@theadrock13 Oh my... not that again.
(P.S. not all of this comment is specifically aimed at you, just so you know)
I can very much understand all the disappointment voiced throughout the Nintendo supporting community, but in all the doom and gloom facts get lost pretty easily. Sure, the situation is bad, but not half as bad as some of you seem to (want to or feel the need to) paint it. On the other hand we also need to heed situations with people in denial, where the rose tinted glasses seem to paint a much nicer picture, but all in all Nintendo is a long way of being a lost cause, and DEFINITELY not a Dreamcast situation. It's okay to have you're own opinion and one can only respect that, but it seems like that either you never actually experienced the whole Dreamcast era, or that you have forgotten what it's demise was REALLY caused by, because it's been so long ago.
Here's a good article that poses a few interesting things but also host the two part video journal about the history and downfall of the Dreamcast, made with and by people that actually KNOW what happened, and it gives a VERY detailed inside look into the MANY mistakes made by Sega starting with the add-ons of the Genesis/Megadrive and that kept piling up, all the way to the Dreamcast. And THAT was the only reason the Dreamcast failed, not the lack of EA support.
http://xiaopang333.wordpress.com/2008/05/02/piracy-killed-the-dreamcastor-did-it/
No single publisher is that important to a console, no matter which one it is. All would survive in one form or another without EA.
Now turn that around and let EA have no console to publish games on: that would definitely kill THEM, because PC alone will not give them enough returns to make things profitable...

Nice to be able to agree, good on you!
Well, I'm signing off. Living halfway around the world makes for a rather large time difference, and I need to be sharp again in the morning... (it's 0:34 here now... )

@P-Gamer-C Same to you.
As for your second point: then we have to agree to disagree or let the topic be and move on, because otherwise we will keep defending our point till the end of days...

@P-Gamer-C Damage control? Haha, no son, I did no such thing seeing as I have no need to, and there's also no need to correct me, I'll do that myself if need be. Please do not try to read something else into what I write, because I say EXACTLY what I mean. If I'm serious, you'll know, and the same goes for when I'll make fun of you or if I'm being sarcastic. I don't feel the need to cloak that in hidden meanings or references. I'll just say what I think right there.
As for the point about the sales figures: that still stands since I counted worldwide sales, NOT just separate areas. The PS3 was well behind the Wii U in it's 4th month and did NOT make good in the following two months. And couple that with the fact that the Wii U has way less games available compared to the PS3, and they STILL sold 3.45 million systems, possibly based for a large part on their former reputation alone. Not something that will help Nintendo forever, but still...

P.S.

Ever wondered why @siddyp00h never responded to your comment himself?
Probably because he didn't think it'd be worth bothering getting into an outdrawn argument such as this.
Now me on the other hand, I like me a good discussion, though not to gain victory over someone, but to see what motivates other people and find out if we can reach a common ground. (or if all else fails agree to disagree and let other people have the floor instead of taking over a topic) Make of that what you will, I won't take offense since everybody has a right to their own opinion, as long as they're also able to have an open mind besides that. The bad thing about the internet is that, speaking in general, you can't shut people up, even if they're wrong or misguided, making online arguments last way longer than their face to face counterparts. Well, whichever way this goes, I hope you still have a nice stay here on N-Life. It's a community for ALL people that like Nintendo games, so we don't have to be all buddy-buddy and so on as long as we can keep it somewhat respectful, agreed? Laterrr...

@P-Gamer-C Why does that bother you so much? Like I said before: it's just what it is: a fact, nothing more, nothing less. Want to get back on topic now, instead of dwelling on ReviewTech? I find his channel entertaining and he's an okay guy, like I said before, but it's not the Holy Grail so not that important to argue over. In the video I posted he made some good points though, that tied in nicely to this article. I'm sorry you think that you need to resort to insult where I have clearly stated my intent of NOT insulting YOU several times. I'm no fanboy, I own multiple consoles and haven't been a boy since I passed 30. Also, if I would be stupid, which you seem to imply (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) then I wouldn't have been able to perform very well in the business that I'm in for this long...

@idork99 You're welcome!
As for Pong: you didn't miss that much, although it IS of course a classic and one of the very few games that didn't make me feel sorry for not having a color TV set at the time. I'd hate to think about having to play NES games on a b&w TV, though...
The first console that I used on a color TV was an Atari2600, and I had some pretty cool games on it. Most of that is now nostalgia related, because even I am a little spoiled with today's graphics and games, but I still play the odd classic every now and then, if only to remember the good old days...
@P-Gamer-C And to think that after typing all these carefully weighed words, all you comment on is the YouTube link I posted? Tssss....
And foreigner? I'll just ignore that for the sake of politeness to a fellow American, but besides that, you're just a boy in my eyes, (not meant as an insult, just stating facts, since I'm nearly twice your age) and you only know half of what I do on topics like these, if even that much. Not just because I'm older, but because I've been tied to IT related jobs for well over 25 years and for the last decade to IT related sales and marketing, also venturing into areas like game consoles. Rich of ReviewTech is a standup kind of guy, not afraid to give his opinion, but also not too big to admit he is wrong if that comes to pass, which has happened VERY few times.
As for him loving/hating the Wii U? Well, so do a lot of us. Nintendo DID drop the ball on several occasions, but that doesn't mean that they still have a chance to turn that around, same as with the 3DS.
And of course they have some great games and IP's, and they have had those on every damn console or handheld they've ever released, whether the machine itself failed or not. Even the Virtual Boy had some great games.
In short, even if you're a Nintendo fan/gamer, there's nothing wrong with showing them that they aren't perfect. In fact, blindly defending ANY system is just plain stupid.
The rest of the previous comment I posted is based on known facts. I don't know if one should see that as wisdom; I personally don't because this information is readily available online if you care to do a little searchin'...

