Nintendo is right

[Konfucius]

I have no blog to write this in but I felt the urge to share my opinion, but before you read through my pretty long article here's in short what it is about:

I could see an X-Box 360 today and I wasn't really impressed.

But don't get me wrong, I don't want to critizise the X-360 for what it is and what it stands for, I actually thought of it quite positive but today changed my opinion and I as said before I want to share my opinion with you. So please regard it as this and not blind fanboyism against the competition.

And another note: I thought it didn't belong to the official thread and it has something to do with the Revolution too so I placed it in here.

 

 

First of all, thank you that you are still reading and now I'll start my article.

Two days ago I got my copy of Mario Kart DS from the only decent videogames shop in my area (actually over 20 kilometers away) and they also told me that there was a little exhibition this Saturday, besides some games for cheap they also have X-360 booths and one system can be won.

I thought this was a pretty interesting opportunity to get a glance at what next gen graphics will look like. I told this a friend and we decided to go there together.

This morning I was woken up pretty early for a Saturday and couldn't go back to sleep because playing Mario Kart DS, attending the exhibition and seeing an X-360 in real life and maybe winning one was on my mind.

So almost immediately after lunch we drove to the shop and headed straight for the X-360 booth. I had no negative prejudices against the X-360 actually besides the fact that it has no HD-DVD Drive but thought of it as the winner of the console war with good support, wide variety of games, lots of graphical power and was even playing with the thought of getting one.

But what we saw there - my friend and I had the same thoughts about everything that follows - changed my opinion a lot.

First of all my eyes caught the console itself and it really is hard to overlook, I expected it to be smaller by about 15% to 20%. My first thought was, where would I put it, that's not a games console but a VCR - it was much bulkier than I expected. Next we took a look at the games, first we saw King Kong, lots of light and darkness, then we saw a little bit of Cameo and finally a Demo of Call of Duty. In the end we concluded that any high end PC can deliver the same or even better graphics - sure if you don't want to spend a lot of money on a high end system this is a good alternative but we want to - and that better lighting effects and some bump mapping don't enhance the gaming experience in any way we have hoped.

Sure I think these games weren't the best examples of what is possible but I am no longer excited about better graphics and higher resolutions. For the graphics I have my PC and I don't need a console that is the same as a PC to me. I still took part in the raffle but now I think if the unlikely event happened that I won the X-360 I'd consider selling it on ebay to some desperate parents while before the event I hoped to win one to experience next gen games.

 

And now the Revo comes in:

I'm even more excited about the Revo now, because it delivers something new again, Nintendo knows that good graphics are a nice feature but the main focus should be game play and I am now sure that for the coming generation I will also only have one console and this will be a Nintendo one.

Just a few days ago I thought how convenient the touch screen of the DS is and that was while playing Mario Kart DS or to be more precise configuring the online mode. The touch screen feels much more civilized than pushing buttons maniacally.

I think the Revo will do the same for home consoles and I would go back to PC gaming if Nintendo wasn't around.

 

Finally a further thought:

I think it’s the same with games and consoles here. I got NFS Most Wanted yesterday and it quickly bored me, it’s a good game, lots of action, realistic world, nice cars, cops, the list goes on but it just felt the same as NFSU 1 +2. There are a lot of minor changes and better graphics but ultimately I was bored because it was more of the same. It’s the same with the Bond games but I guess I don’t have to go into detail. So you see my point, better graphics are nice and building on a working formula is right (Nintendo does that too) but after some time you are fed up and need something fresh and I think only Nintendo will deliver this.

 

Thanks for reading.

[nkarafo]

I am tottaly agree with you. I saw XBOX360 today and I saw just a big difference in graphics. To be honest the graphics were very natural and very close to reality. But that's all. Like an upgraded xbox 1. With Nintendo Revolution I believe that we will play games of a higher level and games with better gameplay and not only with supernatural graphics. I even like the graphics of my GameCube. I wouldn't have any complaint if all the games were with RE4 graphics. Come on Nintendo, bring us globally the REVOLUTION and make it region-free.

[Anakenobi]

Yeah, I never expected the Xbox 360 to be THAT big.

 

I mean these days game consoles should be getting smaller not bigger. Not as small as a handheld but small enough to fit in yout entertainment center (where you keep your tv/stereo and dvd systems).

