Interesting how E3 is showing that yet again Nintendo leads the pack.

[Tristicus]

yes like the wii, but without the second control, you need two hands worth of controls for games worth bothering with. its like half a wii control.

Yeah, let's all forget about the sub controller...

 

[Krakn3Dfx]

As a mid-to-late 30-something male and a child of Nintendo since the NES, I have owned all the big Nintendo consoles and loved them all, even the Gamecube in it's darkest of days, I still had a good time with it. In the Gamecube's final days, I played through Gun, and I think that was the last big GC game I played before I stood in line for the Wii to pick up one for my kids for XMas the year it was released.

People talk about Nintendo being out of touch with their core audience, but I don't really see it. Friends of mine who were Nintendo kids in our youth are Nintendo fans now, all have Wiis and all get stoked for new games based on Nintendo'/s back catalog of pretty amazing characters and mythology. A true fan of Nintendo isn't going to balk at playing a 480p Mario Galaxy on their 60" 1080p TV, they're going to play it, and they're going to love it. They're not going to care that the new Zelda isn't in full HD, sure it would be nice, but it's not a requirement to having fun and enjoying the experience.

At the end of the day, if you enjoy playing a Nintendo game, you're going to own a Wii, and if you don't, you're not going to. A Wii HD might be nice, but I'm not sitting down looking at Galaxy 2 thinking it would be great if it ran at 720p or was upscaled to 1080p, I'm just thinking about what an amazing experience Galaxy 2 is, and how every 1st party Nintendo title continues to be full of fan service to their customer base.

 

[blurredvision]

As a mid-to-late 30-something male and a child of Nintendo since the NES, I have owned all the big Nintendo consoles and loved them all, even the Gamecube in it's darkest of days, I still had a good time with it. In the Gamecube's final days, I played through Gun, and I think that was the last big GC game I played before I stood in line for the Wii to pick up one for my kids for XMas the year it was released.

People talk about Nintendo being out of touch with their core audience, but I don't really see it. Friends of mine who were Nintendo kids in our youth are Nintendo fans now, all have Wiis and all get stoked for new games based on Nintendo'/s back catalog of pretty amazing characters and mythology. A true fan of Nintendo isn't going to balk at playing a 480p Mario Galaxy on their 60" 1080p TV, they're going to play it, and they're going to love it. They're not going to care that the new Zelda isn't in full HD, sure it would be nice, but it's not a requirement to having fun and enjoying the experience.

At the end of the day, if you enjoy playing a Nintendo game, you're going to own a Wii, and if you don't, you're not going to. A Wii HD might be nice, but I'm not sitting down looking at Galaxy 2 thinking it would be great if it ran at 720p or was upscaled to 1080p, I'm just thinking about what an amazing experience Galaxy 2 is, and how every 1st party Nintendo title continues to be full of fan service to their customer base.

Quit bringing it back to graphics. Not everyone has fallen out of love with Nintendo and it's characters because of hardware. Can some of us just not care for the direction that most of it's franchises have taken?

 

[0roo0roo]

ah ok that makes more sense, the clips i saw only seemed to have one hand working.

 

[hans030390]

Plus, the showing of the 3DS was immensely disappointing now that I've have time to reflect. Yet another DS with a new gimmick is what it appears to be, to me, at this point. Another in a line of incremental upgrades. I don't really get the feeling that the 3DS is a true hardware sequel, which is what I was wanting. Sure, the 3D screen and seemingly improved graphics are promising, but they didn't really tell us anything. Do they have playable demos on the E3 floor? If so, I'd be interested in hearing some impressions, but if not, then the announcement of it was lackluster and devoid of really much information at all. I'm still interested in seeing one in person, but I was disappointed.

The 3DS looks to be on par graphics wise with the Gamecube, or the PSP at worst. That's quite a bump up from the DS, which was closer to N64. Along with the regular features the DS introduced, the top screen is widescreen and 3D (obvious), it has a built in accelerometer and gyroscope, better online functionality, and the games coming out for it look to cater to almost every gamer out there. I mean, we have a remake of MGS: Snake Eater coming, Saints Row, Ocarina of Time (likely), Starfox, etc. That's just a small sample. It REALLY looks like they're focusing on getting as many people to work on it as possible. I think hardcore gamers and casuals gamers will all find something they like. I dont think the DS offered this as much.

As for the 3D screen, you can adjust its strength. You can even turn it off. Hands-on impressions seem very positive. It sounds more subtle than you'd expect, but enough that it really makes a difference in a good way.

 

[SunnyD]

If I had my druthers and was a console junkie, my 360 would be getting far more work than my Wii does. However my disclaimer is that I prefer mature titles, hence I play PC Games far more.

