What Does Tetris 99 Mean For Nintendo Switch Online Service?

         Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that the Nintendo Switch began it's paid online service last year and that it was met with an extreme amount of negativity. It's the least expensive service of any of the big three console companies, but as a result, it is also the most bare-bones and lacking in features. Nintendo tried to balance this out by including a library of some of their best classic Nintendo Entertainment System games with the service, but let's face it. Everyone has already played these games that want to play them and probably owns them several times over. This is where Tetris 99 comes into play.

        Nintendo has hinted at exclusive content and features for those who subscribe to their service, but prior to Tetris 99, all that meant was a list of old NES games. Enter Tetris 99, an online-only Tetris game that pits the player against 98 others and is absolutely free to anybody that is subscribed to the Nintendo Switch Online service. Those who aren't subscribed don't have the option to download it, which makes this and the client that launches the NES games exclusive to subscribers. It's actually a genius idea. Nintendo has a history with Tetris, and Battle Royale games that pit 1 vs 100, is all the rage these days, so have an exclusive Battle Royale Tetris that you can only play if you're subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online could very well be the incentive people needed to subscribe, but will Tetris 99 be the only game handled this well or will there be more to come?

     Nintendo has a chance here to offer online based games that only their subscribers can play and really grow this service into something their fanbase can be proud of. I'm still crossing my fingers for an amiibo focused game in the vein of Skylanders that is digital only and you already have to own at least one amiibo to play. There has been rumors and evidence that Super Nintendo games will be coming to the service in the same way the NES games are handled, but the fans still need something new and fresh. Is this Nintendo's plan going forward? Will they continue to release new exclusive games for the service? Or will they squander their chances by leaving Tetris 99 as the sole new exclusive game? It will be interesting to watch how this all plays out and to see if Nintendo can offer a service that is at least on par with its opponents as far as features and incentives are concerned.

Why Misty is one of the most important Pokémon characters ever

   

       There’s no doubt that Misty is one of the most iconic characters of the first generation of Pokémon. It could be argued that the dynamic of her, Brock, and Ash is what made the show so popular back in the late '90s, but I know what you're thinking. Why Would I make such a bold claim? Why just Misty? Why not Ash's numerous other female counterparts?

      Misty is important for a number of reasons. In the video games, she was seen as the first major hurdle for the player to get past. Yes, brock was the first gym leader, but unless you started with Charmander, he was a piece of cake. Misty, however, had a powerful team that could wreck you regardless of who you started off with if you weren't prepared for her. In the anime, she was the first companion Ash obtained and even stuck around even longer than Brock initially. She was the type of strong, confident female protagonist the show needed, and they weren't shy about letting it be known that she was actually just as good or even better than Ash Ketchum. Heck, she actually won a tournament even, something the Ash still hasn't managed to do yet. The other female protagonists were made to be undeniably less skilled than Misty, and neither of them has the charisma and following that Misty has. Her iconic yellow shirt and denim shorts with suspenders have become a staple across cosplay conventions.

    She's also the most relatable female protagonist. Yes, she's tomboyish and a bit rough around the edges, but she also has her more feminine moments such as appreciation of dolls, her enjoyment of romantic settings, and her comical fear of bug type Pokémon.  In the anime adaptation, she's given three older sisters and is considered the runt of the litter, but despite all odds, goes on to be greater than all three of them.  She's a true underdog and goes on to accomplish some great feats. It's even revealed in an episode of the Sun and Moon series that she can mega evolve here Gyarados, a feat which is seen as rare and reserved for only the best of the best in the anime. Misty is also responsible for plenty of girls being fans of the series. With her all-out offensive with water types, charismatic personality, iconic outfit, and unforgettable voice, its no wonder that Misty is still well loved in the fandom to this day.  The Pokémon Company will be hard-pressed to create another female protagonist as well loved or important to the series as Cerulean City's fiery redhead gym leader. 

Is Mononlith Working On a New Zelda For Switch?

      It's pretty much common knowledge at this point that Monolith soft helped out a lot with the development of the highly acclaimed The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for the Nintendo Switch. Monolith is more or less owned by Nintendo, and while developing the open world game they were brought in for their experience with making vast open worlds to explore, such as the ones in their Xenoblade Chronicles games. However, The question still remains: Why are rumors buzzing around about them working on a brand new Zelda title for the Nintendo Switch?


