Hot on the heels of reports that Nintendo Wiimotes are ending up in some unwanted places— like television screens and walls— the company has announced that they are replacing faulty straps with stronger stuff. Since units shipped after early December already have the improved Wiimote strap included, Nintendo asks that you check yours first, and have included a handy picture so you can tell the difference.

Sure, the Playstation 3 launch had its share of problems. But is it destined to be a dismal failure?

The folks at Time Magazine and PC World seem to think so. Both magazines have included the PS3 on separate lists concerning blunders in 2006, right alongside “Studio 60″, OJ’s book deal, and exploding laptop batteries.

According to Time:

The PS3 is hideously expensive–it goes for up to $600–and Sony manufactured only a piddling few hundred thousand for the U.S., fewer for Japan. Plus it’s hard to write games for; the launch titles were lame. You know you’re in trouble when you get beat by something called a Wii.

Oh wow. I swear those ‘Wii’ name jokes get funnier every time they get repeated.

What did PC World have to say?

When it was announced in spring 2005, the Sony PlayStation 3 was going to be the greatest thing to hit home gaming since a hedgehog named Sonic. Then came the delays. By the time the PS3 arrived, it was six months late, and Nintendo’s cheaper and more innovative Wii had stolen much of its thunder. At $599 for the 60GB model, the PS3 is twice the price of the original PlayStation 2, yet research firm iSupply–which describes the PS3 as having supercomputer qualities–estimates that Sony still loses more than $200 per unit.

Shortcomings aside, I think it’s a little early to be deciding the PS3’s fate. The thing only came out a little over a month ago, but these magazines are in a big hurry to reach conclusions. Give the console a little more time before you start comparing it to the likes of the CDI or Jaguar.

Wow, talk about a HELL of a lot to deal with.

Apparently it wasn’t enough when Christian-themed Real Time Strategy game Left Behind: Eternal Forces got served some lousy reviews, earning it a very bad score of 42 on metacritic.com. According to GamePolitics.com this morning, the Christians themselves aren’t very happy with the product, claiming that the “Convert or Die” nature of the game undermines the true nature of their religion.

This is hardly surprising, really, nor is it a recent development. Our favorite lawyer/comedian Jack Thompson was complaining about “Left Behind” long before it hit store shelves for the same reason. And who can forget this classic Daily Show “Week in God” Segment, where Rob Corddry compared the notion of killing in the name of God to waging war in San Andreas. “He just saved that guy right between the eyes!”

But this veteran NESphile has them all beat. Remember Wisdom Tree’s line of nightmares fifteen years ago? It’s a little late to say “I told you so.”