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Nvidia: saying graphics don't matter is 'nonsense'
"They're talking nonsense. It's ridiculous to say that graphics don't matter." Those are the words of Nvidia's VP of content, Roy Taylor, in response to those that don't believe graphics are important -- Nintendo presumably included. Of course, since Nvidia and graphics technology are largely synonymous with each other, it would have been ludicrous to expect him to say anything else (Our chips totally don't matter!) in his interview with Next Generation. "That's like saying, 'The quality of my TV screen doesn't matter.' Oh really? So then in that case, you can go watch 24 in black-and-white on a seven-inch screen."The counter-argument to be made here is obviously that the sentiment shared by many gamers and Nintendo doesn't imply that we'd be happy to regress to terrible graphics. Instead, their stance has been that graphics have reached a "good enough" level and can no longer significantly enhance gameplay. The "24 in black-and-white on a seven-inch screen" argument doesn't quite make sense, as the primary qualities of the show wouldn't be particularly affected by switching to a 1080p television. Perhaps a better analogy would have Jack Bauer replaced by an angry, but not entirely believable sock puppet. Taylor goes on to say that graphics can greatly improve in-game emotion, with technology aiding in creating detailed facial expressions and realistic movement. This is valid point, though it requires consideration of what experience the game is trying to convey. A title like Gears of War is absolutely made more fun by its intense and involving cinematic presentation, whereas a game like Wii Sports is less dependent on seamless worlds and nuanced characters. Perhaps a compromise can be reached by saying, "Graphics should be good enough for the intended gameplay."
Conan takes on Serena in Wii Tennis
What should you do when you have a former World Number 1 ranked tennis player on your late night talk show? Challenge her to Wii Tennis, of course!That's what Conan O'Brien decided to do last night when he had Serena Williams on as a guest. We caution the little ones to avoid direct eye contact with O'Brien's scantily-clad body, as the sheer paleness reflects light and can blind you. Look closely and you'll see that the production team made Miis of the host and guest.We won't give away the final score, but it was a close game. Video embedded after the break.[Thanks, Sam]
Wii Warm Up: Wii Sports accomplishments
We know you guys still like to get in there with the racket or the boxing gloves -- you told us -- so we're dying to know about all the bragging rights you can claim in Wii Sports. Are you struggling to just get bronze medals, or are you maybe rolling in the platinum? Have you gone pro? What's the state of your Wii Sports habit?
Today's hottest game video: Wii Boxing beat-down [update 1]
Today's most-watched YouTube game video shows a violent -- and possibly deadly -- end of a Wii Sports boxing match. (Who are we kidding? Nintendo made sure to show the loser standing up in the far corner after each bout, so surely no Miis get too hurt.)After the break, watch a fierce KO-punch that results in a near-somersault by the opposing player. Then watch it again in slow motion.[Update 1: We send a big nod (and the wish to never meet in a Wii Boxing ring) to The1Qwerty who created the video. Sorry we missed mentioning you when first linking the video from YouTube.]
Wii Fanboy Review: Brando Wii Sports Pack
When we first learned of Brando's Wii Sports accessories, we knew it was our civic duty to get our hands on a set in the name of you, the readers. Because we're here for you. We're BFF. And, well ... they just looked like fun. So we pleaded and cried, and Brando hooked us up. The Sports Pack arrived quickly, more quickly than we expected, in fact. They were then put through a rigorous testing process, and now that we're the world's foremost experts* on these new accessories, we're gonna let you in on everything we learned. Check out the full review, along with loads of pictures, after the jump. *This is a shameless lie.
Interactive Achievement Awards nominees announced, Gears in the lead
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences has announced the nominations for the 10th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards. Though Gears of War has yet to make an acquaintance with that irrelevant temptress, Emmy, it stands a very good chance of winning a statuette that actually matters -- it's been nominated in ten different categories, including Console Game of the Year, Action / Adventure Game of the Year, and Overall Game of the Year. The AIAS (probably not pronounced "Ahyeehuss") also fancies The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, each garnering six nominations. These, along with Guitar Hero II and Wii Sports complete the list of classy nominees in the Overall Game of the Year category. The full list of nominees is available on the official Ahyeehuss website.[Via GameDaily BIZ]See also: Joystiq's Game of the Year
DIY game case replacement covers
Does that Wii Sports' generic disc sleeve get your blood boiling? Has it steadily climbed your list of annoyances -- sticking out like some cheap freebie demo disc in your otherwise tidy display case? Dude, then you needs to check out CDCovers.cc. The site maintains a growing archive of video game cover art.With a little time and care (and cash), you'll have crafted an authentic Wii Sports game case. A viable solution for the true connoisseur.[Thanks, Jonah]See also: A much better Wii Sports DVD case
Wii Warm Up: Still getting in the game?
