The Nintendo experiment

[CrystalShadow]

Plan B: I own Zelda: Twilight Princess, picked it up for ? 15 or 20. It's been laying there for five months, still haven't found an excuse to actually play the thing. I'm just not looking forward having to point the damn stick at my screen the entire time. (Why can't all Wii-games come with the option to play with the classic controller like Xenoblade Chronicles?)

Because that would prove that motion control is pointless? (Besides, Xenoblade chronicles, The Last Story and Pandora's tower use no motion controls whatsoever, even when using the Wii remote. - Which is why it's possible to use a classic controller interchangeably.) XD - But seriously, for Twilight Princess, there's no reason why they couldn't have done that, given the existence of the gamecube version.

However, I will say that aiming a bow with the Wii remote is much more effective than with a thumbstick. I only realised this after going and playing Wind Waker again and realising just how hopeless the aim was by comparison.

Say what you will about it, but the pointer is the most effective part of the Wii's controls (much more so than the actual motion controls).
It works well for the same reason that PC gamers always argue that the mouse is better than a gamepad.

Twilight Princess isn't so bad with it though, to be honest. You only need the remote pointed at the screen when aiming something. (bow, clawshot, or similar). And the tradeoff in much increased accuracy is worth it IMO.

But then again, everyone's entitled to their own opinion I guess. And... Some people don't like change, regardless of whether it's an improvement or not. XD

 

[The White Hunter]

While I don't necessarily agree with the way the OP phrased his opening comment, I do think there's something to be said for how Nintendo are still putting a strong emphasis on local multiplayer. I think Miiverse is a great way for them to finally get into the whole 'online multiplayer' thing, but I do like that they still seem to put an emphasis more on playing with friends on the same console. The best multiplayer experiences I've ever had have been with a bunch of mates all sat on a sofa playing Halo 2 or Rayman Origins, and that's something fewer developers and even hardware companies seem to be catering for.

I mean, it's kind of sad but also kind of nice that at this point, Nintendo seems to be one of the only companies that doesn't have a major problem with multiple gamers playing multiplayer from the same game disc. You just know that if EA or Microsoft thought they could get away with killing split-screen multiplayer, they would.

1. No. I like $100 more than getting a useless console. Besides after the recent Nintendo shenanigans with LPs I refuse to ever give them any more of my money. Shame but saves me from needing to get a 3DS and new Pokemon and Zelda games.

I hope you're extending that same boycott to Microsoft and Sony, as they've both engaged in even worse. Microsoft actively got LP videos of Halo 4 taken down from Youtube last year. No matter how much you might disagree with Nintendo, getting videos fully taken down and entire channels hit with copyright claims is much, much worse. It's only fair that you hold all three to the same standard, after all...

1) My best multiplayer times are playing Golden Axe and Gunstar Heroes on the couch with a few beers. Fucking legendary good times. New Super Mario Bros co-op is an exercise in creative murder for me though as other players just get in my way.

2)The Miiverse is actually really cool and can be a lot of funt o spend a little time in, needs a few more things like direct messaging to friends though, seems an odd oversight, and something like the 3DS letterbox would be a great way to do it.

3)I agree on your final point their about the LP's, Microsoft have done much worse, the big difference is that here on The Escapist they don't generally bother reporting when Microsoft do evil, or they didn't until the Xbox One. Most big games companies have engaged in this kind of evil though. At least Nintendo seem to be willing to co-operate with LP'ers in some way, perhaps through sponsorship and free games in return for a cut of the ad revenue? That would seem fair to me.

 

[Soxafloppin]

The Wii makes an excellent gamecube too.

I know that is basically the only thing I use the one I have for (my mum bought it because she thought it would help her lose weight LOL)

 

[The White Hunter]

My dad isn't a fan of console or PC gaming (like, at all) but we got him a DS XL a few years back and he loves it, I recently got him playing Ghost Trick and he is impressed. He also liked playing Dragon Quest IX and a Ninja Gaiden game.

My mother is not a gamer, even if we tell it is a family game, she will have none of it (she will not play any game whatsoever)

Wii is fun, but you can't force someone to enjoy it.

My family is kind of the same way, except my dad used to play PC games and arcade games and can't deal with a modern gamepad in the slightest. Willing to wager I could get him to waste a few evenings on Civilization though.

And yeah, like what you like man, haters gonna hate an the best thing to do is just keep having fun without them.

