Demuwan Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 SOURCE:http://gonintendo.com/?p=2491 Nintendo gave TIME the first look at its new controller–but before I pick it up, Miyamoto suggests that I remove my jacket. That turns out to be a good idea. The first game I try–Miyamoto walks me through it, which to a gamer is the rough equivalent of getting to trade bons mots with Jerry Seinfeld–is a Warioware title (Wario being Mario’s shorter, fatter evil twin). It consists of dozens of manic five-second mini games in a row. They’re geared to the Japanese gaming sensibility, which has a zany, cartoonish, game-show bent. In one hot minute, I use the controller to swat a fly, do squat-thrusts as a weight lifter, turn a key in a lock, catch a fish, drive a car, sauté some vegetables, balance a broom on my outstretched hand, color in a circle and fence with a foil. And yes, dance the hula. Since very few people outside Nintendo have seen the new hardware, the room is watching me closely. It’s a remarkable experience. Instead of passively playing the games, with the new controller you physically perform them. You act them out. It’s almost like theater: the fourth wall between game and player dissolves. The sense of immersion–the illusion that you, personally, are projected into the game world–is powerful. And there’s an instant party atmosphere in the room. One advantage of the new controller is that it not only is fun, it looks fun. When you play with an old-style controller, you look like a loser, a blank-eyed joystick fondler. But when you’re jumping around and shaking your hulamaker, everybody’s having a good time. After Warioware, we play scenes from the upcoming Legend of Zelda title, Twilight Princess, a moody, dark (by Nintendo’s Disneyesque standards) fantasy adventure. Now I’m Errol Flynn, sword fighting with the controller, then aiming a bow and arrow, then using it as a fishing rod, reeling in a stubborn virtual fish. The third game, and probably the most fun, is also the simplest: tennis. The controller becomes a racket, and I’m smacking forehands and stroking backhands. The sensors are fine enough that you can scoop under the ball to lob it, or slice it for spin. At the end, I don’t so much put the controller down as have it pried from my hands. John Schappert, a senior vice president at Electronic Arts, is overseeing a version of the venerable Madden football series for Nintendo’s new hardware. He sees the controller from the auteur’s perspective, as an opportunity but also a huge challenge. “Our engineers now have to decipher what the user is doing,” he says. “‘Is that a throw gesture? Is it a juke? A stiff arm?’ Everyone knows how to make a throwing motion, but we all have our own unique way of throwing.” But consider the upside: you’re basically playing football in your living room. “To snap the ball, you ’snap’ the remote back toward your body, which hikes the ball,” Schappert says. “No buttons to press, just gesture a hiking motion, and the ball’s in the hands of the QB. To pass the ball, you gesture a throwing motion. Hard, fast gestures result in bullet passes. Slower, less forceful, gestures result in loftier, slower lob passes. It truly plays like nothing you’ve ever experienced.” But the name Wii not wii-thstanding, Nintendo has grasped two important notions that have eluded its competitors. The first is, Don’t listen to your customers. The hard-core gaming community is extremely vocal–they blog a lot–but if Nintendo kept listening to them, hard-core gamers would be the only audience it ever had. “[Wii] was unimaginable for them,” Iwata says. “And because it was unimaginable, they could not say that they wanted it. If you are simply listening to requests from the customer, you can satisfy their needs, but you can never surprise them. Sony and Microsoft make daily-necessity kinds of things. They have to listen to the needs of the customers and try to comply with their requests. That kind of approach has been deeply ingrained in their minds.” Very Nice Indeed:bouncy:
McMad Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 Why did you have to kill what little hope i had Nintendork? (Never mind this comment) Edit: Wait why the hell did you post a cover of an issue from october 1999? Edit 2: Damn you Nintendork, you replied quick enough to make me feel embarrassed of myself.
Kav Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 ...the fourth wall between game and player dissolves. The sense of immersion–the illusion that you, personally, are projected into the game world–is powerful. I always love reading things like this bit!
