Wii Fit is a Gimmick
Is there anyone out here who is still playing Brain Age? I dropped it shortly after I bought it after all of the hype, and so did everyone else I know who got caught up in the Brain Age phenomenon a couple of years ago.
With the release of Wii Fit this week, Nintendo continues its quest to crucify the game industry on a cross of sensationalism and hype. Instead of pushing the boundaries of gaming with innovation, storytelling, and design, Shigeru Miyamoto and his crew have now chosen to lump game consoles in with the Thigh Master, Ab Roller, Soloflex and all of the other home exercise equipment that is now sitting and collecting dust in basements across America. It’s too early to tell yet, but both the game industry and gamers will be feeling the negative aftershocks of the Wii for years to come…
It’s easy to create a novelty. It’s hard to create art.
The Storytelling of GTAIV
The biggest shame of the Grand Theft Auto series is that, because the media focuses so much on this stereotype of the violent, gratuitously sexual video game, the level of storytelling and writing is lost.
Everything that’s been in the media the past week or so – the killing, the sex, the crime, the prostitutes, the drunk driving – the naughty thrills you get from those things are all short-lived. Once you’ve done it a few times, it just becomes standard operating procedure in the game.
After spending some quality time with GTAIV, the thing that continues to blow me away is the phenomenal writing. Niko Bellic’s journey through Liberty City isn’t defined by an endless spree of killing and sex (although those things are a part of his story). It is defined by the richness of the characters he meets – from Roman’s bottomless optimism to Dimitri’s conflicted sense of reality. You’re blown away by the depth of each new character you meet – you want to get to know them, their story, and how they make it in the rough world.
The most powerful thing in the game is this basic human connection that Niko makes with all of the people he encounters along the way. Yes, the game has a lot of horrible stuff – killing, sex, whatever – but anyone who can get past that savagery is rewarded with a beautiful story and the great sense of humanity that each character in that story brings.
“You can change the game, Niko Bellic, but you can’t change the rules.” – Dimitri
The Demise of HD-DVD and the PS3
With last week’s announcement about Warner Brothers choosing Blu-ray and today’s news that New Line and HBO will do the same, the PS3 is suddenly looking like a much nicer piece of electronics. I’ve gotta say that I thought it was just classic Sony at first – building their own media format (e.g. Betamax, Memory Stick) that no one else would end up using. But now it looks like, for once, Sony might actually be the victor.
The question is, what does this mean for PS3 sales? 2007 was year of the Wii – could 2008 be PS3’s turn? And where does this leave the 360? This might be just the thing Sony needed to prompt consumers to take that jump with their wallets.
Ploob Games of the Year (2006)
2006 was a big year for video games. The next generation of consoles began, with the launch of the PS3 and Wii. The Xbox 360 hit its stride, recovering from its many troubles that started at launch. Beyond the hardware, we also saw many interesting developments in the games in terms of both graphical and design achievement. Here, we’ll go through the most significant games of the year that was.
- Brain Age (DS). Definitely one of the most unique games ever created, Brain Age proved that video games aren’t just for kids – they can appeal to a much wider audience. It was the first game and probably the best example that really embodied Nintendo’s new mass-market casual-gamer strategy. The sales figures and media coverage sent the strong statement that, hey, even though the company has really failed the past couple generations, maybe they’re on to something here. While I estimate that most everyone got bored with Brain Age about a month after they bought it, the game has its place in history as a significant step in game design for non-traditional markets.
- Okami (PS2). Imho one of the most visually stunning games ever created, Okami was the counterpoint to all of the fanboys who had then jumped on Nintendo’s bandwagon of “graphics don’t matter.” The beautiful art and unique visual style showed us that graphics indeed do matter, and, when done right, can elevate the gameplay experience to a whole different level. The celestial brush and use of a wolf as the main character in a RPG were contributions in the area of incremental innovation in game design.
- World of Warcraft (PC) While a lot of the gaming world was distracted with the excitement over the new consoles, WoW continued to chug along, gaining massive amounts of subscribers and pretty much kicking everyone else’s ass. I’m not sure what I can say that hasn’t beed said about this game already. It just dominates the video gaming at the moment.
- Pocketbike Racers, Big Bumpin’, and Sneak King (Xbox/360) Funding quite possibly the greatest advergames ever made, Burger King took a risk and was rewarded with sales of over 2 million copies of these games at $3.99 a piece. I played Pocketbike Racers as much if not more than any of my other game purchases this year. These titles were an example that video games are an ideal medium for branding and advertising, and can facilitate a more intimate relationship with your target customers. Simplicity, fun, and silliness.
- Gears of War (360) With all of the hype and media coverage surrounding the Wii and PS3 launches in November, the Xbox 360 could have been very easily lost and forgotten. It needed something big, something epic, something truly badass. That something was Gears of War. Gears made it apparent that the 360 wasn’t going down without a fight. The fight didn’t come in the form of AARP-approved motion-sensitive controls, massive computing power, or blu-ray. It came in the form of chainsaw bayonets, torque bows, and copious amounts of splattering blood. And it came in the form of flawless execution. Gears sent a strong message: it’s hardcore gamers who have brought this industry this far, and companies who work hard to serve the hardcore will be rewarded in kind.
... so those are my picks – what are yours?
The New Straps
Just got the new Wii wrist straps in the mail. First impressions are that they are still pretty thin. They look almost the same as the old ones.
If I can work up the motivation to actually turn on the Wii, I’ll report it up.