 

[shrekfan246]

SSB if you're into multiplayer

Don't know why Super Smash Bros. has to just be for multi-player. I always played against bots, still had plenty of fun. Back in high school, I could take out a 3v1 team of level 9 bots with Link, Roy, or Marth in Melee. Granted, sometimes Level 8s were actually more dangerous...

Anyway, like everyone else has said, this is a pretty silly 'experiment', OP. I, for one, think New Super Mario Bros. games are rather bland and generic, like something that could just be pumped out of some Super Mario Bros. level generator. And Wind Waker is the only Zelda game I've ever really enjoyed.

Yeah, the Wii has some really good games on it. And yeah, the Wii U has one or two and will likely get a few more eventually, and I'll probably be lining up to buy one once Sonic Lost World comes out.

But you know what? This attitude of "Oh, you just need to play [Game], then you'll get it!" is exactly why people don't like... well, fanboys in general, but especially the Nintendo Defense Force, who seem more ardent in their defense than almost any other group of overprotective fans.

 

[Phuctifyno]

I mainly bought the Wii for the Virtual Console. My NES, SNES, and Genesis are finicky at best, and my Mario RPG and LOZ:ALTTP was stolen [cries]. The Wii wasn't much more expensive than paying full price for those two games alone over the counter.

Twilight Princess and Metroid Prime Trilogy was also worth it.

 

[Matthew Jabour]

[/quote] But you know what? This attitude of "Oh, you just need to play [Game], then you'll get it!" is exactly why people don't like... well, fanboys in general, but especially the Nintendo Defense Force, who seem more ardent in their defense than almost any other group of overprotective fans.[/quote]

I'm not saying you just have to 'play this game and you'll get it'. (If I was, I certainly could've done better than New Super Mario Bros.) All I'm saying is that you may not have been playing the way the game was designed. For example, having played 3 out of 4 NSMB games, they're getting pretty rote and unbearable for me; however, when I played NSMBU with my mother, who never plays video games, we had an incredibly fun time. My point was that I, as well as many other gamers, had judged the NSMB games before I tried playing with my family, as it seems it was intended to be played. I mean no judgement.

 

[Baron_Rouge]

Wait, what? I didn't much like the Wii except for a few games, and I don't particularly like the direction Nintendo were taking with it. That doesn't mean I don't understand the popularity of it, or the target audience. Just because I don't like something doesn't mean I can't understand that there are people who do. I played both of those games, and disliked both of them, and the amount of fun I was having while playing them was negligible, especially Twilight Princess. They're probably great games for someone, for lots of people even, just not for me. And you know what? That's fine, and just because a person didn't like the direction Nintendo went with the Wii, or didn't like most of the games, doesn't mean they didn't understand the target audience, or the reason it was so popular.

 

[Headsprouter]

I've tried that with SSBB, guess what?

It wasn't very fun at all. I love the idea of Smash Bros., but I just find the game unpleasant. I think the Wii remote is entirely to blame. I HATE that controller. When the next one comes out, I might get it on 3DS, and I'm sure it'll be much better.

 

[newwiseman]

step one: buy wii
step two: buy actual controller for wii
step three: plug controller into wii-mote
step four: play games instead of waggling your wrist like some sort of trained chimp that masturbates to screen cues...
step five: throw away the wii, build a cheap gaming rig, get Steam/GOG/Green Man Games and stop putting up with console BS.

I honestly don't mind the wii that much, but trying to use the wiimote for anything but a waggle stick is horrible, the original NES had better ergonomics.

 

[hazabaza1]

NSMB multiplayer is flawed simply because of the whole "bumping into other players" thing. This stops it from being a fun little co-op platforming romp into a rage fueled hatred dispenser because one person is inevitably better and one person ends up getting all the power ups and apparently people don't want to play with that one person.

 

[Roxas1359]

step one: buy wii
step two: buy actual controller for wii
step three: plug controller into wii-mote
step four: play games instead of waggling your wrist like some sort of trained chimp that masturbates to screen cues...
step five: throw away the wii, build a cheap gaming rig, get Steam/GOG/Green Man Games and stop putting up with console BS.

I honestly don't mind the wii that much, but trying to use the wiimote for anything but a waggle stick is horrible, the original NES had better ergonomics.

Metroid Prime Trilogy?

