Prince of Persia - The Sands of Time

The Sands Have Spoken!

Every once in awhile, a game comes along that defies all expectations and blows us away. The Sands of Time does that in almost every aspect of its existence; the game is executed wonderfully and its only real shortcoming is something that can be remedied with a decent sound card that supports wave boosting. In short, The Sands of Time lives up to the original Prince games and one-ups them, breathing new life into the series and boldly catapulting it into the realm of three dimensions.

The Sands of Time tells the story of Prince, who in his very first battle, comes away with a very nifty treasure, the Dagger of Time. Although the Vizier of the kingdom Prince and his father ransacked to acquire the dagger wants it badly, Prince's father steps in and tells the Vizier not to deny the boy a trophy of his first battle. The company travels to palace of a sultan, where before the entire throne room, the Vizier tricks the Prince into unlocking the Sands of Time, which in turns reigns destruction upon the palace and pits the Prince against unfathomable odds in order to set things right.

Right from the very beginning, The Sands of Time wastes very little energy throwing you into the mix of things. You'll never have a shortage of action in the game and every now and then you'll get a cut scene that propels the story forward and never lets go. The game is fast paced, adventurous, beautiful, and has arguably one of the best game endings of all time.

GRAPHICS: The Sands of Time, to say the very least, is a beautiful game. It boasts a full screen glow effect, successfully giving the game a very appealing story book presentation.; almost as if you were in a fairy tale, which is even further relayed by Prince's narration throughout the game. Animations are very fluid throughout the entire game; the Prince is very convincing while running along walls and doing vaulted back flips off the backs of enemies before crashing down on them with his blade. In battle, the Prince quickly and realistically transitions between stunning acrobatics and deadly sword blows, at times with lightning speed and then at times, with visually eye popping slow motion effects. Attention to detail in this game is heavy. 

Notice as Prince's chest heaves after he's struggled to run up a wall and then vault himself across the room in mid-air to grab onto an opposing ledge. Should Prince get his feet wet and then try to do one of his daring moves, you'll notice that his feet slip on whatever surface he's trying to cling to. For the most part, this won't affect your ability to complete any of the game's puzzles, but it's pretty cool to see that Ubisoft Montreal remained consistent in the interaction between the characters in the game and the environments they're in. It's worth noting that players coming to the PC version of the game from one of the consol version may find the new camera a little frustrating at times. 

The angles can get pretty weird and unlike many other games, the button on your keyboard you must press to navigate the Prince is directly related to the position of the camera. This can often time lead to having to redo some of the trickier puzzle areas one or two times more than you'd like. Should you try to move the camera into a position where it's not allowed, the game will rebound the camera back to its original position with a very nifty shader effect. Other than the obvious camera issues related to tight corridors, The Sands of Time is visually pleasing on just about any card you run it on.

SOUND: While music is sparse in The Sands of Time, primarily used to fuel the seemingly never ending battles, it fits the mood perfectly and never gets tiring. The music rarely plays while you're actually adventuring, leaving you to focus your energies on the gameplay in front of you and eliminating the distraction that some people find all too frustrating in other adventure titles. Environmental effects in The Sands of Time are beautiful. Prince's feet will echo throughout long hallways as he makes his way to the games climax and the same goes for pretty much any other action he does. If you hit a wall, you'll hear a small amount of echo, just enough to make what the Prince is doing sound amazing believable. Battle effects are just as beautiful. 

Going into slow motion, you'll hear what sounds like a small explosion and then a light humming and whispering as Prince does what he does. While there seems to some balancing issues, especially when Prince pulls out of a retrieve, it won't really affect your gameplay or cause any discomfort unless you're wearing head phones as I was. The major shortcoming that I mentioned in my review's introduction sadly falls into the audio category. Purposeful or not, the game's voice casting is unusually dim and you'll probably miss a few of the wittier conversations between the Prince and Farah, which truly is a shame as most of them will give you a laugh or two. “Meet me at the baths she says! Who does she think I am? She treats me like I'm some kind of servant!”

