Image from www.nintendowiifanboy.com

We've been talking about some interesting RPG ideas in the last couple of days. From dark and gothic Japanese conversions to bright and cheerful "lifestyle simulators," RPG fans have more than a few choices on Wii this year (as opposed to, well, none in 2007, unless you count Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, which is technically a strategy game and not an RPG).

The big bombshell for Wii owners this year is the impending American release of Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of The New World (coming very soon to Japan, so it should be out sometime this year). The Gamecube "Tales" game was a big favorite amongst the Nintendo faithful, an RPG that GCN owners enthusiastically pointed to when others were bragging about games like Knights of the Old Republic and Xenosaga.

With Dawn of the New World, the Wii receives its first "big time" RPG- one that isn't niche nor an "RPG lite." Is this the sign of better things to come? I think so. With an install base increasing as fast as Nintendo makes consoles, publishers and developers are bound to represent this platform on Wii in increasing regularity.

But let's not ask for the same RPGs as the other systems. Let's instead ask that Wii owners are treated to RPG games that are unique and truly made for us. Let's also shatter the idea of "hardcore" or "core gamer" and think universally- after all, one of the most popular RPGs of all time is Diablo- a very simplified structure that many stat grinding monkeys detest!

Read nintendowiifanboy.com's latest post on Tales of Symphonia.