Console Gaming World: Nintendo

Yes, I’ve finally given in and gone over to the dark side. My PC, while being kept in a state of good repair, is being neglected for the triumvirate of last generation consoles. That’s right, no PS3, Xbox 360 or Wii for me; it’s straight to the consoles of old and straight to the bargain bin for cheaply priced titles. While my friends are busy paying their $60 for a single title, I’m bum rushing the used section for titles that cost $50… 4 years ago. Of course, I’ve had my Gamecube for a while, so there’s quite a library. Naturally, after a decent hiatus with the Gamecube and a 6 month stay with the PS2, I pop in Zelda: Twilight Princess. I get lost in the world for about two hours, wandering on horseback. I don’t even bother to pick up where I left off almost 2 years ago – I just wander around and kill things, and thoroughly enjoy it. Now, this seems like pointless reminiscing, but we’re getting to the point – Nintendo games, then and now; where has two years taken us? From “I’m about taking names, and we’re about making games.” to “More smiles on more faces.” I may have misquoted Reggie there on the first one, but ouch. That WAS the Gamecube era. This is the Wii era.

I dream of a Twilight princess in glorious HD – imagine Zelda on *gasp* the PS3. What blasphemy! If it’s simply too much for your Nintendo fanboy heart, imagine a Wii with PS3 or 360 capable hardware. Instead of this wonderful dream, we have… Wii Music. Seriously, what the hell was that at E3 this year? I’m only reiterating what’s already has been said by industry professionals left and right, but Nintendo has essentially ditched its core demographic. Where the hell is the sheer joy that I experienced when I first popped in Metroid Prime? Smash Brothers Melee? Wind Waker? Those were the last generation’s graphical marvels. I loved every second of those games, and remember every detail fondly. Now? We have Lego-esque avatars doing their thing in the Wii browser. The first sign of trouble for me was when they delayed the Gamecube version of Twilight Princess – I even wanted a Wii back then. Now, 2 years later, I’m completely turned off by the very idea of the white hunk of plastic with my beloved Gamecube inside it. Out of all 3 last generation consoles, I loved my Gamecube the most. In the current era, most of my resentment and dissent is aimed solely at the Wii.

Nintendo has screwed themselves to the wall with their current approach – call me a retard for saying that about a 20 million strong console, but what’s going to happen to Nintendo’s dev studios for the NEXT generation? While current generation devs have already grappled with more complex hardware, Nintendo’s studios are stuck in the Gamecube era. Their next gen games are gonna look like current gen launch titles while stuff like Gears of War and MGS4 have already raised the bar higher. It’s harder to do HD – you have 4 times the content to put in these games compared to last generation, but it looks a hell of a lot better. The devs may bitch and moan at the work, but in the end, it’s all worth it. The reason why the Wii was so easy to develop for was because *gasp* – it’s a rebranded, overclocked Gamecube with a DVD drive and a new controller. I mean, isn’t it ironic that Super Smash Brothers Brawl – quite possibly, by popular opinion, the best Wii game out right now – is best played with a Gamecube controller? What the hell happened to revolutionary new controls when the old implement simply worked better?

For the next generation, I don’t think those 40 year old mothers and geriatrics are going to be willing to shell out however much the next generation of consoles cost for another Nintendo box. I know I won’t be, unless it promises hi-def Metroid and Zelda. Simply, PC gaming has proven one thing to me – once you taste the sweet nectar that is the high-def realm of gaming graphics, there is simply no going back. Nintendo loyalists, I applaud you for your faith – I too, hope for the day when they enter the current generation.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go get lost on Tallon IV again. Anyone care to join me?

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