We decided to wait a bit for the Holiday Wii mania to die down a bit before writing our review on the new Nintendo gaming machine. So far, the Nintendo Wii has performed above expectations thanks to to its unique playability and attraction to the casual gamer. Let’s discuss this system’s highs and lows.

Highs:
-Cheaper than either the XBOX 360 or the PS3.(Roughly 250$)
-Device is slim and can be stacked horizontally or vertically.
-Can Play Gamecube games.
-Wireless controllers work well from a distance of up to 30 feet.
-runs quietly.
-Controller slots and media player slots are well hidden and protected
-Nintendo first party titles on launch

Lows:
-Not impressive graphically.
-Ipod style color easily scratches making it dirty.
-component cable sold separately.
-Wii-Mote and classic controllers a bit costly separately.
-Wii motion sensor not flawless.
-Too many party games and not enough 3rd party support just yet.
(more…)

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This year at E3 we saw the return of some previously mentioned games from last year’s E3 listing as well as some new original properties. While many new games were announced, this listing usually gives credit to those that were actually shown in playable form at this year’s E3 and that will actually be in retail stores in the not too distant future. Therefore, here are the top game picks for E3 2006.

10. God of War 2

-One of the biggest surprises to come out of nowhere last year was God Of War which was developed by Sony and became one of the biggest hits for the Playstation 2. Now God Of War 2 let’s you control Kratos on a new adventure as a full fledged Greek God. GOW 2 controls look similar to the last game and feature the return of the blades of chaos that will allow gamers to pull off full fledged combos and unique attacks. Kratos will also now have the ability to use pegasus wings and fly to specific areas. God Of War 2 looks quite good and should be out for hopefully the holiday season.

9. Too Human

-This game comes from Sillicon Knights who previously worked on Eternal Darkness for the Nintendo Gamecube. This game was a dream project for the developer but could never be realized until the current next-gen consoles came out. Players take on the role of the Cybernetic God Baldur to rip apart foes. He’s not actually a God, but rather is powered by cybernetic enhancements, allowing for upgradeable powers.The game gives you the option to either upgrade and be more robotic to fight your opponents or to stay ‘Too Human’, the option is yours. This game may no longer be with Nintendo but it’s certainly looking very impressive with the Xbox 360.

8. Red Steel

-This is an exclusive first-person action / adventure game from Ubisoft for the Nintendo Wii. This game takes full advantage of Nintendo’s Wii controller to allow gamers to use the controller to sword fight in real time or use the controller to pin point exact locations on a bad guy’s body to shoot. The title utilizes the Wii’s free-hand style controller for innovation control mechanics, including allowing players are able to hold swords or guns normally or side-armed depending upon how they hold the controller while playing. This game will be available when the Nintendo Wii launches in November. (more…)

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E3 2006 wrapped up this week in Los Angeles and it’s now time to analyze the expo to figure out which company (Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo) won the event this year. In my opinion, I will give all three companies a three-way tie. I know many people will boo this decision but after watching endless coverage all week long; it’s safe to say that no company blew away the other in terms of hype and excitement. If I were to give a most-improved award this year though, Nintendo would definitely get my vote.

But let’s look clearly at last year’s event and facts compared to this year’s stats. Nintendo was described by many analysts as a distant third compared to Sony and Microsoft. They needed to make a big splash at this year’s event and prove their skeptics wrong by showcasing what their system could do and whether their new remote controlled controller was beyond expectations. Many would agree that they managed to do just that and helped the media and the public better understand what their philosophy was and how their new system and controller worked.

Microsoft’s marketing scheme this year was to get people to believe in their games and to steal some thunder away from Sony’s PS3 hype. They managed to succeed by showcasing some great games for their system and focusing on future games that will help them succeed in the future. They also made the announcement that Grand Theft Auto 4 would be coming to the Xbox 360 at the same time as the PS3. Whether fanboys think this is a dumb move or not, it’s a big steal away from Sony. (more…)

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