Dear lord the cost of that trilogy goes up ever year. It's getting rarer and rarer.
And when it comes to the LP things I think some sort of deal should be struck between the LPers that are parts of actual networks and with Nintendo. Mainly because while I hate that everyone has the ability to monetize these days, those who are part of the big networks had to work really hard to get to where they are now and deserve something as compensation. I've been LPing for about a year now and it is very time consuming as well as very expensive for equipment and with what I see on this site most people seem to think that LPing is the easiest thing ever. It is if you are just simply putting your camera in front of the TV, but for the actual editing softwares and HD capture cards it is pretty damn expensive. I benefit from Nintendo allowing it, but at the same time I never have monetized a single one of my videos and I've only done one Nintendo game and that was the 100% run of Luigi's Mansion.
Now don't get me wrong, I like Nintendo as a company, but they could have worked something out with the networks because while MS and Sony have done similar things they've actually made negotiations to allow the monetization with networks like Machinima and Roosterteeth. The main thing is that when you're in a partnership with networks like Machinima, Fullscreen Arcade, and The Gaming Station, you sign an actual legal contract to be a part of their network. That's just my two cents on the whole LPer thing really, and this is mainly because I've been LPing for a while now.

OT: You can't really force someone to like a company really. For me my Wii gets more use as a GameCube than for the actual Wii games. Mainly because the Wii games I wanted to play weren't out in the US and most of them never did, so I broke the region coding and bought myself some new imports. Sadly though I can't play the newer games because it would re-lock my console and I quite like playing One Piece Unlimited Crusie 1 and 2 as they are some of my favorite games. Plus I wouldn't use NSMB Wii as an example for multiplayer because more often than naught it just causes frustration and strains friendships, just like how Mario Parties and Mario Karts are designed to ruin friendships with star stealing and with those blue devils from hell! XD

 

[RicoADF]

To those who dislike the new direction the games have been headed in, for those who never liked the Wii and have no hopes for the Wii U, I suggest a little experiment that may help you understand the appeal.
1. Get a Wii. (Oh, shut up, they're only about $100 by now.)
2. Get New Super Mario Bros. Wii. (NSMBU would work better, but you probably don't want to break the bank on my account.)
3. Invite over your mom, your dad, or someone else that's never played videogames in their life.
4. Play the game with them. (Be patient, they'll suck at first.)
5. Notice how much fun you're both having.
Congratulations, you have now discovered the target audience for the Wii and had some fun in the process.
NOTE: If you didn't have fun, here's a plan B for you:
Plan B: Now that you have a Wii, just buy Zelda: Twilight Princess. Even the Grinch would have fun playing that.

I got a Wii for $8, and I still think it was a waste of money if it didn't play gamecube games, likely it can so I atleast got an $8 console. No not every parent wants to play games and alot of us are in our late 20's to mid 30's, we're getting to that age where Mario is:
1) OLD!
2) Feels too child like
3) Done done and done again to death, I played it when I was what, 5, maybe 7? Nothing changes and it's the perfect example of stagnation. I don't like CoD due to it, and Mario doesn't get the pass either.
4) Profit!!??

 

[Snotnarok]

So your logic is...Mario Bros Wii is fun for new players so they're doing everything right right?
Problem is Mario 3, Mario World, Yoshis Island are pretty much better even with ideas nicked from them for Mario BrosWii, the game isn't as tightly/well designed and they came out 20 years ago. And the other major problem is they've been disgustingly similar since the DS one down to the music, not even adding in characters or overcoming their admitted lazy game design ways.To top it off older games have the benefit as they're lacking shaking controls you have less to explain to them since those controls are not very exciting and you know you don't freaking bounce off each other murdering eachother on accident/purpose.

I have a Wii, bought it for Metroid games and Sonic and that's basically all I have, new Mario bros games aren't worth the cash since having played them I found the better value was in keeping my old SNES games. Better buy than Mario Bros Wii U? Rayman Origins, better in every flipping way and it's cheaper now and on pretty much every device. Another better buy than Mario: Wario Land Shake it, full of charm, goofiness and interesting things going on and it's really pretty and well animated. THAT is a fun game, actually playing with some fun ideas.

Better idea
1. Fuck the Wii, don't waste your money and stick with what you have.
2. Buy Rayman or the Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection
2a.Bust out your old Genesis/SNES/NES and play that.
3. Play that with friends
4. Not kick yourself 2 weeks later for buying a useless device with lack luster forced motion control gimmicks.

