Nintendo Wii was a waste of money [Archive]

View Full Version : Nintendo Wii was a waste of money

nycest

11-26-2008, 04:42 PM

Hi, just wanted everyone's take on this particular subject.

I, like pretty much everyone else, fell in love with the Wii when I first saw the few games. Like Wii sports, Warioware, etc. And I couldn't help but be excited to purchase it and get my hands on it. I thought of the DS and how I thought it was stupid when it first came out and eventually developers founds ways to be innovative with their games.

However, that has not happened with the Wii. Or at least not yet. I think the success of the Wii has been its downfall. Developers are putting out crap because the average person who actually buys the Wii aren't really "gamers" so they buy their games based on what they assume a game to be, or how a commercial sells it to them.

I have a few friends who went out and purchased the Wii after a few times playing with mine (lets be mature here people if you know what I mean), and they all have said the same thing, "The wii was a waste of money". These people are not what you would call gamers at all, so even the average "non-gamer" feels ripped off when buying the Wii after a while.

I have all 3 systems, and altho I slightly dissapointed by the PS3 lineup (exclusives) I still feel its a worthy purchase if just for the Blu-ray alone. Even the 360 has frustrated me a few times with its Red Rings, but I love my 360 the most. The Wii just sits there accumulating dust and I couldn't feel any less dissapointed.

The innovation wave that was the DS and its games has not hit the Wii. And maybe I just have to give it time, but time is running out on my clock. And with the release of the joke "Wii Music", it doesn't seem to be coming anytime soon.

Does anyone feel optimistic?

deegraww

11-26-2008, 04:45 PM

Felt the same way that's why I sold mine. But now I want Wii Fit and Animal Crossing.

brodel

11-26-2008, 04:55 PM

My gf loves the wii. She plays with that more than the 360 or PS3. I got the PS3 for a blu-ray player and that's about all I've been using it for but she's not really interested in games on the PS3 or 360. She has been playing My Sims kingdom on the Wii lately. I haven't really played with it since we finished Zack and Wiki. I was hoping for some game to make me want to play it more, but I haven't found that game yet. We even got the Wii Fit.. I just couldn't get into it. She started to play with that, but it didn't last long.

dolson

11-26-2008, 05:02 PM

Shit, I almost forgot I have a Wii. lol

damnedeyez

11-26-2008, 06:38 PM

The only reason I turn it on anymore is the occasional update and once in awhile to check out the Everybody Votes polls (they amuse me).

Admittedly, I did get Metroid Prime 1 and 2 to play and haven't done so, but it's in the main room...which means squeaking in time that doesn't disrupt the house. Even then, they're gamecube games. I don't even play the games I downloaded.

dolson

11-26-2008, 07:56 PM

esophagus

11-26-2008, 08:25 PM

Does anyone feel optimistic?
I own a Wii. I don't now, nor have I ever, considered it a waste of money. There may be some crap games out there, but there is enough quality to keep me (a casual gamer) occupied and pleased.

deegraww

11-26-2008, 09:40 PM

Nintendo is remaking those games for Wii, and at that time, I shall power on my Wii once more. :D

Why would nintendo remake a product they own to make it look different... oh wait that's what they did with the Wii!

damnedeyez

11-26-2008, 09:46 PM

Why would nintendo remake a product they own to make it look different... oh wait that's what they did with the Wii!

To make it look different?

I think it's more that Metroid Prime 3 is one of the best examples of how the Wii control scheme can work.

scoobydiesel

11-26-2008, 09:46 PM

It is behind my 360 by far as i play that nearly every day and its behind my ps3 because i use that for Blu Rays.

But i dont think it was over all a waste of money, it has brought me fun times with friends and family and does have some games that I could pick up at any time and have a blast...I just play over XBL too much

wideawakewesley

11-26-2008, 09:59 PM

I think the Wii is a great console, but I will say that once you own more than one of this generations consoles, I think most people who classify themselves as gamers will find themselves spending more time on either their PS3 or 360.

