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I got the game Thursday, but didn't get around to playing it until yesterday. I like it, but I prefer Touched on the DS.

If your LCD is an older non-HD screen, with a pixel resolution close to or matching that ouput by your Wii, that might explain why it looks good on your's. If it's a newer HD-ready LCD then it might have a good upscaler, most don't. On the other hand, it is subjective. To you it looks 'awesome', to me it might look poor. Click here for an explanation why standard definition usually looks bad on HD LCD screens. It certainly explains why my Xbox 360, which matches the native resolution of my LCD, looks fantastic and why my Nintendo Wii, which can't, doesn't.

I'd have at least liked support for HD resolutions above 480p. LCD screens are very popular at the moment, but the Wii - like any device capable of outputting only a standard definition - looks ugly on them. But, given the type of consumer they wish to attract (and appear to be succeeding in attracting), one that wouldn't want to pay through the nose for their gaming experience, they made the right decision. From the outset, they wanted the console to be small too, also making it more attractive to would-be customers. 360 and PS3 hardware simply doesn't fit into Nintendo's target 'three DVD cases' dimensions, and I doubt it will for a good few years yet.

The PS2 version also has reduced geometric detail in the level design too, although that appears to be confined to background detail that the player only views and never interacts with. I agree though, it does run well. And the added content more than makes up for any graphical differences between it and the Gamecube version.

Whether or not it was 'the' Gamecube colour is irrelevant. People will choose the colour they prefer, regardless of whichever is deemed 'official'. I read, about a year ago now, that the black Gamecube sold more than the purple. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to locate a source to confirm that. Do you have one that confirms the purple Gamecube sold more?

My two are black. And since the black Gamecube sold more than the purple Gamecube, most people's were black. I'd have still bought it though if purple was the only colour. The games are far more important to me than what colour the console is.

I've never played Samba De Amigo. It's often praised highly, but I doubt it'd win a console war all by itself.

I think it'll do alright. The majority of comments I've read about the game are from people really looking forward to it. So I think it's highly anticipated. I don't like the look of this game either though. At first I was interested, but after seeing it being played in a video clip on a recent N-Gamer cover disc, I've got to say it does look rather boring. It's not that the Wii can't deliver this type of gameplay well, it obviously can. It's that the game just doesn't look that entertaining. Maybe its entertainment value doesn't become apparent until you're actually playing it.

Sega are already supporting the Wii. Didn't you know?

Animal Crossing. Given Nintendo's current stance on voice chat, it doesn't seem likely. But AC is the perfect match for non-gamers that could easily have both comprehensive online play and voice chat.

I'd have liked it. But unlike the DS, I would like developers to make more use of it - particularly in the area of voice recognition.

The 360 hasn't had an amazing first year. Okay, the first year usually is a tad weak, but it's strange how little Microsoft have bothered to take advantage of having the next generation to themselves for a whole year. There's been a few damn good games though: Project Gotham Racing 3, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Gears Of War, and Test Drive Unlimited spring to mind.

A proper 3D Sonic game that retains its speed is possible. Games like Adventure 2, with its light dash and homing attack mechanics, vaguely hint at this [...context sensitive actions are the key to a breakneck 3D Sonic game]. But the developers have been extraordinarily sloppy and continually failed to deliver anything truly worthwhile. I don't expect this new game to be any different, even though I do hope it is. The series needs a new development house before it needs demeaning gameplay quirks.

If the sensor bar and optical sensor were used for just pointing the Wii remote at the screen, ask yourself this: why does the sensor bar emit two infra red lights when - for what you say is its only role - one would suffice? When you move the Wii remote away from the sensor bar the optical camera sees the lights moving closer together, when you move it towards the screen it sees them moving further apart. That's how it accurately judges distance between the remote and the sensor bar, and is the 'triangulation' you mentioned. Not only that but I would imagine they are also used to accurately determine the roll angle at which you're holding the remote, when you roll the Wii remote clockwise it sees the lights rotate anticlockwise, and vice versa.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean or how that relates to what you quoted, but you're moving when you swing the remote to make the bat hit the ball.

Not quite. The sensor bar and optical sensor are needed to judge distance between the screen and the Wii remote, the sensor bar providing a real world reference point. The accelerometers can't do that. It assumes that where you've placed the sensor bar is where the screen is situated, but in the scenario I described more than one could be used for more real world reference points that surround the player.

That would be the accelerometers. They're used for more than just measuring movement. For reference to where exactly the screen and Wii remote are in relation to each other, or in the surround sensor scenario I described in a previous post, you need sensor bars. Hence, why I said the accelerometer isn't accurate enough.

The Wii remote has accelerometers to measure tilt.

No they can't. The accelerometer isn't accurate enough. If it was, you wouldn't need the sensor bar.

Like I said, a wireless nunchuk would be welcome. Nobody can deny that. Setting the sensor bar up isn't a problem. But it's yet another device and another wire to clutter your setup with. My setup consists of several consoles and other electrical equipment, it's messy and the wires connecting everything is like spaghetti! If they find a [cheap] means of doing away with it, it'll be gone. If you don't mind the clutter though, and the possible necessity in drastrically rearranging your room, how's about four sensor bars surrounding you and some form of wide angled camera or multiple cameras added to the tip of the remote for pointer accuracy when it's not aimed at the screen? This may make possible, for example, Link imitating your exact movements whilst fighting with the sword. It's not going to happen, and I for one wouldn't want that kind of set up, but it's a nice thought for those who do I'm sure.

By 'refined' I didn't mean the adding of features to over-complicate things. We saw refinements from Microsoft during the last generation. They discontinued their Duke controller and introduced the S Controller. In fact, their Xbox 360 controller is just a refinement of those previous designs. A wireless nunchuk would be welcome. And they may find a means to do away with the sensor bar. I'm not sure how, but that would be welcome too.

Miyamoto has in the past commented that Nintendo may put more effort into graphical quality in the future. I expect they'll rejoin the graphics race but bring with it a refined version of their current Wii controller set up. I don't expect them to do something entirely new.

The level design in Halo: Combat Evolved, although repetitive, is fine. It's the sequel that has the poor level design. I never bothered finishing Halo 2's campaign due mainly to appalling level design. I can't argue with that. As far as the single-player campaign goes, the game wasn't fit for release and most certainly wasn't a worthy sequel to Combat Evolved. Also, inspite of its graphics engine being technically superior to that of the first game, it's an uglier looking game.

I don't mind repetition in FPS games. I feel the same way about them as I do racing games. As long as the core gameplay is good, I'm happy. This is where Red Steel is the inferior game, since its core gameplay isn't nearly as good as Halo: Combat Evolved's. The Wii could do with a FPS of the same high calibre as Halo: CE, Red Steel isn't it. I doubt Metroid Prime 3: Corruption will be it either, since the Prime series is more adventure than it is shooter. Or 'Metroid in 3D' to be specific.

More 'polish' is definitely worth the effort where there's potential that isn't fully realised. As it stands, Red Steel isn't truly awful. But it's far from truly great as well. It's certainly no Halo: Combat Evolved, the console FPS touchstone developers should aspire to match or better. Yes, I confirm that you can. I find it easier to play with the bounding box control method though.