Is the Wii really gaming?

[Shadu]

Is the Wii gaming? I would say it more or less depends on the game and the player. A person who plays WiiFit just to try and get fit, no, that's not gaming. That's trying to get fit in your own home, an exercise tape with more personalization and interactivity.

A person who plays WiiFit to try and "get the best score." (I honestly don't know how it works, but a one-upmanship wouldn't be that hard to do with anything) Well...a bit harder, so I'd say yes and no. It's not in the sense of that WiiFit isn't meant to be a game anymore than a plush dog is meant to be a sub for a real one. But then, yes, it is, because the person playing has turned it into a game between himself and whoever else is playing.

A person who plays something like No More Heroes? Yes, and yes. That is a game and if they are playing it, they are playing it to game. No question.

So...the short of my long post is my second sentence: It more or less depends on the player and the game. In my opinion, of course.

 

[deleted_by_strongbad]

I'd have to agree with pretty much everyone else on this, that it is totally gaming. I don't think any one object in the marketplace could be considered "the future of gaming," but they've set a lot of trends as thatDaftDude1 pointed out.

To be honest I'm all for interfacing my brain to a computer, that's actually what I'm going to school for. But I don't think the market success of button controllers will spur that development for the industry. I know Yahtzee said it, but that doesn't mean it is orated by God. Less motion requiring current control schemes don't necessarily encourage the no-motion required brain-controlled control schemes, I bet it encourages little in the way of development at all as it provides a solid status quo. I think what will lead to those types of controls is a success on GOOD motion control, but with evidence that consumers want a deeper level of interaction. So all told, I think the Wii was a good step in the right direction, but unless they want to start being more aggressive with their technology rather than going in safer/low-cost routes they'll never bear the fruit of their technological innovation, it'll simply inspire other companies.

 

[Chibz]

I'm pretty sure Mass Effect 2 could not possibly run on the Wii.

Of course it couldn't, but fortunately it's not the best game this gen.

Spoiler

 

[Jaded Scribe]

The Wii has some incredible games. Just because they aren't as technologically advanced as other games doesn't detract from them.

Mario Kart
Super Mario Bros Wii
Super Mario Galaxy
Skyward Sword (not out, but we all know it will be awesome)

Nintendo simply favors a different model than the others.

Nintendo: Simple technology to keep price low, and focus on family friendly games.

PlayStation: "It Only Does Everything". Handles new technology (3D gaming) with a firmware update, and uses lots of features (essentially replacing a large portion of the home entertainment system) to justify price point.

XBox: "We have Halo, lol" (Poking fun at XBox. Seriously though, they focus on a strong, but not comprehensive feature list to keep price in the middle, and focuses on hardcore game development.)

Each console has a niche, and each excels at that niche. (Hence why Nintendo is looking at Apple as competition, not Sony).

Nintendo isn't going away. And it's not going to stop innovating. And it's not going to stop being gaming. Just because it doesn't cater to the "hardcore" crowd doesn't invalidate it as a platform.

 

[alfawx]

It is most certainly gaming; saying it's not would be the same as saying Killzone 3 is not a game at all just because it has motion controller support. Sure, it's not as hardcore as some, but it's still definitely SOMETHING.

 

[Skratt]

I thought the use of motion control in Mario was nice. However, I am not really a fan of motion control games. Overall I'd much rather non-motion control when I game. It struck me as really odd that MS and Sony came out with motion control, but the Kinect will catch on, while sony figures out how to play catch up. Sony is falling behind fast. I think Nintendo will be content to keep it's current demographic, but MS has never once in it's entire history been able to leave well enough alone. They don't want to be a niche, they want to MAKE the niche by engulfing everything else - and then the niche too.

Future of gaming? Dunno about that, but MS, Nintendo and the PC are here to stay. We'll see what Sony comes up with next - perhaps they should re-enable Linux to regain their foothold.

