tapedeck

As consumers / gamers we get attached to the systems we buy and we try to validate those choices (sometimes ferociously!) What we also want is our system to have a natural curve which peaks with incredible software. I'm sure we all know the term 2nd/3rd generation software..Gobbledegook really....The Wii 'should' last a long time due to it's VC features/downloadable channels/updatable firmware and controller innovation (For how long is another debate). One area lacking is obviously horsepower and in three or four years developers will be itching to get onto the "then" lower development costs of the PS3/XBOX30. Who knows how it will pan out but I think the Wii could potentially be the longeest lasting console or the shortest. Difficult one to call. The PS2 (7 years and counting!!) got lucky with it's lifespan. The DVD functionality came at the perfect time for consumers and the sheer market share it had probably won't happen again. This generation is oo hard to call.The PS3 is a long haul console -- It will therefore be interesting to see if Sony keep the PS2 going (to recoup losses) and what Microsoft do in 3-4 years could be interesting too. Maybe Add-Ons are the future of the industry now that USB/RAM tech isn't as costly. The 32X or 64DD may have been ahead of their time afterall!

EA need to spend more time refining the swinging action on this one. I was thoroughly dissapointed by '07's erratic, oft-differing mechanics. If they can nail the controls then they can start looking at online features. Personally I feel that golf games are much more rewarding when played alone or with someone else in the room with you. Unless you could scribble on the screen mid game to chat/put other players off. Anyhoo, I'm getting ahead of myself! As I said, if the controls are spot on it's a must buy. I was stung badly by '07 but I still think golfing on the Wii is too good to resist. NBA could have some interesting motion controls added, bouncing would tire you senseless though. Maybe shooting as reaching up would be good. Maaaan, there are just so many ways to play sports games on Wii!

If past PS2 games appeared on the Wii it would surely be associated with living in the PS2's shadow. If it's Okami or something similar of quality that didn't really sell then I see the point. I think Capcom are being neive on the Okami front. The Wii should stand on it's own feet. When the Wii gets the same games as PS2 they will be ten pound more expensive and consumers will see this and wonder why the justification...A hard one to call for sure. Maybe certain posters wanting more (better?) PS2 ports is just the current mood and when Brawl, Prime, Galaxy, Heroes etc all launch; I don't think we will hear much on this front. However, Sony will probably relaunch with a PStwo (ala PSone) eventually, maintaining developers interest...Also known as flogging a dead horse. So these Wii-makes may not subside at all.

I like this thread...My brain is whirring with thoughts now Hero, I totally agree with your statement about developers not being ready for the Wii. Current shelf space shows and we also initially saw this with the DS. - Now look at the shelf space the DS occupies. I guess some companies will never learn and I guess it just shows the naivety of the industry in regards to writing off Nintendo products. Many developers have said nothing but Nintendo games sell on Nintendo consoles. I personally remember Rare selling quite a few units of software on the N64. And I'm sure companies didn't do too bad on the NES or the SNES. How businesses changed when a big-name company like Sony decided to occupy the market. I wonder how long it will be until we hear developers stating innovative, artistic and "out of the box" efforts don't sell on non-Nintendo consoles! This is why I find myself suddenly respecting EA....They aren't shirking away from Nintendo with "me too" updates. They are trying something new. Would Boogie exist without the Wii? I doubt it. Will EA's franchises be stale in ten years? Probably yes. BUT: It's easier to keep a product that's in the public eye selling well (IE FIFA and Football and Madden). That's why Nintendo have done so well to keep Mario popular. So EA's decision to innovate Madden/FIFA on Wii is brilliant for Wii owners. If EA make money other companies (with franchises) will follow. That's why the Wii is going to keep on getting better. I actually think by Nintendo NOT releasing an original software channel for their NEW products or a download station or lots of software, means more opportunity for other developers. Keep the carrot dangling to users and all...Then when developers are on board WHAM! Add Mii popularity contests, download channels, Brain training channels etc...Then, and only then will Nintendo have truly met potential on the Wii. The DS is already doing its part. Slowly more things were carefully introduced. (Wifi on Mario Kart) Slowly new franchises were added (Brain training). And the same could be said for the console arena..But on a far grander scale. We've seen Mario/Pokemon pioneer WIFI on Wii afterall. Clever companies don't put all of their eggs into one basket. Nintendo need to raise the bar slowly - not suddenly raise it so high that they can't better their last efforts. Have faith. Nintendo are on the rise. Iwata hasn't really done much wrong and I don't think he lets his heart rule his head like Yamauchi did.