If you only have a Wii, you can be very satisfied with the games on offer, but I have to say that this holiday season has been pretty dire for the Wii unless you want extremely casual games. I think 2009 will see a greater number of good games released on Wii.

Wes

gojira

11-26-2008, 11:21 PM

I play my Wii quite often. Granted right now there isn't anything that amazing that has come out recently. But I can't afford to buy a new game each week, so it doesn't really bother me. Right I'm playing some back catalog Gamecube stuff on my Wii. And I just picked up a new DS and GBA game, so I'm quite busy as it is. And I still haven't finished up Wario or de Blob for Wii yet.

Next year has a crap load of potentially amazing games, and if you remember the DS didn't really get great software until some years in either. On the other hand, I have yet to buy a 360 or ps3. It wasn't until GTA4 came out until I felt it was really worth the money to buy the system. So I guess that just goes to show you what kind of gamer I am.

aerodash84

11-26-2008, 11:51 PM

Why would nintendo remake a product they own to make it look different... oh wait that's what they did with the Wii!

They're remaking the games basically because no one bought them before. I think it's a good idea especially to introduce the Metroid Prime games, Pikmin and I think Zelda Wind Waker should get the same treatment.

gorramit

11-27-2008, 12:15 AM

I am definitely in the category of casual gamer, but I do like the wii. I will admit, though, that the wii is really in the house for my kids (age 6 and 10). They love the thing, and they are the ones that play with it the most.

Maybe the kids are the real demographic Nintendo was going for.

nshady

11-27-2008, 12:52 PM

I don't get why you were excited for Wii Sports and WarioWare and are now annoyed that you got more of the same.

Given how much I've enjoyed Metroid, Zelda, Mario, Zack & Wiki, Smash Bros., de Blob etc. etc., I wouldn't call it a waste of money for me, though clearly this holiday season has been a bitter disappointment. Still, gives me time to play games on my PS3.

dolson

11-27-2008, 02:53 PM

I don't get why you were excited for Wii Sports and WarioWare and are now annoyed that you got more of the same.

Too much of a good thing, and all that. Nobody comes close to Nintendo's Wii Sports, as far as fun, and if they do, why would I pay $50 for something that comes for free with the console?

Nintendo's E3 2006 press conference gave me the impression - and maybe I'm alone here, but I sincerely doubt it - that it would be able to pull off 1:1 controls and give us amazing experiences.

Anyone who has played Metroid Prime 3 or Medal of Honor Heroes 2 can tell you that the Wii's control scheme (even with how lacking the motion-sensing currently is) is absolutely ideal for first-person games. So why is it that the Wii has nearly no FPS games? Why are there 18 veterinary sims, 47 petz games, 30 cooking games, and 2K sports games? None of this crap is ideal for the Wii's controls, and nobody should be wasting their money on it, aside from the casual gamers who buy something because "awww, it has a kitty on the front! Let's buy that, honey!"

Look at the reasons why I was buying a Wii:

- Metroid Prime 3. Check.
- Sadness. Strike 1.
- Project HAMMER. Strike 2.
- The Crystal Bearers. Strike 3. You're out.

2007 for the Wii started off as a disappointment. As you see from my main reasons for buying a Wii, I was looking for these amazing-looking games that I thought were going to be unique, fun, immersive - the whole nine yards. I did not buy a Wii to play rehashes of Nintendo's overused franchises or games with little-to-no use of the controller's unique capabilities. That's right - I'm not a fan of Smash Bros. or Mario Kart, the only games Nintendo really had to offer so far this year. But it's OK, E3 was their time to shine.

And shine, they did not. E3 turned out to be Nintendo's time to shit down my throat, in fact. They showed nothing I cared about, aside from Call of Duty, which I would have bought had I never resorted to buying a second console.

