Power-Off
an alternative look at gaming

XBOXED

It takes a change to open your eyes, or so people say. Something new to come along to make you realise your true feelings on a matter. A new girl to make you realise how crap your relationship actually is, a new writer to make you realise how 2 dimensional your narratives actually are, a new website to open you up to how poor the one you made actually is. December 7th was he day that I took the red pill. Got into the car, and drove to inject new life into myself. 30 minutes later and £200 poorer, I’d become a new man. A man who, 12 months ago, I’d have probably spit at and called a minion. I own an X-Box. I’m a minion, and I’m damn proud of it.

For 20 months I’d been happy with my Gamecube. The PS2 had come along and set my heart ablaze briefly, but that fire was soon put out by the purple box, and I was put back on track with my love of Nintendo. I don’t know where it came from. A sudden urge, a desire for something different to taste, to try. I handed over my money, and the big chunk of black plastic was and is mine. And the Gamecube? For the last month it’s done nothing but gather dust.

And it’s not because the x-box has got the superior games. The Gamecube hasn’t been neglected due to custom soundtracks. Microsoft’s machine hasn’t prevailed due to its huge hard drive or DVD playing. There has been one thing which has kept me plugged into X-Box, and it is in the area that all Nintendo fans debate about daily. XBOX Live has blocked the door for my Gamecube, and trapped Nintendo in the cold light of day.

I’ve killed Koreans on Rainbow Six 3. I’ve smashed some of the cockiest Americans ever into walls on Project Gotham Racing 2. Midtown Town Madness 3 has seen me confuse French people with my vast (read: ‘tiny’) knowledge of the French language. I’ve laughed at a Swiss man on Top Spin for saying he supported Manchester United ‘just because’. All because of the online experience hat XBOX Live offers. And it’s an experience that the Gamecube has never offered me before. I feel like I can switch on at any time, and have a half decent match against somebody, without having to worry about it being too short or adjusting difficulty levels. On Live, you’ve always got friends.

I’d defended Nintendo’s online policies every time the topic came up: online play is still only developing, and is nowhere near fully formed; As a business, it’s not economical for Nintendo to go in yet, and could land flat on their faces; Microsoft have the money to throw at it, let them build upon it, and Nintendo can capitalise on the developments in the next console cycle; Multiplayer is better than online play; As a business, it’s not economical for Nintendo to go in yet, and could land flat on their faces. You know what? Forget business. I’m a gamer. I shouldn’t be interested in Nintendo’s accounts and money. If Nintendo going online is going to make me happier, I shouldn’t about how much it’s going to cost them, or the take up rate.

As a gamer, Nintendo should make online games, no questions about it – imagine an online Animal Crossing, or a ‘four swords’ Zelda game with some of your mates from Cube-Europe. Of course, making them fully online would be a travesty for everyone, but just with that extra option would take Nintendo to that extra level that many say they’ve lacked on the Gamecube. As a Nintendo fan, online play could be a nail in the coffin of my favourite company. Come the next generation however, Nintendo might be forced into dragging the console fully online. Seen you online then, aye?