Nintendo Wii Fanboy

Everyone has an opinion about what makes a good game. You've got one, we've got one (or several, as there are several of us here), and the reviewers, they all have their own preferences, too. Sometimes, however, those opinions all just seem to coincide, and then we know a game is truly something special.

As part of our celebration of the first year of the Wii, we thought we would do a comparison of the best-reviewed games released for the system alongside our picks for the top games. Sometimes they overlap, but we slipped in a few extras that we feel just might be worth your time.

For Crash of the Titans, a lot is on the line. It is looked to by some as the title that will bring the franchise back to its roots to bask once again in the glory of the entries of old. And, in a lot of ways, Crash of the Titans does just that. But, as a title on the Wii, it can also be seen as a failure to capitalize on the best aspect the console has to offer: controls.

While it's quite comical when the cursor is changed during cutscenes to funny shapes such as a mustache, allowing you to make a few jokes at the game's characters' expense, none of the game's controls feel suited to the Wii. They don't feel as if they were set with the Wii in mind, lovingly crafted to take advantage of a console feature so rich that it's the very reason for the existence of said console. But, that doesn't mean the controls are flawed, it just means that you aren't getting anything particularly better or special in your choice to play this game on the Wii above its competitors.

We've had enough time now with the Wii to discover some real gems (how many hours have you put into just Wii Sports so far?) ... but like any system, there are also a few duds, particularly within the launch window. If you're looking to expand your collection, or if you're one of the Wii-less trying to figure out how to budget when your day comes, we're here to help you find the best and the worst of the Wii so far.

This question has come up a lot in the past few years, and for a variety of reasons. Do we need game reviews? Are they worthwhile? Like many others, we tend to think they do serve a purpose -- and you told us that yourselves. And still the argument persists. This time it's a blogger at Three Speech, arguing that with the rise of blogs and forums, combined with easy access to game videos and trailers, the review may become obsolete.

Here at the Fanboy, we tend to think that the widening of the reporting pool would actually create better reviews, or at least the chance of reviews that are more meaningful to individual readers. After all, with more people reviewing, there's a greater chance of finding a pool of writers with similar tastes to your own. But we want your opinion -- is the game review still important?

We're passing the savings on to you! You might have read our review of the Wii Play pack recently, and you might be thinking that we're full of crap. That's OK, you aren't the first and you won't be the last, but most of all you'd like to tell us we're full of crap and have proof to back it up, right? What better way than to win Wii Play, play it, then tell us we're dead wrong as you laugh maniacally, fully content with your free bundle? There is no easier way, silly! So how does one win this package from us? Easy, show us how you play!

We're looking for images of you (and your friends, if available) playing the Wii together and having fun. Show us your gaming space, add hilarious captions, it's all up to you. Creativity and humor is going to win you this contest, which will award you with:

• Wii Play
• bundled Wiimote
• fancy box it all comes in
• a Fed Ex envelope containing the above items

Entries need to be sent to nwf[dot]contests[at]gmail[dot]com and be received no later than 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, February 28th. Of course, we don't need to tell you to not send anything offensive or pornographic as it won't be considered (and it'll get you banned) ...

Update: In the name of clearing the confusion, here's a couple of things:

• Yes, we will ship internationally
  
• Video is acceptable
• Bribery is fine, as long as it is in the form of delicious baked goods (can't leave any evidence behind, y'know?)

Sonic and the Secret Rings has been released, and in what is certainly the highest profile release since the epic Twilight Princess at launch, our expectations are rather high. In what is being billed as the first truly decent 3-D Sonic game (or, at least the first one since the original Sonic Adventure), the hedgehog has the scores to prove it. IGN's was a little low, but it turns out they hate the color blue. So, you know.

Who wants a little blazing-quick spiny-mammal in their lives?

• Gaming Age (85/100) has very little but praise for SatSR: "Sonic and the Secret Rings makes a solid attempt to fix the problems that have plagued the Sonic games over the past few years. Many of the gripes have been addressed in this newest title. The extraneous characters have been eliminated and Sonic is now the only playable character, just the way [it should be]. The horrible camera and hit detection problems of the prior games have been fixed. The speed has been ratcheted up and the action is fast and furious."
  
• Gamespot (76/100) is impressed with the visual splendor: "The graphics are great in Sonic and the Secret Rings. Each level is large and has a great sense of scale, with huge dinosaurs, pirate ships, corkscrews, loops, and other structures to run on. The visuals are sharp and colorful, and you'll have a great time just watching Sonic run because the game provides the same thrilling sense of speed that made the Sonic games appealing in the first place."
• IGN (69/100) dislikes things that are blue: "Players will fail to complete levels again and again in Secret Rings not because they lack the skill to progress, but because the control mechanics are too loose and unresponsive, the camera is too stupid to shoot the action accordingly or, worst of all, the level design is simply poor."

Upon inserting the Wii Play disc into your Wii's disc drive, you might feel elation and experience the levels of bliss only known to the few who would actually go on to write a sentence this long about some mundane physical exertion such as placing a disc into an electronic device. It's OK, we felt the same way too, and in being greeted with the snazzy music that accompanies the game's logo in the Disc Channel of your Wii, you might feel as if your life is about to change.