GAMEPLAY: Gameplay is where Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time shines at its very best. Whether Prince is running along a wall, throwing himself from pole to pole across caverns, running up walls and then vaulting himself backwards, or balancing on beams, the controls in The Sands of Time are exceptionally tight and responsive. One thing players will notice right from the very beginning and probably thank the developers for later is the fact that The Sands of Time doesn't require rocket science in order to complete what looks to be an extremely complicated feat of acrobatic prowess. Simply point Prince towards your target and in most cases, hit a single key on your keyboard. Simple as that. For most of Prince's more complicated moves, the game has a Special Action button. Want to run along a wall to cross a gap? That's easy. Start running and then hold down the Special Action button as you near the edge. Presto, you're running along a wall. Want to vault yourself over to the other wall as you near the apex of your run? That's easy too. Simply press the jump button at your apex and Prince will vault himself over. As I mentioned before, even though the moves the Prince performs look complicated, you won't need a degree in rocket science to pull them off and another thing you'll probably thank the developers again for later, is that the game has a fairly large margin for error. 

Jumps don't have to have exact timing. You can be almost a second off target and Prince will still pull off his move flawlessly. Should you ever fall to your doom though, simply press a button and you have the ability to rewind time as far back as ten seconds. While this is extremely useful, especially later in the game where your perils become increasingly frustrating, it doesn't last forever. In order to use this power, Prince must fill his Sand Tanks. This can be done by performing retrieves on enemies in battle or finding Sand Storms scattered throughout the game. In addition, should you collect eight Sand Storms; you'll gain an extra tank. You'll also gain another Power Tank (used for performing slow motion combat moves and freezes) for every sixteen retrieves you perform during battle. Keep in mind though that your Power Tanks may not exceed your Sand Tanks in number. Scattered throughout the game are secret passageways, noticeable by their fairy tale music, that lead Prince to a secret cavern where he'll drink from a fountain that extends his life bar. Should you ever find yourself at a loss when faced with a puzzle, all you have to do is backtrack to the last save point you accessed. Upon Prince's first entry into a save point, you'll see a vision of the future. This essentially functions as a stylized hint system for players, and even has it's own explanation. They're basically the Sands of Time and the dagger granting Prince premonitions of his future.

STORY: You have Prince, tricked into unlocking the Sands of Time, which wreak havoc upon the palace of the sultan. You'll notice the story progresses at a very even pace and it will never leave you wondering what exactly just happened. The game has CG scenes from time to time, mainly during key moments in the story, while the rest of the game's story is driven along by scenes rendered in the game's engine. The Prince narrates his story throughout the game, sometimes seemingly out of the blue, which is sometimes welcome while you're walking down one of the many lonely corridors in this game. After you meet Farah early on, she and the Prince will often exchange witty comments towards one another, and it seems to me that they get progressively amusing as the game pushes on. While the dim voice acting I mentioned earlier can affect your enjoyment of these exchanges, should you manage to catch them, you'll be laughing quite a bit. 

Somewhere around the 75% mark of the game though, you'll find yourself jolted back into the harsh reality that the Prince finds himself in. I won't spoil the events that will cause this, but the game does a very nice job of not making the jolt too sudden. Subtle foreshadowing will make the blow less catastrophic. In regards to my comment way up there about this game having arguably one of the best game endings of all time; I believe and stand by every word that I said. The Sands of Time, unlike so many games on the market today will actually leave you with a sense of accomplishment when all is said and done, and not just because you're finally finished with the game. You'll truly feel like you've done something and taken part in this world and that you yourself have had an integral part in saving it. The ending is actually touching in a way and will leave you with a longing to know what exactly happens next. That means a lot in a game; at least to me.

OVERALL: Ubisoft Montreal is quickly becoming one of the coveted studios in the gaming world. They've put out hits like Splinter Cell and Myst IV Revelation, but The Sands of Time is by far their most accomplished project. The level of polish and shine in the game easily belittles the humble beginnings of the Prince of Persia series and is the only game marketed as a Prince of Persia game in the last ten or so years that truly lives up to its ancestors. The story will drive you to keep pushing to the very end, the beauty and presentation will leave you in awe, and the ease of the mechanics will make you feel as though you should try out for the virtual Olympics. While that game has a minor shortcoming in the audio presentation, it hardly takes away from the overall feel of the game. In the end, The Sands of Time has pulled off something that a lot of games haven't: damn near perfection. This isn't a game you should miss out on and even if you have your doubts, pick up a copy and see for yourself. You'll be amazed. Enough said.

