Wii too casual for Assassin's Creed
by Candace Savino 
{ Oct 19th 2007 at 7:00PM }
"The Wii is all about casual games. In terms of processing power and graphics capabilities the Wii is roughly equivalent to the PS2 and the first Xbox ... I like the controller and the fact that the Wii is bringing a new audience to games but Assassin's creed [sic] would never run on the Wii hardware. There's a big audience that's looking for immersive gameplay and a cinematic entertainment experience with graphics that rival the best CG."
Oh, snap! Now, we know that the Wii can't compare graphically to the PS3 and Xbox 360, but to bring the Wii to the level of last-gen consoles just seems like a low blow. Also, if the cinematic experience is such an important aspect of Assassin's Creed, one wonders why the team decided to make a version for the Nintendo DS.
Surely, we can't be the only ones bothered by Desilets' assessment? Many developers seem to be under the impression that the Wii is only for casual gaming and ignore the fact that there are games coming out that aren't tailored to the casual market. In fact, Ubisoft themselves are publishing one as we speak. Furthermore, a game like Metroid Prime 3 has shown us that the Wii can deliver good graphics and an immersive experience.
We hope this isn't a sign of what kinds of games to expect from Ubisoft. We're not saying that Assassin's Creed should be released for the Wii, just that the Wii should not be dismissed as a console for casual games. Maybe Ubisoft's developers need to take notes from the company's publishers and give us the type of games that we've been clamoring for.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Dan @ Oct 19th 2007 7:08PM
I agree these comments are pretty dumb. But, in his defense, there's no company who has proven that a deep third party game can make big money on the Wii.
I think the third parties are to blame for that. But that's not going to stop them from fleeing out of frustration.
Nintendo would be smart to hold their hand a little, and show them that the water is nice if they just learn to swim.
Macroy @ Oct 19th 2007 7:11PM
What? Too casual? Isn't there a DS version of Assassin's Creed being developed?
Macroy @ Oct 19th 2007 7:11PM
...that's what I get for not reading the entire article.
DeadPlasmaCell @ Oct 19th 2007 7:16PM
I'm sure he'll catch flak for that, but it's the truth.. I really hope there aren't people out there who expect games like that to be on the Wii.. I love my Wii, but Nintendo went this hardware route for a reason, Nintendo has always been about Mario, Zelda & Metroid.. And Metroid would be the only thing that could transfer over to HD well. Everything else is just too "Sugar Coated" and cartoony for HD. Not to say it wouldn't look good.. but it wouldn't be anything ground breaking, thus why bother upgrading the hardware to do such things? I can't imagine a Mario game that would look like Gears of War or BioShock or somethin.
/Puts on flame retardant suit
DonWii @ Oct 19th 2007 7:19PM
@1
Well, Ubisoft and Capcom sure have profited on Nintendo
Rayman Raving Rabbids and Red Steel are both million sellers
RE4Wii Edition sold (2 months ago) 750k
@4
NVM. It's just DeadPlasmaCell again.
steve Johnson @ Oct 19th 2007 9:04PM
This is exactly why I got a PS3; too many casual games on the Wii and not enough traditional ones. The poor little white Wii is gathering dust too, especially in comparison to my PS3 which I use basically every day.
But Rayman 2 is coming out soon and the Mighty Wii™ will once again give us lots of entertainment....
....that is until we're finished with that game. Then it's back to the PS3.
SIGH! Anyone want to buy a Wii?
TWOO DEE @ Oct 19th 2007 11:14PM
I can't really blame the guy after the footage I've seen of the game so far. I don't think nyone's saying the Wii is too casual, though...I mean, they are publishing No More Heroes.
Lucien Takar @ Oct 19th 2007 7:44PM
I agree with Mario being too sugar coasted. But I think both Zelda and Metroid could transition well into HD. The environments were great for both Prime 3 and Twilight Princess. And Twilight princess was essentially a Gamecube game that was ported to the Wii. If 3rd party developers would learn to get their heads out of their asses and actually step up then they could be making games more beautiful then Prime 3 or Twilight Princess.
samfish (MSDF- Nurse Outfit!) @ Oct 19th 2007 8:01PM
So I'm guessing you kids saying Mario wouldn't look good in HD haven't seen Ratchet & Clank on the PS3...
