I think it’s safe to say that most of the people reading this site grew up on a very simplistic, yet extremely fun and addictive video game console known as the Nintendo Entertainment System. After the first video game crash in 1982 (which started the day I was born, spookily enough; Atari announcing that they did not meet sales projections for the 2600, resulting in a stock crash, happened on December 7, 1982), the NES brought video games back to life and made it arguably stronger than ever. Of course, as a kid back then, I immediately got hooked, and my passion for games began. Lately, though, I’ve seen a decrease in my love for gaming, but I wasn’t sure why. There are a lot of great games out there for everyone to play and the industry is thriving more than ever. A few nights ago, though, I discovered my answer.

We, as gamers, don’t really know what we want. We see pre-release footage of new games and question everything, every little aspect of a game we’ve only seen via grainy internet footage. I’m as guilty as the rest in this respect, but I think it has more to do with the generation I grew up in, which scruntinizes everything down to the smallest detail. On top of that, a lot of people take these small details and blow them up to epic proportions, forgetting the main reason why they play games in the first place. I think a lot of gamers have lost sight of why they play games to begin with.

The current frontrunner on this version of the home console war was an unexpected one almost eighteen months ago: the Nintendo Wii. Even I was a little hesitant in my thoughts about the Wii. The original name, the Nintendo Revolution, said a lot. It made a statement. Nintendo was back and it was going to knock you on your butt with great gameplay after a couple of misfires in the Nintendo 64 and the Gamecube. Nintendo was not going to be the next Sega. Then the announcement game that the name was changed to the Wii, and gamers’ brains exploded. How do you pronounce it? What kind of a name is "Wii" in the first place? The innovation of the motion-sensitive controller was lost because of the name. Of course, I was proven wrong and the Wii not only took off, but became a smash hit, to the point where you will still have trouble finding Wiis in stores. I bought one on an impulse and I don’t regret my decision in the slightest.

Still, though, there are people who complain about the Wii incessantly. "There are nothing but kids’ games on the Wii," they cry. "There aren’t any real games like on the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3!" These "real" games people refer to are generally the Halo and Grand Theft Auto series, gritty first-person shooters and sandbox games with no pressing need to complete any objective. This confuses me. I thought the point of playing games was that if they were good, you should play them. Why should you feel ashamed for playing a game such as the brightly-colored Super Paper Mario? Just because a game is rated E doesn’t mean it’s just for children. Part of the joy of being a gamer is sharing your enjoyment with others. Whenever I attend a family gathering and I can play my little cousins in Mario Kart on our DSes, it’s always fun and it beats sitting around watching TV.

Not only that, but as I mentioned before, too much stock is placed on the graphical capabilities of the Wii. Of course it’s just an overhaul on the Gamecube software, nobody questioned that. But the complaints that you can’t play the Wii in HD are confusing to me. When did you need HD to enjoy games? HD is a wonderful feature and, as technology gets better and better, I’m sure we’ll start to see the full capabilities of what HD can do, but is it really necessary for a true gaming experience? Isn’t having fun the point of playing games? If I’m playing a new Madden game, I don’t care about the individual detail of each blade of grass or bead of sweat, I want to focus on not getting tackled for a loss. The game is about football. Jaw-dropping visuals are nice, but if the game has poor controls or is just out and out not fun, why play?

On top of that, I really don’t understand online gaming, but admittedly I’m behind the times here. I just like to be able to see the person who’s mauling me instead of hearing kids who’s balls haven’t dropped yet screaming at each other. I always maintain that my best gaming memory was when Axel and i stayed up all night, co-op running through Secret of Mana and beating the game while massively underleveled through sheer willpower. It wouldn’t have been the same online. The same goes with when you have enough people to play a ten-player game of Saturn Bomberman. The insanity of watching nine other people go ballistic as you pick them off is amazing, and it’s an outright shame that such fun will never be replicated.

So what, really, do gamers want? I only speak for myself, but I know what I want… fun.

What are people saying about "A Confused Editorial: What Do Gamers Really Want?"?

SaikyoCrusher Re: A Confused Editorial: What Do Gamers Really Want? Personally, I prefer a good RPG with good graphics, gameplay, and especially music. I think thats why enjoyed Chrono Trigger, the Final Fantasy series and the not-so-well-known Bard's Tale games. The music can turn a good game into a great game. ex. Chrono Cross Or be the only reason you took interest in the game at all. ex. HALO Oh, and best gaming moment: First beating the hidden boss Culex in Mario RPG.

Sasha Kenzan Re: A Confused Editorial: What Do Gamers Really Want? The Bard's Tale games are "not so well known"?  Their loss, then. I think Namako pointed out something kind of important when she brought up Wii Sports Baseball... the ability to just pick up a controller and play.  A lot of games that totally disinterest me are the ones where I have to sit through unskipable ten-minute cinemas with bad voice acting just so I can start running around impaling stuff with my sword.  But, say, Street Fighter?  Insert coin and get to skullcrackin'!  Short attention span theatre at it's best, I suppose.

Brick Prior Re: A Confused Editorial: What Do Gamers Really Want? Quote from: J.D. Kenzan on August 19, 2007, 10:39:06 AM A lot of games that totally disinterest me are the ones where I have to sit through unskipable ten-minute cinemas with bad voice acting just so I can start running around impaling stuff with my sword. This is why I hate the later Final Fantasy games- and they only started having voice acting recently!

deaduck Re: A Confused Editorial: What Do Gamers Really Want? Oh no!! There are Wii people all over this forum!!! Nobody warned me when I signed up!

Sasha Kenzan Re: A Confused Editorial: What Do Gamers Really Want? CONFORM... CONFORRRRRRRRRM... Uh, nevermind.   I wouldn't say "Wii people", really more along the lines of "people who dig games".  There are still plans for me to get an Xbox... there's zombies that need chainsawing.

Read the rest or join the discussion here on the forums. If you're not a member of the forums, register first.