Nintendo Wakes Up, Smells Coffee, Promises Increase in Wii Production

[fitbabits]

gi.biz (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=24582) is reporting that Nintendo has decided to ramp up production of their much sought after Wii console as demand continues to thump the ass of supply.

"For the first three months of this year we have been producing one million hardware units per month. We are increasing the manufacturing capacity and forecast to ship 14 million in this fiscal year to our distributors and retail customers globally," the spokesperson said.

"We have put solid production plans in place to ensure a steady flow of product through 2007. We are constantly replenishing Wii supplies however with such high demand, stock is still flying off shelves so consumers should continue to be in touch with their local retailers to confirm when new stock is arriving."
After the announcement of massive and historical profits, it's the least they can do!

[Gorvi]

Woohoo! Maybe I'll be able to find one when Mario and Metroid make it out. Good stuff. :)

[Klade]

So they went from 1 million consoles a month to 1.2 consoles a month.

[agentgray]

I think Nintendo finally started reading Toybane and EvAvAn.

[bean19]

However, since our stockholders have seen that less than 300K are selling each month despite being sold out, we have decided to get our thumbs out of our collective butts.

[Karmakin]

This is Nintendo finally admitting to themselves that their success is more than just a fad.

[CrashCart]

So they went from 1 million consoles a month to 1.2 consoles a month.
Yep. A little less than 1.2, actually.

[Blue]

Come to Butthead.

[Valkyrist]

After the announcement of massive and historical profits, it's the least they can do!
Actually, the least they could do is continue to limit production, and thus limit their profits. This is benefitting them, just as much as us. Good news all-around though, thanks!

[GunnSgtHartman]

I've been lucky enough to get a Wii directly from Nintendo in last December. It's great that they are ramping up their production rate, but the Wii really needs some quality games.

So far, like somebody said on this site before, the Wii looks like a party game console. There are a few good games that are worth renting or buying used, but there are barely any AAA titles worth buying besides Zelda and Super Paper Mario.

I mean, who's going to buy WarioWare when it takes about 5 hours to finish? The game is really good, but if you don't often have somebody around to play with, it's not worth buying.

[Syl]

However, since our stockholders have seen that less than 300K are selling each month despite being sold out, we have decided to get our thumbs out of our collective butts.
The Wii has been out for roughly 6 months; it's sold almost 6 million consoles. It launched with less than 750k

Something doesn't add up with your math.

[Roc Ingersol]

So far, like somebody said on this site before, the Wii looks like a party game console.
It's being embraced beacuse it is a party game console.

I don't think it needs more games like Zelda and paper mario.I think it needs more quality party games like Wario and Rayman.

Something doesn't add up with your math.
He's only looking at NPD's North American numbers. Nintendo's referring to world-wide sales and production.

[Philonious]

I still think they were deliberately limiting production so that they could spread the demand into the new fiscal year. It would not have looked good if demand had bottomed out too soon (I'm not saying that it would have necessarily).

[Gorvi]

It's being embraced beacuse it is a party game console.

I don't think it needs more games like Zelda and paper mario.I think it needs more quality party games like Wario and Rayman.
Yuck. If the Wii is going to be just a secondary system, I guess that's not such a bad thing. But, man, that's my main problem with the thing now, not enough games with actual meat to them. Really, how many party games do you need?

[Venkman]

I have NEVER seen a Wii I could buy in my local EBgames, Gamestop, Best Buy, Walmart, or Target.

[Roc Ingersol]

It might be secondary for you and me. But it would be anyway. Games like Zelda and Paper Mario - heavy on content, light on gameplay - are going to pale against similar games on other consoles anyway. (that can have more content, better looking content) People who dig those kinds of games are going to migrate away from the Wii regardless.

How many party games do you need?
I dunno - how many shooters and rpgs and platformers do we need?

[Lothair]

I still think they were deliberately limiting production so that they could spread the demand into the new fiscal year. It would not have looked good if demand had bottomed out too soon (I'm not saying that it would have necessarily).

Except their new fiscal year started a month ago and they're still impossible to find. It didn't hurt the 360 to have their supply in march, everyone was wondering what had taken so long. You basically only want to sell out in the period right after thanksgiving, so that you can get news stories about how you've sold out and it's the hot new thing. After that point, you want to flood the market with supply so that you can sell to everyone who wants to come buying.

[CrashCart]

It's being embraced beacuse it is a party game console.

I don't think it needs more games like Zelda and paper mario.I think it needs more quality party games like Wario and Rayman.
I respectfully disagree. I don't mind party games like Warioware and Rayman, but what the Wii needs is variety. It appeals to non-gamers well enough with Wii Sports and the party games, but aside from the first party Nintendo classics (Mario, Metroid, Zelda), it doesn't have a whole lot except party games/minigame collections.

Personally, those don't appeal to me because spendinig $50 for a game that takes 5 hours to unlock everything and then only gets played when I have company over, isn't worth it to me.

[anakin876]

My question is, what will they do with the new capacity once demand slows? There's no point in building a new factory just so people can get their Wiis earlier - unless demand is going to stay strong for a long time. Perhaps their analysts changed their forecast to include more consistent demand for the future, or someone figured out a way to run the factory at some time when they are not (last I heard the factory was already running 24/7). While it would be nice for Nintendo to meet demand sooner rather than later, I hope it doesn't come at a greater cost to the Big N

[walkstheplanes]

Come to Butthead.

