A Wall Street Journal article today addresses an issue I've had with video games the past few years: The way my children pound me in every game makes me want to throw my Wii controller at them! It's frustrating that I can't compete effectively, and that discourages me from playing (and therefore buying) these games.
Now, it seems, manufacturers are tackling that problem with the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" mentality:
The latest installment of [Nintendo's (OTC: NTDOY)] "Super Mario Bros." game for the Wii console, for example, has a "simultaneous multiplayer mode" for the first time. Under that mode, up to four players cooperate with each other to complete each level -- with the ultimate goal of saving Princess Peach from the villain -- so players of varying abilities can play together by helping each other out. Makers such as [Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT)] and Infinity Ward have also tweaked games to enable users of different skill levels to easily play together.
The article even provides a built-in excuse for us former hotshot gamers. As we've aged and taken on greater responsibilities (like, um, making a living) we have less time to hone our laser-rocket-grenade-launching skills. So I think this is a great trend, and we'll see more games like this from Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS), Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI), Sony (NYSE:SNE), etc. At a time when video game sales are dropping, this could help stem the bleeding.
Finally, a chance to game with my kids and make it past the first 20 seconds! What's not to like? Let us know in the comments box below how else video game companies can make their products more desirable to a larger audience.
