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Wii Warm Up: Enter initials
Dude, so we were playing some Alien Crush, and we killed the bonus stage with the dragons over and over again. We totally scored like five billion points and it was so AWESOME that we had to call everyone we knew and tell them about it. Okay, we're embellishing a bit. When we say we "totally scored like five billion points," we mean that we "continue to be awful at Alien Crush despite playing and loving it for eighteen years." But without our humble admission, you'd have no reason to doubt us! And that leads into our discussion.Simply put, we want leaderboards. We aren't going to get online play in VC games any time soon (or ever,) so we'll ask for the next best thing. We want to be able to see the high scores for games that, you know, have scores. We don't need prizes or anything. We'd be motivated enough by the idea that we could put our three-letter tag (mine: JC!) at the top of a nationwide or worldwide list if we were any good, which we aren't.Are high score leaderboards worth doing? Do you see value in friendly competition like this? Or did you always flip right past the high score page in old gaming magazines? Perhaps most importantly, what are your high score initials?
Wii Warm Up: Family ties
Since it's Mother's Day around these parts, we thought it might be a good day to share stories about gaming with the family. We want to hear about all the weird and wacky moments when you've shared the controller with your parents, and all the things they won't let you forget about ... like that one time like ten freakin' years ago when we played some sort of virtual reality shooter and mom just happened to win. I will never hear the end of that. Ever.
Wii Warm Up: Rock Band to empty Wii owners' wallets?
A Gamespot reader participated in a focus group about Harmonix's Rock Band, and then, being a civic-minded individual, did the Right Thing and blabbed about it to the Internet. Apparently, he was told by the test administrators that the rhythm game would be coming to the Wii. Don't hyperventilate-- we know the idea of an EA game going multiplatform shatters your worldview, but we will get through this together.Harmonix (developer of the wonderful Frequency and Amplitude, as well as Genuine Cultural Phenomenon Guitar Hero) is considering selling the game, a wireless controller, a microphone, and a drum kit (with a kick pedal) as a bundle. They tested price points of $150, $175, and $200 on the focus group, looking for reactions. Guess which one they preferred?We don't want to know if you aren't planning on buying this (Harmonix music game = insta-buy for us), but we would like to know which configuration interests you the most. Are you interested in any one instrument in particular? Plan to go in with some friends and form a band? Or are you just going to buy the whole thing yourself?[Via NeoGAF]
Wii Warm Up: Spousal abuse
Reader zizzy wrote in to let us know about a supposed spousal scrabble over Wii that's leading to divorce. Apparently, the wife was so completely fed up with all the time her husband was spending with his Wii that she threw it in a lake. That's what we call tough love.On a serious note, gaming can at times be a strain on a couple's relationship, and it's not necessarily linked to gender roles. It helps if both parties play games, or at least understand the attraction, and no one ignores their partner in favor of pixels (at least, not much). But it's not always that easy. Despite the fact that more adults play games now than anyone else, there are still just as many adults who don't understand the hobby and consider it childish or a waste of time.We'd love to hear from our readers about dealing with gaming in the context of a relationship. Has your hobby led to any issues in a relationship, or are you lucky enough to have someone who understands? If you're still looking for that special someone, would you prefer to date another gamer, or is it a hobby you prefer not to share?
Wii Warm Up: Friend or foe?
With the possibilities of cooperative gameplay in some surprising titles, we reflected on the lack of decent co-op found in gaming today. Certainly, executing a flawless plan with a buddy in, say, Gears of War (sorry, we couldn't think of a decent example on the Wii) is gaming nirvana, but far more commonly implemented competitive modes give a lasting edge to games for years; just take a look at the brilliant Super Smash Bros. Melee, or, you know, any popular FPS in the last decade. With that in mind, where would you rather your game go: co-op or competitive? Where should gaming companies focus, and is there any demand for strange hybrids of the two, such as the compelling The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures?
Wii Warm Up: For mom
How many mothers out there would appreciate a Wii this Mother's Day -- if, that is, there was one to be found? This blogger's mother certainly would, and she can't be the only one. So tell us, readers ... have your parents tried to lay claim to your Wii? The mainstream media makes a lot of noise about the Wii's success with nontraditional gamers, but has the console reached that level of success? If your mothers are dropping not-so-subtle hints about wanting something different this Mother's Day, we want to know.
Wii Warm Up: Do you rep gaming through tattoos?