The most relevant post in this thread.

[Skyelan]

I respectfully disagree. I don't mind party games like Warioware and Rayman, but what the Wii needs is variety. It appeals to non-gamers well enough with Wii Sports and the party games, but aside from the first party Nintendo classics (Mario, Metroid, Zelda), it doesn't have a whole lot except party games/minigame collections.

That's a hyperbolic claim and it's been as such for quite a while now.

There really aren't that many party games, there are barely any minigame collections, and there are lots of singleplayer games with quite a large number of truly announced (As in, more than an ambigeous name with loose details, I mean screenshots and so on) ones coming down the pipe.

It also has far more good games, not to mention variety in games, in a five month span than it took the DS almost a whole year to get. Take that as you will.

Honestly, I'm all for people not liking the Wii's library, that's the beauty of different tastes, but the statement is out and out false, yet it gets repeated ad nausium. It's like saying the 360 won't have barely any jRPGs when it has quite a few announced, or that the PSP still doesn't have any good games. :rolleyes:

Also, if the demand ends up ebbing in some places, they'll just give Japan the excess stock. They go Packman on whatever Nintendo throws at them. :p

[GunnSgtHartman]

Yuck. If the Wii is going to be just a secondary system, I guess that's not such a bad thing. But, man, that's my main problem with the thing now, not enough games with actual meat to them. Really, how many party games do you need?

QFT. I don't want the Wii to turn into another Gamecube, especially with the potential to make creative and different games with the controller. Nintendo should be able to get more third-party developers this time around. I think the problem is that most developers seem to be more interested so far in creating quick/low budget games for the console than AAA titles (although they're selling their games at the same price!)

I had a GameCube during the last generation, and I've sold it after I've finished Resident Evil 4. I've bought only 8 games for the system, compared to about 20 for the Xbox 180. Besides Nintendo's first party games and Capcom's games, there wasn't a lot of games worth buying. I really hope this is going to be different and third-party developers will put more effort in making quality games this time around. Also, I hope the games will be more varied, not only party/action games.

However, will the Wii lifespan last as long as the PS3 and 360 with its low-end specs?

[PXG 360]

This is good news. Now when I do REALLY need a Wii, I can actually get one :)

[Heretic Machine]

They're already shipping more Wiis than any other console! The rumors of holding back Wiis are bullshit.

[Gorvi]

They need to make a Wii sequal to Kirby's Canvas Curse. That would kick amazing amounts of ass, and force me to buy a Wii.

[GunnSgtHartman]

It might be secondary for you and me. But it would be anyway. Games like Zelda and Paper Mario - heavy on content, light on gameplay - are going to pale against similar games on other consoles anyway. (that can have more content, better looking content) People who dig those kinds of games are going to migrate away from the Wii regardless.

How many party games do you need?
I dunno - how many shooters and rpgs and platformers do we need?

The problem is there isn't enough game genres. RPGs disappeared from Nintendo's systems with the Nintendo 64.

There is an excellent potential for shooters on the Wii. Red Steel sucked, but if the developers put more effort, it could have been a lot better.

Developers must think about making Wii games, and not multi-platform games for the Wii. They must develop gameplay that's only possible on the Wii. They must focus on the gameplay, not on how you're going to scale next-gen graphics on the Wii!

[Skyelan]

They need to make a Wii sequal to Kirby's Canvas Curse. That would kick amazing amounts of ass, and force me to buy a Wii.

Yeah, that and Meteos were about the only games that kept me sane with my DS purchase after Touched back in January or so, up until August when Advance Wars and Nintendogs were released. :(

Stuff only went uphill from there, but it was bleak as hell before that.

[CrashCart]

There really aren't that many party games, there are barely any minigame collections, and there are lots of singleplayer games with quite a large number of truly announced (As in, more than an ambigeous name with loose details, I mean screenshots and so on) ones coming down the pipe.

...

Honestly, I'm all for people not liking the Wii's library, that's the beauty of different tastes, but the statement is out and out false, yet it gets repeated ad nausium. It's like saying the 360 won't have barely any jRPGs when it has quite a few announced, or that the PSP still doesn't have any good games. :rolleyes:
I have a Wii and only a few games. Maybe I should look at the library closer, but as far as quality (subjective) already released games for the Wii, what's out there?

The games (that I can think of) that people tend to rant and rave about are: Zelda, Super Paper Mario, Excite Trucks (maybe?), Warioware, and Rayman. To a lesser extent: Red Steel, Elebits, Wii Play (?), and.. DBZ? What else am I missing that's worthy of my $50 per disc?

So, sure, my claim that it has nothing but minigames is not true. But it certainly doesn't have a huge variety or quantity of highly acclaimed games, either.

I still reserve the right to dislike party games that aren't worth much time aside from when you have company over, though. They're fun for a bit, but I don't think that type of game is going to give the Wii the staying power it needs.

