I've got nothing against casual games, not everyone has the time to explore vast dungeons or the inclination to break their fingers trying to pull off impossible combos. What I really hate though is when the very people who built up the gaming industry to what it is today are ignored. Nintendo, not so much on the DS but definately on the Wii, were making me feel a little dissapointed after so many health and kiddy games. After completing Twilight Princess and coming towards the end of Metroid Prime the prospects for finding a new game I could really get my teeth into were looking pretty bleak...

But no longer! 2009 looks to be a much better year for the serious Wii player. Here are some of the games that I'll be keeping an eye on and hopefully getting once they come out.

Deadly creatures

House of the Dead: Over Kill

Mad World

The Conduit

Cold Mountain

Onslaught

(There's also a wii ware game called LIT that looks worthwhile).

Expect review s on these titles some time in the future.

I think my Wii was angry the other day. I was on Metroid Prime 3 and had chosen to continue after a boss fight when it freezes and the screen flashes blue. Then it goes to tv static and I can't get the picture back but the actual consoles still running. I left if for a few hours in the hope it would fix itself but no. Luckily after I pulled the plug out it loaded the game again and wasn't some 'blue light of death'. Hope it never happens again.

I was trying to get my hands on a second hand DS Light from my local Game store. They had about seven boxes on display, all stating the second hand price. So I go to the counter to buy one and they ask me what colour I'd like. Then I'm told they don't have that in stock, I tell them that I don't mind having a different coloured and then I find out that they actually don't have any in store. So what is the point in advertising it? To get people's hopes up so that they end up paying for a full price one? What a con.

The main thing that put me of the first game was the meek and generally pathetic female character. I shrugged it off as just another company who had completely ignored their female fan base. With intellectual games that don't rely on hack and slash I think its particually important to maximise your sales by trying to appeal to both genders.

However, Lost in Blue 2 seems to have taken a completely opposite stance. Understandibly the characters have diferent skill; the woman is better at finding cooking ingredients and archery and the man is better at cooking and close combat. Personally I think this makes it potentially more fun and realistic. Lets hope there's no annoying stereotyping in the dialogue.

Ultimately its just a pebble in the ocean but I hope LiB2 will show the games industry that steriotyping of any kind just isn't entertaining in the long run. This time I'll give the game a chance and buy it.