2 years since launch, and the Wii shortages finally come to an end

[HaemishM]

Counterpoint - The Wiimote will never be as precise as a Guncon and Nintendo ain't making a system that'll open up children to internet creeps and thus will never have great multiplayer FPS titles.

They will eventually when the market forces them to. Unfortunately, their online strategy has meant fuckall to the casual market and their "serious" developers aren't really all that serious.

And Lucasarts probably know about the MotionPlus bullshit and didn't care. Why would they, kids will play fucking anything. No reason to delay it.

True enough, since it isn't just kids that will buy turds in a box labeled Star Wars. But all the word is that none of the developers knew about MotionPlus at all, which given how long Nintendo held back the online shit (probably for fear the devs would laugh at them), is entirely plausible. You are right, though. Lucasarts would never have delayed a product to make it better. That ain't how they roll.

[Jain Zar]

I bought my Wii for Virtual Console and my only disappointment is needing more money to buy VC and Wii Ware game.
(I NEED Alien Crush Returns or whatever they call it.)

I have only bought 1 disk game in the last year, Impossible Mission for 20 bucks.  (Fire Emblem came out in 07 right?)

Its Impossible Mission and is thus a great buy.

If you bought a Wii as your sole console and with the plans to buy tons of disk games you made a bad choice.  Its the ultimate retro system or backup system.

Beats buying a PS3 who has maybe 2 exclusive games anyone gives a shit about, that's for sure. 

[Margalis]

And you won't see a good MP FPS on the Wii because the Wii has shitty MP functionality and is crap for shooters.

The Wii can send and receive TCP and UDP packets as well as any other system, which is all that multiplayer functionality amounts to.

There's no such thing as a system with shitty MP functionality. They all use the same internet.

[Big Gulp]

The Wii can send and receive TCP and UDP packets as well as any other system, which is all that multiplayer functionality amounts to.

There's no such thing as a system with shitty MP functionality. They all use the same internet.

That's a cute little bit of semantics, but you know it's still bullshit.

[Warskull]

My wife and I went on an absolute blitz buying games for it initially, with Super Mario Galaxy, Zelda: Twilight Princess, Mario Party 8, SSBB, Metroid, Okami, and Mario Kart Wii, but the library has definitely dried up. We were at an EB Games last weekend and noticed the stark difference in the PS3/XBox and Wii walls - the Wii wall was chalk full of the kid stuff. Between Hello Kitty, some Rescue Fighter things and other games of true child appeal, the Wii is quickly identifying itself as being a child's thing (go go Nintendo).

Does it really come down that the only people who know to design good games for Nintendo is...Nintendo? Is the rest doomed to be 7 and Up titles? I sure hope not...but the wind is definitely blowing in that direction...

For the most part, Nintendo consoles are supported by Nintendo games (and you usually get at least 1-2 absolutely phenominal games from them.)  Nintendo just isn't like the rest of the industry.  The Wii basically targets new audiences, introduces new control mechanisms, and goes directly against a lot of the things people design for on other consoles.  It isn't about graphics, it is about how the game plays.  Some developers don't seem to take the Wii seriously, although in time the potential for some really amazing games is there.  Nintendo seems to be doing wonderful things in their own little world, while everyone else is trying to figure out exactly what is going on in Miyamoto's head.

On a side note, I didn't see "Boom Blox" on your list, you should check it out.

Because I play everything in an effort to learn. Do you know how to design a game for a 7 year old girl? Because I don't. In nearly every game, there's a good idea or two worth looking at. _Every_Game_. Or at least, I'd like to think so.

I would like to think this philosophy is one of the best when it comes to games.  Even if a game is absolutely horrifically done, you can usually find something worth looking at.  Worst case if a game is a complete and total failure you can learn from their mistakes and take it as a demonstration on how not to do things.

[Margalis]

That's a cute little bit of semantics, but you know it's still bullshit.

I was being completely serious. There is nothing that MS or Sony provides to make multiplayer games magically work better.

[Phire]

That's a cute little bit of semantics, but you know it's still bullshit.

I was being completely serious. There is nothing that MS or Sony provides to make multiplayer games magically work better.

Umm really?

