The Day Nintendo Waggle Died

Its official: Nintendo's "innovative" waggle has been finally relegated to the land of cheap gimmickry.

When the Wii first came out, reviewers overlooked its underpowered hardware and lack of storage by playing up the "potential" of such a fresh and innovative control method which would revolutionize gameplay. Unfortunately, after 2 years of disappointing implementation, it has failed to deliver on that promise.

It has failed so badly, in fact, that Nintendo has had to release a clunky hardware 'patch' to provide the Wiimote with some of that promised functionality. Will it be enough, or is it too little too late?

Don't get me wrong, I think the Wiimote should definately get props for its technical innovation. Its a step in the right direction for many type of console gaming. It still has a ways to go, and will never replace dual analogs for the majority of game genres.

Now that Star Wars Force Unleashed, a game that Nintendo SHOULD HAVE capitalized on with the inherent Wiimote/Lightsaber union that should have been a match made in heaven. Instead, this game's control scheme fell short of dual analogs, and when you couple that with ugly visuals, you have a very good reason to see the Wii for what it is: A casual game system that has no place in the HD era.

Its official: Nintendo's "innovative" waggle has been finally relegated to the land of cheap gimmickry.

WillieBeamish

When are people going to study their gaming history. Being called a gimmick is not a bad thing, most of the biggest and best changes in video games were called gimmicks at the time.

Did not bother to read the rest because it does not matter.

[QUOTE="WillieBeamish"]

Its official: Nintendo's "innovative" waggle has been finally relegated to the land of cheap gimmickry.

HarlockJC

When are people going to study their gaming history. Being called a gimmick is not a bad thing, most of the biggest and best changes in video games were called gimmicks at the time.

Did not bother to read the rest because it does not matter.

Maybe you should have read the word CHEAP in front of gimmickry instead of worrying about not reading the rest?

When are people going to study their gaming history. Being called a gimmick is not a bad thing, most of the biggest and best changes in video games were called gimmicks at the time.

Did not bother to read the rest because it does not matter.

HarlockJC

Do you really think by the end of it's life cycle that the Wii will rise to greatness ? face it: the Wii has sales but it has so much crap on it that drags it down that it should not be considered an improvement to the gaming industry.

[QUOTE="HarlockJC"][QUOTE="WillieBeamish"]

Its official: Nintendo's "innovative" waggle has been finally relegated to the land of cheap gimmickry.

WillieBeamish

When are people going to study their gaming history. Being called a gimmick is not a bad thing, most of the biggest and best changes in video games were called gimmicks at the time.

Did not bother to read the rest because it does not matter.

Maybe you should have read the word CHEAP in front of gimmickry instead of worrying about not reading the rest?

You still don't understand. It does not matter that you called it cheap. The fact is you called it a gimmick has a put down, using the word cheap to make it sound even worse. It does not matter when using the word gimmick with video games, if you understood how many products have been called gimmicks are now main stream you would not use the word. Even in the way you said it. The word in gaming goes all the way back to the use of the arrow design controllers on the NES over the Atari design to the use of Guitar in Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Many so called gimmicks like the 6 button Sega controller have pushed gaming forward. Well going though hate during the time when it came out. Now many people laughed at Star Fox when it came with a Rumble pack calling it a cheap joke. You may not like the Wiimote and I can understand that it is change and people don't like change. It has pushed gaming forward in a way. Next gen motion controllers will be used in some way on all systems becoming a standard like many gimmicks before it.

Maybe I should write something for Willie about the use of the word in gaming history.

[QUOTE="HarlockJC"]

When are people going to study their gaming history. Being called a gimmick is not a bad thing, most of the biggest and best changes in video games were called gimmicks at the time.

Did not bother to read the rest because it does not matter.

Jade_Monkey

Do you really think by the end of it's life cycle that the Wii will rise to greatness ? face it: the Wii has sales but it has so much crap on it that drags it down that it should not be considered an improvement to the gaming industry.

Did I say it was?

that's nice fanboy.. Samba de amigo is what I care about this month.

not some crappy jedi game which sucks on every console.

So lemme get this right, Ninty fails because LucasArts makes a crappy game?Airacomet

LucasArts outsourced Star Wars for the Wii/PS2/PSP they did not make it.

So lemme get this right, Ninty fails because LucasArts makes a crappy game?Airacomet

Gotta love that SW logic;)

Waggle is the new button mashing. You make it sound like the system has failed because developers can't think of different ways to use the control scheme. And your last sentence just makes your thread like the 99 million other Wii hate threads "LOL ugley grfficks means da console sucks in da HD era!!!" Why is it that since last generation everyones eyes suddenly turned snobbish and started hating anything with lower quality graphics, I don't know how some of these people can call yourself gamers since if you missed a great game from last gen you clearly couldn't go back and play it or your eyes would implode.bobbetybob

Isn't it funny how 360 and PS3 owners go all arrogant on the Wii and what not? I mean, when PC owners use the exact same arguments that 360 and PS3 owners use on them, the latter uses the exact same arguments that Wii owners use to defend themselves. They then turn around, however, and use the arguments that PC owners used on Wii owners, totally ignoring the arguments that they used against PC owners.

