The Wii vs. The Gamer

[CantGetAWii]

I've gamed on more systems than most average Americans. I played Combat and Adventure on my 2600 when I was a kid; I was an Archon champion and flew a Gunship on my Commodore 64. I took a little break from consoles for a few years until I had children of my own, and since our house has been home to a PlayStation, a PlayStation Portable, every variant of GameBoy / DS that has come out, a Dreamcast, a GameCube, an Xbox, an Xbox 360, and more recently, a Nintendo Wii.

I consider myself an open-minded gamer. The only games I really can't be bothered to play are sports games because I just don't like sports in general. The idea of millionaires playing children's playground games in front of crowds who pay ridiculous sums of money for the privilege of watching them seems ludicrous to me.

I play all kinds of other genres, though, including just about everything that comes out on PC and Xbox 360. I love first person shooters, real-time strategy games, more traditional strategy games, stealth games, MMOs (although I can't play those very often because I get so sucked into them I tend to forget little things like my family, my work, eating, etc.), oddball variants like Overlord, and so on. I consider myself a well-rounded gamer.

At least, I did, until I tried to come to terms with the Wii.

I didn't really have much interest in my son's Wii games. Mario and Sonic require a level of reflexes that I haven't had since I was about 12. Anime in general creeps me out, unless it's, like, exquisite anime like Akira or Spirited Away. Looking through the Wii catalog, I saw lots of platformers, anime stuff, and games that seemed to be aimed squarely at children.

But I was determined. I wouldn't consider myself a real gamer unless I experienced the Wii mania sweeping the nation. With just a tiny bit of trepidation, I picked up the little remote wand thingy and attached the nunchuck, and popped in Wii Sports.

It wasn't so bad, but the games seemed too simplistic for me. Plus, I reiterate, I'm not much for sports games. Thus, I searched long and hard for a grown-up Wii game in which to envelop myself; I needed the full experience.

On recommendations from Web friends, I picked up something called No More Heroes. Apparently the developer, who calls himself "Suda 51," has an excellent track record. The game involves running around as a guy named Travis Touchdown who wields a lightsaber—er, a Beam Katana, or something, to chop up bad guys into incredible tsunamis of blood splashing everywhere except onto Travis' stylish clothes.

Without going into a review of the game, and focusing more on the Wii experience, here are my observations.

Waving the controllers around was certainly something different. As a diehard PC gamer, I have it in my will to be buried alongside my mouse and keyboard, but slashing enemies into pieces with the Wii remote was entertaining.

I don't know if it's a limitation of the Wii, whose graphics don't appear to be as "next-gen" as those of an Xbox 360 or a decent PC, but it seems like the collision detection when I would zoom around town on Travis' crotch rocket was off. I bounced off cars simply by coming within a foot or two of them, which took some getting used to. There were also some graphical slowdowns during busier, polygon-heavy scenes that I don't expect or forgive on consoles; I mean, for Heaven's sake, you have a fixed platform to work with; get it right or port your work to something more powerful!

In the end, however, I tended not to care much for No More Heroes. It was too inaccessibly weird for someone used to Gears of War and Call of Duty 4. I don't consider mowing lawns for cash compelling gaming. I can see the appeal of the Wii's unique control system, but I don't think it's currently being used for a decent crop of games. I can't see the appeal of Super Mario Galaxy (it's just another 3D platformer to me) or Sonic Riders Zero Gravity (you have to have the reflexes of a transistor to succeed at that game) and the more grown-up fare, like No More Heroes and Manhunt 2 are, well, just not all that.

Let me know when something comes out for the Wii that might appeal to an adult who wasn't raised on anime and twitch gaming.

I'll be here at my PC, with my mouse and keyboard, waiting for Sins of a Solar Empire to grace my display.

Source

 

[The L.S]

His loss.

