Top 5: Games Wii Are Jealous of

by Kaes Delgrego { Aug 25th 2008 at 12:49PM }

Rejoice, Wii-owners. You posses the only (un-modded) home console capable of hosting the greatest gaming catalogue of all-time. The Virtual Console's ability to provide an extensive back catalog coupled with the retail and WiiWare releases of Nintendo's latest instant-classics makes your system the inarguable flagship of Nintendo gaming. It's quite an amazing accomplishment: stuffing such immense gaming potency inside one little white box (save for disk space, you freakin' otaku).

Yet it'd be foolish and utterly fanboy-ish to act as if Nintendo were the all-powerful supreme chancellor of gaming. They are considered the best by many, but Nintendo is not the only company that creates amazing titles. Many of these come from third parties. Despite claims to the contrary, third party relations appear to be proceeding very well on the Wii. However, through a combination of first party titles on other systems as well as numerous issues which affect third party efforts, we must face the truth: good games sometimes go to non-Nintendo systems. Madness, right?! Here's our Top Five games that we wish Wii had.

NEXT >>

The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up.

Tags: bioshock, first-person-shooter, fps, grand-theft-auto-iv, half-life-2, joystiqfeatures, metal-gear-solid-4, portal, ps3, resident-evil-5, team-fortress-2, the-orange-box, top-5, xbox-360

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Mr.ESC @ Aug 25th 2008 12:59PM

To be honest I have a Wii because it promised me it would have different games than the x360 and PS3 so I would rather have Kid Icarus or a new Zelda game than you know another multiplatform.

Now that I don't see why TOB couldn't be done in the Wii but again Valve market is in the PC also that I rather have a Remake of Snake Eater in the Wii than MGS4.

hellhammer @ Aug 25th 2008 1:09PM

Personally, I couldn't care any less about the Orange Box.

I would have added Street Fighter IV instead. That, like RE5, is at least somewhat capable of being ported to Wii.

vidGuy @ Aug 25th 2008 1:16PM

I agree with the list, though I think it's kind of representative of more hardcore games and doesn't really constitute games that MOST of the Wii crowd wants.

With that said, I think it's really smart for a hardcore Wii owner to pick up a 360. Word is that the Arcade version will be under $200 in a few weeks and 20GB hard drives can be had for another $20 if you look around. I play the two consoles equally and don't have to sacrifice much at all.

offday @ Aug 25th 2008 3:46PM

Agreed. Wii60 is the perfect combo. They both fill in each other's blanks perfectly.

Sonic_13 @ Aug 25th 2008 1:26PM

Interesting how they are all shooters (well I supposed technically not GTA). I am really shocked at how few FPS games Wii gets.

I would say that Wii has, by far, the best controls for an FPS game, yet we have so few! Why? WHY!?!

samfish @ Aug 25th 2008 1:28PM

Of the games on that list, the only ones I regularly see Wii owners asking for is Resident Evil 5 (which I'd be shocked if we don't get sooner or later) and Portal, to a lesser extent (but not the entire Orange Box).
I've never seen any Wii peoples ask for GTA4, Bioshock or MGS4, though. At least not en masse.

There's a hot, frothing demand for SFIV, though.

Nigeria @ Aug 25th 2008 1:34PM

I wouldn't have put GTA at number one, I wouldn't have placed GTA on the list actually. The reason I have a 360 is because my brother, a GTA nut, was so disillusioned with the latest iteration. He brought a whole new console for a game that ended up, he felt, being inferior to its predecessors. So he sold his other games and 'gave' me the 360 :) This disappointment has been echoed by some of my friends who've played this game.

But my anecdotal evidence means very little. I still think it's overrated though.

In it's place I would have put LBP or Burnout.

samfish @ Aug 25th 2008 1:51PM

I'd have knocked everything but RE5 off and replaced it with LBP, SFIV, Banjo Kazooie, Beyond Good & Evil 2 and...I dunno. I can't think of a 5th game.

hylianpsy @ Aug 25th 2008 1:42PM

Speaking entirely objectively, did anyone notice that all the games were shooters of some sort?

Not that that's a bad thing. Just interesting.

Crustin @ Aug 25th 2008 1:52PM

I know a guy who is a complete and total tool. The kind of person that if you were forced at gun point to select someone to be shot into the sun, you would pick this person without a thought, just based on how completely annoying they are. And I have listened to him go on endlessly about Bioshock for months, in great detail. And even if it was the best game ever made, and it came onto the Wii, and even if Jesus himself told me to give it a try, I still would not be able to because of what a complete and total tool this guy is.

