The Software-Less Wii Is A Marvel
View Large ImageI have always been a big supporter of the maxim: "great games sell consoles." Despite all the advancements we have made; despite all the bells and whistles available on current generation consoles, I used to believe that without the must-have software, the hardware simply wouldn't move off store shelves. Now, regarding the Wii, one of two things is happening: either it's the very first console to break the rules and still become a massive success, or - and I apologize in advance, Nintendo fans - it doesn't qualify as a video game console in this generation. Everyone always gets bent out of shape if you compare the software to Flash titles on your five-year-old PC, or if you say it only appeals to children and senior citizens. So I won't say that.
But at the same time, I always find myself standing in GameStop, staring at a giant wall of Wii titles, scanning the racks with incredulous eyes. All I keep thinking is, "...this? THIS?! This is what pushed this console to what appears to be an insurmountable hardware sales lead?" The Wii must be a marvel of the industry; it's the first piece of hardware in history that simply doesn't require decent software. All it needs is the gimmick, which has single-handedly vaulted Nintendo into the stratosphere, and by no means do I fault them for this. They shot from third to first, and they did it when few journalists and analysts gave them a chance in hell this generation. Nintendo recognized that they couldn't compete with Sony and Microsoft in terms of technical achievement, so they simply went another way. Now, you can say that "other way" is unique and innovative, and that would be a valid point. But how can they keep selling Wiis without software? How?
Well, I suppose it's simple. The Wii is more of a gadget and belongs in the same part of the electronics section that holds iPods and Blackberries. You swing a wand around and play a variety of games that all seem extremely similar to one another, and the non-gamers have plenty of options. Wii Fit is a darn good example but there are others. The problem here is this: when it comes time to award the greatest achievement in video games from here on out, from Game of the Year Awards to the prestigious AIAS awards, I don't see very many Wii games making the lists. Look at last year; were there any? The PS3, 360 and PC continue on their merry way, breaking down new boundaries and barriers and providing us with better and better experiences, ranging from MGS4 to Gears 2 to Crysis. What happens when we compare the best of the best on any of those major platforms compared to the best on the Wii? What happens when we do this in the future?
I suppose it all comes down to this: the Wii is a wonder. As far as I can tell, you can just pump out any ol' title for that thing, and it doesn't even really matter what it is. Then, sixty trillion people will buy it so they can play Wii Sports for ten years. I don't want this to sound like I'm bashing on the system; I really do find this amazing, and you just have to give it up for Nintendo. Those guys and gals are all business geniuses to have pulled this off; plain and simple.
3/16/2009 Ben Dutka
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Comments (54 posts)
Cpt_Geez
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 12:39:32 AM
Last edited by Cpt_Geez on 3/17/2009 12:42:09 AM
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Wage SLAVES
Thursday, March 19, 2009 @ 10:57:44 PM
That just had to be said. That and the fact that people pathetically think they can look like Jessica Simpson after gettin on their Wii Fit!!! LOL!!! Can you say GIIIImIIICK!
$100 advise go run around the block a few times and trash that WiiFit.
Last edited by Wage SLAVES on 3/19/2009 10:58:56 PM
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SerendipityDeus
Monday, March 16, 2009 @ 11:05:16 PM
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Tim Speed24
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 7:38:57 AM
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Fatcat3788
Monday, March 16, 2009 @ 11:06:26 PM
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hart_attack
Monday, March 16, 2009 @ 11:08:22 PM
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cLoudou
Monday, March 16, 2009 @ 11:11:44 PM
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for the price of a ps3, you can get the wii, and a handful of craptastic games.
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LegendaryWolfeh
Monday, March 16, 2009 @ 11:28:02 PM
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chicko1983
Monday, March 16, 2009 @ 11:15:22 PM
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She even asked if it was going to the wii as she thought it wouldn't be too hard to port. Then I read the article today on this site that only the SPUs can model the 200000 blades of grass and laugh!
I think Ive played the wii for a couple of hours total, just doesn't do it for me.
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WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, March 16, 2009 @ 11:20:52 PM
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Jed
Monday, March 16, 2009 @ 11:28:13 PM
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Jed
Monday, March 16, 2009 @ 11:24:22 PM
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That is about the extent of it.
You hit the nail on the head when you said the wii was a gadget. The wii appeals to many more people than gaming consoles. The ps3s and 360s will only be bought by gamers. While the number of gamers is growing, it is nowhere near the number of people who will buy gadgets.
There is no way the wii alone could satisfy the appetite of any real gamer.
I just thought of this. It's almost like the wii is an accessory you buy so you can play a few games, as opposed to a gaming system that plays all games. I think I'm on to something.
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BigTonesAUS
Monday, March 16, 2009 @ 11:24:43 PM
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And hey, i had a cube and loved it, awesome games came out (metroid prime, RE1 remake). nintendo is just cashing in on the hole left by sony and MS, just ended up being the most profitible one this generation.