It's a DS Communion Day
Check out this DS ad from Italy:
Huh? lol.
It turns out that Communion Day is a big event in Italy (and other predominantly Catholic countries), where kids get a bunch of gifts. I’m quite impressed on how proactive Nintendo has been selling the DS as a present on pretty much every opportunity they have. As you will recall, they were selling DS/Brain Age as a father’s day present earlier this year.
(via ibelieveinadv )
Wii Strap Recall Apparently not a Recall
Following up the last post, Nintendo has issued a press release stating that the company is indeed ‘’‘not’‘’ recalling any wrist straps. It is only a “voluntary exchange programme.”
Quote:
There is no problem with the existing wrist strap as long as the Wii Remote is used sensibly and properly in accordance with the guidelines provided by Nintendo. All parts of the wrist strap have passed product testing and quality control.
So why all of the semantics? Why does it matter if you call it a “recall” or a “exchange programme?” I think it’s the legal department. If they called it a recall, they would indirectly be admitting fault for all of the broken TVs and injuries caused by a bad wrist strap. This would open them up to all sorts of litigation, since we so much love suing companies in America. I can’t think of any other reason why this would be done in such a careful, hush-hush manner.
Nintendo Recalls Wii Straps, DS Power Adapters
Amidst a deluge of stories about broken TVs and injured Wii players, Nintendo has “issued a recall”: for all of the original Wii straps and will replace them with the new and apparently safer thick straps. The width has been increased from 0.024 inch diameter to a whopping 0.04 inches! The cost of the recall will be about $1m.
What is pretty impressive about all this is that whereas Sony is repeatedly crucified for its numerous recent problems, anecdotal evidence suggests that the general sentiment surrounding Nintendo has remained largely positive.
The good thing about it is that you just have give them your serial number and they will just send you the new ones. They will be sent out the end of this month for delivery in January. Don’t expect a lot of sympathy: “We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your interest in our products.” GG marketing!
engadget also reports that Nintendo also has recalled 200,000 DS power adapters – currently this only affects Japanese DS’s, but a US recall could be in the pipeline.
The question now is: has the damage already been done? Is it too late, after all the coverage on the Wii mishaps? What do you think?
The strap replacement form is here
( via engadget )
Nintendo to Replace 3.2M Straps [NYT]
Guitar Hero Elbow
Wii elbow is, like, so last month. Jon Paul Morosi of the Detroit Free Press is reporting that Joel Zumaya , pitcher for last season’s American League champion team the Detroit Tigers, was actually sidelined for three games of the ALCS because of playing too much Guitar Hero.
“During the radio interview, Dombrowski said the Tigers’ athletic training staff discovered that Zumaya’s forearm pain was more consistent with the action of a guitar player than a baseball pitcher. The Tigers asked Zumaya to stop playing the video game, and he did. Zumaya then pitched pain-free during the World Series, and went 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA in three appearances.”
And I thought I was dedicated – risking your baseball career and league title for a video game? Now THAT is hardcore.
(via GameDaily BIZ )
HUMMIN’ SLOWED BY STRUMMIN’: Guitar video game hurt Zumaya’s arm [Detroit Free Press]
Who Will Win in '07? Let's Look at the Games
Let’s face it: we can sit here and debate the merits of Wii vs. PS3 or 360 vs. Wii or PS3 vs. 360 all we want. In the end, however, it comes down to quality games that will determine the winner. To examine which console will win the next-gen battle of 2007, let’s take a look at the games.
Here are (in my mind) the most significant releases currently announced for 2007:
Wii:
- Super Mario Galaxy
- Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl
- Cooking Mama: Cook Off
- Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Xbox 360:
- Guitar Hero II
- GTA IV
- Bioshock
- Huxley
- Kane and Lynch: Dead Men
- SKATE
- Resident Evil 5
- Alan Wake
- Army of Two
- Blue Dragon
- Halo Wars
- Mass Effect
- Halo 3
Playstation 3:
- Virtua Fighter 5
- GTA IV
- SKATE
- Metal Gear Solid 4
- Resident Evil 5
- Devil May Cry 4
- Final Fantasy XIII
Looking at this list, I think we have to declare 360 the winner already.
Nintendo has some big games, but not anything drastically different that will break it out from its current position of third place. Its lower price point might give it a slight edge. PS3 has some killer apps in MGS4 and FFXIII. But GTA IV and RE5, games that the PS2 had exclusively over the Xbox, will now be shared.
That brings us to the 360. Starting with the cross-platform GTA IV, it then follows up with a host of interesting new franchises such as Mass Effect, Kane and Lynch, Army of Two, and Huxley. Of course, since they are new, we really don’t know how these will pan out. At that point, we might give it a moderate advantage over PS3.
Then, well, there’s Halo 3. With just those other games, it might have been a somewhat close race. However, once you factor in Halo 3, with its hardware-selling brand strength, 2007 is going to be a massacre. What will the 360’s market share be this time next year? 50%? 60%? I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure Bill Gates will be a happy man.
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Recent Articles
Wii Fit is a Gimmick
The Storytelling of GTAIV
The Demise of HD-DVD and the PS3
Ploob Games of the Year (2006)
The New Straps
It's a DS Communion Day
Wii Strap Recall Apparently not a Recall
Nintendo Recalls Wii Straps, DS Power Adapters
Guitar Hero Elbow
Who Will Win in '07? Let's Look at the Games