Do I regret buying my Wii? Hell no. While the illusion of fun lasted, it was great. Metroid Prime 3, and the promise of the GameCube Metroid games being remade with Wii controls, makes the Wii a permanent addition in my console collection. But I am still absolutely disappointed with the Wii's software lineup, and the limitations of the controls, and Nintendo's forthcoming add-on for the Wii Remote that will make the Wii capable of what Nintendo purposefully mislead me to believe it was capable of in the first place. Hopefully, when Wii Motion Plus finally arrives, developers start using it in decent games, rather than making more accurate incarnations of making pizzas and petting pretty puppies.

masherscf

11-27-2008, 03:35 PM

I bought the Wii for my 4-year old daughter and she actually prefers the XBOX 360 and the PS3. She's much more natural with the six-axis than she is with the Wii-mote and the games are just better for a girl her age. She finds Wii sports unplayable. The Wii games seem to be targeted to someone twice her age. Hence the Wii has been gathering dust for months now. The life-span of the Wii may be another five-years and I'm guessing she'll grow into it.

nycest

11-27-2008, 05:35 PM

Too much of a good thing, and all that.

Exactly!

Just cause I liked Halo and almost every month a different game is released with space marines and some kind of alien threat doesn't mean that I buy each one that comes out.

kilroyperrywinkle

11-27-2008, 05:45 PM

Its a good console, but its like having a scooter... its fun to ride and relaxing but if you want a thrill you drive the muscle car (PS3 or 360). But given the price differences between the scooter the muscle car you can't complain about the ride too much or the mileage. It's just a toy. Not a gaming 'rig or media center.

I love it, wish the browser was more robust because the wiimote works great to browse the web on your tv, and i love having access to the Nintendo content but I'll definitely be buying a PS3 or 360 with Christmas money.

belgarath

11-27-2008, 09:27 PM

Behold, Cave Story is coming to Wiiware; with the newer graphics quite the only reason to fire it up again. So excited.

Ya, I kinda feel the same way about the Wii. It was pretty cool waggling around with the remote, but it seems that its the only thing you do in just any game - waggling around the remote. So if a game is coming to multiple platforms, I'm choosing my 360.
I tried playing Star Wars on the Wii but its waggling the remote to absurdly crude graphics.

dolson

11-27-2008, 09:56 PM

7h0m45

11-27-2008, 10:12 PM

i was one of the ones who was so excited i camped out for the Wii. I played the hell out of Wii sports for like a week then beat Twilight Princess and have not used it since. It has probably been a year since i played any games on it.

but like wesley said, i do have a 360 and ps3 and feel no need for the Wii.

radzack

11-27-2008, 10:35 PM

I camped with friends and bought 4. It was such a fun time. They stuck us in the lawn and garden dept in Wal Mart. We were some of the last in line. Night was full of people trying to buy our spots, etc. I hid some toy tigers in the "foliage" and chugged a gallon of Sunny D all night (before juno made it cool). Simply put, amazing time. Was SO excited to power on twilight princess.

Sad to say...My car accident was not long after that november and I never got past the 2nd temple on twilight. Couldn't play with my injured arm...so I didn't play it forever. I've never picked it back up. I've bought a few titles like nfl/red steel/ etc... but I've never really enjoyed it. Idk what it is. If I could factor one fault in the wii for mii (haha) it would be the social aspect. On XBL, I'm hanging out with friends. Wii is so solitary. I love their interface. Some of their stuff is really cool (interactive news globe, etc) but it's just not enough to hold me.

Now here is the really sad part...I've had it in it's box for over a year and haven't used it at all. What a waste.

rkolegendkiller91

11-27-2008, 11:33 PM

I waited in Line with Scooby, i wasnt the one to buy it nor will want to buy it, well with my own money

satori

11-27-2008, 11:57 PM

I want one for my 5 year old son. I figure I'll pick it up second hand in two years when more people are completely bored of it. I think at it's core though it does have considerable marketability for non gamers.

nshady

11-28-2008, 01:08 AM

The Conduit looks to be the FPS saving grace at the moment, and it's very nice looking too. But yeah, disappointing year, no question.

msmags

11-28-2008, 02:12 AM

Wii Fit and Wii Sports are pretty much the only games I play on the Wii, but I love them so much. I workout on Wii Fit at least once a week. :D

geeksunny

11-28-2008, 03:48 AM

I bought one and sold it to my mom a week later for my brother's Christmas gift. Wii Sports was fun, but got old, and I soon realized that none of the upcoming releases interested me. That included the In-house Nintendo titles. Even still, there has been maybe one or two things that I have been slightly interested in, but I tried them and felt entirely underwhelmed.

gojira

11-28-2008, 03:58 AM

I played some Wii Sports, Boom Blox and Mario Kart with my family today. Maybe it doesn't matter to a lot of people, but I love the fact that I can play games with them and not dominate them at all times. Up until the Wii, the only game we could play together was Mario Party. And although those games can be fun at times, they get old quickly.

