No, Nintendo has not come right out and said that their gaming console is just for kids. But their actions have communicated the message loud and clear.

It began with the choice of game that came with the system, Wii Sports. IN this sports game, you can play sports with little bobbleheads.

Then, the last straw was when they the Wii’s version of Madden 09, the perennial game for sports fans, was released as a bobblehead game.

For those unfamilair with this franchise, let me shed some light. This year marks the twentieth year the Madden football games have been out for a variety of game systems. Each year, a new version is released featuring current rosters and the latest and greatest gameplay features.

Madden release day is practically a national holiday, as hardcore sports gamers tend to take the day off work that day to go buy the game and play for 22 hours straight.

This year, the game was released for the three main game consoles - Wii, Playstation 3, and XBox 360. On the Playstation and XBox consoles, the game looks superb. Cutting edge graphics, smooth gameplay, and fun play options all make this a winner.

But on the Wii, the players are bobbleheads running around like little kids’ toys. No serious sports gamer would want anything to do with such an abomination.

Combine this horrific crime against gaming with Nintendo’s slow schedule of releasing games and their choice of what games they are releasing at all, and you have a product that continues to grow less attractive to hardcore gamers.

Brent Allan is a branding and marketing expert who specializes in unconventional methods. He has over a decade of experience in marketing and branding, and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing. He is the editor for BizWarrior Online and Beneath the Brand Blogs. When he isn’t pontificating about business, he juggles, does magic, and eats fire. What a dork.

Article Tags: bobbleheads | Brent Allan | Madden 09 | Nintendo Wii
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