Wii Let You Down

Wii Let You Down 

Back in 2006, when the Nintendo Wii launched, everyone had to have one.  Everyone.  If you’re a gamer, and even if you’re not, you remember that Nintendo’s newest console was impossible to find and people were selling it on ebay for $500.   The question, I present though, is when exactly was the Wii deemed uncool? 

Now, it’s 2012, and I just finished Red Steel.  Playing this game, I had to pretend it was 2006, and I’ve never used motion controls before, because the controls in this game are awful.  It’s not a good idea to play Skyward Sword and then play this game right after.  You will get pissed off.  This was a launch title.  Do you remember that cool trailer they had for this game?

Ubisoft made this game look good through advertising.  Slick.

Yeah, that stuff they showed in the Red Steel trailer happened, but the graphics didn’t look like that … and it wasn’t as immersive as the trailer displayed.  It was playable, but beating it 6 years after it came out, I realized… people played this game when Wii first came out.  I can see hardcore gamers excited to play this game, wait in line for weeks for a Wii, buy this and think "dude, the graphics suck.  This is so hard to control.  What is this?"

Was it Red Steel’s fault?  I wouldn’t put all the blame on it, but it didn’t help.  Overtime, people realized that the Wii’s graphics didn’t compare to the other consoles, so they felt jipped. I know this generation is obsessed with graphics, and graphics don’t make the game, but what about the Wii is uncool?  

If you think Wii isn’t innovative, you may want to ask Microsoft and Sony why they hopped on the casual gaming bandwagon.  The PS Move is considered a failure, while Kinect did see some sales.  The main problem with these devices is that everyone had a Wii already.  Why would you buy another motion control device?  The Wii was there first, but why do people continue to argue that the Wii isn’t cool? 

Was it because of the games?  This has been Nintendo’s problem for awhile now. PS3 and XBOX 360 have more mature rated content than Nintendo’s console, and whatever big kids think is cool, is what kids think is cool.  All of your friends are playing Call of Duty?  Crap, I better get Call of Duty.  All of your friends buying Battlefield 3?  Uh oh, I can’t be the only one playing Mario Galaxy.  Hey, but there’s Call of Duty on Wii!  What’s their response?  

"Dude, Wii sucks." 

What I’m trying to point out is that Nintendo in this generation did a lot of things wrong.  They didn’t think HD would be important when it was obviously on its way to be the norm.  They trapped themselves with a cumbersome friend code system, while its competitors utilized social media and online capabilities to connect with friends.  People also argue Nintendo just remakes the same games over and over again. 

But still, when was the exact time, the exact moment people considered Nintendo Wii uncool?  Most of you know that I totally love Nintendo, but I’m not blind to its criticisms, and I have criticisms of my own.  

When was the year you think people deemed the Wii uncool and why?  And if you actually hate the Wii, when and why did you start hating it?   

- Anthony J. Gomez