[Yellowman]

Developers openly admit they were caught with their pants down when the Wii became successful. They weren't developing any games for it. So there is a drought now, but when they get their asses in gear and stop trying to lazily port PS2 games (except Godfather which I hear is pretty fun) then the drought will end and the Wii will have that varied library.

[Trazzlo the Magnificant]

My question is, what will they do with the new capacity once demand slows?
Hmm, I think I will patent the idea of duct taping two Wii's together as the next generation bundle :)

[Karmakin]

It's going to take time for "best practices" to appear for Wii development, same thing as needed to appear for DS development.

Myself, I'm really looking forward to quite a few single-player type experiences on the Wii. To me, Dragon Quest Swords (Punch-out RPG goodness it looks like to me. Hey. Bejewled RPG goodness worked :), MP3, Super Mario Galaxy (Or in bigger print, SUPER MARIO GALAXY), that Disaster game, No More Heroes, DDR:Hottest Party, both Resident Evil games and Wii Music.

And there's quite a bit I overlooked that might be good, but just isn't my cup of tea. The Wii has a great lineup over the rest of the year. Better than the PS3 and the 360? Your view may vary. But for me, it's much better than the PS3, and about on-par with the 360. (Assuming that Lost Oddessy is out this year. The Mistwalker games count for a lot with me)

[Skyelan]

I have a Wii and only a few games. Maybe I should look at the library closer, but as far as quality (subjective) already released games for the Wii, what's out there?

The games (that I can think of) that people tend to rant and rave about are: Zelda, Super Paper Mario, Excite Trucks (maybe?), Warioware, and Rayman. To a lesser extent: Red Steel, Elebits, Wii Play (?), and.. DBZ? What else am I missing that's worthy of my $50 per disc?

Other games that have either had great acclaim, or decent acclaim with reviewers split (Certainly far less so than Red Steel...) are SSX Blurr, Sonic and the Secret Rings, Cooking Mama, Super Swing Golf, Godfather, to a lesser extent Kororinpa (Actually to a more extent, but it and Cooking Mama are two I think are good games, just a little overpriced).

And for that matter, Trauma Center has been almost universally praised, with the exception of the difficulty.

I'm not saying you'll like all the games I listed, but they're definitely ones getting face time and praise from many people, even when it's love/hate. Plus only one of them could be considered a minigame collection.

Another bit of food for thought on people that think the Wii is starving for games: How many games do we know about, with real info, coming out later this year? And I mean Wii games, not half assed ports. Quite a few. Now consider that this is before E3, which, even when gimped, will likely still be a news-pit like it has been before, just not a media circus.

Honestly, and this may be jumping the gun, I think we'll see quite a few new titles announced then, much like what happened at E3 05 when everyone was positive the DS was just a passing fad that was gonna drop off the charts soon with no games coming.

I'm just saying, yes the Wii library is a bit sparse, but we're within FIVE MONTHS of launch. The number of games that a large number people aknowledge as quality is still really high for such a short period of time. I'm hard pressed, honestly, to think of a system with that much, and with the large majority of a them exclusives, in this span of time.

I'll happily eat my words if someone can give me a couple good examples, though, as I really would like to know. :D

[Serapth]

Why is it my area always seems to have stock before everywhere else. I have been able to easily get a Wii for the last month or so. The same was true with the Xbox 360, while people were complaining about shortages I could easily pick one up. The PS3... well, outside of launch, there werent really shortages anywhere.

[Spigot]

Hmm... And yet just yesterday (http://www.evilavataranalysts.com/2007/04/25/looking-behind-the-analysis/) that analyst was saying there wouldn't be sufficient Wii supply until 2009.

[Serapth]

Other games that have either had great acclaim, or decent acclaim with reviewers split (Certainly far less so than Red Steel...) are SSX Blurr, Sonic and the Secret Rings, Cooking Mama, Super Swing Golf, Godfather, to a lesser extent Kororinpa (Actually to a more extent, but it and Cooking Mama are two I think are good games, just a little overpriced).

And for that matter, Trauma Center has been almost universally praised, with the exception of the difficulty.

I'm not saying you'll like all the games I listed, but they're definitely ones getting face time and praise from many people, even when it's love/hate. Plus only one of them could be considered a minigame collection.

Another bit of food for thought on people that think the Wii is starving for games: How many games do we know about, with real info, coming out later this year? And I mean Wii games, not half assed ports. Quite a few. Now consider that this is before E3, which, even when gimped, will likely still be a news-pit like it has been before, just not a media circus.

Honestly, and this may be jumping the gun, I think we'll see quite a few new titles announced then, much like what happened at E3 05 when everyone was positive the DS was just a passing fad that was gonna drop off the charts soon with no games coming.

I'm just saying, yes the Wii library is a bit sparse, but we're within FIVE MONTHS of launch. The number of games that a large number people aknowledge as quality is still really high for such a short period of time. I'm hard pressed, honestly, to think of a system with that much, and with the large majority of a them exclusives, in this span of time.

I'll happily eat my words if someone can give me a couple good examples, though, as I really would like to know. :D

Funny, and I was just flipping through this months GI, and there were about 6 Wii reviews, and I think the best was a 7. In Game Informer a 7 is average or below average.

