Author Archive | Jared Newman

Nintendo Dominates ’08 in Sales Figure Shocker

Posted by Jared Newman on January 15, 2009 at 8:09 pm

Super MarioI can be sarcastic in a headline, right? No matter, retail research firm NPD released last year’s video game sales data today, revealing–of course–that Nintendo’s Wii console and DS handheld were the big winners.

Perhaps there’s some surprise in knowing the DS was the most popular last-minute holiday item, selling 3.04 million units to the Wii’s 2.15 million units in December. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 came in second place, selling 1.44 million consoles last month. Sony’s PSP handheld sold 1.02 million units in December, besting the Playstation 3’s 726,000 units.

Overall, sales of video games, consoles and related products in 2008 rose 19 percent from the year before. I was going to break out the calculator, do some research, and compile a list of total 2008 console sales, but realized the kind folks at Video Game Sales Wiki already took care of that, so here are the numbers:

Wii: 10,151,000

Nintendo DS: 9,951,100

Xbox 360: 4,735,400

PSP: 3,829,600

Playstation 3: 3,544,900

With everything laid out like this, the 1.2 million unit difference between the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360 isn’t so bad, especially when you consider how handily the Wii stomped both of them.

As for games, Wii Play and its bundled Wii Remote was the top seller of 2008 — you’d know this by standing in a GameStop and seeing the employees pitch it to everyone buying a console — with Mario Kart Wii and Wii Fit taking silver and bronze respectively. Careful, though, because NPD’s counts the same game separately when released for more than one console. Add Grand Theft Auto IV’s PS3 and Xbox 360 sales together, and it’s actually in second place overall.

NPD Analyst Anita Frazier noted that most of the best-sellers were released long before the holiday season. “Get some high profile releases out in the first and second quarters,” she suggested. Some publishers are taking this advice to heart, with big name titles like Lord of the Rings: Conquest and Halo Wars being saved for the first quarter of 2009.

Frazier also noted that as the economy melted in the fourth quarter, people kept buying games. Add that to the list of unsurprising revelations of 2008.

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Wild Prediction: New Game Consoles in 2010, 2011

Posted by Jared Newman on January 13, 2009 at 1:46 pm

Nintendo Entertainment SystemAdmittedly I’m no Michael Pachter when it comes to foretelling the future of video games, but with Microsoft exec Robbie Bach saying that we won’t see a new Xbox 360 for a while, the temptation to speculate is too overwhelming. So join me as I wildly predict when the next round of consoles will come along.

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Crayon Physics Deluxe: Drawing Up Something New

Posted by Jared Newman on January 7, 2009 at 8:49 am

Endless possibility is not a notion easily conveyed in video games. Sandbox titles like Grand Theft Auto seem limitless at first, but that illusion disappears once you discover their boundaries. Perhaps that’s why the free-drawing puzzles of Crayon Physics Deluxe are so alluring.

A YouTube demo of the game boasts roughly 2 million views to date, but even without the Tablet PC and stylus seen in that presentation, Crayon Physics Deluxe feels like an exercise in freedom.

crayonphysicsseesaw

The premise is simple: lead a small, red ball — etched in crayon, as the title suggests — to a star that’s strategically placed elsewhere on the screen. This is accomplished with a crayon of your own, which you can use to stencil just about anything. Create a ramp and give the ball a nudge, and it’ll go rolling down. Expand on this by rendering a seesaw and drop a hand-drawn box on the other end to send your ball flying. By the end of the game, you’ll be etching pulleys, hammers, backboards and even vehicles.

Level selection is much like the semi-linear world maps of Super Mario Bros. 3, with branching paths that allow you to skip certain levels and come back to them later (and you can draw on them, as seen below). There’s no plot to tie the 80 challenges together, just a straightforward presentation of one level after the next. In a way, this is a fault, as it robs the Crayon Physics Deluxe of the personality you often see in indie games. Parents, however, might find an opportunity for imagination in the empty spaces, fitting perfectly with the game’s whimsical art and music.

Crayon Physics Deluxe masterfully achieves the illusion of having no limits. With the exception of an occasional tutorial level, it often seems that you could solve each puzzle in a handful of ways. In reality though, it’s hard to say, because you’re never really sure if the game’s designer, Petri Purho, anticipated the solution you chose.

crayonphysicswuzhere

For example, some puzzles I solved the elegant way. It was clear that my drawings were exactly what Purho intended, taking advantage of all the level’s obstacles and objects and reaching the star with pinpoint accuracy.

