Patrick Elliot
Shaun InguanzoLow-def ain't dead, and we have the proof
April 28th 2008 02:37
Gaming night on a 51cm television
A cold winter's night and a copy of Mario Kart Wii sounded like a good idea at the time - until Gamer Herald staff Shaun Inguanzo and Glen Atwell discovered that the 32 inch LCD and 60 inch plasma normally reserved for gaming were both occupied by respective family members.
It was then time to step into the twilight zone, back into a forgotten era of gaming - when CRTs ruled the world. Here are their impressions of gaming on a 51cm television.
SHAUN: One thing that strikes me about the Wii is its ability to still look good on a 51cm television, using the lowly AV inputs.
For some reason there's something attractive about it, and I can't put my finger on it. But fire up a 360 or PS3 and the whole thing is turned on its head - it looks dog ugly on a tiny television.
Mario Kart Wii was the perfect game to play on a 51cm television - large characters, vibrant, colourful worlds, and old school gameplay - it didn't matter that it wasn't widescreen, or 480p, or something more special like Halo 3 running at 720p.
It was still insane, awesome fun. It reminded me of old times, like playing the N64 on a 34cm television at a holiday caravan park with friends - it worked, and for some reason we didn't mind.
A far cry from today, wheere I know people who complain about anything less than 40 inches!
GLEN: It is amazing how far technology, and therefore our gaming expectations, have come since the glory days of Super Nintendo and N64.
Remember playing four-player split screen Goldeneye on a dodgy 34cm television in the garage? The bulky controller was actually bigger than my 'corner' on the TV.
Yet here we are, in the world of next-gen, still playing Mario Kart on tube televisions. Surprisingly, it has never looked or felt better. As Shaun mentioned, the current crop of consoles have been designed for use on modern LCDs and plasma panels.
But somehow the Wii still manages to look good on a crap screen.
It is the Nintendo factor; bright colours, cartoon animations and simple rendering.
Ask my mum, she plays Super Mario Galaxy on a 51cm television and has managed to collect 75 stars (and counting).
If anyone wants to know why the Nintendo Wii is still walking off the shelves at retailers all over the world, take a look at the pictures from Gamer Herald's retro gaming night.
We're having fun, and it's as simple as that.
SHAUN: Yep - at the end of the day, that's all you ask of a game.
I found it rather refreshing to take a break from being a graphics junkie sitting in front of my 32 inch LCD and tisk-tisking at aliasing when I should instead be more worried about how well a game plays.
It highlights how important gameplay is in video games compared to graphics, because as long as something looks decent, and is fun to play, you'll buy it and enjoy it.
I love Mario Kart Wii so much that I've actually become addicted to the game - too many late nights over the past week, and too many time trials in a bid to become the best in Australia.
All in low res, lower-poly count glory. I recommend you, the readers, try a gaming night on a crappy television like we did. Makes you appreciate how far we've come.
GLEN: Don't forget the retro gaming snacks. Toobs, Wizz Fizz and Red Skins will help you to 'regurgitate' many childhood memories!
Ah, low-res, interlaced glory. The memories, the memories...
It was then time to step into the twilight zone, back into a forgotten era of gaming - when CRTs ruled the world. Here are their impressions of gaming on a 51cm television.
SHAUN: One thing that strikes me about the Wii is its ability to still look good on a 51cm television, using the lowly AV inputs.
For some reason there's something attractive about it, and I can't put my finger on it. But fire up a 360 or PS3 and the whole thing is turned on its head - it looks dog ugly on a tiny television.
Mario Kart Wii was the perfect game to play on a 51cm television - large characters, vibrant, colourful worlds, and old school gameplay - it didn't matter that it wasn't widescreen, or 480p, or something more special like Halo 3 running at 720p.
It was still insane, awesome fun. It reminded me of old times, like playing the N64 on a 34cm television at a holiday caravan park with friends - it worked, and for some reason we didn't mind.
A far cry from today, wheere I know people who complain about anything less than 40 inches!
Shaun takes it to the rest of the world in Mario Kart Wii. Notice the forward lean in a bid to comprehend what is happening on the tiny box.
GLEN: It is amazing how far technology, and therefore our gaming expectations, have come since the glory days of Super Nintendo and N64.
Remember playing four-player split screen Goldeneye on a dodgy 34cm television in the garage? The bulky controller was actually bigger than my 'corner' on the TV.
Yet here we are, in the world of next-gen, still playing Mario Kart on tube televisions. Surprisingly, it has never looked or felt better. As Shaun mentioned, the current crop of consoles have been designed for use on modern LCDs and plasma panels.
But somehow the Wii still manages to look good on a crap screen.
It is the Nintendo factor; bright colours, cartoon animations and simple rendering.
Ask my mum, she plays Super Mario Galaxy on a 51cm television and has managed to collect 75 stars (and counting).
If anyone wants to know why the Nintendo Wii is still walking off the shelves at retailers all over the world, take a look at the pictures from Gamer Herald's retro gaming night.
We're having fun, and it's as simple as that.
We went so old school that beneath the tele were some cheat sheets - hand-written on the back of important legal documents - for Super Paper Mario.
SHAUN: Yep - at the end of the day, that's all you ask of a game.
I found it rather refreshing to take a break from being a graphics junkie sitting in front of my 32 inch LCD and tisk-tisking at aliasing when I should instead be more worried about how well a game plays.
It highlights how important gameplay is in video games compared to graphics, because as long as something looks decent, and is fun to play, you'll buy it and enjoy it.
I love Mario Kart Wii so much that I've actually become addicted to the game - too many late nights over the past week, and too many time trials in a bid to become the best in Australia.
All in low res, lower-poly count glory. I recommend you, the readers, try a gaming night on a crappy television like we did. Makes you appreciate how far we've come.
GLEN: Don't forget the retro gaming snacks. Toobs, Wizz Fizz and Red Skins will help you to 'regurgitate' many childhood memories!
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Comment by Glen Atwell
Computer Game
A PS2 Eye Toy camera - for Eye Toy Kinetic
Double adaptor - for plugging in extra consoles and other fossil fuel burning gaming goodness
Battery charger - to recharge spent Wii-mote batteries
Double doors - for easy access to original and pirated PS1 games and other Wii goodness.
Comment by Shaun Inguanzo
Blogocratic Nightmare
Trying to tune in the console was a hassle, but as a determined gamer I always made it happen.