There is alot of shovelware on the Wii, more so then any other Next gen console. Look at all the Ps2/Xbox/Wii releases. You just know those are last gen games with WiiMote support tacked on.

[GunnSgtHartman]

It's going to take time for "best practices" to appear for Wii development, same thing as needed to appear for DS development.


The Wii is basically a repackaged Gamecube with more memory. It has exactly the same video engine and CPU. The only thing that's different is the Wii controller. There are already third-party libraries for helping programmers to recognize the controller's movement.

So basically a team that worked on a Gamecube title already has the experience to work on a Wii title. The only thing they really need to learn is how to make the best use of the Wii-mote in different gameplay situations.

[The-Builder]

Games like Zelda and Paper Mario - heavy on content, light on gameplay - are going to pale against similar games on other consoles anyway.
What?? Light on gameplay?! Pale against other consoles?? Those games are all about gameplay!

[Skyelan]

There is alot of shovelware on the Wii, more so then any other Next gen console. Look at all the Ps2/Xbox/Wii releases. You just know those are last gen games with WiiMote support tacked on.

Oh please. All systems have shovelware when they start out. The DS has a shit ton of shovelware, as does the PS2. Just as the 360 did.

For that matter, how many games does the 360 have right now? How many are GOOD, or anything vaguely resembling quality?

The only 'last gen with wiimote support tacked on' game I listed was Godfather, and that's been HEAVILY praised because the 'tacked on' support is so damn good.

So where are you going with this? All systems have shit tons of shovelware, that's where library numbers come from. The fact remains that the claim is false, the Wii currently has quite a number of good games, and people still forget we're only in the first half-year sprint, where I can't think of a single other example of a system having even more than 3 or 4 games where the general consensus is that they're really good (Please feel free to prove me wrong, I enjoy being disproved and learning otherwise), and this is with many companies.

Not to mention I can name 15 entirely exclusive Wii games off the top of my head (And not 'It's a redone port, but it's exclusive!' either) announced through casual news posts off the top of my head, and this is before we've had any sort of trade show, which is when a system's library really starts to look bright.

I recall a lot of reviews saying the PS2 was going to be shown up by the Dreamcast within the first few months of launch...

My point is, the library is not half as bad as people make it out to be. And it's definitely a lot better than most systems are at this stage.

You don't have to like what's there, but it is there. ;)

[Spigot]

What?? Light on gameplay?! Pale against other consoles?? Those games are all about gameplay!No kidding. This is one of the first times I've heard someone actually say that the Wii had more on the story side of things than the gameplay. Usually that's what people knock the Wii for.

And just look ahead to some of the games coming out for the Wii. Sure, there's nothing much in the next few months, but then again, there's nothing much for the PS3 or 360 either (esp. since most of the big RPG's on the 360 seem to keep getting bumped back).

I, for one, can't wait for Treasure Island Z and Dewy's Adventure, and those aren't even the big Mario/Metroid franchises that will be rolling out from Nintendo.

[Spigot]

Great points, Skyelan. It drives me nuts when people slam the Wii library yet somehow give the PS3 a pass. They may be gimmicky or whatever, but at least there are a solid 7-8 games worth paying full price for on the Wii and several others that are worth at least a rental, if nothing else. Can't say the same for the PS3's post-launch library.

And I, for one, can't wait for the DS-hump to come and go. Once the Wii is firmly established as its own system and isn't the sole territory of Nintendo's games, even Serapth may come around.

[Skyelan]

Great points, Skyelan. It drives me nuts when people slam the Wii library yet somehow give the PS3 a pass. They may be gimmicky or whatever, but at least there are a solid 7-8 games worth paying full price for on the Wii and several others that are worth at least a rental, if nothing else. Can't say the same for the PS3's post-launch library.

And I, for one, can't wait for the DS-hump to come and go. Once the Wii is firmly established as its own system and isn't the sole territory of Nintendo's games, even Serapth may come around.

I wouldn't really say people give the PS3 a pass by any means. I don't necisarily think people shouldn't be frustrated either.

I just think it's quick that we forget that, for what point in the Wii's lifetime we're at, it's doing surprisingly well for ANY system, library-wise. And this is with lax 1st party Nintendo support, and with most companies admitting they were caught off guard and are now working their heinders off to support it.

I mean, all I can think when people refer to it as the DS hump is how the DS only had three notable games worth rushing out for for almost a year after launch. If we're experiencing a 'DS hump' with so much open support and at LEAST one good game per month (A nice handful of fun looking games in June), then the other side of the hump should be very interesting. :p

[MaiXu]

Mmm. "Demand that continues to thump the ass of supply."

And that's why I read Evil Avatar, folks.

[Spigot]

I mean, all I can think when people refer to it as the DS hump is how the DS only had three notable games worth rushing out for for almost a year after launch. If we're experiencing a 'DS hump' with so much open support and at LEAST one good game per month (A nice handful of fun looking games in June), then the other side of the hump should be very interesting. :p
Aye. Personally, I don't think that the Wii is anywhere as badly off as the DS was when it first launched. The thing is, there are a lot of people who are quick to dismiss the Wii and point out things like the licensed shovelware that is coming out over the summer doldrums as though that's indicative of the system library in general.