So, are you still playing Wii Sports? We don't just mean with your family members or nongamer friends -- after all, now you have Wario Ware to throw into that mix. No, we mean just you, alone with a racket Wiimote, plugging away for that platinum medal in Target Practice. Personally, it's still a big favorite in this blogger's house, both for multi- and single player action. It seems an appropriate question of the day, so tell us -- are you still breaking out the Wii Sports once or twice a week (or even more)?
Wii Sports Experiment sheds nine pounds
While some folks are struggling just to stay out of the hospital when getting too amped up playing their Wii, Mickey DeLorenzo, a 25-year-old living in Philadelphia, decided to meld exercise and gaming together and further substantiate the most obvious research study of the year. His Wii Sports Experiment started in December of last year and ran for six whole weeks, and while he sought to keep his eating habits constant, he devoted 30 minutes per day to Wii Sports and monitored his weight, BMI, calories burned per session, body fat percentage, heart rate, and physical soreness. Mickey started out at 182 pounds, and after a month and a half of Wii workouts, whittled his weight down to 172 pounds, which he found quite amazing considering that this was the first substantial loss he had attained in over two years, and he never even cut back on the Eat 'N Park cookies (or similar). Moreover, according to The American Council on Exercise, he went from the "acceptable" category to the "fitness" category, and seemed to gain a huge boost of self-esteem in the process. So if the Subway diet just doesn't mesh with your taste buds, and you're desperate to find an excuse to game it up instead of going for a jog, be sure to hit the read link for all the encouragement you'd ever need, and click on through for a bit of footage from the entire process.[Via SMH]
Joystiq hands-on: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 (Wii)
Wii Sports scored a spot among our favorite games of 2006 because of its innovation and motion-tastic controls. But we'd still rather play in-depth, stand-alone versions of the pack-in sports; Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 is one of the first to answer the stand-alone challenge. I recently got to swing Tiger's virtual driver -- and putter -- with the Wii game, schedule for mid-March release.Wii Sports Golf has grown on me as I've played it more. But the bundled title has many drawbacks, like quirky club control, lack of slice sensing, and an inability to spin the ball. As I would expect from EA's stand-alone title, Tiger Woods bests Wii Sports in all of those areas -- with a few caveats. While I only got a short session with Tiger Woods and I'm only casually a golf game fan, I'm looking forward to a golf game for the first time since, well, ever.
Wii workouts really do work it out
Six weeks ago, the big cheese over at WiiNintendo.net decided to embark on an experiment in becoming a smaller cheese via the playing of Wii Sports. No other changes -- no altering his (holiday) diet, no sneaky extra exercise, just his trusty Wiimote and nunchuk, a dream, and a lot of heart. Oh, and sometimes his lady.Dramatics aside (the Rocky-inspired picture brings it out), the results of the experiment are in and things are looking good for gamers who like to get in the game with the pack-in. Tennis and boxing are big calorie burners, and playing 30 minutes of Wii Sports per day resulted in a loss of nine pounds, 2% body fat, and a visible reduction in body size. Everything is outlined fully, and there's even a snappy video or two to break the monotony of stats. We would have liked to see a food log along with the experiment; after all, one might subconsciously eat less during such a test, or better yet, begin to eat less as normal day-to-day activity increases. But this is unlikely to be the last such experiment we'll see, so maybe next time. In the meantime, shouldn't you be rocking out with some tennis?[Thanks, Josh!]
Craptacular attachments for Wiimote
We mused about the subject a few months back, and now PEGA's delivering with a set of cheap plastic Wiimote attachments. For ¥2,780 (about $23), suckers can preorder the set, which includes a mock golf club, baseball bat, and tennis racket (all measuring approximately 16 inches in length). At that length (and without much weight), the attachments won't add much to the sense of realism; though they will increase the risk of actually striking someone or something while playing Wii Sports. No thanks.See also: Wii-eel attachment looks rather un-wii-ldy
Wii Warm Up: What's driving the Wii's success?
