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« on: January 31, 2007, 07:36:11 PM »
With Xbox 360 and PS3 offering the same old games with prettier graphics, it is so refreshing to see Nintendo trying something unique and different with the Wii. As they did with the DS, Nintendo is thinking differently about what makes games fun. New control schemes always make gameplay better.
With the 360 and PS3 using the same multi-button controllers that have been around for years, it gets pretty boring fast. "So I need to press the A button while rotating the left analog stick clockwise and holding the shoulder button to make my character switch weapons?" YAWN.
With the Wii however, multibutton controllers may be a think of the past thanks to motion sensing control. Many people thought the Wii's controller scheme would be gimmicky, and they said the same thing about the DS's touch screen. But look how popular the DS is--10 million units have been sold in the United States! With Wii quickly outselling the overpriced PLAYSTATION 3 Blu-Ray player/computer/whatever, it is quite clear which system is more popular.
Yes, the PS3 and Xbox 360 both offer more powerful hardware with enhanced HD graphics, but they have the same types of games we've been playing for years. Speaking of HD, in order to fully appreciate the PS3 and Xbox 360 you need to purchase an expensive HD television that is capable of displaying the correct resolution. On top of that you need to buy the appropriate HD cables (luckily HD cables come with the Xbox 360 Premium system).
Sony thinks the PS3 is the future of videogames. But a $500-$600 system that offers only prettier versions of games we've been playing for years is not what I call "next-generation". The Sixaxis controller is a waste--the tilt controls are tacked on, and it doesn't even have rumble!
Thank God Nintendo intervened with the Wii. It's obvious they were thinking outside the box so to speak, by reinventing the way videogames are played. Not only that, but the price of the Wii console is just right. $249 with a pack-in game is a great deal, one that many people are more than happy to spend on than a $400-$600 game machine that offers virtually nothing new.
On a side note. I am really excited about the Virtual Console feature. Downloading hundreds of classic games from various Nintendo and competing systems is a dream come true! Now I can finally play those Genesis games and my favorite Nintendo games on the same system! I don't play online games, because I don't see the point in playing games with strangers I can't even see. Xbox Live is a big success, and kudos to Microsoft, but I don't really see the reason why I should pony up $50 a year just to play multiplayer with people I can't even see.
The Wii is a social machine. It is so fun playing in a room with a group of friends and family, knowing that all of them can join in even if they have never even played a game before. The motion sensetive Wii Remote is simple enough for non-gamers, yet challenging enough for experienced players. The controller offers plenty of fun gameplay experiences, and I can't wait to see what games developers will create using it. The Wii is a system the entire family can enjoy.
I do not have a Wii, yet. But from what I have read on various message boards, I can come up with this conclusion: The Wii is truly a revolution for gaming, bringing families together like no other system has since the NES.