Wii Kiosk Revealed
September 5, 2006 | Leave a Comment
Images of the upcoming Wii and PS3 kiosks were sent to GameStop/EBGames this week. I’ve omitted the image of the PS3 because frankly, I just don’t care…
Anyway… I was surprised to see they chose a 4:3 ratio for the display. Widescreen (16:9) seems to be more hip, current, and appropriate. Also, where is the nun-chuk piece? It looks as though they are only putting the wand or wii-mote portion on the kiosks? Otherwise I like the Apple-like white coloring as well as the overall feel of the these kiosks.
Rumor has it these will start showing up in stores sometime from mid to late October. I can’t wait to get my hands on one of these things! I can definitely see myself making a road trip to wherever the first place within 100 miles is that I can play one.
On that note, expect lots of Wii news around September 14th. Nintendo has invited all kinds of industry insiders to a big event in NYC which promises hands on contact with the Wii. Along with that there have been many speculations that this event could also be when they announce price, release date, or both!
Tags: kiosk, Nintendo, ps3, wii
Nintendo Wii To Launch November 6th?
July 4, 2006 | 2 Comments
The reliability of this is slightly in question, but GoNintendo is reporting that Sports Illustrated for Kids has printed a release date of November 6th, 2006 as the launch date for the Nintendo Wii. They also posted a blurry scan of the article in the magazine.
As far as I can tell this is a slip up, but still is quite likely true. Rumors have pointed quite reliably to a launch date in the first week of November, in some cases coming from drunken Nintendo employees. This date is good news since it preempts Sony’s PS3 launch by two weeks.
Tags: launch date, Nintendo, nintendo wii, playstation, ps3, revolution, sony, sony ps3, wii
Nintendo Rules E3
May 14, 2006 | 9 Comments
While I got excited about a new Smash Brothers game, this was only the first in a series of things that excite me about Nintendo’s next generation console. Over the course of the show, The Big N showed why the Wii was once code named Revolution.
At one point during E3 the wait to get your hands on the Nintendo Wii reached 6 hours, while many said you could walk up and play the PS3 at any time. Much of this could be related to PS3’s extraordinary launch price ($499 or $599). Additionally, Sony’s announcement of adding tilt sensors to their controller seemed like last minute copy cating of Nintendo’s amazing new controller scheme. Additionally, game footage they showed did not look significantly better than Microsoft’s Xbox 360 games which have already hit the market. These things left PS3 the clear loser of E3.
As for Microsoft, they seemed to show some exciting new potential with their online services and integration with wireless devices. However, the potential for excitement here is less than with Nintendo primarily because there is still so much to learn about the Wii.
The clear confirming moment that indicated Nintendo’s victory was in Sony’s second idea theft, but this time they stole Microsoft’s idea. Peter Moore of Microsoft took a jab at PS3 by stating “They’re going to buy an Xbox and they’re going to buy a Wii… for the price of one PS3″. Later, PS3 executive Phil Harrison said to GamePro: “I think Nintendo will be the second system consumers purchase after PlayStation 3″.
This confirms one thing they both agree on, people will be buying Nintendo’s system, even if they may have the purchase order screwy, or I wonder, why bother with either Xbox or PS3?
Anyway, I’ll be keeping a close eye on what we can expect to see on launch day for the Wii. Since I’m compiling the info for myself from many new sources, I’ll happily share it with you here.
Tags: console, consoles, game, games, microsoft, Nintendo, playstation, playstation 3, ps3, revolution, sony, video games, wii, xbox, xbox 360
Nintendo Announces Revolutionary Revolution Controller
September 16, 2005 | 6 Comments
Yesterday Nintendo announced at
In what I’m certain will be a hugely controversial move, the basic controller is one handed and looks more like a remote than a controller. However, a chip inside the controller can track its position and orientation. This allows physical movements of the controller to be represented as in game motion or general input. Imagine slashing a weapon or aiming a gun just by pointing.
You can also switch to the ‘Nunchaku’ configuration where an expansion controller plugs in for the other hand giving additional buttons and an analog stick. The two controllers are then connected by a short cord.
In my opinion, the key to this controller is that anyone can pick it up and start playing. It is fundamentally intuitive. Don’t believe me? When was the last time you handed someone a controller and watched them leaning and moving the controller all around in front of them? Sure this is usually parents, girlfriends, or generally non-gamer types (obviously there are exceptions to those stereotypes), but I want the whole family to actually be able to play games together. I want to fish with nephew, fight with my niece, play party games with my grandmother, etc. Currently the console is something I turn off when people come over, it would be a lot of fun to have anyone play.
But it’s not just for beginners, this interface is far more natural for first person shooters. Aim with one controller, walk with the other. The uses of this are endless, hopefully the games are made available.
Finally I am actually excited about a next generation system. If Nintendo can produce the right selection of games satisfying all different types of gamers, advanced especially, the Revolution could in fact revolutionize the industry.
Don’t think Sony doesn’t realize the industry is changing, just look at their involvement with the DDR pad, the Eye Toy, and microphone input. They are trying this too, but haven’t realized the simple answer is a massive improvement of the basic controller. Microsoft just doesn’t get it at all. They are addressing only the “bigger and better” sort of needs. That will only take them so far. This combined with much higher anticipated price points could finally put Nintendo back in the game.
From GameSpot:
Overall, despite its unorthodox appearance, the Revolution controller has a comfortable feel. The assorted demos on hand also indicated that playing Revolution games will be a more active, physical experience than playing current-generation games. Whether a player uses the pointer mechanic to actively control onscreen action or uses two hands to take advantage of attachments, the Revolution controller will likely change how games are played.
Still don’t believe me? Skeptical? This is just an Ad, but it shows a level of fun I haven’t found with a group of varying skill leveled friends since Super Smash Brothers…
Read more about it here:
1UP.Com: Revolution Controller Finally Revealed
Gizmodo: Nintendo Revolution Controller News Roundup
PCMag: Nintendo Revolution Controller Finally Revealed
Cnet News: Test out the new Revolution controller
IGN: TGS 2005: Hands-on the Revolution Controller
Gamespot: Nintendo Revolution Controller
AP vis MSNBC: Nintendo introduces new remote control
Reuters: Nintendo unveils next-generation game controller
Tags: console, controller, gamecube, games, gaming, generation, IGN, microsoft, next generation, Nintendo, playstation, ps2, ps3, revolution, revolutionary, sony, Tokyo Game Show, video games, xbox