This was a stupid thing to say. The only thing the Wii couldn't handle is the graphics and that is no reason to write it off. Physics and AI can be done surprisingly well given the Wii's architecture, apparently.
DeadPlasmaCell @ Oct 19th 2007 8:05PM
@ Lucien Taker
Alright Zelda might be ok, I think they'd have to redesign the characters a little though, TP was great, but still really "Nintendo" ish.
@ DonWii
Yes, Heaven forbid people have an opinion other than "Anything you say Nintendo!"
/Fanboys suck
JC Fletcher @ Oct 19th 2007 8:21PM
Wii was okay for Prince of Persia, and this is Prince of Persia with a hood.
L @ Oct 19th 2007 11:09PM
OMG. The whole REASON why the Wii is *falsely* perceived as a "casual gaming device" is BECAUSE idiots like this guy are too afraid to develop for it, which is WHY Nintendo is having problems with 3rd party support, which ultimately reveals this guy's logic as absurd and circular. I'm, quite frankly, tired of third-party developers being so late to the Wii parade. Consumers have spoken! The Wii has been selling BETTER than the PS3 and XBox360! And it's not like the Wii is made by some newbies to the console game, it's fucking NINTENDO! They're not going anywhere so get with the program third party developers! Knock off the ports and the half-assed jobs and actually put some effort into developing something worthwile for the system! Because we all know, ultimatly, it's the GAMES that matter for a system's success, not the waggle, or the graphics, or horsepower, or online capabilities, but the GAAAAAAMMMMEEEESSSSS!
Lostinthe4th @ Oct 19th 2007 8:29PM
the gamecube was more powerful than the original xbox...
Jeff @ Oct 19th 2007 8:32PM
@samfish (MSDF- Nurse Outfit!)
I agree with Ratchet, it almost looks like a Pixar Movie and I bet that Mario could look the same if it was on the PS3 and 360. But I disagree with your other comment. The Wii's CPU is only clocked a bit higher than the Gaamecube's cell and that is the only difference. Only the 360's Tri-Core Cell and the PS3's Eight-Core Cell are up to the task of handling the AI on Assassin's Creed.
Trogdor @ Oct 19th 2007 8:47PM
So thy're saying they won't make a fairly nice looking game on the Wii with great controls because they want to deliver a CGI experience? Jesus, they coulda raked in a lot of cash for a wii version. Honestly, I don't care about graphics looking so real you can see the pores on someones face. I'm not a casual gamer either. I still play all the other systems (PS3's kinda dying though, IMO) but actually feeling like you're assassinating someone would be epic. Smooth, Ubisoft. Smooth.
DeadPlasmaCell @ Oct 19th 2007 8:49PM
@ Trogdor
Not to worry, we'll get our kill fix with Manhunt 2
Stephen @ Oct 19th 2007 9:53PM
Well, the problem with the Wii is not necesarily that it lacks HD. Even at standard definition, textures and player models are quite low quality. I tried Rockstar Table Tennis and Fifa Soccer 2008. Both are quite ugly. And Madden NFL 2008 looked no better to me than the Dreamcast's NFL 2K2.
Ethan @ Oct 19th 2007 8:56PM
To be fair, a lot of assasin's creed is the big sprawling city and the AI behind the scenes.
Joop @ Oct 19th 2007 9:32PM
@15
If you're looking forward to Rayman 2 over SMG and Brawl I feel very sorry for you.
saylorsgang @ Oct 20th 2007 8:24AM
I could'nt even imagine trying to play Assain's Creed on the Wii with the controls, or on the DS for that matter, that much beauty could'nt be mimicked on the DS'S small screen
Jeremy @ Oct 19th 2007 10:33PM
Yes the Wii lacks in HD but the Wii has some untaped power. Look at MP3 and how wonderful it looked. That game was eye candy on your Wii. MP3 had a smooth 60 FPM and the graphics were as good if not better than the original XBOX. So yes if the developers wanted to spend some actual time and money in the Wii then there could be some really great games.