On a single player note, I'm more of a niche gamer and old school gamer than a traditional hardcore gamer so games like No More Heroes, Okami and Boom Blox made this year great on the Wii. It's just to bad it was so front loaded with those games and stuff like Smash Bros, Mario Kart and Wii Fit. That being said, 2009 looks amazing!

Sin and Punishment 2
Mad World
Muramasa: The Demon Blade
Punch-Out!!
The House of the Dead: Overkill
Wii Sports Resort
Bleach: Versus Crusade (developed by Treasure)
Little King's Story
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse
Tenchu: Shadow Assassins
Deadly Creatures (may be Dec '08 or early '09)
The Conduit
Spyborgs
No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle (2010 but still worth mentioning)

And a couple of known Wii Ware games:
Lit
Animales de la Muerte

Plus with Nintendo, there could always be some unknown stuff like Factor 5's supposed Kid Icarus game popping up. These games may not be all AAA and appeal to the average 360/PS3 owner. But they are the games that I truly enjoy the most.

dolson

11-28-2008, 02:45 PM

The Conduit looks to be the FPS saving grace at the moment, and it's very nice looking too. But yeah, disappointing year, no question.

True. I'll probably pick up The Conduit, depending on how it reviews. If it's too short or something, I may just rent it. I do want to play it.

I did buy one pretty awesome FPS for Wii this year - Endless Ocean. First-Person Swimmer. lol

gojira

11-28-2008, 10:37 PM

True. I'll probably pick up The Conduit, depending on how it reviews. If it's too short or something, I may just rent it. I do want to play it.

I did buy one pretty awesome FPS for Wii this year - Endless Ocean. First-Person Swimmer. lol

I liked Endless Ocean a lot. But I didn't like how you were confined to a small space to dive. I'm pretty sure I read that they're making a sequel. If that has less confinements, it may be a worthy purchase in my mind.

dolson

11-29-2008, 02:41 AM

I liked Endless Ocean a lot. But I didn't like how you were confined to a small space to dive. I'm pretty sure I read that they're making a sequel. If that has less confinements, it may be a worthy purchase in my mind.

I heard that too, and I'm interested to see the price and what's different. If it's $29.99 like the first, I may get it.

But I'm kinda hoping Aquanaut's Holiday comes to North America, because it looks like a hi-def PS3 version of Endless Ocean, and I have room in my gaming collection for more than one underwater exploration game... I just love underwater, and I'll likely never get to do it in real life (wife is afraid of sharks, can't afford a trip to the ocean, etc).

inertianinja

11-29-2008, 03:35 AM

i got the wii before i was really ready to get back into gaming for real...was my first current-gen console.

when i got it, i was blown away and played it constantly. sports, zelda, and mario galaxy were non-stop.

but since then, there hasn't been anything to keep my interest, no new channels that are really useful, and the limitations are no longer excusable.

the most frustrating part of it all is that they keep releasing games that will *sell* but not be really interesting...and when people complain they say "oh yea we're putting out a new mario / zelda / metroid game, don't worry.

i really hate to say it, but i haven't turned it on in a long time. i had such high hopes for the thing.

branchex

11-29-2008, 08:01 PM

I haven't had time to get a Wii yet, but having access to Nintendo's old game catalog alone seems worth the price of the machine. (Now if only they would make retro controllers for it that don't need to be wired to the Wiimote or console.) If the Wii motion plus lives up to the hype we could finally see the games that control the way we all envisioned.

damnedeyez

11-30-2008, 01:10 AM

having access to Nintendo's old game catalog alone seems worth the price of the machine.