Otherwise I've heard good things about it. =)

fco. @ Aug 25th 2008 1:57PM

Agreed on all exept for Metal Gear. I just could never get into that series.

Besides that, you nailed the top reasons why I've been considering getting an X360 (or a better PC). But the decisive reason will probably arrive once Brutal Legend gets released.

Kia @ Aug 25th 2008 2:08PM

"third party relations appear to be proceeding very well on the Wii."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAA! AAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, god...*wipes tear* ...Wait, you're serious, aren't you? May I direct you to -any- release list for the Wii? Yeah. That's what I thought.

Kaes Delgrego @ Aug 25th 2008 2:27PM

I should have clarified by saying "compared to the GameCube." You're right; things could be better. But we have gotten some solid third party titles, and there are some coming soon that are hopefully excellent: http://nintendo.joystiq.com/2008/08/11/top-5-upcoming-original-ips-from-third-parties/

Billston @ Aug 25th 2008 2:29PM

The Conduit
MadWorld
de Blob
Deadly Creatures
Guitar Hero World Tour
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Lightsaber Duels
Animales de la Muerte
Cursed Mountain
Skate It
The House of the Dead: Overkill
Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop
Overlord: Dark Legend
Samba de Amigo
Sonic Unleashed
Call of Duty: World At War
Red Steel 2
Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party
Tiger Woods 09
Shaun White Snowboarding: Road Trip

You were saying?

Mr Khan @ Aug 25th 2008 2:31PM

No, he's right. Though we're not getting anything on the scope of PS360, Wii is seeing the best 3rd-party support to be "Licensed by Nintendo" in 14 years

Look at the first half of 2009: The Conduit, Sonic & the Black Knight, and MadWorld. In terms of epicness, it doesn't stack up with, say, RE5, but they're all going to be great, and are all Wii exclusive

Mr Khan @ Aug 25th 2008 2:34PM

I wouldn't say that those games elicit "jealousy"

Top 5 games that aren't on Wii, definitely, but not the top 5 that aren't but we really wish they were. In my opinion, that list would would knock everything off except the Orange Box and RE5, and add Beyond Good & Evil 2, Little Big Planet, and Street Fighter IV

I know those are some of the few titles i wish i had but can't have based on my console choices

SoshiKitai @ Aug 25th 2008 2:46PM

...I just want Portal on the Wii.
It just seems so Wii-compatible it's not even funny.

... but jealous of? Nah, I've got all the systems... I like the games where they are. (Just... you know, except Portal)

I'd like an RTS though...
...not fair that only the 360 gets 'em... then again, most (if not all) of the RTSs on the 360 are also for the PC.
Okie dokie: I want an original RTS for the Wii.

There we go.

SoshiKitai @ Aug 25th 2008 2:49PM

Oh, and one more thing...
I wouldn't want MGS4 on the Wii, at all.
Fun as hell, especially MGO, but not for the Wii.
It was made for the uber-powered PS3, and anything less would be reDONKulous.

Though, I wouldn't mind if they redid the old MG games for the Wii. Like, full on remake them.
Or even better, an original spin-off for the Wii.
Like MGA was... except for the Wii.
:) Wouldn't mind that.

Max Headroom @ Aug 25th 2008 2:55PM

Great list. I would have switched GTA IV and RE 5 though. RE 5 is a reason to buy another console. GTA isn't. I think this list could have easily been about 20 games long as well adding such titles as Mass Effect, Oblivion, Fallout 3, Fable II, Dead Space, Little Big Planet, Devil May Cry 4, Silent Hill, Street Fighter IV, Soul Calibur 4, Perfect Dark Zero, and on and on. As you can see, there are a lot more than just shooters that Wii misses, including some epic RPGs, fighters, and action games.

There's also the issue of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. It is on XBox Live Arcade, PSP, and I think all versions of the Playstation can play it, but it isn't out for any Nintendo console.

nastysquar3d @ Aug 25th 2008 3:55PM

I will be picking up a PS3 soon (mostly because of Blu-ray & media center capabilities) but also so I can play some great games I've been missing. (MGS4, Uncharted, RE5 when it comes out).

So I'll have a Wii, PS3 and just recently updated computer.