Nintendork Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 Sorry McMad..? When is this on sale in WH Smiths? Literally is this a joke.. because this seems so unlike Nintendo to let the cat out of the bag about Zelda- we've all been thinking it and a few have hinted. But nobody has bluntly said "Zelda will use the controller" Gah I'm so happy.
Demuwan Posted May 7, 2006 Author Posted May 7, 2006 If that Wii Tennis game ever makes it. It may be a definite buy. Unparrelled Immersion and Intuitiveness = Definite Hit with Hardcore and Non-gamers. Lets not forget me:wink:
Chanser Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 Full text: http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.video.nintendo/browse_frm/thread/0c34d048d64a8afd/1a7d188027394f91#1a7d188027394f91
KKOB Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 wow :D:D cant wait for e3!!! or for when they have one in virgin and gamestation before launch! should be fun
Guest Jordan Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 Yes indeed WarioWare pushed exists! Steve Jobb's a man with his cock in every pie hole... God i hate that man.
gaggle64 Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 Wii tennis sound absolutely mesmerising. Wario-Ware Wii = gaming inspired orgasam. Zelda with FHC sword, bow and FISHING ROD control. Run: Programme>Loin Explosion >Loin Explosion activated... >Loin Explosion now commencing... >Loin Explosion in progress... >Loin Explosion now complete. Run: Programme>New Pair Of Pants >Retrieving New Pair Of Pants...
djamb3 Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 Nintendo in TIME's cover...great arcticle btw. Now this will hit a lot of non gamers
Nintendork Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 I read an article about how Steve basically went on a war path creating the iLife suite ripping off developper's ideas and destroying their livelihood. I'm not a big fan of him really.. but when he speaks I take time to listen. It's amazing that people worship him when in some respect, he's ripped off a lot of people like Bill Gates has.. The people behind SoundJam (now known as iTunes) got bought out and offered cushy jobs at Apple while the other people refused and founded the software company Panic. I imagine those SoundJam people are INCREDIBLY rich right now, the Panic crew weren't that bothered.. they were young and full of ideas, they didn't want to end up not having the flexibility that working out of their bedroom offered. I think this will be out in WH Smith in a few days, I've definitely seen it in there.. not sure how many days delay there is to ship it.
guarana Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 never heard of um.. but he looks like the dad from american pie.......... oh ... and the article is cool too.. zelda fully controlable with the wii controller , wow! ... wonder if the graphics will be updated too ??!..
21st century cowboy Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 Very good article. Is the tennis game a fully fleged game or just another demo? Definately getting WarioWare at launch.
EchoDesiato Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 Steve Jobb's a man with his cock in every pie hole...God i hate that man. never heard of um.. but he looks like the dad from american pie.......... I think we're on to something here...
Mokong Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 At the end, I don’t so much put the controller down as have it pried from my hands. I can see it now, the guy playing the Wii having the time of life, Miyamoto: Ok your time is up give it back. Guy: NEVER, you'll have to take it from my cold dead hands. Miyamoto: Security, GET HIM. *two security gaurds jump him pro-wrestling style* I think i'll be the same when i get my Wii when its out, i'll prolly not sleep or eat for a few days, the only thing that would stop me would be when i finally collapse from starvation/exhuastion
Nintendork Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 Oh yeah, thought it'd be good to add this: 40 million people buy TIME magazine every week. If half of them buy a Wii then Nintendo are on to something. The 360 and PS3 won't appeal to your average TIME reader because the product isn't marketed at them.. the Wii is. If more big papers start giving the Wii praise like this the console can't fail.
gaggle64 Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 "Next on FOX - Japanese Islamic extremists attck the offices of Time magazine! Wii're all gonna die and be incredibly entertained people!"
ShadowV7 Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 I'm happy it's been confirmed you can use the Wii-mote as a sword.Wario ware confirmed ,great news
Hero-of-Time Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 This is very good news indeed and come Tuesday everything will be made clear...Nintendo are back baby!
GCplaya77 Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 Wow, it's 2001 all over again (multiplied by 20): planetgamecube.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=5899
Eliytres Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 Here's the cover of that particular TIME magazine: It's out 15th may if I remember it right...
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