How the Nintendo Wii is Going to Change Game Design

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By Lincoln Armstrong

Nintendo Wii and The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess

Nintendo Wii, Wiimote, nunchuk attachment and Zelda Twilight Princess Photo Courtesy Clownfish
Nintendo Wii, Wiimote, nunchuk attachment and Zelda Twilight Princess Photo Courtesy Clownfish

Wii Charge Station Wii Charge Station
Price: $19.00
List Price: $29.99
Wii Wii
Price: $199.99
List Price: $199.99
Wii Play with Wii Remote Wii Play with Wii Remote
Price: $40.70
List Price: $49.99
Wii Nunchuk Controller Wii Nunchuk Controller
Price: $8.00
List Price: $19.99
Wii Classic Controller Wii Classic Controller
Price: $15.73
List Price: $19.99
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Price: $40.93
List Price: $49.99
Wii Remote Controller Wii Remote Controller
Price: $24.99
List Price: $39.99
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii Version) -- Collector's Edition The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii Version) -- Collector's Edition
Price: $46.74
List Price: $29.95
Rayman Raving Rabbids Rayman Raving Rabbids
Price: $12.60
List Price: $19.99

Or, combining two entire universes of verbs

One of the efficiencies and later, problems with video game design is the phenomenon of genre-ization. Video games have become ruthlessly categorized to the point where if a game doesn't fall into a very narrowly defined category like "racing game" or "fighting game" or "puzzle game," it doesn't get made. When games that don't fit into the pre-defined genres get made, like Katamari Damacy, for example, they often do quite well which causes many to wonder why there are genres to begin with, but that's another article.

One of the first questions video game designers, or, for that matter, any game designer asks is "what are the verbs?" What this means is "what exactly does the player do in this game?" Coming up with a list of verbs makes it possible to then decide what choices the player has to make, and how the verbs will apply to those choices. The combination of these two things forms the basis for a game design.

With the Nintendo Wii, video game designers have been provided with a completely new, and up to now, never before possible list of verbs: a list which takes nothing away from the original possibilities of video game design each with another limitless universe of verbs. The result is going to be fun beyond anything tried before.


Wii as Retro-Game Platform?

Imagine a game of Tetris which replaces arrow buttons with Wii remote actions. For people who played the original Atari console, imagine a four-player Nintendo Wii game of Warlords which requires players to handle the Wii remote like a shield. What about Breakout? Or how about that arcade Olympics game where players run by pressing the opposing buttons really fast? How about Dragons Lair? Think you could beat the Black Knight's Chess Room if you actually had to jump from square to square?

This is not to say the Nintendo Wii should become exclusively a retro-game platform, but these are just a very few examples of what new game designs could try. The key to making this work is to start with a clean sheet of paper and for goodness sake, to not limit creativity. There are going to be a lot of ideas, and some of them probably aren't going to work at first, but a lot of them will, and they are going to expand the market for "video games" astronomically. The possibilities for educational and instructional games alone are amazing.

When there are so many possibilities, it tests creativity in ways that are sometimes difficult to overcome. Like any good design, the key to success is limits. Great designs rely far more on what is removed than what is added. The new list of verbs possible with the Nintendo Wii has expanded the boundaries of video game design a great deal, and it will be very important for game designers to focus on making sure their designs take advantage of the system without throwing so much into their games that they become a confusing mess.

I think that Nintendo Wii version of Tetris would be a cool place to start.

Nintendo Wii News and Information

RSS for comments on this Hub

Jyle Dupuis profile image

Jyle Dupuis  says:
2 years ago

I love my Nintendo Wii! The first game I played was Splinter Cell and found it very difficult to control the character. After getting used to it I love it. The best game by far is Super Paper Mario. Very addictive. I had to get rechargable batteries because I went through three sets in a week. Everyone should get one of these.

free psp game downloads  says:
2 years ago

Who cares...check out the PSP!

download psp games  says:
2 years ago

The wii is good, but you know what. It still has teething problems. The battery seems to run out on my really quick. Either I am playing it too much or it just drains.

BenChessOpenings profile image

BenChessOpenings  says:
2 years ago

I am seriously wondering what a Wii tetris game would be like. I want to try it!

freechessgames  says:
2 years ago

wii is awesome.

astevn816  says:
2 years ago

The best thing about the wii is it encourages people to play who don't normally play video games.Elderly people are forced to get up and move around.They boosted production and they still can not keep up with demand.The stores that sell the wii keeps running out.Can't wait for the new wii release date.

http://wiireleasedate.blogspot.com/

wii games  says:
2 years ago

I agree the Wii kinda rules at the moment and it can be for all the family which is pretty cool!

Starcraft 2 News  says:
2 years ago

The Wii is definitely a cool gaming machine and it does actually encourage people who don't normally play video games.

Will  says:
2 years ago

I love my nintendo wii! You got a lot of good information on here, check out http://www.nintendowiireviewsblog.com/ for similar information and updates about the console

JK  says:
10 months ago

"genre-ization"?

Jesus Christ. There are at least five actual words that would work here, why on God's green earth are you making one up, especially one as stupid as that? Fail, son. Also, games fail economically if they aren't completely within one genre? Where the hell do you come up with that? Try telling Spore that, just

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