So stuff like friends lists (A REAL friends list. I am not a code!), cross game invites, voice chat across all games, and group partying do not make online gaming better?

If you haven't noticed many of things have crossed over into online PC gaming because they actually do improve the online experience. Nintendo is playing catch in terms of online heck even Sony is still playing catch up with Microsoft and Xbox Live.

If you actually own all 3 consoles and have tried playing online with each you wouldn't be saying that the services MS and to an extent Sony provide do not make online gaming better.

[Yegolev]

I agree that it's not the fact MS and Sony provide a better MP experience, rather that they dick it up less.

[Fabricated]

And you won't see a good MP FPS on the Wii because the Wii has shitty MP functionality and is crap for shooters.

The Wii can send and receive TCP and UDP packets as well as any other system, which is all that multiplayer functionality amounts to.

There's no such thing as a system with shitty MP functionality. They all use the same internet.

Friend codes fucking suck and because they suck and are required for multiplayer Wii's multiplayer will always suck. There. Pretty much ruined SSBB.

[mutantmagnet]

Ruined? SSB is the most played game on the Wii bar none.

[Phire]

Ruined? SSB is the most played game on the Wii bar none.

When you only have 5 games with online that is not much of an accomplishment.

[Amarr HM]

I was given a Wii for Christmas by my loving girlfriend and I must say I'm fairly happy with it for a few reasons. Firstly I ain't going to hog the household TV I can do serious gaming on my PC, an x-box would just be a bone of contention as much as I would like one. Supermario-kart wifi is a blast the options are a bit lacklustre (to say the least!!) but it's plugn'play attitude is lovely n' oldschool. I've yet had time to play Zelda and really want to get my hands on few games like Tiger Woods I hope the multiplayer options aren't a load of bollox but I've a feeling they are going to be (if anyone can give me a lowdown on this I'd appreciate it).

I can see the gimmicky side of the wii fit and I'm sure the novelty will wear off unless they bring out some awesome platform for it I might try out that snowboarding game for a giggle. The hulahoop game is actually a good little workout I wish there was more games similar to it most of them are balance orientated and I can't dance for fuck so that game is wasted on me. The girlfriend loves the yoga I tried it and it's quite good like an interactive yoga DVD if someone could improve on this title it would do good business. For instance you could add the use of weights to your arms & do step training by placing the wii on a raised shelf or box or you could sit on it and do a rowing game I'm sure there's plenty of untapped potential in that fucker.

EDIT: I was also given Carnival Games in the bundle I seriously hope I can exchange it.

[MahrinSkel]

You get nothing but praise for being in the Hello Kitty Online Beta. I'm in it also, just haven't gotten around to it.

Defend yourself. Why the hell would you be interested in playing Hello Kitty Online? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the target audience are...girls aged 7+ and Japanese school girls? After reading a bit about the Hello Kitty product line, it appears to be a modern reinvention of the Barbie doll marketplace (selling dolls, stickers, accessories, and school supplies).

That is, unless I'm totally unaware of some obvious joke going on, in which case I need to update Firefox's sarcasm detection addon.

--Dave

[Murgos]

I know four different couples who have gotten a Wii in the last 45 days.

All of them were purchased by the non-gamer GF/wife for a non-gamer boyfriend/husband.  This is starting to get out of hand.

[stray]

I know a few like that too. Wii Fit is the culprit (err, actually, I know women buying it just for themselves for that title.. not for anyone else).

Good for them though.

[Jain Zar]

I almost bought Nights for the Wii today since Target has it for 15 but passed on it for that Gator Grip thingie.  Is Wii Nights any good?
I've heard both yeas and nays.

[Hawkbit]

While at Best Buy today spending a gift card I got for xmas, I took a walk through the Wii section.  They've got bluebins full of shovelware titles.  As in... maybe 20 bluebins of that shit all stacked up.  Hundreds and hundreds of shitware titles.  It's amazing. 

I did pick up Boom Blox a few weeks back, and that was a decent title.  But damn, take 90% of the Wii titles and throw them in that landfill along with ET for Atari2600.   

[Triforcer]

RE4 alone justifies the Wii's entire existence.  I play that, and various Virtual Console titles.  Please to be giving Goldeneye, plz. 

