Nintendo’s Media Summit 2008.

If you’ve lived in a bubble, the Nintendo Media Summit 2008 became the highlight (thus so far) of Nintendo’s progress. Even after pumping out Metroid, Smash Bros., Zelda, Mario, and Wario, there seems to be a few more games up Nintendo’s sleeve.

Mario Kart Wii is among the top games to explore online functionality. For 60 frames per second online, that’s impressive and a sight to be seen. Mind you, it halves for split-screen online, so this friend game may be a nobody-comes-over game. Not that I mind, of course!

The real question remains: if Mario Kart Wii is much like Mario Kart DS, and we all own Mario Kart DS, is the Wii version worth it? That really depends. What drew me to Mario Kart DS was an online system and a new way to play. I prefer d-pads over steering wheels, but it’s still interesting to have a wireless steering wheel. I’ve played the steering wheels from third-party manufacturers but none of them really drew me into the game. Having this non-attached circular object in my hand didn’t feel like the arcades or a real vehicle, so I don’t know if it’s among my “OOO MUST HAVE!” titles.  But then again, the Wii Remote is still an awesome method of controlling games.  Recent statistics have shown from a number of sites that people are growing tired of motion control — I defend that people just haven’t had any games challenging enough since WarioWare.
Impressive for Mario Kart, sure, but not the typical blow-your-mind innovation Nintendo is renowned for at the last minute. I’m certain it’ll be a hot game regardless of mainly redone gameplay mechanics.  Keep your eyes on various Web sites for that.

Wii Fit… I’m sorry, just not interested. I could totally hype up the balance board, but how many games are announced to utilize it so far? This is another case of peripheral problems. People compare it to Wii Sports, but you didn’t have to buy a peripheral with that. Wii Sports was free (seriously, you didn’t really pay for it at all with the hardware costs) with a whole new console with so much promise and anticipation. This is very unlike Wii Sports: you have to go out and buy another piece.

If Nintendo really does overmarket this on television and on other advertisements, above and beyond any game thus so far, it may draw enough attention for casual gamers to be interested. And, if it’s successful enough above and beyond any advertisement for any game so far, it will win out the soccer moms.

I think hardcore players are appeased enough so far. No need to bitch and scream that Nintendo are assholes for not investing any time into the hardcore players. After all, the big games came out before Wii Fit.

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