I've got all games on this list covered.

Sensai @ Aug 25th 2008 4:07PM

The only games that I _really_ want from another system are Echochrome, Resident Evil 5, and LittleBigPlanet.

The rest you can easily get on the computer (seriously, you're going to buy the Orange Box on anything but a computer? Oh well, your loss) and probably should get on a computer.

SoshiKitai @ Aug 25th 2008 7:58PM

The 360 is great for those who don't have powerful computers.
It's cheaper than them powerhouses.

hammywammy @ Aug 25th 2008 4:40PM

I know some people may agree, but I fill that next yr, we're gonna have games that the so-called nx gen sonsoles want! Tobe honest I was more disoppointed with the lack of on-line & extras (not mini games).
As a 28 yr old father of 2 kids, I only managed to buy about 6 games which I'm very happy with. Roll on 2009... conduit here we come!!!

Rick @ Aug 25th 2008 4:48PM

"The Conduit
MadWorld
de Blob
Deadly Creatures
Guitar Hero World Tour
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Lightsaber Duels
Animales de la Muerte
Cursed Mountain
Skate It
The House of the Dead: Overkill
Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop
Overlord: Dark Legend
Samba de Amigo
Sonic Unleashed
Call of Duty: World At War
Red Steel 2
Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party
Tiger Woods 09
Shaun White Snowboarding: Road Trip"

As a former Nintendo Wii owner (and ardent Nintendo supporter) I can say that it was line-ups like this that totally took the piss out of any excitement I had for this pseudo-console. It's laughable, and please someone tell me how this list even compares to what the other consoles have lined up for the next year? Please tell me how these games overshadow like-minded titles on the PS3 or XBOX 360,...Straight up delusional, if you ask me.

Kai Cherry @ Aug 25th 2008 5:14PM

Rick, what do you mean by "overshadow" here?

I mean really, I ask this sincerely. The core difference between the consoles for the games mentioned above that are multiplatform will be that on the 360 and PS3 they will be in HD.

The Wii ones will utilize the Wii controllers/Balance Board/Etc for a play experience that the other platforms will not have...and quite frankly the *reason* why Wii proponents love the system in the first place.

My son has a 360 and it is a constant source of frustration to me simply do to counterintuitive controls. The accessibility factor quite frankly "overshadows" the other systems graphical prowess (often, at the expensive of playability due to slowdown issues...like playing on an underpowered PC) so if there was some other factor that contributes to this "overshadowing" then by all means please explain it.

Thanks!

Kai Cherry @ Aug 26th 2008 2:39AM

By the way, Kaes...my comment was not a "rant" by Oxford, nor for the fast-and-loose amongst us, Wikipedia standards and definitions. As the rest of your reply was thoughtful and respectful, I will assume your use, or rather, misuse of the word "rant" to describe my reply was not meant to be an insult :)

*rant |rant|
verb [ intrans. ]
speak or shout at length in a wild, impassioned way : she was still ranting on about the unfairness of it all.
noun
a spell of ranting; a tirade : his rants against organized religion.
PHRASES
rant and rave shout and complain angrily and at length.

**A rant (also called harangue or declamation) is a monologue that does not present a well-researched and calm argument; rather, it is typically an attack on an idea, a person or an institution, and very often lacks proven claims.

*Source: Oxford Dictionary

**Wikipedia...although, Wikipedia being Wikipedia, you are free to choose amongst several contradictory definitions/usage cases to fit whatever you like. Such is the way of the Internet (Sub)Culture :)

Kaes Delgrego @ Aug 26th 2008 9:26AM

No insult intended. :)

Kai Cherry @ Aug 25th 2008 5:06PM

Sigh.

So basically, this story is "Yet Another Nintendo Wii Fanboy I-Really-Wish-the-Wii-was-a-Different-Console" story.

Great.

I am far from a fanboy...tool around TUAW a bit for a feel. That said...

You know, I'm wondering when some of you young people here at the NWFB are going to, in essence, "get over it".

Nintendo has a wildly successful product that seems to cater to a very large, but yet specific demographic: "Everybody Else".

A lot of these pieces seem to almost have a sense of desperation, a sort of "please put out games that jerks on other consoles have so that I can get some pissing match points"...points that you will NEVER get simply because the Wii isn't a High Def gaming system. A battle that will NEVER be won.

