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Gameplay

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I guess I would have to say Gameplay is more important for a few reasons. First of all, I believe graphics are a great part of a game. I personally am a graphics addict, looking out for games with the best graphics so far. However, I wouldn't actually buy the game unless I found out that it actually is a GOOD game. Even the video game review system seems to favor gameplay over graphics.

Although graphics can make a game better or worse, most of what makes a game better or worse is gameplay. There are many games out there that have below-average graphics but everyone loves. For example, let's say that these two games are released on the same day and both are equally hyped in the gaming community. One has amazing graphics but has a low quality of gameplay, the other has below-average visuals but has a wonderful gameplay system. If consumers didn't know about either game's quality of gameplay, on the first day of sales the one with better graphics will probably sell more than the other. However, after those first day sales, word of mouth will start impacting both games. Although the first game has better graphics, a majority of people will tell their friends that it is not worth buying due to its poor gameplay. On the other hand, the other game will start picking up in sales when first-day customers tell their friends how fun the game was. In the end, the second, more fun, game wins in terms of sales, showing that gameplay is a very important role in achieving good sales.

Games with great gameplay have an amazing ability to generate positive word-of-mouth sales. The fun factor the game has will cause you to want to tell your friends and maybe even invite them over to join you, so you can both play the game together. While the two (or more) of you are happily playing a game that is simply fun, the other game you bought with amazing visuals but poor gameplay just sits there, unused and unmentioned by you to your friends.

A very good real-life example over gameplay beats graphics are the many games on Xbox Live Arcade and many of the games on the Nintendo Wii. On XBLA, recently a game called Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 was released. It had wonderful sales, poised to be the best-selling XBLA game released so far. How were its graphics: two-dimensional and although it had pretty neat-looking effects, it still was pretty mediocre. Gameplay: Wonderful! I myself downloaded the game and my usually anti-gaming mother actually sat down, played the game, and loved it! On the Wii, games like Wii Fit and Mario Kart Wii, along with many others, are achieving amazing sales despite the fact that the graphics are similar to games that were released in the early-PS2 era. These games are simply fun and their sales and word-of-mouth show it.

Like I said, earlier, I love games with good graphics, but I wouldn't making a purchasing decision solely based on a game's graphics. In video game reviews, great graphics could improve the score, say, 1 out of a possible ten points. Around seven or eight of the remaining points depend on the gameplay. Although I would prefer a game with both good graphics AND great gameplay, if I had to make the choice between either/or, I would pick gameplay. After that decision, you'll find me having a great time with my friends in front of my Xbox 360.

Learn more about this author, B. Ender.
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