Has it really been this long? It seems like only a few months ago that Troy Brownfield and I began talking about me writing game reviews for his new website, shotgunreviews.com. Hell, if you look at it in terms of video game systems (which I plan to do, as it is the entire basis of this article, and if it doesn't work, I deeply apologize) Shotgun Reviews (SGR) started in the era of the original PlayStation and the Nintendo 64, and the Game Boy Color handheld system.
Microsoft still made crappy, bug-filled security risks that they called "operating systems," and had only just begun to envision a ridiculous-sized console with an equally ridiculous-sized controller (seriously, anybody out there remember the original XBox controller, named "The Duke?" It was the size of a small VCR, and felt like you were trying to control the NASA lunar lander in your lap).
Anyway, here we are today on the day of the launch of the newest video game system, the PlayStation Vita. Yes, it is basically a PS3 in the palm of your hand. We've come from arguably the biggest (in size) game system of all time (the original XBox), to the most powerful handheld ever. Ain't technology grand?
I remember those days, back in 1999, playing CD-Rom games on the PlayStation, and writing really crappy reviews. I seemed to like games that other people overlooked, and didn't care much for the games everybody loved. Heck, I didn't even like Tony Hawk Pro Skater until the sequel (and then I was obsessed, like a fat kid in the studio audience of Iron Chef America!)
The SEGA DreamCast was launched in September of 1999, and it was, well, a Dream system. It was the first with the next-gen graphics that would rule gaming for the next six years. In fact, the DreamCast was much more powerful than the biggest selling game system of all time, the venerable PlayStation2. But sadly, even with the jump start, and some really brilliant games, the DreamCast was about to be blown out of the water.
In March of 2000, that aforementioned juggernaut, the PS2, hit the market and everything changed. Instead of CD-Roms, games were now printed on huge DVDs, allowing for better graphics, sound, and gameplay. To make a comparison, Square's Final Fantasy VII, the game many considered THE original PlayStation system seller, was spread out over three CD-Roms (and Final Fantasy VIII was on FOUR CD-Roms), but Final Fantasy X, the first FF game for the PlayStation2 was on one DVD. That was a whole lot of game shoved onto one disc.
In June, 2001, Nintendo gave the world its Game Boy Advance system. It was as powerful as a Super Nintendo, but in the palm of your hand.
In November of 2001, separated by only three days, Nintendo released its GameCube system, and Microsoft threw its hat into the console wars' ring by rolling out the XBox. At this point, each of the "big three" had a console system for sale. But it really wasn't a race. The PS2 was a runaway hit, and Microsoft and Nintendo were left to pick up the pieces...or the scraps.
The next big system launch came in November of 2004 with the Nintendo DS handheld. The DS was unique, as it gave the player two screens, the bottom screen having touch capability (this was way before Apple made touchscreens the handheld standard). Not to be outdone, Sony announced a new handheld, with the boring name, PlayStation Portable (PSP).
The PSP hit stores in March of 2005, and introduced a new form of media, the UMD, or Universal Media Disc. Sony hoped that in addition to games, consumers would also buy full-length movies for their PSPs. Unfortunately, the UMD was a failure, and only Sony/Columbia Pictures released their properties on the discs. Regardless, the PSP struggled to find an audience at the same time that the Nintendo DS was hitting its stride. It was no contest.
In November of 2005, Microsoft changed the gaming world when it released the XBox 360, the long-awaited follow up to the XBox system. The 360 had full on-line capability, and had a graphics engine that was unparalleled in the gaming industry. The system was hot, hot, hot and people were literally killing each other to get one. Seriously, look it up.
Microsoft would have the industry to itself for almost a year, and it used that time to roll out as many games that it could. Unfortunately, most were just ports of games on other systems. Nothing was a real system seller until Gears of War hit the market in November of 2006, but as GoW was finding an audience, Sony and Nintendo both played their hands and once again, the industry saw a major shift.
Sony released the PS3 to rave reviews, but terrible sales due to the ridiculous $600-plus price point. The PS3 used the new Blu-Ray technology that made it expensive, but also put a Blu-ray player in more homes, which in turn sold the proprietary new movie discs. Since Sony developed the technology, the gamble would eventually pay off, even though the company lost money on every PS3 sold for that first year.