 The trailer is enough to convince you to try it!

NAME: PRINCE OF PERSIA - THE SANDS OF TIME

SYSTEM: Play Station 2, Play Station 3, XBOX, Game Cube, Game Boy Advance, PC

Suggestions?

My Idea is...?

 

Ok, i have some plans for the future of this blog, some are good, some are, well, not so good!

My point is that I wanna hear your opinion, your suggestions!

What would YOU like? Should I put more pics in the post? More clips? More posts a day? Do you like the new look? Anything! I'm all open for every suggestion!

NOTE: Leave your interesting & creative suggestions & tips in the comment section below, or on Facebook, Twitter or Google+!

RESTART

Let's start a new game this year!

UPDATE: New posts will start in Monday!

2012, the year that will make a difference... Everybody is saying it, why? I don't know!

But i do know this year GCES is going to make a new record in posts & pageviewers!

Everything started back in June, and after some time, more & more people came to see it! I was so happy!

But before we continue in the new year, I would like to list the most popular posts on the Blog! The posts that made this blog so fantastic. Here are the Top 5 posts!!!!!!!!

No 1: Age Of Mythology - The Titans

Ah yes, AoE & The Titans expansion pack, those were my first real-time strategy based games that I played, and I enjoyed every minute of it! No wonder it got such a high rating of views on the blog! And from this game, because I have beat it in about 1000 times & know every secret, i got my nickname Arkentos!

Current number: 7,682 Pageviews and still rising!

No 2: Warcraft 3 - The Frozen Throne

After AoE, I started loving RTS games, and of course, W3 would be on of it. But not the original game, no, the Expansion! W3 Reing of chaos was easy to beat, but Frozen Throne was and it will always be a hell of a game. It was fun when I finished it, but to my surprise, Blizzard then launched the patches, continuing the story of Rexxar till the end, and made a continuity in the WoW universe, but also, fixed a lot  of bugs in the LAN play too!

Current number: 3,462 Pageviews and still rising!

No 3: Bob and George

The 1st and still the best sprite based comic on the net ever! I started reading it way back in 2004 when I discovered the internet! The comic is hilarious, funny, cool, and really long! From 2000 till 2007, i remembered when it ended, it was at the same time Good & Bad! But the comic is still online and ready to make you laugh in every comic strip!

Current number: 2,380 Pageviews and still rising!

No 4: Original Game Boy

The Game boy, my 1st handheld console ever! I still have it! Sometimes i plug in my Pokemon Red and continue to beat the Elite 4! I got it way back in 1996, i was the 1st in my village to have such a device, and everyone was jealous  about it! I love it, even if it's old, it's my 1st Game Boy!

Current number: 1,584 Pageviews and still rising!

No 5: Console Fight 2 - N64 vs. PS1

In this post i started to write about the difference between two rivals, two consoles that wrote history back in the good old 90is! Better graphics, 3D models, epic gameplay, cool soundtracks, multilayer, tons of unforgettable games! Man, when i wrote everything down, I couldn't believe that back then they were the best consoles ever!

Current number: 1,439 Pageviews and still rising!

Now, moving on to the blog and it's constantly changing looks! The look of the blog changed a couple of times, from the wallpapers till the templates itself. It seems I still can't find that look that I want for GCES. But then again, a little change is refreshing!

For this year, there will be more stuff, more walls, more reviews, and more epic puns :P haha !

Thank you all who followed me last year, and i hope to see you again this year too!

Oh, before i forget, I would like to thank my best friend Milan, the author of B.O.L.T.S. who inspired me to make this blog! Who  knows how boring it would be in 2011? And my brother Filip, the author of  F.C. who gave me ideas about which game or console i should write!

EVERYBODY, LET'S MAKE THIS 2012 A YEAR TO REMEMBER! 

LET'S START A NEW GAME!!!

Happy New Year!!!!