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LegendaryWolfeh
Monday, March 16, 2009 @ 11:31:48 PM
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ps92117
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 12:05:17 AM
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Scarecrow
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 1:05:24 AM
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*loves Nintendo*
I miss their great games :(
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karneli lll
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 1:48:36 AM
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1 up, 1 down
Alienange
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 6:25:15 AM
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Tim Speed24
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 7:41:26 AM
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ImTheMan
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 9:05:33 PM
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Random_Steve
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 2:46:18 AM
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Qubex
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 3:22:15 AM
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It would be good if these maturing players eventually make it across to some iteration of "next gen"... if even half do... it will no doubt boost Sony in the future... and also M$ to some degree... it just depends if Sony can continue to spark the imaginations of gamers the world over... get them to part with their cash at a reasonable price, and have more imaginative games like "Flower" and "Flow" coming out to support the current platform, or future PS4.
Q!
"i am home"
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realmadpuppy
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 3:39:46 AM
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firehahahahaha
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 4:53:00 AM
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thepill
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 5:48:02 AM
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Person 1: purchases said wii, almost on a whim (at $250 with a pack in game who can blame them), takes it home hooks it up, puts in wii sports and has a blast. They in turn, call over Person 2 to show off their new toy. Person 2: spends 2-3 hrs playing wii sports, and decides "I HAVE TO GET ONE OF THESE".
Person 2 goes out and purchases their own wii, takes it home and plays wii sports, and calls over Person 3, to show off the wii. Person 3: after several hours of drunken bowling also decides they "HAVE TO GET ONE".
Now by the time Person 3: goes to the store and picks one up for themselves, Person 1 has started to recover from the "fiiver", and has begun to live a normal life as dust begins to pile up on their wii.
Nintendo's decision to pack in wii sports is THE single reason for the success of this epidemic we call the wii.
Last edited by thepill on 3/17/2009 5:49:14 AM
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JohnnyGold
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 6:00:03 AM
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its certainly NOT a next gen system.
but then again, after seeing kz2 and lbp... along with gow3 and uncharted 2, is anything but a ps3 really a next gen system?
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Alienange
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 6:23:58 AM
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Any devs making games for the Wii are fools. First, they have to compete with Nintendo's blockbuster IPs, then their game sits on a shelf with dozens upon dozens of shovelware just to find out that their target market doesn't even have the Wii plugged in anymore, if they still own it at all.
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PSNclaw18
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 7:19:38 AM
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migabyte
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 8:20:12 AM
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chaosrunner
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 8:39:58 AM
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Silent_J
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 8:53:17 AM
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Last edited by Silent_J on 3/17/2009 8:58:46 AM
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Gone
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 9:23:29 AM
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raztad
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 10:39:06 AM
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"Hardcore" nintendo gamers have nothing to play with and probably most of them already jumped to another camp, so it is quite common to see someone that bought a Wii in first place to buy a PS3 to get into some real gaming.
Last edited by raztad on 3/17/2009 10:46:55 AM
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slugga_status
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 10:41:07 AM
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The only people buying the wii are parent for the kids.
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maxpontiac
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 10:49:54 AM
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I have designed for plenty of clients who want a "Wii Room" built into their home.
The Wii was good for gaming as a whole..
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SPS3
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 10:56:14 AM
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Another reason is that its dirt cheap! Who doesnt sell something for cheap if its dirt crap! No next-gen capabilities; no games!!!!!! The only titles off of the Wii that would be bound to sell millions if sold on other consoles are Mario IPs and of course Zelda IPs. Wii............you suck eggs really hard!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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IonHawk
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 11:57:56 AM
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Deleted User
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 12:49:20 PM
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Last edited by n/a on 3/17/2009 12:50:02 PM
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JDC80
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 1:05:52 PM
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If you own a Wii how can you be excited about games like Ghostbusters when you see how different the game look from PS3 and the 360 versions to the Wii cartoon style animation?
While it seems the Wii has caught on to make decent games most of them still look like from the PS2 or Gamecube generation.
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tu24
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 2:19:30 PM
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Then I waited for SMBB. and that was fun.... and ever since then I kinda regret getting the wii.
SMK was fun for about an hour.
Maybe I'll pick up Okami but the lack of REAL games pisses me off.
Sure its a nice way to make the players feel like they're IN the game but when its the same garbage over and over its pretty pathetic and its more of a gimmick than a "revolution"
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Robochic
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 3:27:27 PM
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Deadman
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 3:29:59 PM
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dveisalive
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 5:01:52 PM
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Last edited by dveisalive on 3/17/2009 5:03:02 PM
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dveisalive
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 5:12:31 PM
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Ultimate_Balla
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 5:18:46 PM
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SerichA
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 6:08:37 PM
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Swinging a remote around has never been so much fun. Too bad they don't realize that precise/real motion is nonexistent yet.
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bamf
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 @ 7:32:37 PM
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Later after they all left I starting playing on Mario Kart Wii. Not being keen on the game anyway it was something to do while my mate was doing some paper work. I just can't believe how easy the game is, and did I say boring?
So far Metroid Prime, Mario Galaxy and Zelda are my mate's favourie Wii games. Those game are old and it shows there is no other good games out for the Wii since those 3 mentioned. He has been buying Cube games instead.
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HOODGE
Wednesday, March 18, 2009 @ 4:00:25 AM
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Dingodial
Wednesday, March 18, 2009 @ 8:07:11 AM
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Deleted User []
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Monday, March 16, 2009 @ 11:04:21 PM
Last edited by n/a on 3/16/2009 11:04:55 PM