Is the Wii bringing back Classic gaming? Not talking about Virtual Console

[Crazy Climber]

So what do you guys think...Is the Wii brining back classic gaming? I'm not talking about the Virtual Console Downloads although I do think that part is cool. I mean classic gaming in a different way. Let me explain. About a month ago me and my girlfriend, all of our parents and my Aunt and Uncle sat down and played Wii sports for about 4 hours. This is something that seriously has not happened since my parents popped in Combat at a party they had back in 1982, I'm not kidding, it's been 25 years. Keep in mind that excluding the 64 bit era I have owned just about every major console released including the 360. It was amazing, I actually heard my Uncle saying that he might purchase one to my Aunt. He didn't even know I was listening so it wasn't just to make me feel good about my own purchase...He actually liked it that much. My Uncle also has not owned a system since the original 2600. I remember back in the 80's trying to explain how to play Super Mario Bros (on the NES) to my Dad and I could tell he was only playing it because I wanted to, he played it once and never touched a video game again, it just didn't interest him, when the 2600 died so did his interest in Video Games. Not the case with the Wii, while we were all munching down hamburgers my Dad was finishing up the last frames in a game of Bowling, he literally could not put it down. By the end of the night even I was getting sick of playing but he was still challenging me to rounds of Boxing, it was great, now I was only playing becase HE wanted me to - lol. I asked my Mom to try a game and the response I got was "the only game I like is Space Invaders" I talked her into trying it and she was hooked, by the end of the night my family was politely fighting over who got to play next.

Classic Gaming in my opinion were the days where the whole family could sit down and play a Video Game together. The classic gaming I remember is where everyone was playing video games. They were the days where I would get soooo excited about a game coming out that I would rush out and buy it and call my friends up to come over and play it. This is a feeling that has been long gone for me. The Xbox and PS2 did not create that feeling for me. I started to feel left behind, like the games were getting to hard for me....maybe even that I was getting to old for Video games, not a good feeling for a major video game fan. Seemed like all I was buying were rehashes of classics that I have already bought on 5 different systems (Namco Museum, Capcom Classics, etc...) When I bought the 360 I felt the same "left behind" feeling but even worse, the games are just too hard to learn without dedicating hours and hours and buy the time I did get them down I would realize that I didn't even like the game. I just wasn't into the gameplay. 99 Knights was really the only one liked and it was basiclly just hack and slash button mashing. I grew tired of it quickly...

 

The Wii has brought back the feel of Classic Gaming for me. This is not meant to be a Nintendo Fanboy thread I just really apprieciate what Nintendo has done for Video Games. I was ready to hang it up for good and just stick to the classics, now I'm thinking about buying Metroid 3, I'm still in the loop

What do you guys think? Is the Wii bringing back the good old days for anyone else? I hope this thread makes sense. Thanks everyone

[moycon]

Wii definately harkens to the days of simpler times in videogaming. I think I know exactly what you are talking about. Many people don't want to learn what each one of the dozen buttons and triggers does on a 360 controller. One of the reasons Atari was so popular with older folks was it had one button. Even dear ol mom could figure out most games without coaching. Wii is similar in that aspect. Altho some people will tell you Wii has 50 buttons you can use, fact is, it has 1 major button (A), and the trigger and the games that are most popular with the parents (non-gamers) are the ones that use those.....add the fact that Sports includes games that everyone is familiar with and has probably participated in at some point, and you have a winner. Personally I think the Wii is great simple fun. A few years ago when the folks came over, I'd break out the Yahtzee, these days it's the Wii.

[mimo]

Yes. simple game play is what it is all about, we have had lots of non-gaming friends/relatives over recently, and they always want to play on the Wii.

Most people (me included) can be phazed by the huge array of buttons on the newer gen consoles, and having to use them in the correct sequence to do certain moves can be hard to get a grip on.Especially as with 2 young kids tearing round, I don't have time to put in the "training" for the new games, thats why I got back into Atari, you can zap some alien butt easily, play a game for 10 mins and put it all away again.

