Wii U
Might as well get some discussion rolling. I'm more of a PC guy so this isn't really super meaningful to me but I have an academic interest in consoles for various reasons.
But anyway, new Wii for 2012. New controller is like a mutant baby of a classic controller and an iPad.
Video:
But anyway, new Wii for 2012. New controller is like a mutant baby of a classic controller and an iPad.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eniBUtc4Uws
Comments
It seems that this time around, instead of pushing out a whole new badly conceived gimmick they took a bunch of their previous gimmicks (screen on the controller from the GBA/GC connectivity thing, touch screen from the DS, motion controls from the Wii) and refined and combined them into something that actually works.
I think the key is that they made their gimmicks compliment a fairly traditional gaming setup this time around rather than trying to radically alter a core part of that setup (such as when they threw out a regular controller and replaced it with a waggle-stick, or when they designed a controller to appeal to the subset of gamers with three hands.)
Of course I'm gonna hazrd a guess only one tablet controller will be supported and it won't quite support the full effect of that game.
As for the Wii U... I've lost my faith in Nintendo, and until they can prove that they can make a system with more than 5 good games, I'll be following it distantly.
I thought you ment they'd make another Crystal Chronicles game, of which there's like 3 or 4, which is far more likely.
The Gamecube wasn't really gimmicky, it was just annoying and badly made. It used a low-capacity disc format for no apparent reason (at least the N64 had the excuse of avoiding loading times) and the controller had a pointlessly confusing button layout (instead of the nice cross layout that had become standard at that point they just put in one huge central button with the rest scattered around it seemingly at random.) It also just felt generally cheap and the insensitivity of its joysticks (huge dead zones on those things) was annoying after I'd been spoiled by the Dual Shock 2.
Plus the D-pad was pretty much unusable. I got that collectors CD with the old Zelda games and the NES versions were completely unplayable on the GC controller.
I also found the Gamecube button layout to be quite handy, making it easier to slide your finger across from the A button.
I think the controller design's an odd concept, to say the least. Not that it's practical, or will be necesarily enjoyable, but that it's an intriguing idea.
EDIT: Whoops, didn't see that DI replied already.
Shitty Launch Titles, of which the only one worth getting is the new Wii U Sports that comes with the system/controller(Whatever it is)
People complain about cracking the screen on their controllers after accidentally stepping on them during the golf game.
A few pretty decent 3rd party games are released, and everyone thinks Nintendo has finally gotten support.
A really good Mario game is released and everyone declares the system to be the best ever
Nothing comes out for a looooooooooong time except Shovelware and Angry Birds clones
Smash bros comes out and everyone wishes it was as good as the last one, then declares it to be better.
People realize that this is just another Nintendo system and take solace in the fact that they still make games good enough to buy systems for.
My new plan is to not buy any new Nintendo hardware until the second a Smash Bros. game comes out for it. That's literally the only game I give a shit about anymore on Nintendo consoles.
That doesn't mean much if you already have an Xbox360 or PS3, but for those of us who don't (me, for example) it's a pretty big selling feature.
This, exactly. Smash Bros. That's about it.
Many people complain that PC gaming is being limited by "lame console ports". From my perspective this is fine. Those poor console users literally cannot play anything better than that. If I'm going to be stuck playing shitty console games I'll at least choose the platform on which better games are possible. A console is actually more expensive for me as well. I'd need to buy an HD TV and a console. Compare this to simply buying a good graphics card for well under $200 that's much more powerful than an older console. The rest of the computer I will already have regardless because I am a computer nerd.
Under these circumstances I did not and will not ever buy an Xbox or PS3. The Wii, however I own. I cannot play games of that sort on my PC. The Wii U is basically an upgraded Wii. If my Wii ceases to function (possible due to use by small children and careless teenagers) I would consider replacing it with a Wii U.
And I love the Gamecube controller. I think it's very comfortable. If it had a second Z button on the left side and a better control pad I would have no problems with it.
As far as PC vs console games, I play console games because I like having a big tv screen and a controller and a couch to sit on. Sure, you could make your computer do all that, but that's too much effort for me. Besides, I don't like to play huge, epic games on my computer because if I'm using the computer I'll be needing to constantly minimize the game to IM people and surf the web simply because I can. So I use my computer to play less immersive games like SimCity 4, Stepmania, and outdated racing games from 2000.
playing video games, browsing the web, and watching movies all at once?
*head explodes from sheer awesomeness*