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Resident_Hazard on 12 January 2009
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Tuulikk said:
Resident_Hazard said:

These aren't all the same people as before buying up these games, ie, it's not just the Nintendo fans pushing these sales.  There are a ton of new Wii users adopting these games.  Granted, some are actual, regular hardcore gamers warming up to the new Nintendo system, but it can't be denied that a good number of the Blue Ocean crowd has begun to move to a more hardcore flavor.  Gradually, they'll become more informed, they'll understand more, and they'll want more than just Wii Sports and Carnival Games. 

Well, some Nintendo fans that left after SNES and N64 and probably some Nintendo fans that had a handheld console as last Nintendo console are back. And then we have fresh newstarted core gamers that never was casual. Probably even Xbox 360 and PS3 ovners that have Wii as secondary console buying a few core games for Wii, PS2 and Xbox gamers that moved to Wii. And last the casual/expanded audience going more core. Maybe more kinds of people.

It could be argued, however, that the reason pretty much everything has sold better on the Wii is simply because the GameCube incarnations of many of these games were sub-par compared to what they should have been (aside from Metroid Prime 1).  Wind Waker and Mario Sunshine were easily two of the worst titles in their respective series (yes, I believe this--WW was too easy, too simple, had too many dull fetch-quests, was too predictable, had too many hearts, and so forth). 

I don't know, Wind Waker was a damn good game, but a bit to different to many potential buyers on a console that did not sell so good.

Anyway, I believe that there is clearly a substantial hardcore crowd on the Wii.  So there's no reason at all to be gimping the graphics on these games.  And since the Wii is essentially a much more effecient machine roughly on par with the original Xbox, there's no excuse for any game that looks grossly inferior to Doom 3, Halo 2, God of War, Metal Gear Solid 3, Resident Evil 4, or Rogue Leader.  And when gamers really start seeing how good things can look on the Wii--perceived Blue Ocean crowd, hardcore, or transitional gamers--they'll want better looking software.

Well, there is a reason to gimp the graphics actually and I don't mind. Simpler graphics often translates to cheaper game and less developing time (or smaller team). That can make smaller developers take a chance on Wii and other good things. That said, a good game with polish would probably sell more.

Just some comments in your post.

 

 

Oh, I did forget the swath of former gamers returning with the Wii.  They were part of the plan Nintendo had with the Wii--bring those former gamers out of retirement, so to speak.  Many gamers who "retired" during any of the previous generations will likely see the Wii as a novel way to return to the fold--especially since it has the ability to allow many to revisit their classic gaming memories. 

 I know a lot of fools dismissed Wind Waker due to it's graphical overhaul, but that's not at all why I feel that it's one of the weakest entries in the series.  Like I said, it was way too easy, there were too many hearts, and too many pathetic fetch-quests--most of them for unnecessary heart pieces or rupees.  Frankly, I thought Wind Waker's presentation was brilliant.  Some absolutely gorgeous animation and some great atmosphere, and of course, it's relation to Ocarina of Time.  I also felt that the final battle with Ganon undersea with the ocean pouring in was one of the best battles of the series.  But the game fell too far short in too many ways.  Sailing took forever, and for as large as that world was, it just felt so empty.  Bosses were all push-overs and puzzles were more obvious to solve than probably any other time in the series' history.

 

This year will show us just how many hardcore gamers there are on the Wii.  And there will be plenty of reasons for hold-out hardcore gamers to finally adopt the system.  Hopefully, the seemingly solid and impressive initial line-up of titles won't peter out halfway through the year like they did in 2008.  We started with No More Heroes, and then moved to Smash Bros, then Mario Kart and then Wii Fit--Nintendo seemed to be on a roll churning out some higher quality titles.  Then, nearly nothing.  Part of spring, all of summer, part of fall--the hits had vanished.  Hopefully it won't be the same this year.  That will be an important part of snagging dollars from the hardcore hold-outs.