It's safe to say that the Wii has been a rousing success despite rumblings about the graphics and system capabilities. But what's behind the crazy demand for our favorite new console? It can't just be the controller -- whether you think it's a little gimmicky or a real innovation, the Wiimote isn't the only reason behind the already high sales. So what effect are the other factors, like price and the inclusion of Wii Sports, having on demand? How much is the "DS effect" driving sales? Tell us what you think and what your experiences have been with other people who've joined in on the Wii craze.
Active gaming burns more calories, coordination still a concern
A recent Mayo Clinic study may indicate that kids burn significantly more calories while playing active games (e.g., Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix 2, Wii Sports) than while engaged in sit-down games. That this conclusion seems obvious is part of the problem.Parents may now be more content than ever to plop their kids in front of the TV if they perceive that a few hours of active gaming will substitute for necessary exercise. Even if kids, on average, burn twice as many calories while on the dancepad than while button-smashing a gamepad, they're still simply engaged in virtual activity. Wii Sports might be all the rage but "touching a virtual ball is not the same thing as catching a real ball," warns Active Healthy Kids Canada director of development Jennifer Cowie Bonne, "You need those types of [real life] fundamental skills to build a foundation for a lifelong involvement in other types of physical activity." You wouldn't want Junior to grow up throwing baseballs like a pansy, would you?
Today's tiniest game video: Wii played on Game Boy Advance
Okay, before y'all fall over yourselves telling us that he's using a special cartridge allowing him to pipe in a video signal to his Game Boy Advance, let us beat you to the punch -- we know that. It still looks pretty cool playing the Wii on a GBA screen. Though why you would even want to do this is an entirely different matter. Also, just forget about that sucker being portable. For now, it's just a nifty little "Gee whiz!" feature that'll make you pine for a Wii Boy Portable one day. We can dream.Peep the vid after the jump and imagine everything else you can play on that tiny screen, thus destroying your eyesight and/or going blind. You've been warned.
Facing the onset of ennuii
Though you may have already discovered this for yourself, it's generally impossible to emulate the men and women you see flailing about in Wii commercials. They're far too energetic, suspiciously excited and quite possibly, entirely synthetic. They're robots, okay? This chap in the video, on the other hand, is clearly human. Watch as his Wii Tennis enthusiasm gradually declines and then reclines into an armchair of lethargy. Sweeping social statement regarding humanity at large, or an amusing jab at our favorite waggle machine? Either way, that's a brilliant Wii pun. We would have claimed it we weren't so damn tired.[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
The progression of ennui(i)
Has your Wii Sports experience gone from exciting to stale? Apparently that's the case for some, as is exhibited in the amusing video embedded after the jump. So tell us -- are you still bouncing around all willy-nilly, or have you figured out that you can just as easily Wii while slumped on the couch with a beer in one hand?
Everybody's doing it: Wii workouts
We've run across a couple of bloggers taking on Wii Sports workout regimens and we must say that it does sound appealing. It's funny -- preWii, people were complaining about the potentially tiring effect of playing for hours, and now other people are looking to maximize that very effect. We must say that a few rounds of boxing or tennis are pretty nice after a long day at the computer. What's your take on it? Think that Wii Sports can have any effect on a gamer's physique?
Wii Sports, now with tools
Now you can use tools when bashing friends, family, or furniture with your Wiimote. Oh, and make your Wii Sports experience a little more realistic, too, but surely that's secondary to the imminent destruction these bad boys are going to bring about. The above set seems like a bargain at $22 for a bat, racket, and club extension, but if you're sending a remote flying across the room, we hate to think of the damage these things could cause. Please remember to Wii with caution.[Via Engadget]
Wii Sports Pack offers trio of Wiimote extensions
In what's likely to go down as the most heavily accessorized (and harmful) controller ever, Nintendo's Wiimote sure is garnering a lot of attention from accessory makers. Sure, those Wii Gloves may keep butterfinger disasters from ever occurring, but they really don't give you any sort of competitive advantage when throwing down in Wii Sports. While we knew JoyTech was planning its own barrage of controller add-ons, it looks like Brando is offering up a sweet trio of Wiimote extensions to presumably improve your Wii Sports play. For just $22, you'll get a tennis racket, golf grip, and a baseball bat, which could arguably pull double duty as a sword in Red Steel. Of course, you'll still need to pick up that foam donut separately (or bundled in with another game) for the ultimate Excite Truck experience, but hey, you gotta start somewhere.
