The Decline of Nintendo?

[Magicpaint]

Wow, so many problems with that article:

The Wii is hardly what one could reliably consider a next-generation console

Translation: Never mind a controller that is capable of providing next gen gameplay: Improved graphics is where it's at.

I pity people who based the standards of next gen on just graphics, that's beyond ridiculous.

A new controller does not make an old system new

Likewise can we say the same controller doesn't make a system new? See: Xbox360?

That's about as idiotic as that as its missing important facts about each system.

Not only that, but the hardware of the Wii is NOT a GC. Where the hell do these people get these crazy notions from? It was built from the ground up using GC-like architecture. And has other set features that simply didn't exist in the GC hardware.

First, even accepting it as true, why should Sony need to innovate?

They don't NEED to, that's true. But that doesn't mean much here, Nintendo is innovating because that is what they've been doing since inception, it's nothing new when it's about Nintendo.

A controller is nothing more than an interface with the game.

That's just like saying graphics are just pretty pictures nothing more.

It's a vague misleading statement that isn't entirely true as it's intentionally diminishing the importance of interface in gaming. Mario 64 won't be half as good without the analog stick. Meteos will play like crap without a touch screen. Interface directly affects gameplay.

Analog sticks did not make games more innovative, nor did the d-pad, and nor did rumble.

You could argue about the rumble, but what the hell? Analog sticks basically justified the existence of 3D designs. Without analog sticks, most 3D game play like crap, analog stick is an innovation, so is the damn Dpad. Some games are just near unplayable without these control interfaces.

Likewise, innovative game deisgn means nothing if the interface doesn't make it enjoyable or can't accomodate it, this guy is out of his mind.

Innovation comes from the design of the game itself, and that is something quite different entirely from how the game is played.

Innovation can come from BOTH game design and interface.

Wii, meanwhile, is the follow-up to a failed, rejected irrelevancy within the console market.

Wow, so selling 20 million + units of the GC makes it a failure and "rejected irrelevancy" within the console market? Not to mention when it actually rakes in the cash too! I love this guy's logic. Idiotic statement.

This article reeks of bias. Not only does he discredit the viablity of the touch screen: See Nintendogs and Brain Training which have been a HUGE phenomenon so far thanks to touch screen and mic input, he comes into this article with the assumption that Nintendo thinks the industry is dying. No, that's not what Nintendo is thinking, they are thinking it could be BIGGER, they are imagining the possibility of bringing in people who normally wouldn't play games as well as catering to the existing gamers, that's the whole philosophy of the Wii/DS. They got it right with the DS. E3 proved that the Wii is something to be taken with seriously.

In the end it's all about the games, people will flock to the system with the best games, he has basically given up hope of the system achieving anything meaningful because it actually carves itself a different path from the norm. I hope to see him proven wrong in the long run.

[Dimentionalist]

About a year ago I was a huge (i.e. as in blind Sony/Microsoft hating) Ninty fanboy. But after E32k5, it showed me that Nintendo wasn't really interested in supporting those who had loved the GC for so long, so I decided to stop making an absolute fool of myself and broaden my horizans. So in a way, I kind of thank Nintendo for that, but then again, it was more of my fault for being more of a dumbass than I am now.

Nintendo has really disappointed me with the GC, as well. Sure, Mario is popular, but they've been whoring him out far to much as of late. There's been over fifteen games starring Mario in the last six years! Honestly, with the GC, I was really hoping that at E32k5 they'd announce some new games that would appeal to people other than Nintendo diehards (i.e. Ninty's most popular franchises in new genres) but that didn't happen. That, and third party support blowed. HARD.

I'm going to get a Wii to tide me over until I have enough money for a PlayStation 3. I'm planning on getting Metroid Prime 3 (sadly, no online), and Zelda at launch, and get SSBB the day of its debut. I really have high hopes for online for it, so I'm hoping Nintendo as well as the third parties really get behind it. I'm not getting my hopes up for anything Xbox-Live quality, but as a former Nintendo fan, I can't wait to see how Nintendo handles its first serious online service for a home console.