Game over for 2011, 2012 Got The Extra Life Now!!!!

First of all, I would like to thank you all who followed me this year, it was a great journey, let's continue so in the next year!!

Second, I wish you all a Happy New Year! Let's make 2012 a year to remember!

Now, let's move on to the New Year's Resolution!

In the upcoming year this blog will get some awesome new changes!

There will be more updates in a day, two post per day to be precise, 1 in the morning, 1 in the evening. If you want to know when, well, i can't help you there. I'm in the +2 GTS, so calculate yourself! 

There will be more reviews considering mobile games and mobile gaming experience, something line the Xperia Play, how are games on it, for example, or the old Java games!

Also, more reviews about Systems, or OS to be precise, on which are games played on, like the Android, or iOS!

Next on, people have been sending me reviews about games that I have never heard about them, honestly! Those reviews will be published alongside mine, but with the name of the author under the title so the credit for the review will be going for them!

And the most important thing about the blog, it will get a new makeover soon too! Yes, this look is cool, but it feels like it's time to change (no Obama pun here)!

Oh yes, one more thing, the Wallpaper section will be updated soon with new pics, and the same goes for the FAN PICS too!

Whit this post, we end the 2011th level, and continue in the 2012th! Hope you find some extra lifes or gold coins in the upcoming year! But for now...

GAME OVER

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...

...

CONTINUE?

YES                           or                         NO

Legendary Writers

What would I have Done without You All!!???

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL WHO HELPED ME WITH THIS BLOG, ONLY THANKS TO YOUR HELP I CAN CONTINUE AGAIN. THANK YOU ALL FOR SENDING ME YOUR OPINIONS AND REVIEWS ABOUT THE THINGS YOU LOVE! AS A TRIBUTE HERE IS A LIST OF ALL THE NAMES (NICKNAMES, ALIAS, USERNAMES) OF THE FANS WHO HELPED ME!

THANK YOU!!!!!!

Serbodroid, Anastacia Cosac, C.C.C. , Aliponbon, ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATA, Kael, Roel, ZTEX, TehGladiator, Celulosa, Darkwolf, Claud, Handhealder

note:the list of the names will be updated on the PAGE section! This post is only here for you to note the new page!

PSP Go

PSP: Pretty Sweet Portable

Ah the PSP Go, in recent hardware history I can't begin to think of another release that has created as much fighting within video game communities. Maybe the PS3, but even that didn't seem to have as much backlash, since most still agreed it was a good deal for all you were getting if you wanted that stuff. So is the PSP Go a raw deal? Or is this an example of a loud vocal minority raining on a products parade? Find out below.

DESIGN: When I wanted to get a PSP 1000 in 2006, I wanted it because I was looking to get an MP3 player, and I felt if I was going to spend a couple hundred, maybe it would be smart to look into getting one that did other things including play game. Well guess what? Its 2009 now and 3 PSPs later (1000 then a 2000, and then again 3000), and I own an iPOD. Why you ask? Because while I love the gaming on the PSP, the 1000 and even the 2000 models were much too large to effective be an MP3 player. I mean you can't really jog well with the old PSPs. Then from a portable media perspective, because the system was reliant on the Memory Stick Pro Duo, It couldn't effective store as much music as I would like.

Now this brings us to the PSPGo, which in terms of design is a dream, especially if you experienced the same issues as I did. The size of the unit has been decreased substantially to now when closed its slight longer than a deck of cards, or just a little bit larger than an iPHONE or iPOD Touch. Sony decided to incorporate a sliding screen that hides the gaming controls, similar there own Mylo device or a lot of high end Pocket PC Smartphones. The unit feels great in your hand, and is so much easier to carry around. A lot of people have complained in the past about how they don't carry their PSP because they have to “think” about it. That is no longer an issues with the Go, for the most part I find myself carrying it, without even thinking about it. The best thing I can tell you about the size is this, with my Go in one pocket, and my smartphone (HTC TATTOO) in the other, I could not tell which was which, and grabbed my Go to make a call. That is something that would NEVER happen with the old PSPs, unless you had a Zack Morris Saved By the Bell Phone.

