Happy Girl

2013年2月5日星期二

Which is Greater - PS3 Move or Xbox 360 Kinect

Even though it was Nintendo that opened the realms of motion-sensing gaming for the entire world, it doesn''t have any location inside the battle for the most beneficial motion gaming system as of these days. As sad as it may sound, this pretty reality highlights the giant strides that we have taken inside the world of gaming. So, who''re the contenders for the best spot right now On one end, we have the motion-sensing gaming system developed and introduced by Sony Computer Entertainment - the PlayStation Move, and on the other, we have the motion gaming program manufactured by arch rivals Microsoft - the Kinect for Xbox 360. (You can refer to Wii vs Kinect vs Move for a three way comparison.) Prior to we get going with the PS3 Controller vs. Xbox 360 Kinect comparison to see which is better, let''s have a look at each of the two individually.
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Sony PlayStation Move

The PlayStation Move is a motion-sensing gaming system - which comprises of PlayStation Eye camera along with the PlayStation Move motion controller, which is developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It really is also referred to as the ''PS3 Move'' for its compatibility to the Sony PlayStation three video game console. This motion-sensing game controller platform utilizes a handheld motion controller wand with the PlayStation Eye camera to detect motion. While the PlayStation Move Bundle - which comprises of Move motion controller, Eye camera and Sports Champions Game, is priced at $99.99. The PS3 Sports Champions Move Bundle - which consists of a 320 GB PlayStation alongside the PS3 Move Bundle, is priced at $399.99.

Microsoft Kinect

Microsoft Kinect - also referred to as Kinect for Xbox 360 or basically Xbox 360 Kinect for its compatibility to Xbox 360 console, is really a motion sensing gaming method developed and marketed by Microsoft. The ideal portion of this motion gaming program is that it facilitates full body gaming wherein your character on the screen jumps after you jump, and kicks when you kick - without resorting to handheld controller for these tasks. Even though the Kinect Bundle is priced at $149.99, the Xbox 360 4GB Console with Kinect (which consists of Kinect sensor, Built-in Wi-Fi, Xbox LIVE, Xbox 360 wireless controller, etc.) is priced at $299.99 plus the Xbox 360 250GB Console with Kinect (which includes Xbox 360 S console, Xbox 360 250GB hard drive, Kinect sensor, Xbox 360 wireless controller, Xbox 360 Headset etc.) is priced at $399.99.

Which is Greater - PS3 Move or Xbox 360 Kinect

Essentially, Microsoft Xbox 360 vs. PlayStation Move battle is all about full body tracking vs. 1-1 controller tracking system. In terms of compatibility, PlayStation Move is compatible to all of the PS3 models irrespective of no matter whether you bought it yesterday or four years ago. However, there does exist a dedicated slot for Kinect in all of the Microsoft Xbox 360 slim consoles, but should you own its predecessor - Xbox 360, you might call for an additional power adapter and a USB connection for the identical. While both these motion-sensing gaming systems boast of remarkable precision in relation to controls, the truth that your entire body comes into play with Kinect is something that is rather innovative if you''re agile sufficient to sweat it out. At the identical time, you also want to take some precautions with lighting inside the room and speaker placement (so as to create sure that there is certainly no light/sound interference) if you intend to go with the Kinect motion-sensing gaming method.

Keeping other items aside, for those who only concentrate on motion-sensing gaming, the technology that PlayStation Move resorts to does give it an edge. In truth, it really is this really technology which ensures that it has a wider range of compatible games to give. For anyone who is a fan of hardcore gaming, the list of Kinect games is a lot more most likely to be a bit of a disappointment for you with most of the games featuring in this list becoming too amateurish by the hardcore gaming standards. However, the list of games compatible to PS3 Move has some thing for all - right from family members oriented games (like the ones which are offered with Nintendo Wii) to hardcore games like the Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition, R.U.S.E., Time Crisis: Razing Storm, etc. Microsoft Kinect does have sports and fitness games which function fine owing to its full body tracking system, but the appealing games with the tendency to trigger an adrenaline rush surprisingly seem to be missing.

