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Because we do… love you
At this very moment, Nintendo is transforming itself.
The Big N has made some great choices recently—most notably, unlocking
the doors of gaming geekdom. With Wii and DS, Nintendo is leading the
industry into a creative renaissance, while simultaneously broadening
its appeal.
Looking at the DS Lite and Wii hardware, it's obvious
that Nintendo is moving in a new direction. Physically, these boxes are
neither cumbersome (like N64 & DS) nor cutesy (like Game Boy Color
& GameCube). These new machines are intentionally unobtrusive and
beautiful. They are intended to fit within the style every home. Likewise,
the naturalized control schemes of both systems is proving an effective
means of luring new gamers. Yes, the new Nintendo is for everyone.
But Nintendo's broader consumer focus poses a serious
challenge: can the savvy hardware be extended into a fully-realized, ultra-intuitive
experience—one that appeals to this expanded, equally-savvy demographic?
The answer is "eventually". Good design
is obvious, but great design is transparent. Drop-dead simplicity must
pervade every aspect of the Nintendo-consumer interaction for this transition
to be believable.
Nintendo is a masterful game designer, but it has
yet to leverage that skill across an entire platform. While the Wii and
DS experiences are excellent, they do need some work. This transition
will understandably take some time, but we can help.
The following is a collection of issues which are
a collective disservice to the new Nintendo brand. Each item is presented
as a specific problem which can be approached independently of the rest.
In some cases, the issue may not be repairable, but its enumeration may
help future projects.
With any luck, someone at Nintendo will read this
list. With some acuity, it might just be taken seriously.
We love you, Nintendo, and we're with you
all the way. |
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1. |
Component Cables are MIA
While Wii does not support high-definition
resolutions, gameplay on an HDTV without component cables is gruesome.
Due to poor 480i scaling, it may even look worse than on a standard-definition
TV. It's certainly more cost-efficient that component cables aren't bundled
with the system, but they should be readily available.
component cables now available in most stores
HILL'S
BLARGH! "Composite CABLES - THE wII KILLER" — November
11, 2006 |
2. |
The Blue Light is Underutilized
When Wii is powered on, the disc slot responds
with a flicker of blue light. The light also functions as a notification
device for unread message—but disappears quickly upon starting
the Message Board (while 'on') or starting Wii (while 'off').
This is a convoluted arrangement. Why is
the disc slot being used as a notification device? The blue light is one
of the system's more distinguishing features, and yet, only rarely seen.
This light should operate consistently when the machine is on, and if
completely necessary, as a WiiConnect24 notifier.
Target
really likes the blue light, too. |
3. |
Forecast/Internet/News Channels are MIA
Although no one specifically-promised that
these three channels would be available at launch, the pre-release marketing
materials certainly didn't dissuade the thought. In the future, a little
less coyness would be appreciated.
internet channel (full version) will be released march 2007
internet channel (trial version) released december 22, 2006
Forecast Channel Released December 19, 2006
news channel released january 26, 2007 |
4. |
Non-Rechargable Wii Remote
In every way, Wii is turning the industry
on its head. Unfortunately, that also means an about-face where no
one expected: a return to non-rechargable batteries. As a cost-cutting
measure, Nintendo is the only one saving money in this equation.
joystiq.com
"Wii annoyance #009" — December 3, 2006 |
5. |
No 'B' Button in the Wii Menu
In some instances (Wii Sports, for example),
pressing the 'B' button moves backwards through a menu. Unfortunately,
it doesn't serve the same purpose in the Channel and Wii menus. Simply
pressing 'B' on the Remote would be a nice alternative to using the on-screen
'Back' button. |
6. |
Safety
Warning Wastes Time
If Wii is intended to be a communications
hub for the entire home, then accessing pertinent information should be
as quick and as possible. Needing to acknowledge the "Health and
Safety" warning every time is not condusive to short, task-oriented
sessions. |
7. |
Unable to Transfer GameCube Saves to SD
With both internal and external (SD) memory,
managing game saves is already twice as difficult as necessary. When GameCube
memory cards are added to the equation, the problem becomes thrice as
confusing.
Requiring a GameCube memory card tarnishes
the illusion of backwards compatibility. And those purchasing their first
GameCube title are not likely to know that the card is even required.
Data-management aside, these cards are
a detriment to Wii's deft styling.
gonintendo.com
"a wii owner's rap sheet" — December 9, 2006 |
8. |
No GameCube Controller Navigation
Although Wii graciously accepts GameCube
titles and controllers, the interaction isn't entirely seamless. The GameCube
controller can only be used during gameplay, and not inside the Wii menu
itself. Depending on the task, the user may be forced to switch input
devices multiple times in a single session.
joystiq.com
"Wii annoyance #010" — December 3, 2006 |
9. |
Stretched Virtual Console Games
Virtual Console titles played on a widescreen
TV will automatically stretch to the 16:9 ratio. Since all of these titles
were developed for 4:3 televisions, widescreen play is neither historically
accurate nor visually flattering. This can, however, be temporarily fixed
in either the Wii Settings or the TV settings.
IGN.com
"Wii Thoughts and Suggestions" — December 2, 2006 |
10. |
No Demos for Virtual Console Titles
Even with the selective lineup, the Virtual
Console roster is not likely to please everyone. Unfortunately, there's
no easy way to verify a title's worth before purchase—especially
for those new to gaming.
The beauty of the service is gaining access
to titles which are difficult to play in their native form. As a machine
for both new and experienced gamers, Virtual Console demos would be an
excellent solution.
joystiq.com
"Wii Annoyance #011" — December 4, 2006 |
11. |
Leftover Wii Points
Wii Points must be purchased in multiples
of 1000, while (NES being the exception) Virtual Console titles are priced
in multiples of 200. Unfortunately, this translates to an all-too-frequent
imbalance.
