2D vs 3D

I was playing Mario Kart the other night with my uber-Gamer brother and his wife (who is one hundred times better at playing than I am). It was interesting because it was the first time I had played against anyone else and — I was horrible. Not saying that I’m expert when I am playing alone, but I’m better than I was last night.

I was hard pressed to try and figure out what the problem was, until it hit me: 2D as opposed to 3D. The screen was a split screen and I had a hard time keeping my focus on my own screen. I’m used to playing games with a flat background (Mah Jong, Bejeweled), so playing a game where things cam come up from behind and the side of you is more than distracting.

For me, the transition from 2D to 3D is going to take a little longer than for most people. But I am not giving up! I love the 3D world, so I’m going to do what I have to do so I can be more comfortable playing in it.

Can’t We All Just Get Along?

I was skimming through Digg just recently and I came across an interesting article that was posted today:

10 Reasons to Stay Loyal to Nintendo (GamesRadar)

I like this article because it highlights ten reasons why Nintendo is still a “gamer’s” platform and why people should stick around for what it to come. But one thing that is really interesting is the subtitle of the article:

Feeling like you’ve been betrayed for the casuals? We understand. Let us put your mind at rest

Wow. The Casuals. Sort of like saying ‘those people.’ It makes one want to go out and pick up a game controller so they can be a part of the all-inclusive clique. Except, not.

Now, this post isn’t to point any fingers at the author of the article (which is excellent, BTW), because he makes some valid points in his article and I think everything that he says is true. I’m just a bit gobsmacked that people are so put off because a company had the audacity to make a gaming system (and some games) that people who haven’t been playing games for the past ten years may be able to pick up and learn.

Is there not enough out there for everyone? I know that we Casuals may not ever reach Superstar status like a number of gamers out there, but if we don’t ever start, how in the world will we ever know?

Chill out. Nintendo wants everyone’s money – just as Sony and Microsoft do. I’m just glad that Nintendo came out with the Wii so I could get over my fear of the multi-button controller.

Next purchase: XBox 360!!!

Three Buttons before Eight

I linked to an article that was posted yesterday in which “proper gamers” are not pleased with the quality of games that Nintendo has been producing as of late. The reference, of course, is to the Wii console and its games. And the inference is that they’re catering to the non-gamer and ignoring them.

A full and proper blog post will be written up for this, but I want to say in this short little blurb… All gamers were beginning gamers at some point in time.

The main difference between becoming a gamer now and being someone who has been gaming since Atari systems is that their initial learning curve was nowhere near as steep as it is today. If some of the people who are skilled and adept at gaming now had to start fresh today with an XBox 360 or PS3 controller in their hands as a start, I don’t think they’d be as quick to disregard the fact that it is not easy.

I, for one, am thankful that Nintendo wanted to come out with a system that will introduces gaming to new users – young and old. The more people who can enjoy it, the better.