November 22, 2006

SANTA BETTER COME UP BIG:

Wii Is the Champion: Nintendo's new console bests the PS3 and the Xbox 360. (Chris Suellentrop, Nov. 20, 2006, Slate)

In a great video game, the narrative is secondary to the game's central appeal: satisfying my desire to be an NFL quarterback, a Jedi Knight, and a martial-arts wizard (though not—yet—all at once). A good book or movie provides a vicarious experience. A good game comes much closer to being experiential—to actually approximating the real thing. The Wii, Nintendo's new console, takes gaming a giant leap forward in this journey. Like nothing else I've ever played, the Wii comes closest to achieving the grail of gaming: a home virtual-reality machine.

Posted by Orrin Judd at November 22, 2006 12:00 AM
Comments

WIth the combination of holiday vacations and the Vista bonus days off, some of my coworkers who are still around have been using their time productively: doing "testing" (yeah, that's what we'll call it) on the Wii in the conference room with the big display screen next to my work-area at the Evil Software Empire. One comment stands out: unlike other video games, it's hard work for more than just your thumbs. Especially the boxing game, where your whole upper body gets involved. But based on the sounds, it's a hit with the software nerds.

Posted by: Raoul Ortega at November 22, 2006 9:51 AM
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