nintendo-switchWhen Nintendo announced that their long awaited new console, the Nintendo Switch, would be released in March next year, I had mixed feelings! Part of me was transformed back into that 10-year-old kid who received a NES for Christmas and the utter joy of playing arcade quality games such as Super Mario 3 at home still resonates with me now. Another part of me was worried! Nintendo’s last effort at changing the gaming landscape was not exactly a success. In fact, only weeks after announcing the plans to release the new console, Nintendo also said that 4th November would see the last ever Wii U console roll off the production lines. But why did the Wii U flop so bad? Here is my non-scientific look at the three main reasons why the Wii U failed to reach the dizzy heights of previous consoles. Have Nintendo learnt anything from their mistakes?

Controller Crazy – When the Wii was first released, the world went mad. Nintendo had found a way that a 4-year-old child and a 95-year-old granny could pick up a controller and it just worked. It was genius and made gaming become something the whole family could do together. Add in amazingly playable games such as Wii Sports, Super Mario Galaxy, Mario Kart Wii and it is easy to see why the Wii sold an amazing 101 million units and game sales rocketed.

Things were not so rosy with the Wii U though! Whereas the Wii was simple, the Wii U was anything but. The Wii U has a gamepad, in some games you needed to use a Wii remote and in some cases both. There is also the Pro-controller, however only one Pro-controller can be used at once. This was a cue to fight over who got the preferred pro-controller. So we moved from the Wii’s sense of utopia to an induced sense of controller rage.

Games – I think Nintendo are one of the best creators of video games ever! When Donkey Kong was released in the 80’s, it blew me away. So simple yet so challenging. It’s a trait that Nintendo would continue for many years. The one lacking feature though was 3rd party support. Nintendo goes for a quality first approach and while this has to be admired, they are missing out on our unquenchable thirst for new things.

We get bored easily and rather than wait 6 months for a blockbuster title, we are now more likely to play numerous titles for a shorter amount of time than we are to fall in love with a game and play it non-stop. The lack of continued support from the major software houses didn’t directly kill the Wii U but it definitely stabbed it in the back a few times!

I got the power! – Or rather I don’t! Nintendo with both the Wii and the Wii U released machines that when compared to the specs of the competitors were pretty poor. With the Wii, the innovative controller not only saved them but heralded a golden age for the Wii. Unfortunately, although Nintendo tried to innovate with the U, they created a home/portable hybrid which didn’t do either role particularly well.

Final Verdict – Hit or Miss?

I fear that Nintendo are making the same mistake with Switch as they did with the U. It’s another mash up between a home entertainment system and a portable gaming device. The problem with that vision is that most of us already have in our pockets an entertainment centre in the form of our mobiles. Will the portable element of the Switch compete with a latest smartphone? We will have to wait and see, but I doubt it. On a positive note, I’m really looking forward to playing the next generation of Mario, I can’t wait to try the new Zelda game and I know I will devote hours to these games when they are released. I may be wrong but I see the future of Nintendo as being a software house, concentrating on what they do best – creating awesome games!

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Having always been a fan of NetEnt slots, the news that they planned to celebrate their 20th anniversary with the release of not one, not two, but three games based on legends from the world of rock, got me more than a little excited! With the release of Guns N’ Roses, they clearly set the tone of the series, with a truly outstanding tribute to the iconic band. Hot on its heels was the release of Jimi Hendrix, bringing the guitar maestro to life on the reels. With the recent release of Motörhead, the NetEnt Rocks tour is complete. Whilst the branding of these slots is clearly a big appeal, they also boast plenty of innovative features and are hugely entertaining. Here is an overview of each of the slots in this epic rock series.

Guns N’Roses

guns-n-roses-video-slotThe video intro to this 20 payline slot sets the scene perfectly, instantly immersing you in the rock band theme. The game boasts a set list of 5 of the most popular songs from the band, including classics such as Sweet Child O’Mine and Paradise City. The Guns N’ Roses logo is the wild symbol and expands to cover the entire reel. Also included is the Appetite for Destruction Wild, which randomly appears and overlays various symbols in the shape of a cross. Three bonus symbols randomly award one of three bonus features; a coin win, Encore Free Spins or the 3 level pick & click Crowd-Pleaser Bonus Game. Other innovative features include Legend Spins, which randomly adds stacked wilds onto the reels, and the solo multiplier, which awards a line win multiplier of between x4 – x10.

Jimi Hendrix

jimi-hendrix-online-slotPacked full of flower power and psychedelic imagery, this slot evokes the whole era in which the influential musician rose to fame. Jimi’s most famous and popular songs provide the background track to this 20 payline slot. There are two key features in the game. One is the Purple Haze feature, which transforms the 10, J, Q, K and A symbols into wild symbols for a spin. The other is the Red Guitar Re-spin feature. Activated by four or more red guitar symbols on the reels, it causes the reels to re-spin, and continue to re-spin with each new occurrence of a red guitar symbol. The game also boasts an exciting pick & click feature, which rewards one of four possible prizes, including free spins with wild reels, overlaying or transforming wilds.

Motörhead

motorhead-video-slotThis unique and innovative slot features video footage from The World is Ours DVD and a variety of hits from the English rock band. The slot has an unconventional configuration, with 5 reels, and a varying number of rows across them, creating a big 76 paylines. The Ace of Spades is wild, substituting for all others. Line up three scatter symbols, and you are rewarded with 10 free spins. One of the highlights of the game is the Mystery Reel feature. After every spin, any reels containing a mystery symbol will transform entirely into a random, stacked symbol. The Bomber feature is another appeal of the game. Triggered randomly before a spin, each bomb contains a cluster of mystery symbols. If a number of bombs occur, then at least 10 overlay mystery symbols are added to the reels, helping to boost your chances of big payouts.

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sportWell hello there and thanks for stopping by to have a gander at my brand new blog. If like me you love gaming, then you have come to the right place. This blog is dedicated to games – all sorts of games! Now, I know what you may be thinking, aren’t there already enough blogs, websites, magazines, TV shows etc. dedicated to this topic? Aren’t there already enough specialists and experts out there trying to guide us through the world of gaming? Well there may be a lot of other resources available, but none of them have my unique spin on them! I want to share my own experiences, thoughts and ideas on the subject, and that’s exactly what you’ll find in this blog. Prepare for a unique and individual look at the world of gaming.

I will write posts on a variety of gaming related issues, be that the latest game releases, reviews of age old classics, or general industry news that I think is worthy of mention or comment. I must point out at this point that I am a keen fan of online casino games, so you can be sure that I will dedicate many of my posts to this area of gaming. Therefore, if you enjoy betting on the roulette wheel, trying to beat the dealer to 21, or spinning to win on slot machines, then you will find plenty of posts that will tickle your fancy here. I will try to update my blog regularly, so make sure you come back often to check out my new additions to the site. So for now, thanks for stopping by, and please come back again soon.

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