I personally love the Wii so much already for its power to bring those who aren't gamers into 'play'. It's like a catch 22 situation though. We want to show off our hobby but we also want it to be exclusively ours. Secretively immersing ourselves in an epic quest or a tight league for hours upon hours. I respect the idea that the Wii has brought consoles into the living room space as an accessible piece of electronics entertainment. And as much as I love this idea I also feel we are currently being shafted when it comes to traditional design. I have NO DOUBT this will be a void argument by next year though. But as a gamer for many years I would like to have seen more traditional games available on the Wii by now. Pro Evo is apparently taxing the developers brain due to the controller. EA are going all out for motion on franchises that already have a proven track record. (Dangerous surely as we all don't want the change.) Yet there are two sides to this. Innovation or stagnation..I'm for both. I just dont want to flail around all of the time. The need to develop for the Wii should cater to all of the strengths of the console. Not just the controller. I harbour for a more traditional gaming experience. Personalised. And at the moment there haven't been many traditional gaming experiences to be had on the Wii. And I think this is the crux of many a peoples frustrations (as gamers). Sheer expectancy of more traditional games and the lack of these. (Reversing what the cube had at launch.) Give developers time and I'm sure the Wii will cater for all crowds one day....I just hope the controller isn't the be all and end all. The cube ports and classic controller are there for a reason!

I dont remember any tracks from Sonic Rush on the DS, yet I remember the Megadrive tunes in a heartbeat. Maybe that's with being younger and becoming hypnotised with games seems simpler. Maybe it's the fact that the DS doesn't lend itself to immersion in the same way as a home console can...Who knows. All I know is that the Megadrive tunes are still unbeatable today and I doubt we will ever see Sega as good as they were in the 90's. Which is a terrible thing. I'm sure we can all agree on that.

Chhang...In relation to your question, it probably has deeper meaning than you possibly anticipated.. Crysis is seen as the next big thing on the PC. Graphically intense for sure -yet those graphics are translated ingame via destroyable jungle vegetation and advanced terrain and lighting effects ! Crysis also includes so much physics and AI development that I lost track a long time ago...It all sounded a bit "Emotion Chip" to me. There's no arguing that it looks good though. So you're asking if the PS3 or XBOX360 can run them? Probably yes. I see Crysis as another Farcry...in a few years why not? I'm sure it will only run on Direct X10 enabled systems for now...And so on and so on. Read the thread point though Chhang...Maybe Crysis is just another FPS? How long will you play it after the destroyable vegatation becomes expected? After developers move on to the next big PC FPS. I am slightly bitter about the FPS genre if only because fresh ideas are often lacking....I personally liked the different styling of XIII, the exploration of Prime and the RPG elements in Deus Ex. The Doom run-and-gun template sometimes still seems to be the pinnacle of FPS ideas. I'd like to see the FPS go in more taxing directions. Metroid Prime is a good example. Working around alienation and immersion via reflecting yourself in the real world in the visor/surroundings. Anyhoo, I'll stop now. I've gone off track and I sense a flame war from people who know the FPS genre better than me!

Play the Wii version whilst looking in the mirror and pretend the wiimote is infac a gamecube controller and your there!

Isn't the idea of a ship being attacked at the beginning of the game seriously ripped from HALO? It is a good game but Half Life has bettered it surely...oodles of times. I even think Goldeneye / Perfect Dark had console controls nailed. HALO does control well but I don't think its the best. If anything it is remembered for it's set pieces. It does seem that the Metroid franchise gets compared to HALO quite a lot. Shame really as Metroid reminds me of ALIEN at times!

Wasn't the best thing about Halo the music and CO-OP?

