The Power Of Gamer Peer Pressure
You know, all this talk about Mario Kart Wii reminds me of the big brouhaha over the release of Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Basically, I feel like I'm in the minority because I don't really care as much as everyone else seems to. I do consider myself a gamer. And a geek. (they wouldn't have let me in the castle if I wasn't) But I'm a little particular. I'm not a huge fighting game fan, and I really suck at racing games. So with the entire gaming community at the bit for Mario Kart Wii, I find myself wondering if I should just join in.
Back in the day, it didn't matter. Gaming was either a solitary experience, or you had friends over, in which case you played the games you had on hand. But with the advent of online gaming, I find myself tempted to buy games that I normally wouldn't simply because I know my friends will be playing them. I admit I felt a little left out as the forums surged with new members trading Friend Codes for Brawl. And I feel like I'm going to be on my own again when Mario Kart Wii comes out.
The only times I've succumbed to gaming peer pressure is when people recommend a game so highly that I feel compelled to check it out. Sometimes this works out well (BioShock) and other times, not so much (No More Heroes). I have bought games with multiplayer content that I was disappointed to find no one else seemed as interested in (Beautiful Katamari, Endless Ocean), but I would've bought those games anyway, so they don't count. And at least I've never been peer pressured into buying an entire console.
So when I test drive Mario Kart Wii this weekend, I'm going to have to make that decision. Do I buy a game I might not like because I probably won't be very good at it just because I can play online with my buddies? Or do I just wait and sink my teeth into GTA IV instead?
Wootini
Posted to Video Games on 25 April 2008
· Comments (15)
Other stuff like this: gamers, online gaming, peer pressure
Name: Dave
My vote?
Wait, because if you are only getting it to play online with your buddies you have to remember that Nintendo's online sucks... really really bad.
GTA IV you at least have a great single player game and a potentially awesome multiplayer there too. (Hey if people want to race you, race them in GTAIV.... or race them but bazooka their cars screw the blue turtle shell)
I, too, don't like fighting or racing games. Which is precisely why I play Mario Cart and Super Smash Bros.
I'm in a similar boat. While I do play Smash and might end up picking up Mario Kart, I feel this same problem when it comes to other games like WoW, GTA IV, and Gears of War. I say, screw peer pressure. If you feel like you should check out a game, rent it. Otherwise, stick with your instincts and with what you want to play.
...I'm in the same boat =( I love Endless Ocean too, Wootini, but all of my friends think it's stupid! But, yeah, I can't seem to afford Mario Kart and GTA4 and I'm not really a big fan of either franchise, but I do want to check them out for their online play, since I have friends that are going to get one or the other.
It's not that I think Mario Kart is a bad franchise or anything, I just like serious racing games, or ones..you know..without turtle shells...and lightning bolts (I did love MKDS though o.o). GTA, on the other hand, they're fun to play every now and then and I really want to check out the physics and online play in them more than anything.
I'm with Vodkie. The games are so enjoyable because of the characters. I normally wouldn't touch a fighting or racing game.
P.S. Who's that handsome guy behind the wheel? ;)
OMG... total cutie behind the wheel. Who is that???
Dear Wootini... I rarely play fighting games and despise racing games; however, I play both SSBB and Mario Kart because while they do represent both... they are far less serious in nature and seem to be more about having fun with friends. Granted, this is partially due in part to owning the original Super Mario Kart and playing it on sleep overs with friend or with my 3 older brothers. Now that there's online play even that much better (I loved playing MK:DS online too).
Yes sure, the Nintendo friend system sucks, but all in all it is to help thwart people from bothering children, and in the end that is a good thing considering the state of Xbox Live. I know I'll be picking up Mario Kart... but hell I also picked up the DS originally due to Nintendogs (even got told by the clerk how many little kids had been coming in and asking for the gaming). I buy games that I can enjoy by myself or with friends.
When it all comes down to it... if it makes you happy playing it, then play it... even if the only part that makes you happy is playing with friends... that's what gaming is really all about.
As for GTA:IV... not really my cup of tea, even if it does have online multiplayer, but that's just me and my "use to be wholesome" roots.
I'm in the UK, so I've already got the Mario Kart experience... w00t.
Anyway, Mario Kart online is a fantastic addition. I don't care what people say about online with Nintendo, but with Nintendo did an amazing job with Mario Kart. The lack of voice chat is a shame because we can only secretly taunt our opponent but it's fast, it's easy and it's simple. :D
Back OT. :) If you never really like Mario Kart then seriously don't give into Gamer's peer pressure and buy a game you will hardly touch. It's just a waste of money. You really need to try it out either by renting or at a friends place.
Mario Kart is fun and tbh, less about racing (unless you are into Time Trial) and more about kicking your friends arse. :D
Do it. Give in. You must.
I'm very particular with games also, I find it hard to be hyped for many many games others are dying for. The sad thing is I tend to buy games for other people, and lend them my consoles on top of it. I wouldn't have bought Assassin's Creed, Resident Evil 4 Wii, and many other games like this also. A prime example is I tend to always buy the GBA/DS Castlevania which are okay games but I would never buy them just for me, but my best friend is a Castlevania junkie and I end up giving him my spare DS for each one and have him borrow them. I don't believe I've ever had all of my consoles in the same house hold at the same time either. My Xbox360 is at my best friends, Wii is at the house we always hang out, PS3 is back finally in my house, but in the basement for my sisters fiance, and even though I have all the main systems the one I get the most game time with is DS, matter of fact I've been replaying many Gameboy Color games recently, in my SP right now is Dragon Warrior I+II with III getting ready to be completed.
Oh wait I'm rambling again! So as I said I completely agree with you, and I always feel peer pressure to try out games and buy games I would never actually buy / rent otherwise.
Oh! Also friends on ventrillo! I always feel left out when they play games like Socom and Gears of War, so I end up buying those games (Which naturally I have no interest in the least over) just so I can feel included.
The only way I'm ever touching another Mario Kart game is if they get ride of that thrice-damned Blue Koopa Shell.
As for peer pressure, well...there's a reason I have never, nor will I ever have a WoW account.
I agree with mintoncard. that guy behind the wheel is adorable!
Besides that, I wouldn't bother being peer pressured. It's just one of those things that is going to kick you in the ass when aren't playing anymore because everyone else moved on to their new thing. Play the games you want and maybe it's time to invest all that lost multiplayer time to single player games you've been meaning to catch up on.
So yeah, double dash was a game i really wanted to play... but I'm just not feeling the Wii mote to play any of those games -_- it annoys me to no end that it doesn't react as well as i would like. I'm all for GTA IV, still my favorite franchise. Right up there with all those 1st person shooters i luv soo much.
no woots, stay above the influence! plus, if you're going to hang with the "in crowd", all the cool kids will be playing GTAIV