 

The fact that the system is bulky, makes me think that MS has abandoned the idea of marketing the Xbox 360 in Japan. Where systems should be made compact not vcr sized.

 

Unless they make another version for that market (like the compact versions of the SNES, NES and PS1).

[Haver]

It's a fucking good job you don't have a blog.

[Hellfire]

It's a fucking good job you don't have a blog.

Man, some people here are getting agressive, let the guy express his opinions.

I have to say I agree to some extent, 360 is nothing more than a PC, except for some games. On the other hand it's a good media-center/PC for the price you pay.But in the end it all comes down to tastes.

[Zero Seven]

I agree with what your saying Konfucius, In a strict videogame term, I never buy the same console Twice when its supposed to be the Next Gen of gaming as I own an Xbox and Loved it and the games on it as well as the GC until the boredom got too bad as explained below

 

When Nintendo first unveiled the revolutions controls, I almost cried in happiness and it isnt just because of what it can do but it was because i was very close to quitting console gaming altogether. I have always been a gigantic videogame fan and that being a big Nintendo fan but its the same old stuff for all games in my Opinion

 

push this block, press A to jump onto the next platform, R to shoot, L to throw a Gernade blah blah, it got to a point where no matter what game it was that i played, I got bored of the games alot quicker than i used to. I used to think i was less interested in the games i played now a days because my childhood was much more focused in videogames than what i am today but i was wrong when i played the DS, its as simple as this to me... Its the controls that limits us to do anything other than the overused ideas that we have in our videogames today (push block, A to jump etc)

 

Although I do salute Nintendo for making games in this generation that were as fresh as Nintendo could make them dispite the circumstances, Bungie for created a great sifi atmosphere in Halo and Activision for creating the dark eerie atmosphere in Doom 3.

 

if you cannot tell already, me like many adore the strength of an atmosphere in a videogame as one of the most important factors of gaming as its the Atmosphere that most likely created those fond memories of the likes of Ocarina of Time, how you felt when you where younger when finding out big secrets such as Shiek being

Princess Zelda at the end of the game

 

 

but my point is that even Atmosphere is dying in games due to overused ideas and limited controls. The xbox 360 to me is just an advanced Xbox (and I do mean advanced) but with more features but the controls are the same so this isnt of any use to me considering how i felt about gaming before the revs controls where shown.

 

Single player with the same ideas kill me but multi player i dont mind so much but the DS brought my faith back into handheld gaming when i played my friends DS so now I hope and am confident that Nintendo can put my faith back into consoles and a new world of gameplay...i hope, as long as the controls make things differnt then im fine with it, its something new to learn rather than become a pro at a FPS u just played because the controls are so similer to other FPS's that you might be experienced in.

[Kav]

I think the 360 is pretty decent, good online service, good graphics (it does add atmosphere) a great controller and good games.

Fair enough, so far there isn't anything new as such, but that doesn't mean there won't be. Look at the Cube, that's got the same control method but has some games that felt new and fresh (Metroid Prime, Pikmin, Viewtiful Joe to name a few).

From impressions of games like Gears of War, Peferct Dark Zero (reviews) and then games to come out on it, Halo 3, Res Evil 5, it WILL have good games.

[ViPeR]

I can only judge the console when I play it for myself, however so far nothing has caught my interest. Last game I bought because it looked 'pretty' was Halo and I was pretty dissapointed. I made a point from there on to get games, which I can play and enjoy, regardless of how they look. As for the 360, well it's way too pricey for me to simply buy on faith. I can only do that with a Nintendo console, what can I say i'm a fanboy guilty as charged. I only bought an Xbox because it was cheap. At this time in my life price really is the determining factor for me, not graphics.

[quich_delvyn]

i dont want a 360 just because all im getting is the xbox1 with better graphics and it doesnt impress me and there is only 5 games coming out in the next 1-2 maybe 3 years that appeal to me (Perfect dark, blue dragon, lost oddysee, splinter cell 4 and star wars kotor 3) the rev on the other hand looks to have a great future and provide me with game experience unthinkble on other consoles. im getting a ps3 though just because of the freat support it gets from the large japanese companies

[Stocka]

Hmmmm...