I also resorted to cruder solutions. Several times, I trapped the ball in a narrow corridor and drew platforms under it, causing them to clip with the bottom side of the ball and force it upwards. In another instance, out of frustration, I started scribbling over a big, clunky monster, only to see that I was actually moving it in the right direction.

By the end of the game, it seemed that I could bypass puzzles entirely by building my own walls and constructing pulleys and seesaws as I deemed fit. Because this rigid strategy worked wonders toward the game’s end, I felt that perhaps Crayon Physics Deluxe’s boundaries weren’t so limitless after all.

But I find it hard to believe that Purho didn’t anticipate this kind of trickery. There was, after all, a level that made pulleys nearly impossible, after I had relied on them for so long. At the same time, every solution that isn’t totally seamless feels like you’re gaming the system.

crayonphysicspetri

Still, Crayon Physics Deluxe fails to carry the illusion of freedom as far as it can go. If you’re having fantasies of drawing up massive Rube Goldberg devices, forget it. It’s extremely rare for a solution to require more than a couple steps, partly because each level is confined to the area of your screen. The rare levels that are more elaborate are so satisfying to complete that it makes you wish for more of them.

In any case, don’t let my musings on endless possibility give you the wrong impression; Crayon Physics Deluxe is a must-play. It’s the kind of game I get excited about, because the concept is just so much cooler than the stuff we see every day in gaming. That’s why the YouTube video was so popular, and it’s why you should grab your own stylus, mouse or trackball and try the game yourself.

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Is Wii Sports Better Than Super Mario Bros.?

Posted by Jared Newman on January 7, 2009 at 8:46 am

Super Mario Bros.In terms of units sold, the answer is “yes.” VGChartz, a Web site that gathers game sales data, says the Wii’s flagship title passed Mario’s first big adventure as of December 27, 2008.

But not everyone is happy about this. CNet columnist Don Reisinger says it’s an “insult” to compare Wii Sports to Super Mario Bros. and other classics. “It’s not that I dislike Wii Sports or haven’t enjoyed my time playing it,” he wrote. “I just don’t see how it can be held in the same high regard as Super Mario Bros.”

Respectfully, I disagree. To play Super Mario Bros. now is to experience a rudimentary platform game with slippery controls and repetitive play. In other words, it’s not very good, but it opened the door to a new world of gaming. Reisinger calls Wii Sports a “proof of concept,” but how could we view Super Mario Bros. any differently?

Better games for the Nintendo Entertainment System eventually came along, and I suspect the same thing will happen to Wii Sports, but both games — and the systems they came bundled with — arrived at time where the game industry was at a crossroads.

A year before the NES reached the U.S., the American game industry crashed. Consumers were tired of the same old shovelware, and the bubble of new consoles and games simply burst. Mario and his cohorts opened new creative doors, and suddenly video games were back in style.

Today’s game industry, though healthy, is also in a rut. The core gamers that support blockbusters like Halo and Grand Theft Auto are but a slice of the general population. When Ninendo’s “Revolution” project came along, with its motion controls instead of shinier graphics, the company was laughed at — until the Wii became the most sought-after console on the market. And it’s not because of the system as a whole. It’s because people want to play Wii Sports, a game that offers new possibilities, but remains simple and fun like gaming used to be.

Personally, that’s not what I look for in a video game, and if I were king, I wouldn’t dub either of these titles as the best of all time. But Super Mario Bros. and Wii Sports both equally deserve their accolades, not insults.

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What to Play (And Not to Play) in January

Posted by Jared Newman on January 2, 2009 at 5:26 pm

For the video game industry, the holiday season is a lot like New Year’s Eve. There is much hype, planning and anticipation, leading to a short period of self-indulgence and questionable behavior (like staying up until sunrise and then skipping work to keep playing). Of course, with the new year comes a hangover, and a month of gaming that’s historically known for being unremarkable.

But, if you’re looking to brave the winter storm and get something new from GameStop, here’s a guide for what to get and what to avoid:

Play: Skate 2 (PS3, Xbox 360, January 21)

While skateboarding is rarely easy the first time around, most games make the sport seem more natural than breathing. The Skate series changed things up with a control scheme that used both thumbsticks for movement — one to steer, execute a variety of tricks. The result is a game that feels more like the real thing than any of Tony Hawk’s virtual exploits. The sequel should be even better.

