Madden's not a cartoon. For the most part, for now... "Cartoon" graphics look very good. (Synonyms: simplified, basic). Once you try to do anything realistic, you're hampered by the hardware. Zelda looks good, but not great. Compare it to Kameo or Oblivion (or the upcoming Ratchet and Clank) and it looks completely lackluster. Compare Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam with Tony Hawk's Project 8 and there's a huge, huge difference.

That's just how the system is. :shrug: Focus on other stuff.

A cell-shaded Madden would be pretty awesome though. :)

Focus on other stuff?

I don't even get these replies... "uh oh..." and "focus on other stuff."

Ok. :lol:

What they're saying is that realistic-looking games (Madden, Zelda) tend to expose the weaknesses of the hardware. The Wii simply isn't a 360 or PS3. It can't push HD so of course they'll look lackluster in comparison.

However, unrealistic-looking games ("cartoony", Wii Sports) are much easier to pass off as acceptable graphics on even lower-end hardware to the human eye and still be pleasing.

Of course Madden is going to look like "a years-old" old version because, graphically, the Wii is a year-or-more old. It's basically the same thing the Gamecube had.

But you can't play Madden on the 360 or PS3 like you can the Wii. "Focus on other stuff".

Thank you, Piñata.

Can we get an updated Mutant League Football for the Wii? With as much fun as I'm having with Strikers, MLF would seem to me to be the best of all worlds for football on the Wii. Cartoony, violent and lots to shake your wiimote at.

I'm all for it. I've been clamoring for MLF and MLH on the VC since I found out Genesis would be supported.

Thanks for deciphering the cryptic messages for me.

I've been fine with the Wii's graphics though I do think that they're not really pushing them to what they can do yet. Look at the screenshots on the Super Smash Bros. Brawl site, sure, they're not big-sweaty-men "realistic," but the character models are insanely detailed. Personally, I am having trouble adjusting to SD on my HDTV, but not in a "these graphics sucks" way, more of a "can't these effing TVs upscale better?!" way.

The Godfather for Wii is $24.99 at Fry's this weekend. So.. tempting..

it was permanently reduced to 29.99. should be able to get it used for like 22 or less

I'm guessing you're using component and 480p as well. IGN said if you have the capability, don't even attempt 480i and composite, apparently they think it makes a pretty big difference in this case.

it really does

Of course the Wii will never look as good as PS3/Xbox360. But EA could have done much better with the power of the Wii hardware on Madden 08.

You guess wrong. ;)

I need to pick up some component cables - haven't found the time yet.

I would hazzard a guess that with this attempt, they were really working on shoring up the controls (family play included) further and implementing the online portion while still using the last gen models. I would also guess, now that online has been implemented, controls have been improved, and they really only need tweaks, etc, that they may actually work on graphics next year. If they can't come up with a good looking game next year all bets are off.

My NFL2k on Dreamcast looked better.

I think there is some truth in your theory. The Wii caught EA off guard. Madden '07 was shovelware. By the time execs realized that Nintendo wasn't going to the the whipping boy this generation(around Feb-April when sales continued to be consistent and rise), Madden '08 was probably fairly underway. No time to overhaul.

If it still looks like shit next year, then EA will have some 'splaining to do.

I have a question for those of you discussing the Wii version of Madden 2008. I have been thinking about getting a new game system, mostly to play Madden. I had a 360 in the past, but I really don't play videogames as much as I used to, so I sold it. Lately have been wanting to play something again. I don't really want a new system enough to spend the $400 - $550 that 360 or PS3 would be, so I have been thinking about a Wii, because it is cheaper and seems like it would be fun.

I realize that the Wii graphics are not going to be as good, especially on something like Madden, but for those of you have beening playing the Wii version, Is it just as much fun as playing the other versions? Thanks so much!

It got pretty good reviews. But if you want something to just play Madden on, pick up a Gamecube or PS2. They both got Madden '08. A GC is $50. A PS2 is $130 -- but is probably more future-proof (it will probably even get Madden '09).

My "uh, oh" was because you dared to criticize Wii graphic in "Nintendo Country". The last time someone did that the Natives went Nuckin' Futs...I should know. :lol:

Anyway, obviously you're not Drinking your Kool-Aid and you're not in Lock step. ;)

I'm not a fan of Wii graphics either, but they hardly keep me from enjoying the games. I would like to see more games push the level of Ninja Gaiden on the Xbox though. The hardware is definitely capable of it.

