• 27Apr 06

  Nintendo Wii - Nintendo Why???

  Bottom line - a name doesn't mean much in terms of gameplay. They could call it the Nintendo SausageLust3000 and it would still have the same cool controller, same cool downloadable games service, same 'simple is fun' outlook'. Having said that, there is some credence to the concept that appearances and names are important. 'Wii' may translate well in the Japanese 'Zen' way of thinking, and may sound cool at a brainstorming (and I use the term 'brain' loosely) session between the conceptual thinkers at Nintendo HQ but, as a gamer at heart, I think 'Wii' is just not cool.

  Revolution was cool. It told us about the console. A console that was going to 'Revolutionize gaming' and 'changed the way we thought about games'. I understand that Nintendo want to make it accessible to all, and maybe 'Revolution' was too monolithic and scary for the average Joe who isn't tradtionally a gamer...but 'Wii'? Non-gamers, Mums and Dads, Old people...they just wont get it. They arn't conceptual thinkers. If Nintendo wanted to simplify it, much as they say they will simplify gaming, why not just call it the 'Nintendo Game'.

  Personally I liked 'Revolution'. It made me excited, it made my mouth water at the thought of being taken in a new direction, of being shown something and experience something I had never seen or experienced before. Now I'm a little bit bummed out. Will I still buy it? Sure I will. Will I feel stupid asking for a 'Wii' at Electronics Boutique? Totally.

  Besides, do Nintendo realise (or even care) that 'Wii' (or 'Wee' as it sounds) means 'to urinate' in the UK? I can see the scenario now:

  Me: "I'd like a 'Wii' please"

  Salesperson: "The toilet is just over there, Sir"

  • Posted Apr 27, 2006 9:45 am PT
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• 27Feb 06

  Microsoft handheld - the possibilities.

  So a rumour is abound that Microsoft plan to unveil a handheld (or, if the alleged screenshots are anything to go by - an arm cradled) multimedia games machine on March 2nd.  First of let me make an admission.  I am a junkie for news and rumours.  I love reading all the little bits of info, true or false, I can get my hands on.  And this rumour is certainly a good one.

  Let us first ask ourselves the question of 'Why?'.  Why would Microsoft enter the handheld market whn Sony are so clearly getting trounced in their battle with good ol' Nintendo?  Well could you not argue that BillCo has been in the 'handheld' market for years with the palm pilot?  Not only that but within the handheld sector we have a out-and-out games machine (DS), a multmedia player acting as a games machine (PSP) and a whole bunch of scrap metal (Gizmondo, NGage etc) so could it not be argued that there is room for a machine that does it all?  On that basis here is my theory...and please, hear me up.

  How about a handhel multimedia machine that plays DVDs AND the the games of a machine that already has a back catalogue of hundreds and hundreds of existing titles?  How difficult would it be to essentially make an Xbox handheld?  And if you had that, how difficult would it be to give it DVD functionality?  If that already in there then a wireless online service that allows connection to both a version of Xbox Live AND the internet would be killer.  It has the potential to be a legendary games machine (as it is essentially an Xbox) and a killer multimedia machine.

  Is it that difficult?  Well the only thing I see as being an issue (size wise) is the graphics and memory chips.  The Ipod now has a hard drive bigger than that of the Xbox and look how big that is.  The PSP is essentially an PS2 so why not have a handheld Xbox.

  Any thoughts?

  • Posted Feb 27, 2006 1:44 pm PT
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