It's to those people that I try to point out the DS hump and say that when the Wii really catches on with the 3rd party developers (which we are starting to see already) and the new interface techniques are mastered and implemented into new types of gameplay... THAT will be the time to point and laugh at all the haters.

[Shodan2020]

About goddamn time! They should have increased production at the beginning of this year! I've been waiting for a Wii for so long!

[Johan]

I've been waiting for a Wii for so long!

Puberty...puberty. It'll all work out! ;)

/har har NOT...

edit: now I feel bad...you agree with my post in the other thread, and I pick on you. Sowwy. :o

[Serapth]

Oh please. All systems have shovelware when they start out. The DS has a shit ton of shovelware, as does the PS2. Just as the 360 did.

For that matter, how many games does the 360 have right now? How many are GOOD, or anything vaguely resembling quality?

Actually, that is exactly my point.

Using the power of MS Excel and IGN's reviews. There are 113 games ( non Arcade ) on the Xbox 360, with an Average score of 7.462831858
, and more importantly, a median value of 7.9

The Wii on the other hand has 51 games not including VC games, with an Average score of 6.57254902 and a median value of 6.85.


Wii games ARE worse then the Xbox 360, by a good 10%, atleast according to IGN.

But hey... don't let actual facts and numbers get in the way of your argument.

FYI, I have both spreadsheets if you really want to see.

EDIT: Had to edit out the burger king games and for some reason sometimes IGN adds in multiple regional reviews. Deleted all duplicates.

[UnderHero5]

Actually, that is exactly my point.

Using the power of MS Excel and IGN's reviews. There are 113 games ( non Arcade ) on the Xbox 360, with an Average score of 7.462831858
, and more importantly, a median value of 7.9

The Wii on the other hand has 51 games not including VC games, with an Average score of 6.57254902 and a median value of 6.85.


Wii games ARE worse then the Xbox 360, by a good 10%, atleast according to IGN.

But hey... don't let actual facts and numbers get in the way of your argument.

FYI, I have both spreadsheets if you really want to see.

EDIT: Had to edit out the burger king games and for some reason sometimes IGN adds in multiple regional reviews. Deleted all duplicates.
The problem with this is... A) They don't have the same amount of games, B) Wii games have been a very mixed bag as far as review scores go. Some people hate games that others love... which brings us to C) These aren't "actual facts" when they are based on people's OPINIONS of the games.
Not to mention that's only a single website. What they deem a 6.0 scoring game, another might deem an 8.0. So what the fuck does your spreadsheet prove? That IGN likes certain games more than others? Yes.

Does it prove that the Wii has "worse games" overall than the 360?... Only in IGN's opinion. This is not fact.
I own a Wii and I don't own a 360. There's a reason for that (and no, not price). So what does your spreadsheet mean to me?

Along with motion controls has come an era where review scores mean even less than they did before. Some people "get/like" the motion controls of certain games, others don't.
Some people slammed SSX for having bad controls, I think they are fantastic. Same with Excite Truck.

Also, Skyelan asked a few times for some one to point out another system that had more good games in such a short time after it's launch.
Why don't you modify your spreadsheet to only compare Wii/360 games that came out 5-6 months after launch? I'd like to see that as well.

Not that any of this truly matters to me. I know what I like and I'm not changing my mind based on what a website scored a game.
(My favorite N64 game is Road Rash 64, which only got a 7.8 from IGN)

I do think you should use something like gamerankings.com for this data though, that way you could use the average scores for each game, and not just the scores from a single website. Would make more sense.

[Serapth]

.stuff.

Its an average from a dataset that was readily available to me. Give me another website that keeps makes its review data available all in one large table, and I will recalculate with those values.

[UnderHero5]

Its an average from a dataset that was readily available to me. Give me another website that keeps makes its review data available all in one large table, and I will recalculate with those values.
*shrug* You've got me on that. But you do see my point, don't you?

Modify it for the 5-6 months at least, for curiosities sake?
Unless it doesn't include release dates.

[Gorvi]

I understand the amazing success of the Wii about as much as I understand the amazing success of American Idle. I just don't get it. Sure, there's some draw there, but not nearly enough to justify the attention and sales that it's getting. Hell, there's one game (SPM) that you could even think of calling a system seller.

[fitbabits]

I understand the amazing success of the Wii about as much as I understand the amazing success of American Idle. I just don't get it. Sure, there's some draw there, but not nearly enough to justify the attention and sales that it's getting. Hell, there's one game (SPM) that you could even think of calling a system seller.
Idol! Although, most Americans are idle. :)

[Serapth]

*shrug* You've got me on that. But you do see my point, don't you?

Modify it for the 5-6 months at least, for curiosities sake?
Unless it doesn't include release dates.

I understand your point, thats the fundamental flaw of reviews, but they are still the best metric we've got. I wish Game Rankings wasnt such a horridly designed site. That would be a much better statistic.

I have dates, Ill see if I can do that.

[Gorvi]

Idol! Although, most Americans are idle. :)
Haha, I'm glad someone got that. ;)

[Serapth]

Done ( I just deleted anything >= May from the Xbox list. That leaves:

35 games
7.788571429 average
7.95 median


Wow, the launch quality was much higher.

