the buzz log

The Nintendo Wii is still red-hot. Two years after its release, shoppers continue to have a hard time finding it in stores. One might be tempted to say the console can do no wrong, except that's not exactly true. Wii Music, the much-hyped game from renowned designer Shigeru Miyamoto, is considered by some to be, well, a bit of a flop.

The Wall Street Journal reports that several months after it hit shelves, Wii Music is "far behind" its two music-game rivals, Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Sales figures for Wii Music have been dwarfed by Guitar Hero and Rock Band, as well as many older titles for the Wii. We took a look to see if the same lack of popularity can be found in Search.

In a word, yes. Searches on "guitar hero" are about five times as prevalent as those on "wii music." Lookups for "rock band" and its sequel are also significantly more popular.

The disparity is interesting because Wii Music is quite similar to its more popular rivals. One could even argue Miyamoto's baby had the potential to appeal to a wider base of gamers. All the games involve players simulating the act of playing the guitar, drums, etc. Wii Music is different in that it allows gamers to play more instruments and is easier to learn.

So why the poor showing? Reviews on Wii Music have been "meh" at best, and the track list isn't exactly full of rockin' tunes ("Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," anyone?). Additionally, Rock Band and Guitar Hero allow gamers to download more tunes online. With Wii Music, you're stuck with what comes on the disc.

Still, according to the WSJ article, Miyamoto isn't worried. He says he never expected Wii Music to be an instant hit. Now the question is: Will it ever become one?