Funny how Nintendo is following this same course once again 20 years later with the Wii. 

Arcades in the 80's were simple, 8-way joystick oriented time killers.  NES made a smash debut when it launched in the mid 80's since it brought the challenge and enjoyment of full size arcade machines right into a little family friendly box anyone could play.  Since then, Arcade popularity has declined dramatically, making it almost obselete in some places, and the home console gaming market has been booming ever since.  In order to stay alive, arcade systems had to move on to more ellaborate measures of interactivity to draw attention and keep gamers interested.

So here we are in the modern day.  Mircosoft and Sony are at eachother's throats in an all out graphical arms race with the PS3 and 360, while the software industry is growing ever so stale with numerous movie ports and rehashed ideas like we saw in the Atari days.  And right on cue is Nintendo's Wii that really disrupts the industry and invigorates console gaming once again by bringing the arcade home and uniting the family.

If that wasn't enough, Wii has thus far been a monumental success, with unsatiable customer demand and a crazy name that is distinct enough to have sprung up at least once in the average consumer's holiday babble.  It's generating enough word of mouth hype to attract the attention of literally everyone, with availibility issues leading Wii to outsell PS3 by nearly four to one margin.  There's no doubt that Wii will be the next hot item on everyone's wish list this year.  Nintendo has already gained so much momentum from DS, and we all know what an impact DS made by offering new ways to play games.

With Wii, Nintendo has everything they need to bring arcade gaming to the home a second time.  I wouldn't be surprised at if Nintendo finally pulls ahead in the console race this time around.

I hear people endlessly debating this concept over and over every day at System wars.  Sure Gameplay is superior to graphics, but that is not to say that graphics don't contribute to a better overal experience.  Combined with great gameplay, graphics are complimentary to a working formula, and most of the time it makes the game more fun.  That being said, it is still possible for gameplay to be affected in a negitive way when graphics are overemphasized.

Genres that rely heavily on visuals will naturally require more realistic graphics.  The thing is, there are only a handful of genres that focus on this category (namely Survival Horror and Stealth action).  Resident Evil 4 is a Survival Horror game initially released on a console that is (SURPRISE!!!) more powerful than Playstation 2.  Doesn't it make sense for a game of this calibur to be praised on the system that offers a more compelling visual experience?  But alas, RE4 is a gem that reaches a near perfect balance of both Graphics AND gameplay.

The PSP is a great example of what makes the whole graphics vs. gameplay bit so endearing.  Many of PSPs games have great visuals, but they lack the essential winning gameplay formula to keep players intrigued.  I find often that gamers complain about PSPs the lack of originality in its library.  Most of the games on the portable can be found in some form or another on a different platform such as the PS2, despite the fact that the gameplay therein might actually be good.  Even then, we can't forget what disasters can occur when graphics are the only thing on the agenda (The Con, Coded Arms).  Then of course there are simple games such as Lumines and Loco Roco, that may seem underwhelming visually, but they excell in offering a great time to the user.

What is the key here?  Subtlety in graphics.  Notice how these games are very humble in their presentation yet play very well and do a great job of satisfying their players.  While they may not AAA graphics, what keeps the gamer immersed is the engrossing gameplay in conjunction with minute touches that subconciously help the game flow better.  The blobby physics in Loco Roco really get the job done, since the majority of gameplay involves minipulating your character and your surroundings.  These are simple graphical touches that don't involve heavy polygons or extravegant textures, yet it looks great in motion. The same goes for Lumines with its great sense of musical timing and flashy flare that helps the gamers keep focused on the actual gameplay.

As for DS, there are several games that that may not have the best graphics in the world, but the subtlety in the graphics are what makes the games so much fun.  I think of the slingshot minigame in Mario DS or the rope toy in Nintendogs to name a few.  Both employ realistic physics that really feel satisfying to both the hands and the eyes, as well as underscoring simple yet addictive gameplay.   I also think of Castlevania DS and the great SMALL touches like realistic vehicle suspension or visible breath when standing outside in a snowy passageway.  These are great examples of how games don't require millions of polygons and gigantic amounts of storage space to make a game satisfying.

However, when developers ignore these trends and opt for overly simplistic graphics with no integrity, the gameplay suffers and the player feels let down. Sure gameplay is a must, but gamers thinking that it is ONLY gameplay that matters are fooling themselves.  Lucky for them, there are a few games like Phoenix Wright and Brain Age that are above the rule, but other than that there must be some balance between graphics and gameplay to make a succesful formula.  Truthfully, I think PSP would be doing a whole lot better right now if they focused less on the bulk of the graphics and more on the small touches that help compliment the gameplay.  I wouldn't mind if there were games on the platform with N64 visuals, as long as they occasionally wet my whistle when it matters most

Convincing phsyics are a perfect fit when done in moderation, but when developers begin to tip the scales in favor of either mostly "Graphics" or mostly "Gameplay", gamers lose in the end.  People need to stop and realize that graphics and gameplay go hand in hand, and you can't really have a fun game without one or the other.  When all you have are screens to go by, there's not much sense in arguing over whether it plays good or not. And next time your system is criticized for not being up to par with either category, you better hope you got a good excuse as to why a system can't offer both.

