Smiter

Hey. First time I've posted in the 360 thread. I'll get straight to the point. How reliable is the 360, really? I'm considering getting a 360 through a great deal at Amazon (or maybe the £299 one at Blockbuster). Bioshock is a reason I want the 360, I am a huge fan of System Shock 2. While the 360's game library isn't as varied as I would like (big lack of RPGs), it does still have some interesting games and of course its Live content. The only thing giving me nerves is the 360's Red Ring of Death. I'm a regular reader of Kotaku, and it seems the general vibe I get from 360 owners is that the RROD is just part and parcel of being a 360 owner. They've talked about swapping 360s as if it's just a every-few-months ritual they do. So, yeah, I'd like to ask what your experiences are of being a 360 owner? How long have you guys played it, and how often have you - if at all - had to exchange 360s? Thanks.

What the heck? Will there now only be ONE gaming chain in my local high street? This is ridiculous. Ah well, at least we can still use online shops. Amazon and Play.com FTW.

Haha, I first thought the same thing as Jordan. "What!? THE Monolith?" But after hearing what Monolith Soft made, I think Nintendo have made a solid purchase. It isn't often they splash out the cash. Hell, they could buy a few more big-name studios if they had the inclination to do so. If we get more RPGs on Wii, then that's fantastic.

A few more shots, at full scale and in PNG format: http://www.aintaer.com/ggxxr.html http://www.manga.sk/forum/showpost.php?p=108894&postcount=7 IGN has some, but they're in horrible JPEG and not full size, so they lose their sharpness.

Exactly my thoughts. I don't mind them tacking on motion controls as long as they provide the classic control scheme as well. I think there's a good chance we'll see a classic controller option, remember that SNK interview about the Neo-Geo? They said they didn't have the classic controller library to work with in the early days, but now Nintendo has provided it to all developers. Yeah, GG is very anime-like and quite stylish. Very solid fighting game and definitely worth picking up if you like fighters. The DS version isn't Japan only, Dust Strikers is also available in North America right now and will be out in Europe at the end of June. The chances of seeing the Wii game hit European shores is pretty good, we've had Guilty Gear games for the PS2 and Dreamcast here (is the PSP version here yet?).

Nah, it's a 2D fighting game (assuming you are serious). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guilty_Gear_%28series%29 Guilty Gear X was the game that got widespread attention, partly thanks to its more detailed graphics. It was a hit on Dreamcast, and Guilty Gear X2 got a nice following on the PlayStation 2.

http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/783/783358p1.html I liked Guilty Gear, so I'll be looking forward to this. Hopefully there'll be a good selection of control schemes.

I guess it depends on the store. My local GAME has good staff, it all feels nice and laid-back. The manager always seems to be on the counter (at least when I visit) and he's a cool guy. Doesn't know everything about games but he's friendly. They don't force themselves on you like Currys employees (or any other major electronics chain that employs salesmen). Agreed, the trade-ins aren't the best, but I find my local GAME more relaxing than my local Gamestation (which has a smaller space and so feels kinda constricting). Still, whichever store you like, the best deals are almost always found online... Oh, and congratulations Nintendo. They've definitely been getting better in recent times. (Even if Paper Mario, Trauma Center and Pangya have been delayed for ages in Europe... *mutter*)

Yeah, Kotaku did a graph when they ran a story on Nintendo's stock doubling. http://kotaku.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-stocks-hit-the-heights-251268.php They have a nice little graph there.

My dream list: NiGHTS (already confirmed) Skies of Arcadia 2 Samba de Amigo Crazy Taxi Virtua Tennis House of the Dead I'd love to see more arcadey games in the vein of the Dreamcast library. That system was so damn good. Not a day goes by when I don't regret selling my DC... Maybe I'll keep an eye out on Ebay.

Oh, PLEASE, PLEASE let this be Samba De Amigo! I loved my Dreamcast, but I totally missed out on Samba De Amigo, partly because I was broke at the time and couldn't afford the maracas. Hey, Sega, even though we could use the Wiimote and nunchuck as maracas, it would be cool if you could make optional Bluetooth maracas...

Hmm, it looks to be a somewhat dry spell, doesn't it? Pangya (Why JUNE!?) and maybe Eledees for me. There's always the chance of a release coming from the blue - certainly didn't see SSX Blur and Godfather coming. It's a shame Paper Mario is nowhere to be seen, was really looking forward to that. I'm not a big football fan, so I'll wait and see what other online games Nintendo and third-parties release in the future. Ah well, at least this will give me a chance to complete all the Wii games in my library before buying any more games. :P

Meteo channel = weather channel. Those features sound cool.

Good words, Reggie, now make sure that every single one is put to action. I definitely think the Wii has got a far better start than the Gamecube and DS did, now it's up to Nintendo and the third parties to make sure that Wii doesn't lose momentum and also boasts a wide range of games from all sorts of genres.