All Wii games other than MP3 has ran at no more than 40 FPS and that is why the Wii has such a bad name for graphics. Next months MOH:H2 will also run at 60 FPS which will be the second game for the Wii that pushes the graphics engine. Maybe then developers will start to follow.
Max Headroom @ Oct 19th 2007 10:53PM
I'm so sick of developers making claims that Wii or Nintendo in general is only for casual gamers. How many of you guys grew up on Nintendo? Personally, I've been playing Nintendo systems for two decades now. I'm 28 and I love Mario and Link as much as the next fanboy, but I also ache for action-packed FPS's, bloody street fights, and the occasional stealth assassination.
Look around you and you'll see a plethora of Nintendo fashion, Nintendo tattoos, and even Nintendo-themed weddings - far more than any other company can claim. The way I see, Nintendo gamers are the hardest of the hardcore. Developers who can't see that are blind and ignorant. We love Nintendo, but we also love games of all kinds.
Third parties, you guys are missing such a huge opportunity right now. Nintendo makes games that are fun for everyone. Stop trying to pit your crappy casual efforts against the masters of the format. Instead look out upon the giant BLUE OCEAN of space available on Wii for mature and hardcore games!
Why do you think 67% of Japanese Wii owners haven't played their Wiis lately? Is it because there aren't enough casual games to play? No!! There's a metric ton of casual games for the little white wonder. We're all just waiting for the hardcore games because we're all freakin' hardcore!
(By the way, thank goodness for Capcom.)
JohnnyThunder @ Oct 22nd 2007 7:34PM
You tell em!
SexyMii @ Oct 19th 2007 11:24PM
@10 LOL! You sure need a new pair of glasses.
CaptainAmericaX @ Oct 19th 2007 11:25PM
You guys (including the article writer) need to get real.
Yes the Wii is more powerful than the GC and original Xbox. HOWEVER its way week when compared to the ps3 and 360.
Now I hate the ps3 and I hate sony. But anyone who looks at this thing objectively can clearly see that there are some games that just couldn't be done on the Wii WITHOUT sacraficing what the original goal of the project was meant to be graphically.
Now I don't think the Wii is only for causal gamers and should only have casual games on it. But again Nintendo is the one who created this situation and their the ones who have painted themselves in this light so we as Wii owners AND Nintendo itself need to be prepared to accept the consequences.
This is one them. Another consequence is the fact that we will NOT get Resident Evil 5 or Soul Calibur IV.
We probably shouldn't even get excited about the recently announced Street Fighter IV.
Why? Because the developers are going for a true high def look with very polished and nice looking graphics as well as environments and stories that require a lot of programming and code most likely. Plus the use of a hard drive.
The Wii is just simply incapable of doing what THEY WANT to do at the moment and since its THEIR game they can do w/e they want with it.
Perhaps Nintendo will wise up next generation and create a powerful system that matches the xbox 720 or the ps4 (assuming sony is still alive by then).
Plus get rid of Friend Codes or add some REAL OPTIONS for Online Gaming. Not everyone is 7 years old Nintendo.
Rollin @ Oct 19th 2007 11:45PM
Low blow, not quite.
http://intendo.wordpress.com/2007/06/14/wii-vs-xbox-the-spec-truth/
Most Wii games will never look as detailed as many of the Xbox's best simply because the hardware doesn't allow it. Even if some 1st party games looked semi-shitty, a la Halo 2, Wii games cannot achieve the same perceived resuls without sacrificing some (or many) things behind the scenes.
Take Galaxy. It is super shiny and they exaggerate with that white outline effect. Little tricks like these are what DS devs do to make those handheld titles beautiful and close the gap from there to PSP; Feel the Magic for instance. They show that the system is more capable than you thought but make you think that the hardware is capable of more than it is.
The DS version can't be compared to a console version. He is obviously talking about the flagship version of Ass. Creed for the traditional systems. It's so obvious, in fact, that you NWF guys shouldn't have gotten offended. AC is just too much to handle. There is so much more that goes into a sandbox, AI-heavy game like that than just the normal mapping on his hood.
Wii, even among its core fans, is seen as a casual system. We all know that. I'm a goddamn Wii fan, i like the system itself, but Nintendo hasn't fostered an atmosphere for devs in which many of their games cater to me. I'm not real keen on spending $50 on games that don't even live up to GameCube titles most of the time. $60 is a lot, but the price is justified by the content, whereas $50 bucks is asking for too much in the case of many Wii games.
See, before, Nintendo would just not give us games when Zelda or Mario (and his spinoffs) weren't ready; now they let other devs fill those gaps with this "market-expanding" bulljive. The only thing that Wii has done to change anything is swap out Nintendo's kid-centric image for a female/parent-centric casual one.
No one should be surprised if the developers -- even those that are on-board with the system -- don't take it seriously. Hardware sales don't mean a goddamn thing on the Wii platform in the eyes of the industry pros. Nor to me. Its high installed base in no way affects how much time i spend with it. An online-competent system with some decent online games is a different story.
Anthony @ Oct 20th 2007 1:13AM
Urgh, the fact that he says the Wii isn't immersive bugs me. And it is certainly not only for casual gamers. I'll be taking a walk now, good day.
DeadPlasmaCell @ Oct 20th 2007 2:59AM
@ 19
I feel the same way. But if you're really a hardcore gamer you'd get all the consoles.. Unless you're one of these brain washed fanboys who can't see past Mario, Zelda & Metroid. Like you, I've been playin Nintendo games for 20+ years now & I'll always get Nintendo's consoles. But i'm not blind to their shortcomings either.. The Wii is marketed toward the Nintendo Loyal and recently, the "casual" gamer. For those who want a more "hardcore" experience you'd be better off getting a 360 to add to your Wii. I think that's the best combo you can get right now. I don't really have anything against a PS3, but right now it's not worth the $ they're asking for it.. Hell I owned a PS3 for about a month a few months back, but it collected dust so I sold it off. Ne who viva games!
Nmaster @ Oct 20th 2007 4:17AM
Any sense that was in that statement was lost with the announcement of a DS version...
Sidepocket @ Oct 21st 2007 3:53AM
Its quite simple what they could do. Take Two Thrones, put in good decent motion control, and then have it a more linear and story focused version of Assassins Creed.
Obviously the DS version is not going to be flagship so why not engineer something else besides laziness and money?
On and to Mr. Online above, STFU. I can already imagine that many of the games you like are games that I absolutely cannot stand. When I was younger, if we were all about graphics and crazy multi player, everyone would have bought a Neo Geo. Look it up. Neo Geo = PS3.
ymmv @ Oct 20th 2007 5:27AM
I had a few comments I wanted to make but Rollin said them far more eloquently than I could. He mad a few very good points, my favorite being "The only thing that Wii has done to change anything is swap out Nintendo's kid-centric image for a female/parent-centric casual one."
You only have to look at Nintendo's media offensive to know its true. The Wii is presented as the games console for the whole extended family (kids, parents, grandparents) with non-offensive easy-to-pick-up games. Wii Fit is of course the culmination of this.
Candace Savino wrote: "Oh, snap! Now, we know that the Wii can't compare graphically to the PS3 and Xbox 360, but to bring the Wii to the level of last-gen consoles just seems like a low blow."
The reason the Wii is considered to be on the level of a last-gen console is because its not only graphically underpowered, but also computationally. The CPU and graphics chip in the Wii are only 50% faster than its predecessors and it only has twice the memory (88MB). That's not a whole lot faster. It's in fact 2002 technology launched in a 2006 console. The Wii is vastly underpowered compared with the PS3 and 360. In reality it's a faster last-gen console, at most slightly more powerful than the original Xbox.
steve Johnson @ Oct 20th 2007 6:10AM
@16 You mean your looking forward to SMG and Smash over Ratchet and Clank, Killzone 2 and LBP?! Man, I feel sorry for YOU!
dries @ Oct 20th 2007 7:07AM
#23 has it
François Lafrenière @ Oct 20th 2007 9:32AM
Nintendo's proposition with the Wii is to judge the system not by its graphics, but by the experience it provides. The graphics are a trade-off between eye candy and flawless execution, which is necessary to support the precise motion sensing. Because it pushes a new control scheme and because of the inclusive philosophy that backs it, Wii is very much a back to basics system.