Consider this: compared to the PS2, the amount of so-called "shovelware" is a drop in the ocean on the Wii, comparatively. Consider also that the Wii market has spoken: games of this sort *do not sell on this platform*.

Now, I can hear the weeping and moaning now about how it isn't the genre(s) in question, but the "quality" of the releases themselves.

I say: "Bull."

No More Heroes sort of tells the tale here. The *buying public* isn't interested in these sorts of games; they DO NOT SELL on the platform.

I suspect that The Conduit, Madworld and Dead Rising, all which look to be quality titles, will suffer the exact same fate.

Now...who will be to blame then? Nintendo? The Developers?

No.

The Wii market just doesn't *want* ultraviolent first person shooters and action fighting games. That's what the XBox is for...and you get to play with a bunch of foul-mouthed idiots too as a bonus!

Let it go, guys. Let it go. At the end of the day, the market decides what will sell and what will not. After the release and flop of the above on the Wii...remember who told you.

Business 100: Selling ice to Eskimos is a bad business plan. You do not attempt to sell products to people that don't want or need them and expect to turn a profit.

Kaes Delgrego @ Aug 25th 2008 5:33PM

Wow! That was quite a rant. There are people out there who feel that way, but I for one am very happy with the Wii. I think I'd be way more jealous if I only owned a 360 or PS3 and couldn't play Mario and Zelda than I am with any of the games I provided in this list. I don't wish to change the Wii, but wanting to play good games that aren't coming to the Wii isn't a slight against the console at all. This list was just a simple look at some games that I admire on other systems, that's all.

Mr Khan @ Aug 25th 2008 5:48PM

Please. Wii fanboy does support the Wii. They just also like opening up community discussion, and realize that discussion prompts alternative viewpoints

The only things they don't seem to like are Castlevania Judgement (which i say they should give a fair chance to) and Wii Music (which nobody likes anymore anyway)

yomachaser @ Aug 25th 2008 9:31PM

Wow you look at the sales for No More Heroes which (and I am sick of having to say this) are the highest sales of any game in Suda51's career as evidence that traditional games don't sell on Wii.

Great Job! Now go back and check those sales charts again, you know the ones that show good sales of 3rd party software (Guitar Hero 3 sold best on Wii) that isn't trash.

The moment the big 3rd parties stopped dropping turds and started putting in effort the sales improved quite a bit.

Max Headroom @ Aug 26th 2008 1:12AM

>>>>>
Sigh.

So basically, this story is "Yet Another Nintendo Wii Fanboy I-Really-Wish-the-Wii-was-a-Different-Console" story.
-----
No. This story is "We See Some Fun Looking Games That We Would Like To Play." What's wrong with that?

>>>>>
A lot of these pieces seem to almost have a sense of desperation, a sort of "please put out games that jerks on other consoles have so that I can get some pissing match points"...points that you will NEVER get simply because the Wii isn't a High Def gaming system. A battle that will NEVER be won.
-----
I honestly don't know what you mean by "pissing match points." I want to play Resident Evil 5 because Resident Evil 4 was the best game I've played in 10 years. I want to play Portal because the gameplay looks so fresh, fun, and like no other game I've played. I want to play Bioshock because it has an amazing setting and a fantastic story. I could go on and on, but the short version is that I want to play all these games because they look fun in a way that I can't seem to find on the Wii. It isn't because I'm in some kind of a competition with other gamers. And I don't know what HD has to do with anything. This is about game play.

>>>>>
Consider this: compared to the PS2, the amount of so-called "shovelware" is a drop in the ocean on the Wii, comparatively. Consider also that the Wii market has spoken: games of this sort *do not sell on this platform*.

Now, I can hear the weeping and moaning now about how it isn't the genre(s) in question, but the "quality" of the releases themselves.

I say: "Bull."

No More Heroes sort of tells the tale here. The *buying public* isn't interested in these sorts of games; they DO NOT SELL on the platform.
-----
As someone else mentioned, "No More Heroes" is the best selling game Suda 51 has made. Umbrella Chronicles sold a million. Resident Evil 4 sold a million (and that was even the 4th port of the game). Red Steel sold a million and it wasn't even very good. If it had been a well-crafted game, I'd imagine it would still be selling well because of lack of competition. Unfortunately, we haven't had a ton of other M-rated games to test the waters with, but so far, things look promising. What's this nonsense about games not selling on Wii?

>>>>>
I suspect that The Conduit, Madworld and Dead Rising, all which look to be quality titles, will suffer the exact same fate.

