Marc Choquette
Perspectives Editor
I’m not much of a gamer. There is something about staring at a screen all day that just doesn’t seem healthy. But that’s where our technology-happy society is these days. I mean, without sitting in front of this screen, I would probably be typing this on one of those old IBM Selectric Typewriters.
I have fond memories of some after-school sessions of Super Nintendo’s “Mario Kart,” “Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball,” and the usual 95-92 final score in Madden ‘95.
There were some intense tournaments back in the day, brackets and all. When the outfielder for the Red Sox (my team) threw out the Yankee (Billy’s team) hitter at first base after a supposed base hit to center, Billy was convinced I won because of a glitch in the game and chaos ensued. It was a simplistic time in gaming, but fun was rampant.
As the graphic bits kept doubling, however, so did my disillusionment with the growing complexity of gaming. The days of A, B, X and Y evolved to C-up, C-down, Z, R1, R2, vibrating joysticks and other rogue buttons around the controller.
This is the niche Nintendo has no doubt been eyeing since Sony and Microsoft have taken such dominant places in the video game market: the simplistic gamer who doesn’t dig sitting on the couch all day.
Yes, Nintendo’s new “Wii” console, which sold more than 3.5 million units since Thanksgiving has transcended the thumb exercises gamers get from other systems.
Developers designed a wireless controller that fits in your hand like a TV remote to work with a sensor bar that is placed on top of the TV, enabling the player to stand up, step back from the screen and wave the remote around to mimic, say, a baseball or tennis swing.
I had the chance to give it a shot on a friend’s Wii, and the Sports Disk, which is included with every console, hooked me.
When playing the Sports Disk’s tennis game, the motion of the arm represents the swing of your player, enabling some virtual tennis of epic proportions. I suddenly rediscovered my wicked tennis swing without even stepping on the court.
Staying with the tennis example, you can play with other friends in a friendly doubles match, and fun ensues, even for the few who get left out because they get to sit back and take in the scene of four people swinging at air for an hour.
Even the epic “Guitar Hero” for PlayStation has got nothing on Wii. Sure, you might feel like a rock star holding a faux guitar, but in the end you’re still just pushing buttons and not plucking strings. While playing real guitar won’t make you any better at Guitar Hero, I found Wii to reward those who have practiced that tennis swing on the hard courts because you can aim your shot and put spin on the ball depending on your arm motion.
While the remote in itself can be deemed “revolutionary” to nerd-dom, Nintendo took it farther by selling their product at a “revolutionary” price.
Recognizing there is an entire demographic of poor students living on ramen noodles across America who have nostalgic childhood memories of past Nintendo systems, developers aimed low— at setting a price, that is. With a reasonable price of $250, Nintendo is cashing in with the new system because it is the cheapest on the market. The price dwarfs in comparison to Microsoft’s Xbox 360, which will set you back more than $300, or Sony’s PlayStation 3, which runs at an absurd $400-500, if you can find it.
Most importantly, Wii brought back the simplicity and fun in gaming that I had forgotten since the simple days of NHL ’94 and Duck Hunt. Nintendo has returned with a fresh idea that takes advantage of new technology, yet doesn’t go too far with game complexity and price— an equilibrium that should take the Wii to the top of gaming.
02-22-2007