Gaming by GlossGreen

After looking through my past posts I noticed a little discrepancy. I have a lack of Wii or DS content on my blog. I don't have many Nintendo articles, I admit that, but it's not because I don't like the Wii or DS. I like Nintendo, I always have. I still have my NES. I've owned a Gameboy, Gameboy Advance, Super Nintendo, and N64. I think I lost my interest after I first saw the Gamecube. Gamecube? Really? Why did they have to make it with a handle? I know the idea, take it to your friends house, get them to play it, and convince them to buy one for themselves. Overall the Gamecube was OK, but other then first party games, there wasn't much there that was decent to play. Before you go all fanboy on me, I know that it did have some good third party games. They just didn't have as many great games as the PS2 or Xbox. I realize that the PS2 had a huge release lead on the Gamecube, but Nintendo didn't help things by having a proprietary format that wasn't much better than a cartridge and lack of DVD support. The reasoning? They were making a games machine not a set-top box.

I understand the logic, I really do. The problem with that logic though is that the consumer wanted a little bit more then what they've had previously. While the PS2 and the Xbox had DVD capabilities, online possibilities and catered to the older generations of gamers, Nintendo stuck to the decision to just make games. That's all good and well, but when you are relying on first party support and don't have much in the way of third party support, you are not going to get many games out there. What they did have were some great first party games (you know the ones, the Mario , Metroid and Zelda games with a few others) and a bunch of kid friendly third party titles. I have no problem with games targeting younger gamers, that's where my daughter started, but you are not going to get many hardcore gamers (the primary game buyers of the time) buying your system with a line-up for children. That seemed to be one of the fatal flaws for the Gamecube. I know it was the reason I didn't buy one.

Fast forward to the Wii (the Revolution name was so much cooler). Like I said before, I do like the stuff from Nintendo, but I have yet to buy a Wii. I do plan on getting one, it's on my list. See, here is the previously mentioned list.

1. Xbox 360
2. Wii
3. DS

I do have the 360 listed first, but that doesn't mean I'll buy it first. It was just the first one I added to my list. Actually, I'm really considering picking up a Wii with my tax return money (if I ever get off my ass and file that is). I haven't played a Mario game in years, Zelda has always been and always will be a favorite, and the Metroid series was a dark breath of fresh air in Nintendo's bright and shiny world. But...I am conflicted. I've been a fan of more adult games for many years now, and for that reason, the conflict. I really want to play Halo (1-3), BioShock, Mass Effect and Gears Of War, games of that type are what I have been playing on my systems since the PS1 days. I haven't been into platformers for many years, but I really want to give it a shot again. Hell, that's why I'm into gaming, to play fun and innovative games. I tend to get bored playing the same genres over and over again. I'm ready to play something other than first person shooters.

The only problems I see with Nintendo now are the same problems I've always had with them, with one new one. First, when are the next series of first party games coming out? What's next with Zelda, Mario, and Samus? I know that Galaxy was released just a couple of months back, as was a Zelda game and the Metroid one, but what is next? The gap between first party games must be shortened, or risk failure like the last generation console. Personally, I would love to see a new IP come out of the minds at Nintendo. Next problem, and the new one, Nintendo has to get a handle on all the crap third party games that are coming out on the Wii. Before it was always a problem with a lack of developer support, now the problem is that every third rate developer and publisher are rushing half-assed games to cash in on the Wii craze. This will be a huge problem if Nintendo doesn't work on it. Ninjabread Man anyone? Oh, by the way, it's getting a sequel.