Even though the PS3 was more powerful than the 360, and had built in wi-fi and a free online service called the PlayStation Network (at this point, you needed to buy a $100 adaptor to get wireless on the 360, PLUS you had to pay $50 a year for the right to get online through the XBox Live service), a ridiculously underpowered system with a dumb name was about to take the gaming world by storm.
In 2005, Nintendo announced that they were working a new game system that they nicknamed the "Revolution." They talked about how it would change gaming, but seeing as how the GameCube had failed to excite gamers, while both Sony and Microsoft were gaining huge shares of the hardcore players, The Big "N" was coming out of the gate behind the veritable eight ball. Ultimately, it didn't matter.
The Nintendo Wii hit stores in November of 2006 and stayed there...for about 15 seconds before every last unit was snatched up, leaving the shelves bare. And those shelves remained bare for almost two years. Everybody wanted a Wii. Mothers, fathers, kids, gamers, men, women, boys, girls, old people, babies, infants, toddlers, sperm, democrats, republicans, Christians, Muslims, Muppets, puppets, those weird things from H.R. Pufnstuf, ninjas, Jedi, Sith, showgirls, dogs, cats, fish, birds, rich, poor, Seriously, everybody wanted one. And Nintendo made sure anyone who wanted one, got one. Heck, Ernest-frickin-Borgnine has one. It was a revolution, indeed.
The Wii utilized motion gaming. It got fat kids off the couch, and got mothers to do yoga. Old folks played a virtual tennis game, and hardcore gamers were treated to new games from the biggest Nintendo franchises, such as the Marios and the Zeldas. The Wii also had a virtual store that sold the original games as downloaded content, so gamers could revisit the classics. In a nutshell, it was a big win. To date, Nintendo has sold over 95 million Wiis worldwide. In comparison, Sony has sold 62 million PS3s and Microsoft (which had a year head start) has sold 65 million units (and was also plagued with terrible design flaws that caused over 60% failure rates on ALL XBox 360s sold in the first two years...but that's a topic for another time.)
In March of 2011, Nintendo unleashed the next handheld system, this time tackling 3D. The Nintendo 3DS allowed glasses-free 3D, and though it got off to a slow start, the holiday season of 2011 saw Nintendo bring out the big guns with their beloved franchises, and systems flew of the shelves. Industry analysts are predicting that the 3DS will be the top system seller in 2012.
And that brings us to today. February 22, 2012 (unless the Mayans really sucked at calendar making, and the world has in fact ended before this article is published) sees the release of the PlayStation Portable's follow up, called the PlayStation Vita. The Vita has front and back touch screens, 3G capabilities, dual joysticks, and a processor that rivals the PS3. Sony is definitely upping the ante in the handheld wars.
Thirteen years ago, I started writing reviews for Shotgun Reviews (among other things, like drawing the online comic book, GENRE, and generally being the fattest guy in the group, even fatter than Russ, who, last I saw, looked damn good. Congrats, man.) Thirteen years is a long time in terms of technology. If Troy had waited a few years more to launch SPARKSHOOTER (Seriously, check it out), this article would have ended talking about a game system that hardwires holograms right into our brains, but until the porn industry signs off on it, that technology cannot and will not exist.
I'm proud of my time at SGR, and if Troy had never given me a chance to write these reviews, I never would be where I am now, a "professional" writer and freelance editor, and game writer/reviewer (http://www.thehdroom.com/). It's glad to be back with the gang, and I wish they would keep in touch more. Shotgun Reviews will live forever in our hearts and minds, and in Troy's bank account, 'cause we all know he made a fortune off of us. Jerk.
Jon Hueber had the good fortune to go to Indiana State University with Troy. They met during a late night D&D game and shared some creative writing classes. Jon drew two issues of the early Shotgun webcomic "Genre" in addition to writing reviews. He and Troy made a memorable Shotgun-related appearance on the Fox 59AM Morning Show, during which they crowned Jordana Green as the winner of Shotgun's Indianapolis News Anchor Beauty Pageant. Jon accompanied the team on many excellent adventures, some of which may yet be recounted. His gamer handle on both PS3 and XBox 360 is Wullbinkle; he loves to play games against readers, and they love to beat the shit outta him.
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