So, who''s the winner at the end of the day Which is better PS3 Move or Xbox 360 Going by the aforementioned PS3 Move vs Xbox 360 Kinect reviews, it can be incredibly difficult to come up with a concrete answer for the same as preferences tend to differ from one individual to another. That being stated, opting for Microsoft Kinect could be a superb notion if you''re seeking forward for an all new, innovative technology, which is expected to make it major inside the near future. Nevertheless, should you like to live within the moment and make essentially the most of it, PlayStation Move is an perfect bet for you with a range of astounding games - the list of which is expected to obtain superior with time.

2013年2月1日星期五

Video Game Review – KILLZONE 3 (ps3)

http://prettygirlhandbags.blogspot.com/2013/02/video-game-review-dragon-age-ii-ps3.html

I’ve been a fan of the Killzone franchise, having played the first on PS2, the second on PS3 and also the PSP game (Killzone Liberation), so it was a no-brainer that I would play Killzone 3 upon its’ release.
I shall first mention the incredible voice cast the game has with Malcolm McDowell, Brian Cox and Ray Winstone headlining and absorbing just about all the testosterone possible in this video game.
Sadly, though the single player campaign is technically superior to its previous, the game-play is rather formulaic and despite it attempting to present a variety of locations and experiences, it just comes across as “meh”.
The impression I get from the game is that the developers made a game they envisioned to be popular and accessible, but in doing so compromised the story and gameplay they REALLY probably wanted. Continually missions seemed to be just like missions I had played in other “modern” first-person shooters, except given a futuristic paint palette over it.
However, the multiplayer is a lot of fun and upcoming releases of DLC and extra maps/missions should ensure Killzone 3 has longtiveity for the Sony PlayStation fan-base. I am truly disappointed in this game and feel the franchise has maybe run out of steam.

2013年1月28日星期一

The 2nd Super Robot Wars OG (Version Reviewed: PS3)

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I easily remedied the first two with a thorough PS3 Controller cleaning and a screw from my screw wireless controller collection. The third will be repaired with some help from my friend EBAY. Finally the last one was a little tricky. I think the charging issue might be due to some liquid damage. I measure the voltage when plugged into a USB adapter and best china tablet noticed that instead of a nice 5V, I was getting a PS3 Chargers unstable 2V. This explains why the PS3 complains about too much current being drawn when the controller is plugged in. I figured I had nothing to lose so I went about trying to fix this problem. 745TDBanty 130129

This game embodies the psychedelic excess associated with video games in a way which few games – even the landmark destruction orgies of the Call of Duty series – match. It is a game where robot samurai ride robot horses to attack giant aliens, a schoolgirl and her pet talking moles (note: actually platypi) launch boulders at the enemy while quoting cartoon shows, and a red-and-gold robot can take an orbital laser shot full on and receive no lasting damage. Everything about it is larger-than-life, primary-coloured and loud, a very exuberant sensory overload which comes as quite a surprise set as it is in a fairly in-depth strategy RPG framework.