      First off, let me start by saying it's doubtful that this new Zelda game is a mainline title. There seems to be more evidence pointing towards it being a spin-off game, or it very well could be a sequel to Breath of the Wild showing up a lot sooner than anybody expected. However, looking at Nintendo's recent treatment of the Zelda series, a spin-off seems more likely. The Zelda franchise has already seen one spin-off with Koei Tecmo in the form of a Musou game (Hyrule Warriors) and even recently was announced to have representation in an indie game (Cadence of Hyrule), so it's not too farfetched to think that Nintendo may be lending the IP to Monolith Soft to see what they will do with it. There is concept art on their official site that has been dissected by the famed Youtubers at Gamexplain, that hints at the new game that is already confirmed to be in the works by Monolith is, in fact, a Zelda title.

     I know what you're thinking. Why would Nintendo need Monolith to make a Zelda Spin-off? One idea is that this game will not star Link as the protagonist. The Zelda fandom has shown there is an extreme interest in a Zelda game without Link. As such, a Zelda without Link would most likely play out differently and possibly be a lot more story driven and combat heavy like a traditional JRPG. Evidence points towards this being a spin-off with a female lead, maybe in Princess Zelda herself. It wouldn't be the first time Zelda went into combat. it's happened across multiple mainline Zelda games, most notable being in Ocarina of Time when she took on the role of Shiek. As of the time of this article, there is even concept art on the official Monolith Soft website that has a woman that could easily be their interpretation of Princess Zelda. The Xenoblade Chronicle games are known for their unique battle systems, and it would be interesting to see if Monolith would try and implement a similar battle system or create a new one altogether for the Zelda Spin-off. One thing is certain, The Zelda franchise is in good hands with Monolith Soft at the helm.

   What are your thoughts? Do you believe Monolith Soft is working on a new female lead Zelda Spin-off, or do you think its something entirely different? Please leave your comments below, we'd be glad to join in the discussion. Also if you like this article or other content on our site feel free to hit that button below to show your support and buy tacos for our lovely crew.

Splatoon 2 coming to NX

What and When is NX?

The internet has been in an uproar ever since Satoru Iwata casually mentioned the NX. This has resulted in a huge chunk of the gaming community assuming it is a new console and that it will launch in 2016. Some sources even point towards a July 2016 launch. (yes, it sounds just as ridiculous to me as it does to you) Well, I'm here to discuss just what the NX is and When can we expect to see it.

First thing first, we have to define just what the NX is. Both Iwata and Kimishima have stated that it is not a replacement for the Wii U or the 3DS, and its also worth noting that it was first mentioned when talking about the deal between Nintendo and DeNA. So, If it is indeed a third pillar and not at all a replacement, then I could see a 2016 release being feasible. However, If it is a console, a portable, or a hybrid, 2016 (especially July) seems highly unlikely. Nintendo has already announced some of their flagship titles for Wii U coming 2016, and there are even games like Lost Reavers, which have already had a beta in Japan, and not even released yet in the US. Also, Nintendo at the moment seems to be riding a wave of success lead by amiibos, Splatoon, and Mario Maker. It just does not seem like a wise business decision to abruptly end it all right when they're hitting their stride. A new system launch almost always ends in reporting a loss until it catches on or sells enough software to offset the cost. One source even claims Nintendo expects to sell 20 million in the first year. That is a bit ambitious, and does not sound like a console estimate.

So then what is the NX? To be honest, we have no clue. This is Nintendo we're talking about. They aren't exactly easy to predict. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say its the gaming world's equivalent to a smart device (i.e. tablet, ipod, smartphone), as it was announced during a meeting about their mobile games strategy. As far as the rumors for the console goes, maybe those are actually for the next console, but people are combining all the information they find and thinking it all referes to one thing, instead of multiple device. I honestly believe most of this is people mixing together all the news when in reality, some refers to NX, some refers to the next portable, and some refers to the next console. With a stellar line up already for 2016, and a Nintendo Direct still incoming, I expect the next actual comsole to launch in 2018. yes, 2018, not even 2017, because Nintendo has always launched their portable first, and also seem to launch the console 2 years after announcements of developer kits going out. So, Lets just see just how good I am at guessing.

