Thursday, November 23, 2006

Mass media favour Wii over PS3



It seems that more and more mass media are favouring the Wii over the PS3, the Washington Post being the most recent example. I have compiled some of the more snappy quotes below.

This comes after Gamasutra found that the majority of developers were personally more excited about the new Nintendo console.



In the Wii-PS3 Playoff, Nintendo Upsets Sony on the Fun Factor
Most of my friends who picked up the PS3's controller ended up frustrated. The typical game for the system requires players to have memorized where all the buttons are, and it's much harder to just pick up a controller and have a good time. Some of the verdicts they offered are unprintable. (...)

While the people in my group preferred looking at the PS3's games, they preferred playing the Wii. (...) I have never seen a bunch of non-gamers get into this stuff like this, and I have never heard anybody laugh so much while playing any video game. A few of them now say they plan to buy the system for themselves. (...)

Nintendo got one feature right with the system on Day One: It's just darn fun.

Washington Post



Sony's Playstation 3 is Not Worth the Hype
People who have been camping out for days finally get their PS3s today. Sadly, both their time and money has been wasted. (...) I wouldn't recommend buying one, not even for the regular price, which is plenty expensive without the import markup. (...)

Sony's launch line-up just isn't that interesting. Almost all the PS3's outstanding games — F.E.A.R., Madden NFL '07, Need for Speed: Carbon, Call of Duty 3 — are available on the Xbox 360, and most (all except F.E.A.R.) are out for the Wii, too. There just isn't the leverage there to make buying a PS3 de rigeur. (...)

Give it time. The price will (probably) come down. Sony's online strategy will (probably) mature. More decent games will come out — the Playstation3 is notoriously difficult to develop for, and game-makers are still figuring out how to get the most out of it. Next holiday season, it just might be worth it. For now it's pretty much moot anyway.

TIME magazine



A Weekend Full of Quality Time With PlayStation 3
Howard Stringer, you have a problem. Your company’s new video game system just isn’t that great. (...) Sony blithely insisted that the PS3 would leapfrog all competition to deliver an unsurpassed level of fun.

Put bluntly, Sony has failed to deliver on that promise.

Measured in megaflops, gigabytes and other technical benchmarks, the PlayStation 3 is certainly the world’s most powerful game console. It falls far short, however, of providing the world’s most engaging overall entertainment experience. (...)

“What’s weird is that the PS3 was originally supposed to come out in the spring, and here it came out in the fall, and it still doesn’t feel finished,” Christopher Grant, managing editor of Joystiq, one of the world’s biggest video-game blogs, said on the telephone Saturday night. “It’s really not the all-star showing they should have had at launch. Sony is playing catch-up in a lot of ways now, not just in terms of sales but in terms of the basic functionality and usability of the system.” (...)

If you can’t find one, don’t fret. Sony still has a lot of work to do. As Mr. Grant of Joystiq put it: “Maybe in six months it’ll be finished. Maybe by next fall I’ll be able to do all the cool stuff. I’m still kind of waiting.”

New York Times



PlayStation 3 can't hide its flaws
Cut through the hype, and the desire for the newest, flashiest gadget and the product is not as compelling as it might seem. The PS3, for all its power, feels incomplete at launch. (...)

Controlling games is pretty close to what PlayStation veterans are used to. The major shift this time is Sony has included a motion sensor in its controller (which has been redubbed the Sixaxis). In "NBA 07," for instance, twisting the controller will let you juke around an opposing player.

The problem is that the motion doesn't feel natural here, as it does with the Nintendo Wii. (...) You get the impression they were caught off guard when the feature was announced -- and rushed to find some way to include it.

Gone also is the rumble effect from the controller -- an omission that has upset many Sony loyalists. Personally, I miss the shaking. The feeling of a slight rumble in your hands as you fired a virtual weapon added to the fun. (...)

If you're somehow able to find a PlayStation 3 on a store shelf this year, is it worth buying one? Sadly, the answer is not yet. The system is too expensive for what most people will get out of it -- and the initial slate of games don't offer enough innovation or thrills to justify the purchase.

CNN Money



Playtesters say 'Wii' to console war question
After plowing through several hours of gaming and many boxes of pizza, the resounding favorite of our playtest was ...drumroll please...the Wii. (...)