@P-Gamer-C Nope, @siddyp00h didn't get anything wrong, he was actually pretty factual and nice about it. With all due respect, but I've been around A LOT longer than you, and was already playing games long before you were born, so I think it would be good to learn to get your facts straight before you try to pass off misinformation or partial information as fact. Rest assured that I may come across as harsh, but I'm NOT trying to thrash you or insult you, just telling it like it is. Maybe try and listen to one of our fellow country men: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g_FDCPTJVg He calls 'em like he sees 'em and actually makes a lot of sense. (and by the way: yes, if you look at my profile it says Netherlands, but I'm American from my father's side, I just live in Europe) Oh, and you're wrong about the tablet point as well: the Wii U is NOT a gaming tablet, it is a very logical, or even natural evolution and/or amalgamation of all Nintendo technology up till now, but you would need to understand Nintendo's ethos/philosophy and know ALL of their history to get that. To put it in layman's terms: it is a giant, detached/unhinged DS with HD graphics and better controls incorporated plus some interesting extra capabilities such as the Wii U panorama title nicely demonstrates. Calling it a gaming tablet would automatically mean that the whole DS range from DS Phat up till the 3DS XL are also gaming tablets, or surely mini tablets then...
It is of course totally wrong and complete bs. The only thing you showed with that remark is that Nintendo still needs to do a LOT of work advertising what the Wii U actually IS, because so many people make the same mistake in writing it off as a 'weak, low resolution tablet-toy' for which I can't even blame them, although I DO think that with a little more thought and research, people would be less influenced by mass media and negative hype and would therefore be less oblivious to what's staring them into the face.
Simply by looking at what the GamePad can do and more importantly how it works, it's clear from the start that it doesn't even meet the standard qualifications for it to be labeled as a tablet, but enough of this for today...
@siddyp00h Thanks for being one of the very few clear headed and factual ones; must be something that happens to game lovers once they start to inch closer to thirty...
It always makes me get a big grin on my face and shake my head when people that are younger than 20 state that they have been gaming all their life (which could of course be true, but it's more about what follows, so bear with me) and claim to know everything about gaming history while I ACTUALLY and CONSCIOUSLY lived through all of it and played on just about EVERY system that has ever come out starting with a Pong game console on a black&white TV set and I still own quite a few of the good ones from 'recent' years too...

@HawkeyeWii You can thank me later...

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/eternal-darkness-sanity-s-requiem-nintendo-gamecube-ntsc-us-usa-import-scary-fun-75412153.htm or http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/sis.html?_nkw=ETERNAL%20DARKNESS%20SANITYS%20REQUIEM%20NINTENDO%20GAMECUBE%20NTSC%20US&_itemId=110981732701

_{That was absolutely uncalled for. — TBD}

@Peach64 You are right in thinking that. I still have a Dreamcast and it uses so called 'GD-ROM' discs, that have a maximum capacity of 1Gigabyte of uncompressed data. Illegal copies can even fit on a single CD by downgrading/compressing audio and cut scenes. The reason I mention this is that for a digital download, instead of downgrading, they could use compression for these files, making digital downloads between 600 - 1000 Megabytes.

As for Saturn games: because of the (for it's time) insanely complicated hardware I think they are WAY harder to emulate or convert while the Dreamcast made use of the Windows CE development platform, making it quite easy to port games to the Wii U.

@Kifa While @Kage_88 isn't too enthousiastic as well, he at least gets the point of the DEFINITE added value of doing this. Just look at the facts: Nintendo spends just a minor amount of resources and time that will see to it that the Wii U is able to run iOS/Android apps & games and they leave the door open for developers to decide for themselves if they want to bring their game to the Wii U or not. If Nintendo does NOT enable the Wii U, it is certain that developers will not invest their hard earned time and money in converting their games to the Wii U. With this very smart move set in motion, the console is natively made ready to receive these kind of games, if companies wish to do so, so it will be a simple transfer instead of a (possibly) expensive or time intensive port. It will almost be like plug and play, with possibly only some effort required to for example add tactile controls instead of touch screen controls.
If you don't like these kind of games, fair enough but it's not about the individual. You should therefore also think about the rest of the public and having a single platform that caters to all these different tastes is a VERY smart move indeed. Be it AAA games, eShop, VC or smart phone games/apps, the sky will be the limit and it's a good thing for Nintendo as a company too, so it's a no-brainer: win-win, methinks. Remember, the other games will STILL be there, so you don't HAVE to play them if you don't want to, it will NOT have any negative effect on the "normal" Wii U games that are going to be published.

@diavu Talk about missing the point...

@SCAR392 For someone half my age you're actually pretty smart...
But seriously: it seems like you're one of the few on here that is almost always able to take a step back, take a deep breath or count to ten or whatever and then come up with a comment that at least makes some sense, as opposed to some of the 'smart' people on here and other sites that seem to be very proficient and certain that they ABSOLUTELY know what Nintendo, aka the world's largest game company, (that has already existed for almost 125 years) should do.
That isn't even laughable: it's ridiculous, presumptuous and VERY narrow minded. AT BEST. /rant
Sorry about that last bit, maybe I'm getting too old and impatient with nonsensical human beings nowadays...

Most high quality mobile games will DEFINITELY give many a Wii U eShop title a run for it's money in the graphics department and with little more effort on Nintendo's part than making the console able and opening the door for developers to bring in their games, this can only be seen as a win-win situation. If you don't, then I honestly have to say that you're either stupid, oblivious to how marketing, sales and advertising works, or opinionated as your comment will just be that: your opinion, and not a well supported fact.
ANYTHING bringing in more money and/or support for the Wii U is good, so even if some people are NEVER going to play mobile games on Wii U, they should still see this as a benefit and a smart move, giving both early and late adopters of the system a very wide range of options. And it will of course also help in showing how developer friendly the system is and the same goes for 'the new and improved' developer friendly Nintendo themselves...

I've been in IT hardware sales and marketing for well over 12 years, and I'll gladly put a month's salary towards this bringing Nintendo some well deserved credit, because it is clearly a VERY smart move, ESPECIALLY with projected sales of mobiles and mobile games only getting bigger with every year, so being able to benefit from the games on there (which, by the way WILL start to look better and better WAY before new consoles will be announced) is all in all a pretty sweet deal. And being able to play them with ACTUAL tactile controls is a HUGE plus for me personally.

But of course that last remark is just an opinion...