Got both Godfather and SSX Blur, that should keep me going until Paper Mario comes out.

Not sure how it is in other towns, but my local GAME in Torquay was promoting Wiis at £215 with any one game. No real money saving, but it seems they had stock this morning (when I visited to pick up Godfather). Stock would probably look a little better if the Ebay scalpers would quit buying up every unit they could get their hands on... :P

Yeah, that sounds about right to me, pedro. It's great to see NiGHTS 2 in the flesh, can't wait for (hopefully) more info at the official unveiling in April.

Hmm, that's odd. If it's just a timed exclusive, why did the project leader make a big deal out of the Wii's controls? He was saying that NiGHTS 2 took off because of the Wii's innovation, and that they didn't want to just have shinier graphics.

PUNCH-OUT!?! MYSTICAL NINJA!?! *goes to heaven* Guess I'll be picking up a few Wii Points tomorrow then. ^_^ (Never heard of Dragon's Curse...)

You realise that British time went forward an hour last weekend? That means we may match the time on Nintendo Europe's servers... and not see the games until midnight. Of course, if we still get them at 11pm, then I'll stand corrected. Wonder what we'll get this week.

Kotaku have also posted about it: http://kotaku.com/gaming/nights/nights-sequel-confirmed-247480.php Some of the 360/PS3 owners in that comment thread are saying that it would be better on their consoles because "the graphics would make the game better"... I know not all 360/PS3 owners think that way, and I'm sure several also own Wiis, but I have to say graphics aren't the be-all and end-all... Remember Sonic 360/PS3? :P Seriously though, it's great news to hear that NiGHTS is virtually confirmed. I know my best friend will be happy, he owns the original and special Xmas editions of NiGHTS. If Sega can truly harness the potential of NiGHTS and the Wiimote, then this could be a true great. Or we could be weeping at its mangled ruins, wondering how Sega could screw up one of the best ideas...

QFT. There's nothing like the feeling of smashing a perfectly-timed return from your opponent's serve, and watching him/her scramble in vain. The angle and speed at which the ball zips across the court, coupled with your arm movement... What a feeling. Lillster, sorry to hear you lost 40 quid. That's bad. I'm hoping that it's just a temporary misplacement and you still have a chance of finding it... If not... damn.

For me, it's the social side and the motion controls. The Wii's motion-sensing really has put a fresh spin on the games, and I feel more satisfaction from making great plays. That's because you actually go through the motion, as opposed to simply tapping a button. I got my Dad to play Wii for the first time, and he actually punched the air in joy when he got strikes in bowling! That's immersion. Now, I find myself exploring all sorts of games. Before, I wouldn't have bought The Godfather on PS2/360. Now I'm considering getting it tomorrow. Must be the motion-controlled violence. :P

Well, I'm not sure why some people expect everything to happen right now. The Wii is only four months old. Games take time to develop. I'm certainly not complaining and am happy with my Wii. Granted, it's not perfect, but give it time. When we're a year or so on from launch, we can start to judge. Usually, I'm very fussy when it comes to buying games. But Wii has encouraged me to open my mind and try out all sort of new things. Right now, I have: Zelda (Completed) Wii Sports Sonic Rayman Raving Rabbids Wii Play Excite Truck (Almost complete) WarioWare (Completed) (Had Red Steel before trading it in) Those games and the VC have kept me happy so far. I work a full-time job and also study, so it's not like I'm in any danger of exhausting my library anytime soon. Right now, I'm trying to decide between: The Godfather SSX Blur DBZ (maybe) Metal Slug Anthology I think you'd only call it a drought if you had plenty of time to play each game to death, or you weren't interested in ANY games in the first place (as in you only buy Nintendo or Big Megaton Title). The Wii is already starting to get a decent range of genres in its software library. The only thing I'd want to see more support for would be the traditional epic RPG genre (think games like Skies of Arcadia, Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, that kind of thing). But we know that RPGs are already being worked on. In short, Wii is looking to have a healthy range of games, and I'm already worrying about not being able to complete games before buying new ones. :lol: I'm interested in the Xbox360, but there aren't any games that made me WANT to buy it so far. There is definitely a severe lack of RPGs on that console, which is a shame. Some interesting games, but nothing (so far) that makes me want to tear down to the nearest games shop and slap down £300. Playstation 3? Well, I'll wait and see for a couple of years.

Oh, I loved Skies of Arcadia to bits. Awesome game, I bought the Dreamcast original, then the Gamecube special edition. Pirates, flying ships, ruins, exploration, and legends. What more could you possibly want? I was gutted when I heard the sequel was canned after Sega reorganised its studios. I hope Sega develops a new game, the SoA world truly deserves a sequel.