ShareThis
The release of Pandora’s Tower in North America was a special event, not because it was the culmination of Operation Rainfall’s heroic attempt to get three of Wii’s most prominent JRPGs localized (though that was certainly noteworthy in its own right), but because it marked what was presumably the last major release for the aging console. Barring any future movie tie-ins, it looks like Nintendo’s fifth-generation platform is now ready to ride off into the digital sunset. But before it takes its rightful place in gaming history, the staff wanted to bid the console one final farewell with a week-long tribute. Five writers, offering five different perspectives on the system, celebrating its impact on the industry and looking back on some of the gaming classics it’s spawned since its release. We hope you enjoy!
“Casual Gaming Love, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Wii Remote,” by Marc Deschamps
“These days, the term “casual gaming” is more loaded than a baked potato in a steakhouse. When we hear it, it stirs up frightening imagery of shovelware and discount bins at Walmart. But, as my mid (and now late) 20s hit, I started to realize that I didn’t have as much time for 40-hour epics anymore.”
“A Wii Renaissance,” by Lewis Hampson
“For some reason I decided to undo the months upon months of disregard and actually reconnect the thing to my TV. I turned on the console, plugged in my Classic controller, cracked open the case of Mario Kart Wii and never looked back.”
“The Platforming Revolution,” by Kyle England
“In future times, when children ask me about the fossilized white box called the Wii, I won’t remember the shovelware. I won’t remember the Miis, the strange ports, or the waggling. No, I will lean back in my rocking chair and think of soaring through the skies in Super Mario Galaxy, and riding mine carts in Donkey Kong Country Returns.”
“The Desert Island Device,” by Andy Hoover
“So much of the gaming world has focused on the Wii’s shortcomings, that everyone seems to ignore the fact that it actually has the greatest library of any console ever, and it really isn’t even a competition.”
“Retrospective: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess,” by Kevin Knezevic
“But while Wii Sports turned the console into a household item and opened the medium up to those who had never before played video games, it was The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess that defined the system’s launch and set the precedent for how to incorporate motion controls in a traditional gaming experience.”
