A Gaming Revolution

Ever since Super Mario Bros. on the NES I have been addicted to video games. I have owned the Atari 2600, NES, Super NES, original Gameboy, Gameboy Pocket, Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance, Gameboy Advance SP, Nintendo 64, Playstation, Gamecube, XBOX and Nintendo DS. It goes without saying I spend a great deal of money when the new systems are released. Nintendo can count on about $400-$500 from a little town in Iowa every time there game designers produce a new console. However, lately the excitement of gaming has dwindled for me. I still like a good game, but recently we have been hit with an overabundance of sequels. Shiny, new graphics, but the gameplay is exactly the same as the first 4 versions of the game.

Sure, I will play the newest Zelda and Mario Kart no matter how much it resembles the previous games, but that doesn't hold true for other games. I am tried of the cookie cutter games on the market. Nintendo must have understood my frustration, because they are changing the way we play console video games. With the Nintendo Revolution (current code name) you will have a greater control of the action on the screen. The new controller resembles a TV remote. However, by simply moving the controller around it affects the action in the game. For example, to strafe in a FPS, you might till the controller to the left or right. In Star Wars games you could wield it like a lightsaber. In golf or tennis games it could be the club or the racket. In football games you might be able to simulate throwing the football. The possibilities are endless. Of course, the controller will be able to function as a normal, conventional controller if the games dictate it.

I always enjoy the cutting edge graphics in a game, but this change in mechanics has me more excited about gaming than I have been in years. To be sure, I will own a Xbox 360 to make sure I am able to play some of the great third party games that don't want to make use of the new Revolution controller. Nintendo fanboy or not, the Revolution has begun and I am excited to see where it takes us.