[QUOTE="bobbetybob"]Waggle is the new button mashing. You make it sound like the system has failed because developers can't think of different ways to use the control scheme. And your last sentence just makes your thread like the 99 million other Wii hate threads "LOL ugley grfficks means da console sucks in da HD era!!!" Why is it that since last generation everyones eyes suddenly turned snobbish and started hating anything with lower quality graphics, I don't know how some of these people can call yourself gamers since if you missed a great game from last gen you clearly couldn't go back and play it or your eyes would implode.Hexagon_777

Isn't it funny how 360 and PS3 owners go all arrogant on the Wii and what not? I mean, when PC owners use the exact same arguments that 360 and PS3 owners use on them, the latter uses the exact same arguments that Wii owners use to defend themselves. They then turn around, however, and use the arguments that PC owners used on Wii owners, totally ignoring the arguments that they used against PC owners.

Yeah it's like some sort of graphical food chain, PC is at the top, they eat 360 and PS3's graphics who eat Wii's graphics.

[QUOTE="Hexagon_777"]

[QUOTE="bobbetybob"]Waggle is the new button mashing. You make it sound like the system has failed because developers can't think of different ways to use the control scheme. And your last sentence just makes your thread like the 99 million other Wii hate threads "LOL ugley grfficks means da console sucks in da HD era!!!" Why is it that since last generation everyones eyes suddenly turned snobbish and started hating anything with lower quality graphics, I don't know how some of these people can call yourself gamers since if you missed a great game from last gen you clearly couldn't go back and play it or your eyes would implode.bobbetybob

Isn't it funny how 360 and PS3 owners go all arrogant on the Wii and what not? I mean, when PC owners use the exact same arguments that 360 and PS3 owners use on them, the latter uses the exact same arguments that Wii owners use to defend themselves. They then turn around, however, and use the arguments that PC owners used on Wii owners, totally ignoring the arguments that they used against PC owners.

Yeah it's like some sort of graphical food chain, PC is at the top, they eat 360 and PS3's graphics who eat Wii's graphics.

The sad truth is that waggle has been called out for what it is, and the Wii has nothing left to stand on once you that that away from it.. Ok, I take that back, once you take waggle away from the Wii the only thing left that differentiates it as a game console are all the rehashed 1st party franchises.

The sad truth is that waggle has been called out for what it is, and the Wii has nothing left to stand on once you that that away from it.. Ok, I take that back, once you take waggle away from the Wii the only thing left that differentiates it as a game console are all the rehashed 1st party franchises.

WillieBeamish

The Wii's strengh is the IR pointer not the Waggle.

[QUOTE="WillieBeamish"]

The sad truth is that waggle has been called out for what it is, and the Wii has nothing left to stand on once you that that away from it.. Ok, I take that back, once you take waggle away from the Wii the only thing left that differentiates it as a game console are all the rehashed 1st party franchises.

GundamGuy0

The Wii's strengh is the IR pointer not the Waggle.

Agreed, it's the IR pointer that's so far been sadly underutilized, and when they are, quality games come out. The lastest Winning Eleven game on the Wii uses the IR pointer to direct play, and it gotten a AA here. The potential for it to be utilized on RTS games is huge, same with FPS.

[QUOTE="Jade_Monkey"][QUOTE="HarlockJC"]

When are people going to study their gaming history. Being called a gimmick is not a bad thing, most of the biggest and best changes in video games were called gimmicks at the time.

Did not bother to read the rest because it does not matter.

HarlockJC

Do you really think by the end of it's life cycle that the Wii will rise to greatness ? face it: the Wii has sales but it has so much crap on it that drags it down that it should not be considered an improvement to the gaming industry.

Did I say it was?

i LOVE your sig, its awesome.

i LOVE your sig, its awesome.

thegoldenpoo

Thanks, I wish I could say I made it. I can't but I can say I stole it.

That has to be the most I have ever used the word I in such a short post.

[QUOTE="GundamGuy0"][QUOTE="WillieBeamish"]

The sad truth is that waggle has been called out for what it is, and the Wii has nothing left to stand on once you that that away from it.. Ok, I take that back, once you take waggle away from the Wii the only thing left that differentiates it as a game console are all the rehashed 1st party franchises.

hiphops_savior

The Wii's strengh is the IR pointer not the Waggle.

Agreed, it's the IR pointer that's so far been sadly underutilized, and when they are, quality games come out. The lastest Winning Eleven game on the Wii uses the IR pointer to direct play, and it gotten a AA here. The potential for it to be utilized on RTS games is huge, same with FPS.

If the IR pointer was all that, MS & Sony would be scrambling to use their webcams to do the same thing but in reverse (add IR LED's to the controller and use the webcam to track)

[QUOTE="hiphops_savior"][QUOTE="GundamGuy0"][QUOTE="WillieBeamish"]

The sad truth is that waggle has been called out for what it is, and the Wii has nothing left to stand on once you that that away from it.. Ok, I take that back, once you take waggle away from the Wii the only thing left that differentiates it as a game console are all the rehashed 1st party franchises.