Desilets has an especially snarky way of saying it, but Assassin's Creed is not a back to basics concept. It aims to be some kind of playable movie; this not so much a game you play as it is a game you guide. That's why they would need to achieve the level of feature animation in look and feel. Assassin's Creed, as it is, is not suited to the Wii experience, regardless of whether it should be considered a "casual" or "hardcore" platform. It'll be interesting to see where the DS version goes; more than likely it'll be an entirely different game design, but because it's on a portable rather than on a home console, they probably figure it won't cast too much of a shadow on the main franchise if the different experience isn't up to snuff.
Tim @ Oct 20th 2007 1:36PM
"just that the Wii should not be dismissed as a console for casual games"
Yeah, but it kinda is...
@24 I agree with you.
There is a solution though. I can advise all Wii owners who only own a Wii to perhaps go buy an actual next gen console. I believe there are two options. An Xbox 360 or a Playstation 3. Stop wishing developers will waste their time creating in-depth graphical masterpieces for the Wii. It's not going to happen.
Play your party games on the Wii. Then play real games on your 360 or PS3. Problem solved. Just spend the dough and stop complaining. The Wii is at a last gen level Candace. It's like an Xbox...well an Xbox "lite" when it comes to power. Most Xbox titles looked graphically superior to most of the crap i've seen on the Wii. I remember back in the day my Xbox had a few games running in 720p through component on my old Xbox. GT4 on my PS2 did 1080i!
@10. Are you willing to share your mind altering drugs with the rest of us? You must be on something serious! The GC was more powerful than the PS2 but not the Xbox.
LV426 @ Oct 20th 2007 2:48PM
Um.... DS Assassin's Creed... so much for the graphics issue. Guess they just need 40 million or more to put break their own rules, not 12.
Also, the Wii before optimizing is faster the n the Xbox 1. However, like the cube this isnt even a fair extimate, since it IS optimized (why with HALF the raw speed, the cube ran away graphically with the Xbox 1). While it wont go toe-to-toe with the new guys, it can reach a halfway between 360/PS3 and Camecube/Xbox1 without a problem, if coders bothered to use it right, but the examples already given speak for themselves there.
Mr Khan @ Oct 20th 2007 3:16PM
Feh, these western developers will just lose out in the end. The easterners are making the good games for the Wii, they'll make the money, and the Western developers can keep harping on about this "self-fulfilling prophecy of bad Wii titles"
I, meanwhile, will continue to play the good games, both casual and hardcore, that keep coming out for my Wii
Rollin @ Oct 20th 2007 3:37PM
Yea Tim, there aint no question that solace is found in a dual-platform approach to this generation.
I've had a PS3 for a few months now and it's been my main system since. I haven't even bought Prime 3 yet simply because i didn't have to. By the time Corruption came out, i wasn't as starved for something "serious" as most of the Wii-only people were, because the PS3, as bad as it's doing in sales, is bringing the meaty games that i can sink my teeth into and get my money's worth from. I don't have to wait for Wii games to come out because the PS2/PS3 games and demos have way more unforced replay value; there's not as much of that traditional Nintendo console syndrome where you force yourself to play a game over cause there's nothing else out worth bothering with.
The bang-for-your-buck factor is so much higher on the HD systems than on Wii, ironically enough. Warhawk by itself is enough for me to dismiss most Wii games apart from the big'uns, and that's a budget title. PS3 is even handling the casual and indie spaces better than Nintendo is currently, which is stupid considering how at this point last year i expected Nintendo to be doing it better than anyone by now. Everyday Shooter is 10 bucks, and if you dig those zen-type games that you lose yourself in, it's an easy purchase. You don't even have to leave your house to buy a good gamer's game anymore. Stuff like that is what makes the gaming experience these days, not just waiting for an overnight motion revolution that likely won't come.
