[aldo_14]

Describing the Wii as using old technology is like saying a Pentium 4 is 'just a lot of transistors'. It's true for a given value of True

By all accounts the Wii control method is most new technology anyways, plus the internals were developed as ultra low power (AFAIK), they are new chips, etc, so it's assuredly not the Gamecube-with-motion-controllers Deepblue is so keen on painting it as, any more than the DS is a gameboy advance-with-touchscreen.

[Inquisitor]

Well, I dunno about that. Its a very upgraded Gamecube. Think a nice PC upgrade, otherwise same platform. And some spiffy new controllers.

[aldo_14]

Well, I dunno about that. Its a very upgraded Gamecube. Think a nice PC upgrade, otherwise same platform. And some spiffy new controllers.

Technically, if I bung in a new (for example) Socket A with lower power requirements, lower heat and more cache, and then a new graphics card, and them some new RAM, etc, it's still new technology... I think it's rather odd to decry the Wii as 'old tech' simply because it's not got the same level of sheer horsepower of far more expensive (particularly to manufacture - especially the PS3) consoles, when it's clearly built to a different spec and more around efficiency, size, etc, than just pumping polygons.  Decry that design decision, sure, but the 'old tech' argument doesn't wash with me.

(yeah, Nintendos' quietness on tech specs hasn't worked in their favour here, but if we're judging technological progression on graphics alone, then we're in need of help here; hell, Moores law didn't predict chip performance but density, technological progression is a lot more than megahertz or mips - especially as those two terms mean bugger all anyways )

[Flipside]

Well, I think there's some market pressure going on there, the latest NPD Press Release regarding the demands of Next Gen console buyers rates Backwards compatability very highly, especially among the more hardcore gamers. I would assume that is because they already have a large collection of games for older systems that they want to continue playing, and, to a certain a degree, though I hate to use the word, a degree of 'Fanboy-ism'.

http://www.npd.com/press/releases/press_061113.html

Having loaded up Mame and played Galaxians etc, however, I know what a massive let-down it can be to go back to the games you loved in your youth

[Ulala]

My friend bought a Wii + 2nd Wiimote the other day, no problems. Everything worked flawlessly. I was impressed with how fun it was. I've asked for one for Christmas now. *crosses fingers*

[Mefustae]

I'd really like to get one, but I think i'll wait for a while until I can get a cheaper Wii + Zelda package or something, or maybe a Wii + Metroid 3 deal. Or at least until the second and third run batches are disseminated.

[achtung]

Yeah, I'll probably end up getting a Wii, probably for the ability to play my old favorites more than anything. 

* Swantz misses Super Mario 64

[watsisname]

A friend of mine got "Zelda: Twilight Princess" the other day, and I must say it's pretty awesome.  Controlling Link has never been so much fun.

[Ulala]

So, if you hate fanboy-ism, don't read my post, because I guarantee you'll think of it as that. I wrote this in response to a friend of a friend who was having serious doubts about Nintendo's new console, and I thought maybe some of you would be interested. As with just about everything you hear from me, take this with a grain of salt:

So I'm told you're having doubts in Nintendo's ability to pull off the unusual, but definitely lovable Wii. I implore you to listen to your (not very) elder when I say that you're mistaken to worry my friend. I bought my Wii a couple days ago (my brother works at Game Crazy, so I had the connection to snag one), and let me tell you, I have never in my life had as much fun on a console as I have with Wii.

Granted, I'm still a genuine PC gamer and I'm sure I always will be. Playing Supreme Commander, Crysis, Portal, etc... on any console is by leaps and bounds not the same as on my computer (if you haven't heard of these games, please look up their trailers on youtube, they're amazing). However, what my computer cannot do, consoles can: that is provide a (usually) less real, but more goofy, fun, and not-so-long-term-commitment-necessary gaming experience. This experience has its place, and I want to be a part of it, just like basically every other gamer out there. I can't think of any hardcore computer gamers who haven't touched a console. Nintendo's Wii-remote takes the fun that consoles provide to the next level.

I will admit, I was skeptical at first, not toward the functionality (I trust Nintendo in functionality, especially after having played many hours of DS), but rather toward the long term life span. Would I really want to be swinging that stupid thing around after the 20th hour of Zelda, having dealt with it every excrutiating hour along the way? The simple answer: absolutely. Now, I haven't had time to play Zelda for 20 hours yet, but I have played for almost 5; I can tell that by hour 20, and even after eventually beating the game, I will only want more literal sword swinging, shield bunting, and point and shoot slingshotting that the Wii-remote has to offer. Seriously! Beating the crap out of enemies with actual movement rather than pushing buttons leaves a strange satisfaction that I can't really even describe. This is why you, just like everyone else, must try before passing judgement.

After you've played for a few hours, if you still don't think Nintendo's new setup has what it takes to meet your console gaming needs, then it is my firm belief that it's your loss. And that's not all; the Wii's innovative system offers more than just a new fun way to play for you, it offers itself to everyone you know. Incredibly intuitive, my mom and I were able to play 18 holes of golf today in Wii Sports with little to no problem (even though she hasn't touched a console uh.... ever). Now, Mom might not be as interested in Zelda, but Wii's wide variety of games (many of which are still on the way) ensures that there's something everyone can enjoy. I greatly enjoy playing video games with people who haven't seen the light yet, and Wii opens their eyes with incredible ease. Trust me, I've seen it happen.

Yes, Nintedo has in fact turned me into a fanboy, but not without a very, very good reason: Wii.

His response was

Well, I'm not convinced, but you've at least persuaded me to try. I just think the idea of swinging around a little remote is a little silly. It wouldn't move like a real sword and there wouldn't be a feel of impact when you hit an enemy...although I'm probably stretching a little bit with that, that's impossible to expect something like that. I prefer the basic design of the PS2, X-box or Gamecube controllers.

His words have merit, but once he's tried it I'm sure he'll come to know that it is really fun anyway, even if it doesn't swing like a real sword. 

[aldo_14]

To be honest, if you had to swing it like a real sword people would complain about getting tired anyways, so it's lose-lose 

I'm getting desperately impatient to try the thing, anyways.

(actually, I doubt there's the precision for that type of exact 1-1 mapping anyways; I think a gesture system is likely to be the way to go for quite some time, and IMO even that is a huge leap from button pressing and very promising for the future)

[Nuke]

is it just me or are consoles becoming just as much of a pita as computer games, the ps2/xbox era consoles were fairly stable, load a disc and it always worked. now it seems they have glitches that used to be associated with computers, like crashes, boot problems, overheating. it sounds to me like they dont give a **** about the only good trait consoles always had, rock solit stability. with that gone, i suspect to see more people go back to computers. i decided back in '97 that consoles were a waste of time and money. i dont think my mint will change any time soon. when the consoles were first announced i thought they could be a serious contender to pcs, but seems thats no longer the case.

[Mefustae]

It's because there's now a lot of money in consoles. Companies want more monies, so they take bigger risks to gain bigger profits, which inevitably leads to corner-cutting building to an overall ****ification of the entire technology sector. Thankfully, I think we're on a point of seperation between the PC-wannabes embodied in the 360 & PS3 [moreso the latter, apparently], and the... well, the Wii. Next generation will be very interesting, I can tell you that much.