If it boils down to consoles only though, I prefer titles on the 360 to those of the Wii... even the Wii titles that I actually purchased with my own intent to play.

Why? Simple: Content.

I was enamored with the Wii when I first got it. Wii Sports was a fresh change of pace and the control scheme was perfectly fitting for these titles. Hey - I got up and moved around! But I noticed that in my window-shopping trips and as my Wii library grew, the reoccurring theme with Wii titles was short term mini-game or party-game style play. This ultimately didn't suit me. Mind you, it suits my children quite fine, but with myself I prefer content, story and immersion. Cartoony mini-games simply do not do this for me.

Enter my 360 - for me the quality of the games and the amount of content is far more adequate to what I prefer. I'm an adult, and I want my games to be adult while holding my attention for vast swaths of time. But then again, my 360 doesn't get much love either. It mostly sits idle waiting to be used as a DVD player the bulk of the time. Why? My 360 library isn't very large simply because the price point for console games in general is ridiculous for what you get. I'm not the type of person to drop $60 on a title no matter what the platform, and all of the titles that appeal to me sit at that price point do to their popularity for extremely long periods of time. Couple that with the final nail in the coffin which is the control scheme - as I noted, I am a PC gamer first and foremost - for most titles is less than intuitive, my 360 doesn't get nearly the love it should.

Why is the Wii still forging ahead though? Popular 1st party titles that have a 20+ year tradition and familiarity with the largest swath of historical gamers out there, ease of use with little barrier to playing games, and a price point which simply can't be beat.

I still play my Wii from time to time, and still play my XBox from time to time. But more often than not, few titles available for each respective platform appeal to me, including the 1st party titles that I grew up loving.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Maybe it's just a sign of the type of gamer I am but I think Nintendo knows better how to make a system just plain old fun!

There are many like you but I'm not one of them. To me, Wasteland or X-Com or Mass Effect is 100 times the fun of Mario or Zelda.

So they won for you, but I still haven't found enough games I want to play on the Wii to get me to buy one, even though I can easily afford it.

 

[fatpat268]

the games coming out for it look to cater to almost every gamer out there. I mean, we have a remake of MGS: Snake Eater coming, Saints Row, Ocarina of Time (likely), Starfox, etc. That's just a small sample. It REALLY looks like they're focusing on getting as many people to work on it as possible. I think hardcore gamers and casuals gamers will all find something they like. I dont think the DS offered this as much.

But the thing is, the PSP essentially failed using this approach. Taking what were otherwise console games and shrinking them down.

 

[Beev]

Yeah honestly handhelds don't do it for me anymore. I have a SNES emulator on my phone, so if I'm waiting in line for something I'll just play it. Handheld games make me feel like the company wasted so much time and potential on what could have been a fantastic console game. Peacewalker is an example of this, as is New Super Mario Bros (not the Wii version).

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

There's only one way to settle this discussion: Penny Arcade style.

 

[foghorn67]

There isn't too much that appeals me on the Wii.
I love SMG, and I'm sure going to love SMG2. I bought Sports Resort for the motion controller. That archery is addicting. But not much else, maybe Zelda.
My Wii console has been off for months. Probably has a poop ton of updates to run.

 

[Thraxen]

But the thing is, the PSP essentially failed using this approach. Taking what were otherwise console games and shrinking them down.

I think that's part of the issue. You still need quick pick-up-and-play games to support a portable. I think mini-versions of full retail game can work, but they can't stand on their own. But I'd argue that the main reason those games failed on the PSP is the lack of the second analog. They keep trying to port all these 3D console games that use dual sticks to the PSP and their controls kill them. Always having to either resort to limited camera control or attempting to use the buttons as a pseudo-dpad-analog-replacement. It sucks the soul out of the games.

 

[AceStallion]

makes perfect sense...Nintendo's been around longer than PS and XBOX

 

[gorcorps]

There isn't too much that appeals me on the Wii.
I love SMG, and I'm sure going to love SMG2. I bought Sports Resort for the motion controller. That archery is addicting. But not much else, maybe Zelda.
My Wii console has been off for months. Probably has a poop ton of updates to run.

A poop ton? I didn't think we had anybody under 12 years old at AT :awe:

 

[R Nilla]

I think Konami has come out as top dog. I don't know if anyone else is watching it but they are currently conducting the best press conference in E3 history.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Yeah, to each his own of course, but Nintendo's conference made me finally decide to sell my Wii, which I haven't played in over a year and a half. Their entire conference was pathetic. They're nothing but a gimmick company now. Don't get me wrong, it certainly works for them, but it doesn't for me.