Except for that whole system memory storage size thing...but it was one of the reasons I was interested in the system.

nycest

11-30-2008, 07:46 AM

I haven't had time to get a Wii yet, but having access to Nintendo's old game catalog alone seems worth the price of the machine.

I agree that having Nintendo's old game catalog seems like a good reason, HOWEVER, when do we stop being excited about alll things nostalgic and start looking towards new innovation and experiences. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love me some old nintendo titles, but if I want that I can just fire up my NES and play those games with the intended controller. I'm not buying new consoles just to play games that came out years ago, I'm investing in the promise of new and exciting experiences.

filmgasm

11-30-2008, 09:15 PM

iccanui

11-30-2008, 09:41 PM

Yea i agree, its not a waste of money, but its just not my most used product. I havent turned it on in a long time, but i would for metriod. Also im pretty cheap right now and im not buying any games for any systems. PS3 gets the first game or maybe the PC. After that im just not buying anything. Well save my freaking iPhone, its getting like crack.

radzack

11-30-2008, 10:19 PM

the new animal crossing is pretty cool

aerodash84

11-30-2008, 11:41 PM

I'm excited Boogerman was just released on VC. All they need now is to release Zombies Ate My Neighbors and the Wii will be worth it. Well some other games, but I love it for the VC. It's my childhood in a box.

Edit: just was reading an article about bring Luigi's Mansion to the Wii. I think that was one game that didn't get a whole lot of coverage. I bought it for $20 and beat it pretty fast. But I still haven't forgotten that game. From the music, Luigi, the environment, and just everything about it. One of my favorite Gamecube games and would love to see a new version.

nshady

12-01-2008, 12:37 AM

Agreed. The question is whether Nintendo can be bothered.

dolson

12-01-2008, 03:13 AM

Unfortunately, some of us cannot afford the 360 or PS3, and are forced by the economy into a state of forlorn submission, waiting in the shadows and watching all the other gamers frolic about in high-definition wonderscapes, brutally murdering all artificially intelligent baddies that happen to cross their path.

In this unfortunate situation, the Wii will have to suffice, so I make the best out of what I have. Although, it was a gift, so I don't consider it a waste of money. My money, at least. :)

While that may have been true at one time, the 360's low-end model is cheaper than the Wii, and the Pro model is only $30 more expensive. So, price isn't an issue (any more).

I chose the PS3 anyhow, and I don't recommend the 360 to anyone, I'm just saying.

filmgasm

12-02-2008, 10:16 PM

While that may have been true at one time, the 360's low-end model is cheaper than the Wii, and the Pro model is only $30 more expensive. So, price isn't an issue (any more).

I chose the PS3 anyhow, and I don't recommend the 360 to anyone, I'm just saying.

I know, and I am actually sort of excited about the price drop. If I could just manage to find a job around here, I might actually make an investment.

I'm torn between the two systems, since a friend of mine has a 360, and I do really love a lot of the xbox exclusives and the addition of netflix access, but on the other hand there is Blu-Ray and Little Big Planet.

*sigh* I wish they could all just get along.

mephistos-brother

12-02-2008, 10:26 PM

Yeah the wii was a waste of money but the only thing that keeps me from selling it outright are the top rate Nintendo games that i love to play. Super Mario Galaxy, Mario Kart Wii and the New Punch Out game soon to be released.

I stood in line with a bunch of Wii-ners on Black Friday at Gamestop. They were all there for Wii fit. I couldnt believe they actually ran out of Wii fits and turned people away. So many people i know said it was 100$ doorstop and they only used it once.

nycest

12-03-2008, 12:32 AM

I'm torn between the two systems, since a friend of mine has a 360, and I do really love a lot of the xbox exclusives and the addition of netflix access, but on the other hand there is Blu-Ray and Little Big Planet.

*sigh* I wish they could all just get along.

