Embattled battlers: strategy games continue to struggle on consoles

If you haven't figured it out yet, I am a nerd. To be honest, I was a nerd long before being a nerd was even a little bit cool. And it was never more apparent than when it came to video games. Sure, I was playing Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat right there with the cool kids, but I was also feverishly leveling up in Dragon Warrior, and even worse, I was even immersed in whatever strategy game I could get my hands on. Because I was a poverty-stricken nerd, I seldom had a computer that could run anything better than solitaire. So I bought whatever came out on my beloved Super Nintendo. Metal Marines, Liberty or Death, even the port of the original Civilization all graced my little 12" TV. But even then, with my lack of PC support, I knew that these games were lacking. When I got a better computer, I finally understood what I'd been missing. These games were MUCH better on the computer.

Now I'm older, and I still buy and play strategy games, both on my PC and on my consoles. But while the console strategy games are much better, and many have found a niche, such as the games developed by Nippon Ichi Software, they still almost always lag behind their PC counterparts.

But why is this? Well, for starters, there is a question of demand. While most serious gamers can now be expected to own both a PC and at least one console, it is a simple fact that for the most part, gamers look to buy different games for different systems. While RPGs have a market on both, people who buy consoles are usually looking for more action oriented games. While some action games, especially 1st person shooters, thrive on the PC, it is generally accepted as the home for more strategic gaming.

Another factor is the hardware involved. In an action game, fewer buttons can be desirable; when you have only a split second to hit a button, you don't want to have too many options to make mistakes with. But with strategy games, especially real-time strategy, you want many, many shortcuts and presets so that you can input commands quickly and efficiently. Also, when it comes to scrolling across a large battlefield, A controller's analog joystick simply can't compete with a mouse. Now, more and more console games are trying to bridge the gap, supporting keyboard and mouse, but any game hoping for any mainstream appeal can't simply assume that the player has an optional accessory, and as long as they have to design with a controller in mind, console strategy games will be a step behind.

But it's not always a very big step. As I've said, I love many of the Nippon Ichi games. Disgaea is a game that I don't feel suffers much at all on the PS2, and Grim Grimoire is a RTS title that is a lot of fun, although I admit that a mouse would be better. Even more impressive, Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars for the Xbox 360 received ratings that were very close to its PC counterpart. So while the gap remains, what was once a chasm has become a crack.