Until next time: Be you. Be true. Be human.

AWBrawler Replays Xenoblade Chronicles (First 30 minutes)

I replay Xenoblade Chronicles in anticipation of Xenoblade Chronicles X for Wii U. I'll Try to keep Shulk dressed how he is in Smash Bros, but everybody else is getting weird outfits on purpose.

Do We Really Need HD Remakes?

With all the buzz floating around about Twilight Princess HD coming to Wii U, It makes me beg the question "Do we really need HD remakes?" seriously. What are they adding to the experience that we couldn't experience the first time minus prettier graphics or slightly better controls? Where did this obsession with replaying games but prettier come from? I personally would much rather play a whole new game then replay something I've already played before.

 It gets even worse when you look at Playstation 4. The Playstation 3 was already in HD, so why are we getting remakes of The Last of Us, Uncharted, and so on? It makes me want to scream when I go into a store and see a game that just released last gen and there's a remake that say Definitive Edition. What does that even mean anymore? In the SNES vs Genesis days, Definitive edition meant the version that had better gameplay, better music, better graphics, and even better level design and possibly more actions your character can perform.  Now it seems you can just slap "HD","Definitive Edition", or "Game of the Year Edition" on a box and people will buy it all over again. Windwaker is my favorite Zelda game ever, but I refused to buy the HD remake because i don't believe in rebuying something I already own. I'll take a new experience over an old one any day. What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below, and until next time: Be you. Be true. Be human.

Zelda U is Zelda U

I feel like I had to clarify this for a few people. Be sure to listen to the whole thing and leave your comments down below.

In Defense of Sonic Boom

Reviwers are getting away with these unwarranted low scores. There's no way possible this game should get a 2, that's just utter ridiculousness and lies. I'll be writitng up my full review and doing a video for Sonic Boom soon.

Hardcore Gamers Are Killing Creativity

         Yes, I know reading a title like that may upset, anger, or even confuse some of you, but it's true. The whole hardcore mentality is destroying gaming. I'm not saying we should get rid of hardcore gamers or hardcore games. I'm Just saying that developers are apparently more focused on looking dark, gritty, or edgy, than they are on actually making a fun experience. What happened to games that were just fun for fun's sake? What happened to the talking animals, quirky characters, and nonsensical gameplay that captivated us in gaming's younger days? Gaming is in serious need of a wake up call, but it seems the hardcore crowd would rather tease and mock anything that dares to be different than the standard dark, gritty, edgey, motiff.

   one of the greatest  "What the hell?" moments in gaming came for me with the intro to Nintendo's E3 2014 Direct, but it was not because of the Direct itself. It was because of the saddening reaction it received by the supposed hardcore gamers on the internet. The Direct opened with an over the top, anime styled battle between Reggie Fils-aime, and Satoru Iwata. I personally thought it was very entertaining and funny, but apparently the hardcore crowd thought it was immature, childish, or kiddy. At what point did we decide that anything goofy or funny is kiddy? They are a GAME COMPANY. They create VIDEO GAMES. What is serious about video games? nothing? no matter what game you play, there's nothing serious about it, it's still a game. Lighten up! Why does everything have to be dark and edgey now? Even Epic Mickey felt like it was trying to hard to be dark and edgey, and is most likely why I didn't bother to finish it. Though colorful, the colors felts washed out and faded.

  Another example is creativity being killed off by hardcore, lets look at the Final Fantasy XIV Tokyo Gameshow Trailer. Last Time I checked it was called Final FANTASY. Its right there in the title, so how do you not have fantasy elements? They got rid of the chocobos for a convertible car you drive around. I can drive a car in real life. Give me that weird fantasy creature. The entirety of Final Fantasy XIV looks way more Sci Fi than it does fantasy in my opinion. Its trying to hard to be realistic or believable, but why does a GAME have to be believable? Are not the vast majority of games considered to be the greatest game of all time just unrealistic as can be and full of creativity? That is the beauty of games. You don't have to follow any rules whatsoever.

   So, what can be done to revive the creativity of the gaming industry, so that we can see more than urban environments with dark, gritty, edgey elements? to be honest, I have no earthly Idea. I'm still researching trying to figure out when dark and gritty became so popular even with kids. I think maybe the next big thing will have to pop up out the blue to run off this "hardcore" image. Maybe something like Yu-gi-oh!, Pokemon, or Kingdom Hearts will have to surface. Those three took the gaming world by storm and are full of creativity. Sure we have League of Legends and Hearth Stone on the PC, but Why isn't anything like that on the consoles? It seems like the main console that dares to be creative, is the main one being mocked, Wii U. I'm not going to rant about creative Nintendo games being called kiddy, so I'll stop here. I'll close with this prediction: unless hardcore gamers start showing an interest in games that are nonsensical and fun for fun's sake, console gaming will become stagnant and die a horrible slow death.

Could Splatoon be the "Mario Kart" of the shooter genre?

     Leave it to Nintendo to come out of nowhere with a game that blows the modern convention of a genre out of the water. Splatoon is just that. It's a third person shooter, but it's done with that quirky japanesy flair that Nintendo is known for. You play as inklings, which are squids that morph into humanoids, and appear to be made of ink, and you're equipped with watergun-esque weapons that fire ink instead of bullets. The objective of the game is not simply to kill your opponents. Instead your goal is to claim as much territory by painting everything with your team's ink. In fact, the premise sort of reminds me of the board game Go, but with paint. Nintendo showed off only one stage and an early version of the game, but in the trailer multiple maps were spotted, as well as a weapon that looks like a paint roller, a sniper gun, and what appeared to be a grenade launcher but instead exploded with a mini ink tornado. To add to the quirkiness of the game, you can also morph into a squid at any give time and become invisble in your own teams ink, and traverse the map faster. However, getting in enemy ink exposes you and slows you down.

   During Nintendo's Treehouse streaming, they demoed the game for quite some time and the internet was buzzing.Watching it in motion filled me with excitement, and i instantly could tell it would be a hit, and thousands of others seem to agree. Nintendo of America's Reggie Fils-aime even believes it will do to the shooter genre what Mario Kart did to the racing genre. Why wouldn't it? Like Mario Kart, it is easy to hop into, but mastery still requires skill and strategy. A very tactical game lies underneath the colorful quirky exterior.  It falls under both the hardcore and casual bracket like Mario Kart does.  We've only see a glimpse of what it has, and with a 2015 release, its sure to be packed with more content, features, and maps. Its set to redefine shooters. Splatoon is definitely one to keep an eye out for.

Is Nintendo hinting at a possible Mario and Zelda crossover game?

  It's no secret that the original Zelda was originally a different take on the save the princess idea that Super Mario Bros. made popular, and the two franchises differ wildly from each other. Mario is more whimsical and not much on the narrative side. Zelda has over the years been anime style, western fantasy novel style, and even just downright creepy (Majora's Mask). However they are both still Nintendo franchises, and they are both still Shigeru Miyamoto's babies. Recent strange coincidences and behaviors from Nintendo hint at the possibilities that they may be considering giving us a game where Link saves Mushroom Kingdom, or Mario saves Hyrule.


   One of the biggest hints was pointed out by Nintendo themselves in a Nintendo Direct. In the latest Zelda game, A Link Between Worlds, The shop owner looks a lot like nabbit from Super Luigi U. I find it hard to believe that was all just a mere coincidence, and if it was, why point it out in a direct? Also, in Super Mario 3D world, there is a stage with a giant 8bit link that even plays a remix of the Zelda theme, as well as certain sound effects that seem borrowed from zelda, and a top down stage with torches that seems reminiscent of A link to the Past's perspective. It even has torches that unlock secrets when lit.

  I know what you're thinking. "Nintendo has done this before. Mario painting are in Ocarina of Time".  Yes, this is true. Maybe they have been planning it for a while, but were still just tossing ideas around. Can we really say it is impossible? Who saw Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem coming? I personally believe the two franchises could benefit from a crossover game. It could shake up the formula and breathe new life into both. Of course, this is all just speculation on my part.

Comment, subscribe, or hit that button to buy me a taco. until next time, this is A.W.Brawler saying: Be you. Be true. Be human.

The Nintendo Hybrid

  Imagine, if you will, a world in which handhelds and home consoles are one in the same. Imagine buying a new Nintendo console and also getting a handheld as well. Imagine turning off your console and fitting it into your pocket to play later away from home. Now stop imagining, because this very well could be the future of Nintendo consoles.

  Earlier this year it was reported that Nintendo's handheld division and console division merged into one building. One of the reasons cited was to further expand connectivity between console and handheld. With that said, it's a almost a no-brainer what's coming after the Wii U and the 3DS/2DS have run their course. Nintendo is aiming to create a handheld home console hybrid. Why wouldn't they? Their handheld division has always been their strongest. Even their most successful home console, the Wii, pales in comparison to the success of the Nintendo DS.  With industry analyst and everyday bloggers suggesting that Nintendo goes 3rd party or release games on the iOS market, making their next console into a hybrid that doubles as a handheld could seriously silence such asinine comments as those.

  If Nintendo realeases a hybrid for their next console, they could easily grow the fanbases of several of their handheld centric franchises. Pokemon comes to mind. Fans could finally get the home console Pokemon game they've been asking for, and when they're ready to battle, or leave the house, they just carry their hybrid with them as they would their 3DS. Even more casual focused games like animal crossing could benefit from having the portability of a handheld alongside the in home experience of a Nintendo console. Beyond just being able to game anywhere, Nintendo will no doubt add some new innovation that we never thought of. They could potentially add GPS technology, a solar energy sensor (ala solar boy django), or some other idea thats can only be described as Nintendo.

  If they do create a hybrid, there are several benefits. They could make it very affordable, due to cost being lowered. With Nintendo only pumping out hybrids instead of console and handheld, they would save a lot of resources, time, and money. They could produce games faster, since team won't have to debate about putting it on the handheld or the console. However, this hybrid would most likely have to be larger than any other handheld they ever manufactured to prevent overheating and house all this technology. It would probably at the smallest be the size of a Wii U Gamepad or Apple's iPad. The hybrid also would have to have a decent online infrastructure. It would be a waste not to. They could upgrade the miiverse to include voice chat, crossgame chat, and videochat during gameplay.  It would take a lot more effort than the average person would assume it would to get the hybrid just right, but if done right, Nintendo could dominate the home console and handheld market with a single device. 

  So I shall leave you with a little food for thought. If the Wii sold over 100 million units, and the DS sold over 150 million units, imagine how successful they would have been if combined into a hybrid somehow. This is the future console that we very well could get from Nintendo. Is your body ready?

The Wii U Has The Advantage This Holiday Season

By now there's already been thousands of articles claiming the Wii U or Nintendo as a whole is doomed. I find that a bit odd considering the 3DS has been doing great for a long while now, and the Wii U is picking up steam following it's price drop and WindWaker HD bundle. I'm not going to waste time arguing counter points against the doomsayers. Instead, I'm simply going to point out why Nintendo has a clear advantage going into this holiday season.

  The first advantage is the Wii U's price. The Wii U is effectively $100 cheaper than the nearest competitor, Sony's Playstation 4, and even comes bundles with a Zelda game. For the Price of a PS4, a potential Wii U owner could get a Wii U and 2 or more games, depending on what they buy, and for the price of an XBox One, they can get a Wii U and a 3DS/2DS to go along with it. With the majority of consumers who buy consoles during the holiday season being parents, that put Wii U in a nice position. They can buy the cheaper option, and still get the biggest titles such as Batman Arkham City, Assassin's Creed Black Flag, and Call of Duty for their child. Price will definitely give Wii U an edge.

  Another advantage is Nintendo's franchises. We all know Mario sells. Nobody can deny that. In fact 80% of Wii U owners have New Super Mario Bros. U, and a brand new 3D 4-player Mario is coming this holiday season, as well as other famous franchises like Wii Fit, Wii Sports, Mario and Sonic Olympics, and Wii Party. Ever since the announcement of Wii Sports Club, the original Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort have seen a sales spike in the US. Both Titles have made their way back into the top 20 weekly games for consecutive weeks. People are apparently preparing to take the new Wii Sports Club online and challenge the world. The biggest key to Nintendo's success this holiday is not even Wii Sports or Mario, believe it or not. the biggest key to their success is Wii Fit. If a consumer already has the Balance Board, they can effectively get Wii Sports for just $19.99 when they buy a Wii Fit Meter. Wii Fit was already a powerhouse system seller for the Wii, and now its only $20 on the Wii U. That is definitely going to sell some Wii U consoles.

