The Wii confuses me. I like Nintendo's first party games, and I like the fact that I KNOW that Nintendo will be in the console race for at least two more gens... but at the same time, I feel that the Wii is overpriced considering its graphical and storage capabilities, dislike the weak online (only good games to play online are mario kart and hardcore tetris DS), and really dislike the Wii remote, as it feels imprecise and gimmicky.
Few games seem better suited for the Wii remote than then the GC controller. Zelda translates fine but is not superior; a modified version of Galaxy (modified the crucial spin move) would be superior with a GC controller, Super Monkey Ball Banna Blitz is terrible, Sonic and The Secret Rings is great except for horid controls that ruins the game, and the Wii remote version of NiGHTS is unplayable. Brawl would be horrilbe with motion controls and the GC controller is superior to Wii remote and Nunchuk. MK Wii Wheel is functional yet imprecise, like SMG's spin move.
Wii Sports tennis is great with the Wii remote, and I have heard good things about Wario Ware Smooth moves and Raving Rabbids. (I have also heard good things about No More Heroes, but it sounds like that is due to incredible style more than controls)
So in the end, the Wii doesn't make 1st party games worse, but it holds them back graphically. The expansion of casual gaming has me hopeful that Nintendo will have more money to create quality hardcore/for everyone games, (not brain age, I mean SMG and Animal Crossing ect), yet at the same time I am afraid that the Wii will crush the 3rd party support of hardcore friendly consoles like the PS3 and 360.
Look at DS vs PSP- PSP is arguably the better system for playing hardcore games due to larger screen, better graphics and sounds, superior Dpad and shoulder buttons, and an analog nub. The DS is also arguably better thanks to it's ability to have touch and traditional controls. I am fearful that the Wii will kill PS360 support the way DS had killed (or almost killed) PSP support.
The DS retains all the buttons of GBA, and even adds and X and Y button, so hardcore functionality is increased and new game controls with stylus are introduced. The Wii remote, on the other hand, adds pointer and twist funtinality, but takes away many of the (imo) perfectly designed buttons from the GC controller, thus making games more casual friendly at the cost of making hardcore games imprecise. I would rather play with a couple joysticks, and don't want to have to play Soul Calibur 5 and Devil May Cry 5 with a Wii remote and inferior graphics.
So is the Wii good or bad for hardcore gamers? I honestly am unsure.
Discuss