Well, I agree that a whole new way of playing games is A LOT more exciting than improved graphics and sound, but that doesn't mean Xbox 360 is a disappointment. I don't like comparing things usually, which is why I don't compare these two, as at the end of the day...you can't. Microsoft and Nintendo are aiming for different things, and I wish good success for both of them. HOWEVER, I think Revolution is far more exciting because its revolutionising the way we play games and thats EXACTLY what the game industry needs. If all consoles were just improvements over their prequels(with graphics,sound,online etc.) then it wouldn't be half as exciting. So yeah, Nintendo is right, the game industry does need a change.

[dabookerman]

i can honestly say before that i used to think that if a game had better graphics then it would be a better experience, altho such thinking did not last long after playing smackdown 3

[Pit-Jr]

My top reason for buying the Rev is the promise of hundreds of ugly, ugly retro games (beautiful in my eyes though) without getting out of my chair. The 3-D control thing is more of a bonus to me, albeit a promising bonus.

[Zero Seven]

I think the 360 is pretty decent, good online service, good graphics (it does add atmosphere) a great controller and good games.

Fair enough, so far there isn't anything new as such, but that doesn't mean there won't be. Look at the Cube, that's got the same control method but has some games that felt new and fresh (Metroid Prime, Pikmin, Viewtiful Joe to name a few).

From impressions of games like Gears of War, Peferct Dark Zero (reviews) and then games to come out on it, Halo 3, Res Evil 5, it WILL have good games.

 

Yeah it defintely will have great games and many people will love them and will have some new ideas but call this greedy but I did want a radical change in the controls just like the DS had with the touch screen, call it a gimmick or call it the most innovative idea in handheld gaming, I just think its really interesting and fresh. I just generally got bored of common ideas put in games again and again with the same control method.

 

Not everyone feels the same way as me, infact most dont as thats the reason why games and consoles still sell so well to this day dispite any radical change in controls since the analog controller first came into play (2 analog sticks and rumbles do not count as a radical change to me personally) but obviously there will be xbox 360 gamers and in the future PS3 gamers having an amazing time playing their consoles, i simply share a differnt feeling when i play videogames these days as its obvious gaming is still well and truely fun and great, just not to a certain majority of gamers such as myself.

[MonkeyPunch]

Nice read.

As for me: I really don't care how a game is actually played, it's more the content of the game that attracts me. Therefore I don't care about the x360 not having a radical new controller, a classic one will suffice. The x360 has good graphics and the games I like. That's more than enough reasons for me to buy it.

 

Now that's not say I don't care about Nintendo's new controller - I do - but I'm not buying a Rev just because of that. I was kinda dissapointed with the library of games on GC so I first got to see what games Nintendo has cooking up for us with the Rev. If, with the Rev, the 3rd party issue has been resolved and the first party games are great, then I'm all for it.

 

Besides do we really need a new way of playing games? The way you play a PC game for example hasn't changed much - if at all - since the advent of the mouse and keyboard. Is that oké? Don't the mouse and keyboard have to go too? It's amazing nobody seems to even mention that.

[Kav]

MonkeyPunch has said it all too well! Although even if there wasn't any 3rd party games I'd still get the Rev for Nintendo games alone, they're just that good!

[Zero Seven]

Nice read.

As for me: I really don't care how a game is actually played

 

Yes and indeed thats completely respectable in every sense

 

From impressions of games like Gears of War, Peferct Dark Zero (reviews) and then games to come out on it, Halo 3, Res Evil 5, it WILL have good games.

 

and that again is respectable and true no doubt but like i said in a previous post, a new control method isnt what everyone needs nor is it what everyone wants but i was stating that a small majority feel the same way as me, nothing in comparison to the size of the amount of people who dont but then again thats why everyone has differnt tastes and opinions.

[YenRug]

Spong have even written a piece about the size of the Xbox 360, they've pointed out that in reality it's actually bigger than the old Xbox, as the power block is now external to the main body. They've got a couple of interesting shots on there, too:

 

http://news.spong.com/x?art=9335

[MunKy]

Its that big for a reason. They know Nintendo want Rev to be a second console to people who normally buy xboxs and ps'. With this in mind they thought that they could flatten peoples Revos when a 360 falls over, probably collapsing under its own weight.

[Kav]

Its that big for a reason. They know Nintendo want Rev to be a second console to people who normally buy xboxs and ps'. With this in mind they thought that they could flatten peoples Revos when a 360 falls over, probably collapsing under its own weight.

