Results tagged “wii” from Birmingham Mail - Technobabble

According to reports, Nintendo's profits have plunged in the last six months.

The figures, showing a 52 per cent drop in profits, were described as 'disappointing' by commentators, and blamed on waning sales for the Nintendo Wii console.

Apparently price cuts to the Playstation 3 have hit sales of the hitherto all conquering Wii.

My own opinion on this is that you can only sell so much of one thing before everyone who could possibly want one, er, has one.

Don't forget that the Nintendo Wii has sold 56 million around the world.

Also don't forget that it was launched in the UK in December 2006 - and three years is a long time in the gaming industry.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Nintendo Wii 2 was imminent - after all, manufacturers rarely give much away before bringing to market a new item of technology because it will hit the last sales of their previous product, which are still clogging up the shelves in the run up to the launch.

NHL 2k9
Nintendo Wii
2k Sports
£29.99

LIKE most people I was wondering how a game like ice hockey would be implemented in the Wii, with its unusual control system.

But I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised at the results of the development.

In your hands the Wii controller, using the cursor for slick passing, and giving the puck a good whack (hopefully) into the corner of the net.

And naturally it would be remiss not to mention the subject perhaps most readily associated with ice hockey - the punch-ups.

Yes there's nothing more satisfying than braining an opponent, using the Wii remote as a bludgeon.

But it';s also sad to say that the game looks terrible. Under the hood it all works well, but on the screen it chugs along, suffering from low framerates.

And it's not because the graphics are cutting edge - they're not, and frankly look a few years out of date.

So NHL 2k9 is something of a work in progress, and no doubt future releases will see improvements.

64 per cent

THEM console thingies are getting more and more popular according to figures released today.

ELSPA (the Entertainment Leisure & Software Publishers' Association) has revealed barely creditable figures that the 'installed base of consoles' (whatever that means) in the UK has doubled from 8.8 million in September 2007 to 17.3 million in September 2008.

The figures do not include sales for older second generation systems such as PlayStation 2, so they are pretty staggering (and don't include 'in the back of the wardrobe' systems).

Whilst Sony and Microsoft have added a million installed users in the last 12 months, Nintendo has proven to be the biggest winner with an increase of some 2.5 million Nintendo Wii consoles and 3.3 million Nintendo DS handhelds.

From September 2007 to September 2008 the Nintendo Wii installed base has risen from 1.1 million to a staggering 3.6 million, while the Nintendo DS has soared from 3.8 million to 7.1 million. By comparison, PlayStation 3 unit sales have risen from 0.4 million to 1.4 million and the Xbox 360 from 1.3 million to 2.3 million. Sony's PSP handheld showed a comparatively moderate increase from 2.2 million to 2.9 million.

All figures were provided by High Street retail chain The Game Group.

Michael Rawlinson, Managing Director of ELSPA, said: "There can be little doubt that video games are now one of the major forms of entertainment in the UK. Not only that, our industry is proving to be remarkably recession-proof when even major banks are failing.

"The reason is very simple - games can offer terrific value for money. I appreciate that it is only violent or controversial games that tend to garner tabloid headlines but the truth is that the overwhelming majority of games sold in this country are for all players of all ages - and that is why the Wii with games such as Wii Sports and Wii Fit are proving to be amongst the nation's enduring favourites."

Below - two typical XBox 360 gamers (Glenda and Roberta) joining the 2.3 million other users.

I see environmental do-gooders Greenpeace are complaining that games console manufacturers aren't green enough.

That's an interesting one guys - I could understand moaning about the world's oil companies not paying enough lip service to your perfectly reasonable goal to save the plant.

Zeina Al-Hajj, Greenpeace's International Toxic Campaign co-ordinator lashed out at famous oil-slick causer and tree molester Nintendo saying: "Nintendo doesn't have any environmental policies."

Like what? I reckon they should create a special box which looks, to all intents and purposes, like a Wii.

But in reality it's made out of recycled cardboard, with a fake on switch so as to not use any power.

That would be much more preferable to the current version, which is made out of a combination of Dolphin fins, whale blubber and cfcs.

On the BBC story, it says: "The report found that the PS3 and 360 both contained "very high" levels of chemicals, called phthalates, which are used to "soften" flexible materials like wires and cable coatings.

"They are not permitted in toys sold in Europe but under EU regulations games consoles are not classed as toys. Ms Al-Hajj said: "We see a gap there. For us this is still a toy.""

Ah - but Ms Al-Hajj, the reason they're not allowed in toys is because children put them in their mouths and chew them, poisoning themselves. Wiis aren't actually for that.

No-one from Microsoft was available for comment on the findings of the Greenpeace report as they were designing whale finding radar for Japanese factory ships (I made the last bit up).