Well I'm just hoping that they deliver with these games. EA might not be the best developer out there, but they can make some pretty good games, like Boom Blox.

I didn't really get into it in the OP, but that's where I was going with the topic (and the thread title should be a question, not a statement). I was suggesting that EA might actually understand the Wii in the same way that Malstrom says the Wii should be used, and the way that Nintendo has approached their Wii games - make them fun, make them approachable, but make them deep. The controls already do a lot of that for you. It's fun using the wiimote pointer in Metroid Prime 3, it's relatively approachable, and the game has a lot of depth to it.

The difference between Nintendo and most 3rd parties so far is that Nintendo uses the wiimote and motion controls wisely, where as most 3rd parties throw it in there just for the heck of it. Even the developers of Madden 08 Wii said there were too many gestures.

Also, Nintendo puts depth even into their "casual games" and "mini-game collections." WiiSports might be a mini-game but there is a good amount of depth in it. The fitness program has 3 exercises for each sport, a total of 15 levels, and you have to unlock them. WarioWare has a decent sizes single player mode that you have to almost complete to unlock the multiplayer mode. On the other hand, most 3rd parties see games like WarioWare and WiiSports and see how they sell, and try to copy it. The successful ones? Carnival Games, Mario and Sonic, and the Rabbids games. Why do they succeed? I would assume it's because those games offer some depth or are more than just "flapping your arms around" as some would describe WarioWare. RRR have good humor, Mario and Sonic does have the name recognition, but from I've played, there's some good games in there. Carnival Games probably has some fun multiplayer, though I've never played it.

Now EA has MySims (which is probably a bridge game), Boom Blox (which even though they're marketing it wrong, it should sell well from word of mouth), and now these sports titles (if they're as good as the article makes them out to be), it seems EA is starting to understand the direction Nintendo is going.

And Nintendo isn't going casual. They're going approachable (and thus expanding the market).

cool, FIFA 09 and Tiger Woods 09 should both be worth a buy.

so they are going cartoony?

 I've read those articles. And you don't think EA is doing that? By making their games more approachable (but not dumbing them down to make them "casual"), you don't think they are trying to move gamers upmarket? Even if that's not their intention (to move gamers upmarket) it would give their games a broader appeal, and thus more sales. At the same time it would move those gamers upmarket, but EA doesn't care about that, EA cares about money. It's Nintendo's job (for the most part) to move gamers upmarket, but those developers that jump the gun and work on moving them upmarket shoud make a good amount of money (if their games are good) because Nintendo won't steal all the sales first.

"As long as we create ways for them [the hardcore] to experience gameplay that they consider meaningful to them, and as long as our accessibility features don't dumb down or dull the experience for them, I think they'll be just fine."

I think that shows they aren't just "lolz casual" but actually thinking about what consumers want. If they were doing that, they would just eliminate most parts of the game, to make way for a party mode only, then make the controls really basic, but throw some motions in there for good measure. The hardcore users for the most part would just buy the other console versions anyway. But that's not what they are doing. They're adding modes specific to what the casual users might want (5-on-5 quick play with some addition rules and the such, like Mississippi rules), while expanding what the hardcore users want (adding the feature of updated rosters, which the 360 version has had for years now I believe). 

Hmm, most of these things sound pretty good, and it's true that EA understands the Wii better than most other publishers, by looking at Boom Blox, Godfather, Medal of Honor Heroes 2, etc.

 Are you for real? I hardly know any PS360 game that has a multiplayer component. In fact, the main thing I don't like about my PS3 is that I can't play it with my girlfriend, as most games don't offer a multiplayer mode. Almost every good Wii game has a multiplayer mode for crying out loud!

No they're not. They have modes that allow for some "old school" style (as the article put it) play, but the main game is about as normal as any other sports game, except the NBA game, which seems to have a very very distinct 90s arcade look, for whatever reason. They are, however, going for a more arcade like look, which from what I can tell by looking at the screen shots in the book, seem to just make the game look brighter and more colorful, which I think works well, and it's really sharp.

It's sort of like in PES08 where they had that one mode where you could play with Miis, and the Miis heads were really big. Sort of like that. 

EA is a big enough company to have people who really understand the Wii, and also people who really don't.

Look at Boom Blox. It's a nearly perfect example of a game made for everybody. Yet the Russell Arons of EA's casual gaming division thinks they should only target 12 year olds. So blinkered.

Peter Moore, heading EA's sports division, sees no reason to pigeonhole sport titles by targeting a single demographic, because sports themselves don't target a particular demographic. Sure, sports might pull more truck with the male population, but it strikes all age categories, and women's interest in sport is ever increasing. No sensible sports promoter is going to drive any of them away. Same goes for video games.

I can't believe i'm looking forward to giving EA money. But.... after Boom Blocks, The Godfather, SSX Blur & MOH: Heroes 2 I have to say I've enjoyed EA a lot this gen.

Last gen the only EA games I played on the GC were SSX3, Timesplitters Future Perfect, and The Lord of the Rings Two Towers & Return of The King.

I hope EA keeps this focus on quality coming, it's suprising, but very welcome.

 I second that!!  Com'on already!  I'd settle for Wii Winter Sports with hockey even.

Re: EA - Yeah I concur that EA is definately one 3rd party that has a better than average understanding of the Wii and will reap the benefits. 

EA doesn't hate money CONFIRMED!