This entry in a long-running (22 years old now) franchise, the first on the PS3, does not make any major gameplay changes compared to previous ones, instead marking the move to HD home consoles with increased emphasis on graphics and length – taking the Super Robot Wars games that keep players returning and simply expanding on it in every aspect. This is, generally speaking, a good thing; two lengthy campaigns (which intersect for some missions and then diverge again) and more available units than a player can ever use at one time, plus unlockable difficulty levels, challenge modes, secret units and other bonuses, in addition to a New Game Plus mode, mean that even though a single runthrough is likely to take a good few dozen hours there is incentive to return and have a largely fresh experience.
Since the franchise’s inception on the Game Boy, its emphasis has been on the sort of school-playground power level comparisons of cartoon heroes – could Batman beat Superman, could James Bond beat the Terminator – but drawing on classic anime heroes and giant robots. Many of the games use as a kind of baseline an “Original” unit – the protagonist, drawn from none of the licensed series and generally used to provide a central conflict around which different factions interact. Many of these units and characters – early examples including the Black Gespenst, the Elemental Lords and Fighter Roar – became popular in their own right and a number of sidestory adventures focusing more heavily on them were released (for example the Lords of Elemental games on SNES and PSP, and the Gameboy Advance Original Generations titles) and then in a display of impressive transmedia savvy, these homages to existing characters got their own cartoon series in time; Divine Wars, Lord of Elemental Cybuster and The Inspectors. Thus, one can play 2^nd OG without any knowledge of specific anime or indeed knowledge of previous entries in its own continuity; the characters are broad-strokes cartoon character homages embodying different hero archetypes and mashing together the whole gamut of giant robot cliches, grouping together in teams based on which subgenre they represent. Such a disparity in units and styles works; many SRPGs like Fire Emblem and Advance Wars have little more than cosmetic differences between most of their units – you may have a green axe knight or a red sword knight, but they look largely similar. In 2^nd OG, however, your units range from flying brick-like battle fortresses and avatars of Chinese gods to huge armoured mechanical women. This absolute chaos of disparate units clustering together in sub-plots becomes a little hard to follow in some ways if a player is not fluent in Japanese, but again the roots of the franchise – in children’s cartoons – make it comparatively easy to follow. Heroes and villains are easily paired up and identified, much of the plot is simple and can be worked out by context of who is fighting who and where. All that is really lost – and this is something of a shame – are the personalities of the characters. The voice-acted attack animations give an idea of these but some of the non-plot-relevant interactions between missions are amusing but hard to follow without some language knowledge.
In gameplay terms, though, 2^nd OG is very friendly to a player importing it. Menus are largely self-explanatory and those which are not such as the upgrade system are explained in great depth on a fan-made website for the franchise (akurasu.net). In missions, the UI is heavily standardised, with core options like movement, attacking and ending a turn always using the same quickly-learned symbols; indeed, to help remember these the game’s hand-holding (yet thankfully optional in a move many modern games could do well to imitate) tutorial systematically explains each of them with visual examples. Even those specific game mechanics which are not so easily explained – such as the “Maximum Break” special move – are not vital to completing the base game and really only needed for advanced play such as completing the EX Mode unlocked after successfully completing the campaign. Obviously, learning the idiosyncrasies of an import game does require a period of trial-and-error and effort – and unlike a game such as Another Century’s Episode: R which had entirely English menus, 2^nd OG does require some more memorisation of menu options.
2^nd OG has a refreshingly well-balanced difficulty curve; playing the game relatively capably will allow a player to make good progress, with the in-mission difficulty adjusting according to how many “SR Points” they can get (awarded for completing missions under certain conditions or destroying bosses which are supposed to be avoided) and increased difficulty giving more experience and money per mission. What is more, there are very few, if any, completely worthless units; even the weakest generally have some value in being used as healers or support units. As a result, the player never feels penalised for using their favourites – although it is worth noting that a number of missions specify which units must be used and can be very difficult if those have been neglected. However, the game provides for this; mandatory units are highlighted before the next level begins to remind a player to upgrade them, and failing a mission allows the player to keep all their money and experience (but lose the SR Point for the level). There are also far fewer (in comparison with some series entries) missions where it is possible to completely stall out and render the game unwinnable; only a few bosses recover health (which can, when combined with the limited resources available to the player, lead to them failing a mission as they cannot harm the enemy).
In terms of graphics and soundtrack, the game is hard to fault; the sprites on a 3D background are highly detailed and the missions now have 3D maps and animated models for units rather than static ones as PS2 entries in the series used. The majority of cutscenes are still text and static images, simply to account for the number of them required (at least two for each mission over two 40-mission or so campaigns as well as the shared missions), but this is not a major criticism. However, while the mechanical designs and attack animations are all top-notch, a good number of the character animations are going to be inherently divisive in how sexed-up they are; much of the sex-appeal in the game has been toned down from past games but it is still ultimately a defining feature of the series.
Overall, 2^nd OG is a very polished and fun game, a good refinement of a long-running series and a strong debut on the PS3. It stands well enough alone and has intuitive enough controls and mechanics to be a good game for importers, and for diehard Super Robot Wars fans it is among the best entries in the series after the slightly disappointing 2^nd Super Robot Wars Z: Regeneration Chapter. A player not familiar with Japanese loses out somewhat in the game’s humour and characterisation moments, but the plot is simple enough to follow by context and visuals for the most part that this does not count too strongly against it. As a result, it comes highly recommended for fans of strategy RPGs, those gamers who never really stopped wondering which superhero was strongest and anyone who likes anime. Absolute diehards can also consider the deluxe editions, which for a fairly staggering price offer the game as well as bonuses like a model kit and the The Inspectors animated series on Bluray.