Ideally, Wii Points should be purchasable
in any amount. At the very least, multiples of 200 would reduce the frequency
of mismatches.
joystiq.com
"Wii annoyance #006" — november 27, 2006 |
12. |
Not-So-Wireless Classic Controller
The Classic Controller lacks its own wireless
functionality and must be attached to the Wii Remote. As cost-effective
as this is, the two make an awkward pair. Whatever the best solution might
be, this probably isn't it.
joystiq.com
"Wii annoyance #005" — november 20, 2006 |
13. |
Pointer Disappearance
As a pointing device, the Wii Remote is
mystically accurate. But on smaller televisions, it can be difficult to
keep the cursor in view. When the pointer is aimed outside the frame of
the television, it disappears—without a hint of its direction. Even
if the pointer isn't aimed directly at the screen, it would be helpful
to know its proximity.
joystiq.com
"Wii annoyance #001" — november 11, 2006 |
14. |
Reversed Navigation in Message Board
Within the Wii menu, icons on the left
side of the screen step backward, while icons on the right step forward.
Inside the Message Board, however, these functions are reversed. The Wii
icon (which exits the Message Board) is on the right side. |
15. |
Slow Message Board Synchronization
Messages sent from the Message Board are
not delivered immediately. More troubling is the length of time required
for two friends to become Wii Friends. This process can take hours, even
if the Wii Numbers are entered simultaneously.
IGN.com
"Wii Thoughts and Suggestions" — December 2, 2006 |
16. |
Message Board Indicates Total, Not Unread
The number adjacent to the envelope icon
in the Channels menu indicates the number of messages on the current day's
Message Board—not unread messages, as is customary for email applications.
What's more, this number flashes for no apparent reason. Without an unread
message count, locating new messages can be tedious. |
17. |
New Message Notification is Unspecific
When the disc light indicates new content,
there is no way to discern exactly what it is referring to. Instead, the
user must manually locate exactly what has changed. This problem will
become increasingly difficult as the number of Channels increases. |
18. |
Short Message Previews
The length of message previews is not helpful,
which only compounds other Message Board quirks. A longer preview would
be helpful for discerning whether or not the message has been read previously. |
19. |
Limited Wii-to-Email Correspondence
Photos cannot be sent to a standard email
account through the Message Board. And even though Mii's can be attached
to all outgoing messages, only Wii consoles will display them. Inexplicably,
Wii makes no indication that these images won't be carried along.
IGN.com
"Wii Thoughts and Suggestions" — December 2, 2006 |
20.
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No 'B' Backspace in Message Board
Using the on-screen keyboard is easy enough,
but mistaken keystrokes are frequent. When composing messages in the Message
Board, the user must select the on-screen 'backspace' key to correct a
mistake. Simply pressing 'B' on the Remote would be a nice alternative
to aiming the pointer—and a suitable complement to D-pad cursor
movement. |
21. |
Multiple Entries for a Single Contact
It's likely that a user's address book
will contain multiple entries for the same contact (Wii Number, email
address, cell phone, etc.). Because contact names are limited to 10 characters,
distinguishing these separate-but-equal entries can be difficult.
gonintendo.com
"a wii owner's rap sheet" — December 9, 2006 |
22. |
Unable to Sort Address Book
If Nintendo's intention is to build a worldwide
community of Wii Friends, the Address Book is going to be an essential
tool. First and foremost, it should allow contacts to be searched or organized
in some form. As it stands, contacts are stored in the order of initial
entry, relegating the newest friends to the bottom of the list.
gonintendo.com
"a wii owner's rap sheet" — December 9, 2006 |
23. |
Limited Channel Organization
While this isn't an issue for most users
at first, it will be eventually. The main menu will hold a total of 48
active Channels. With each Virtual Console title occupying an additional
slot, these will fill up fast. Currently, overflow Channels can be stored
on the SD card, but some form Channel organization (folders, categories,
etc.) would be helpful.
IGN.com
"Wii Thoughts and Suggestions" — December 2, 2006 |
24. |
Channels Not Playable from SD Card
Channels stored on an SD card cannot be
played until moved into the main menu. This is not a terribly complicated
procedure, but with limited space in the main Channels menu, it can be
repetitive.
IGN.com
"Wii Thoughts and Suggestions" — December 2, 2006 |
25. |
Channels Tied to Console (Not Account)
Even though all Channels can be stored
on a SD card, they are only playable on the console of origin. Unfortunately,
this translates to Virtual Console titles which can not be taken to a
friend's machine.
IGN.com
"Wii Thoughts and Suggestions" — December 2, 2006 |
26. |
No Buddy System
As it stands, the Wii's online functionality
is limited. Most noticeable, there's no way to know when a friend is playing.
Granted, this feature won't be of much use until online multiplayer arrives,
but it would certainly add to the feeling of community.
IGN.com
"Wii Thoughts and Suggestions" — December 2, 2006 |
27. |
Mii Channel Missing Some Options
The Mii Channel is perfect idea, but there
are a few quirks: no ears; limited facial hair options (mustaches, beards,
and sideburns); the inability to select multiple facial layers at one
time (stubble, age lines, rosy cheeks, etc.), to name a few. In general,
any Mii Channel enhancement would be icing on the cake.
joystiq.com
"Wii annoyance #008" — november 29, 2006
IGN.com
"Wii Thoughts and Suggestions" — December 2, 2006 |