[anakin876]

Done ( I just deleted anything >= May from the Xbox list. That leaves:

35 games
7.788571429 average
7.95 median


Wow, the launch quality was much higher.


Wow - you could make a (weak sauce) argument that the release reviews may have been skewed by the newness of the Next-Gen console - but geez, conventional wisdom says that over time games increase in quality as developers learn how to do more with the hardware.

[UnderHero5]

I understand the amazing success of the Wii about as much as I understand the amazing success of American Idle. I just don't get it. Sure, there's some draw there, but not nearly enough to justify the attention and sales that it's getting. Hell, there's one game (SPM) that you could even think of calling a system seller.
Well, I can't speak for every one, but the reason I like my Wii and chose to buy one is because I wanted something a little different. I was getting sick of what seemed to be the same stuff over and over on consoles. The prospect of new controls and new possibilities was enough to sell me on it, especially after the DS (which is honestly my favorite of all the gaming platforms out there now... even over PC, and I'm a pretty big PC gamer... starting to fall out of it lately though).

Anyway, I like that the Wii offers something different for the time being. I admit that a lot of the current stuff is kind of gimmicky, but it's still fun, and I'm confident that down the like we'll start seeing it really taken advantage of in some creative ways.

That said, since owning a Wii I've seen some games that have a lot of creativity and offer something different on the 360 and PS3 as well (Dead Rising on 360, Little Big Planet on PS3 (LBP will be the game I buy a PS3 for, btw, though not until a price drop). It seems to me that the Wii offers more in the "something different" category though, because not only can they come up with new gameplay within the game, but since the controller is something new altogether, there's also the physical aspect of playing that can be different.

Console gaming was getting stale to me, and the Wii was/is something different. That's why I like it.

As far as American Idol goes... I watched the first season and was amused by it. I haven't watched since then. I don't think the Wii and American Idol really have anything in common though, other than you "not getting" either of them, heh. Maybe neither of them is for you? Or maybe you haven't given either of them a fair try? Who knows.

[UnderHero5]

Done ( I just deleted anything >= May from the Xbox list. That leaves:

35 games
7.788571429 average
7.95 median


Wow, the launch quality was much higher.
Thanks, interesting to see.

One more request. Could you list those 360 games in a post? This is just for my own curiosity (I suppose I'm too lazy to just check IGN, shhh).

Edit: I just though of something. I'm willing to bet the DS has a much lower score average than the PSP has too.
..... do it bitch!

[Serapth]

Thanks, interesting to see.

Now the only problem I see is that, since there were less games, it takes fewer good games to make that median a high number... but it's good to see either way, I guess.

One more request. Could you list those 360 games in a post? This is just for my own curiosity (I suppose I'm too lazy to just check IGN, shhh).

Call of Duty 2
Gun
Kameo: Elements of Power
Madden NFL 06
NBA 2K6
NHL 2K6
Project Gotham Racing 3
Tony Hawk's American Wasteland
FIFA 06: Road to FIFA World Cup
Need for Speed Most Wanted
Condemned: Criminal Origins
NBA Live 06
Amped 3
QUAKE 4
Ridge Racer 6
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06
Perfect Dark Zero
Peter Jackson's King Kong
Dead or Alive 4
Full Auto
Fight Night Round 3
Burnout Revenge
College Hoops 2K6
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
Outfit, The
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, The
Rumble Roses XX
Far Cry Instincts Predator
Dynasty Warriors 5 Empires
Top Spin 2
Tomb Raider: Legend
Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
Major League Baseball 2K6
2006 FIFA World Cup
Final Fantasy XI
Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis
X-Men: The Official Game
Hitman: Blood Money

[Serapth]

oops Ignore FFXI - Hitman, those 4 were May releases, my bad.

[Mr.Green]

Man the denial of some of you fanboys is mind fucking boggling.

Edit: Okay that came out a little rude but man, no really!

[Gorvi]

Underhero5, I do plan on getting a Wii. I've grown up with Nintendo, heck the only console by them that I haven't owned (and within the first year) was the Virtual Boy. I just really don't understand the astounding success of the Wii without anything really to back it up. I mean, yes, it is different, but those games that do seem to emphasize the Wii's unique features just seem so insubstantial to me at this point. I'm really hoping that'll change, because I know I'll be picking one up this fall, along with Trauma Center, SPM, Excite Truck, Metroid 3, Fire Emblem, and Mario Galaxy. I just really want more of a reason to get one, and I just don't see that yet.

Note : It's sad, but I just noticed that 5/6 of the games I listed are first party.

[Serapth]

Underhero5, I do plan on getting a Wii. I've grown up with Nintendo, heck the only console by them that I haven't owned (and within the first year) was the Virtual Boy. I just really don't understand the astounding success of the Wii without anything really to back it up. I mean, yes, it is different, but those games that do seem to emphasize the Wii's unique features just seem so insubstantial to me at this point. I'm really hoping that'll change, because I know I'll be picking one up this fall, along with Trauma Center, SPM, Excite Truck, Metroid 3, Fire Emblem, and Mario Galaxy. I just really want more of a reason to get one, and I just don't see that yet.