Don’t Play: Hotel For Dogs (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PSP, January 6)

They say a film is guaranteed to stink when critics aren’t allowed to see it before release. Similar logic applies to video games, and with no previews, reviews or general news on Hotel For Dogs with less than a week before it reaches stores, we’re forecasting this one as a cheap movie cash-in.

Play: Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop (Wii, January 20)

This Wii port of the now-classic Xbox 360 title puts you in a zombie-infested mall for 72 in-game hours, with only the stores’ merchandise to defend yourself. Weapons range from dishware to garden hoes to jerry-rigged explosives. The Wii can’t process as many zombies at once as the original game, but the visceral thrill of wielding the Wii Remote should make up for that.

Don’t Play: Neighborhood Games (Wii, January 5)

The Wii’s popularity, particularly with the casual audience, has opened the door for unprecedented quantities of shovelware. This one’s company line has all the clues: Comparisons to Wii Sports, a partial list of minigames, and the constant but empty promise of entertainment. “No need to worry about the rain ending your fun!” it says, probably because this game will end it first.

Play: Retro Game Challenge (DS, January 6)

Initially, I considered putting this in the “Don’t Play” category, but after reading a bit more, this one actually sounds interesting. What seemed like a lame series of old game clones is actually a fun send-up, broken into short, ADD-friendly chunks. All of this is tied together by the plot, which says you must compete in these challenges in order to escape the clutches of an evil boss. Plus, it’s got that Japanese import aesthetic to it.

Don’t Play: Deal or No Deal (Wii, January 13)

We’re all agreed that the fun of Deal or No Deal, the game show, is in watching people get greedy and squandering money that they earned by sheer luck, right? So what’s the fun of throwing away your own fake money in a completely safe, virtual environment? No amount of sheen on the head of Howie Mandel’s digital likeness can save this one.

Play: The Lord of the Rings: Conquest (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, DS, January 13)

While my nerd cred is forever damaged by the fact I don’t really care for Lord of the Rings, this title seems to be gaining some buzz in the new year. Modeled largely after the strategy game Star Wars: Battlefront, Conquest puts you in control of large-scale Middle Earth battles. A demo is available for download now for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, if you can’t wait until January 13 for your precious.

Don’t Play: M&M’s Adventure (PS2, January 5)

We thought advergames — or at least the ones you have to pay for — went out with Cool Spot in the early 90s. Technically, this game was released for the Wii in late December, but none of the major gaming sites noticed, so I’m still entitled to make fun of it before the Playstation 2 release this month. Broken English in the press release, a decidedly late Christmas Eve plot setting and the sloppy label of “classic 3D action adventure platform game” suggests that your money is better spent on the candy itself.

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Nintendo Getting Into Video After All

Posted by Jared Newman on December 30, 2008 at 2:37 pm

Analysts have called for it, and with the Wii’s impressive install base it makes sense, but earlier I suggested that Nintendo will shy away from streaming video due to its philosophy of exalting gameplay above all.

So here’s me eating my words.  At least in Japan, Nintendo and advertising giant Dentsu will offer a video service next year. Still, don’t expect an equivalent of Netflix or the on-demand TV show offerings of the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. The videos coming to the Wii will be created specifically for the console, with a combination of pay-to-see and ad-supported content. The Nikkei business daily has reported that this will consist of cartoons, among other things.

This is a bit puzzling, because offering established TV shows instead of this yet-unspecified content would seem like the safer bet when building a video service. Then again, the Wii itself was a gamble that paid off handsomely, so perhaps Nintendo knows exactly what it’s doing. We’ll have to see what happens to the content if and when it migrates west.

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The Perfect 99-Cent iPhone Game

Posted by Jared Newman on December 29, 2008 at 5:42 pm

Now and then, a young and idealistic programmer will provide the Internet with an “art game” — that is, a computer game that eschews pure entertainment value in favor of a deep, philosophical statement. It’s the stuff that convinces some game journalists of gaming’s worth, beyond just guns, cars and magic mushrooms.

The trouble with these games, though, is the lack of a distribution and revenue model. Most are only interesting for a few minutes, so you can count them out of retail stores. Downloading is an alternative, but art games are often available for free, with the programmer simply soliciting donations. Moreover, the average joe never hears of art games to begin with. To better succeed, these games need to confront potential players more directly, with a price point that makes them worth trying.