 

[Galen Marek]

oook?

This is like 5 years too late.

Next you'll be singing the portal song and proclaiming about to whom all our base belong.

I heard the cake is a lie.
Confirm/Deny?

 

[Kommand]

Nintendo is now targeting a general audince, where they think that everyone should have a chance to play games and have fun. On the contrary, companies such as Microsoft and Sony don't give a crap about your grandmother.

 

[lacktheknack]

I'm reminded of the music recommendation paradox.

Basically, if a fan of one genre (say, an electronica freak) hears someone say "they don't see the appeal" of the genre ("Electonic music doesn't focus on melody, is repetitive and uses weird sounds. I don't get the appeal."), they seem to be filled with the urge to recommend the "best of the best" that the genre has to offer ("Dude, have you tried Aphex Twin? Try his Come to Daddy EP!").

In the attempt to show someone the best that the genre has to offer, you're only going to push them away, because the elements they're unsure about are more or less always the ones on full display.

In the OP here, he's expecting EVERYONE to have fun playing with other people who aren't very good. If that's how he likes to play, then cool. But using it as a selling point is just... alienating.

 

[Mutie]

I tried playing New Super Mario Brothers with my best friend and his older brother, for whom the game was purchased. It was absolutely terrible. We all got very angry and failed to achieve a great deal of anything other than a few new high scores on House of the Dead Overkill, which we swiftly returned to. As far as I concerned, the only thing the Wii is good for is a handful of sequels to Gamecube game for which I had a soft spot, most of which suffering far inferior visuals and controls due to the fact that, you know... they're on the Wii. THEY GAVE IT THE SAME NAME AS A CHILD'S RENDITION OF "PISS", FOR HEL'S SAKE!!!

 

[major_chaos]

Metroid Prime Trilogy?

The one that costs almost 100$ used? The one that contains inferior versions of two games that can be bough for 1/5 the price total and played on the same console with controls that aren't ass? The one that includes the disappointing sludge that was Prime 3? That Prime Trilogy?

OT: Why would I ever get the Wii version of twilight princess when the GC version is lacking the pointless waggle? or better yet, when I can just play OoT on my 3ds.

 

[lacktheknack]

1. No. I like $100 more than getting a useless console. Besides after the recent Nintendo shenanigans with LPs I refuse to ever give them any more of my money. Shame but saves me from needing to get a 3DS and new Pokemon and Zelda games.

I hope you're extending that same boycott to Microsoft and Sony, as they've both engaged in even worse. Microsoft actively got LP videos of Halo 4 taken down from Youtube last year. No matter how much you might disagree with Nintendo, getting videos fully taken down and entire channels hit with copyright claims is much, much worse. It's only fair that you hold all three to the same standard, after all...

I physically can not boycott Microsoft. To boycott I must make certain that none of my money will EVER get to a company. Microsoft sadly due to simply being the makers of the OS of choice for me have worked there way to never be able to be boycotted. If\when my PC dies I'll need to build a new one and I'm sure as Hell not using any OS that is currently out other than Windows 7. Microsoft is like Valve in that regard. I hate Valve for various reasons and would love never to give them money. But they have worked themselves in such a way into the market so as to be impossible to boycott.
Tough if your worried I will get an Xbone I won't. I am a PC gamer only getting a console for anything that can not be played on PC, fighting games, and JRPGs. Besides that I'd never get it due to all the shit that has been revealed about it.

For Sony they have been boycotted by me since there shenanigans with how they handled there customers information being stolen by those hackers a while back. It insulted me they could try to cover up and deny the hacking for so long doing NOTHING. And I was not even a PS3 user. But it sure as Hell ensured I'd never buy one even for a good exclusive or JRPG I may want. And I stopped buying music from anyone who are even remotely associated with Sony Music. Though admittedly if Sony keeps up with some of the good that I've been hearing thy have done with the PS3 I may have to unboycott them eventually in a year or so.

So yeah Nintendo can join EA, Ubisoft, Capcom, Sony, Walmart, Gamestop, the Subway one mile northeast from my house, and Delta as companies I will never do business again unless substantive changes are made.

I'm not sure how you're expecting to continue playing games. It's fully possible to escape Microsoft's reach (experiment with Linux), but even allowing you Valve will still leave you with... not many mainstream titles that don't have strings to your various boycotts. Even many of gog.com's classics are from Electronic Arts.