@Gameday How the heck did you come up with that conclusion?
Nintendo already stated that the new versions of 3D Mario, Mario Kart, of course Pikmin 3, Wind Waker HD and Smash Bros will DEFINITELY be shown and more than likely some of them will be playable. Besides that there is The Wonderful 101, Project X from the makers of Xenoblade, Bayonetta 2, maybe a preview of a new Zelda title in the works and besides that the definite bombshell that will be dropped when Retro shows all attending E3 what the Wii U is REALLY capable of when they reveal their new game engine, including the title running on it. Reportedly even the people of Nintendo themselves were pretty impressed by what they've already seen, and that was just a beta...

And then there's probably a thing or two (or three) that none of us, INCLUDING the press knows about yet, but that WILL be revealed at E3.

So, in short: there's no need for all the doom and gloom.

Going to be playing a mix of old and new this weekend:

3DS XL - Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars
Wii - Xenoblade Chronicles
Xbox 360 - Sleeping Dogs
PC - Age of Mythologies

@Henmii you must have missed my earlier comment: way ahead of 'ya...

@Rief Not really getting the whole 'tribute to 16 bit Zelda' thingy, are we?
You're statement also shows that you're completely missing the point, so it is incorrect, because nostalgia is definitely NOT only related to games coming from a certain era. It is the trick to use SIMILAR graphics and fuse them with modern techniques that, when done right, will EVOKE those EXACT nostalgic feelings in us while we play it.
Oh, and the graphics whore thing is so 2012...
This game looks beautifully retro, PERIOD.

To all you guys (and girls):
new video link here: http://vimeo.com/65413762
Play it full screen in HD with the lights out and the speakers turned way up, I dare you...
@Game0ver_Gavin You really should buy it now:
http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/eternal-darkness-sanity-s-requiem-nintendo-gamecube-ntsc-us-usa-import-scary-fun-75412153.htm or http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/sis.html?_nkw=ETERNAL%20DARKNESS%20SANITYS%20REQUIEM%20NINTENDO%20GAMECUBE%20NTSC%20US&_itemId=110981732701
It's a true classic and although the graphics will now seem somewhat dated, the atmosphere is still great and there are so many great and insane surprises hidden in the game that'll hit you when you least expect it in the middle of playing this, that it would be a shame to miss out on this if you like horror/survival games. If you do, you will not regret trying this game out!

@retro_player_22 Because Nintendo owns the rights to the name "Eternal Darkness", simple as that.

A bit tired of the whole Call of Duty circus, but this is supposed to be made with a new engine, so call me slightly curious for the true reveal...

@Dpullam I think that as the group of traditional console gamers diminishes, it will just become niche, like somebody else already stated. But as far as bygone memories go I only have to reach into the closet to grab one of my consoles, so I can revisit the 'good old days' whenever I want to... ;D

@Dpullam You're right; the true gamer part wasn't directed at you, nor at anyone else here. It's just a distinction I made to identify console gamers vs smart device gamers to aid my argument, so I hope you didn't take offense.
I never aim to upset or anger any NL visitor, but I do like facts (and flaunting my knowledge, to be truthful). On many occasions I do find that age difference is a factor, and definitely not a minor one. And I've been gaming for a good 10 years longer than you. It would be the same as if someone of, say 12 years old claims he could make the same distinctions as you could, which would be impossible. I am 43 years old and actively and consciously experienced everything from the Colecovision and Atari2600 up till now, so yeah that means something and also gives you a broader perspective than people that started gaming in the 16 bit era or maybe knowingly witnessed the transfer from the 8 bit era to 16 bit, but even though you could have bought an 8 bit system later on, you never witnessed the whole 'entrance to exit' period when it happened, because you simply weren't born yet in 1986. Not to belittle you or anything, just stating facts. That may come across as cold, arrogant or even asinine, but it is not intended as such, just so you know. And I share your hope for consoles, although I'm somewhat more optimistic because I think that I won't be there anymore, or at least too old to notice the supposed 'final demise' of dedicated game consoles. Especially Nintendo's handhelds will probably last me a lifetime, because they will more than likely continue to make those, or maybe even a hybrid to compete with smart devices.

@Bulby Exactly, nail on the head and so on. I didn't even go so far as to check their site as you did, but in my line of work I have to deal with these kind of people on a regular basis, so that's why I could make this statement in a previous comment:

"Analyst try to give an objective view of things to come, based on past events and predictive behavior of consumers, but definitely not always with the necessary connected and knowledgeable view of the whole picture. In this case they just take the rise of Android/iOS devices as their starting point, WITHOUT knowing what will happen when the new consoles come out. And people will still buy those in droves, I can guarantee you that much..."

@GiftedGimp Wow, I don't know what you were smoking back then (or now) but you are WAY off with your short version retelling of what happened to Sega and why. I've commented on this on hundreds of sites for more times than I care to remember and I always stick to the bare facts, NOT speculation or myth and rumours. In short it was successive acts of mismanagement and refusal to implement the readily available DVD technology that one of their biggest competitors at the time (namely Sony) did, so in a sense competing with Sony killed the Dreamcast, NOT piracy, that is just ridiculous and also has no factual support, or at least not on this planet...
Here's an extensive article on the TRUE story backed up with a 2 part video report made by and with industry veterans with inside knowledge of what actually happened back then:
http://xiaopang333.wordpress.com/2008/05/02/piracy-killed-the-dreamcastor-did-it/
In it you will find answers to interesting questions such as: if piracy supposedly killed the Dreamcast, then why did it not kill the PS1? (which was being pirated on in a WAY larger scale than the Dreamcast ever was)
Mind you, piracy sucks balls, but it isn't responsible for even a half of the things that it is accused of. And the rumor flames are constantly being fed by crazed and oblivious consumers and insidious media who need to have a scape goat to cover up for a considerable percentage of the hardware and software companies' own failures. Almost as if the media is purposely hired by companies to do just that...

Here's hoping for part three, as each part gradually got better both in gameplay AND graphics. Part one is the least version imho...