2013年1月24日星期四

Sony PS3 Chatter

If you read any gaming magazine, online forum, website, or blog, chances are, you'll come away feeling as if PS3 is doomed and that the Nintendo Wii will take over as the winner between the two of them. While the Wii may sell more units than the PS3 (or vice versa), one thing is being left out of all this pseudo-analysis.... the console manufacturers are targeting different audiences with them.
The Nintendo Wii is going after the casual to medium gamer who doesn't want to spend a lot on a gaming system but wants to enjoy the entertainment surrounding it. Games will probably be on the cheaper end of the 3 majors and you'll certainly see classic Nintendo games come back to life. With the Sony PS3, it's targeting a much more hardcore gamer though potentially a bit less than the XBOX 360 and appeals to the technosaavy high-end gamer.
People all over the world are saying that the PS3 is doomed but remember, historically, Sony has sold plenty of Playstations and this is a flagship product for them. Also, Nintendo with it's superb price point will sell well also. Research shows that console owners have more than one console - I'd assume plenty of people will pick up both a PS3 and Wii.

2013年1月22日星期二

Music unlimited

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from:

http://videogamelooiskim.blogspot.com/2013/01/walking-dead-and-crackle-on-ps3.html

If your Ps3 is powered off, any connected peripherals PS3 Controller say for example a controller will not be charged. If you wish to charge 7 inch tablet the controller, the ps3 controller charger must remain powered on. When you plug your Playstation 3 controller in the USB PS3 accessories port of your computer, it is going to fully PS3 slim charge provided that your computer is on, regardless of whether it truly is in sleep mode. Additional charging stations can be acquired that can recharge multiple controllers previously. These stations are plugged into an ordinary wall plug. 745TDBanty 130122 I'm glad Sony got rid of the name Qriocity, which may, or may not, sound like a gay/lesbian dating website. They've rebranded it as Music Unlimited and it's now supported across their Sony platforms, including tablets, walkmen, television, and Playstation 3. Unfortunately, I haven't tested the service on any other device since I don't actually own any other Sony product and I can't really be bothered to remember my password to login from my computer. I'm sure with the single login that my playlist and channels will be synced all across the board. Music Unlimited works like those "music channels" you get bundled with your cable provider, only the PS3 version show off high resolution graphics. Unfortunately there are a few album artwork that looks terrible blown up. Audio is played through your television speakers, unless you have some sort of crazy audio setup for your entertainment center. It all depend on your setup, but I suspect because you're streaming audio, that it's not the best highest quality of audio (not that my lame ears could detect anyway). Listening to my TV audio is OK for me, I've no complaint. What I liked: You have access to a ton of music. We're talking more than 10 million tracks. Genre (displayed as "Channels") and playlist are curated by someone at Sony. I like them for what they are, if you're in the mood for Bollywood or Country & Western/Folk, you can tune in to see what's happening. It's a good way to discover music, but I find that they only pick really popular music (at least in the Indie section). The other thing I like is that Sony is giving users 60 days to try out the service. Seems really generous, considering the other music services offer nothing or a week trial. Now for the bad news: everything requires internet connection. Loading up playlist takes what seems minutes to load. Songs sometime needs over 30 seconds to buffer. Connection to Music Unlimited may be rejected when you first launch it a couple of time. Artwork for songs and albums are slow to load. Basically it comes down to network issues and that's going to be a problem for me (because newsflash: if I have trouble now, I'll have trouble in the future). Suggestions: Perhaps let me upload or add my own music to my library. I actually own a lot of obscure/old music that it not available on Sony's network. I would also like to hear Music Unlimited in the background while I'm browsing the web or playing a game (it doesn't multi-task on the PS3 and I don't think it's possible). The Music Unlimited service works like any all-you-can-eat music service, such as Zune or RDio or Spotify. The thing that sets them apart is that you have it on the PS3 (which is the center of my television/entertainment center). Yes, I know Zune is available for the Xbox, but that costs an additional $10 for Xbox Gold, so you're paying double the cost. And speaking of cost, Music Unlimited is comparable to other services, with a bare-bones version for $3.99 a month, to a full version for $9.99. The differences is that for $10, you get Premium Channels, unlimited playback, your library, and the ability to create & edit playlists. Basically $4 won't get you very far. If I had to pay, would I do so? Probably not, because I'm a cheapskate. I feel for that amount of money, I could be getting Netflix or buy/own an album. Or better yet, for $4 a month, I could be a PS Plus member and get one free game a month. There's plenty of options to spend my cash.