You can see reader Nate's dual tattoos on the right, which he sent to us in response to a pair of stories about fabulous gaming tattoos. So, we started wondering who of you out there have gaming ink on their body somewhere. Personally, we're big crybabies when it comes to needles (seriously, stay away with those things), so a tattoo is out of the question for us, but we can imagine what it might look like; a large Samus graces our chest, firing at a Metroid.Do you have one? Are you waiting to get one when you come of age? Afraid of needles as we are?
Wii Warm Up: Yeah, that's the ticket
The following tale of Wii accessories is true. And by true, we mean false. It's all lies. But they're entertaining lies. And in the end, isn't that the real truth? The answer ... is no.While Nintendo generally makes a profit on every system sold, each Wiimote actually costs over six hundred dollars to produce. On top of that, Nintendo has to maintain an active connection with each controller-- the Wiimote works by sending extremely sensitive GPS data to Nintendo, who then calculates the approximate movement relative to their Wiimote-tracking satellite, and transmits the information to the Wii via an experimental super-high-speed long-range wireless Internet connection. Oh, and also NiGHTS 2 is going to be a pachinko game.We didn't feel like discussing real aspects of the Wii today. We do that every day. No, we just want to make stuff up. Let's discuss the really interesting things that are going on in the world of Wii-- the things that aren't actually going on.
Wii Warm Up: Be kind, rewind
You may have noticed in your dealings with retail establishments: things are expensive. This is especially true in the category of things we deal with (video games). Sometimes it is very difficult to get enough cans recycled, change rolled, or lawns mowed to be able to keep up with the latest Wii releases-- despite the money we saved on hardware relative to others. There is a solution! There are places out there that let you pay a little money and play a game for a little while. Some of them even deliver the games right to you. Rentals can be a lifesaver for those of us who are strapped for cash. But they don't really let you take your time with a game, and they definitely do nothing for the collector instinct.Do you ever take advantage of rentals? Or do you find the idea of playing scratched discs that have been who knows where too distasteful to consider?
Wii Warm Up: Downloaded
What have you shelled out for on the Virtual Console? For us, it's always something of a nail-biter: do we pay? Do we skip? Decisions are hard -- especially when it comes to games we almost want, but aren't sure about. We know a lot of you find VC pricing to be a little high, so we assume it must be similarly difficult for some of our readers when trying to decided whether or not they should buy. What's made you decide to spend some of those precious Wii points?
Wii Warm Up: Let's talk graphics
It's the proverbial elephant in the room, the issue that isn't really discussed by Nintendo fans: the appearance of Wii games. Let's be frank -- the level of graphics in a lot (not all) of Wii games can best be described as unimpressive. We know graphics aren't what makes a game ... but they can certainly be part of it, just as they can be part of what ruins a game. Sometimes, the game is so good that any number of flaws can be ignored. We can even offer up a decent example from the other guys: Dead Rising wasn't exactly the best-looking game last year (and it even had some serious problems), but there is nothing like running through the mall on the shoulders of zombies with a lightsaber laser sword in your hand. You want an example of one of our fabulous games with subpar graphics? Two words: Eternal Darkness. So, alright. Graphics aren't a deal-breaker, but just one aspect of a game. Then why are we talking about this? It's simple -- Wii games are sometimes even falling short of the standards we grew to expect from the GameCube. We shouldn't be gazing fondly upon Resident Evil 4 redux as one of the best-looking games to hit the Wii; we should be looking forward to it because it's a great game. Even if you want to grant that the Wii is nothing but two GameCubes duct-taped together, then fine, great -- shouldn't the games look that much better than the games we played on one 'Cube? We're patient. We understand it takes a system time to grow, and we're willing to wait for things like Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Metroid Prime 3. But some of the games third party developers are showing off don't look that great. Even the coming titles that are overflowing with cuteness can be a little simplistic. So to these companies, get with it, before Nintendo muscles you out of the market by virtue of actually caring.
Wii Warm Up: Technical difficulties redux
It's been a while since we asked, and while we hate to think of dead Wiis and broken nunchuks, we're sure there are a few out there. Some of them probably even belong to you guys. As much as it must hurt to discuss it, tell us your horror stories. We want to hear about your disc read errors and flailing, overzealous friends. Give us your bricks and your replacement stories, and we'll give you sympathy in return.
