Nintendo’s Wii Fit title has done pretty much what everything Nintendo has touched lately has done-turned gold, and then platinum, as the case may be. Wii Fit has sold 1,283,000 units and reigned at the number one spot in Japanese game sales for the past four weeks. That’s a pretty impressive feat for any game, but all the more so for one based on a peripheral.
There has been a long standing joke about peripheral based games-mothers’ attics across the nation are filled with them. Everything from the Power Pad to the Power Glove (are we noting a pattern developing here?) to the Super Scope 6 and more have come and gone almost in the blink of an eye. There was ROB the Robot, who occasionally turns up in games, and who can forget Sega’s 3D glasses for the original Master System? This is to say nothing of the add-ons that let you play different games, such as the 32X, Sega CD, etc. All of these have been failures, to one extent or another, so why not Wii Fit?
It might be too early to lay judgment on Wii Fit, but it appears to be following in the footsteps of a new generation of peripheral based titles. Games such as Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero, and Rock Band have all succeeded, or even thrived, based off their use of peripherals. For those who can remember the darker days of peripheral based gaming, it’s a little unnerving to consider investing an extra $40, $50, or more into a plastic guitar you’re pretty sure will never get used again, and yet, miraculously it does. What does this mean for the future of gaming?
Rock Band certainly upped the ante with their band in a box. It’s hard to imagine another title trying to outdo them anytime soon, but it does seem likely other manufacturers might try to get more in on this craze. As for Rock Band, can Rock Band 2 really release without upping the ante with the inclusion of a keyboard? 80’s synth rock says no. Wii Fit’s Balance Board is said to be the focus of other games’ development, as well. With all this good will, perhaps someday we will see the return of ROB and the Power Glove. One can only hope.
Loading ...