The Tlog - a technology blog

First, let me say that I love Nintendo’s games. I have both a GameCube and a Nintendo DS, and I love both. I wouldn’t trade my ‘Cube for an Xbox 360, unless I could sell it, then buy a new ‘Cube and half a dozen games with the rest of the money. I think that the DS is the only place (including other consoles and the PC) where there is still any innovation in gaming, sometimes making me feel like I’m in the early 80s, with 8-bit computers when almost every game started a new genre, and it felt “magical” (OK, I was quite younger then, too), instead of being yet another sequel, or fitting right into the accepted parameters of an established genre (FPS, RTS, etc.).

And I was quite excited about the Revolution, too. Unlike the other two console makers, whose idea of innovation seems to be “better graphics”, the Revo actually promised something new. A lot of older gamers, who’ve had a ZX Spectrum or a C64, like myself, were enthusiastic about the Revolution, too.

But now, Nintendo have announced the Revo’s final name: Wii. Pronounced like “we”… or “wee”.

Really, what were they thinking? This actually makes me angry - they had everything to succeed this time: a sleek, small, beautiful console, selling for half the price of the competition, with a radical yet accessible new controller, and able to play games from all of Nintendo’s previous consoles.

And they ruin it with the dumbest, most idiotic name I’ve ever seen.

Are they aware that, in English, “wee” is slang for “small”, “urine” or “urinating”, and “penis”? Do they realize that the “I’m going to play with my Wii” jokes will never end? Do they actually imagine anyone going to a store and asking for a “Wii”?

Really, I hope someone gets fired for this. Hard. And I also hope they realize their error, and call it what it should always have been called: Revolution. Otherwise, it’s corporate suicide. (Not really, the DS is selling like hot cakes, but nobody will take them seriously in relation to non-handheld consoles again.)

I bought it! Finally!

Bought the Mario Kart DS Pak, which includes that game, all for 150 euros. Also bought a Linksys WRK54G wireless router, because I had no wireless stuff at home, to allow the DS to use my internet connection to play Mario Kart DS (and future games, of course) online.

I didn’t have a lot of time to play with it, as I arrived home late, and today is a work day. Also, I spent more than an hour “fighting” with the wireless connection - but more on that later (in another post).

So, a few random impressions about the hardware:

• It’s big - about the same size as a PSP, though the screens are smaller - there are two of them, though, and you can use a stylus with the bottom one, as everyone probably knows. It’s certainly too big to carry in a pocket, unless it’s a large one in a coat.
• It’s light - much lighter than you’d guess by looking at it. I’ve used heavier mobile phones.
• The screens actually feel “bigger” when you’re looking at them - much more “real estate” than in almost any portable stuff. Except a PSP, of course, but that one’s screen is huge.
• Most screenshots on the web look quite “blocky”, but when you’re using the “real thing”, they don’t look or “feel” blocky at all - they’re perfect for the screen size. Of course, static screenshots on the web look different.
• Mario Kart DS (more on that game later, in another post) is really fast and smooth - no matter what was on the screen, I never experienced the slightest slowdown or frame skipping. This is certainly not your dad’s Game Boy
• I haven’t had enough time to test how long a full battery lasts. The manual says it should last for more than 6 hours of constant playing.
• DS games come in a kind of memory cards, though they’re still referred to as “carts”. The DS also has a larger slot for GBA games.
• When you close the DS, it automatically pauses the game and goes into “sleep mode”, which uses less battery power. Opening it goes instantly to where you left it. Great if you’re leaving a bus, or something.

No photos yet, I hadn’t enough time yesterday.

All of the following are rumors, coming from my “Nintendo” subscription in Google News:

• The Revolution should be released around Thanksgiving 2006 - which, to non-Americans, means November.
• The “Revolution” name still isn’t final, though I personally love it.
• It will use 2 kinds of DVDs: single-layer (4.7 GB) and dual-layer (8.5 GB). It will also read GameCube mini-DVDs (1.5 GB), as it’s fully backward compatible.
• Specs-wise, it doesn’t look too impressive compared to the Xbox 360 and the PS3 - it’ll be basically a “Super GameCube”, with about 2-3 times the power as the GC. Still way ahead of the first Xbox, though - and, knowing Nintendo, they’ll be able to do more with less. Remember that the “tiny” ‘Cube had games, such as Metroid Prime and Resident Evil 4, which looked better than anything on the (better on paper) Xbox.
• It’s also rumored to be ridiculously cheap - $200, or even $150 - at launch. Wasn’t the PS3 going to cost $600?
• Nintendo has also stated that the ways in which people moved the controller in the demonstration video were exaggerated - instead of arms swinging wildly, it will be more like using a mouse (in 3D, of course). For most games, at least - in some, however, the point will be to do realistic movements, such as in a swordfighting game.
• Confirmed games include a new, seamlessly online Super Smash Bros., a new Hideo Kojima game, and Metroid Prime 3.

Ricardo has already mentioned it in his blog, though I saw the article on 1up mentioned on Slashdot initially.

It’s a very nice comparison, which makes a lot of sense, although some of the points are stretching it a little (rich bald guy spotted at promotions!?). In fact, the original Xbox was already seen by many as having a lot to do with the Dreamcast, including, among other things, the controller. Now, apparently, it’s even closer.

The article also mentions how the Xbox 360 will probably not be a failure, unlike the Dreamcast (which wasn’t really a failure, it just couldn’t make Sega recover from their losses, and loss of confidence, created by the Mega 32X, the Mega CD and the Saturn.) I’m guessing it’s true - MS has the money to throw into it to make sure it sells, even if they sell it at a huge loss and costs them billions (like the first Xbox did). They’re not doing it to make money, but to get a piece of “your living room” - and Sony is after the same thing. Nintendo, of course, is still about games and nothing else, which is why I love them.