This system is such a run away success that developers will continue to flock to it and they will push the hardware. Look at how much Square has pushed the DS. No one thought you would see games like that in the early days of the DS.

Well there is a difference complaining about graphics and saying they look like PS1 graphics. :)

You're right; and that's why I thought it was silly to be attacked by the natives. I wasn't so much complaning as much as making an observation based on what my eyes were seeing. I mean shee-it, they acted as if I said something bad about their Mothers. ;)

You can talk shit about my mama all day, but don't you dare bad-mouth the Wii in front of me! A man has to have standards.

:lol:

has anyone played DK Barrel Blast yet (import)?
my copy is ready and I get to try it this afternoon!!

Nope. I only have an unmodded U.S./NA Wii.

been playing it for about 2 hours.

I have to say this game would be much more fun with the bongos.

It's not that it's not fun... but some aspects of the control can be frustrating. You use an alternating drumming method with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to accelerate. Once you have accelerated to "Top Speed", you no longer need to drum (until you hit an obstacle, after which you'll need to begin accelerating again).
To jump, you lift both the Remote and Nunchuk together. Sometimes, the game will think you are trying to jump if you use the accelerating control too fast.
To turn, you drum only the Remote (right) or Nunchuk (left).
Items are accessed by pressing "B". Turbo is done by pushing any direction on the analog stick (nunchuk). You get Turbo by collecting 50 bananas.

Graphics are clean and crisp, slightly better than what would be typically found on Gamecube. Runs in 480P and true 16x9. Sound effects are good (you'll discover clever audio cues from your Wii Remote) but music is just OK.

The game opens with only 3 courses available. Once you get 1st place on that 3-course circuit, a 4-course circuit with all different tracks opens up. It appears that there are about 5 of these circuits total, adding up to quite a few tracks.

The JAP translation can be fairly easily overcome for the main areas of the game. However, when doing Kandy Kong's challenges, it's impossible to tell what you need to do. I'll still be getting the US version as well when it comes out in 7 weeks. I have 4 Remotes, but only 1 Nunchuk, so it looks like I'll be buying 3 more as they are needed for EACH player.

This won't be a classic like the numerous Donkey Kongas or even Jungle Beat. But it is certainly worth a rental/possible purchase for fans of DK or racing. My main complaint is that the bongos should be able to be enabled as an optional control method. I also wish Nintendo would realize how many people have been waiting for a new Donkey Kong Country platformer.

They didn't leave in the bongo control as an option?

Scratch that game from my list.

I haven't even turned on my Wii in three months.

I'm thinking that if I don't absolutely love Super Mario Galaxy, I may ditch it entirely. It just doesn't have much appeal to me. The motion sensor is cool, but does seem to be somewhat of a gimmick, simply because other than Wii Sports/Zelda, I haven't played a game where it genuinely improves it.

(And please don't suggest one of the dozens of mini-game compilations. :) Not interested in those.)

Guess we'll see. I have somewhat high hopes for Smash Bros., and extremely high hopes for Mario.

what about RE4? That makes it a better game I hear. My copy is still sealed waiting to be played :(

I just can't pull myself away from the 360 long enough to use the Wii. I've enjoyed pretty much everything I've played.

I never want to play a RE4 type game without the Wii controls ever again (although I will since so many wont come to the Wii, or wont come to it for a while after they're released on the other systems just like RE4).

I love the Wii controls that much. It totally destroys the controls of the GC and PS2 for the game. I wouldn't even think about going back to playing RE4 any other way.

From the early buzz, I'm really looking forward to Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 and that wasn't really on my radar.

I was just thinking, those Gamecube discs are >1.5 gigs, how come a company hasn't released a gamecube collection for the wii with like 6 or more cube games on a disc? Sell it for 20-30 bucks.

quoted for truth.

that game has singlehandedly changed the way i view gaming...a total paradigm shift.

Probably because Nintendo would rather them release the games on the Virtual Console.

But not even a single 1.5GB GameCube game would fit on the Wii's internal memory.

I don't even think Zelda is really any more enjoyable with the Wii controls. I haven't tried them with RE4 because I already own the cube version, but after 6 months they feel like a throw-away gimmick. I doubt I'll ever sell my Wii because I already got rid of my Gamecube and I'm enjoying the virtual console. But if Mario doesn't blow me away and we don't start seeing some innovative immersive games, I think the system will have a really short life span.