Note : It's sad, but I just noticed that 5/6 of the games I listed are first party.


Try excite truck first. It was one of the games I was pumped about and after about 30 minutes, I hated that fucking game. Your mileage may vary as some people seem to swear by it.

[UnderHero5]

A few of those came out in May, but we'll let them slide (4, actually). ;)

Yeah, I guess the 360 did have a nice 5-6 months, but being a big PC gamer, many of the big games I had already played when they came to 360. Guess that's why it didn't appeal to me.

[Gorvi]

Try excite truck first. It was one of the games I was pumped about and after about 30 minutes, I hated that fucking game. Your mileage may vary as some people seem to swear by it.
Funny enough, the tilt control in Motorstorm convinced me that I'd love Excite Truck. I just love it as a mechanic.

[GunnSgtHartman]

Underhero5, I do plan on getting a Wii. I've grown up with Nintendo, heck the only console by them that I haven't owned (and within the first year) was the Virtual Boy. I just really don't understand the astounding success of the Wii without anything really to back it up. I mean, yes, it is different, but those games that do seem to emphasize the Wii's unique features just seem so insubstantial to me at this point. I'm really hoping that'll change, because I know I'll be picking one up this fall, along with Trauma Center, SPM, Excite Truck, Metroid 3, Fire Emblem, and Mario Galaxy. I just really want more of a reason to get one, and I just don't see that yet.

Note : It's sad, but I just noticed that 5/6 of the games I listed are first party.

It's funny that you don't see a reason why you should buy a Wii, which barely has more quality games than the PS3 so far but is less than half the price... but you bought a 600$ PS3 instead. ;)

Just kidding. I would probably have done the same thing if I could not have ordered my Wii directly from Nintendo. I would have waited until the shortage's over. However, it's a lot of fun when friends are around and willing to play. Otherwise, for single player use, it's too early to buy one IMO.

[UnderHero5]

Underhero5, I do plan on getting a Wii. I've grown up with Nintendo, heck the only console by them that I haven't owned (and within the first year) was the Virtual Boy. I just really don't understand the astounding success of the Wii without anything really to back it up. I mean, yes, it is different, but those games that do seem to emphasize the Wii's unique features just seem so insubstantial to me at this point. I'm really hoping that'll change, because I know I'll be picking one up this fall, along with Trauma Center, SPM, Excite Truck, Metroid 3, Fire Emblem, and Mario Galaxy. I just really want more of a reason to get one, and I just don't see that yet.

Note : It's sad, but I just noticed that 5/6 of the games I listed are first party.
Nothing sad about that. Nintendo makes some of the best games out there, simple as that. They are often the reason to buy their consoles, but not the only reason (just the main reason).

I understand what you mean about not understanding why people want it so bad. I was just giving my reasons. I think the main reason is honestly hype and word of mouth. It's selling to casual gamers like crazy and I think that's because of Wii Sports alone. Seriously.
The game is really accessible and easy to play. It's fun. It doesn't seem so much like playing a videogame as it does just "playing a game". I don't know if that makes sense. I just mean that for people who might normally be afraid to pick up a controller and play, they have an easier time with something like Wii Sports.

I got interrupted an completely lost my train of though so I guess this post is done now.

[UnderHero5]

Funny enough, the tilt control in Motorstorm convinced me that I'd love Excite Truck. I just love it as a mechanic.
I love the controls in Excite Truck. They're very precise and very fun. My only complaint about the game is that I wish it had some cities to race through. Flying over buildings while hundreds of feet in the air would be AMAZING. The game is still awesome fun without buildings though, hehe.

[Gorvi]

I love the controls in Excite Truck. They're very precise and very fun. My only complaint about the game is that I wish it had some cities to race through. Flying over buildings while hundreds of feet in the air would be AMAZING. The game is still awesome fun without buildings though, hehe.
Wasn't a sequal announced already? I seem to rememeber some time in the last couple of days reading about a sequal to a Wii launch game, I think it was Excite Truck.

[Metal Jesus]

I am curious about owning a Wii, but there are really only two games I would buy for it: Paper Mario and Zelda.. The other games seem to simple and 1 dimensional. Hopefully this Fall will have more Wii games with depth to them.

[UnderHero5]

Wasn't a sequal announced already? I seem to rememeber some time in the last couple of days reading about a sequal to a Wii launch game, I think it was Excite Truck.
Was it? I haven't heard anything about it if so.
I would love a sequel though; with towns I can fly over top of.

[Gorvi]

Was it? I haven't heard anything about it if so.
I would love a sequel though; with towns I can fly over top of.
Boo, I just did a quick Google search, it turns out the news was fake (http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/25/excite-truck-2-multiplayer-mode-with-mii-dispay-revealed/). :(

[UnderHero5]

Boo, I just did a quick Google search, it turns out the news was fake (http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/25/excite-truck-2-multiplayer-mode-with-mii-dispay-revealed/). :(
Well, hopefully we get one anyway. Or maybe a new Excite Bike, even.
I do enjoy using the tilt function as a means of steering. Hopefully some third party devs start making some decent racing games on Wii.

Also, I didn't know MotoStorm used tilt steering. How does that work? Is it in addition to the normal means of steering, or can you use it by itself?

