The Enigmatic Nintendo Wii – Now Available In Black
The Nintendo Wii is a bit of an enigma when it comes to gaming consoles. It is, in comparison with the other two big consoles – the Xbox and the PlayStation 3, somewhat underpowered. It also features graphics which are rather simple, almost cartoon like. Nevertheless, it is incredibly successful.
The fact that it sells for quite a bit less than either the PS3 or the Xbox certainly helps. The motion sensitive controller used to play Wii games – the Wiimote – is another factor. It makes playing games on the Wii a completely different experience when compared to playing on the other consoles.
There is definitely more physical movement involved when playing Wii games than gaming on other consoles – where generally the thumbs are the only part of the body that get a work out. It’s also probably true to say that, apart from the physical exercise involved, Wii games are easier to learn and more intuitive to play. If you forget what button does what it doesn’t really matter – just flail your arms around and it’ll be fine.
Another consequence of the physical side to Wii games is that you need more space to play them. This is one of the reasons why many families have the Wii console in the living room rather than tucked away in teenager’s bedrooms – the normal habitat of the Xbox and PS3.
As well as requiring more space to play, the Wii is better enjoyed when used with a nice big screen. This may seem like an odd notion considering that the Wii’s graphics are, at least in comparison with the other consoles, fairly rudimentary. The reason for this is that it is harder to keep up with the game action on a small screen when the player is jumping around.
In the summer of 2009, Nintendo launched a black Wii console in Japan. It was a big hit and Nintendo released it in Europe before Christmas 2009, where it was also a popular choice with gamers. One possible reason for its success may have been the fact that the black colour was a good match for the other electrical devices – the TV, the DVD player, the cable box etc. – that can be found in the typical family living room.
If you decide to treat yourself to a Wii, try to break yourself in gently. It’s good that you can play games and get a little exercise – but if you’re used to traditional gaming then the exertions of playing Wii Sports for the first time can leave you feeling a little fragile if you overdo it.
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