I'm debating whether I should buy a Wii console...

[jameslofton29]

I'm looking forward to "Bonks Adventure" so.....

I always wanted to play that. I was really into Nintendo back in the old days(and Sega), so I missed out on Turbografx. I never knew anyone that had one, and I wasn't paying that huge deposit to rent one. I also always wanted to play Splatterhouse.

[pilferk]

I always wanted to play that. I was really into Nintendo back in the old days(and Sega), so I missed out on Turbografx. I never knew anyone that had one, and I wasn't paying that huge deposit to rent one. I also always wanted to play Splatterhouse.

I borrowed a friends Turbografx for a week back in the day.  Both those games were great ( I beat Bonk...but not Splatterhouse)!  I'm HOPING Splatterhouse makes it onto the virtual console...but given Nintendo's penchant for "family friendly", I'm not sure it will be out "soon".   Here's hoping.

[jameslofton29]

Nintendo really needs to stop catering to little kids. Gamecube had lots of potential, and they ruined it by all the baby games like Pokemon, some of those mario games,etc. It was terrible. Trying to rent a good game for that system was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Best game they ever released was Resident Evil 4. That game was unlike any other. It was even in letterbox format. Like you were the star of a horror movie. I think this is Nintendo's last chance. If they cant start making more games for adults, they will have lost all credibility. Hard to believe they used to sit on top of the mountain during the console wars. How the mighty have fallen.

[tim_m]

It looks like its going to have some good titles for adults. Call of duty 3 Far cry vengence Medal of honor airborne tom clancey splinter cell. I like that its geared for younger audiences though. Its nice having games that killing things isn't all you do.

[Hysteron]

Nintendo really needs to stop catering to little kids.

I hope you don't count Zelda as a kids game.

[gun]

I got the Playstation 3 and my buddy got the Wii.  While I agree with James that Nintendo definitely caters to kids I have to say the Wii is easily worth its price tag.  The graphics aren't on the level of the PS3 but for 250.00 they aren't bad.  I'm real iffy about the controllers.  It was a gutsy move by Nintendo (I'll give them that) but a risky one.  Of course the PS3 was risky for Sony as well due to the 600.00 price tag.  You could get the 500.00 one but you lose 40 gigs.   Also the PS3 cost 840.00 to make so Sony is taking a 240.00 loss per machine, they better know what they are doing.

[tim_m]

The controller design does bother me but you can buy classic ones which i would probably do.

[jameslofton29]

Nintendo really needs to stop catering to little kids.

I hope you don't count Zelda as a kids game.

No, not really. It may look like one, but the structure and gameplay put Zelda on a high level. Hell, the one on N64 was amazing. Even the original Zelda on Nintendo's first console is considered one of the best games from that era.

[Hysteron]

Nintendo really needs to stop catering to little kids.

I hope you don't count Zelda as a kids game.

No, not really. It may look like one, but the structure and gameplay put Zelda on a high level. Hell, the one on N64 was amazing. Even the original Zelda on Nintendo's first console is considered one of the best games from that era.

True but I'd go further, its my favortie platform RPG of all time.

[Jim]

Dude. You are a kid though, aren't you?

[Sober_times]

The controller design does bother me but you can buy classic ones which i would probably do.

The controller design is part of the system. Its a weird design, but its supose to be innovative. I at least don't want to pay 250 for another gamecube. Which it basically is with a standard controller. But I guess its all in the games you want to play, so it will sell regardless. Its got Mario and Zelda, so it will do at least as good as the game cube did, but they are over-charging for those old games through virtual console, I don't think they will sell as well as nintendo hopes.

Thats what its all about anyway, games, right? If I was buying a new system right now I would buy a Xbox 360 (which I already have) and/or a Wii because PS3 don't got nothin for games right now. And the graphics dont wow me as much as I thought they would. Sony kind of dropped the ball, they basically rushed the system and seemed to copy everybody else. I might buy a PS3 eventually if they have some exclusives that look appetizing but if i had to buy one now I would buy the Wii for their first party games and an Xbox 360 for all the 3rd party games.

After all is said done though the Wii really looks like it will be fun to play and with Mario and Zelda, how can you go wrong???

[Izzy]

Nintendo manage to wreck every console they have released in the last decade through a lack of third party support - my gamecube and n64 gather dust still - waiting - for the list of good games on each console to go above 5 each....

[tim_m]

The controller design does bother me but you can buy classic ones which i would probably do.