 

[Danceofmasks]

I thought the use of motion control in Mario was nice. However, I am not really a fan of motion control games. Overall I'd much rather non-motion control when I game. It struck me as really odd that MS and Sony came out with motion control, but the Kinect will catch on, while sony figures out how to play catch up. Sony is falling behind fast. I think Nintendo will be content to keep it's current demographic, but I MS has never once in it's entire history been able to leave well enough alone. They don't want to be a niche, they want to MAKE the niche by engulfing everything else - and then the niche too.

Future of gaming? Dunno about that, but MS, Nintendo and the PC are here to stay. We'll see what Sony comes up with next - perhaps they should re-enable Linux to regain their foothold.

I don't know how much of a foothold that is ... (apart from not pissing off the hackers)
I mean, people who bought 20 PS3s in order to build a supercomputer cluster ... didn't buy games.
At the time PS3s were sold at a loss, so ... that was hardly an ideal scenario.

 

[DaMan1500]

Yes, in that the games on it are just as valid as the ones on any other system, regardless of their controller. No, in that I don't think all future systems are going to be motion-based.

 

[Dr. Pepper Unlimited]

You play games on it. You are gaming.

Groundbreaking! But seriously, that's all it takes to constitute gaming. Threads kind of over now. ;p

 

[maiiau]

...Yes? You play games on it, therefore using a Wii is gaming. I think motion controls will probably stick around at least for a while, but it really isn't immersive for a lot of game types, so I don't think it'll be the only thing.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Do people use it to play games? *checks* yes. Therefore it is gaming.
Is it the future of gaming? I dunno I don't have a magic 8-ball that can predict things like that. However I don't believe the gaming market is going to look the same forever so I know something is going to happen and I doubt if any of our predictions will be right.

 

[Grunt_Man11]

Yes! It's gaming! It's just a different type of gaming then what most are use to!

People need to stop declaring games on the Wii, or any game that uses motion controls, not "real games" simply because they don't like it, or care for it.

It's gaming wither you like it or not!

 

[Frozen Donkey Wheel2]

Um...Why WOULDN'T it be?

 

[OniSuika]

The Wii is gaming. Just gaming appealing to a new audience. There's always going to be genres you like and dislike, etc.. The Wii has just opened up a ton more of them.

It's not the future of gaming, just a new branch for a new demographic. Or rather, a demographic less persuaded in the past.

Oh, also No More Heroes alone could justify its existence. Not that it IS the only good Wii game, but it's all I'd need for proof.

 

[Snotnarok]

You are playing a game in all rights and that's really the end of that. However I will say I have a large hatred for Nintendo not giving controller options with many of their games given that you can plug more things into that thing than any other console, yet they give the least options.

Example, I want to play Metroid Prime 3 with the classic controller because I find the motion controls to be borderline maddening. But no such luck as you can only chose what button shoots and what button jumps...thanks guys. (Yes I'm aware that it was Retro Studios title but let's be honest, Nintendo probably had a hand in that decision.)

 

[DarthFennec]

Sadly, it would seem so, considering Microsoft and Sony are doing the same thing now. And frankly they're doing much worse at it than Nintendo did.

 

[spartan231490]

A question that's thrown about a lot but, Is the Wii the future of gaming or gaming at all lets
hear your answers.
(Wii games the use the remote are excluded like golden eye and monster hunter tri not the point I am trying to make lol )

No, just no.

Motion control isn't the future(not the immediate future anyway). It creates an increased time delay between thought and onscreen action. THIS. IS. BAD.

 

[taciturnCandid]

Yes the wii is gaming. There are even hardcore games on it, if that shocks you.

 

[Xanadu84]

Gaming means playing games. What is a game? The most useful definition is "A Series of meaningful choices". As such, its hard to name a thing in existence without some aspect of gaming in it. So yes, Wii is most certainly gaming. Is it a thing which will advance the genre as a medium? Well, yes, but mainly from ubiquity, recognizeability, and as an iconic face. Quality and real innovation are far more questionable.

 

[Something Amyss]

What the fuck else would it be?

An onion. I'm going with an onion.