There are some negatives for this size reduction that might be a deal breaker depending on who you are. First the screen has decreased from 4.3 to 3.8. Now while this decrease ends up only being 1cm or so, some people take issue with it. For the most part, while you can tell the screen is smaller if you're familiar with the past PSPs, it's not much of a difference. It is almost like comparing a 40” HDTV to a 37”. Sure the owners of the 40” can tell the difference but it's not a huge difference.

But the good thing is, the screen is the best PSP screen to date. Basically it has the brightness and color levels of the 3000 without the interlacing, and without the ghosting of the 2000.

Next the buttons on the unit. The buttons are actually a slight bit smaller and have a new layout that parallels Sony's own Dual Shock 3 Controller with the D-Pad and analog stick placement. If you're used to using the normal PSP, this new button layout may take some getting used to, but once you do it feels just as natural if not better. 

The only issues some might have with the buttons are the following: The D-Pad now sits lower, so if you're a fighting game fan, while its better than the PSP 1000 was, it is not as good as the 2000/3000 models. Next is the placement of the L and R buttons. To me, the felt at little weird at first, and they don't seem to fit your hand placement as naturally as the old PSP, but for the most part they work well and I no longer have problems.

The Go now uses a propitiatory multifunction port and Sony's new M2 memory stick. This means that your old accessories will not work. Nothing new in the world of technology, but that the same time that doesn't make it any less annoying. The new port handles everything from USB syncing to AV output, the handheld includes one cable, but you'll probably want to buy another.

GAMES & MULTIMEDIA: Getting Games onto the Go is a love hate relation ship for some. There are three ways (four but don't tell) to get games, that all take you back to the same place.

1. Search for games on PSN and download the ones you want.

2. Buy a download card for the game you want at retail (if available) and download it from PSN when you get home.

3. Buy a download code from Amazon to download the game from PSN

4. Copy a legally backed up game from a PC to the PSP Go

The first three methods are depended on PSN, this is a gift and curse for some and should weigh heavily in your decision to buy a Go or Not. Not every PSP game is on PSN, and not every PSP game will EVER be on PSN. Going forward Sony has announced that first party releases (Socom, LittleBigPlanet, Jak and Daxter, etc..) will have have same day digital releases as retail. While third party games maybe released on the same day, a few days later during the weekly store update, or even months later. It all depends on the company. So if you're the type that only games on the PSP and constantly needs a new game, or loves to go to midnight launches for every game, the Go might not be for you. Every new game should at some point make it to PSN and most of the top old games, but if there is a game already released that you can't live without playing that is not on the store, or you want a new game and can't accept that is not released on the same day, the Go is probably not for you.

Also the pricing of games on PSN is a factor. The games can be the same as retail, less than retail, or more expensive than retail. And when I say retail, I'm talking about Manufacture Suggested Retail Priceor MSRP. So if you're like me when it comings to shopping, you know that if you do enough internet searching you can find almost anything cheaper than the MSRP, so the fact you can't do that with PSN might be a problem for some. Then also relating to the cheapness factor, you can't buy used games. For some this won't be a big deal, because they don't buy used or trade games anyway, but if you're one of those people who do, don't buy the Go.

Once you decide to purchase a game from PSN, you can download the game directly on the Go itself. Download the game via Media Go from your PC and transfer it to your PSP, or Download the game on your PS3 and transfer it to your PSP. I recommend the last two options, because downloading from the Go itself is very slow. Also since there is no kind of background downloading you can't do anything else with the system while downloading a game. The only time I would ever recommend downloading directly to the Go is if your downloading a game that is under 50MBs, or you're way from your main set up and have no other choice. Also if you're download is interrupted, you can't start where you left off, you have to start all over.

The Go has built in Wifi and Bluetooth for all your networking needs. With Wifi you can connect to the internet for gaming, or just simple web browsing. You can also connect to a PS3 for remote play, which will allow you to control and game on your PS3 via the PSP. Bluetooth is a welcome addition and one of the main reason I was excited about the Go. With Bluetooth you can connect to a headset for gaming or Skype calls, you can connect to a PS3 controller for gaming, and you can tether to a cellphone for downloading and surfing when Wifi isn't available. Connecting to a PS3 controller is a lot cooler than I thought it would be, when in use it even unlocks the multiplayer features of PS1 games. So you can easily connect your Go to the TV, then connect your controller for a console like experience.