2012年2月27日星期一

The Old House We Were Born Into

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They also come up with those boring single-fire weapons into something innovative, something xbox 360 kinect game more pleasure!Here on our Gamer Video Page we would like you to check out 3 games that xbox 360 steering wheel are using the Darwin 360 Motion Controller ? – Tiger Woods 2008, Lego Star Wars & Harry Potter. Earlier on we xbox 360 shell case posted an article on the Newton Motion Controller by Motus Games which also ran by xbox 360 av cable the code name Darwin, this follows on from that story and gives more facts about the Darwin Project.Is this the Newton/Darwin xbox 360 adapter Project Motion Controller being announced at this weeks E3-’08 – it certainly seems like it could well be. So for xbox 360 battery pack those naysayers out there. So it pays to look first before making rash statements. Personally it’s xbox 360 adaptor NOT something I would get, nor would it be of use for any serious games other than the xbox 360 hdd likes of ’some’ sports games as shown in the video with Tiger Woods ‘08. I think xbox 360 gaming headset it would stink on the Lego’s game as well as other similar game, but hey, that’s just my personal thoughts on the matter.I don’t believe it’s xbox 360 cooling mod a bad idea to have the function and the device to appeal to a much broader and varied audience, which MS Xbox-Div definitely are targeting now, but it’s not something many hardcore gamers would be serious about getting. 8812abc09 0227

“ Who said I moved? It doesn´t matter it was demolished: we still live live in the old house we were born into” ( Quem disse que me mudei? Não importa que a tenham demolido, a gente continua morando na velha casa em que nasceu) – Mario Quintana
What real meaning does a house have in our lives? And what is this house Quintana talks about? Is it the womb? Our parents or what we recall of our childhood? In the last few months I´ve been asking myself this question: why am I moving?
Some months ago, my significant other and I decided to make some improvements to the country house. We wanted to build an extension with three other bedrooms to accommodate guests. And then we realized that it is actually a summer house, and that Summer is really short here in the south of the south. We love that house a lot but…it´s a summer house. It´ll stay as is.
Many things have changed in our lives in the last few years, so we thought that it was time to take another step. Change the city apartment for a city house. Now, we both are not the kind of people who rush into decisions, but that one was taken quickly. I felt excited but still uncomfortable: what is going on with me?
After a lot of thinking, listening, observing, I finally have a clue. This house is actually part of a process that has been going on for some time now, and that could be translated more or less as a reunion with myself. Of course, my husband has his reasons, too. And the kids loved the idea, but for me, it´s that. It´s a part of my soul that is taking form. A fireplace, a backyard, a garden, a hammock, animals.

My beautiful aunt Arminda and I, at three years old, in my house´s backyard, with one of the many turtles my brothers and I had. We also had a couple of chickens and ducks in a small hennery at the back, a cat, a dog, a parrot, and a frog.

Same people “a few” years later. The turtle was not present the moment we took the picture, but I bet it is still alive.

2012年1月10日星期二

Nintendo Wii: 2006 – 2012

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I was recently checking out a list for upcoming video games in 2012 over at ign.com. I don’t usually look at such lists, I prefer to live in the moment, but I wanted to see when the new Resident Evil title was being released on the 3DS. As I browsed the list I noticed several games I’m looking forward to: Twisted Metal, Mass Effect 3, Kid Icarus Uprising, and so on. It looks like my consoles will be well represented, but there’s one notable console with a severe lack of new software: Wii Motion Plus.
2012 figures to be a transition year. 2011 marked the end for the Nintendo DS as it was replaced by the 3DS. There were a few notable titles released on the old hardware, and there figures to be a couple of stragglers in 2012, but for the most part the DS is dead. The Sony PSP also, more or less, died in 2011 as its successor was released in Japan at the end of the year, the Vita (and it should be noted, that despite a pretty impressive batch of launch titles it’s off to a terrible start sales-wise). The Vita’s release state-side next month will all but end the life of the PSP. 2012 figures to include announcements for the successors of both the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 with new consoles arriving sometime in 2013 or early 2014. Even though the current hardware still seems totally viable to me, there’s always this need to be the first to market with the next best thing. That’s Nintendo’s strategy with the nintendo wii motionplus’s successor, the Wii U, scheduled for release this fall.
The Wii Sports Pack was announced last spring. It created some buzz around the gaming community for its unique controller which basically is a Nintendo DS with twin circle pads. It remains to be seen what kind of impact it will have, but it, and the list I was looking at yesterday, got me to thinking about the Nintendo Wii Charger and what its legacy will be.