Goodbye, Nintendo. You were my first, and I appreciate you for that.

I'm in agreement with you. The Wii was a joke to me from the beginning, and their "franchises" are too long in the tooth. I don't need to play Mario Super Sparkel Sunshine Raindrop edition #89378787923. I also do very much want my games in high definition. Call me a snob or spoiled, but high definition is so much better than what the Wii puts out that it's like even new titles are retro games.

A true fan of Nintendo isn't going to balk at playing a 480p Mario Galaxy on their 60" 1080p TV, they're going to play it, and they're going to love it. They're not going to care that the new Zelda isn't in full HD, sure it would be nice, but it's not a requirement to having fun and enjoying the experience.

You just described a fanboy. Some consumers such as myself do care about a game that is immersive in the graphics department. If it looks amazing it's easier to get into because there's more small details that bring the game alive. It's all preference, but honestly there is a place for high definition and it's been utilized for years now. Nintendo just didn't jump on that wagon when it left and they're stuck with what they got. Not good enough for me.

 

[AceStallion]

Mario Super Sparkel Sunshine Raindrop edition #89378787923.

Hahaha! That game sounds like that game would be created by those Queer Eye guys...and don't hate on the Wii just because their game manufacturers suck..I agree the Wii has TERRIBLE games...but the Wii itself, was revolutionary in Video Game Console History

 

[cmdrdredd]

Hahaha! That game sounds like that game would be created by those Queer Eye guys...and don't hate on the Wii just because their game manufacturers suck..I agree the Wii has TERRIBLE games...but the Wii itself, was revolutionary in Video Game Console History

I don't agree, High Definition would have made it a game changer (no pun intended), but it's lack of keeps me from buying one forever no matter what people say about the games. I didn't have a console for a long time, just my PC which was always semi-high end and I kept up on the latest games which always pushed graphical limits. Now with consoles becoming closer to what a PC is I jumped on a 360 and PS3 but I cannot find a use for the Wii at all. I personally have no desire to play a game that looks like it was made 10 years ago, motion controls or no.

The biggest problem I have is that my LCD and most I've seen is 1080p and scales HD content from 720p or 1080i quite well. However, content in 480p doesn't fair so well and when it's presented on the screen it's flawed. It could be the TV, it's not the newest model Samsung unit and I'm sure there's sets with much better scaling hardware on board by today's standards.

 

[AstroManLuca]

I think Konami has come out as top dog. I don't know if anyone else is watching it but they are currently conducting the best press conference in E3 history.

Oh god. Not watching but I'm reading the reactions to the conference on 4chan and it sounds ridiculous. Haven't seen many pictures of what they showed (yet) but it featured:

- Mexican 'Lucha Libre' wrestlers
- Some sort of weeaboo loli shooter
- Glee Karaoke
- A choir
- Some other crap no one cares about

WTF

EDIT: Watching a replay of the stream. So the weeaboo loli shooter preview just had a little anime video with girls running around with their boobs out and little censor things over them! Wow.

 

[foghorn67]

A poop ton? I didn't think we had anybody under 12 years old at AT :awe:

gaga googoo, OMG SMG Mario. Okay, that's out of the system.

 

[Dumac]

I'm in agreement with you. The Wii was a joke to me from the beginning, and their "franchises" are too long in the tooth. I don't need to play Mario Super Sparkel Sunshine Raindrop edition #89378787923. I also do very much want my games in high definition. Call me a snob or spoiled, but high definition is so much better than what the Wii puts out that it's like even new titles are retro games.

Sounds better than Super Buff Closet Homosexual Men shooting Big Peni-I mean Guns.

What is the best 360 and PS3 had to offer at their conventions? Oh, sequels of sequels of sequels? Unless you mean their sad attempts to join the motion control bandwagon.

Rehashes are everywhere. It's not a Wii thing. At least continuationg of Nintendo franchises bring new gameplay, ideas, and themes. Most other continuations of franchises just the same game with a fresh coat of paint.

You just described a fanboy. Some consumers such as myself do care about a game that is immersive in the graphics department. If it looks amazing it's easier to get into because there's more small details that bring the game alive. It's all preference, but honestly there is a place for high definition and it's been utilized for years now. Nintendo just didn't jump on that wagon when it left and they're stuck with what they got. Not good enough for me.

Speaking of fresh coat of paint, since it seems really important to you, I agree that the Wii graphics aren't very impressive. However, their first party game have polish, and they offer unrivaled co-op content.

If you want graphics, get a 3DS. It looks retardedly better than PSP in the graphics department.