For multimedia the Go's 16GBs of one board flash memory plus the option for additional expansion through the M2 make it a storage beast. Currently on my Go I have 28 Games (20 PSP, 2 Minis, 6 PS1), 18 Albums, 2 Movies, 6 TV shows, and a few pictures, and I STILL have over 1GB of memory left, and I still can add an M2 if I want. The Go is flexible enough to were I can truly replace my iPOD and PSP with one device, that incredibly portable.

The system comes with Sony's Media Go software. Which is designed to help you download game and store them between your Go and your PC. The software works well enough allowing you to import libraries already on your PC for quick drag and drop syncing of the Go. The system is slower than an iTunes when doing the same activities, but it works.

PERFORMANCE: I've had the Go for a while now, and I have to say for the most part I love it. The handheld is not perfect, but its exact what I would want out of a PSP redesign (that doesn't add anything compatibility breaking like dual sticks). The unit feels great in your hand and even better in your pocket.

A lot of people have asked about the units battery life. I have to say I'm very surprised on how good it is. It definitely last just as long as my 2000 with the stock battery did, if not longer. And that's with more heavy wifi use and bluetooth use. I easily get 5-6 hours with the volume at medium and the brightness at low, which with the new screen looks better than my 2000 ever did. Sure if you have the old units you could add the stamina battery or carry additional battery for added battery life, something you can't due with the Go due to is nonuser-replaceable battery. But that added additional bulk to the handheld making it less portable, and making it less likely I would bring it with me.

CONCLUSION: When it comes down to it, the Go is a Great handheld, but its clearly not meant for everyone. Its expensive and removed some consumer friendly features in order to fight piracy. But If you're like me and you love the PSP, but hate its size and UMDs and prefer digital downloads, or you want to reduce the number of devices you carry on a daily bases, "Go" for it (pun intended). The Go is pretty much what you wanted out of the PSP. Otherwise if you have any interest in used games, or being able to shop in bargain bins for deals, stick with the normal model.

Nintendo Wii

Wii would like to play?

Curently I have no idea about the intro... So be my guest and think something about it while I move on!

<INSERT BEGINNING OF THE AWESOME INTRO HERE>

<INSERT AWESOME INTRO HERE>

<INSERT ENDING AWESOME INTRO HERE>

<INSERT BEGINNING OF THE SPECS HERE>

CONTROLS: The Nintendo Wii, formerly known as the Revolution, is a system which has gained quite a bit of love from casual gamers probably as a result of its innovative controls. Indeed, the Wii is a prime example of Nintendo's efforts to draw in casual gamers as well as keep their ever loyal fans. Most noticeably would be the Wii Remote, more popularly known as the 'Wiimote', and its motion sensitive controls and wireless play. This is the closest to virtual reality in a gaming console any gaming company has ever been able to achieve-not counting the Virtual Boy, of course. This makes the Wii the ideal console to emulate sports-another reason why it was a genius idea on Nintendo's part to bundle in the Wii with Wii Sports.

There is a connector on the back of the Wiimote where you can plug in various additions-such as the Wii Nunchuck and Classic Controller to make up for the lack of buttons on the Wiimote. Again, that was a good move. Despite the transition from wired controllers to motion sensing controllers, game designers have still not truly comprehended the potential for games that motion sensitivity enables. Even so, the change from traditional controllers is welcome and will be appealing to people-but it can actually tire people out.

INTERFACE: Another area in where Nintendo did well. Each feature the Wii offers is divided into what are called 'channels'. Unlike its predecessors, the Wii offers functions other than just playing a game. You are capable of checking the news, finding what the weather is in your area as well as all over the world, and a Photo Channel where you can store your pictures you took with a SD memory card (the best part is that you have a built in Photoshop type of technology which enables you to add gaudy symbols and draw stuff on your pictures and other types of modifications). One can never forget the Shop Channel where you can buy games released by Nintendo from the olden days of pre-GameCube as well as download other channels and previews (there's even a Internet Channel!).