Now...who will be to blame then? Nintendo? The Developers?

No.

The Wii market just doesn't *want* ultraviolent first person shooters and action fighting games. That's what the XBox is for...and you get to play with a bunch of foul-mouthed idiots too as a bonus!
-----
You seem to be saying you don't want certain games on the Wii. That just doesn't make sense at all to me. I don't like RPGs too much, but it would be stupid for me to protest a Tales game or Final Fantasy coming to the Wii. I say the more games, the merrier, even if I don't personally like them. So why can't you say "Let the action games come. Let the shooters come. I'll stick to Mario and Wii Sports." I just don't understand why you'd want to stop your fellow Wii-owners from enjoying the games they want to play. You don't have to buy them.

>>>>>
Let it go, guys. Let it go. At the end of the day, the market decides what will sell and what will not. After the release and flop of the above on the Wii...remember who told you.

Business 100: Selling ice to Eskimos is a bad business plan. You do not attempt to sell products to people that don't want or need them and expect to turn a profit.
-----
The market can't decide anything if they aren't offered a choice. Fortunately, from what few we've got, I've seen mature games selling well on Wii. I've seen lots of demand on sites like this for a more mature experience. I think the market IS speaking. And I like what it is saying. The games you listed - Dead Rising, MadWorld, and The Conduit are all proof that other companies hear the same demand I do.

Look, I think casual games are great. But I do need a deeper experience once in awhile to keep me entertained. Why are you so against that?

no one important @ Aug 25th 2008 6:04PM

My list includes four games: Ace Combat 6, Lost Planet, SFIV, and Rez.

rick @ Aug 25th 2008 6:11PM

Kai~

When I mean overshadow, I speak in terms of the epic, next generation nature of most "relevant" titles. I purchased a Nintendo Wii at the very beginning of 2007. Was insanely excited, and at first really enjoyed the console. Wii Sports was (and assuredly still is) a fun, lightweight title. Twilight Princess was fun until it was made very clear that the development team behind the title was interested in nothing else than creating a rehash of previous entries. Metroid Prime 3 had nothing on the newest batch of first person shooters. I had games like WarioWare, Zack and Wiki, Super Paper Mario, all of which were vastly underwhelming. Granted Super Mario Galaxy was a fantastic experience, and the only game on the console that I completed.

By the time Super Smash Bros. Brawl came around (a hotly anticipated title by all rights) I had reached a level of apathy. It was a complete disappointment, and really began to show the level of commitment that Nintendo had to truly be relevant (there's that word again). Don't get me wrong, I was all for the whole "what do graphics mean if the games aren't fun" mentality. But what about games that have shitty graphics and boring gameplay lacking any true depth?

By the time I sold my Wii in mid 2008, I had spent some time with games that were truly moving the medium forward, giving epic, cinematic experiences that truly transported me, and didn't feel like they were talking down to me, or taking my fanboyish nature for granted. Something that could be acheived by Nintendo IP's (speaking of which, where are the Original Nintendo IP's?) I sold my Nintendo Wii off, and picked up a PS3 with GTAIV and MGSIV. Both of those games have wowed me (and for GTAIV I was playing on a 22" tube television, so the HD argument doesn't apply) and I have never once looked back. Nintendo suckered me for the last time, and unless Nintendo completely makes over their core franchises, I will never return.

In the meantime, I will wait for Sony (as well as Microsoft) to release their motion sensor gimmicks..sorry...controllers and see how that shakes out. I can't see the argument for a Nintendo Wii then. Wii type titles with extraordinary graphics. Where could your argument be then?

Kai Cherry @ Aug 25th 2008 7:46PM

Ah. I see. So, your definition of "relevant" appears to essentially be M-rated games with "graphics" :)

It appears however on this platform, that is not the definition of "relevant" at all, huh?

And why exactly the simmering vitrol towards Nintendo on this? Obviously, Nintendo doesn't have a problem with these titles, but their *customers* do.

As for PS3 and XBox Motion Controls...it appears that you seem to be missing a key point; it isn't about having them (see the PS3...chuckle) but what you do with them.

In our house, we have all 3 systems, and by far, the largest library is for the Wii...around 30 Games total.

Now...the majority of these titles are E-rated.