It's almost hard to imagine anyone viewing the wii battery charger as a holy grail of sorts today, but pre-release...

Nintendo did take a risk with the wii laser lens, banking on its motion controls as the system’s true selling point since graphically it wasn’t much better than Nintendo’s previous console, the Gamecube, and under-powered when compared with Microsoft and Sony’s offerings. It was also cheaper though, which no doubt helped turn the thing into a retail juggernaut. When it launched in the fall of 2006 I was a day one purchaser. When South Park worked the wait for the wii travel bag’s release into an episode I empathized with Cartman as I was dying to get my hands on one of those wii-motes just as badly as him (well, maybe not quite as badly). And unlike the 3DS, the launch went pretty well for the wii wireless controller. I purchased just two titles, but one of them was a brand new Zelda game so I wasn’t needing much else. Wario Ware soon followed which was like a glorified tech demo and a surprising entry in the Dragon Ball Z line of fighting games proved to be a blast. And with some major titles lined up, such as a new Mario title and another entry in the Smash Bros. series, things were looking pretty nice for Nintendo. Parents struggled to find units around Christmas time for their kids, and anyone with a wii gamecube controller could make a killing on eBay (I resisted the urge to do just that).
And things remained pretty solid for a little. Super Mario Galaxy ended up being an all-time great, Metroid Prime 3 proved the Wii had something on first-person shooters that even a mouse and keyboard couldn’t duplicate, and other first-party titles gave Nintendo fans exactly what they were looking for (and Sonic made an appearance in Smash Bros., imagine that!), but cracks in the armor were starting to show themselves. The motion controls were unique and different, but gamers soon took notice that the movement wasn’t true 1:1. A lot of third-party developers were taking their titles and simply adding some “waggle” controls that proved more monotonous than fun. The much maligned (by me) EA was surprisingly one of the few third-party developers willing to take the time to tailor their games to nintendo wii controller, but they were the exception. It became clear early on that Nintendo would have to be the ones to innovate and lead the way for the Wii and hope the other developers would follow suit. The problem was, Nintendo was coming up short in that department. Super Mario Galaxy was awesome, but it succeeded in spite of its waggle controls which really added nothing to the experience. Twilight Princess wasn’t clearly any better on the Wii than it was on the Gamecube, and fans would have to wait 5 years to truly experience what it was like to control Link’s sword thrusts. The Mario Kart and Smash Bros. games didn’t do much of anything to advance motion controls, and the most obvious franchise that would benefit from the scheme, Pikmin, was missing in action.

MotionPlus could have served as a catalyst for innovation on the Wii Light Gun, instead it went mostly ignored.