I've been carrying my DS around a lot more lately. Namely, the DS lite, as well as two or three extra games since everything can easily fit into my pocket with no hassles at all, and I don't feel like such a clunky dork with the old DS that was only barely portable.

But as I stop by some friend's houses within the last few days, the subject of video games is always somehow brought up. The situation turns into the perfect opportunity to show people the lite (pun intended). Anyways, the first guy I show it to is a skater friend I've known since high school. I wouldn't consider him a "gamer" according to his hobbies, and he only systems he's ever owned was a NES and PSone years ago, and a PS2 he currently owns (that he mostly watches movies on). I happen to have Tony Hawk's American Sk8land in my DS, and during a commercial break of the show he was watching, I booted up the DS lite and had the game running in less than 10 seconds. He becomes curious because he recognizes a song playing in the background and asks what game I was playing.

"Tony Hawk" I replied.

"Woah, really?" he asked, and I let him recieve the DS to try it out himself. Immediately, he was able to play the game like he did back in the old days of Tony Hawk, and soon the discussion turns to what the DS is capable of doing. I tell him it's not as powerful as the PSP (which he once told me he aspired to own), but I assured him it was still capable of decent 3D, and that due to the non-demanding CPU and cart media, the system has great battery life and no loading times. As impressed he was at the few moments of skating he played, he was even more surprised at what he could do with the bottom screen and mic. I showed him how you could record your own voice for bails and design your own boards and graffitti with the touch screen.

"I could never figure out how to do this kind of stuff with a controller. It really killed my muse, ya know?" He tells me. He soon forgets about the show he was watching and completely devotes his attention to making his artist insignia on the board bottom. After about 5 minutes, he insists he make a graffitti design too. I don't object, though I hadn't anticipated him being so excited about playing the game. He was also refreshed that the game was something completely new (as the Tony Hawk for PSP is a port of a game he could play on PS2). Before long, his gaming session is finally halted by a cell phone call, and he tells me he was going down to the coffee shop to meet some other friends. Exchanging farewells, I get my shoes on and head for the door.

"Hey man, could I borrow that Gameboy?"

"Sorry", I told him with a smile that reeked of 'get your own', and I left.

Another instance of casuals appreciating DS lite, I bring Brain Age over to a fireworks party a few days ago to play in my free time. Eventually, people start wanting to compete with Math Problems and soon enough everyone is whoring my DS lite, taking turns playing with the Stroop tests and number games. Within about a half an hour, everyone in the house of various age groups had gotten to play when they wanted to, and some had even expressed interest in buying a DS when told of its relatively inexpensive price point and line of great budget titles. Amazingly, out of about two dozen guests, everyone seemed thoroughly satisfied with their portable gaming experience, and those who were schooled gamers couldn't get enough of New Super Mario Bros.

Then there's my Dad, a 55 year old Air-force retiree who now does factory work. The last video game he ever played was Wetrix for Nintendo 64, and that was years ago. Alors, My little brother let him play his phat DS with True Swing Golf, since my dad is a big sports buff. Right away, he knows exactly how to play, and he finds himself enjoying a nice game of interactive virtual golf. I figure he'd like Brain Age as well, and sure anough, he becomes hooked on the minigames and Sudoku puzzles. Although my Pop is budget oriented and unskilled in modern electronic purchases, my little bro plans to give him his old DS with True Swing Golf when upgrading to DS lite.

So in the end, DS truly does appeal to everybody, without aiming at any specific teenage demograph like Sony does. Practically everybody I know could find a game they liked on the Nintendo DS, and my best friend (an English major in college) plans on getting a DS lite as well a copy of Phoenix Wright whenever that rereleases. Its starting to become strange, for I feel as if I'm becoming a DS representative, even though the system is pretty much selling itself. Is it any wonder that DS is on top of the electronic world? Esspecially since DS opens new doors and allows non gamers to enjoy interactive entertainment? With the way things are going now, I can see the Wii becoming just as big of a success as the DS. Nintendo knows what they're doing in this market, and I just have to laugh at all those haters out there who said the DS would flop.

Nintendo is FAR from Dead, and some of you fanboys out there need to lay off the wishful thinking and realize this.  Have a nice day.