| Final-Fan said: I'm just shooting from the hip here, but despite the DS's massive success, it's only the successor to previous massive successes. In fact, it's seeing stronger handheld competition than Nintendo has ever had to face before. The Wii, on the other hand, has brought Nintendo up from last place in incredibly dramatic fashion, putting the "hardcore" consoles to shame with the greatest of ease and reversing over a decade of slow declines in Nintendo's popularity. |
I had considered that, but it doesn't quite fit in my mind. I recall the hardcore mocking the DS even worse than they did the Wii during the unveiling, and for two years after (when the DS wasn't doing too hot at all, and was still being outsold by the GBA). True, Nintendo was always king of the handhelds, but for a while there it seemed the DS would end that streak, and there was much rejoicing.
But what really grabs me about this is the fact that the DS is not only being grudgingly tolerated by the hardcore (now), but that it's being outright embraced by them, with a vocal minority even preferring it to all the consoles. I think that's the part that's really throwing me off. The DS is crammed with shovelware, and "non-games" (the most advertised Nintendo game on the system at the moment is basically a cook book! And they're pushing e-books for the DS!). So why the love? The DS still stands for everything the hardcore loathe about the Wii (more so, even), and there's a clear competitor who's willing to push graphics, online, multi-media, and everything else on the hardcore's wishlist. It just seems so inconsistent to me, especially when it's obvious that the DS and its "casual" and "non-games" are clearly shaping what the future of handheld gaming will be like.
To be honest, this makes me suspect that the hardcore will come around to the Wii soon enough as well, although I'll admit to that being more gut-feeling than anything I can support.
Also, thinking back on it, I suspect that if Nintendo had spaced out Mario Kart and Brawl, and then tossed in three or four more traditional games throughout the rest of the year, we'd be hearing a lot less whining from the hardcore. I almost think they were on the brink around April...with the unexpected E3 emphasis on Wii Music and Animal Crossing marking some sort of shift. Again, though, that's more gut-feeling than anything.
