The Nintendo Wii is NOT the Game Cube
by: Kit Allen
As Nintendo chief Miyamoto says about the Wii...
The hardware is basically a GC. We've upgraded our development
tools to new versions but, you can still use GC programs
as they are. With that in mind, I thought we could remake
GC titles for the Wii and modify them to work with the
Wii remote so that they're more fun to play.
This statement been making its speedy journey around
the web, with the predictable result.
'i tuld u tha Wee sux0rs!' 'Thus proving the Wii is infact..
a repackaged gamecube' 'Rofl @ Nintendo'
The argument need to be split in half to avoid confusion.
Lumping the two arguments together ends in a negative
situation, where neither of the debating parties can influence
the opposition.
Firstly, The Wii is GameCube 1.5?
Miyamoto, in his cute little 'Wish we had an international
auxillary language to stop english speaking 'l33t' gamers
from mocking our consumers' way, was accurate with his
statement. The hardware is similar to the GameCube. WAIT!
Don't go running away just yet, for here is a word equation
that will float your boat.
The Nintendo Wii hardware is similar to the Gamecube,
as A gaming PC is similar to a Windows 95 word processing
computer.
What! Says you, but my 'uber el33tzo0r' Gaming PC has
4 GB of Ram! It has 6.7 Gigahertz of processing power!
THINK. Instead of thinking about the technological specifics
of 'hardware capabilities', when the above statement is
made, one is referring to the style in which hardware
and software are created. The Architecture of the device.
Going out on another tangent, Nintendo would not be stupid
enough to make the GameCube mistake again. The GC was
not a high point for flailing Nintendo. Why now, riding
on the success of the Nintendo DS, an innovative handheld
device that has taken the world by storm, would Nintendo
choose to release an updated version of a failure?
Wii Vs Xbox360 Vs Playstation3
To be blatantly honest, the next-gen console battle will
be fought between the Xbox360, and the Playstation3. Unfortunately
for Sony and Microsoft, they have launched products capable
of the same types of activities, with the same types of
controls and the same types of games. It's a marketing
battle to see who will triumph. But for those looking
for new, innovative [ie: Not BluRay] technology with an
element of fun and a totally unique experience will choose
the Wii. There is nothing else on the market to compete
with it.
So who would buy the Wii? Just little kids right? Nintendo
has many different demographics to target. From the very
young, to the very old. The DS has opened the eyes of
previously video game free generations, and inspired those
just entering the market, as well as gameboy fans looking
for a quality handheld. Half-core gamers want something
fresh. they want to play with their friends and have fun.
They don't want to shell out big bucks for a gaming system,
but would be happy to pay a much lower price for entertainment.
You can not compare consoles on specifications alone.
You must use implementation examples to compare things.
On paper, the Playstation 3 is the strongest console.
Better than the Wii, better than the Xbox360. But does
it have quality games? Will there be many games? Will
Sony finally be able to create a game that creates a third
of the hype that Halo does? Until all consoles have been
released internationally, it is futile to argue over which
console is 'superior' and which will succeed.
The Nintendo Wii is not a Game Cube. As the old saying
goes, it's like comparing apples and oranges. Both are
in the same general class, yet there are fundamental differences
that make comparing them pointless.
About The Author
Kit Allen, the chief contributor to Nintendo Blog, http://nintendocommunity.com
wrote this article to inform the world about the Nintendo
Wii.
This article was posted on November 28, 2006