  Last but not least, Wii U will be the only new console available in every major region this holiday season. Neither PS4 nor XBox One will be available in Japan this year. That gives Wii U home field advantage for this holiday. leaving the Wii U alone with no competitor except for  PSVita TV in Japan was not the best idea on their part. So with price, their storied franchises, and availability as there big advantages, The Wii U is set to have a very successful holiday 2013. 

Who is Pokemon Bank aimed at?

In a recent Nintendo Direct, GameFreak announced a new service that will launch alongside Pokemon X and Pokmen Y. That service is called the Pokemon Bank. It is a cloud based storage system that allows you to store up to 3,000 Pokemon in 100 boxes. When I first heard this, I assumed it was aimed only at the type of trainers who have huge collections, and those who EV and IV train their Pokemon into perfection, but maybe I was a bit too quick to judge.

First off, this is a subscription based service, as to be expected of anything dealing with cloud. There will be an annual fee that has been revealed to be only 500 yen, so I would imagine that is around $5 in the US. There will be a trial mode available for those who wish to test it out. In the direct, they talked about storing Pokemon in the bank for years and eventually passing it on to a child or friend. Back when I was PGX, I would have loved a feature like this to store all my eeveelutions. Even before I retired and sold off my Pokemon Diamond game, this could have came in handy. If it existed then, I could have stored my Pokemon in the bank, and eventually transferred them over to X and Y. You see, its not just the collectors that could make use of the Pokemon Bank, but the average trainer as well. If this is to be an ongoing sevice for generations of Pokemon to come, I'd gladly invest a measly $5 a year to keep my Pokemon in safe keeping. Even if you Download the digital version and lose your save data, at least you can keep your banked Pokemon. I forsee people abusing the bank to get all 6 starters in this game. 

So in the end, Pokemon Bank is a great forward thinking idea, that can really add a whole other level of personalization to your Pokemon experience. Seriously, what trainer wouldn't want to pass down his most prized Pokemon to his or her child and tell the stories of all the great battles they had years ago. That aspect alone is tempted me to come out of retirement for one more go at the competitive world of Pokemon. Well, what are your thoughts? Leave your comments below.

Super Smash Bros. Wii U may be the best in the series

unless you've been burried under a rock, you know that Nintendo is releasing a 4th Smash Bros. game for both the Wii U and 3DS in 2014. As per the writing of this article, Villager, Megaman, and Wii Fit Trainer have been announced as the latest Newcomers. It's also been stated that there will be no story mode this time around, but I have not doubts whatsoever, that this will be the best Smash Bros. game ever.

  First of all, Sakurai and his team seem to be really dedicated to balancing the game out as much as possible. This will make the game more enjoyable for competitive tournament players, and those who just play for fun with weapons galore, such as myself. very little if any talk of weapons has been mentioned so far, but if the character balancing is any indication to go by, there will probably be less Smart Bomb type items this time around. Some would argue that a lot of the items in Brawl were over powered, so here's hoping they balance that out along with everything else.

 The next thing that can really make this Smash Bros. the best one yet, is the character roster. Sakurai is looking to cut down on clowns and dud characters like Rob the Robot (shudders....) Yes, yes, I know Villager and Wii Fit Trainer aren't exactly known for being fighters, but for what's been shown, they seem to be formidable opponents. The roster is being chosen very carefully, as to appeal to every demographic that is even slightly interested in Smash Bros. That has to be a plus, right?

  Last but definitely not least, is the portability. This will be the first ever Smash Bros. game to be on a portable, the 3DS (or 2DS if you prefer that). If Nintendo are smart, they will find some sort of way to have some form of interactivity between the 3DS and the Wii U version of the game. You can finally falcon punch somebody on a bus (assuming C.Falcon returns) and not get arrested for doing so. As long as the online is smooth and better than the lagfest that was Brawl, its sure to be a hit.