“I’m definitely more excited about picking up a Wii,” said Eisner, a serious gamer. He liked the fact that he could not only play the Wii with his daughter but that, as our play test proved, the Wii quickly turned game time into party time.

With the PS3 and the Wii each hooked up in neighboring rooms, we found the PS3 sitting all alone at several points during the evening (hooked up to a giant high definition TV no less) while all the gamers gathered around the Wii and played together. (...)

The Wii just can’t compete with the visual splendor that pours forth from the PS3. In fact, games played on the Wii look like they're being played on nothing more than a slightly souped-up GameCube.

Most of our guest players didn’t seem to mind so much. Still though, for us game reviewers it was something of a disappointment. The PS3 and the Xbox 360 set the standard high, and once you get used to living in that kind of luxurious visual world, it’s hard to go back.

MSNBC



WII GOT GAME IN CONSOLE FACEOFF
While scuffles are breaking out over the PS3, our testing of both machines found that the Wii was more entertaining - at less than half the price. With its innovative Nunchuk controller, you'll be waving around your arms to battle enemies or swing a baseball bat. (...)

Though the graphics are stunning, the PS3 isn't that much different from the PS2. And compatibility issues mean it won't play as many old PlayStation games as were originally promised. The $500 version, meanwhile, isn't worth it. You have to pay $600 to get the complete package - a huge expense for a video game player, even if it does play DVDs as well. (...)

The Wii offers up a truly unique take on playing video games by getting people off their couches to play, introducing a new skill set (coordination is a must) and inducing much smack talk (like when you whiff every time you swing in Wii Baseball). Plus, Nintendo intends to ship 4 million units worldwide, so chances are you'll be able to get your hands on one soon - and for half the price.

New York Post



Release of PlayStation 3 Becomes a Waiting Game
Kaz Hirai, the chief executive of Sony Computer Entertainment America, said that the company wanted "to elicit an emotional response from you, good, bad or indifferent." He said that creating such an emotional bond was the first step in making a sale, but that Sony also wanted to convey that the system is a good deal.

"It's not too expensive," Mr. Hirai said. "We're offering fantastic value to consumers." Future marketing efforts will emphasize Sony's position that the PlayStation 3 is built with high-end components that will still work in 5 or even 10 years. "Look at how long you'll be able to enjoy your investment," Mr. Hirai said.

Jim Louderback, editor in chief of PC Magazine, who recently reviewed both the PlayStation 3 and the Wii, said that idea did not sound realistic. "Considering there's a new generation of video game consoles every five years, that doesn't make a lot of sense to me," Mr. Louderback said.

International Herald Tribune / New York Times



System Check
Clad in a stylish tuxedo-chic shell and accessorized with cutting-edge electronic gadgetry, the PS3 is all dressed up...with no place to go. Many gamers, especially those who don't own an HDTV, are paying $600 (or more, if they give into the eBay vultures) for features that they (for now) can't fully appreciate. It's going to take a while before game programmers figure out how to harness the PS3's power and deliver some truly next-gen gaming experiences. Its online network is also a work in progress that has a long way to go before challenging the Xbox Live service. While it's human nature to want something that someone else wants, it's a smart move to resist temptation and sit on the sidelines until there are more compelling and practical reasons to commit to the PS3. B (...)

Not quite a next-generation console, the Wii must rely on its unique game interface — and a steady stream of titles that make full use of the Wii-mote and the companion Nunchuck. Is the Wii-mote a novelty that will soon wear thin? Beyond the healthy legions of Nintendo loyalists, the Wii's low price, strong lineup of nonviolent titles, and gentle learning curve might actually attract the kind of players (women, parents) normally put off by testosterone-fueled games that reward mastery of a dozen or more buttons. B+

Entertainment Weekly



Review: PS3, Wii Boost Gaming Experience
The Wii was the most fun and the easiest to use. It can deliver on Nintendo's promise to bring more non-gamers into the fold. (...) It's not that I wasn't impressed by the PS3 games, but after breaking into a sweat from a few hours with the Wii, sitting on my couch to shoot aliens in "Resistance: Fall of Man" felt pedestrian. (...)

Declaring one of these systems an overall winner is impossible, mostly because of the oddball Wii. It's just so different from its rivals, it's almost unfair to compare it to the PS3 or the Xbox 360.

