by Bob Moeller
Nintendo has ventured off the beaten path with its newest system, and the company knows it. While the Sony PlayStation 3 and the Microsoft Xbox 360 both emphasize their impressive graphical capabilities, Nintendo downplays the importance of graphics on its new console. While the Sony and Microsoft consoles keep the branding of their respective predecessors, the oddly named Wii is a semantic departure from Nintendo’s more literally named 2001 console, the GameCube. And while the PS3 and the Xbox 360 both use conventional gamepads bristling with buttons, control sticks, and directional pads, the Wii uses a device that looks more like a TV remote than a gamepad to control its games.
These strange choices could have spelled failure for Nintendo’s newest development. Nintendo uses a strange new controller setup, and giving the whole package an odd name could have been major mistakes for Nintendo. (Consider some of the company’s earlier attempts to go against the grain: the Power Glove and the Virtual Boy.) But the gamble paid off: since its November 2006 release, the Wii has become a runaway hit, so popular that it remains difficult to find it in stock. It’s strange, it’s different, and it’s not as powerful as its competitors, but the Nintendo Wii succeeds in its primary mission: making it fun to play video games.
The console itself is downright tiny, easily the smallest and lightest of the new generation of game machines. Like the PS3, the Wii uses a slot-loading mechanism; it accepts the Wii discs (full-size 12cm) and older GameCube discs (mini 8cm), without the need for an adapter. The Wii includes 512MB of internal memory for storing saved games, downloaded Virtual Console titles, and other data. If that is not enough memory you can buy SD cards that will go into the Secure Digital card slot for additional storage. This is a refreshing change of pace from the proprietary memory cards used by older game consoles.
The system comes with Wii Sports, a simple but infectious sports game that lets users get a feel for the Wii’s capabilities without investing in additional games. Wii Sports uses the system’s wireless controller as erstwhile sporting equipment, letting users swing and mock-throw it to play baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, and boxing. A great way to exercise while playing around with your friends and family, and having a good time while you do it.
Is the Wii worth picking up? It all depends on what you’re looking for. If you’ve been clamoring for an all-purpose next-generation multimedia box with blinding HD graphics, the Wii will be a disappointment. But Nintendo didn’t intend to compete in that arena anyway: the Wii is focused squarely on delivering fun and innovative gameplay, leaving Sony and Microsoft to battle it out at the high end. While the Nintendo Wii lacks the graphical prowess and rich media features of the Xbox 360 and the PS3. The Nintendo Wii’s combination of unique motion-sensitive controllers and emphasis on fun gameplay make the ultra-affordable console hard to resist.
If you were thinking about getting one before and are now convinced to get one. Why not get it at the best price you can get it at. The Nintendo Wii Price is cheap and affordable compared to other gaming systems. Nintendo Wii Cost
About the Author
Video games and me go hand in hand. I know a good system when I play it.