As by "damn fine article" you mean "whining and complaining just to rile people up," which...he pretty much admitted to, from what I understand. :P

I hated it. Not because I don't agree with his points but because he acts like his opinion is all-knowing and more important than anyone who isn't a hardcore gamer.

That said, Nintendo HAS been lazy this year. Next year holds greater promise. I'm looking forward to playing this game after I'm done with Zelda. That's ironic, though, isn't it? A new Mario and Zelda in the span of a month, and Nintendo gamers aren't satisfied? Man, back in the older days that was unheard of stuff.

The thing is, for all of their complaining, the hardcore audience clearly doesn't support Nintendo enough for them to succeed. Gamecube fell into 3rd place despite having about anything a core gamer could want at the time, and even the quality core titles on Wii don't succeed. That's just how it is, unfortunately for gamers.

They should speak more with their $ if they care so much. ~shrug~ Otherwise, do as I do: look two all three consoles for what different unique experiences they have to offer.

This game has almost NO hype or expectations from me, so if it's actually pretty good? Then hells yes to that, and it'll be another awesome game for core gamers which core gamers will likely ignore. :P

This is the trouble when Nintendo releases installments of all four of their biggest franchises inside of a year and a half... Zelda, Mario, Smash, Kart. After Kart came out in spring 08, we were all like Now What? And Nintendo's answer seems to have been: more Wii ___ games (bleah), more GameCube ports (bleah), and also here's a retro fan service title (bleah). 2010 has nowhere to go but up.

Plenty of great third party games have appeared in 08/09; I know I've played more third party games this year on Wii than first party. But as you say, nobody steps up and buys them. I don't know how Nintendo solves this problem.

They can't compete on the kind of titles that "look better" on the PS3/360 (Dead Space Extraction, Madworld, Deadly Creatures). They can't compete on the unique niche titles because there's not enough consumer interest (Boy and Blob, Little King's Story). They can't generate big sales for games that to all appearances look like happy Wii games (Klonoa, Rabbids Go Home). And it seems to matter to NO ONE in the fanbase that these are mostly highly reviewed games.

I wonder if it's just that the gamers w/ the expendable income have gone to the more powerful systems?

A lot of Wii's sold to casual/non-traditional gamers, right? Those people probably aren't used to spending a lot on video games, or haven't done so in a while and the Wii pulled them back in just based on WiI Sports/Fit and hype alone. They don't need a new BIG GAME every month to be happy. They aren't buying because they don't care. They don't NEED.

You likely picked up a Wii for group fun and Nintendo games. That's what you get, there. People have enough group fun games, now. So, outside of the odd purchase, here and there, they wait for something important enough to be noticed by people who don't pay close attention to gaming news and release calendars.

Also...if Wii Sports still makes you super-happy...it's unlikely you'll EVER care about anything more in-depth.

A lot of Wii's were probably purchased by parents for kids. Those parents buy kids a few games a year, TOPS. Those kids really can't generate the cash necessary to keep buying The Next Big Thing (TM). The get a new game, treasure it and play it to death. Then, the wait for the next birthday/Christmas/graduation. When they just pick up Mario Kart, because they missed it the first time around. Those kids don't remember/think about Mad World when it's time to pick something up. And parents probably won't pick those titles up, either. Especially Wii Parents (TM).

Teens and older gamers are probably the bulk of the PS3 and 360 user base. They're looking for the biggest and boldest and bloodiest. They're also the most jaded market, and once they turn on something or deem it immature or stupid in some way...it's over. Nintendo isn't going to release games to compete with that specific market, because they won't win them over, no matter what they do.

"Ninteno just released a pretty epic-looking first-person shooter. It's got online play, without Friend Codes, and chat's enabled with the Wii Speak mic."

"Yeah, but...that game would look better on my other system, and they released Wii Music a few years ago. So, I can never, ever buy the new game. For any reason. Even if it's probably good."

Nintendo's problem is finding ways to draw those casual types back in to buy games. What sells for Wii? Wii Fit. Wii Play. Wii Sports. Mario Kart.

Keep doing what works.

Ignore the haters, do that Nintendo thing the sells a million consoles and a ton of games every month, and worry about how to recapture another portion of the market on the next console. Because they're not coming back to Wii.

Probably not for Wii 2.0, either.

The effort has to be made, though. HD will be there. But, out of the gates, they have to hit home that there's a renewed commitment to both family/casual games AND the lost "hardcore" gamers.

Then just put good stuff out there.

I'm not one of you. I don't care about the other two consoles. I don't care about the graphical power, and the games aren't my thing, anymore.

I don't spend a ton of money on games, but I do have more games than the typical Wii owner, most likely.

Nintendo's done a lot right and a lot wrong, this generation. But...it's been profitable, no matter what, and they're on top.