[Gorvi]

Well, hopefully we get one anyway. Or maybe a new Excite Bike, even.
I do enjoy using the tilt function as a means of steering. Hopefully some third party devs start making some decent racing games on Wii.

Also, I didn't know MotoStorm used tilt steering. How does that work? Is it in addition to the normal means of steering, or can you use it by itself?
Yeah, it does look good, and it's really a concept that deserves to be expanded on.

As far as the tilt steering in Motorstorm, it works great once you get used to it. It handles differently for each type of vehincle, so trying it out for the first time on a motorcycle is an exercize in frustration, but stearing one of the cars or trucks works great. I don't have the full game yet, it seems a bit feature light for a full $60 purchase, but the demo is a hell of a lot of fun for what there is.

[UnderHero5]

Yeah, it does look good, and it's really a concept that deserves to be expanded on.

As far as the tilt steering in Motorstorm, it works great once you get used to it. It handles differently for each type of vehincle, so trying it out for the first time on a motorcycle is an exercize in frustration, but stearing one of the cars or trucks works great. I don't have the full game yet, it seems a bit feature light for a full $60 purchase, but the demo is a hell of a lot of fun for what there is.
Nice to hear. I've only seen videos so far and it looks like an awesome game. I love the concept and when I finally get a PS3 it will be one of the first games I pick up. It's sure to be cheaper by then too, which will work out well : )

Actually, hopefully they have a sequel in the works and maybe I can get that instead, heh.

[theguido]

Different strokes for different folks I guess. I, in general, have found the selection on all consoles for the past year to be anything but worth my time and effort. Only about a month ago, I found the first game that I'd actually be willing to spend money on for a 360 in Earth Defense Force. But my Wii, through Wii Sports, Wario Ware, Wii Play, Excite Truck and Super Paper Mario have provided me with plenty of entertainment for the rare times that I've actually had the opportunity to play games.

And I've bought a ton of emulated games and use the Web Browser a decent amount, so for me, the system has been worth every cent I've put into it.

[EL CABONG]

Good I have been looking for awhile and can't find one.

[Xenkylm]

A common thread between Excite Truck and SSX Blur, both of which are insanely underrated by reviewers, is that they are relatively difficult games with a multi-hour (like two, nothing terrible) learning curve. I wasn't especially good at Excite Truck till the second day of playing or so, and SSX Blur wasn't as hard to pick up except for the Uber Tricks, which also got pretty easy to pull off the next day. For those of you who remember playing Cruisin' USA for the first time (having played, say, Pole Position back in the day), you might remember that the controls were incredibly sensitive. The kid next to you would be zipping along, while you'd be stuck over-correcting your steering like an idiot. Excite truck and SSX are the same way, because it takes a while before you realize how subtle your movements can be to do well.

Yet in these reviews, we hear over and over about finicky or unresponsive controls. The only way I can reconcile this with my actual experiences with these games (now that I own 12 of the top 20, hooray for birthdays!) is that the reviewers just weren't very good at them. So you're trying to review Excite Truck after all of this hype, and you keep running into trees for an hour or two? Yeah, you'll write a crappy review about how the controls are unresponsive I suppose. I don't blame them for not giving the game more of a shot, but I do think it's irresponsible to blame their own inadequacy on finicky controls.

I think the problem is that Nintendo promised to make games "simpler," and reviewers immediately misinterpreted that as "easier." Simple does NOT have to be easy, and these two games demonstrate that very clearly.

If you like racing games and you like SSX games, and you're not afraid of a challenge, these are EXCELLENT games to add to your library if/when you get a Wii. Rent them if you're not sure, but really give yourself a chance to get used to the sensitivity of the controls. It comes naturally after a bit, but it's sometimes a shock at first.

***EDIT***

I realize that "inadequacy" is not the only reason someone might not like Excite Truck or SSX Blur, but I think it's just inaccurate to criticize the controls. Most of my friends who have given up on ET and SSX have done so because the controls are TOO good, and they just can't keep their hands that still. Jittery bastards.

[anakin876]

Most of my friends who have given up on ET and SSX have done so because the controls are TOO good, and they just can't keep their hands that still. Jittery bastards.

Just make'em watch Contact - then repeat "Light hands" over and over and over.

[Spigot]

Great post, Xenklym. I feel the same way, esp. about SSX. I have to keep putting the caveat that the controls take a lot of getting used to, but once you've spent some time with them, they're fantastic.

And I can't see how anyone could have trouble with the controls in Excite Truck. I remember trying it out on the demo unit at EB before I got my Wii and was able to get an S-rank on my second try (granted, it was on the first race, but still).

At the higher levels, Excite Truck is insanely hard and requires a mastery of the various tricks like the spins, etc. but I've never had anyone come over and complain that the controls were too hard.

Granted, a lot of the hate I have read for Excite Truck was basically complaining that it was an arcade-type racer... which is all it is and all it ever pretended to be!

[Tohoya]

That's it? Fiscal year goes from march to march, right? 14 million / 12 months = 1.16777 million per month. 6 million wiis / 5 months on the market as of right now = 1.2 million per month. This isn't an increase in production at all.