@CaptainSquid Like hotcakes they do. Still doesn't make the "oh no, smart devices is teh doomz for consoles" prediction true. It is just not gonna happen, PERIOD. There will just be a diminishing group of 'pure' console gamers, and then there will be those that play on both consoles and smart devices and those that play only on smart devices. I've been in tech/IT related sales and marketing for over twelve years now and I've seen the shift, but not the crash or whatever people think is coming. Analyst try to give an objective view of things to come, based on past events and predictive behavior of consumers, but definitely not always with the necessary connected and knowledgeable view of the whole picture. In this case they just take the rise of Android/iOS devices as their starting point, WITHOUT knowing what will happen when the new consoles come out. And people will still buy those in droves, I can guarantee you that much...
Everything else I already said in my previous comment still stands as well, until someone proves me wrong with cold hard facts...

@shredmeister Depends on what you like. Dead Trigger, Infinity Blade, Need for Speed Most Wanted, Contract Killer 2, Beach Buggy Blitz, Fragger, Toki Tori, World of Goo, Great Little War Game, Cogs, Terror Dome and Blood and Glory are all reasonably good fun for a smart phone game, even though some of these games also have console versions available. I have to say that I'm not certain if all of these games are also available on iOS, since I don't have an iPhone. But in that case you could always try to finish Temple Run 1 & 2 and Riptide (a Wave Race clone) who are definitely on iOS...

@Dpullam Maybe it's the fact that I've got 20 years on you as a guy who likes games, but for me this supposed 'onslaught of tablet devices' is only in the minds of the insecure or those that inadvertently seem to will that non-existent threat into existence, making it the well-known self fulfilling prophecy. As far as I'm concerned smart phone and/or tablet gaming is just a sub category of TRUE gaming and will not replace it until such a time that it can be at least on par with the upcoming consoles and be connected to TV as such, not like the 'Android PC' it is now.
Younger people nowadays will more than likely have more affinity with smart devices, but those are just the times. We had walkmans, they have mp3 players, it's to be expected.
Funny thing is that my 12yo nephew rather plays Minecraft on his laptop than smart phone games... (and he has a Wii)
The market may diminish, but as long as people like us, that are dedicated to the true gaming experience, live consoles will stay alive for a long, long time to come...

" ...and in other news: video clips are killing the radio, TV has all but taken over the newspaper and the internet is about to make books obsolete altogether... "

Today's predictions are tomorrow's nonsense, ask the Maya's...
What these so called analysts are way too much of is in the first two syllables of the word itself...

@Fusion14 Far be it for me to rain on your parade, but you're wrong, and not even a little bit:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Are_emulators_illegal
http://www.1upgamers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6574&postcount=15
The only thing you are right about is the fact that it is illegal to own copies of ROMs/CD's/DVD's that you do NOT own yourself. And it goes without saying that making several copies and trying to make a profit off of them is even more illegal and will amount to 'true' piracy, if such a distinction can even be made...
An emulator however, is not a copyrighted program or similar in and of itself and because of that can NEVER be illegal and neither is the act of emulating systems on other platforms such as PC or a softmodded Wii in itself.
That being said, although I do not condone piracy and so on, I also use copies of games that I bought, for my PC as well. Keeps my originals in mint condition. And not to forget: gets rid of the nasty CD/DVD checks on PC by using NoDVD files.. ;D

@Haywired
No offence taken. I'm curious to know what would make you think so, though. Most of the times I triple check what I type before posting it for real, so hopefully no wrong interpretation can be made, but then again it's only text and there's only so much one can do to prevent how others explain it...

@skjia Point taken. Most of my comment was actually meant for FyreeTSG, but you seemed to agree with him, which is why I added you in the comment. No offense meant, though, I just like open minded gamers is all...

@Haywired
Totally off topic, but I've completely missed your comment on the Project CARS article:

@DePapier
Fair enough!

Though I think Thanos' comment may have been sarcastic (seeing as a real life steering wheel isn't detachable or full of buttons and isn't similar in shape).

Just to let you know: I was definitely not being sarcastic, an F1 steering wheel actually IS detachable AND full of buttons, same as in the Project CARS video. And I use smileys or similar when I'm joking or being sarcastic...

@FyreeTSG and @skjia
I never owned a TG16, Neo Geo or Commodore 64, but I have played many of the games that were published for them at a friends house and with a colleague of mine, who is a collector. I just didn't have the money then to buy all these consoles/home computers. (especially not the ridiculously expensive Neo Geo... ) I do have almost every Commodore (Amiga) system after that and I do not agree with you. Besides that I still own a Saturn, a Dreamcast and every Nintendo system (and handheld) from the N64 up till now so yeah, I love Nintendo but I'm also a gamer and can appreciate a good game any day of the week, even if it's not on a Nintendo system, as you should too.
A good game is a good game, PERIOD. I do think that the the VC on Wii/DSi and so on did certainly not give us all of the best games on those systems, so on that point I could agree that some games are rubbish and it also made me wonder why they were brought to Virtual Console in the first place, but still...

Each of us has had different game console memories and experiences and thrashing them without even knowing what great games were published on them is very narrow minded and saddening, to say the least...

@Neram If you are really serious you're either oblivious to the REAL facts why Sega's Dreamcast went belly up, or (and I'm sorry to say) you're overreacting and talking out of the other hole.
Nintendo's situation wasn't, isn't and is NEVER going to be the same as Sega's, PERIOD. Doomsday prophecies predicting the demise of Nintendo, the ONLY company right now still making a HEALTHY profit and having a healthy bank account are RIDICULOUS, because even with the fewer sales and down scaled profit outlook Nintendo THEMSELVES have published, they're still in a WAY better position than Sony and Microsoft with their billion dollar losses on the current consoles: http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/03/nintendo_reportedly_has_8128_billion_yen_in_the_bank
Like Nintenjoe64 already posted: http://www.vg247.com/2013/01/07/xbox-360-and-ps3-losses-total-8-billion-ex-sony-employee-paints-grim-future/
As far as the Dreamcast situation is concerned: for Nintendo to be in the same predicament, they should have been making huge mistakes starting with the SNES and EVERY console thereafter, because THAT, and ONLY that is why Sega failed, by making mistake upon mistake and letting the financial losses build and build and in between trying to patch things by coming up with stop-gap systems (SegaCD, Sega 32x) and new systems WAY too soon that were also underpowered and WAY too difficult to program for (Saturn). Not to mention quite a few VERY stupid executive decisions tied into all of that. The Dreamcast in comparison is an almost perfect console, especially for it's time, and was VERY programmer friendly and had some great software. I still play on it to this day. If only they had included DVD support, Sony would have had a much harder time getting the PS2 into homes...