Apple’s support of Passage for the iPhone nails this concept perfectly. For 99 cents, players can experience an abstract take on the human life cycle, broken down into a few poetic gestures. Basically, you navigate a young male avatar along a narrow strip of oversized pixels, collecting treasure. You can obtain a wife along the way, but her position by your side makes it harder to move and pursue material matters. Either way, your character inevitably ages and dies.

passage

If my description didn’t do the game justice, it’s worth spending a buck to see it for yourself. And if you’re so taken by the game, you can easily evangelize it to your friends when they insist on playing with your iPhone. And that, I gather, is the point.

Also, check out Esquire’s excellent profile of Jason Rohrer, who created Passage, to learn more about the decidedly non-stereotypical game designer.

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Xbox Explores Its Adolescence

Posted by Jared Newman on December 22, 2008 at 1:32 pm

It seems the Xbox 360 is confused with itself, judging from a recent New York Times blog post entitled “What Xbox Wants to Be When It Grows Up.”

The author, Saul Hansel, notes that Microsoft “has resisted making the Xbox some sort of Frankensteinian MSN Windows Live Game Center Personal Spreadsheet Platform and Household Vacuum Robot.” Yet, that seems to be examctly what Shane Kim, the console’s head of strategy and business development, is angling for.

“We don’t have the hubris that says we have been supersuccessful in gaming so let’s chase this separate entertainment thing,” he said.”We are building out from where we are at.”

Right. So scrolling down the interview, you’d expect to see some discussion of how to improve the Xbox brand, perhaps by capturing some of the folks who strayed to the Wii. Instead, Kim says he’s thinking of a music service (like iTunes?) or a way to watch sports clips while talking to friends (like television?). He then says integration with sites like Hulu and YouTube are his first instinct (but not for free, we imagine, given Xbox Live’s pay-for-everything  MO).

So much for not trying to be all things to all people.

Expanding the Xbox’s capabilities isn’t a bad idea, but it’s not the best one either. The article notes how the Wii is walloping the Xbox 360 in popularity, but glosses over the fact that casual, family-friendly games are the reason why. Even if it wants to expand its multimedia offerings, the Xbox still has to build a healthy body through widespread gaming appeal as opposed to a few niche services. Unfortunately, Kim doesn’t get one quote in the article about game development strategy.

And here’s the kicker: Hensel says Microsoft is looking to integrate Xbox Live with Windows, eventually connecting it to MSN and Windows Live, pretty much exactly what he said the company had avoided in the past.

Mary Shelley would be proud.

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Technologizer’s First Annual Game Awards

Posted by Jared Newman on December 18, 2008 at 12:48 am

gameawards-splash

It’s hard to sum up the year in video games with one adjective. In some ways it was admirable, with megapublisher Electronic Arts betting on new franchises instead of just peddling more of the same. “Tumultuous” is also a fair description, as the economic meltdown left a chink in the industry’s “recession-proof” armor. But mostly, it was good, leaving quite a few “almost masterpieces” on our shelves as the holiday season winds down. Which game rose above these exceptional titles? Read on to, and you’ll find out.

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Nintendo Gets Into Media Convergence With…Books?

Posted by Jared Newman on December 17, 2008 at 11:21 am

mariobooksWhen it comes creating machines that do more than play games, Nintendo never shared the eagerness of its competitors. Thinking back, I can’t recall any of their consoles or handheld devices offering other entertainment media besides games.

That’s why the deal between Nintendo and book publisher HarperCollins, to release the 100 Classic Book Collection for the Nintendo DS handheld, is such a surprise.

Really, though, it’s pretty clever. You pop in the cartridge, flip the DS on its side so the dual screens are aligned horizontally, like a book, and use your finger and the touchscreen to thumb through the virtual pages of Dickens,  Shakespeare, and much more. And does your Amazon Kindle play video games when you grow tired of reading? Thought not.

It makes sense from a practical standpoint, which helps explain why Nintendo is bucking its “gameplay above all” philosophy to do it. The DS could probably handle some sort of video capabilities to compete with the Sony PSP’s UMD format. Likewise, Nintendo could devise a streaming video service for the Wii and has suggested the possibility of DVD functionality. But you’d need servers to stream video, a major marketing push to sell new handheld video formats, a firmware update or new console generation to support DVD. None of that sits well with the company’s classic approach to gaming systems.

In any case, Nintendo doesn’t need to offer any of those non-gaming perks; they are outselling Sony’s handheld and the other two consoles, after all. So instead of branching into potential pitfalls like music and video, the Big N is providing a much simpler alternative — the written word.

Maybe it’s not such a surprise after all.

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