Linkyshinks's Blog Posts

Once upon a time the Wii was born...

Nintendo Wii 2 Years On

Nintendo have decimated the competition in the Wii's first two years, when many had thought it would be yet another flop and fad. Not I though.

When I saw the Wii for the first time, I knew it was clearly made with the intention of resurrecting a old spirit, and that made me very happy. Japanese companies, especially traditional companies such as Nintendo, according to Shinto beliefs imbue all products with spirit. Nintendo for me let a old spirit rise again in the form of the Wii, the old spirit I talk of is the NES. That console was all about great software, with games that live long in the memory and set a standard that still resonates to this very day. I am very confident the Wii will have many such games of this kind, far more that the NES because of the nature and the improvements we see in the industry today.

The Wii in fact had an amazing first year, simply look at the debut years of others console in contrast and you will see much that cannot be contested. The Wii had beaten the sales the 360 accumulated in 2 years, in less than one, 9 months to be exact, and this with hardware shortages and distribution problems. It also had a distinct lack of quality software support from the big houses. On the flip side, owners got a AAA title in the first year, and it could have been so easily two if Nintendo choose not to space out it's major releases. It was a fantastic first year, however, this current second year has not been on par with that first, which is easily commendable.

For me, and many others, 2008 has been a woeful year for the console. There may well be some awesome titles in the works and great games due to hit in early 09, but a consoles year must be judged on what it actually delivers to the players, not the promise of great games, but the very games themselves. I think 2008 will I think be the worst year that the Nintendo Wii will ever have in it's life, but despite that I am very hopeful for the future.

Nintendo have done a good job behind the scenes rallying up support from 3rd parties post Gamecube and within the consoles first year, sadly, the product of this has not been seen in this year, but then how could it?. Even the finest 1st string teams could not create the games we would want in less than a year. Nintendo had a immense task after the damage that the Gamecube created among the development community. It severely effected initial support for the console, that was clear to see I think. The support it did receive eventually simply came too late, and when it was in place, it was in a weak in a wait and see form. That is why we see so many of what are essentially test games and ports of PS2 games. This has led many to believe Nintendo are having the same problems as before. These people are wrong.

In comparison to 360 and PS3 the list of initial developers for Wii was minuscule. Nintendo Wii surely missed out on quality games because of this. The development community steered clear, but Nintendo have pro-actively been trying to change that. They have worked hard to do so, after understanding the mistakes of the GC and the overall past. There is proof of them reaching out to all manner developers for all to see. From the low cost of dev kits like LiveMove and other support software, to Wii Ware, and all that entails.

The most important factor is the most obvious one, success. Nintendo has made their platform successful, it now has the user base in place for developers to take advantage of. Nintendo have expanded the audience just like they said they would do. It's great that developers now seem to be getting serious about Wii by shifting the better teams to work on games to produce a better quality of product. It's going to get far better from here on in. Nintendo Wii third party games, games you and I have no idea about will be coming to the fore by the Q3-Q4 09, and they are being made by better teams within their respective development houses. Some will in due course put some of their best teams on Wii because it will be more profitable to do so. Quality will always breed quality, it will be all that the Wii needs. A quality game on the Wii platform has a user base in place that is likely to make far more money by the end of next year than any other platform. Especially if Wii sales remain in the currently astonishing trend. 

I have had distinctly awesome experiences via my Wii already, moments where I have genuinely thought, fuck me this awesome!. Like when I played Gusty Garden Galaxy for the first time. It's magical moments like that which other companies seem incapable of replicating. That's what I want Nintendo to do within this coming year, to create games with that in mind.  I want them to play to their strengths and imbue games with that same magic. It really does not have anything at all to do with graphics, it's something else, something that Nintendo fans constantly search for. There will be far less searching next year, you can be absolutely sure of that. Nintendo have their market now, and mark my words they are going to shower it with awesome games.


Happy 2nd Birthday Wii, you are a going to have another special one in 2009, but with one a far greater substance. I know you will come good with an array of great games that will live long in the memory.

I will soon be building a town in Animal Crossing Wii and all Giant Bomb's Wii people are invited :D

The town of KOokAViLLe will not be a place that good and godly Nintendo could have ever envisaged, oh no. Instead this town will be a hedonistic society where Giant Bomb's members can contribute very much in the spirit they do here.

This KOokAViLLe, will actually be the third in a trilogy. I will give those who visit a history of how it all started, in town and in a AC Mail.


 KOokaViLLe's inhabitants will welcome you all with open paws. Have your Luchadeer Mii Masks ready for the grand opening ceremony!, day!.  (three players at a time, lol)


Aside from all the Wii Speak, I hope your all well and playing some awesome games right now. I am, quite a few in fact.  The truth is I feel like I am in some sort of state of gameshock right now, somewhat bewildered by the numerous games I am playing  :(. This is terrible for me, I am very much from the oldschool, a time when you played games till the end, and only then played a new one. I am starting to think it's actually ruining my experience of these games, so I have decided to kick back on less. But it's been very hard to resist lately :)

I am now fucking dying to get my hands on Left 4 Dead PC!. Quite frankly, I am mighty impressed. I've been reading a few derisory comments around on the forums and elsewhere. These people have not got a fucking clue, Left 4 Dead has a ton of gameplay magic locked within that deserves to be discovered. These people are oblivious, do not listen to Levio91, lol. Yeah I know you don't.


I bought this awesome shiz today, more pre Christmas shopping :D. I got them at Forbidden Planet in London













































I have two Ryu ones also, those have been opened, and yes his has a Hadoken hologram that moves when you actually perform one in the game. It works to a decent effect.


































Japanese Saturn versions get added to the collection. It's a fucking obsession lol ^^























Heart Lei Lei's Level music from Vampire Savior! :D


Have a great weekend people, whatever you end up doing. I myself will be watching this cinematic masterpiece with some of the boys.

It's something I have been pondering for quite sometime now, just like I did with the whole "who shot JR" thing many years ago,

I have some basic knowledge of ancient hunting practices around the world and am aware that many cultures believe that the hunter consumes the strength and spirit of the deceased animal. Both in the act of killing and the eating of certain body parts. With that being the case, I am left wondering which of the Giant Bomb team is now possessed by spirit of Luchadeer.

Is the below photo a clue?





































Look closely at the look in his eyes and the stance Jeff takes up here, it's almost like his hands are mimicking the horns of Alpha Buck. Also take note of the weapon in this image, is this the very handgun, the ignoble means of taking down the beautiful beast!?.  If Luchadeer was shot in the face at point blank range with a handgun I would consider that a very sad fact indeed. And also a good reason for him to forever keep his mask on unless he had really good Taxidermy work done.  Look at that EAT sign also, I cannot help but think they switched that thing on and all feasted on Venison steaks!.


Who did it, who shot Luchadeer?, who let his meat pass their lips?. Perhaps you think they all did in some bizarre ceremonial manner like the breaking of bread that Jesus dude did.

 Jeff, Ryan, Brad or Vinny, or is there another culprit?  Is there a Luchadude on the Giant bomb team?, Your thoughts?


"The hunt is just and natural, by means of which man claims what belongs to him but he must prove skill and knowledge for that."

- Aristotle  BG  (Before Guns)

A short and sweet Blog post today :). I bought a load of gaming stuff on Friday last week, I actually went a little wild with the spending. I cannot help myself sometimes ;D

A new Seagate HD, because my PC is at breaking point with all these 12 Gig games releasing lately. File sizes keep increasing :(.