Wii, Kinect, Move: Still Only Gimmicks?

The NES Power Glove was released by the Mattel toy company in 1989. I never had the pleasure of owning one, however I do wish I had one today, just to add it to my collection. This accessory was the first of its kind to allow the gamer to interact with a video game. This item was ahead of its time and it was considered a failure even though it was used in the cult classic movie, The Wizard. This glove only had two games that you could play with it: Bad Street Brawler and Super Glove Ball. Other games were announced but never saw the light of day. If you really wanted to, you could use a code to allow certain games the ability to use the Power Glove.

There have been several controllers over the years that were mere gimmicks and now we are once again in a period of interaction play. Today we have the Nintendo Wii, XB360 Kinect and PlayStation Move. These types of systems are there to get us off of our couches to be more involved with the games we play with.

Kinect saw its launch in 2010. Not only does it have motion sensor capability but also responds to certain voice commands. After trying Kinect for myself, I have to say, I’m not a huge fan. I even had to unplug it from my system. I would be watching something on Netflix and if I say something, the Kinect would pick it up and end up fast forwarding my movie, for example. I did enjoy playing a few workout games with Kinect but that joy did not last long. I am debating plugging it back in for Mass Effect 3 but the likeliness of that happening is minimal.

PlayStation Move came out the same year as Kinect and I personally think it is worse. I patiently waited for EyePet to be released in America and once I had it, I sadly wanted to return it shortly after playing.

The best of the interactive systems in my opinion, is the Nintendo Wii. I personally don’t use my Wii as much as I used to but I believe it is the best all the same. I spent hours playing Wii Sports, finding the controls and interface easy to use. Never had a problem with broken TV sets or bruised eyes. Released in 2006 and a hard to get item during the holidays, the Wii has been pleasing both casual and Nintendo gamers alike. It does have its problems, like lack of mature games, but as far as a system do get you off the couch, the Wii is it. The Wii U promises to be as enjoyable and it is fully backwards compatible. Only time and sales will determine if this interaction fad is over or not.

The interaction era of games is still going on, with new updates for Kinect and the Wii U. Some get the fad, some are casual to it and others avoid it like the plague. I understand how the Wii is a great tool for rehabilitation and general exercise, but beyond that, I see it as a gimmick. Games like Forza 4, Mass Effect 3 and many others do not need it and end up being a mess.

What are your thoughts on interactive gaming now that it has been on the market for some time. Is it something that is here to stay or will it die out just like the other fads from the past?