Cnet: As the months have worn on and more Wiis enter homes around the world, I'm left wondering if I'm an "old school" gamer that has been left behind. Sure, I own the Wii and I've played all the games listed here, but if we are to believe that sales figures can adequately determine the preferences of gamers, I don't think it's out of the question to say that I'm no longer the typical gamer. And it's Nintendo's fault.
There was a time when I was the typical gamer. I played all the major franchises like Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy and loved to play the obscure titles like Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete. More often than not, I was enjoying the games that topped the charts each month and all the consoles that sold best were usually the systems I was playing most often.
Then something strange happened: for the first time in years, Nintendo reclaimed the top spot in the video game industry. Maybe we can chalk the Wii's success up to its features or maybe even its price.
Get the scoop on Comedy Central's exciting new cartoon show inspired by the iconic Golden Axe video game
Golden Axe is a great game I enjoyed it on the SMS, Genesis and in the arcade. Great game but it truly was a quarter eater back in the day. I wish Sega could get the rights to the arcade port of Moonwalker another great arcade game I enjoyed. Collect so many monkeys and become Robo Michael lol.
GB: "With this feature, we will be taking a look at 15 of the best games from the PlayStation 2's vast library."
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No,what they've done is transformed traditional gaming into an everyday interactive activity.
The only thing "old-fashioned" about this writer is his lack to see really anything beyond what the internet tells him.
"But as the months have worn on and more Wiis enter homes around the world, I'm left wondering if I'm an "old school" gamer who has been left behind. Sure, I own the Wii and I've played all the games listed here, but if we are to believe that sales figures can adequately determine the preferences of gamers, I don't think it's out of the question to say that I'm no longer the typical gamer. And it's Nintendo's fault."
This statement is a load of bull. And "old school" gamer who has been left behind? If you want to consider the 3-D GTA's or Halo series "old school" then those of us who have been playing since the SNES and Genesis days must be "ancient".
"I'm not happy about it. Based on my testing, the only fun Wii games come from Nintendo. Third parties simply haven't been able to develop titles that can match the first-party games."
No More Heroes, Boom Blox, Deadly Creatures, House of the Dead: Overkill...has he seen anything about Madworld and The Conduit? Heck, Marumasa looks completely old-school with a next gen kinda feel.
"Worse, I don't really enjoy the Wii's control style and more often than not, I find myself frustrated, wishing I could enjoy the game the "old-fashioned way.""
Maybe this is problem. Most of the best games on the Wii can only be played with Wii style controls. But still, if he can't adapt to a different control scheme, then he really is in no position to judge a Wii game is he, since any frustrations he has with a game can be traced back to something that most other gamers have well adapted to.
"I know I'm in the minority. I realize that as I keep plugging away in GTA IV or Halo 3, more people will be finding reasons to buy a Wii and games that are developed by Nintendo. I think NPD sales numbers have proven that.
Maybe I'm just another victim of age, or perhaps I'm unwilling to change. Whatever the reason, I'm just not convinced the average person who is playing games is like me anymore. Today's new gamer doesn't want to waste their time playing through an epic adventure; they want to jump on a plastic board that's connected to the Wii."
The minority? I wonder when he realized that? Was it when reports came out that flash games were more popular than retail games about 6 or 7 years ago? Hardcore games have always been the minority.
I kinda liked the bit about the average gamer not wanting to go on an epic adventure, like what? Super Mario galaxy wasn't epic? No More Heroes? The Legend of Zelda? What about the pretty epic line up for 09? Here is some news buddy, the "average" gamer cannot be so boiled down to "wanting an adventure". We all have our different favorites or are you saying that people who are competetive fighting game players not hardcore? How about any game that is primarily multi-player? That not traditional?
You wanna know my spin on the "average gamer"? The average gamer is someone who is looking to have fun. If you think playing Shaun White Road Trip with the balance board is fun (and it is) does that makes you and more or less a gamer than someone who plays Halo? Do we have a checklist of qualifications that makes someone gamer? I don't think so.
So to make a long story short, no, Nintendo has not changed the definition of what it means to be a gamer and this author's vision is so blurred by his own sense of self-importance and his status of "true gamer" that anything that deviates from his small circle of familiarity is seen as threatening. Instead, Nintendo has made becoming a gamer more accessible so that more people can share that we have.
apple and nintendo should form a partnership and then they can sell their fad yuppie electronics to all the iDiots they wish.
No, they just got in the non gamer... As their current software also cannot be described as games, but generic entertaiment without a clear goal. But hey, it sells so they will forget about real gamers. Too bad for us, good for Nintendo.
To see what they've done watch this:
http://www.rtl.nl/component...
EDIT
YOu can click disagree all you want, but they've followed the 'Blue Ocean Strategy' and they got non gamers in buying the Wii.
Excellent, excellent post. I agree 100%.
I feel the only thing that has changed is the gaming media's attempt at grasping their own denial. The gaming media has a problem, they are begining to be left behind by the general public. So what happens is their pride and idea of being superior to the average gamer causes them to lash out at whatever they can scapegoat. So far it has been the Wii. Everyone of his "points" are the same buzzwords and catchprases we've been hearing for 2 yrs now. it no longer holds weight.
Third parties don't sell on Wii? Are you sure about that? As someone who seems to consider themself a gamer, a statement like that shows me nothing but a lack of knowledge and research done on his part. But what do I know, I'm just a Wii gamer.