So, next time you wish to compare Nintendo's current misfortune to Sega's downfall, please check up on actual facts so you don't unnecessarily worry yourself, because there's no need at all...
This comment may come across as harsh, but rest assured it's only my irritation about people in general stupidly confusing these two ENTIRELY different situations and needlessly spelling doom, and NOT something aimed at you personally.
You just happened to be the next one making this unfounded comment...

Certainly impressive and I couldn't even do that if I really tried, so respect and hats off to the builder, but as far as I am concerned there's one thing VERY wrong with the whole project: he says that NOTHING beats playing games on the actual system, since you have to EXPERIENCE the retro feel, well I agree with him there for 200% but that is also why any REAL retro gamer should not only play on the original console, but also with the ORIGINAL controller. For Dreamcast games NOTHING beats the actual controller and the same goes for most of the other consoles.
NOTHING beats the real thing...

Still impressive though.

@DrSlump Ehm, no: Yes NFS MW was a port from the other consoles that, as a bonus, incorporated the PC textures to give the Wii U version a graphical update and the edge vs the other versions. See the article posted on N-Life titled "Digital Foundry - Need For Speed: Most Wanted U Delivers as Definitive Console Version". It seems that says it all.

This means that when pc portings will come from for example ps4, a graphics and texture down grade will be needed. Not to mention other technical downgrades due to limited wii u cpu power.

Not a definitive 'no' but also not as certain as you make it out to be. If the previously mentioned NFS also made use of PC textures at the high end of the scale (which it did, because it was CLEARLY stated several times by the people of Criterion themselves that they'd used the uncompressed PC textures) then other games on Wii U will also be able to do that, for quite some time to come. Graphics in games will not fly sky high that fast that the Wii U won't be able to keep up for the next couple of years. All three new consoles will be able to use uncompressed PC textures and the differences will be in optimization and graphical effects. If programmers get smart (and fast) they will be able to even out the score by reprogramming the Wii U versions to take maximum advantage of the GPGPU, which will DEFINITELY be able to make a good counterweight for the supposedly 'weak' CPU. Besides that, most of the new game engines will be scalable, so even though the Wii U version won't be the best looking, it will still be possible to make use of the engine. If smart phones can, so can Nintendo's console, one way or another.

We have to submit to the fact that wii u, compared to the upcoming consoles, is like the "old" wii compared to the last gen consoles.

NO. We don't 'have to submit' to anything seeing as this is NOWHERE NEAR the same situation. Believe that and you're oblivious to rock solid facts. In the previous generation, the difference (as even any kid knows) was SD vs HD and a HUGE difference in power, making the other two consoles around 8 to 10 times more powerful. In this generation, the PS4 is roughly 2 to 4 times more powerful, and the new Xbox will probably be more or less the same, or maybe even a bit more, but still not as big of a difference as before, so they will all still be in the Full HD ballpark and seeing as most of us will NOT have a TV that can display more than 1080p, it will only be in the details, as I have always said from the beginning. OF COURSE these details DO matter, because they can also mean better frame rate, better AI, larger game worlds and more and better animated effects, but still: details. Textures and graphics will basically not be THAT hugely different like they were before. And besides that: having a 42" to 55" TV (which is the average HD TV owner) and sitting about 10 to 12 feet away from it, the graphical differences will NOT even be noticed by the frankly very pathetic human eye. You WILL be seeing the differences I previously mentioned because most of them have nothing to do with graphics. For example: even an idiot can see the difference between 10 enemies on screen at once in a fluid framerate as opposed to 24 or more, and you can also replace that with any of the other details I named. I do think Nintendo needs a reality check and needs to start making headway with developers, and fast. You did make a good point on owning multiple consoles. I do the same and it's the only way to get the best of both worlds. As for the rest, the doom spelling for Nintendo needs to end. Now.
I'm not a fanboy (especially not at my age) but I am a realist and a bit of slow and easy breathing and logical thinking will go a long way towards seeing things as they are as opposed to what we may fear or think.

@Osc-Sync Platinum can cave in all it wants, it won't matter an inch since Nintendo now OWNS the rights as publisher so never in a million years is this going to another console unless Nintendo feels it has a good reason to ALLOW that to happen. Maybe one day when they all get totally drunk they'll screw up and make a trade with Microsoft to get Rare back. (although Rare coming back in reality wouldn't even be that bad: Nintendo is in fact the only company that got the best games out of them for a longer period than any other) Legions of butt-hurt current gen HD console fans would once again be delighted to get their 'rightful' sequels back on a console that they think it 'belongs' to. Sigh...
@SCAR392 My thoughts exactly, but you said it first, so thank you for saving me the trouble. 100% in agreement. Last gen I had the Wii60 combo, this coming gen WiiUinfinity (since Infinity is what the 'Nextbox' is supposedly going to be called instead of everybody still using it's codename Durango or the totally stupid 'Xbox720' which absolutely makes no sense at all)

Great console, many great games and a great piece of writing. A very enjoyable read and a nice trip back to memory lane. Well done, Damian. Oh, and this:

"There are some elements of retro gaming that simply cannot be replicated via digital distribution"

needs to be set in stone or put on a ceramic tile and sold to people that don't get TRUE retro gaming and want their current or new console to be fully backwards compatible so everything will work on it. I still have ALL my old consoles and handhelds and play the games on their own platforms, as they should. To me it just seems very weird to play a SNES game with a Playstation or Xbox controller, but that's just my opinion. Maybe I'm starting to get too old or maybe I'm expecting too much from 'new' gamers. I tried to instill the same respect from the origins of gaming into my 13 year old nephew but he just thinks that anything lower than the current gen is ugly and he doesn't have the patience to get into it either. (funny thing is that he does play Minecraft, though) He even clicks away intro's and cut scenes in current games because he 'just wants to play'. I tried to explain to him that it's unwise to do so because an intro will get you into the story or even give you hints and cut scenes might even be of importance to the game or tell you what you need to do, but alas... oh well. It's nice to read articles like these every now and then, especially since I've consciously lived through every console from the Atari2600 and up and also played most of them, which is why I understand that without these humble beginnings we would never be in the current generation in the first place and therefore I still enjoy and to some extent respect old games.

