The Eyetoy was never new, and had been around for years. It's a web cam, with those crap web cam games you used to get with web cams before they stopped bothering. Really the eyetoy is the gimmock to end all gimmocks. I think that add-ons like Buzz for PS2 make a lot more sense, they add something to the console, it allows easy multiplayer quiz games, affordable (compared to multitap+controllers), and it's perfect for Xmas, heck I've sourced PS2's for people who got these things for christmas last year and need a console to plug them into! (the year before that it was dance mats). Peripherals sell consoles at this time of year, especially the party game variety, and personally I can see Nintendo doing really well this xmas with it's approach, better than those so called next gen consoles.
For me it's games that sell consoles, and I like the playability aspects in Nintendo games like Pikmin and Mario. When you spend a fortune on XBox games that you barely play, then find a pre-owned NGC game that you play for months, it put's the current market in perspective. Really I'm bored with FPS, never liked driving games, so really the PS3 and 360 hold no real attraction.
I'm not saying that my insight is better than yours, how would I know! - what I'm saying is you have to regard these next gen consoles with their previous gen performance, the WII might not have the amazing graphics, what it has is the amazing quality control and designers to make the games that count in the long run. The 3DO you mention had ground breaking graphics, and it broke new ground in failing miserably, I mean the Amiga consoles were laughing at it!. Without the right marketing and fresh games, next gen quickly becomes current gen, and all our expectations quickly get diluted.
The PSP vs DS is no contest, the PSP is far more powerful, but the XBox is far more powerful than that, and has the same games - I'm sick of buying the same game over and over. I tested the PSP of course before deciding which handheld to get, I can forgive some ropey graphics if the game is fun, I just felt the DS had more to offer, wasn't robbing me blind, and is more comfortable too (one game of FIFA on the PSP gave me thumb cramp, not a good start).
As much critique as the stylus still get's, I was sceptical too, but it's the only solution for handheld FPS games - Metroid on the DS could go head to head with any handheld FPS before it and basically mince it, who is to say that the WII remote and nunchuck won't do the same for console FPS games. Every PC gamer in the world will sing the swan song about mouse aiming, but if the WII is more accesible for that sort of game then non-gamers will convert, non-gamers and console FPS games do not mix until 'now' (or december 8th).
The important thing is that designers want to work on the WII, they have ideas for it, they like it, and the games they come up with plus Nintendo's attitude should provide some fresh new gameplay IMO. I think the Dreamcast was sadly underrated, died too soon, the PSX quite rightly wiped out the Saturn, but the DC did not deserve it's fate. I think I probably have quite a negative attitude to Sony these days, the PS2 really annoys me, there's a lot to dislike with that console, not least it's massive market share and over-hype, I expect the same for the PS3 - I just hope the WII avoids the fate of the DC and NGC at the hands of it. It feels to me like M$ and Sony promised so much and have yet to deliver the goods, while Nintendo promises us nothing, they'd rather surprise us.
''Stick that in your text and scroll it!.''