 So with all of this going for it, Super Smash Bros. 4 (thats what I'm calling it) is set to shatter all of our expectations in a good way and deliver a superb, zany, quirky, tightly balanced, fighting game that we all want. Make it happen Sakurai. My Body Is Ready.

Homebrew Channel will keep the Wii alive longer than the HD consoles

This generation of gaming has finally drawn to a close with the Wii leading the way with over 100 million units sold. This gen is also significant as being the generation that sold the most software and hardware ever. The audience was definitely expanded. However, even though this generation is all but over with PS4 and Xbox One coming this holiday season, I have reason to believe the Wii will continue to sell long after the competition stops manufacturing Xbox 360 and PS3.

 The Wii, while currently the lowest selling console on a weekly basis, is the console that I believe will last the longest. It's the top seller for one, and it has a little something called the Homebrew Channel (Granted you know how to exploit the hack) which makes it a go to console for people looking to playing Free Games! It's no secret that the Homebrew channel was a factor in the Wii dominating this generation. Its the cheapest, it introduced motion controls, and it had Homebrew that let gamers play all kinds of roms and actual retail games for free.

  While I do not condone pirating retail games at all, I do know many gamers who did just that, and were able to play every single game they wanted on the Wii, for free. In this age where everyone is used to free to play and 99 cent iphone games, a console having free games is sure to stay around longer than one with $60 and $70 games. Another factor for my theory is that the owners of the Xbox One, thus abandonning the 360 and PS3. this will leave Wii as the last console standing, and when it eventually drops to $99 or less, it will probably reach DS sales numbers, or close to it. There's still to times when the Wii spikes and outsells the Wii U, and there are still applications being made for the homebrew channel. I believe the Wii has a long life ahead of it, as long as Nintendo doesn't pull the plug.

Why is America so anxious to see Nintendo fail?

At some point, I'm not exactly sure when, American gaming media decided to hate Nintendo and wish death upon the company. If I had to guess, I'd say it was midway through the Gamecube's run. It somehow became the cool thing to do. If you want to be part of the cool gamers crowd, you have to hate Nintendo. 

  This type of thinking, in my opinion, is anti-gaming. If you love gaming, and all that it stands for, you shouldn't hate any console manufacturer, especially Nintendo. They've been changing things up since the NES days. Of the 3 major console developers, Nintendo is the only company who's controllers are all noticeably different from the previous console. SEGA used to do the same thing when they were in the console business, because this was a good thing. changing up the controller introduces new ways to play and new ways to interact with your games. How dare the media hate the Wii, but tried their hardest to hype Kinect and Move? How dare they complain about Nintendo milking franchises, but turn a blind eye to the fact that there are more Halo and Uncharted games last gen than main series Mario games? Why is it Nintendo they target? 

  At first I believed it to be simply because they are a Japanese company. Maybe that argument would hold water, if the American media wasn't kissing Playstation's ass almost as much as Xbox's. They only answer I ever get from Nintendo haters is the same repeated uninformed nonsense such as "They're for kids." "Nintendo doesn't make hardcore games." or "I'm sick of Mario and Pokemon." They couldn't be more wrong. Despite the Wii's image last gen, it was home to the three most over the top mature titles and even a game that was almost banned. If they're sick of Mario, don't buy it. Nintendo makes loads of other franchises. They even showed of a new JRPG code named "X" at E3, and there are several rumors floating around about Shigeru Miyamoto revealing a new game soon, and Nintendo obtaining the rights to Baten Kaitos. Yet, it seems like no matter what they do, American media hates them. This is not the case in their homeland of Japan. Pick up any magazine like Famitsu, and you see high review scores, positive Nintendo articles, and praise for DragonQuest X, which is Nintendo exclusive. 