The controller design is part of the system. Its a weird design, but its supose to be innovative. I at least don't want to pay 250 for another gamecube. Which it basically is with a standard controller. But I guess its all in the games you want to play, so it will sell regardless. Its got Mario and Zelda, so it will do at least as good as the game cube did, but they are over-charging for those old games through virtual console, I don't think they will sell as well as nintendo hopes.

Thats what its all about anyway, games, right? If I was buying a new system right now I would buy a Xbox 360 (which I already have) and/or a Wii because PS3 don't got nothin for games right now. And the graphics dont wow me as much as I thought they would. Sony kind of dropped the ball, they basically rushed the system and seemed to copy everybody else. I might buy a PS3 eventually if they have some exclusives that look appetizing but if i had to buy one now I would buy the Wii for their first party games and an Xbox 360 for all the 3rd party games.

After all is said done though the Wii really looks like it will be fun to play and with Mario and Zelda, how can you go wrong?? 

Overcharging? I hardly think $6-$10 for the old games through the virtual console is overcharging.

[Hysteron]

Dude. You are a kid though, aren't you?

Nah.

[tim_m]

Interesting rumor about the future of the Wii

Wii DVD player planned

Next year, according to rumours

By Nick Farrell: Thursday 23 November 2006, 07:13
NINTENDO HAS plans to release a new version of the Wii next year that will ship with a HD DVD player, according to industry rumours.

Gameinformer.com quotes Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime as saying that Nintendo decided not to ship with high-definition capability when it launched on Sunday because it wanted to keep the cost down.

However, his words indicate that it may have plans to release one in the future. Later next year Nintendo has plans to release a new version of the Wii and Gameinformer is speculating that this will be when the outfit will stick on the new drive.

A spokesNintendo said that the outfit was "absolutely not currently announcing any plans to upgrade the maximum resolution from 480p". But then again everyone knews that.

However, the spokesNintendo admitted it shouldn't be impossible in theory. In fact, said the spokesman, Microsoft was able to patch the Xbox 360 to support 1080p and Nintendo has already released a patch to allow Wii gamers to transfer game saves to SD cards.

[pilferk]

The controller design is part of the system. Its a weird design, but its supose to be innovative. I at least don't want to pay 250 for another gamecube. Which it basically is with a standard controller. But I guess its all in the games you want to play, so it will sell regardless. Its got Mario and Zelda, so it will do at least as good as the game cube did, but they are over-charging for those old games through virtual console, I don't think they will sell as well as nintendo hopes.

From a specs point of view, the hardware is about 2x to 3x more powerful than the gamecube (granted, you're not seeing it's full capabilities at launch, and the "showcase" game IS a ported GC game). Plus wireless controllers and built in wireless interent capabilities.  Plus the interactive control scheme. It's HARDLY $250 for a gamecube.  That's the argument touted, largely, by the PS3 fanbois (and I'm in no way suggesting you are one).  It is NOT a PS3 (or even 360), in terms of hardware capabilities, true.  It's also not a PS3 in terms of pricetag. Given the reviews on the launch titles for the PS3, it's becoming increasingly obvious that specs aren't everything.  I've got nothing against the PS3...but wouldn't pay $600 for it..and wouldn't even buy it with the current crop of lauch titles (Resistance being the only one that looks worthwhile). The NY Times is even panning some of it's capabilities at launch.  Microsoft must be doing happy dances right about now.

You have Mario, and Zelda, and Metroid, and Mario Kart, and Super Smash Bros, and Resident Evil, and...I could go on......it's a pretty expansive list   If nothing BUT the standard franchise games came out for the Wii, it would be worth the $250 (as the gamecube was).  But already at launch you have some 3rd party games (Rayman's Rabbits, for one...Call of Duty for another, Super Monkey Ball for another) that are good games that all use the game mechanic in an interesting way (and with Rayman...in multiple interesting ways) that doesn't feel "gimmicky" (which is what much of the PS3's "sixaxis" gameplay feels like, from many reports).

As for the cost of the virtual console titles...It think they got it just right.   And it seems most Wii owners agree....the title released in the first batch, according to many of the gaming web sites, are selling like hotcakes., with the original Zelda, Mario Bros, and Mario 64 leading the way.  The Wii points cards are also out of stock at most major retailers (wii points buy you wii VC games). 

Thats what its all about anyway, games, right? If I was buying a new system right now I would buy a Xbox 360 (which I already have) and/or a Wii because PS3 don't got nothin for games right now. And the graphics dont wow me as much as I thought they would. Sony kind of dropped the ball, they basically rushed the system and seemed to copy everybody else. I might buy a PS3 eventually if they have some exclusives that look appetizing but if i had to buy one now I would buy the Wii for their first party games and an Xbox 360 for all the 3rd party games.