Nintendo kinda lead us along in the beginning of this Wii thing, but now the jig is up. Their hardware might be "new gen", but the provided experience is not. I wonder if they have any innovative ambitions left beyond making money off of the relatives.
Mr Khan @ Oct 20th 2007 6:28PM
"but now the jig is up"
riiiiiight, that's why the sales are still sky-high, that's why WiiWare is finally starting to get realized, that's why developers (Japanese at least) are starting to put out unique, original stuff, that's why, starting this month, there is a glut of good titles (3rd and 1st) on Wii
The only things wrong with Wii that aren't getting remedied are online (arguably its biggest fault straight across) and it's attach rate (although that, of course, is subject to change)
Rollin @ Oct 21st 2007 2:54AM
Really? Like i said, sales don't mean a thing to you or me in terms of Nintendo doing right by us bloggers and blog readers, attentive gaming fans in general. Compare the hardware stat to the attach rate stat and we've got a problem because, in case anyone in here has forgotten, Nintendo is primarily a software-driven company and they always have been. You can shove hardware sales graphs in my face all day and i wouldn't give a damn. As i said before, their hardware sales would probably matter if they had a game like Warhawk where the installed base has a bearing on how many people end up playing a full-scale game like that, but Wii is allergic to that type of experience anyway. In the end, their sales numbers don't affect you and your Wii, and as we can see, the industry pros aren't really batting an eye at these numbers either, so it's not like everybody's gonna start making Wii games if it keeps selling like it is.
And it's selling well on the back of Wii Sports both here and in Japan. Even though this is its first year, the attitude displayed by Nintendo is that things are never gonna be handled differently. You know what the next big thing on Wii is? No, not Galaxy. Not Smash. Not Zak OR Wiki, Link's Crossbow Training(...), Umbrella Chronicles, or Wii Ware. Answer: Wii Fit. Why? Because it's the next in line, Nintendo's next fad that will be pushed on Oprah, Reader's Digest, classic rock stations and the Oxygen network. Putting it bluntly, another gimmicky fad (if that). Nintendo's found a hidden treasure trove laden with gold and moneybags, they're not gonna give it up. Giving it up entails them not caring to make the great games we -- according to them -- are bored of without even knowing it.
The jig IS up. Are you getting the revolution that was promised to you back in 2005/06? Cause see, it wasn't promised to the people that are putting Nintendo in the next issue of Fortune 500, the parents and geriatrics who like to play that one game in Wii Sports. They didn't watch those E3 pressers. I did. I haven't seen any promises realized. Wii Ware sure is taking a while. Past the 1st quarter there's hardly anything to speak of, if at all. Nintendo has a great platform that has lots of games that are hefty and worth your money, and it has 2 screens.
The only bad thing you can say about either of the other 2 companies is that they have a hard time tapping Nintendo's new audience. They're on track with everything else, ie, the things that matter to the end user. For Wii, let's revise that game selection. It had better be waaay improved in 6 months.
Rollin @ Oct 21st 2007 2:58AM
"Giving it up entails them not caring to make the great games we -- according to them -- are bored of without even knowing it."
Remove the "not" in this sentence.
Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Oct 21st 2007 6:28AM
LOL.
So Wii is casual because there are no "real games" on it.
Now he is saying that they are not going to release the "real game" for Wii because it is casual?
That's pretty dumb catch-22 for you.
Anyway, Assassin Creed looked interesting to me until the moment I have seen the lame sword battles. As assassination itself goes it's fine. But the battles are lame and absolutely out of place. IOW 80% of game looks interesting - but it would take 20% of time to take on. Remaining 80% of time would be wasted in poorly made sword/etc battles. Not my game. Will not miss it on Wii.
sonicspear64 @ Oct 21st 2007 11:33AM
Wow.... half of the comments here are just trolls and/or ignorant claims. Apparently, some of you guys worked with Nintendo, IBM, and ATI. Because that's the ONLY way you could know how powerful the Wii is. You guys must of performed benchmark tests on it and everything. All that hard work and you trolls put in to understanding hardware and you didn't even know it could do custom shaders -_-.