Further breakdown, 6 of those are either Mario or Sonic themed. Of those, only one I would say is a "kids" game, that being Pokemon Battle Revo...tho my teenaged son and his pals had quite a go at it. They like the math and statistics aspects of the game.

Delving further, 3 of the games I would consider to be "minigames collections". The others are racing or sports themed in some way.

In the T-rated group, we have a mix of action-adventure, fighting, rpg and FPS games.

Now, contrast this with the 360, the overwhelming majority of the catalog being FPS games.

Even the attempts at "crossover" games has flopped on that platform, although it is fully capable of it.

Look, the market doesn't lie, Rick. There is obviously nothing wrong with the system for the demographic it targets. Your tastes are likely just not in the demographic.

And again, back to the "gimmicky" controls. Look up the word gimmick. You might be surprised at the actual definition of the term as opposed to the "Internet" one, and upon discovery...you'll find that on the PS3 Sixaxis is the *definative example* of gimmicky.

Alright, so MS and Sony work out motion controls that don't suck. This will satisfy the what, 5% of disenchanted Wii owners that wish they had a 360...the numbers tell the tale here again. The majority of people that own Wii systems *don't want* 16+ button controllers and games full of violence and gore.

The first next gen system I bought was the 360...on launch day.

6 months after we got a Wii the 360 gathered dust; I eventually ended up selling the thing. It took a whole year before we got another one, as my son *had* to have one since his pals did.

He still plays on the Wii more...must be some kind of freak kid, huh?

Very few of the "epic, cinematic" games of which you speak have ANY replay value. Folks go on and on about how much Wii owners *don't buy* but from my anecdotal research at the Gamestops and such, it appears that what they buy, they *keep*. Some stuff just never gets "old".

To finish, I wish Sony and MicroSoft the best of luck attempting to sell to the customer base that Nintendo has tapped into; they don't understand them, or the fact that those are the *forward markets* in interactive electronic entertainment.

It never ceases to amaze me when a died-in-the-wool "gamer" type cannot see the attraction of the Wii, when to someone as old as I am, it is more than obvious; Wii games are fun and social and generally don't require a level of *stressful* emotional involvement.

Funnier still is how these same folks can't quite grasp why the "layperson" seems to think the "underpowered" Wii is more "advanced" than the competition.

It is simple really. Some of us have been playing games on consoles for over 2 decades, and for most of that time, nothing essentially has changed in *how* you play: you have a joystick to wiggle or a d-pad to push, and a button or two to press.

The "advancement" in this scheme has been to pretty much add more buttons and joysticks.

Yeah thanks, we had that damned near 30 years ago, and it was *actually fun* back then since you didn't have 16 buttons, 2 joysticks, *plus a d-pad* to contend with...as well as the game.

I mean really...do you need 16 buttons to freaking play Table Tennis?

So yeah...not really sure what else there is to add here outside of pointing out your own conflicted response.

It's OK. You like games with more shine than replay value (unless you like running around in circles for hours and hours shooting at foul-mouthed little bastards...although the 'value' in the above is specious at best if you ask me...) and you don't feel like such a wuss anymore :)

Good for you, Rick!

-K

SoshiKitai @ Aug 25th 2008 8:36PM

Wow Kai... Amen to that.

I do tend to like the cinematic-feel of games, Rick. But they're not new. We've had them since the days of 2D. Games that made us feel like we were really IN the game.
As the years go by, games just become more and more "realistic", and henceforth, the dramatism and cinematics seem more alive than usual... but it adds nothing to the GAMING aspect. Even adding more options doesn't add to games anymore... they're fun, awesome, amazing, and feel new - yet, they're the exact same formula from 20 years back *with a hint of glitter sprinkles*.
The only real addition that has seriously added something different to the viewpoint of the player, is large online multiplayer mayhems.

It's like this:
Imagine Super Mario Bros...
Now make it 3D... then add more monsters and enemy types... then add an actual storyline that's so compelling, it can lead a gamer to tears... then add interactive movie scenes and several new item types... also add minigames that are needed to solve certain puzzles... add different classes and even an option to play your mp3s. Now add a large free-roaming world... with interacting people, creatures, and enemies... with the ability to recruit anyone that react to anything and everything.
All that = AWESOME game. But nothing new.
It's amazing in many regards, but it's no real step forward.

When people imagined "video games" (known then as "Virtual Reality") back in the day... we saw ourselves with visors and electronic gloves... we'd see ourselves in a fully 3D 360-beach setting. We could smell the ocean, feel their breeze run through our hair, and even pick up virtual objects that would create sensations as if it were real.