@moroboshi Hmm, you seem to confuse opinion with fact. It's fine to have your own opinion and you're entitled to it and should by all means defend it, so no offense there, but stating things as fact is not very smart.

The DS and 3DS are gimmicks

NO. YOU think they are gimmicks, that does not mean they actually are. Opinion vs fact, see?

That said, those games would be better on a Vita.

NO. As many others already commented, the second screen allows for more fluid gameplay and even though it isn't revolutionary, it still adds to the experience. Making a game look nicer because you have a more powerful console doesn't add much and is also not very revolutionary. It's basically still the same game, it just looks better, but controls on the Vita aren't that much better, just different. If you don't like the DS/DSi/3DS or can't get comfortable with the controls then Nintendo handhelds probably aren't your thing. Maybe you should buy a Vita or a tablet instead...

Hopefully if anything good can come from the failure of the Wii-U

Whaaaaat??? Seriously? When did the Wii U fail, because all I see is a software drought which was to be expected, even though Nintendo said there wouldn't be. There ALWAYS is a drought at some point with a new console or handheld, it was the same with the Vita.

It also goes without saying that we'd all be better served if they just followed SEGA's lead into being purely a software company. Who wouldn't sooner see the next Zelda on the PS4?

NO, just No. That is not gonna happen in a million years, and NO again to Zelda on PS4, no true fan would like to see their game icons on another console. Pulling the Sega card is rather stupid because the situation isn't even remotely similar: Sega was in a different mess altogether with mistakes already being made in the 16 bit era with all the expensive add-ons and the Dreamcast was actually their very last bet in the console market and it failed, hard. Don't get me wrong: I still own a Dreamcast and I love it to death, I even bought a VGA box for it to max out the graphics on my HD TV, but they really did make some CAPITAL mistakes, which is what Nintendo hasn't done up till now. Are they perfect? Hell no, but they certainly will get through this period (because they always do) and all this doom and gloom idiocy needs to stop, period.

@ultraraichu In this game, having your F1 racing steering wheel put on the display of the GamePad will make for quite a realistic driving simulation, seeing as in real life the steering wheel is also detachable and full of buttons. Not to mention the comparison in shape...
@Ryo_Hazuki-san and @AceTrainerAndy check the 'all the cars' clip below in my comment to see what kind of cars to expect...
@Rod64 Slightly Mad Studios consists of the entire team that made the two Need for Speed Shift games and some other developers & programmers with experience in the field of racing sims. A VERY well-rounded team and one sure to come up with an excellent game.

Here is some footage I posted in the previous Project CARS article:
(and crank the visuals up to full screen HD if your PC or connection can handle it)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iimV6qkrLfw - an almost 1,5 year old beta put together quickly from in game material, but it already showed promise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maoG0obe9g8 - only a couple of months later, once again ALL in-game shots. And do not forget to check the amount of detail: fully defined environments, even depth and 3D modelling on the curbstones, truly RIDICULOUS amount of detail on the cars, textures actually looking like they should (carbon steering wheel and dashboard, suede gloves, metal surfaces, rubber tires and so on) and real tracks and licensed for just about anything.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1T35CkXJcA and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zqc4j8GSYvI - two clips of a later beta version on max visual settings, loving the textures again...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OUReFEiqoA - all the cars...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWaSq2qJsMY - Project CARS vs real life racing.
And finally, one of the more recent official trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tug6rRMqYuc

And I could on and on, and yes I'm a BIG fan of this game and love that this is coming to Wii U.

@AJWolfTill Are you kidding? Drive club looked horribly jaggy with lots of bad textures. This in motion and on a mid range gaming PC pisses all over Sony's 'true next gen' racing game. And if the Wii U version will follow in NFS Most Wanted's footsteps, it'll use PC textures too and will look VERY good.
You need to see this in motion and in 1080p, might make you reconsider:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iimV6qkrLfw - an almost 1,5 year old beta put together quickly from in game material, but it already showed promise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maoG0obe9g8 - only a couple of months later, once again ALL in-game shots. And do not forget to check the amount of detail: fully defined environments, even depth and 3D modelling on the curbstones, truly RIDICULOUS amount of detail on the cars, textures actually looking like they should (carbon steering wheel and dashboard, suede gloves, metal surfaces, rubber tires and so on) and real tracks and licensed for just about anything.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1T35CkXJcA and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zqc4j8GSYvI - two clips of a later beta version on max visual settings, loving the textures again...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OUReFEiqoA - all the cars...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWaSq2qJsMY - Project CARS vs real life racing.
And finally, one of the more recent official trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tug6rRMqYuc

And I could on and on, and yes I'm a BIG fan of this game and love that this is coming to Wii U.

@Koto, not to worry, look at these older clips and know that this game will be amazing, even in 720p/30fps.

@Omega That is very nicely done, but quite a big difference with Analogue Interactive's offering, since the Xbox is only a sculpture, not a working console.

@TrueWiiMaster Like I said: let's agree to disagree. You keep reiterating the same points while I have tried to expand on mine. Several of yours are wrong (like how you still don't seem to get that the vast majority of an animals actions are purely instinct based and have NOTHING to do with desire or pleasure and therefore these and other mainly human emotions CANNOT be used to label them) This is by the way (and of course) not decided by me, but by scientific fact, so don't shoot the messenger.
The planning bit of animals too is driven by instinct, and me calling it such was probably too big of a stretch since, as I already explained predatory animals will kill practically instantly if the opportunity presents itself, they will NOT let the prey out of their sight to think about killing them for a couple of more days and then finally come back to do it. So, logically that is not in a million years comparable to what humans do, and trying to force that comparison anyway is both mindless and utterly useless aka round peg in a square hole, but apparently everything MUST be labeled and boxed, as a lot of humans seem to want to do.