Rollin @ Oct 21st 2007 2:13PM
Shaders mean fuck-all if the software isn't cutting it for you. Have fun with those.
"On and to Mr. Online above, STFU."
Yes, having a PS3 -- recently bought -- makes me "one of them", doesn't it? Even though i've played almost every single major and niche Nintendo game for the past decade and change, like you probably have, if not more, and waited about 4 or so hours on the Times Square Toy R Us line on November 19th last year.
Bro, wake the hell up. Stop being such a snob with your Nintendo loyalties. You have anything against tennis games or skating games? Cause those are the only PS3 discs i own, Virtua Tennis and Skate. Warhawk, for instance, is a goofy, toonish flight-based war game and it's crazy fun. Really, you should try it before you ignorantly write it off for having guns and shooting. It's excellent, and it's not Call of Duty. Apparently you've never had a great online experience on a console, cause anyone who has knows there's nothing else like it. Xbox Live is popular for a reason. You can't tell me that it just so happens that every single one of the millions who play on there are idiots who don't appreciate what gaming is really about, which is probably something you tell yourself each night as you replay that endless dungeon in Twilight Princess for the 118th time.
Since i just bought the system, i'm not quite fiending on first person shooters and action games yet, which is what i assume makes certain gamers lesser lifeforms than you. I've yet to buy a Halo 3 Mountain Dew drink, but when i do, you'll be the first to know so you can pseudo-legitimately hate me and everything i stand for. Thinking so highly of Nintendo doesn't make you a superior being, by the way.
I never even said that i valued or devalued the graphics in any system, but you lumped me together with all the subjects of your bitterness. Conveniently, all the games you can't stand aren't on Wii, are they? Many (that doesn't mean "all") Nintendo fans have a tendency of teaching themselves to hate or scorn the other companies, but when you open yourself to the forbidden fruit of a competing console, your time spent gaming is twice as fun. For hardasses like you, though, it might take a little while.
If Neo Geo HAD great graphics and crazy multiplayer, people probably would've snathed it up like mad. That whole price thing MIGHT've stood in their way, but i'm not sure Neo Geo delivered on either front regardless. The main difference is Sony has backing, Neo Geo didn't. And also, if you look carefully (not that you'd have to, but in your case, those pink-tinted glasses make it hard to see), Sony actually has the highest number of high-profile, in-house games in development. That used to be Nintendo's forte, but thing's have changed. There's also the inflation issue, but that's a tired point by now, as is your childish comparison. You know what else the PS3 has been compared with?
http://warcadia.wordpress.com/2007/10/03/ps3-sales-rival-the-mighty-gamecube/
Step outside your bubble, man. The world is bigger than you realize.
LV426 @ Oct 21st 2007 8:04PM
LMAO @43. Dude, you REALLY want to make that comparison? You just took a dump all over your PS3 doing that.
Mr Khan @ Oct 21st 2007 2:53PM
@ Rollin
You would have a good point, but your posts amount to YOU not having been supplied with a Revolution, and that's fine, the "jig" as you say, may be up for you, but not for others. Your disappointment in the Wii is understandable, but you represent it as something that is universally felt
The point is that the general software situation for Wii is improving, not the other way around. Wii is starting to get things to brag about besides the mad sales and casual appeal. If that's not your cup of tea, all well and good, but to diagnose such a doom-and-gloom forecast is bluntly incorrect
Mr Khan @ Oct 21st 2007 3:53PM
Oh, and Neo Geo did have excellent graphics for a pre-3D world
see Neo Turf Masters
Tyler @ Oct 21st 2007 9:43PM
Nintendo... casual? Look at flipping Izuna or Etrian Odyssey for the DS. These games are designed for people who like losing(really hard.) Unless Legendary mode on Halo 3 was designed to be beaten on purpose, I'd say that Microsoft is WAY more casual than Nintendo. And I'm sure Assassin's Creed is going to be just as easy as Halo is. FYI, In a household with a PS3 and 360 as well as Wii/DS, so I'm not speaking from my arse here. And besides, the Virtual Console's got The Legend of Kage. That's gotta be hardcore, because I've yet to beat it. Worst 6 dollars spent ever.
