I think you're right about that. It was more linear than 64/Sunshine, but it followed the pattern of bigger, prettier, more polished. It was damned awesome, let there be no doubt about that, but it's hard to argue that it was the product of a new philosophy.

Thinking about it, didn't Nintendo say that Twilight Princess would be the last of the traditional Zeldas, and that the next version would be something fresh and new? Maybe you'll get your wish sooner rather than later. Mind you, this is in Nintendo time, so it might not be until 2010.

I think his point is that Nintendo's new philosophy and the traditional core philosophy are so different that they are incompatible.

To mix the two together can only result in meeting halfway. It's a neither nor situation that does neither approach justice.

But what I think you are saying is that Nintendo will in future use their old franchises to front new games based on the new philosophy, which is an exciting possibility.

They will be a complete departure from previous games in their respective franchises to the extent that they will be almost foreign to core audiences.

Nintendo's new philosophy is about new experiences. It's about challenging the very definition of what constitutes a videogame and pushing boundaries.

That so many haters try to discredit games like Wii Fit and Wii Music as non-games is testament to this very fact. 

I love how Wii owners have completely hijacked this troll thread, and turned it into a thoughtful discussion.

Well done, blokes. Well done, and carry on.

@Noname - That was exactly what I was thinking!

@Xponent - That was exactly what I was meaning!

I cannot really see how combining the traditional core values with the new ones could make for games that do not feel like they have  a split personality. It's actually for the same reason I cannot see how Microsoft could tap into the popularity of the Wii without having an equally split personality brand. They are opposites, and do not mix well.

And that tied the both discussions together neatly, didn't it?

Well I also think that mario kart wii was a title that meshed casual and hardcore very well. More than people give it credit for at least. That's why it's selling so goddam well.

@Killergran:

Well, I'm going to respectfully disagree with you concerning the success of Phantom Hourglass and NSMB in terms of quality. The sales speak for themselves, for more eloquently than I ever could.

And Xponent is right, I meant that they would be rebuilding these games from the ground up according to the new philosophy, which would make them almost nothing like previous games in the series - revolutions not seen since Super Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time, in other words. That's beyond exciting.

@Xponent:

Yes, quite so! A complete reinventing of the franchises is exactly what i would hope for. The possibilities are literally limitless, and the idea of where Miyamoto and Aonuma might take the series at this point makes me slightly giddy to contemplate. They could literally do anything, and in the hands of creative people that has the potential to be immensely powerful.

@noname2200:

Gotta love some linearity in Mario games. I am not afraid to admit that Sunshine actually left me kind of dazed and without a sense of direction as to where to go some of the time I was playing. I suppose that says a lot! But the gentle directions and the overworld map in Galaxy completely fixed that feeling for me.

And yes, I also like the direction this discussion has taken. It is the way: an entirely new video game message board experience, unlike anything ever posted before...

I guess I'm going to have to hijack this thread right back!!! Lol...
Anyways, on-topic like a good poster.

I don't see why 360 motion controls would be that compelling, especially optional ones. The chance of it getting anywhere are minimal. Motion controls are not akin to a fix that has to be satisified with a certain object. It isn't that definable. Options to use 360 motion controls would certainly not make the Wii obsolete, as there are many key factors like involved like support.

There, a response from a most certainly qualified for the topic's question person.

Now this is almost entirely true, but reinventing Mario Kart borders on impossible - it's practically the earliest example of the new philosophy. Something as simple as the wheel can help with that.

I'd be interested in a study that showed how the demographic split for MKWii goes, though. To see whether it appeals more towards the core or the Blue Ocean, I mean to say.

Leave it to Nintendo fanboys to write novels on this thread. don't you have any games you could be playing.....any at all?

I know a ton of less core players (casual if you will) who own it. and obviously a lot of people on this site own it. So i'd say the split is pretty even.