[Discussion] 4 Frustrating Message Board Reasons Why Not to Buy Wii U
It’s Saturday, which means news is mostly pretty slow! Instead of refreshing the page every fifteen minutes, why not join the forums and take part in a discussion I’m having about the Wii U and stupid things people have said about it? It’s free and maybe even fun!
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Oh me oh my I am supremely upset today. Not about anything substantial, or even about anything that I’d normally get upset over, but simply due to trolls and commenters spewing their nonsense across the vast web of interconnected computers that we call the “Intrawebz”. Instead of brushing this stuff off like I normally do, however, I’d like to take the time to address many of the concerns I’ve read. Some of them semi-valid, most of them absurd, and all of the responses surely filled with far too much distress.
That’s okay though, because every once in a while it is okay to let yourself be angry about silly things. For me, that time is right now. Hit the break to see various arguments against the Wii U, as well as a response to each one designed for maximum catharsis.
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“They should stop showcasing things like ‘Just Dance’- it’s too casual”
This one is one I don’t get as upset about anymore, for it was used throughout the Wii’s lifetime about a very wide array of content that was neither aimed at this “hardcore” (eugh) audience, nor repetitive enough for them. The reason I hate this particular sentiment, though, is that it implies something that is simply untrue: Casual games– be they party games, silly sports forays, or dancing experiences– are not worse than “hardcore” games. In fact, given the choice, I would choose ‘Just Dance’ even over Zelda on many a day. Not every day of course, but some days. And that’s the key.
No game is bad all the time. No type of game is bad all the time. Like music and movies, certain styles of games are meant for certain moods and certain people. ‘Just Dance’, for instance, is meant for people with friends.
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“Not enough exclusives at launch”
Fun fact: The Playstation 3’s launch titles included four exclusive games. Three of those games were Ridge Racer, Genji, and Gundam. One was Resistance.
Fun fact: The Xbox 360’s launch had six exclusives: Ridge Racer 6, Project (Batman) Gotham Racing, Perfect Dark Zero, Condemned: Criminal Origins (also on PC, but meh), Amped 3, and Kameo. A true line up of greats that would go on to be considered absolutely nothing by anybody because nobody f*cking remembers them because they weren’t any good.
Fun fact: The 3DS’ launch lineup? Yea.
The Wii U’s launch lineup? It’s not totally confirmed, but there’s very good reason to believe that the following titles will be exclusive at launch: New Super Mario Bros. U, Nintendo Land, ZombiU, Just Dance 4, Rayman Legends, Rabids Land, and Scribblenauts Unlimited (yes, this counts). That’s not launch window, either. That’s launch DAY.
The point I’m trying to make is that, first of all, you aren’t allowed to talk about great exclusive launch lineups because the last launch lineup to include a truly incredible game was the Wii’s and its inclusion of a Gamecube port. Does it count? Maybe not. But that just further cements Wii U’s launch lineup as being not ONLY of great games, but more great exclusives than any system of the last ten years has had. On launch day we get a new Mario game, a potentially great Zombie game, a new Rayman, another entry into the Scribblenauts series, and a robust introduction to the Wii U Gamepad via Nintendoland. All exclusives. All on day one.
So quit complaining.
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“No Smash Bros. at launch? No buy.”
This. If there’s one thing that makes me want to yell “F*ck this” really loudly, it’s this. This one dimensional, tunnel-vision mentality that makes you become the “one issue voter” of the gaming world. And it’s not just Smash Bros. These are the same people who say “I just bought a DS for Pokemon” or “I only really like PC games.”
You’re missing the point. You’re avoiding a bunch of really great experiences because you’ve backed yourself into a corner of nearsightedness, convinced that Nintendo makes nothing good except Smash Bros., or nothing good except Zelda, or whatever your game of choice is. It’s ridiculous, and faulting Nintendo because they won’t put out the ONE game that you like on the day their new system comes out doesn’t make you seem like a hardcore Smash Bros. fan who’s totally cool and really into some competitive game. It makes you seem like an idiot.
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“No Mario and Zelda at launch? No buy.”
Now, as angry as the comment before this one made me, the “needs Mario+Zelda” crowd might be the absolute king of ticking me off online for more than one reason. The first of the reasons is the same as the whole “nearsighted Smash Bros. fan” one. Expand your horizons and have fun with other games, and if you’re not willing to do that then shut up. You aren’t allowed to have an opinion on something you haven’t educated yourself about.
The second reason is one that us Nintendo fans are intimately familiar with. See, Nintendo is always in a sort of “damned if they do, damned if they don’t situation”. If they DON’T put out games from multiple core franchises (meaning Mario, Zelda, and Metroid) at launch, people get upset because there are “no good games”. If they DO put out games from these franchises at launch, people get upset because “Nintendo needs more new IPs” and “these ideas are recycled from last gen”. So what did they do this time? They decided that one core franchise (Mario), one less popular core franchise (Pikmin), and a few more casual franchises (Nintendo Land, Wii Fit, etc) should be enough to satisfy the niche Nintendo fans, the core Nintendo fans, and the casual Nintendo fans. But nope. It’s not. Because people don’t want to be satisfied- they want to get angry about things.
The last reason is the reason why these “Mario+Zelda” people are so maddening to me: Why the hell would Nintendo put out a Mario and a Zelda game at the same time? Have they EVER done that? Would that even make SENSE to do? No, it wouldn’t. There is no circumstance under which Nintendo would ever release two core franchise games within a month of each other. It’s bad business, it’s bad for exposure, it’s bad for fans– literally, there is no way this would ever happen. And yet this is what your purchase of a new console hinges on?
Yea. Go away.
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Of course, as a disclaimer, let me inform you that I don’t actually believe these people are idiots (well…) nor do I believe people should play games they don’t want to play, force themselves to enjoy things they don’t like, or conform to my beliefs in any respect. But man. Sometimes you just want to yell!
Are there any things frustrating you about people’s reaction to the Wii U?
Aside from the absurdity that is Bayonetta’s angry fans.