Rollin @ Oct 21st 2007 11:00PM
The Neo Geo mighta had great 2D graphics, but were they 360-good-timing great or Dreamcast-bad-timing great? Meaning were they marginal improvements or were they a leap forward. For reference, Odin Sphere can be seen as a leap forward from an SNES game. I did also mention the multiplayer. The NG has never been regarded as a "crazy multiplayer" machine, far as i know. You can throw that back at me if you've heard different, but that's just your hearsay against mine. Chances are if people don't talk about it in that regard, it obviously was not on the same level as any online-enabled system from the last 10 years. As always, there's more to the PS3 comparisons than some like to consider.
"Your disappointment in the Wii is understandable, but you represent it as something that is universally felt"
I will give you that. Definitely my point of view. However, knowing what it feels like to be a starry-eyed fanboy, and knowing what i feel like now, i can't help but presume that there are many more disillusioned fanpeople out there besides me. Some more ready to confess than others.
Also, i will give you that the Wii software situation is becoming less of a situation. But on the same token, there's a 4 month window of light from November to February, no more no less. Can any list be formed off the exciting titles coming out post the delayed Smash Bros? Not that i'm pumped for any 360/PS3 stuff, but those systems have many high-profile games planned for beyond just the 2nd month of 2008.
Nintendo has given the impression that they will rest on their laurels after Wii Fit takes over the world. The release schedule for this fall and winter is very much a money shot of almost all their "hardcore" stuff. If anything, it tells me that either Nintendo will only give us what we, the serious gamers, want at the end of each year, or that 2007 and early 2008 will see the release of every Nintendo excuse (otherwise known as the core titles) to not give a damn about their loyalists and followers thereafter. For the GameCube fans out there, you may remember the former players of the Nintendo Excuse Team: Metroid Prime, Mario Kart Double Dash, Super Smash Bros Melee, Mario Sunshine, Wind Waker (the most recent of those released in 2003, 3 years before Wii's release), and many more. Players who weren't retired from PR responses and press releases till Wii was out. There is precedent for my predilections, and even though i strongly believe in them, that is all they are.
My gloomy forecast isn't any more incorrect than your sunny one. Your dismissal of my predictions can be just as easily dismissed.
And dude who brought up DS, i already said that. And to the guy talking about comparisons, read that whole paragraph that you tried to turn on me. There are more factors that go into this whole comparison thing than just graphics and multiplayer. Also, the PS3 itself does not belong to me, it belongs to a Japanese mega-corp somewhere. Just so you know.
soul4sale @ Oct 22nd 2007 10:47AM
The problem with gaming these days is Gamers. Somehow, this industry has managed to create a subculture of juvenile, bloodthirsty, detail freaks who have no understanding of the wider world around them.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is a business. The point of a business is to make money. Your demographic sliver is not making this industry enough money, and, therefore, your tastemaking days are rapidly coming to an end.
Nintendo was the first to figure that out. Microsoft and Sony were too busy catering to the demo that makes up their companies. They are now paying for their myopia. They are losing money on the sales of machines that are priced out of the impulse range to begin with. Nintendo (for the first time in gaming history) is making money on machines that are priced comfortably within that range. They've actually rendered software sales to a second income stream, not the only one. MS/Sony are bleeding; Nintendo is fattening up. To your horror and disbelief, Nintendo is winning. They are winning without shooters, without robust online play and without power-sucking chips - things that matter a great deal to Gamers, but not to the general public.
You may be too young to remember this, but gaming once had broader cultural acceptance. Normal people once played Atari and Intelevision, because the games were easy to grasp and didn't require hours of time to learn, time most working adults don't have. Nintendo has recaptured that simplicity and "fun." My friends and I, hardcore Gamers all, had a eureka moment a few months ago as all four of our wives/girlfriends kicked us, one-by-one off the Wii and began playing an all-girls tennis match, holding their drinks in one hand and swinging their curves around for us to watch. From that moment on, we have a hard time seeing the merits of interactive crappy action movies like Assassins Creed.