And I think, at the end of the day, THAT'S what makes the "core" gamers hate Nintendo so much. Nintendo represents the opposite of the things they're convinced are good/important in gaming. And Nintendo's winning. Big. Sure, there's probably a lack of interest...but that's probably, largely, due to total resentment over Nintendo's success in the face of what's "supposed" to matter in gamer circles. And, for that reason alone, "core" gamers aren't going to bolster their Wii libraries. They'll buy into the "dust" joke and try to make believe it's a reality that there's nothing interesting or worth playing on Nintendo's console.

There's a division. And the people who speak loudest (or EVER) in gamer world are the "core" types. Their opinions are heard, their arguments are out there, drawing sheep to echo the same things around the Internets.

I'm a happy Wii owner. I like the games being released for my console, and feel no need to look elsewhere for "deeper" experiences or flashier graphics. I know I'm not alone, but I also know that people like me probably aren't on these sites, commenting. Because they know they're outnumbered, off the bat.

(I don't care.)

This game looks great. It's an exclusive. Let's see how it goes.

Probably, and predictably, poorly. Japan might be on board. Maybe. Possibly.

After many years as a Sony gamer, I'm picking up what Nintendo's putting down. It's not so bad, over here. The water's fine. Don't be scared, fanboys. Plenty to see on the Wii. And if it's not visually impressive enough for you...I don't know if you're the kind of gamer I'll ever truly be able to see eye-to-eye with, anyway.

I would tend to blame the We Hate Nintendo Period angle as well. But since the GameCube was hated and came in last, I suspect that crowd has just changed the reason for the hate. First it was "Nintendo is kiddie and sucks," now it's "Nintendo is undeservedly number one and sucks."

But there is no way I could be satisfied with just a Wii these days, especially after a cross-comparison of the last two years of exclusives. The Nintendo I loved petered out sometime in mid-2008, and I want them back again.

Yea, see...I actually LIKE that all of those games came out so early. I mean, frick, if they were able to get them all done in that span of time? It means they have a GREAT formula established to pump out a Galaxy sequel and I get to keep playing Mario Kart and Smash for months and months on end as my reliable "go-to" multiplayer games when I've got nothing else to play.

I'd rather have those sooner than later on a console launch. I mean, if Brawl had waited to be released until now, that's less time people would be playing it because it's that much sooner to the launch of the next console.

Admittedly, I'm such a big Smash fan I was still playing Melee right up until Brawl released, though. ;)

I've been satisfied with the Wii this year, as a gamer, BUT I also spent 1/4-1/3 of this year playing 360 and PS3. So I've been pretty well-rounded and have enjoyed what each has to offer that the others don't.

Sure, I agree. The Wii had great momentum getting Zelda-Mario-Smash-Kart so early. But they lost that momentum, which makes me think the formula that seemed so great instead shifted resources to the NPC ports and Wii Fit / Music / Resort. We wouldn't have half as much to complain about if Fall 08 and Fall 09 had delivered a new Pikmin, a new Starfox, a new Kirby, or, dare we hope, some new IP. First-party has been dormant of AAA material for far too long... and I'm a guy who gives Nintendo a lot of rope on that score. I don't expect AAA releases every month, but we've been waiting for a game of the same caliber as Z-M-S-K for quite a while. Getting antsy.

While I can definitely see your point and agree with you, Sports Resort was a great summer title for me, and NSMBW was a great fall title AND Punch-Out!! was a wonderful spring title. So as far as 1st party goes, I was happy this year. Not amazed, or impressed, but satisfied.

Besides, there's a LOT of great 3rd party stuff that's getting the shaft on Wii this year...it's a real shame. It's like...Nintendo gamers only care about first party or something. :/ I mean, sure, obviously we care about them MORE, but come one, Boy and His Blob? Dead Space: Extraction? MadWorld? RE: Darkside Chronicles? Muramasa? All good games that are totally worth playing...

Quite simply, the games I play on my PS3 look so much better than the games on the Wii. Gamers have jumped Nintendo's ship. They have left the gamer niche for the mass market, and there is no turning back. The only way we'll see amazing looking Mario, Zelda and Metroid is if Nintendo sells the rights to produce it on the hardcore systems. It is not economical for Nintendo to make a beefy system that they market to the masses...

I love both my PS3 and my Wii, but graphics at this point don't even enter into it. It's the feature set in the games that frustrate me. I'm not going to wish for Mario, Zelda, or Metroid on PS3, as Mario and Metroid already look beautiful on Wii and Zelda should next time around, since it won't be a Gamecube port. It's the lack of effort in the most recent games that annoys me.

I'm way up on this on right now, too.

Might end up being one of those post-Xmas return cash purchases...

I haven't picked up ANYTHING Final Fantasy since X-2. I like that one, mind you. Everything else after looked too futuristic, and I lost interest.