Whatever happened to that?
Now most gamers would prefer if we stuck to buttons and analogs. We don't care if we could smell or taste, or if we could feel or interface with the virtual world. We just want it to look better, sound better, and just be what it is and what it always has been - a game on a screen.

What the PS360 aims for is the type of realism we see and hear. What the Wii aims for is a step forward in gaming. Added graphics, power, and ability does not make it a new generation. A new generation has to feel completely different from the past.

So the Wii has an awful line-up in your opinion... don't blame Nintendo, blame 3rd parties. So the "waggles" aren't for you - that ain't Nintendo's fault, since the Wiimote still has a lot of promise to this day. (think of WarioWare for the Wii... if games had simply implemented well any of those control schemes in any of the minigames, imagine how different we'd see Wii games today) It's the people who make the games who are at fault. We keep blaming Nintendo, but if you look at it from an overall point-of-view - they're doing a wonderful job!
So the Wii doesn't cater to most core gamers - get over it and stop complaining to Nintendo! Complain to your favorite companies, and ask them why they don't want to make anything good for the Wii.

I'll say it once, and I'll say it again - Nintendo's busy tending to the casual gamers, they're a hard bunch to KEEP INTERESTED. It's almost perfectly clear that Nintendo's trusting 3rd parties to care for the "core" gamers.
(Imagine if Nintendo dropped the ball on making games for the casuals... the 3rd parties who are trying to get the casuals' attentions would be the ones who define the future gaming environments for these people! From my point of view, Nintendo's buttering them up, making it easier for them to transition into the gaming world... which also means we'll have to get used to our new neighbors, and Nintendo's buttering us up to casual gaming as well... they're trying to encourage the "family environment" videogame consoles had back in the olden days. Give it a shot. Cheer up. Stop asking for so much seriousness in your gamings. Just chill.

Abscissa @ Aug 25th 2008 7:23PM

I'm in agreance with about 50% of this list.

Resident Evil 5 and Bioshock: Yea, the Wii needs these.

Orange Box: I really want Portal, HL2 is a "meh", and the rest I don't give a crap about.

MGS4 and GTA4: I got tired of GTA a long time ago and there's very little I like about MGS, so I have no interest in these.

rick @ Aug 25th 2008 8:26PM

kai,

first of all...i'd appreciate someone who labels himself as "mature" to not put words my mouth.

second of all, please show me where I said i want only mature games...did i not exalt the greatness of super mario galaxy and wii sports? i have no problem with games for a younger crowd if they entertain me as well...the truth is..they didn't

third, it's so pathetic when someone is so blinded by defending a clearly inferior system (technologically and content-wise...need proof..metacritic that shit) i understand you are stuck in a sick cycle of nostalgia, but please don't allow that blindness to effect your argument...it makes you seem ignorant

so next time, please take time to read my response before you let your emotions take hold.

good luck on playing wario shake it...i'll be enjoying bioshock, little big planet, soul calibur iv, uncharted and resistance 2...nuff said

Highlar @ Aug 25th 2008 9:45PM

The big difference, Rick, is that why YOU may want those games, and believe they are better, OTHER people want MadWorld, The Conduit, Animales de las Meurto, Cursed Mountain, de Blob, Deadly Creatures, etc. Games which are Wii exclusive now, but also games that WE want to try and think are going to be great. Just because you don't happen to enjoy them or like them that doesn't make them inferior to Bioshock and MGS4. It makes them DIFFERENT from Bioshock and MGS4. A different play experience, a different level of immersion. You say that Kai was being immature? Well, I say don't sink to that same level and try to make it sound as if 90% of the games on the Wii are insipid trash. They are not. Maybe to YOU they are, but to the great majority of the Wii GAMERS they aren't.

Kai Cherry @ Aug 26th 2008 1:55AM

I read very well what you said...and stated that it was conflicted.

Judging from your follow-up, I can correct that notion and state that it was disingenuous :)

Let's see, you take a dig at my maturity and state that I put words into your mouth...but yet you toss out a Wii Sports and SMG "nod"...then follow up with:

1. The thinly veiled "kiddie" comment (a younger crowd? Wii Sports and SMG? Where have you been?)

2. A subsequent paragraph with cursing, (you know, that thing that tweens, teens and 20-somethings do ad nauseam to assert their 'maturity') a bit of name-calling...and numbers that don't matter...MetaCritic, Indeed.