It became clear after only a short while that Nintendo needed to do something to freshen-up the Wii experience, which lead to the release of Wii MotionPlus. Bundled with Wii Sports Resort, MotionPlus was released in 2009 and finally offered true 1:1 motion controls. Sports Resort, like Wii Sports, was basically a tech demo that had little lasting appeal, but it did demonstrate effectively what the peripheral could do. Unfortunately, little arrived following the release to justify the purchase. Again, the only developer to really take advantage was EA with its Tiger Woods franchise, but Nintendo was shockingly slow to utilize its own peripheral. It could be argued that MotionPlus wasn’t even worth owning until 2011′s Skyward Sword, which requires the use of MotionPlus. With every Nintendo console since the Nintendo 64 gamers have come to expect a lack of third-party support, but they could always count on Nintendo. Now even the Big N was coming up short which left most scratching their heads.
I received Skyward Sword as a gift this past Christmas which necessitated the purchase of MotionPlus for me. I had never bothered with it so I went out and bought a new Wii Remote since I couldn’t even find the stand-alone attachment. The new Wii Remotes come with the MotionPlus technology built into them which is definitely nice for new adopters of the console, but I wonder how many are rushing out to buy classic wii controller’s in 2012? Before Skyward Sword, the last new game I got for the Wii was Super Mario Galaxy 2 in 2010. Galaxy 2 is a good game, a very good game actually, but it doesn’t add much to the experience offered up by its predecessor. I actually never finished it, which is surprising to me because I loved the original. My Wii has mostly been a dust magnet for the last 3 years receiving only sporadic use at best. It’s probably been more than 6 months since I last used it, and while I am looking forward to sitting down and taking Skyward Sword for a spin, I am left to ponder the question “Was the Wii a success?”
Financially, there’s no question. The Wii, more or less, saved Nintendo. Had it failed we may never have seen another home console from Nintendo again. The Gamecube was a nice machine, but its lack of quality third-party support really hurt. Nintendo has also seen its own stock as a first-party developer take a few hits over the years. I’ve found myself becoming more and more critical of Nintendo over the years as they seem content to just do what makes the most money and are shunning innovation. By most accounts, Skyward Sword is a great game and I’m pretty optimistic it will be, but I am concerned it will be too similar to the last several Zelda games. I’ve also played a ton of Zelda this past year so if there isn’t enough new elements added I’m concerned I’ll get bored. The last really interesting Zelda game was Majora’s Mask, as it did something new and different that worked. Twilight Princess was a fun game, but it was basically Ocarina of Time 2 with a gimmick that hurt more than it enhanced the experience (yes, I’m talking about wolf Link).

The next big thing or just another gimmick? Only time will tell.

Nintendo did start something with motion controls. Like they did with touch screens with the original DS, now motion controls are showing up everywhere. Sony shamelessly ripped off the Wii with its Move peripheral that, as far as I know, has bombed commercially. Microsoft tried to one-up Nintendo with the Kinect, which offers motion controls without the controller. It’s done quite well commercially and has tapped into the casual crowd Nintendo has milked the last 5 years, but it has yet to be embraced by the “hardcore” gaming crowd. Most look at Nintendo’s innovation as a negative, as we now just have annoying waggle games that are hard to fit into today’s modern living room. I think I’d enjoy the wii classic controller more if it was still 1992 and all of my video game playing was done on a 20″ television set in a small room in the house. In a wide open living room though where I’m 10′ away from my television it can be a pain in the neck to lounge in a chair and have the sensor bar pick up the remote’s signal. It’s a far cry from the PS3′s Blu Ray controllers that send a perfect, delay free signal from almost anywhere in my house. I can basically sit or lay anyway I want and enjoy a video game on my PS3, I can’t say the same for the Wii. I’m actually dreading on how I’ll have to adjust my playing habits to accommodate Skywayrd Sword.
I’ll give credit where credit is due though, Nintendo’s Virtual Console has been a great success. I haven’t take advantage of it as much as I probably should have, but it’s been awesome to have almost every great game from Nintendo systems’ past at my fingertips. Sure, the pricing can be off on some, especially the third-party games where more people need to get paid, but it has been nice to have. My only hope is that the current Virtual Console for the 3DS is expanded. Currently, Nintendo is content to just release old Gameboy games on it, but I want to see Super Nintendo and Gameboy Advance games added as well.

"Xenoblade" should at least keep 2012 from completely sucking for Wii gamers.

Which again, leads me back to the question of whether or not the Wii was a success or failure. As a gaming machine and entertainment device, I feel like I have to rate the system a D+. That may seem harsh, but I’m holding Nintendo to high standards. The system has been dead the last few years with only a game or two worthy of attention released each year. 2012 looks extremely bleak for the Wii as only one notable game on the horizon, the eagerly anticipated and almost cancelled Xenoblade Chronicles, which figures to be the last game I purchase for the Wii. Perhaps I’ll be inclined to bump my rating up to a C- if I come away feeling Skyward Sword is the best Zelda title of all-time (an argument some are willing to make), but a C- is still a pretty poor score for a Nintendo console. As a result, my level of interest in the Wii U is miniscule. I simply do not trust Nintendo at this point with home consoles. Portables sure, but I have a hard time viewing a Nintendo console as the centerpiece for my living room set at this point. I hope I am proven wrong come the fall, but that seems unlikely at this point. 8812abc09 0111

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