WillieBeamish

The Wii's strengh is the IR pointer not the Waggle.

Agreed, it's the IR pointer that's so far been sadly underutilized, and when they are, quality games come out. The lastest Winning Eleven game on the Wii uses the IR pointer to direct play, and it gotten a AA here. The potential for it to be utilized on RTS games is huge, same with FPS.

If the IR pointer was all that, MS & Sony would be scrambling to use their webcams to do the same thing but in reverse (add IR LED's to the controller and use the webcam to track)

Constantly changing your tech alienates part of the fanbase e.g. I wonder how those PS3 owners feel who bought the PS3 when the DualShock 3 wasn't around yet.

Now we just wait for Wario Land :Shake it to flop.

Now we just wait for Wario Land :Shake it to flop.

MerisYaki

8.3 on IGN. Is it a flop?

[QUOTE="MerisYaki"]

Now we just wait for Wario Land :Shake it to flop.

lancea34

8.3 on IGN. Is it a flop?

IGN doesn't count... well err back to the real world lol... but seriously I just think some hate on the Wii for other reason than its just not catering for them anymore its opened up to a casual audience...

I think the biggest shame is the LucasArts Wii game which is literally a light-sabre game. The idea everyone had but nobody seemed to be using. And it doesnt have proper motion controls. You can move the 'mote up, down, left, right, or shake it to stab.

[QUOTE="WillieBeamish"]

Its official: Nintendo's "innovative" waggle has been finally relegated to the land of cheap gimmickry.

HarlockJC

When are people going to study their gaming history. Being called a gimmick is not a bad thing, most of the biggest and best changes in video games were called gimmicks at the time.

Did not bother to read the rest because it does not matter.

IMo the technology is not were it needed to be to make motion control not be a gimmick when the wii came out seeing as how it just cant do 1:1 controls, so all like 90% of motion did was replace a button press.

wii motion plus might fix this but god knows if anyone besides nintendo with wii sports resort will really support it well

that "gimmick" is winning the console race.shoeman12

Which race is that? The race to have the best games? Best graphics? Most immersiveness? Oh, you mean the race to sell a bajillion toys to the mass market.. That's not the race I, as a gamer, am really concerned about.

props to nintendo for doing what they had to in order to survive.. They have recovered enough money from their past flops to emerge as a serious competition again. I was an original buyer of the Wii but sold it after 6 months. Its not an HD gaming experience. What if Nintendo reinvests those profits in a HD gaming console and challenges sony? Nintendo clearly has an strong brand advantage in Japan, as the Xbox has in North America. Its sony I see as the odd man out. They really are going to have a hard time surviving in the game industry.Bdking57

Very true, sales of the N64 were half of the SNES IIRC, and GC were half that of the N64. They were only going to get less and less. But now they are regaining a fanbase, and that fanbase is people who are not usually gamers, and they are getting into it. What I find funny is how everyone thinks that Nintendo will just make another casualised system next generation, I doubt that. The gamers they hook in this gen will get more and more involved in games and by the time the next gen comes they'll be hooked on the Nintendo name and buy the Nintendo console. They are basically repeating what the PS1 did, it had that mix and it helped a lot of people start gaming, same as the PS2. However Sony abandoned that idea for some stupid reason and now Nintendo have carried it on.

[QUOTE="hiphops_savior"][QUOTE="GundamGuy0"][QUOTE="WillieBeamish"]

The sad truth is that waggle has been called out for what it is, and the Wii has nothing left to stand on once you that that away from it.. Ok, I take that back, once you take waggle away from the Wii the only thing left that differentiates it as a game console are all the rehashed 1st party franchises.

WillieBeamish

The Wii's strengh is the IR pointer not the Waggle.

Agreed, it's the IR pointer that's so far been sadly underutilized, and when they are, quality games come out. The lastest Winning Eleven game on the Wii uses the IR pointer to direct play, and it gotten a AA here. The potential for it to be utilized on RTS games is huge, same with FPS.

If the IR pointer was all that, MS & Sony would be scrambling to use their webcams to do the same thing but in reverse (add IR LED's to the controller and use the webcam to track)

The IR Pointer is basically an uncomfortable light gun, which Nintendo tries to spice up by offering the "Wii Zapper"...What a joke. After receiving the Wii as a gift, I quickly realized it is indeed a cheap gimmicky system with NO hardcore games. I would trade it for a Virtual Boy in a heartbeat.

The IR Pointer is basically an uncomfortable light gun, which Nintendo tries to spice up by offering the "Wii Zapper"...What a joke. After receiving the Wii as a gift, I quickly realized it is indeed a cheap gimmicky system with NO hardcore games. I would trade it for a Virtual Boy in a heartbeat.

BudsMcGreen

Wow. Just...wow. :roll: