Project Cafe: Hopes and reality checks

Innovation is cool enough. Why does it need to be 'reinvented'? I call bogus on this image!

A lot has been said about the successor to the Nintendo Wii, the so called Project Cafe. It will apparently be more hardcore focused. Nintendo is supposedly trying better to work with third parties. The controller has a screen that looks like an iPhone. Well, after thinking a great deal about these rumors, it's time for a little reality check. Based on Nintendo's previous track record, here's what ol' Scholar Gray thinks of certain rumors:




1. The system will be core focused: No, but it will have a greater emphasis on core.

Zelda's great, but let's hope Cafe gets a few more distinct titles.

What are the chances of this? A little yes and a little no. Nintendo remade itself with the Wii, and it is more than likely that they'll try to focus on what helped the system 'print money'. So that means that motion controls will remain, and there will be somewhat of a casual focus. There have been rumors that the system will be backwards compatible with Wii and Gamecube titles, so this isn't far-fetched. However, it is also possible that Nintendo could follow Microsoft's route. Wii remotes would be compatible with the system, but would be a separate accessory, much like Kinect is with Xbox 360. In order to make the system more accessible to third parties, a more traditional controller could be used for core type games and Nintendo could continue their Wii game line and have that become a casual brand. The DS was more successful than Wii because of this balance between traditional and new controls, and it is likely that Nintendo has learned from both systems.

2. The system will be HD compatible: Pretty much a given.

How awesome would this be?

At this point, Nintendo simply doesn't have any excuse for not having an HDTV compatible system. In 2006, the numbers might have been significantly fewer, but with the large outcry and half decade since, 3DTV is for early adopters and HD is the new mainstream. I'd be very suprised if Cafe didn't have HD.

3. The system will have a touch screen built into the controller: Very Likely.

Remember raising Chao with this?

For the past seven years, Nintendo's made a reputation of 'The Nintendo Difference'. With the DS they added touch screen functionality to games before it was a gleam in Apple's eye and with the Wii they made gaming popular again with the mainstream, not just beer swilling shooter junkies and the rest of us. A controller with a screen in it would be just new enough to continue this trend, and it could also be used in a similar fashion to the VMU Sega engineered with the Dreamcast. It may even be possible that this is a secret weapon against Apple, designed to lure games from the App store and consumers with them.

4. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will be delayed and released on Cafe: Around a Fifty-fifty chance.

Look I like Zelda. I Love Zelda. However, what and when fans want from a new Zelda title is often different from what Nintendo has in mind. For example, when Twilight Princess was delayed a year so that a Wii version could be made. Now, it's possible that if Cafe is not coming out until next fall we will see Skyward Sword as one last hurrah for the Wii. However, Nintendo is not known for giving long experiences at launch, so it is also possible that the game could be delayed to provide that oh so important killer app for the Core crowd come Cafe's launch. Either is possible.

5. The system will be named 'Stream': Pretty possible, and it at least sounds better than Wii.

Obviously, Nintendo doesn't care if the core crowd considers their system name to be stupid. Anyone else remember those never ceasing crude Wii jokes when the system name was announced? Regardless of a connection between 'Wii' and 'Stream' (which will renew the jokes forthwith), Stream isn't that bad of a name. It sounds relaxing, hi-tech and progressive. In other words, quite good so it is possible that this IS the name.

So, hopefully you enjoyed this 'reality check'. For those of you who didn't, hopefully you have things more in perspective now. This is Gray the Game Scholar, and I'll be posting more soon!