Need Proof? Check out Media Create and NPD...you know...the *money* numbers. The ones that tell the real tale.

Oh and I'm ignorant too, because I can write a thoughtful post, refraining from idiocracy. Well done there. And what's this? A Power and Graphics "zinger"...

Consider this: Condemned would be much nicer on Wii, because you really get *into* bashing people upside the head with a pipe...pressing "A" or "X" doesn't do it justice. That's immersion...that's gameplay. "Garroting" people and "slamming" them against the wall in the Godfather is an order of magnitude more immersive than a button combo. Inferior. Heh.

Funny, that.

3. As for what you'll be enjoying...good on ya. If my prior experience with the released titles in that list are any indication, your copy, as well as a raft of other people's, will be on the Gameshop shelves as used within 9 days of release...as per usual :)

They are very pretty to look at tho...this I will concede.

-K

Kai Cherry @ Aug 26th 2008 2:23AM

Let me clear up some confusion here:

I said "the market" is driving the games that sell on the Wii platform. This in no way should be construed as me, personally completely agreeing with these trends.

I am personally looking forward to MadWorld because I think it is stylish and looks like it will be *fun* mayhem and violence...it looks funny, and apparently, the designers are taking a tongue-in-cheek approach that is innovative.

Same goes for Animales de las Muerto.

The Conduit? Meh. It's like "Quake 20". We've done those to death. *yawn*.

That said, I still don't think these titles will move earth-shattering numbers.

And No More Heroes continues to be a flop...especially considering the hype. While it *has* sold more than any of Goichi Suda's other titles...it hasn't sold that many overall to be considered a wild success by any objective (you know...sales) measure.

RE4..."sick nostalgia" drove those sales, and everyone knows casual gamers like "light gun" games...because they *gameplay mechanics* is what makes a game "casual" far more than the content.

I will end with this: if you want to see more games like (ugh) The Conduit, MadWorld and Animales de las Muerto...I suggest you pre-order your first copy, then buy another one at retail to drive those sales...because if those games don't move crazy units, fast, it will be awhile before anyone throws any more money at those types of titles on this platform.

-K

Highlar @ Aug 26th 2008 8:50PM

I've agreed with plenty of things you had to say, Kai, except for one. One big thing that I've noticed is different on Nintendo platforms (particularly the Wii) is that it reverses the usual trend in game sales. Most games...especially the "BIG HYPED" titles...SPLURGE in sales on opening day and a couple of weeks after...but then sales radically taper off. Games on the Wii reach their blockbuster sales numbers after TIME. The games keep selling...keep selling...keep selling...not in smashing immediate sales figures...but slowly over time, creeping up to blockbuster status. Things like Carnival Games AND RE4 didn't become million sellers immediately. They did so eventually over time. Titles on the Wii continue to drive money to a developer long after they would on another system. THAT is why I think games like Madworld and Animales WILL be big sellers...eventually. Maybe not today...and maybe not tomorrow...but the sales will add up.

Roto13 @ Aug 25th 2008 8:52PM

I didn't buy a Wii to play those games. I bought a PS3 to play (most of) those games. I bought a Wii so I could play games that are nothing like those games.

smallpond89 @ Aug 25th 2008 9:47PM

Don't get me wrong, all great games, would especially love to see The Orange Box on Wii.
But where's Little Big Planet?

rick @ Aug 26th 2008 8:31AM

Kai ~

I can at least take solace in the fact that I haven't kept myself awake until 2 in the morning defending a console that has an ever expanding list of detractors.

Also, isn't a bit oxymoronic to spend post after post ranting about how you appreciate the less violent games, less mature games, if only because they involve a minimum amount of button presses and challenges to intellect, only to follow up with a weak call to arms (a completely illogical one at that) to pre-order a title, purchase that, and also purchase the title again, please tell me you're joking...and if so...you need to get back to the drawing board before you hit the stand-up circuit

So, with that I end this argument. I have nothing more to say, and I don't plan wasting my time arguing about a console that is vastly inferior to my own. If you plan to be part of the mindless mass, jumping onto the Wii bandwagon (a bandwagon, mind you, that is about to break down) feel free. It sounds like jealousy, and how curious that this is all in an article about Wii owner jealousy.

Hope you extend this much effort to the rest of your life.

Rick