Also, the sub £200 price must be helping too

[Lord Helmet]

I think it has brought back a more simple form of game play. Also, multiplayer "party" style games are popular again. There is defiantly a niche being filled here.

[rockman_x_2002]

I've also noticed similarity in the advertisements. If you notice, the classic gaming systems' boxes (up to and including the NES) had the "whole family" gathered about the TV playing a video game on the system, while wearing some rather unnatural smiles on their faces. After the SNES arrived and since, the "whole family" aspect seemed to disappear completely from video game ads. Only since the Wii has come out have I started seeing ads that feature the "whole family" again. Even "dear ol' Grandma" was featured in an ad that they show in Wal-Mart playing Mario Party 8.

 

Just an interesting observation.

[+swlovinist]

The Wii is bringing classic "15 minute" gaming back. The system is catering to a non hardcore crowd that just wants to experience somthing fun. I enbrace it. The system is more than a gimmick. The controls work great with the right games. Wii Sports, Carnival Games, and even Rayman Rabbits are all examples of how when done right the system is great. Is is perfect? Nope, but its doing something the other consoles suck at....getting families interested in playing games together. I may play Halo 3 alot in the upcoming months, but dam if I want to play with my wife or family at the holidays, its all wii

[Lord Thag]

The Wii is bringing classic "15 minute" gaming back. The system is catering to a non hardcore crowd that just wants to experience somthing fun. I enbrace it. The system is more than a gimmick. The controls work great with the right games. Wii Sports, Carnival Games, and even Rayman Rabbits are all examples of how when done right the system is great. Is is perfect? Nope, but its doing something the other consoles suck at....getting families interested in playing games together. I may play Halo 3 alot in the upcoming months, but dam if I want to play with my wife or family at the holidays, its all wii

 

Yep, I agree. And they are not ignoring gamers either. Metroid 3 is as good as it gets on any console. Both the Wii and the 360 have a lot of classic or classic styled games via their respective online services.

 

Pretty good time to be a gamer, I'd say.

[Hyper_Eye]

I'll answer that question when the console actually gets some play time. As it is right now the trickling releases are not enough to actually keep the thing powered up. It actually gets used as a GC more then a Wii so that my son can play Mario Kart on the big screen (he uses a real GC when he plays in the living room.) I have had my mom and mother-in-law playing Wii Sports and they like it. But, still, I think the answer is no for me. One game does not do that for me. I am surprised at how well Wii Sports has carried the Wii as it isn't even a very good game. The part that intrigues everyone is the Bowling (and the Tennis to some degree.) When I think of classic gaming I think of Tempest, Pac Man, Jackal, Cabal, Contra, Double Dragon, etc. My parents and other older relatives were no more interested in gaming then then they are now. If I want to experience that classic gaming feel, I will load up classic games on classic consoles. That is why I own so many of them. When I purchased the Wii I purchased a modern console to play modern games. I bought it for games like Metroid Prime and well... Metroid Prime mostly. As that title has been delivered I am happy with my purchase but the system is going to have to have more mature games that take advantage of the controls and do them well before the system gets as much play as my other systems. I think people over-analyze the Wii and the reasons for it's success. It is the cool thing to have and people want it (like the iPhone.) Eventually it will wear off and the console is going to have to succeed on it's merits. Then it can succeed or fail for obvious reasons and there won't have to be so much analysis about it.

[MrAtari2600]

well i do know this and i don't

My mum plays it with me sumtimes,

 

if my brother isn't hogging the system lol.

I don't like the wii that much though to be honest,

I can't move as much as it wants me to for all the games,

I perfer my old games and play with my friends

Once every few months me and all my friends sit down,

hookup around 10 systems and play

[jboypacman]

This is why i like the Wii(outside of the price too)is the fact its something that everyone can play and it does have a "Classic Gaming"vibe to it as well.