The best thing about Wind Waker is the way you can just watch the world. And because of the visual style you are almost used to it. It's like watching a cartoon afterall. When your in a realistic game you don't tend to take things in as much. How good was lighting a torch and seeing the light on the walls in cartoon form? And how AMAZING was the artistic talent on some of the characters. The HUGE red dragon bested any dragon Disney have drawn in years! Then look at dragons, torches in TP and OOT....The effect isn't there. WW is sublime as it consists of style over substance. TP is still a fantastically put together piece of entertainment. It's jigsaw like design is all the more imperssive due to the scope of the game. yet WW is immersive. It's in the same vein as Jet Set Radio and Parrappa The Rapper and Okami and Animal Crossing. You can watch the game and take part visually. I can't wait for Zelda DS. It' where the style will be wholy and truly more appreciated.

I'll have to hunt them down ma man, you seem to know your stuff! I love Escape from the city...The clever use of lyrics in relation to level IE: "Rolling around at the speed of sound, got nowhere to go, gotta follow my rainbow"...It's clever. I like the aspect of songs to levels..Maybe if some puzzles were only solveable via listening to the tracks..Maybe that would be good (Note to self...Develop this idea!). Overall, I just wish Sega would make Sonic almost, innocent again.

You cant get happier than the Polyphonic Spree. Liquid Sunshine, Well said fellow poster. Get some Koji Kondo in your system. You can't be sad at some Yoshis Island music : peace: Some have said Muse, I agree with the 'happiness' vibe - but quite a lot of Muse tracks can be quite hard to listen to. Just because they have to be appreciated extensively. Almost like, say, Radiohead or something like Jethro Tull. Well, that's my personal opinion! Seriously, get some Polyphonic Spree or potentially, listen to some ELO!!

Yeah, I remember liking the Chao in Sonic Advance. Killed loads of hours! The Starlight music is still beautiful I agree it's awesome. Which is probably another point: (Get ready....!) Most memorable OLD Sonic tracks: (not in any particular order!!) Scrap Brain Zone Sonic 1 Green Hill Zone Sonic 1 Labyrinth Zone Sonic 1 Starlight Zone Sonic 1 Icecap theme from Sonic 3 Carnival Night Zone Sonic 3 Emerald Zone Sonic 2 Green Hill Zone Sonic 1 (Master System version) Sonic 2 Bonus sage Sonic R "super sonic racing" song Most memorable NEW sonic tracks: Possibly City Escape from Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. See the difference? The rock anthems of the new Sonic games are hideous when put next to the sheer talent of the old classic tunes!! Now get composing something original Sega!!

I thought the ten reference would get a few eyebrows raised lol. However, having loved Legend and wanting more of the same, this should be fantastic. Toby Gard and co seem to be back on form and I hope he brings this new found glory to new franchises. (Ala Galleon remake?) Not that I would complain with more of Lara's adventures. It seems that the Wii version will offer something extra too. It would be good to see a manual aiming system like The Godfather or the nunchuck being used as the rappell line with a target and "flick" to send out. Looking forward to this one :¬)

I remember playing Sonic Adventure on the Dreamcast and wondering why the hell the game was set in a modern, humanised world. Vast cityscapes just didn't seem to translate well in 3D. I remembered those kind of city-like levels in the Mega Drive versions..Ala Chemical Zone/Starlight zone. But the best aspect of Sonic which has been sadly lost was the element of isolation set against a neon backdrop. The fact you were in Mobius, running through forests, oceans and snowcaps whilst constantly on your way to a technological based nightmare (which was turning your world and the animals into robotic slaves) was hypnotic. It had a real purpose. Dr Robotnick was visualised in every enemy and with the sequals, furry friends helped Sonic get to Robotnick. These friends gave the game more scope and the balance of Sonic, Tails and Knuckles against Robotnick made Robotnick somehow scarier as it took three characters to rise up. This ideal has since been abolished as Sega seemed to take Sonic's "cool factor" to heart and make him the Bart Simpson of the gaming world - with the characteristics of a seven year old superhero. Adding more characters also seemed to dilute the personalities of the original characters and the innocence of it all. Bring back Green Hill Zone and a moment to really appreciate the design and scope of these levels. Sega, stop making them "too cool" and "too fast" and "too complex". Simplify sonic again (Just like the original Sonic Advance) and lets bring this brilliant character back to the forests, and back to saving his existance in his own world; not ours.