And of course, the most important channel to gamers, the Game Channel, where you play the game that you've inserted in the Wii. Among others would be the Message Board where you can write memos to yourself or letters to send to friends whose Friend Code you have registered on the Wii, a calendar, and the Mii Channel which lets you create your own Mii-avatars of yourself and whoever else you want to create/parody/make fun of. Those Miis will then walk around on a 'Plaza' and interact with each others or simply sleep. Those Miis can also be used to represent yourself in Wii Sports.

The Wii has a dozen of features presented on a clear white background that is easy on the eyes. The console obviously offers a varied selection of channels to indulge in. This fact is especially strengthened by the 48 channels available to use up with new previews/channels/games. This is an area where I doubt you will be disappointed with. You could easily spend hours using this system without playing a single game. Ironic, isn't it?

ONLINE PLAY: The online play is a feature Nintendo only recently started to take advantage of with the Nintendo DS portable system. Ever since, hardcore gamers have been demanding for more online play in games. The Wii DOES have online. Outside of games, the said console allows you to write letters to your friends as was said previously. However, the Wii relies on Wi-Fi connections to achieve whatever online functions a game offers. So those with Ethernet cables and no Wi-Fi hookups will be out of luck, unfortunately. 

GRAPHICS: The visuals that the Wii offers are not up to par with the other next-gen. consoles, regretfully. Innovativeness over visuals, I suppose, is Nintendo's goal. The graphics are comparable to the PlayStation 2. They are far from being terrible, but could do some more work. As a result, this is the only reason why the immersion the controls offer isn't as complete as it could have been.

GAMES ON THE SYSTEM: When you first purchase the Wii, Wii Sports also comes with it. I attribute the craze for the said console with the populace's desire to emulate sports...without actually going outside and playing the actual sports. Hardcore gamers will get the Wii mainly for it's exclusives, because, if you've not noticed yet, Mario, Zelda, and Metroid are incredibly popular with gamers everywhere. This combined with the catchy controls, make for your favorite characters seen in a nearly whole new light, gameplay-wise. Even so, I would like to see some new faces pop up into the iconic crowd of gaming fame. Even so, the number of games it offers is sizable (including the games from the Virtual Console) and continues to grow.

VIRTUAL CONSOLE: The VC is part of the Shop Channel in which you can purchase games that are no longer available for sale as a result of their age. Since Nintendo has been around MUCH longer than Microsoft and Sony, their collection blows anything the X360 and PS3 has to offer out of the water. You purchase those gems with currency known as Wii Points. You can buy those points for 10.00 per 1000 points, which is a good deal if I may say so myself, as most N64 games are 1000 points, but are also the most sophisticated games on the VC (Think pioneer of 3-D graphics). Nintendo has been around for five generations of games consoles and three of them are available on the VC (NES, SNES, N64), as well as other consoles by other companies.

This channel gets updated with a few games every Monday. This significant part of the Wii is what the Classic Controller is for, you insert the CC in the Wiimote to play these games with a controller that resembles a generic controller. I love this feature as I got to play several classics I have heard so much about such as Super Metroid, Paper Mario, Star Fox 64, and the such. The graphics and gameplay might be so old that it is difficult for younger players to really enjoy it, but it is my most favorite feature of the Wii, nevertheless.

OVERALL: It is my belief that there is still so much more potential to be unlocked for the Wii by game developers especially FPS. Unfortunately, Nintendo isn't known for its FPS. The trove of retro games available for purchase and download is expansive. Although rare, it is cheap and addicting. The graphics are sub-par but nothing indistinguishable. The multiplayer connectivity is great but only if you have a Wi-Fi connection. The selection of features available to you is appealing as well. I also liked the fact that the Wii was able to play GameCube games. You have to purchase GameCube controllers, though. This console is totally worth your money, if just to see what the hype is all about. If nothing else, hype is something this game has in **** loads. Just in its first year(according to Next Gen. Wars.com), it milked thirteen million from the populous of the world. How could the Wii not catch the eye of even the most casual gamers? It's a sexy piece of hardware sure to be around for quite a long time.