Plenty of time has passed during this generation and all of us have had plenty of time to try out all three of this gen's consoles.  Now, what's the verdict?   Which is the best?  How does the controller feel?  Are the exclusive games worth it?  Do the visuals pass muster?  Online capability?

I'm giving out letter grades here, college style: A (4.0), B+ (3.5), B(3.0), C+ (2.5), C (2.0), D+ (1.5), D(1.0), F (0.0 Didn't think we needed a half point if they failed)

Did your favorite console move to the head of the class or wear the dunce's hat?

Right now, let's focus on the Wii and dedicate seperate threads to the other two later.

Nintendo Wii

Controller-  The minute I got ahold of the Wii controller, I was in love.  I love the design of it, the seperate nuchuk and remote, the ability to fight in Zelda using actual motions.  It was perfect.  Then I tried Wii Sports and was in heaven.  It was 1:1 control, but it was still fun.  I love how it turned game control on it's ear.  If I needed a steering wheel, I just turn it horizontally.  If I need a gun, I just aimed it at the screen.  It simply felt revolutionary.   Of course, after a year, the honeymoon was over.  There were too many games that had tacked on motion controls.  The motion seemed imprecise at times.  A lot of developers weren't really taking advantage of the motion controller, only Nintendo, it seemed.  It was also unfortunate that you needed other attachments to play games...Wii balance board, classic controller.  We even had to add another attachment for true 1:1 motion control.  All of these things can add up, price-wise.  Not to mention the clutter.

In the end, the good outweighed the bad.  A part of me is sad to see Nintendo pretty much abandon motion controls for next gen. because it seemed so revolutionary.  Controller grade- B+

Interface/visuals-  Yeah, it's true, Wii graphics are not next gen.  But in 2006,  I was still impressed by what I saw.  Nintendo was bringing out the big guns and, boy, did they look impressive.  It would be difficult to find any flaws in Metroid Prime 3 and Super Mario Galaxy.  Over time, the divide between Wii's visuals and others got wider.  If you owned an HDTV, things got worse.  Maybe it's all in the timing for me since I didn't start gaming with an HDTV till this year, butit's certainly a turnoff now.  If I had a choice between getting a multiplatform game on the Wii or on another console, I would probably choose the other because of the downgraded visuals.

The Wii channels were brilliant, easy to navigate and easy to use. I loved arranging my VC games by order of preference.  The Mario games were all on the first page.   Mii's were also a work of genius.  Remember all the time you used to spend creating the different, celebrity Miis?  Using Miis also elevate some of the mediocre shovelware that the wii received.  C+

Online- The online aspect started out slowly, but great.  We were getting some awesome Virtual Console games, three a week.  Smash Bros and Mario Kart were perfect for online.  I spent countless hours playing Brawl against online opponents.  Then Nintendo just completely dropped the ball here.  What happened?

Uhhh...I didn't like Nintendo's approach to online gaming at all.  Friend codes, again? Seriously?  Didn't I just enter a code already to be friends with someone, now I've gotta do it again to play Animal Crossing with them?  And the microphone?  A glorified baby monitor?  Plus, where did the VC games go?  D+

Exclusives-  This is where Nintendo will always shine brightest and they certainly pulled out all the stops here.  During the Wii's lifetime, we got TWO incredible Mario games, one 2D Mario platformer, two Zeldas, another AAA Metroid Prime a 2D Metroid platformer, a Donkey Kong Country revival, Punchout, Wii Sports...It's amazing all the exclusives we've seen, so a grade of A

Overrall-  The Wii started out strong out of the gate, but is now limping to the finish line. Where are the games for us Americans?  Online didn't turn out like it should and had a very archaic system for onliner play.

But we can't forget the Mii's, exclusive Nintendo games, revolutionary controller and the huge number of Virtual Console games that were released.

overral grade- B

Wii Valedictorian- Super Mario Galaxy

Wii = "B" It's a fun system, but it didn't live up to its potential. There should have been a lot more MotionPlus games.

travo said:

Exactly...Nintendo kind of half-assed things like that.  They quit on online gaming before it really took off.  How many M+ games have there been since it was released two years ago?