 

[smyth]

he probably should've picked MP3:C or MoH:H2 instead. i'm not saying it would change his mind, but it does seem like he picked the wrong game to play according to his stated preferences.

kyle

 

[Bliss]

He does have some what of a point there...the Wii isnt for everyone...but like Smyth said he should have tried MOH: H2...a lot of people my age (25) are quickly putting down there wiimotes and pickin up either the 360 or ps3.

 

[smyth]

He does have some what of a point there...the Wii isnt for everyone...but like Smyth said he should have tried MOH: H2...a lot of people my age (25) are quickly putting down there wiimotes and pickin up either the 360 or ps3.

i do agree. i enjoy playing Wii, but i don't think it's the best choice for the 18+ age group as a primary console, as a secondary console it's awesome to have though.

i just don't get him though, he said in his essay, he doesn't like anime games, etc, and that he does like Call of Duty, so why the hell would he go for no more heroes? i know it isn't an anime game but it does have references/inspiration. And Medal of Honor: H2 is a FPS, has online play, takes place in WWII, all of which he says he plays. Again had he played MoH:H2 i'm not sure he would've fallen in love with Wii anyway, but it would've given it a fighting chance. That would be like me saying, i like war games, the bloodier the better, and FPS, and i hate cartoon games, so i'm going to try out PS3 and the game i tried is Barbie's Dream Makeover 4, and after playing i think PS3 sucks. To properly decide if you like anything you have to give it a chance.

another long-winded post courtesey of,
kyle

 

[Bliss]

:lol: yea i totally agree with you Smyth

i like war games, the bloodier the better, and FPS, and i hate cartoon games, so i'm going to try out PS3 and the game i tried is Barbie's Dream Makeover 4, and after playing i think PS3 sucks

:lol: great line....but yea he confused me also with that

 

[smyth]

:lol: yea i totally agree with you Smyth



:lol: great line....but yea he confused me also with that

haha glad you liked it, i had to think of something that was the opposite and i know there are barbie games so i figured go with that :lol:


kyle

 

[hal2814]

Still got Barbie on your mind, huh?

I do find it interesting that a reviewer whose gap in gaming is the exact span of Nintendo's glory days didn't care for the console. I thought I was older too but I remember plenty of twitch gaming (pinball, Asteroids, Galaga, Pac-Man) and anime (Robotech, Voltron) growing up.

 

[The L.S]

Right now its not the best for "adult" gamers, but I think it can/will be just as hardcore as the ps3 and 360. You don't need halo or GoW to be hardcore either... someone needs to use their resources properly and make something. NMH is a better attempt, but much more can be done.

The retarded developers just can't get past the novelty of making a quick buck.

 

[jimbo]

The idea of millionaires playing children's playground games in front of crowds who pay ridiculous sums of money for the privilege of watching them seems ludicrous to me.

sry but i stoped reading after this

 

[GeezerGuy]

Interesting article.

As a 50 year old geezer gamer, I can understand a 30 something gamer not liking the Wii.

But us old gamers do like the Wii alot. We like having to get off the couch and MOVE. We love playing Wii sports and other party games with friends and family.

I'm tired of realistic war simulators. I get enough realism in life. I love games like Super Mario Galaxy which puts you in a crazy world and has you do crazy things.

Nintendo was brilliant creating a game console that wives support us guys getting. Nintendo makes games I can play with my young kids.

And let's not forget the Resident Evil series.... :yesnod:

The guy who wrote the article will be sorry if he misses out on Fatal Frame when it arrives.

 

[smyth]

Still got Barbie on your mind, huh?

I do find it interesting that a reviewer whose gap in gaming is the exact span of Nintendo's glory days didn't care for the console. I thought I was older too but I remember plenty of twitch gaming (pinball, Asteroids, Galaga, Pac-Man) and anime (Robotech, Voltron) growing up.

haha i didn't even think about that. a bit Freudian... well not as much since that would be more applicable if this was about my mother :lol: thanks for pointing that out though.

good point though, he did seem to miss out on a little thing known as the greatest console war of all time...

plus to call SMG "just another 3d platformer"...:wtf: i think it deserves a bit more credit than that.



kyle