Wii Warm Up: EA waggle
So, EA has thrown their support behind the Wii (after a categorical beatdown in sales). It's great to have the behemoth on our side, of course, but there seems to be this mystique in the air, one that enforces a rule: if a multi-platform game is coming to the Wii, it needs to use waggle.Take, for instance, the upcoming version of NBA Live '08, featuring one hobbled Agent Zero (Gilbert Arenas) on the cover. Do we really want to have to dribble the ball using the Wiimote? Even something like passing could be wildly inaccurate if two players are in the same direction; the game might end up suffering as a result.Do you feel as though multiplatform games tend to benefit from additional Wii controls, or suffer? What are some notable examples?
Wii Warm Up: Drought or growing pains?
The first year of a console is often rough. Most new consoles lack titles that really sell it, and instead rely on one title, fan loyalty, or other features (see also: PS2-as-DVD-player back in the day). The Wii, however, has gotten so much press and is in such heavy demand that many people are crying drought where we see the typical growing pains of a new system. Even the DS had a rocky start, and look at it now!We wanted to pose the question to you: are we in a Wii drought, or is this trickle of games and waiting period exactly what you expected from a new console?
Wii Warm Up: Check out this RE4 boxart
Not so much a discussion topic today as it is a directed viewing. This is the boxart for the European release of Resident Evil 4. It's basically the PAL PS2 boxart, but white instead of red. We are now totally okay with the tacked-on waggle controls, and the fact that it's a Wii port of a game that is two years old and can already be played on Wii, because it's got really nice boxart. We're not even being sarcastic. Too bad about the "Wii Edition" thing, but we'll look past that. So what's your opinion? Awesome boxart, or totally awesome boxart?
Wii Warm Up: Will Wii get Star Ocean?
According to the latest Famitsu, a new Star Ocean will be announced at the upcoming Square Enix party, but beyond that, we don't know anything else -- including which platform will have the honor of the title. With the Square Enix-Nintendo romance of late, we wouldn't be too surprised to see Star Ocean venture Wii-ward, but we're not ready to call this one for our camp just yet. As much as we might hope for it, it seems likely SE will throw some sort of bone to the other guys. Then again, it's Nintendo that's collecting all the Dragon Quest love, and that's a pretty big deal. Perhaps Star Ocean could be a nice fit on the Wii. Where do you see it going?
Wii Warm Up: Still without?
It's time for our irregular check-in! If you were one of the poor, tragic Wii-less masses, have you managed to get your hands on a console? We're always interesting in those tales of victory. If you're still miserable, first, we offer our deepest sympathies. You can swing by anytime and get your waggle on; the door's open. But we understand that you might want your own, regardless of how long it might take. But we're curious about the wait has affected you. Have you stopped checking? Have you -- perish the thought -- given up hope? One reader e-mailed us and said the retailers in her hometown said she might as well give up. Let's all hope we see something soon to prove them wrong.
Wii Warm Up: Is Wii Sports worn out?
It came packed with the console and quickly became all the rage. It was seen as the best use of the new control scheme proposed by Nintendo out of all the launch lineup. It's a title that has spawned drinking games (for us, at least) and tournaments in households all over the world. It's none other than Wii Sports.But, do you still play it? We'll admit we find ourselves on the lanes or the court less and less as time goes on, but perhaps we must chalk that up to our demanding job. How about you, though? We have to ask, though: is it still in your rotation? Has it been so long your Wii doesn't even remember the game?
Wii Warm Up: Do you NEED four?
The Wii is, at least to the generic public, a very multiplayer oriented system. You can't enjoy the flagship Wii Tennis without a second controller ... oh, wait, we need a nunchuk for boxing as well ... but man, three-player would be so cool! And so on and so forth. But Wiimotes are frakkin' expensive. Forty for the main, twenty for the add, you know the deal.Sooooooo, where did you draw the line? Did you pick up an extra Wiimote with Wii Play? Do all of your Wiimotes have nunchucks? Did you drop the hundred and eighty dollars for the full complement, not including any Classic Controllers? And for the love of God, use rechargeable batteries. Mother nature and your wallet will thank you.
Wii Warm Up: Homebrew, mods, and more
Are you the type to paint your controllers or crack open your Wii? Well, considering the worldwide shortages, it takes a brave soul to try the later, but that hasn't stopped a few folks out there from dressing things up. How about homebrew? Do you have a Wiibot, or have you perhaps played a little WoW with your Wii controller? If you're haven't tried any of the nifty things people have done with Wiimotes, why not? It does seem a little complicated from a layman's perspective, but gamers often like to poke around and hook things together. We have to mix it up to keep ourselves busy between awesome releases, after all.