But the Wii's unique controller and approachable $250 price could make it the surprise hit of the three.

ABC News




The Wii: One Small Step for Nintendo, One Giant Leap for Gaming
Nintendo's Wii home video-gaming console (...) will put to rest any fears that it won't be able to compete with Sony's super-powered PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's already established Xbox 360. (...)

Despite its technical shortcomings, the Wii is a whole lot of fun to play. And the suggested retail price of about $250 makes it an attractive competitor to the $399 Xbox 360 and, especially, the PS3, the "full" model of which costs a whopping $599.

With that kind of price point, hardcore gamers might even consider picking up a Wii alongside a PS3 or Xbox 360. The Wii will simply play games — and come up with new ways of playing them — in a way that none of its competitors will be able to match.

In fact, after playing with a Wii for a while, PlayStation and Xbox can start to look like an exercise in nihilistic thumb gymnastics.

FOX News




A Wii Workout: When Videogames Hurt
The new console has been wildly successful, selling out at stores and winning high marks from critics and game buffs. But as players spend more time with the Wii, some are noticing that hours waving the game's controller around can add up to fairly intense exertion -- resulting in aches and pains common in more familiar forms of exercise. They're reporting aching backs, sore shoulders -- even something some have dubbed "Wii elbow."

"It's harder than playing basketball," says Kaitlin Franke, a 12-year-old from Louisville, Ky. She has been camped out in front of her family's TV, fine-tuning her bowling motion and practicing boxing footwork in two of the Wii's games. Almost immediately, she says, her right arm started to feel numb.(...)

Another hazard: collisions. All those flailing arms can sometimes inadvertently smack into lamps, furniture and even competing players. IGN.com, a popular site that reviews videogames, said one player testing the Wii lost her grip and sent the controller flying into a wall. Blaine Stuart of Rochester, N.Y., mistakenly whacked his fiancée, Shelly Haefele, while playing tennis and also accidentally hit his dog while bowling.

Nintendo itself warns players about this risk just before some of the games begin. A message flashes up on the screen saying: "Make sure there are no people or objects around you that you might bump into while playing." Some Wii games also have pop-up reminders every 15 minutes advising gamers to take a break.

Wall Street Journal




EDIT 1UP has compiled a similar overview of mass media commenting on the Wii and on the PS3, respectively.


Thanks to: Zeldaphr3ak, GoNintendo

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

lets face up to REALLITY anyone with a COMMONSENCE CHIP IN THERE HEAD would favor wii

sony fans please stop with the ignorance if ps3 becomes the lead format gaming will be held back and be very stale (its up to us to embrase change)
if wii becomes lead format its a whole new dawn for us all

CARNT YOUR ZEALOT BRAINS COMPUT THAT FACT REPEAT FACT

TO BIG UP A 1996 CONTROL PAD DESIGN IS TOTALY MORONIC AND YET YOU CALL EVERYONE ELSE A FANBOY wii dont fanboy

obsolete controls and longggggg loadtimes

THAT WOULD BE YOU ZEALOTS

WII IS THE FUTURE THATS COMMONSENCE IS IT NOT

wii offers more fun and a way better videogaming set up than ever before and rain comes from clouds BOTH ARE FACTS

STOP DEFENDING PS3 IN A LAME IM COOL TEENAGER MENTALLTY

IF SONYS SO COOL HOW COME ANY KID ON MY SONS SKOOL BUS GETS ONE OUT GETZ LAFFED AT AND DEMONIZED AS EVERY OTHER KID ON THE BUS IS PLAYING MULTIPLAY DS THEY LOOK AT PSP LIKE ITS A PHAT JOKE

BECOUSE IT IS
SO IS SIXARSES I MEAN SIXASSES I MEAN
DUALCOCKS
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN THE OUT DATED CONTROLER THINGY ZEALOTS USE ON PS3

THE CONTROL PAD OF PRESTORIC BEASTS IT HAS NO PLACE IN THIS DAY AND AGE

ADMIT THIS ZEALOTS GET THE LOAD OF YOUR BACKS YOUR SONY LOVE MADES YOU LOOK STUPID

Anonymous said...

bluray who cares i upscale standard dvds to 720p and switch on my xd engine presto hd dvd so why do i need blu ray


ps3 proven to have loading issues long slow loading issues loadtimes are not aceptable in this day and age carnt you see that sony goons
wii priority disc format=much better streaming and loading

WAKE UP SHORT OR ZERO LOAD BREAKS AND GREAT 3D CONTROLS=BETTER GAMING

DEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR WORK IT OUT

Falafelkid said...

