Features// SPOnG goes to Nintendo World

We spoke to one gamer, Hiro from Osaka, who was peering at the glass-encased Wii hardware and accessories.

SPOnG: Why is the Wii so appealing to you?

Hiro: It’s just fun. And it’s completely different to anything else.

SPOnG: Which games are you excited about?

Hiro: Super Mario Galaxy, that’s great. And I played Twilight Princess for the first time today – it’s fantastic! I think it could be better than Ocarina of Time.

SPOnG: [Hiro’s gazing at the stuff behind glass again.] Do you think the console looks good, then?

Hiro: “No, not at all! It looks really cheap. It’s not on the same level as the PS3, but the PS3’s much more expensive – too expensive – so I’ll be getting a Wii. Although, I must confess, I’m still not used to this new controller…”

Most people were here to try out “this new thing”, like the forty-something chap we out-golfed in Wii Sports, but there were also plenty of DS fans and a few cosplayers.

We caught up with F-Zero’s Mrs. Arrow – which was tricky because she was so fast around corners! – and we said, “Slow down, tell us what you know.” Turns out, she goes by the alias of ‘Opama’ when she’s out of costume. Opama started cosplaying five years ago, and initially she went out as Fox McCloud. (Foxy lady, et cetera.)

SPOnG: Have you been a Nintendo fan all your life?

Opama: “Yes, since I was a child! And I’m really excited about the Wii! Super Mario Galaxy is the best Wii game I’ve played so far. It’s so nostalgic, but it feels fresh because of the new controller. I love it!”

SPOnG: What else have you been enjoying?

Opama: “100 Poems Shigureden on the DS is really my sort of thing. It’s easy to play for a long time. I was really looking forward to Smash Bros on the Wii, as well, but there’s nothing here. It’s a shame – I can’t wait for that game!”

SPOnG: So, you’re getting a Wii at launch?

Opama: [looks at us like that’s the stupidest question she’s ever been asked] “Of course I am!”

After this weekend’s Nintendo World, the response from most Osaka dwellers will be similar. Nintendo is poised to make a big splash this Christmas – a Santa Claus bellyflop into a sea of cash. Seeing so many smiles on so many faces today, we reckon Nintendo deserves every Yen it gets.