Wii: What to Do When the Magic's Gone
What we all knew was going to happen is finally coming to pass: the wow-factor of the Wii is kind of wearing off. At this point, we haven’t seen any good releases since launch other than Wario Ware: Smooth Moves, and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is MIA from the Q1 release list. What’s a fan to do? Well, we just have to wait.
In a recent article on Computer and Video Games, Mike Jackson discusses just this problem. He sees a resolution in the release of Nintendo first-party titles and constant virtual console releases, but is it that simple? Though there’s plenty of talk about third-party support for Nintendo this time around, where are the actual innovative third-party games? So far, most of what we’ve seen has been ports of games with poorly executed Wii controls added in. That’s not what sells consoles. Original content that takes advantage of hardware is what sells consoles, but are we going to see enough of that to make a difference?
When asked about what’s coming out for the Wii that’s exciting, most everyone will talk about Metroid, Mario or Super Smash Bros., which are all great, but what about something new and interesting? Nintendo’s problem isn’t that they don’t have great IP, the GameCube has plenty of great Nintendo games, it’s that they don’t have anything else.
I know this piece sounds unnecessarily down on Nintendo, but we really need to stop the rose-colored glasses routine. Yes, the Wii is a cool console that has a very interesting gimmick, but for that gimmick to continue to work, other people need to learn how to use it properly. When we start seeing more than the occasional good third-party title, then I’ll happily admit that Nintendo is going to mop the floor with the competition and restore order to the galaxy, but until then, Wii Sports can only be charming for so long.
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I agree, I havn’t used my Wii in a couple of weeks now. The only game I own besides Wii Sports is Zelda (a Nintendo IP, big suprise). While Metroid, Mario, and Super Smash bros are all going to be great games, they are also more of the same from Nintendo.
Also, I wouldn’t hold your breath for Metroid, Mario, AND Super Smash this year. Considering not a single one of them is even on the radar right now, I doubt Nintendo would cram them all into the end of the year (atleast one of them is going to be pushed back to 2008, you can be sure of that).
So much for Reggie’s claim of “no game droughts for the Wii”. There hasn’t been an appealing game since launch in November!
Sonic and the Secret Rings comes out February 20th.
We also have SSX Blur, Mario Party 8, and Prince of Persia to hold us over all the way to mid-March.
Right now the third party support seems fine. Sonic and PoP seem like they’ll make good use of the remote. I know none of those are system sellers, but it’s not like we’re having a drought or anything.
OMG
People – I have pretty much Every system under the sun (well not dumb enough to get a Xbox 360 or PS3 as of yet) but the Wii has been the center of attention from the get go. I just picked up Wii Play and have been playing that non-Stop. Rayman raving rabbits has been awesome and that is 3rd party. I can understand that 3rd party would be slow right now most of them bet on the PS3 or the 360 which lost out in this fight.
I have not lost interest in this AWSOME innovative system. Also the fact that they have not been able to stay on shelves for more then 2 minutes should tell you that a LOT of people feel the same way.
thank you
Port Rocket Jockey to the Wii!
You still can’t find a Wii in stock anywhere. The hard core gamers are the ones that will get bored the quickest. The more casual gamer like me isn’t buying a game a week simply since I don’t have the time. Wii sports still rocks and my friends come over and ask to play. Zelda, Rayman and Excite Truck keep me going. I’m drooling for Metroid but I can wait.
I’m an ex-hardcore gamer, now mid 30′s and with a family. I don’t have time to play a lot of games, but I managed to camp out on launch night for the Wii (gotta do something crazy at least once in our lives) and have sports, zelda, super monkey ball, and just got excite truck for my birthday. All in the name of “it’s for my son”, of course. I just, um, have to show him how to play it.
I was skeptical about excite truck, but have found it engaging and fairly addictive. It’s strange, but to me the “absolute reality” games are not fun anymore. Life is real, games should not try to mimic that. Playful, cartoonish physics is fun, and whenever I get that 1/2 hour to play, Excite Truck is perfect. No big learning curve, no wasted time herding sheep just to get to the next “item”, etc.
Early on I expected to get a PS3, but the Wii is still IMHO without an equal, and I’m absolutely SICK of people comparing the consoles having to always throw in “the Wii has poor graphics” etc. BS. They’re not high definition, but they’re still very good.
My dad (late 60′s) started playing Wii Sports and every time he comes over now he is asking to play some more. I’ve *never* seen him excited over video games, and I’ve been playing them (a lot) since the late 70′s.
I think that anyone writing about the Wii losing its luster is just looking for something to write about. How much can we all beat up on PS3 anymore and still sound insightful?
uzi
Nearly every game platform goes through a slight ‘drought’ after the launch window closes, and the Wii is no exception. Look back at the first year of the PS2, Xbox, and Gamecube, and it was the same thing. The 360 dodged this bullet slightly because of a number of launch titles had been pushed back a few months (Oblivion, GRAW), but it still had a slow period.
Publishers commit a certain amount of resources to get titles on the shelves at the hardware launch, then wait to see which games perform well before greenlighting new titles. And more games get released in the last quarter of the year to take advantage of the holidays – this time of the year is traditionally slow, new hardware launches or not.
It’s probably a good thing that there aren’t armloads of new Wii titles, since the hardware is in short supply and these games might struggle to meet sales expectations simply because would-be consumers can’t find the hardware in order to play the software on.
It’s understandable to be skittish about the Wii given the sad state of the Gamecube’s lifespan, but the situation is being exaggerated. Don’t let the hardcore nerds with their game-a-week habits who already burned through the Wii’s launch library cast too much of a dark cloud on the future of the platform.
Uh, Wii Play is flying off shelves and is difficult to find in cities.
Q1 is usually a slow area for consoles. What’s going on with 360 and PS3 that’s more interesting than Wii? If anything, PS2 has the most interesting Q1 games for me anyway.
No mention of Rayman Raving Rabbids or Elebits? These are not only terrific games but they make unique use of the Wii controller.
I suspect that the “my Wii is boring” attitude is coming from the point of view of the hardcore gamer and not the average Wii customer.
I have to wonder if dissing the Wii is going to take the place of dissing the Mac for bloggers who need a quick boost to stats on a slow Monday morning.
Have you seen the sheer amount of positive press the Wii is getting? If I manage to go through a day without seeing 50 or 60 “WII SAVED THE ENTIRE WORLD FROM A COMET”, I’ll be surprised. My commentary on the Wii comes from the opinion of several non-gamers, my family included, who are bored with the Wii (including raving rabbids). So, not everyone who thinks the Wii needs a boost is on the M$ payroll, can’t find one or is just plain bitter.
I do think Wii Play will give it a boost for a little while, but that will wear thin shortly as well. Sadness, however, looks great.