As we here at the Fanboy ready ourselves for the revelry of a new year, we must turn back and view 2006 through shiny, gold-tinted glasses. It's been a full twelve months of taking names and kicking ass (look forward to a special Review of 2006 series), but we can't help but think that we could do better.

What's in store for 2007? The Wii looks to hit it's stride with games like Sonic and Secret Rings, Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3, and dare we even say it, Super Smash Bros: Brawl. As online play is finally implemented, we're going to bring over Game Night from DS Fanboy, so you can have your chance to beat the crap out of us bloggers. We'll be starting up a series of Fanboy podcasts quite soon, and we'll be bringing some new talent into the fold as well.

Let's not forget, of course, the reason you guys come here in the first place: the weekly Japanese Hardware Sales posts. In case you've missed the hilarity (most of the posts came on DS Fanboy exclusively, as Wii numbers were obviously not available for most of the year) there's a run-down of every edition after the break. We're curious: which were your favorite? Let us know! We look forward to 2007, readers, and have a wonderful New Year's!

And holy hell look at those DS Lite numbers.

- DS Lite: 485,584 165,876 (51.88%)
- Wii: 279,277 171,040 (158.02%)
- PSP: 138,588 89,626 (183.05%)
- PS3: 76,882 5,940 (8.37%)
- PS2: 46,209 8,479 (22.47%)
- Xbox 360: 17,213 45 (0.26%)
- Game Boy Micro: 2,394 903 (60.56%)
- GBA SP: 1,858 9 (0.48%)
- Gamecube: 1,250 98 (8.51%)
- DS Phat: 380 222 (140.51%)
- GBA: 57 15 (35.71%)
- Xbox: 11 8 (266.67%)

[Source: Media Create]

Uh oh ... snatch up that Ninty stock before all the high rollers do. The Wii's being talked up by Forbes magazine!

By giving players the ability to physically interact with a virtual world, Nintendo has significantly changed the experience of videogaming. It's suddenly more immersive, more compelling and potentially more appealing to consumers who have never considered buying a videogame console before.

It's not like we haven't heard this before -- it's the way every non-gaming publication seems to be describing the Wii. But it seems somehow different coming from Forbes. Somehow ... magical. And this language, this description, this is exactly what Nintendo is aiming for with their marketing initiatives.

Here's what we didn't expect: they reviewed the console at Forbes. That's right, Nintendo sent them a Wii unit and told 'em to get their game on. What happened next is an interesting look at how the rest of the world views the Wii in action.

Remember that guy, the self-professed non-gamer who hated the Wii, but liked the Wii, but hated the Wii? Yeah, the flip-flopper. Well, that guy just got pwned by one of his own colleagues, who has been reading right along with the masses. And in response, he scoffs, "there's one difference between Stan and me on the Wii: I've played it."

Ouch. That looks like it could use a little burn cream right there.

ITWire's Alex Zaharov-Reutt got his hands on the Wiimote at a press event, and he scoffs at Stan Beer's ignorant commentary. After all, is it graphics that make a "serious console?" No. It's fun, and the Wii is damned serious about fun. Like so many others, he praises the versatility and immersion of the control scheme, and even has props for the graphics -- maybe they aren't up to the standards of the 360 and the PS3, but they're still visually appealing. What's important is that it plays well, and he believes that it will be a hit among all sorts of gamers. And that's the informed opinion.

Andrew Yoon of PSP Fanboy and Joystiq recently got the chance to have a go at Sonic and the Secret Rings, and he came back bubbling over with excitement. This new game seems to be all about the old games -- or rather, the original high speed style. The upcoming Sonic is on rails, putting the focus back on the speedy completion of levels rather than on running around and checking things out. Instead, you just have to deal with things as they come at you, and the Wiimote adds a level of gameplay that keeps it from becoming repetitive.

And while there may be a few visual problems, Andrew promises that Sonic and the Secret Rings still manages to be one of the best looking games forthcoming on the Wii -- maybe even too impressive, with colors bursting out in a dazzling array. Despite less than stellar textures, he had nothing but praise for the rest of the visual effects in the game. Excitement is contagious, you know ....

A mainstream British publication decided to tackle some of the most frequently asked questions recently when they got to sit down for a mammoth two hour session with the Wii! Kim Kaze of Entertainmentwise used the opportunity to approach some very practical issues -- like whether or not the Wiimote was heavy and how the muscles in our flabby gamer arms will hold up after hours of freeswinging punishment. The results were, we're pleased to say, postive. Turns out that those play sessions that stretch into the wee hours will be just as much (if not more!) fun on the Wii.

But practical considerations aside ... this article is so vehemently positive for the Wii that it almost sounds like marketing copy. It seems that their time with the console really got the writers from Entertainmentwise revved up in a way that the other next-gen systems can't. The controls, says Kaze, are so natural and versatile that going back to traditional gaming after an experience with the Wii just seems silly. "Why would you ever go back to merely pressing buttons which are on or off, when the proportional and truly analogue element of your own body brings so much more satisfaction?"

If you're here, you're probably already sold on the concept, but this may be a good one to pass around to those friends who are hovering on the fence.