Nintendo Wii Console Review

A couple of years ago, the buzz was that Nintendo had decided it could no longer afford to compete with Sony and Microsoft in a third generation of super game platforms and that they were going to retrench to a smaller simpler niche.

While Sony and Microsoft threw massive amounts of money at there new offerings and introduced game platforms with some incredible graphic capability, Nintendo quietly struck out into a new direction and launched the Nintendo Wii.

Well, the people have spoken and anyone who had counted Nintendo down for the count have some pondering to do.

Nintendo did in fact go in a completely new direction.  And that direction has gotten its fan's fannies off the couch!

My in-laws recently purchased a Wii for their precious granddaughter.  Being the grandparents they are, they would have purchased any game platform she asked for.  Her platform of choice?  You guessed it, The Nintendo Wii.

At the heart of this new direction of video games is a remote control that is motion sensitive.  So, instead of sitting on a couch just pressing buttons and developing Carpal-Tunnel Syndrome, you are usually on your feet in the midst of the game you are playing.

Nintendo Wii Sports

Queue this game series up by inserting the DVD and suddenly you are really playing tennis or baseball or bowling.  After a recent afternoon tennis match with my daughter I found that I had actually worked up a sweat.  Now that's a game system!  Your immersion into the game doesn't rely on incredible graphics, but rather your physical participation in the game.

Backward Compatibility

Over the last couple of decades, Nintendo had developed scores of classic video games.  Well, they are available to the Wii.  This was a master stroke of genius on Nintendo's part.  It opens a huge inventory of games to newer players while it appeals to the older players who remember these games fondly in their initial release.

My Viewpoint

I like the idea of a game system that encourages physical activity no matter how slight (darts, for example).  The Nintendo Wii is currently leading the pack in terms of sales.  I guess there are an awful lot of parents and kids who seem to share my feeling.