When you see the title, would you think this is a fanboy article? If you did, then you're wrong coz this is quite far from it.
That VideoGame Blog has analysed the situation of casual games. They seem to have problems with how these casual games sell even better than good action packed games. Read on and see how Nintendo and their casual games like Wii Sports, Crosswords DS and Wii Fit are taking over the world gaining such popularity.
Me - “Hey son! Would you like a copy of the new Transformers game where you get get to control massive robots that stomp all over everything and can fly and shoot lasers and stuff? Or do you want the text based crossword game where you get to do crosswords….oh, and word searches?”
Son - “Gee Dad, what a choice. Let me think…FOR A NANOSECOND!”
Of course I would have to teach him what a nanosecond is, but you get the point. Using a DS, or any console for that matter, to do crosswords or Brain Training, just doesn’t make sense to me. If I was a kid the last thing I too would want to do when I got home from school is more school work. But these sort of “games” are selling by the shed load, so what is going on?
It’s obvious isn’t it? It’s the rise of the “casual gamer”. This new niche, that Nintendo have identified and are mining for all they are worth (and that’s quite a lot at the last count), is threatening to take over the whole games market. More and more games are aimed at “the whole family” i.e. the grandparents and do-good parents who think little Johnny should “do something useful with his time”. Bah! The Wii has a lot to answer for in this respect, yes I am talking about Wii Sports and Wii Fit and any other game that has massively simple controls and graphics. In the 1970s and early 80s all the latest games had was left, right, and fire (Space Invaders, Galaxians), I remember the time fondly but I sure as hell don’t want to go back there. I love the learning curve of a new, deep control system and dismissed the Wii as a childs toy as soon as I figured out that you could pitch faster in Wii Baseball with a flick of the wrist as opposed to a correct pitching action.
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They have already taken over the majority of the market, just look at your gaming stores shelves, but that doesn't mean hardcore games won't stop production
get outta my gamestops
You know, I remember there being something like this mentioned in the era of the Super Nintendo. "Casual Gamers" were intrigued by the success of the NES and decided to invest into a SNES...many of those "casual kid gamers", including myself, turned into gamers with a keen eye for the best games and honestly want the best for the industry.
So basically, we're dealing with the same. No problems in sight.
Personally I don't mind casual gamers but it seems like there the only reason movie tie ins and bad ports seem to still exist. I just wish they kept a sightly better eye out
Isn't Animal Crossing a casual game? There's no goal, and you can play forever or just an hour every other week and still have the same experience.
Isn't GTAIV a casual game? There are optional goals, but you don't have to do any, and you can pick it up, drive around for a few minutes, have fun, and leave, and that's a valid experience, a casual one.
How do you define a casual game, and why is it bad?
How is a round of Wii Sports with friends different than a round of Dance Dance Revolution or Rock Band? Can you truely rank a game by depth?
But I disagree with your "GTAIV is a casual game" point. I don't think a GTA game can be considered casual. Usually regular (if not hardcore) gamers play GTA. (At least the way it is intended to be)
If you religiously visit Totakeke every saturday night for a new song and have the list printed out to know which to get next and pay off your house for the golden statue isn't that more hardcore gaming than if you play GTAIV ever so often?
Although that comment doesn't go to Brawl, Mario Galaxy, Zelda, or any other game that has been under development for a while and called the attention of many hardcore gamers as well, I think they should be a bit more balanced on that aspect.