Does the above in-game screenshot look three years old to you? It shouldn’t (even though it is) because Shadow of the Colossus for PS2 is still one of the most impressive-looking titles to behold, next-gen consoles included.
The reason: artistic always trumps technical, as was the case with Mario Galaxy released for the underpowered Wii last year. So if you have capable hardware (which I would consider both PS2 and Wii still capable), developers can still create lasting and impressive imagery, even in a post PS3 and 360 world. Game makers can still create great-looking games, ones that encourage players to play them for looks alone, for years to come.
It is this very reason that I believe Nintendo was right when they said Wii would have “good enough” graphics back in 2005, upon announcing the system. This is not to say there isn’t a place for HD graphics in gaming, and Nintendo is sure to support HD as prices drop. But art will always be more appreciated by gamers than power, whether they know it or not. Shadow of the Colossus (which you should play right now if you haven’t already), and numerous others are living proof of that concept.
So if “good enough” looks like Colossus and Galaxy, I’ll be more than happy as a long-time gamer when playing my Wii.