After all is said done though the Wii really looks like it will be fun to play and with Mario and Zelda, how can you go wrong?? 

Exactly.  That's precisely how I feel.  I have a 360.  I have no interest in a PS3 with it's current crop of games.  Perhaps if FFXXIII comes out in a year or two, and the price drops a couple hundred dollars.  But not right now. 

And the Wii positions itself perfectly to be "the secondary console".....no matter which is your primary.  I think Nintendo did a very good job on this one...both in pricing and marketing.

[pilferk]

Nintendo manage to wreck every console they have released in the last decade through a lack of third party support - my gamecube and n64 gather dust still - waiting - for the list of good games on each console to go above 5 each....

I'll agree on the lack of 3rd party support (something we've already seen change on the WII, just looking at launch titles)..but less than 5 good games?  I'll stay away from the N64 only because it would take me longer to compile the list due to hazy memory...but I can give you more than 5 good GC games off the top of my head:

Zelda: Wind Waker
Mario Sunshine
Resident Evil 4
Mario Kart: Double Dash
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime 2
Paper Mario
Super Smash Bros Melee
Lego Star Wars
Pikmin
Eternal Darkness
Fire Emblem
Metal Gear Solid:Twin Snakes
Star Fox Adventures
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
Xmen-Legends
Xmen-Legends II


...just off the top of my head.

[Hysteron]

Nintendo manage to wreck every console they have released in the last decade through a lack of third party support - my gamecube and n64 gather dust still - waiting - for the list of good games on each console to go above 5 each....

I'll agree on the lack of 3rd party support (something we've already seen change on the WII, just looking at launch titles)..but less than 5 good games?? I'll stay away from the N64 only because it would take me longer to compile the list due to hazy memory...but I can give you more than 5 good GC games off the top of my head:

Zelda: Wind Waker
Mario Sunshine
Resident Evil 4
Mario Kart: Double Dash
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime 2
Paper Mario
Super Smash Bros Melee
Lego Star Wars
Pikmin
Eternal Darkness
Fire Emblem
Metal Gear Solid:Twin Snakes
Star Fox Adventures
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
Xmen-Legends
Xmen-Legends II


...just off the top of my head.

Some of the games you mentioned aren't exactly GC exclusive.

Unless it's Zelda, Metroid, or a Mario game GC sucked, I bought it and only ever bought 4 games for it.

[pilferk]

Some of the games you mentioned aren't exactly GC exclusive.

Unless it's Zelda, Metroid, or a Mario game GC sucked, I bought it and only ever bought 4 games for it.

I didn't say they were...because that's not what he asked for.

Exclusive or not, they were on the 'cube.  He didn't ask for 5 good gamecube exclusive games (I gave that many, anyway, though)...Izzy said there were only 5 good games.  Clearly not true.

You're also clearly  exagerating for effect, because there are a number of good games that were neither Zelda, nor Metroid, nor Mario.  There are more than 5 games on my list that clearly are not Mario/Zelda/Metroid games.....and that list was compiled from my personal library and memory only.  With a bit of research, I'm sure I could come up with a longer one....

Just because you didn't buy them didn't mean they weren't good.  Eternal Darkness is one of the best Horror games I've ever played...second only to Resident Evil 4 (which WAS a GC exclusive when it came out, FYI..and had a relatively long window of exclusivity...about 9 months) and Silent Hill 2 on the PS2.   Pikmin is an awesome, if underappreciated, game (here's hoping for a Wii version) as was Fire Emblem and Star Fox Adventures.  Even the Metal Gear port/expansion was good!

Gamecube's problems were pretty much 3rd party support...and it was a catch 22.  The console was not especially developer friendly, it's hardware was comparitively underpowered (compared to the PS2 and Xbox), and it's game medium wasn't standard so replication was harder to contract out.  Since 3rd party developers didn't support the system well, fewer units sold....and more 3rd party developers dropped out because the installed base wasn't large enough...and so fewere units sold.  On and on.

But there were some stellar efforts (both 1st and 3rd party) on the system...certainly more than 5 of them.  The console was well worth it's cost, but was most useful as a secondary or tertiary console, since the PS2 and Xbox had far more selection of games.

[jameslofton29]

Eternal Darkness is one of the best Horror games I've ever played...second only to Resident Evil 4

Thats a bold statement. I never heard of Eternal Darkness. I definitely need to check that one out.