Losing Respect For Nintendo

Alright. That’s it. 3:00. I’ll be waiting for you at the flagpole. I’m calling you out Nintendo. You are deceiving, you lack a clear defining stance in the industry you built, you’re lazy, and you’re not giving me any compelling reason to continue supporting you. Worst of all, you’re taking advantage of your fan base.

What Say You, Nintendo?

I feel as if the Wii has had some bizarre circle of events in proving itself to the masses. Before its release, many doubted its presence in the industry. It practically flaunted its lack of power, its focus on simplicity and appeal to a different audience, and of course – the biggest gamble – motion control. One question remained on the minds of many: Could it prove to be more than just a gimmick? Then it released. We all know what happened. People ate it up. People who never played games before ate it up. It was a hit. Critics came around to the new device and accepted it as another great console from Nintendo. But not me. I wasn’t convinced. And I think this period of having to prove itself will happen once again come the release of “Natal” and “GEM.” Nintendo will have to show the masses why the Wii still matters, and for me, why it mattered in the first place. Upon launch I played the majority of the day 1-release titles, and of course, the much talked about Wii Sports. I had the same feeling with them all. “Hey, this is kinda’ fun, maybe I was wrong.” 15 minutes later I was over it, I was right. I got it. It was a gimmick. A toy. It was the ultimate version of ‘Bop It.‘ To me, it didn’t prove itself.

The Blurry Line Between Gimmick and Console

Now this is not going to be a blatant rip on the Wii, or on Nintendo, but rather a simple observation and realization I’ve come to over the last while. Or should I say an observation and realization I’ve always had, and have yet to be convinced otherwise. Is the Wii a gimmick? Has it proved itself? The peculiar thing about it all is that I’m not even sure what Nintendo would say. After all, it was Nintendo stating that with the Wii they were going in a different direction. That Sony and Microsoft were no longer their competitors. Does Nintendo even consider the Wii a full-fledged console? My one big, shiny piece of ammunition to my viewpoint, (and it serves as the sole reason of my frustration with the Wii), is this: If the Wii is truly a gaming console, rather than a gimmick, why is it that the PS3, and 360 are able to simply add on the exact same thing on their consoles, and not only that, do it better? An add-on. That’s all it is. To me, the Wii is a rumble pack, a VMU. It’s basing an entire console around one idea. It’s like Harmonix releasing a console around the Guitar Hero concept. Then a few years later realizing that anyone can make plastic instruments, add it on, and even add drums, more guitars, and singing, creating a full band that delivers a more complete, better experience.

Lots of Questions, No Answers

Now my position on Nintendo isn’t one of hate. I’m not a Nintendo hater by any means. I’ve always supported them, but I feel they’ve failed to show me a reason why I need to spend my money on them, or feel compelled to even turn the system on. Please tell me it’s not just a fat Italian plumber, a kid in a green skirt, and a giant ape. That’s not gonna’ cut it for me anymore. Those games are slowly losing their shine. They’ve become lazy. New Super Mario Bros Wii may be fun, but it reeks of laziness. They give just enough for their fans to be satisfied instead of going the extra mile. NSMBW could have better graphics, could provide better sound, could go the extra step and create more than just two toads. But they know they don’t need to. I can’t respect that. I don’t like knowing that Nintendo could provide me with a richer experience but are choosing not to. And Nintendo of all developers – the company that spends years between sequels, and is careful about releasing new entry’s of their iconic characters; has the time, but simply does not care.

I get the opposite feeling when playing other huge titles. Epic’s Gears of War for example. When playing those games I can practically see the blood, sweat, and tears that came from the development team. Pushing the capabilities in graphics, sound, and gameplay, – the whole package. Sure, you may not think it’s the greatest game, but at least they’re trying to make it a solid experience in every facet it can. And I know, it’s not all about graphics, and sound. It’s about fun. But that’s just my point. The Wii provides short-term highs. The fun doesn’t last. And the time you’re most invested into your Wii, you’ll find you have a GameCube controller plugged in. What is happening here? It’s at the point now where I don’t care if I’m playing as Link when exploring a dungeon or figuring out how to beat that certain boss. The fantastic and underrated Darksiders gave me just as solid of an experience as the last few Zelda titles did. But what makes Zelda anymore of a quality game? I really don’t know. Again, must be the green skirt.

My Charge To Nintendo

This is just my opinion, but for someone who’s been gaming since the beginning, and has stuck with Nintendo through it all, I can’t help but feel as if I’m speaking on the behalf of many. I feel let down, used, taken advantaged of, and abandoned. So here’s my charge to you Nintendo: Your once flawless first party games are losing their muster. They no longer provide an experience of exclusivity that I can’t get anywhere else. Laziness is bleeding through not only your third party support, but also your first party titles. Your console is underpowered, and at one point that did not matter because you gave gamers a different experience. But once Sony and Microsoft release their efforts into motion-control, I ask this: what’s the point? Why buy a Wii? The 360 delivers a top-notch online experience, an amazing array of titles, and soon a motion controlled experience that as of now seems second to none. The PS3 delivers us an entertainment package like no other, Blu-Ray, and soon motion control as well. Both the latter present us all in one packages, whereas the Wii is left providing one aspect, one experience, and one that is of lesser quality. You’re entering dangerous waters. The success you’ve had with grandmothers is going to your head, and you are forgetting the fans that helped you get to where you are today. Again, this is not hateful; it’s just truly disappointing. I wait the day when I can get behind you again, and recommend buying your product. But for now, you are failing to give answers and reasons to gamers around the world as to why we should care, because you clearly don’t.