gimmick, and in some ways that was correct. The motion controls weren’t all that was promised, but if you believe everything you see advertised you are going to have a very disappointing life, friends. The motion + goes a long way toward fixing this, and I for one am tired of hearing complaints about how the Wii sucks because there are no lightsaber games. Grow up.
In the meantime, FPS is the new trend… for now. I hope the next one is less annoying and less likely to draw uncouth acolytes. So what I realized is that the Wii, once I gave it a chance, is actually a nifty little box, and so was the game cube. I have about 40 games for each, most were bought on sale and there are only 3 stinkers in the bunch. I have bought a ton of VC content, and although some haven’t aged very well and a few crucial titles are missing, it is still pretty great. The relatively few Wiiware games I’ve purchased are outstanding, and were $10 at most.
Admittedly, the online needs serious work. I never have problems with Mario Kart, Excitebots, Excitebike world rally Tv show quiz or Midnight Pool,
but with Super Smash bros, The Conduit, or Mario Strikers, well, forget it. Damn, this got out of hand quickly. I guess the point is that while the Wii isn’t for everyone, put aside your prejudices for a couple of minutes and try it out. You might learn something. Also, it’s irritating when some punk says I’m not a “real gamer” when I’ve been playing for 25 years.