I have all 3 systems, and let me just say that it all depends on what you feel you'll spend more time on. If it's games, then I say 360. If you feel you'll be spending more time watching Blu-Rays, then get the PS3. But do not get the PS3 for games, as much as you may try to justify it the PS3 just doesn't do it with games. Unless you're a diehard fan of some kind of PS3 exculsive.

dolson

12-03-2008, 01:09 AM

I know, and I am actually sort of excited about the price drop. If I could just manage to find a job around here, I might actually make an investment.

I'm torn between the two systems, since a friend of mine has a 360, and I do really love a lot of the xbox exclusives and the addition of netflix access, but on the other hand there is Blu-Ray and Little Big Planet.

*sigh* I wish they could all just get along.

The majority of games out there are multi-platform, so the exclusive franchises really are the only thing that matters. Just compare Sony's stuff that's already out, coming out, and could potentially come out (Resistance, LBP, Ratchet & Clank, Killzone, Heavy Rain, God of War, Gran Turismo, MotorStorm, Uncharted, WipEout, Twisted Metal, Jak & Daxter, Sly Cooper, SOCOM, MAG, Warhawk, Heavenly Sword, Siren, SingStar, Folklore, Buzz!, Team ICO's next game, Dark Cloud, White Knight Chronicles, inFAMOUS, LocoRoco, MediEvil, Patapon, Syphon Filter, to name a couple) to Microsoft's (Halo, Gears, that pinata thing, Lips, Flight Simulator, Black & White, Banjo, Conker, Forza, AOE, Alan Wake, and whatever other franchises they can tap into), and decide which ones interest you more. For me, I chose to go with Sony, but I know a lot of people that choose Microsoft, and that's fine too.

There's also third-party exclusives, which, as we learned with Final Fantasy XIII, BioShock, Eternal Sonata, and potentially Splinter Cell Conviction and Metal Gear Solid 4, do not always stay exclusive.

For the record, I've been extremely satisfied with my PS3 and the lineup of games, both exclusive and multi-platform. I much prefer the controller (though that is an easily-solvable problem, if you invest in a USB 3rd-party Xbox 360 clone from Logitech), yes, even for shooters. The console is dead silent, has a web browser that I use extensively (like a LOT), and, one of the big reasons why I made the choice I did, the online play is free. Some people have money to burn to play games [they already paid for] online, but I don't. Sure, Sony has a ways to go to get the PSN community up to par, but it's made leaps and bounds even since I bought my PS3, only nearly a year ago.

Those are my reasons, and they obviously don't apply to everyone. In fact, I'm sure you can get as many reasons to buy a 360 from anyone else here. Just look at all of the facts on both sides, and decide for yourself what is going to work the best.

When I got my PS3, the price difference between the PS3 and 360 was much smaller, and the PS3 included Blu-ray, HDMI, and wireless. If you have a Sony Style near you, I think they have some sort of deal that basically works out to $250 for your PS3, but I am not sure what all the details are. If you look around, you can find a good deal, to be sure. I've seen good Xbox 360 Arcade deals too, where you pay $200 and get like 4 games with it. The 360 has Netflix streaming, which the PS3 does not have (though there are rumors of some kind of Blockbuster deal forthcoming. No idea what that entails, if it comes to fruition, but Netflix is here, now - if you're in the US. I'm in Canada, so none of this probably will ever apply to me, sadly).

Good luck, and if you end up finding a job and getting a system, friend me up (if it's a PS3, or if I end up getting a 360 by then (not likely, but the price keeps getting lower and lower, soon they might be free)).

The world just found out that all Blu-ray drives (including PS3) can read Pioneer's new 16-layer, 400GB discs. Should be interesting to see what comes of that, as the discs are supposed to be consumer-ready in 2010 (which isn't that far away, when you think about it).

esophagus

12-03-2008, 02:18 AM

I think come boxing day I'll be looking for a console other than my Wii (provided I can find a sale). The Blu-Ray aspect of the PS3 is really appealing to me, but as far as games go it just doesn't do it. I'm a fairly casual gamer, and almost never buy a game right after release. I play/care little enough that I usually end up waiting for a price drop or at least to see if one will come. Don't ever want to have to be waiting months for something new to come along. For that reason, I'm leaning towards getting a 360 with it's extensive back catalogue of stuff I haven't played yet.