Wii Getting Mixed Reviews
With all the hype that has surrounded the Wii, it’s inevitable at some point, that the hype is going to out pace the actual product. There are signs that this may be happening already. Bit-Tech had a hands on with the Wii recently, and report back that the “little console that will change the world” might not live up to it’s pre-conceived reputation. The complaints, though seemed to be based a lot on the embarrassment of the reporters at having to stand up and move around while playing, which caused them to feel like idiots. The control system was likened to a combination of joypad, lightgun and mouse. In general, the reporters seemed to like the games with a few misgivings here and there including concern over Twilight Princess’ “dodgy graphics”.
In counterpoint now, we have Wired’s hands-on with the Wii that seemed to provide a different experience given that Wired gave the Wii “Best of Test” when compared against big boy consoles XBox 360 and the PS3. It even ranked a “9” in comparison to Xbox’s “8” and PS3’s “7” (ouch). I will grant that Wired did not go into the sort of detail that the Bit-Tech boys did, but at least we are starting to see both sides of the coin.
I myself remain excited and optimistic. I’m not expecting a system that will change the world, just one that will provide a different, innovative style of gameplay that is sorely needed in today’s console wars.
Fruit Brute
Posted to Video Games on 27 October 2006
· Comments (5)
Other stuff like this: bit tech, review, wii, wired
I too have a big complaint about the Wii (besides its god-awful name).. It is indeed a souped-up version of Gamecube, and Nintendo are making us pay a premium price (sorry, 249 euros/dollars is NOT cheap) for essentially a 79 dollars hardware; the remote is terribly overpriced.. games too, should be cheaper, yet some of them cost the same as Sony-published future Playstation3 (I will never write that in all caps) software.
Those are major gripes with the Wii.
That report with those testers, though… not once do you see them hold the remote as intended; maybe they forget there is also a classic controller option they can pick up if they prefer it to the wiimote/nunchuck setup.. plus, how many games have they really tested with the remote being used as intended? Wii Sports and Excite Truck? They tested Zelda? Wow.. they got it before everyone else.. privileged people..
And their price comparison of the Wii vs the Playstation3 is as criminal as the one Sony did a week ago regarding the 360.. they compare a premium PS3 to the Wii – that’s a big no-no.
As it stands, I wi(i)ll buy Nintendo’s “new” Gamecube 1.5/2.0 – I am, after all, a major Zelda fan – but I am also considering Sony’s, whenever it comes out in Europe (by my guesses, late to very-late 2007).
Cheers,
T
damn all bit-tech did was complain about looking like idiots. since when has gaming been concerned about looking like idiots, really. if i was to describe their two primary motives for this review it would have to be shallow and lazy. nuff said
Shouldn’t that headline read “Wii Gets A Mixed Review”? That’s the only hands-on review of the Wii that’s made the rounds so far that hasn’t been glowing, though I know there’ll be more sooner or later.
Also, the Wii is a souped-up Gamecube in EXACTLY the same way that the DS is a souped-up GBA. Go ahead and try to deny it. Sticking with an underlying hardware design you know while totally changing its interface and capabilities has worked better for Nintendo than you give them credit for.
There will certainly be a $199 Wii package with no pack-in Wii Sports before next Xmas, or maybe still with a pack-in if they think Sony’s going to take the lead, but $249 is an entirely appropriate price even if you just take a Gamecube and add the stuff that makes the Wii “souped up”.
At long last there is some hype-free truth circulating the net about the Wii. The fact that it is nothing more than an souped up Gamecube with a gimmick controller that Nintendo are trying to flog.(talk about the emperors new clothes!) The shoddy and pathetic non-HD graphics when everyone else is entering the HD age.
We all know why the net is so full of Wii hype- its because Gamecube fanboys are not exactly busy with their odd choice of console! Like I am with my PS2 that they sneer at- oh no ive only got stuff like Okami ,FFXII, Bully at the moment and all my X360 stuff to keep me busy! I have got 360 and LOVE it- and cant wait for PS3- the 2 next gen consoles. Wii isnt even in the race for me- I picked my Cube out of the bargain bin for 20 just to play resi 0 and windwaker( how bad was that camera?)I will do the same for Wii maybe. As an adult it doesnt really interest me. I need graphics like Oblivion standard combined with great gameplay.I LOVE HD graphics! those Wii graphics are not doing it for me I think Wii is best suited to the under fives. Nintendo do great handhelds- but they cant afford to be in with the big boys in the HD console era.
Yes, we all know the Wii is not in the race for the acne set. For those of us who are old enough to be your daddy, however, it looks pretty interesting.
Face it, the PS3 and Xbox 360 are just souped-up PS2’s and Xboxes. The Wii is something new.