  So Why the hate here? What Did Nintendo do to America? Even The Wii and the Wii U's image is warped into something that they're not here in the US. It's shocking how few people know any game that I mention when they ask me what do I play on the Wii. They expect me to say Wii fit, Wii sports, and Mario, but instead are baffled when I name The Conduit, Red Steel 2, Monster Hunter Tri, No More Heroes, Tales of Symphonia Dawn of the New World, The Last Story, Xenoblade, and games of that nature. The Wii U seems to be Nintendo's best shot at regaining the respect of the American media, and With games like Watch Dogs, Bayonetta 2, Deus Ex, and the ever so popular Call of Duty, Its seems they have a fair shot. With America already trying to claim the Wii U as a failure, will it even have a chance to get out of the Hater's bracket?  Only time will tell.

Gamers DON'T determine the winning console

There was once a time where gamers determined what the top selling console was. Yes, in its infancy, game sells relied almost entirely on the gamer. Ever since the days of the Playstation, well before the Wii, casual players and non-gamers entered the market in huge waves. Sure, we as gamers love our action/adventure, RPGs, shooters, Hack and Slash, etc, but its the casuals that boost the sales of any given console into the 100 millions. 

Let's examine the most recent generation of games as an example. The Wii was the clear winner saleswise, yet the average "hardcore" gamer seems to have a serious disdain for it, claiming it to be the casual, or kiddy console. An incorrect view of the console, but if we look at what games sold the most, we see games aimed at casuals, such as Wii Sports and Wii Fit at the top of their charts. I know we can look at the Call of Duty games and say they sell a lot too, but in comparison to a game that both gamers and average joe's play, such as Mario Kart wii, Those numbers are small.

The same thing will happen with this generation. the landscape of gaming has changed. Why else would the XBox One come with Kinect packed in? Though we are the ones who buy more games and keep the industry afloat, we are but the minority when it comes to deciding which console will have the largest install base. Throughout video game history, you can see that the highest seller has always been the one with the most casual games. Us gamers are here to stay, but to think that we are the deciding factor for who wins a supposed console war, is far from the truth. 

The Wii U's Secret Weapons

  The Wii U has been getting a lot of flak lately, but it seems that the gamers on the interwebz have forgotten almost everything that Nintendo said at E3 2012. The Wii U has a few secret weapons ready to use that will create unique, innovative ways to play games, and boost its appeal to the hardcore crowd, as well as the casuals.

  Did everyone just forget about the Gamepad's NFC features? Seriously! This alone can lend to some pretty awesome game ideas. This could be used with figurines, trading cards, and all sorts of other trinkets. Imagine a Yu-Gi-Oh! game or a Baten Kaitos game that actually uses cards. The possibilities are endless with this one.

  Another Secret weapon is the mic thats built into every Wii U Gamepad. Nintendo Land has already shown that the mic can be used for gameplay by having you blow into it to activate certain parts on DK's Crash Course. The Nintendo DS made use of a mic as well, albeit limited. With the power of the Wii U, this feature should be able to be put to great use.

  The Camera in another weapon in the Wii U's arsenal. We know it has some level of face recognition, because we all used it to make a mii or two. So Imagine a horror game that takes your face and puts it in game, or a game that uses the camera to place a picture of you on the TV screen with some creepy effects like making a zombie appear behind you. Yes we know its fake, but that would certainly cause some of us to look behind us or even scream like a coward.

  Multiple Gamepads is another of it's war horses. Did everyone forget that Reggie Fils-aime got on stage and proclaimed that future games will make use of multiple Gamepads. I could see that going to use in RPG. Maybe even have the two players with the Gamepad go through different dungeons at the same time, and meet up in the middle some how, or even have it where both players are in the same room, but see different things on their Gamepads. sort of like a parallel world where player 1 affects player 2's world  through his actions and player 2 does the same.

  Last but certainly not least is the Wii remote plus. Reggie also said that their may be Wii U games that use the Wii remote. Sword play in games such as Red Steel 2 and Skyward Sword showcased how the Wii remote could make swashbuckling all the more engaging. Also, If i do play a shooter, I prefer the accuracy of a Wii remote over analog sticks. The Wii remote isn't dead just yet, so don't count it out.

  With these secret weapons in its arsenal, I can see a future full of varied games and unique and creative ideas coming from the Wii U. If Nintendo and 3rd party developers can make use of all of these features, the Wii U could end up with a library of games more unique and varied than any console before it. Is your body ready?