Holy Freaking Cheeseballs

Tuesday May 17, 2005 - 6:03PM EDT

Nintendo has just blown me away with their new system. Not because of its specs but because of what they plan to do with it. First of all, it will have free online access. Which essentially could make XBOX live look like a complete waste of money for someone. Second, and this is the huge one. They are going to make almost every single ninteno game ever made since 1985 available for download and play on the system. I am not talking about just 8-bit era, we are talking about super nintendo and nintendo64 games. How freaking awesome is that. They just turned their use of catridges for their previous systems into a huge upside for their new system. Oh yeah new system is backward compatible with Gamecube too. And they still have yet to debut their revolutionary new controller. Nintendo always had top notch first and second party games. Before playstation they also dominated in the third pary arena. But lost out essentially due to their use of catridges instead of cds. This new system has to potential to put them back on top. While the other systems are more powerful only a few games ever take advantage and you will eventually hit a wall where games just won't look any better. I like their approach, they have finnaly compromised on the media format but still want innovation and quality. I am also guessing their new system will be much cheaper than the others. Now is they could only lure the big third party names back like they had in the heyday of super nintendo they will easily be right back in the thick of things and maybe on top.

Xbox may gain share but I don't think it has any perceived technical advantage over Nintendo. Nintendo just pulled a trump card with its old school download service. That is going to attract a huge amount older players who loved those old school games and still want to play them. I remeber people buying used nintendo systems in college just to get some old school play in.