cas-core

Nintendo will need better casual games to continue their console war

As most of you have no doubt read, Nintendo President Satoru Iawta is concerned that the Wii is in an unhealthy state, and that it is urgent for Nintendo to recover sales momentum. This statement, coupled with recent numbers confirming this sales drop, has left many to point the finger at Nintendo’s Blue Ocean Strategy, which disrupted the video game market by bringing a wider audience into ...

These Squeeballs need a good Home

These little fellows have had a harsh life at the Squeeballs testing island. Many of you must be like ‘What is a Squeeball?” Well a Squeeball is an animal that is apparently sold in stores as toys. Yet before they can be a toy they must go through a rigorous test to assure that they are top a top quality product. That means being grinded up in a meat grinder, being hit by a tennis rack...

Does the hard-core gamer still matter?

Out of the top 20 selling games of 2008, less than half of them fit the profile of what type of game this MSNBC article considers appealing to the hard-core or serious gamer.  So I think the question shouldn’t be “can the Wii win back the hard-core gamer,” but rather “does the hard-core gamer still matter?” The article goes on to say that Nintendo’s original &#...

Guitar Hero World Tour for Wii pleasantly surprises (and gives hope to Wii Music?!)

Perusing the feeds this afternoon, I was surprised to discover an article that basically amounts to a ringing endorsement of the New Generation of gaming. Not the “Next” Generation, which is a farce created by video game marketers, but “new.” As in, all-inclusive, approachable games that place fun before competition, and game play over graph–well, I won’t go the...

Microsoft “fueling” industry growth, rips off Nintendo at E3 press conference

After showcasing spectacular games like Fallout 3, Resident Evil 5, Fable 2 and Gears of War 2, things took an abrupt turn toward the casual during the Microsoft E3 press conference. Much to our surprise, the company spent the majority of its time introducing new Wii-inspired 360 features. We expected to see Microsoft rip-off Nintendo, to be frank, but not to this extent.

NOE’s Fischer: Only “geeks and otaku” have Wii storage problem

No longer content with inadequacy and mediocrity, Nintendo’s absurd storage philosophies for Wii data are starting to metamorphose into something downright insulting. A feature on WiiWare in issue 190 of UK-based Edge magazine, posted Wednesday on Next Generation, quotes Nintendo of Europe’s Laurent Fischer as saying only “geeks and otaku” are having storage problems on Wii...

Breaking Down Casual Gaming Misconceptions

Daniel from the excellent blog DanielPrimed.com sent us this guest article about everyone’s favorite subject, Casual Gaming. You know something that really frustrates me beyond belief? When I am scrolling through an online message board and find gamers whom downright slag out the recent push for casual gaming. This new orientation of gaming has undeniably been receiving quite a lot of heat f...

Wii Fit – The path to fitness begins with a single step

Well, in case David’s New Game Get for this week was somehow missed by your prying eyes, Nintendo wants you to know that this week is Wii Fit week (and maybe Star Soldier R, I’m not sure yet). I’ll be stepping up to do a little review of this game changer a little bit later, so watch out for that (sorry, I don’t do before and after’s because perfection can’t be ...

Hardcore gamers begin to accept, love Nintendo Wii

Either the “passionate gamer community at large” is tired this week, or the Wii has turned a corner. Why? It’s just a hunch, nothing concrete really, but the public perception of that little white console appears to be changing for the better. Infendo freelancer Samfish (read: meaning he gets paid even less than zero!) was out in the field this week, taking notes, names and other...

Nintendo pimp slaps “casual games” label

CasualGaming.biz (*sigh* there’s that silly label again) has some comments from Laurent Fisher, of Nintendo Europe fame, where he outlines how his company’s strategy has basically ignored the “debate” about “casual” games, and has been doing just fine, thank you, without it. “I don’t like the word casual. There’s a lot of meaning and interpretation o...

The Wii Fit Balance Board is a console

“I have an idea for an Infendo post you should do…” — Sean Malstrom And so began this simple post on an extraordinary idea. Perhaps a bit crazy too, but then again all disruptive technologies are labeled as such before they’re accepted en masse. The idea? That the Balance Board packaged with Wii Fit isn’t an accessory at all. It’s a console, just the like ...

Commonplace criticisms of Wii, Nintendo begin to fade

Remember that damning New York Times piece about Wii, low attach rates and how the system is anathema to “hardcore gamers?” It’s been pretty much summarily attacked all week long as an example of poor reporting (believe me, I can relate), but this article from Ars Technica–and a response from VGChartz, from which the NYT compiled its data–pretty much smothered the art...