Not all games require motion plus. Mario Galaxy, NSMB and plenty of others simply do not require more refined motion controls. Stuff like Zelda and Red Steel 2 are made better by it. It is only 10 bucks extra and all the new wiimotes have it build in. Here is the list of all the games that use wm+

Academy of Champions

All Star Karate

Backyard Sports : Sandlot Sluggers

Conduit 2

Crazy Mini Golf 2

Deca Sports 3

The Garfield Show: Threat of the Space Lasagna

Grand Slam Tennis

Hooked! Again: Real Motion Fishing

James Cameron's Avatar: The Game

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

New Carnival Games

NewU Fitness First Mind Body, Yoga & Pilates Workout

NHL 2K10

NHL 2K11

Racquet Sports

Red Steel 2

Shaun White Snowboarding: World Stage

FlingSmash

Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time

SpongeBob's Truth or Square

The Grinder

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters

Tron: Evolution - Battle Grids

Virtua Tennis 4

Virtua Tennis 2009

Wii Play: Motion

Wii Sports Resort

Zangeki no Reginleiv

Zumba Fitness

WiiWare

GhostSlayer

Rage of the Gladiator

ShadowPlay

The Wii did not reach its full potential. When people first saw the wiimote they imagined lightsaber games and all other kinds of sword fighting stuff. We only got 3 games, Wii Sport Resort, Red Steel 2 and Skyward Sword. We did get lots of Star Wars game, but like the source material they are crap.

Elebits also showed that telekinetic gameplay would work like a charm on the Wii, but no one paid attention. I would literary give away Travo's firstborn for a WM+ sequel of Second Sight. But alas nothing.

Pro Evolution Soccer on the Wii showed how team sports could work like we never imagined before. It could also be used to revolutionise RTS, but again no one paid attention.

But the wii did some awesome things. It made Bowling cool, it made the best golf sims ever and the pointer controls in FPS and platformers like SMG, Nyxquest, Lost Wind were awesome.

But the best thing the Wii did. It brought back the 2D platformer and made the 3D platformers about platforming again. The platformer deserves to be on disc, it does not need downloadable indie game. For that alone I salute the Wii. For that and Sin and Punishment 2 and all the other quirky and awesome game. Oh and let's not forget about Xenoblade.

I give it B+, if it actually had 3rd party support it could easily have been a A.

Don't forget everyone's favorite dictator-em-up Little King's Story.

My score rounded out to a B.  If it wasn't for Nintendo's first party titles, this would certainly get no higher than a C for me too.

travo said:

... Nintendo says they're serious about getting the hardcore back? ...

When did they say that?

Iga_Bobovic said:

...

But the best thing the Wii did. It brought back the 2D platformer...

I think you can give XBLA and those Flash PC games more than equal credit for that.

The day I use school marking is the day I become the Victorian version of Aspro.

8/10.

Doesn't quite reach the heights of something like the PS2, but easily the best console of the generation. If I had only a PS3 I wouldn't be happy; I had only a Wii this gen for a long time and was perfectly happy.

Not that I've got the 360, but there's really only a couple of exclusives that excite me. Would be interested in one for $50-100 dollars, though.

aspro said:

Victorian Aspro:

Exactly, I don't want to be a pain killer!

Controller-  This is the most interesting aspect of the console by a mile and the only aspect I want Nintendo to keep (yet they are moving away from it). IR controls are a revolution and should be the standard for all shooters on consoles. Motion controls when done right can immerse you in a game in a way no other controller can. Sadly the wiimote was so under used, the majority of games just including useless waggle or simply using the remote as an NES controller. Maybe Zelda will use the wiimote in the ways I dreamed games using it, to fully incorporate it into every aspect of the game, to interact in new ways. So it gets a B simply cause it was very under utilized.   B

Interface/visuals-  Oh god, what a mess. Graphics that aren't even as good as an Xbox  No HD in an HD era, games looking crappier than ever cause SD games look like ass on HD sets. Its a technical piece of crap. The interface was cool though, I love the channel setup and the first time navigating menus with the wiimote was magical. D+

Online-  What online, LOLOLOLOLOL   Terrible friend system with no real community features. Its like back to the Dreamcast days. At least the online works, its just featureless. The Vitual Console though was the greatest thing in the world, sadly it was killed off. D+

Games -  Well its Nintendo so it has some of the greatest exclusives of all time. Zelda: TP, Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 will be on many all time greatest games lists. Metroid Prime 3 is a masterpiece, DKCR is one of the finest 2D platformers I have ever played. We got a new 2D Mario game, a sort of side scrolling Metroid and another stellar Smash game. Plus a new Zelda soon. Nintendo was at the top of their game but as always they start very strong and slowly die down as the system goes on. Third party was a mess, for every standout there are 30 shovelware games. Its missing almost every single major third party release this gen or it got far inverior versions. At least the uniqueness of the system allowed it to get many exclusives like Elebits, Boom Blox, Zack and Wiki, Madworld, Xenoblade, Epic Mickey and more. It can't hang with the other two console libraries but its a perfect secondary system to have as it has such a different lineup of games. B-

Overall - Its a weird system, one of the strangest we have ever had. I am glad to own it as it has some really cool games. It at least tried to move how we play games forward even if it lost it never lived up to its potential. But the outdated tech, lack of features and poor game library in comparison makes it easily the worst console of the three.  But hey at least it doesn't break. C-