How can good old gamespot's opinion differ this much? Should I expect anything more from the reviewers that hated Twilight princess? Scarface: The World Is Yours GameSpot 5.8/10 Scarface: The World Is Yours IGN 8.5/10

Lego press release: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and TT Games will create LEGO Batman, set to launch in fall of 2008. The game will feature all of the characters from the LEGO Batman construction sets, plus a few new additions. Gamers will have the ability to roam the streets of LEGO Gotham City as Batman or Robin, and even take control of the villains while manipulating gadgets and building and operating fantastic vehicles in one- or two-person cooperative gameplay. The game is slated to be available on multiple platforms. A loooong time away then!

I'm quite happy with the Nokia N-Series phones. (Particularly my N73) Annoyingly they do seem to have problems with the initial formwares yet the updates are all available now. FINALLY! It was a sham that the operating system (symbian 6) from the N-Gage onwards wouldn't work with the new symbian 9.0 operating systems. Yet many of the old apps are now working with the new N series phones...With better screens, higher resolutions etc this is a great thing. With killer apps like a megadrive emulator and movie viewer (in conjunction with the great screens) 'm more than happy :¬) I just wish Nokia would convert some of the old N-Gage games to the newer format. Just for Tony Hawk, Tomb Raider and Splinter Cell!:awesome:

The BBFC have these basic guideline rules: Is the material in conflict with the law? Is the material, at the age group concerned, likely to be harmful? Is the material, at the age group concerned, clearly unacceptable to broad public opinion? In the context of Manhunt 2, points one and three are highlights. Yet there are two-sides to every story. As gamers we understand the connotations, actions and development cycles behind Rockstar's decision to release this piece of software. Yet the BBFC are more worried about little Timmy getting his hands on the game, resulting in Timmy becoming a mass murderer. So, rather than just banning the software outright (IE mocking the effort, vision, creativity and man hours put into the product) why not sell it behind the counter - With ID being needed for purchase. Use Manhunt 2 as a positive. Change the way gamers buy specific adult themed software. Not having a freedom over our own choice is how rebellion starts, not from an adult based videogame. One further note: Suda 51 must be taking notes..Afterall, he claimed 'No More Heroes' would be more violent that Manhunt 2. It will be interesting to see what becomes of that piece of software. Maybe the developers will look to Manhunt as an example of what they can and cannot do. It'll be interesting to see what 'No More Heroes' turns out like.

Konami's Eledees/Bits had snide Wifi support via level swapping. Surely they've had the means to go online for a long time now.

I really hope people realise how much effort EA are putting into the Wii and see them as a changed company on Wii. Not only are they coming for the dinero but they are actually using the features of the console (Mii integration). This is a far cry from what Konami and the pro evo license would provide. I hope the announcement that Pro Evo isn't for Wii at the moment doesn't reflect on this game as I think it could be a dark horse. Hats off to EA for having the serious footy market all to themselves.

One game can never change the entire console ownership ratio (in my opinion) yet there are always defining moments in the life of a console (Goldeneye, Donkey Kong Country, Metal Gear Solid...) And if this is seen as that moment for the Wii (so early) that's a poor reflection on us as gamers. I'm bitter about this yes, I love PES more than most games and it seemed apparent the Wii would get the game asap. Konami are just...sigh, I don't know. They better have something in the pipeline otherwise I'll be a sad, sad Wii owner for a while. Pro Evo means that much to me. And I hope the next DS iteration improves vastly over it's predecessor.

It's kind of ironic that some of those features were things Nintendo persued and showed off. IE look at the Wii photo channel adverts on TV. How the tables have turned. Let's see where Sony go next. They would do well to actively promote the 'HOME' features when it launches.

Considering Resi 4 has already been played to death by myself and many others, I'm going with Manhunt 2 'and' Scarface. As good as Resi 4 was, the morsels of new features just don't justify the dinero to me. Plus I don't think I have the gaul to replay the game knowing what the plot accumulates to. I've also never played Scarface nor the Manhunt series and I'm looking forwad to a fresh, deep experience. I'm also a firm believer in giving new Wii developers a chance to shine. Which, from what I've read; Manhunt and Scarface both do. Let's hope the sales are good from both games as Sierra and Rockstar are both talented developers who will have used these games as learning steps for both the Wii's market and developmental environment.