I have added some industry insider´s blogs to the link list (under Good Blogs, naturally), featuring such respected writers as N´Gai Croal (Newsweek), Greg Kasavin (Gamespot) and Dan Hsu (EGM). If you know of any others that I have missed out, please leave a comment and I will add them.

Anonymous said...

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This guy is so cool!


:)


-IALS

Anonymous said...

That anonym is so funny I fell off my chair when I read that!

Actually I couldn't resist to shove that up some 360 and pS3 fanyboys throat and got banned for it on IGN!

But the reactions were well worth it!


Give me more zealot- ish anonym!

I carn't resist!!!


-IALS

Anonymous said...

anonymous again you might know mii im allso nown as the informous
CUBEBOY101 im nown for not holding back and telling the TRUTH as iv did with post 1 f this thread il hang out here more

Anonymous said...

Holy ish Cubeboy.
Someone make that IATCH stfu would they!
IIIIIIIIIIATCH
What daaaaaaa??????
For goodness sake what TARD Force is that IATCH from ???
IAtch don't even know she is a IATCH
SAYIN things that have nothing to do with nothing!
Waaaat de ...???????
IATCH better stfu or she be in for bananas
IAtch better mind her own business!acting all nimble like she be on da money when in reality she dont kno jack shit.


-IALS

Anonymous said...

LOL

Cubeboy check this thread they say Sotc looks better than Zelda!

...when in reality them tards don't know jack shit!

http://boards.ign.com/the_vestibule

/b5296/131678418/p1

Anonymous said...

I still admire those Lucasarts adventures from back in the day. They somehow managed to draw me deeper into their fictional worlds than traditional rpgs and action-adventure games despite limiting control over your character and offering less action. Now imagine just how much more the Wii-mote could add to the expirience than the sucked dry mouse scheme. The expirience would strongly benefit from the physical interaction that Wii offers. Having brood over it, I'm convinced that this long forgotten genre not only has the potential to undergo a renaissance, it could also improve the level of significance of story telling in games in general. The key really is the Wiimote, as it has an universial, familiar appeal that doesn't scare adults and non gamers off with its' design and functionality. Furthermore, a Point and click adventure game on Wii wouldn't require the nunchuck attachment like Wii Sports(another advantage I should add). Elebits can give us a good idea of how the genre could unfold on Wii as far as gameplay(mechanics) is concerned. I guess it's not too hard to imagine the impact that the ability to physically interact with objects (as illustrated in Elebits)could have on the game design. I strongly assume, that Wii is a solid platform to revive this genre. I still have fond memories of games like Grim Fandango, Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle. The rich stories and believable worlds made all the difference and oftentimes incorporated (black) humour, to add zest to the overall expirience. Anyway, To conclude, I think that releasing an exclusive Lucasarts adventure for Wii could work wonders and underline its' unique position in the industry.




-IALS

RGB said...

IALS, I hope so. And that is your first decent post to date that is actually worth reading.

Adv is my favourite genre over all games. The best story telling and very challenging.

I really hope the Wii revives the genre as it really is a pity that FPS killed it off in the early to mid 90's. However Sierra can also be blamed for very poor released games. Lucas Arts still kept up the quality though, Grim Fandango was a great game.

Anonymous said...

cubeboy101

i agree with that iv allso thought how the wii can use pre rendered seens, with motion controls and the horse power on offer im sure developers could use pre rendering but in a much better way than they did before. wii-mote and nunchuck do offer new ways not only to play but to give you imursion in games. imagine wii level pre rendering but with none of the stodgy clucky 2d on 3d controls, with 3d mouse and motion surly developers can find ways of bringing semi pre rendered seens and gameplay to life......

Anonymous said...

and 2 blocks. Robinson Ecco Casual Shoesand Duncan beat together winter boots,
33. thoroughly outrebounded New