On Updates, the Wii Virtual Console, Channels

So in my almost complete lack of 360 action thanks to Microsoft and UPS, I've been doing lots of reading on the things like the new system patches and Wii stuff.

A few of things have popped up that I thought were interesting. Now that all the consoles are always online, they're going to constantly get updates online. The system will get updates, the games will get patches. I don't think this is going to lead to sloppy games out the door, but I also still do see it leading to awesome expansions either. Micro payment additions for follow-up game content seem to be the most popular thing on Live, so I think Nintendo will follow suit.

Come on...who doesn't want to unlock the Tanooki Suit in Mario Galaxy?

So that's one thing. The other is more Wii-centric. I think what Nintendo is doing with the Virtual Console and backwards compatibility with old games is awesome: I'll just never enjoy it. I'll never be able to justify buying emulated versions of games I already own physical copies of. I spent a lot of money re-buying all those games and having this really nice collection, something I want to eventually display a little better in the basement; my 2600, NES, SNES and N64 are all prides of my childhood.

But, of course, I see a lot of people wanting to play Mario and Metal Gear and such. Games from their childhood. Games they loved 10 years ago. Games they'll play for 10 minutes and try to get back into, but will burn their eyes (yes, I'm talking to you, GoldenEye).

But even though Nintendo said that they were sticking to a gaming-centric machine, it's flooded with useless crap: friend codes, weather checking, "e-mails" of play sessions, Mii avatars. God. If no one else has noticed, they've turned they're hottest selling sim game, Animal Crossing, into a fucking console. If I had to walk to an arcade on the Wii to play a game, I would never consider buying it.

There's two things I've learned about my gaming habits: I don't like menu-based RPGs and I don't like life sims. Animal Crossing, Harvest Moon, The Sims...none of it. Change the content to anything else like city building and roller coaster tycooning and we've got a deal. But you slap a schedule in there for going to work or making sprites happy and we're through.