They finally got to Mii

About the Wii itself:

I like the concept, but some of it needs improvement. You see, I got one last Friday and have already beaten Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.

My biggest problem is that the controller movement is relative movement. I would really like to play a game like Metroid and point at the screen to aim. Or if I can't do that, point my controller around like her gun arm and have that mimic in-game. But if you make such a large motion, the Wii has a hernia and you go out of scope for the sensor and then lots of crying .. or I mean dying. Or something.

As it is, you more or less "tilt" the controller and that does the in game aiming etc. This is not a problem with Metroid, it's a problem with the Wii.

In Zelda, the box says "Swing your controller and Link swings his sword!" Now, that sounds like all kinds of cool, no?

Until you get in the game and realize "swing" means "rattle" and that if you actually DO swing your controller arm, you go off-screen (which the game buzzes you for) and it doesn't register a swing at all.

I hope that some second gen input devices will at least widen the field of view and/or solve these issues.

Now, that said, the Wii does have some nice features. The input method in other ways is quite unique. I really liked the switch puzzles in Metroid, where you rotate your Wii-mote (the controller pad) and the switches in game rotate with it. That sort of thing.

WiiConnect24 is an online service where you can download games. The NES and SNES titles cost 5 to 8 dollars each. That's really handy. =)

The Mii concept needs some polish. They look ridiculous and I don't see any self-respecting game really using them seriously. Metroid has a "bonus" mode that lets you put your Mii on Samus's spaceship's dash as a bobble-head. Looks like they feel it's silly too. =)

About Zelda:

Disappointed. The controller issue I described is part of it. I really want to swing my sword arm and have my swing mirrored in game. Angle, speed, all of it. That would be cool.

But even outside the controller issues, what is with making the series a kiddie game? I feel like I have to lower myself to Zelda's level as a gamer. I want a mature Zelda. You know, those of us who actually remember spending countless hours inside castles, breaking blocks, dodging enemies, to save the princess? Not throwing chickens, shooting slingshots at spiders and tumbling through grass.

WindWaker was a step in the right direction. Too bad they reverted to N64-Zelda style.

Ugh.

About Metroid:

Awesome. Totally awesome.

Even awesomer than that. (Spelling Nazis - I know that the word I just typed isn't in the dictionary. You'll live.)

Whew, where do I begin....

This game really stream lines pointless running around. Almost none. Objectives are clear and marked. Pick ups are (eventually) marked on the maps for you.

Each room feels like it flows properly and has purpose.

The maps are beautiful.

But the best is the epic feeling of the fights. You really feel like you are running around, dodging, weaving, and in short, out-gunning your opposition.

Hyper mode is fun.as.hell. It's a whole lot of whup-ass in a neat little package.

Only one boss feels like cheeze. The rest feel more refined.

The music is appropriate and underscores the areas you go through nicely.

The scripted enemy sequences don't really feel so scripted and the feeling that gives is of some large force actually out to stop you. Like it should.

My only disappointment would have to be that I felt the metroids themselves should have been more populous and more deadly (thus scary opponents). But I'll live. Maybe next time.

This game was so much fun, I am restarting it tonight. Few games grab me like that.