As for the black bear example, I only said it could be territorial OR because of opportunity to kill. You only quoted the territorial bit, making it seem that I gave that as my only answer, so your answer in turn is then based upon something taken out of context. But from the look of it the bear incident might have been the same as a shark 'curiously' biting a surfer's leg off, which is STILL not an evil act, because we now know very well what drives a shark to act in such a manner. But because the majority of humans refuse to believe this, the shark is now widely seen as an 'evil' animal and sometimes even 'preventive' killing takes place. It's a VERY good thing that more and more marine biologists show us what sharks are really like. And as for your bear: don't forget that they are far more powerful than humans, so the little slap it gives another bear might be a fatal blow if given to a human. Yet again: still NOT evil.

And my 'paragraph' or whatever had no wrong in it at all. It's well documented and scientifically proven material from which I quoted. You are therefore actually saying that people that make a living of studying animals and their behavior and have degrees in that area higher than you or I will ever reach are wrong, which is both ridiculous and laughable to say the least and probably even somewhat insulting to them... (and besides that I myself am no dumb kid that is spouting text pulled out of context just to prove himself right, like I said: I'm 42yo and well educated so I actually know what I'm talking about and what message I'm trying to get across)

I also NEVER said that majority dictates evil, that is your interpretation of my text, upon which I actually already anticipated by saying that I know full well text can be interpreted in several ways, but I only write EXACTLY what I am trying to say, so no reading between the lines or looking for other meanings than what is actually written, so read more carefully or twice and you will understand what I'm saying. And humans growing up in a closed community that get a wrong education (like for example in a cult or similar group) can indeed be oblivious to the fact that what they are doing is wrong, because they never got the RIGHT example from anyone else, so they can't be blamed for that even though they may have done something that society perceives as, or even knows to be evil. Instead of course the brain washers aka leaders of said cult should be blamed and punished. The follower is only another victim, even though he/she committed a crime.

But to end this conversation from dragging on needlessly even further than it already has, I'm going to stop here.
I don't hate, so as said before in my previous comments, let's agree to disagree and I wish you well but let's just move on to newer topics. You might feel compelled to answer me again, but I am not going to read it because I will be moving on, so you can spare yourself the trouble. Have a nice day. (just in case: no sarcasm intended)

@TrueWiiMaster I've read and re-read your comment and weighed my thoughts carefully, hesitating to try again to reach a common understanding, because you certainly seem intelligent enough to me, so it SHOULD be possible. Maybe I should blame having to type instead of talk, because text is WAY to open to someone's own interpretation instead of what the writer might truly mean. So, with all due respect it's starting to seem like you don't understand what I'm saying at all, which then in turn makes me not understand why you answer in the way you do, so I think I should offer you the point that we might have to agree to disagree.
The humans vs animals point IS separated from religion, because feeling superior to a (arguably) 'lower' species is not necessarily bound to believing in God or trusting the Bible to tell you the truth, and if you can't see that, it's best to leave that part of the debate be.
The need vs desire is no slippery slope at all, it's already been proven ten times over by animal behaviorists and scientists, so it's a fact.
The black bear comment you brought up to me only shows (once again) nothing but instinctive behavior and NON-evil. ANY predator will kill a human if it comes across it in the wild, it is either territorial or because of opportunity to kill, WITHOUT the emotions that we humans attach to it. (as I explained already in an earlier comment) This is NOT my opinion, it's a well known biological FACT, and widely documented too, if you care to delve into the material that is at hand about such topics.
You also seem to mix up characteristics with instincts, and bringing up cannibals or people that don't know they're mistreating animals doesn't help much either. If you would grow up in a closed society (which could theoretically and factually be true for both cannibals and animal mistreaters) then you wouldn't know any better, so no small wonder that you would be IGNORANT to the fact that it is indeed evil, and therefore you could not be seen as TRUE evil, UNTIL you would be able to compare yourself to the majority of the world and then you should get some idea of what you are doing wrong. (unless of course you are stupid enough to think that because you think that animal mistreatment is okay the rest of the world is wrong)

Then there's animal planning? Nope, only short term, scientifically proven.
And although you didn't mention that, I also gave you the fact that people that murder can truly revel in the deed and enjoy the anticipation of it. And although some species of animals have in fact been proven to enjoy the exhilaration of the hunt, they don't 'enjoy' a kill as some twisted humans would do.
Not to sound cocky or vain, but I NEVER mention anything as a fact or with certainty unless I KNOW it to be true, because I positively HATE being wrong or making a fool of myself. I'm 42 years old, have done a lot of studies (even though I didn't finish them all) and picked up a large part of my knowledge base from that. And besides that I'm genuinely interested in animal behavior, so to this day I keep reading up on anything that has to do with that.
But of course you don't have to take my word for it, I'm not being sarcastic, just straight forward and if you still can't find any middle ground in what I'm saying, then maybe I should redirect you back to the beginning of this comment and offer you the 'agree to disagree' option. No matter whichever one you find closest to your train of thought, I wish you well and happy gaming.

@Slapshot Good and valid points again, and since you clarified yourself, allow me to do the same. As Bankai already said in a comment that added to yours, it is absolutely correct that the bank balance ALONE means nothing, although the link I posted does offer an interesting calculation and forecast. It's just that I have observed Nintendo through the years as having been smart or crafty enough to survive EACH and EVERY ONE of their failures and still come out on top eventually, something that no other gaming related company has EVER been able to do. If and when the Wii U will become a failure, they will re-assess the situation and come up with either a solution or a full blown successor which will once again be successful. That might take them a few years to do, but they will, mark my words. And in this scenario, the bank balance is the ADDED value to the whole, and then it DOES mean something.

That and of course the FACT that they will NEVER go third party, contrary to Sega (which by the way already had the Sega PC label LONG before they dropped out of the console business, so maybe that made the transition more natural) so Nintendo would probably rather just disappear from gaming altogether if that came to pass, but it won't...

P.S.