 

Nah, I reckon the Rev will be one sturdy console! The Gamecube was, it could've been used as a weapon, hold the handle and bludgeon people to death with it!

[Zero Seven]

Besides do we really need a new way of playing games? The way you play a PC game for example hasn't changed much - if at all - since the advent of the mouse and keyboard. Is that oké? Don't the mouse and keyboard have to go too? It's amazing nobody seems to even mention that.

 

well me not being a PC gamer at all I cannot possibly have an accurate opinion on how i would personally feel about the keyboard and mouse, my PC is terrible and ive always been a handheld and console gamer.

 

I suppose we dont "need" a new way to play nor did I think that EVERYONE needed a new way to play, it just makes people like myself feel better about the future of gaming since this is what the likes of myself would be looking for but for my circumstances I needed a new way to play if i was to keep interest in console gaming and like ive said, many people are happy with how things are but I think yourself and quite a few people see where im coming from even if yourself or the rest are not nessicarily affected by these reasons in the same way or at all.

[c0Zm1c]

The way you play a PC game for example hasn't changed much - if at all - since the advent of the mouse and keyboard. Is that oké? Don't the mouse and keyboard have to go too? It's amazing nobody seems to even mention that.

It's probably not mentioned (much) because the PC caters mainly for a select few genres. Two of which are best played with the mouse and keyboard combination anyway (first-person shooters and real-time strategy games). And even when it comes to differing game play types the mouse and keyboard can prove itself to be a very versatile setup. For example, both Beyond Good & Evil and Psychonauts work remarkably well on PC even though they are console type games. It all depends on how well the controls for such game play types have been implemented, Second Sight being an example of how they're often very poor.

 

But, regardless of that, there's very little market for console type games on PC. So any refinement in controls is pretty much redundant when the most popular genres on this platform work more than adequately with the existing set up. It doesn't need evolving as much as console controls do - especially seing as first-person shooters have become extremely popular over the last few years on the consoles, something Nintendo is aiming their Revolution controller (with the nunchuk addon) at. Console real-time strategy games would benefit greatly from the Revolution controller too.

[Ramar]

I don't like comparing things usually, which is why I don't compare these two, as at the end of the day...you can't. Microsoft and Nintendo are aiming for different things, and I wish good success for both of them.

 

I disagree they're both games consoles, both going onto the same market, fighting for every single customer/fan. Thats like saying you can't compare two defenders for opposite teams because they are both aiming for something different, one might be aiming for survival, the other might be going after the title.

 

HOWEVER, I think Revolution is far more exciting because its revolutionising the way we play games and thats EXACTLY what the game industry needs. If all consoles were just improvements over their prequels(with graphics,sound,online etc.) then it wouldn't be half as exciting. So yeah, Nintendo is right, the game industry does need a change.

 

Up until the Revolution thats all its ever been, better hardware which essentially gives you better graphics. It wasn't until the current gen when things started to get thrown into the mix and extras added. It is exciting this road Nintendo are taking because nobody has done it before.

[Konfucius]

Besides do we really need a new way of playing games? The way you play a PC game for example hasn't changed much - if at all - since the advent of the mouse and keyboard. Is that oké? Don't the mouse and keyboard have to go too? It's amazing nobody seems to even mention that.

 

First off, sorry that I'm the fourth one to quote you but I think you made a very good point here. The setup for PC games is indeed very limited, actually it became more and more limited over the years. Some years ago you had additional peripherials like a Joystick, a Gamepad and such, now it's all narrowed down to Mouse and Keyboard.

I think the problem is that nobody wants to buy additional equipment to play a game properly because there are so many clones of games. So if someone said we make an egoshooter that only works well with a lightgun then I'm sure that thing wouldn't sell a lot because there are hundreds around where you shoot with the mouse.

The other advantage of the console over the PC is that they are - or were - explicitely for gaming so the games could be adapted to the control mechanism however the PC is multifunctional and one part of it is gaming and since we need a mouse and keyboard the obvious choice for developers is to choose that as an input mechanism.

 

 

and thanks to all of you for reading my "article" I didn't expect to start such an argument here.

[Bowser57]

I buy whatever Nintendo wants me to.

[Pyxis]

I'll buy anything Nintendo, aslong as it isnt a mario game which isnt a platformer...my god....They deserve a punch in the face for those titles.