A Casual Problem

One of my most anticipated games of year has just been released in the US, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, the sequel to two of the best games on the GameCube and a game aimed squarely at the more experienced gamers. For months there has been increasing speculation that Nintendo is moving further and further away from traditional game players towards the new casual market with games such as Brain Training and Nintendogs, so far that Wii Sports and Wii Play have become the best selling games for the Wii consoles. But can they have their cake and eat it? Is it possible to attract these new gamers and different demographics without alienating their original fans? Or will the Wii end up pleasing only those after short, unique experiences rather than those who like the more complex and challenging nature of traditional games. Well the problem lies in that very notion, that there are two camps of gamers, and therefore two types of games now. The industry has been going through massive change, with the Wii proving so popular and the more traditional tech heavy consoles struggling, the whole nature of the industry could be seeming to change. The problem comes when the traditional gamers see the casual ones as invading their hobby, and enjoying games that aren’t even really games. Is Brain Training a game? Sure, but there are no levels, bosses, you can’t die and some would argue it’s not even fun. Same with Wii sports, whilst it more resembles a game there are no real levels or challenges with it and the simplistic (but fun) controls leave many gamers baffled. Similarly those who love these games frown upon the complicated and impenetrable hardcore games, sci-fi shooters, RPG’s and first person shooters. My point is why can’t these games simply exist and people play whatever they want to. The simplistic notion that casual gamers who may never have played before only want a certain type of game is unfair and elitist, what if they are intrigued by other games, or styles of play, surely this is what expanding the market is all about? Similarly surely experienced gamers should be allowed to try out these new types of games and, heaven forbid, actually enjoy them. The two are not mutually exclusive; you do not have to fall into one camp or another. Nintendo’s philosophy is not to abandon the traditional gamer but to simply add to their numbers. Just like with other mediums such as TV or cinema you need different genres, different games for different people without preconceived notions of who is going to enjoy it. Take music for example, I am happy to say that I love both classical music and film scores, and acts such as Linkin Park or the Mars Volta. Or Jazz music, or dance music or even some pop music, so why can’t gamers like allsorts too, why must they be classified down into specific types and advised about what they will or won’t like? What really sparked this debate off, at least with myself, was variety’s review of Metroid prime 3. You can read the article here, but this excerpt highlights the point I am trying to make:

In addition to being borderline nonsensical, "Metroid Prime 3" is also difficult. It has the audacity to say, "Welcome to this strange place. Now go figure it out." … Too much of the time, though, "Metroid Prime 3" is more tedious than epic. This is particularly true of the boss battles, which are exhaustive affairs requiring dedication, patience, and most importantly, a familiarity with the vocabulary of videogames: double jumping, circle strafing, shooting weak points for massive damage, etc. Those who previously used the Wii only for party games will need a 13 year-old boy to explain it all.

The audacity of Retro studios! Goodness knows what they were thinking making a game that requires skill, patience and a familiarity of the vocabulary of videogames! Ridiculous as these remarks are they raise an interesting point, is the nature of the console influencing opinions of the games on it? If the same game had been released on the Xbox 360 or the PS3 then the elements that are criticized here would surely be praised instead, the complex controls, the focus on exploration and freedom of movement, the cleverly designed boss battles and the challenging nature of the game itself. Now the sad fact is that this magazine is obviously not aimed primarily at typical gamers, so it only serves to further these bonds between the two rather than valuing the game on its own merits and allowing the readers to make up their own minds. Going back to the music analogy from before this review is akin to reviewing the latest Oasis album and criticising it for being full of guitars.

If the Wii is really to appeal to all types of people then surely it has to take all sorts of games. In the same way that mainstream reviews may look down their noses at the latest party game these casual fans should not feel the same about games like Metroid. With the release of this, Mario and Smash Brothers Nintendo is proving to its hardcore fans that it still caters for their needs, but they have to also be aware also that they are not the only players any more. There are 10 million people out there with a Wii and if this expansion in gamers can be fruitfully harnessed and some kind of unity be accomplished then there is no reason why this situation can’t be good all round. But whilst publications and gamers alike continue with these labels and stereotypes then the harmony of new and old gamers, could easily turn into bitter contempt. Ultimately it is down to our individual attitude, are we willing to try something new and see where it takes us, or stick with the old and fight tooth and claw to have everything our way?