Before you begin to read my gratuitously long comment, let me start by saying that I have absolutely no opinion on the mobile devices discussed within this article.

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It pains me to read about the Xbox One and Playstation 4 while the Wii U and 3DS get left in the dark. If you know me, you know that I am possibly one of the most loyal Nintendo fans at ÁPB, and I feel that the Wii U and 3DS are disgustingly underrepresented in our specific gaming community.

I realise that it seems that I am so nitpicky about this issue for the sole purpose of trying to be edgy, but that is not true–I actually enjoy Nintendo’s games because they are FUN. Now, I would not feel so strongly about Microsoft and Sony’s consoles if our gaming ‘community’ were actually open to a wider variety of games with varied gameplay and story elements. Unfortunately, it’s apparent, even in this very article, that GAMEPLAY of all things seems to not matter in a video GAME system. This article mentions that the Xbox One and Playstation 4 have more interactive and social capabilities (which the Wii U does not exactly lack, mind you), and that’s not a drawback, but the reality is that there are few actions that these consoles can perform that you cannot already perform on an ordinary PC that runs Windows 7 or 8. That includes playing video games; computers can play video games, too.

I realise that many games and franchises are exclusive to these consoles (such as Kinect Sports for Xbox consoles and Little Big Planet for Playstation consoles), but the problem with this argument is that gamers at ÁPB do not seem to care or even acknowledge the existence of these games. The article here does not mention any console-exclusive titles dated for release in the near future, but it is not because the authors of this article simply forgot about these titles; it is because the audience to which the article is directed simply does not care. No one wants to know what games are being produced for these consoles, as long as the games look pretty (more on that later). Ask anyone at ÁPB–and I mean ANYONE AT ÁPB–who identifies as a PS3 fan what his or her favourite game on PS3 is, and more than likely, the answer will be some game with the words “Call of Duty”, “Battlefield”, and/or “Grand Theft Auto” in its title. If you have not picked on it by now, NONE OF THESE FRANCHISES ARE EXCLUSIVE TO PS3, and nearly none of self-identified PS3 fans have ever played a PS3 exclusive game, or even understand what the phrase “console-exclusive title” means.

There is one other similarity that the aforementioned game franchises have in common, and that is that they are classified as shooters. I believe this is another factor that contributes to the animosity toward Nintendo and their ‘child-friendly’ games, because, apparently, the only video game genres that exist are “games with guns in them” and “games without guns in them”, the latter of which is commonly associated with Nintendo. This is clearly a misconception, as gamers have a plethora of genres from which to choose, especially with titles available on Nintendo consoles. Nintendo has offered games in genres such as platforming with games like Super Mario Galaxy (Wii, 2007) and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D (3DS, 2013), action-adventure with games like The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii 2011), strategy with games like Fire Emblem: Awakening (3DS, 2013), Role-playing games with titles such as Pokémon X and Pokémon Y (3DS, 2013), simulators like Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS 2013), and even first person games like the Metroid Prime Trilogy (Wii, 2009). By no means am I claiming that the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 lack any of these genres, or that the next gen will lack these genres. They do not. These genres are certainly present in other consoles. Unfortunately, most of ÁPB’s gamers will not even touch a game that does not have a big, black, edgy M17+ stamped on the front cover, which is usually the rating given to “games with guns in them”.

It comes to my attention that “exclusive title” complaint of mine bears an uncanny anological resemblance to the common complaint towards the person who wears the band shirt and does not actually listen to the band. That may be so, but what I have found is the most prominent reason that exists for being a fan of the PS3 and Xbox 360 is the sole fact that the graphics are better on these consoles than they are on the Wii/Wii U. “What does this have to do with the exclusivity complaint?” you ask. Well, it’s deeper than just a matter of exclusivity vs graphics. The graphics on the Wii and Wii U, although not as charming as those on Microsoft and Sony’s consoles, are nowhere near bad, or even mediocre. But when a game is judged solely on its graphics, which is precisely what many gamers at ÁPB are doing, it is overlooked and labled as childish or unsatisfactory (which is exactly the same thing that happened to cartoons and animation in the 1960s, but that’s another story [of which I feel just as strongly]). What ÁPB fails to realise is that, while some games may seem childish, they are not necessarily subpar in either graphics or gameplay. If PS3 gamers were to pick up a copy of, say, one of the Spyro or Sly Cooper games, which are exclusive to Playstation consoles, they would see and understand that. This is just like a person simply wearing a band shirt because it “looks cool” while missing out on the wondrous music said band produces.

To conclude, I would humbly like to request more coverage on Nintendo products and consoles from Gryphon Gazette. I realise that Nintendo does not have much of an audience at our school, but my hopes are that this online newspaper can bring the charm and enjoyment of Nintendo to ÁPB’s gamers to do it justice for all Nintendo is worth. Nintendo is a BRILLIANT company that does not deserve the animosity and prejudice that it receives from ÁPB.

Thank you for taking the time to read my essay.

–Benjamín Salazar
Grade 12
Period 3: Mrs. García/Coak