The Wii U is not expensive for what it offers you. It may feel like it is expensive, but it is only marginally higher in price than the original Wii and offers so much more. The feeling probably comes from the disappointment of many people that they didn't get this monster console that offers a giant leap over the current HD consoles, so now they start moaning about it or even outright bashing the console. (talking in general, not saying that's you) Funny thing is that in comparison, the PS4 is also rather underwhelming, especially compared to the 'leap' from PS3 and to PC's, so there's nothing cutting edge about it. AT ALL. At least the Wii U did make a giant leap over it's predecessor, never mind the comparison with the competition, which is only for blind fanboys that haven't even experienced any console before the HD era, (so are instantly doomed to not understand what true gaming is about or where it all comes from) not for logically thinking human beings like you and me. In short, contrary to what a lot of ignoramuses are saying, the Wii U definitely is a TRUE next gen console, since that should NOT be measured against what other companies do, but just against it's own predecessor.

@Magikarp "Predictions work by extending current trends". Ehm.. no they don't. Unless you live in a bubble and don't take an ever changing market into account. A TRUE analyst can predict what people are GOING to do, not what they've always DONE.
@Haywired The FACT that third parties aren't innovative enough to use the Wii U Game pad for anything other than a map or inventory screen says absolutely NOTHING about the console itself not being innovative. Nintendo is not responsible for the simple minded game add-ons that the third party developers come up with. (although I do think that they should since they must give their approval for a game to be on Wii U)
@Slapshot Although you made some good points on business aspects (I'm an experienced sales&marketing specialist myself) you are totally wrong about Nintendo barely staying afloat and them possibly exiting the console market, making this their last console. First off, they already more or less announced they will be moving on to the next chapter in Nintendo hardware and second and most important, contrary to popular belief Nintendo has more than enough money to survive even several more consecutive failures, provided it will even come to that, which by my educated guess it will more than likely not. And it's also WAY too soon to call the Wii U a failure already. People spelling doom or agreeing with those that do, seem to keep forgetting this little FACT: http://www.gamesradar.com/nintendo-doomed-not-likely-just-take-look-how-much-money-its-got-bank/
And read this, it's on N-Life now: http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/03/talking_point_nintendos_stock_jump_bodes_well_for_the_value_of_potential
@CapnPancakes How'd you figure that? The footage looked good and the game play interesting, but beyond that it didn't seem very 'next level'.
@sonicfan1373 Some good points there, and nicely detailed as well.
In general: Funny how people keep calling him 'Patcher' or any other raped spelling of his real name...
Although I applaud more power, since my 5 year old dual core PC is still more powerful than a PS3, I thought that the PS4 show on the 20th was rather underwhelming. There was nothing that made me go 'wow', even though they did show some nice things, there were no awesome graphics and there DEFINITELY was no innovation.
Poor mr. Pachter, with all these false predictions over the last few years it's a wonder he still has a job. when I read @yobokkie's comment somewhere way up in this list mentioning him having to fall on his sword, it made me think that if he was an influential analyst in a Japanese firm, he should have had to do that for real quite some time ago already, if only for the shame and nonsense that he brings to the media.
I'll settle for him being made dead for the media only though, since he's good for nothing more than clicks on web sites...

@TrueWiiMaster Don't know if you are still going to read this, since the article is starting to get buried under a lot of new ones, but here goes:

To me religion is NO part at all since I was only considering and responding to the theory that man is better than animal, which can also be made WITHOUT involving religion, because quite a few humans seem to think that they are better by default, simply because they think they are the 'smarter' species, not because the Bible says so.

As for the humans outside of nature point: at the beginning of time up until when we started to build large cities, humans were very much intertwined with nature and were just as much a part of the natural chain as were animals and plants. Once society evolved, that link disappeared.

You totally missed my point on the domesticated animals remark: I said that behavior that was ALREADY part of wild animals was ENHANCED by breeders when they started domesticating animals, NOT that domestication is involved in animals saving humans.

When humans do evil it IS evil, simply because of the difference in KNOWING. While logically animals MUST be knowing to an extent what they are doing with some of their actions, all actions based on finding and killing their prey are for the larger part instinctual. The difference therefore is that humans not only KNOW they're doing evil, they are CONSCIOUSLY aware, while animals are as I already said mostly guided by instinct, so they are only aware on a subliminal or SUB conscious level, so therefore NOT evil. Humans can also plan murder far ahead and enjoy fantasizing about it, as known in some criminal cases even up to several years ahead, which is something an animal NEVER could or would: if it has an opportunity to kill, it will do so right away, also because it is of a NEED/necessity, not a WANT/desire. And THAT is what separates us from animals.

@TrueWiiMaster
Good to know the interest is genuine, but I can't agree (so the term arguably is a well chosen one) that equality of man and animal is a religious one, because it is simply a natural one, or ecological if you will.
Good point on the eskimos and african tribes, but they of course are the exceptions to the rule and eskimos too mainly kill to survive, although nowadays commercial trade and such have taken a much more prominent space in their daily life, but at least they still have a healthy respect for nature.
Animals that do good is something that I should have explained further the first time I mentioned it, because like animals doing evil, it is mainly perceived through the eyes of man. A dog might save a human from drowning or something like that, but does it instinctively and NOT consciously. It is one of the aspects that breeders have incorporated into the domesticated versions of our animals and in some species they even enhanced this.
Your orca/killer whale example only shows exactly what you already said yourself: that animals play with their food, something that almost all carnivorous animals do, from fish to lions, tigers and wolves and foxes. Especially young animals do this to learn in a playful manner how to behave with their prey. Again this is ONLY cruel in the eyes of man because most of us are unable to separate the human emotion from the thing we see, thus we label it cruel or evil. The same then naturally goes for it 'serving no purpose' because it does, only NOT from a human point of view.
@L-Lawliet Good point. It is that and the point that they also seem to experience pain in another way than we do, which enables them to still function well beyond a point where we would already succumb to the stress of it.

@L-Lawliet Vigilant protector, huh? Not saying I don't like the title, but it's probably too much honor.
Just trying to be civil and respect other peoples' values, whether I agree or can identify with them or not.
I'm with you on the animal part, though...