[schild]

RE4 alone justifies the Wii's entire existence.

Just like the Gamecube. How quaint.

[Triforcer]

RE4 alone justifies the Wii's entire existence.

Just like the Gamecube. How quaint.

Er, no.  Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, SSBB- there were a lot of quality Gamecube games. 

[schild]

RE4 alone justifies the Wii's entire existence.

Just like the Gamecube. How quaint.

Er, no.  Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, SSBB- there were a lot of quality Gamecube games. 

Er, yes. Otherwise you would've used Twilight Princess and SSBB to justify the Wii's existence. Absolutely amazing that the exact same fucking games validate the exact same fucking system in a new shell.

God. Damnit.

[Tmon]

I know four different couples who have gotten a Wii in the last 45 days.

All of them were purchased by the non-gamer GF/wife for a non-gamer boyfriend/husband.  This is starting to get out of hand.

Like I said in another thread, I got my wife a Wii for Christmas.  She loves it, all she uses it for is  Wii fit and Wii Sports Bowling.  She did pick up some Tomb Raider game with a gift card she got but hasn't gotten around to playing it yet.

[UnSub]

For the most part, Nintendo consoles are supported by Nintendo games (and you usually get at least 1-2 absolutely phenominal games from them.)  Nintendo just isn't like the rest of the industry. 

This particular strategy doomed Nintendo to last place for the N64 and Gamecube. The Wii itself - not its games - have managed to buck this trend, but it still isn't worth making games for. Apparently the Wii is the first console in history to not see a correlation between good reviews of its titles and increased sales, meaning the Wii market doesn't read reviews / care what the gamer market says (<insert your own comment about the quality of games reviews here>). It's got the largest number of units sold but the lowest number of per-unit game sales. Third-party title Wii sales aren't that great. It isn't worth doing a third party title just for the Wii, no matter what the install base is.

Also, if you make a game for the Wii, you make it really just for the Wii. The controls are too different to try to make it truly multi-platform with PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 releases. So, if I were a developer and had to pick a platform to drop, it'd be the Wii every time.

Which is sad, because I like the simplified controls. C'mon MS and Sony - copy those controls for the next-gen of consoles AND get devs producing games for them.

[schild]

While I think they could probably kill 2 of the shoulder buttons on both consoles, simplifying it down to Wii level is a niche that I want to belong to the Wii. Things get worse when there aren't enough buttons and weird combinations have to be used.

[Margalis]

Friend codes fucking suck and because they suck and are required for multiplayer Wii's multiplayer will always suck. There. Pretty much ruined SSBB.

Pro-tip: Invite 3 friends over.

Internet multiplayer is great in games that otherwise have to be split-screen, but for games with a shared screen local is always going to be roughly a billion times better.

[Rasix]

RE4 alone justifies the Wii's entire existence. 

That just slays me.

No More Heroes was worth my Wii purchase.  That and keeping my nephews easily entertained for hours. Of course, NMH would have also probably been a better PS2 game although the controls were amusing (charge that saber!).

My wife hasn't really taken a shining to the Wii.  She's not much for games period.  We don't own a single board game (that should change soon enough).

 

[Margalis]

Doing the wrestling moves with motion controls was very satisfying. I don't see how that would translate to a normal controller.

[HaemishM]

While at Best Buy today spending a gift card I got for xmas, I took a walk through the Wii section.  They've got bluebins full of shovelware titles.  As in... maybe 20 bluebins of that shit all stacked up.  Hundreds and hundreds of shitware titles.  It's amazing. 

This. Nintendo has been far too lax in letting just the most egregious bits of shit be passed off as Wii games. I'm all for bargain games, but goddamn are there some seriously bad ideas for games in that mess. Way way way too many tweener girl licensed games. It isn't like these games are selling well.

Of course, 3rd party devs use that as an excuse to not develop on the console, probably mostly because they can't think of anything interesting to do with the controls that doesn't involve just remapping PS2 controls onto waggle motions. 'SEE!!!' they say, 'Nobody makes games other than Barbie's HorseFucking Tales for the system! Why should we bother!!?'

Fucktards.

[Jain Zar]

But at least we have this: http://www.brawlinthefamily.com/comic113.html