Nintendo Wii: A Gimmick at Best

The Nintendo Wii took gaming to the next level; at least the controller did. When it first launch, it was on everyone's Christmas list. It was sold-out at every department store for an entire year! I wondered what all the craze was about, the motion controls? the excellent launch price? I knew it couldn't be the games because based off the Gamecube, there wasn't much to brag about.

I bought one and...yep, it was the motion controls. Never had I experienced anything like it in gaming history. In my history. Of course, after you get over the "wow" factor of the controls, it goes downhill from there.

There is really nothing this system offers in terms of power. I mean there is no DVD player, no HD output, heck, even the hard drive is laughable, or flash drive I should say. It's about 2GB or 2.5GB, whatever it is, it's not enough to store a lot of downloadable games.

The graphics for the Wii look like an original Xbox game. It's okay, but looks dated for the most part.

The software or games are limited. I say limited because they can't hold as much content as an Xbox game or a PS3 game. It feels as if the games are under 20 hours long. And there are no downloadable content for any games to extend gameplay, except Rock Band 2 of course.

And when you do come across a game with loaded content, the Wii overworks itself just to try and play it. The Sims 3 for the Wii is an excellent example of this. Every time I play this game, my Wii sounds like it's choking and makes this really loud annoying sound. When this happens, I don't know whether I should turn it off or give it the Heimlich maneuver.

There are no patches for games, so if you spot a glitch in a game, expect no patch for it. And if there are overwhelming number of glitches, like the Sims 3 for example (again), then you're screwed.

The online multiplayer is a joke. It's free, but you'll be lucky to find anyone to play with. And when you do find someone, the system boots you out.

As for the arcade games, well, there are some excellent classic NES, SNES, N64, Sega, just to name a few. They are the exact same port as the original cartridges with no graphical update or achievement points added.

Which brings me to my last point, where are the trophies or achievement points? The other game consoles have this and they make the gaming experience more enjoyable. Even the arcade games for those consoles have updated graphics WITH achievement points/trophies.

Bottom line, the Nintendo Wii is a limited gaming system that is only good for the casual gamer. In other words, if you like to play less difficult/less content games then this system is for you. If you like to play hunting games and exercise a lot then this game system is for you. If you like motion controls and good motion control games then this system is for you. If you like family-oriented games then this Wii is for you. Otherwise, if you are a hardcore gamer that is into 'the complete gaming experience' and first person shooters, look elsewhere.

I simply love it!

Sure, Nintendo Wii doesn't stand a chance against its rivals, the PS3 and the Xbox360, graphics-wise and performance-wise, but then again it was never meant to stand a chance. Being Nintendo's best selling home console, many in fact don't and probably will never understand all the hype that surrounds it. Is it the innovation, the customer service or its immersive 3D graphics that make it so widely popular? Surely not. Rather, it is the impressive arsenal of games that Nintendo provides that really contributes in selling this baby like wild fire. In fact, Nintendo has a monopoly over some of the best titles ever made i the history of gaming such as the Metroid franchise, Pokemon, The Legend of Zelda,Star Fox, and who can forget, our beloved chubby plumber Mario. With such a wide library of casual gamer-friendly games, from action to adventure, and from adventure to fantasy, the whole family can enjoy hours of fun. The PS3 and Xbox360, on the other hand, consist solely of first-person shooter games (sorry for the exaggeration XD).

Despite all my praise for the Wii, it is undeniable that the console get outclassed by it rivals on many many levels. For starters, the Wii remote is neither as good nor as innovative as people make it seem to be. To be honest, with the lack of a second analog stick, it even hinders gameplays at times. Next, to the many people out there who enjoy first-person shooter, buying the Wii is big no no. You will surely be disappointed as the Wii remote is too sensitive to grant you good aims. With its lack of good first-person shooter games and its lack of a good multi-player setting (I can't complain too much because it's free), the Wii is probably the least suited console for playing Black Ops. Finally, the most infuriating thing of them all, in my opinion, is the insane pricing of the vast majority of the Wii games. They don't undergo price drop. You can wait an entire year or two, and I can guarantee that Nintendo will never drop more than 10$ off of a game that sells well. In comparison, take the PS3 and Xbox360 for example, they have great games at reasonable prices such as The Orange Box, Soul Calibur and Fallout.

Despite the incredible amount of flaws the Wii holds, I found myself unable to give it a score lower than 4. Being an avid fan of the Pokemon and Zelda franchises, I spent innumerable hours of pure joy in front of the TV, and believe me that tells a lot. Bottom line, If you are willing to look past the mediocre graphics that the Wii offers, you will in turn be rewarded with a gigantic spectrum of classic games that stood the test of time, perfect for casual gamers.

Fine, but not chip

It keeps the children busy and i can buy decent games for the kids without breaking the bank. I love the price and the smallness of the system but i feel they should include more support to a different genre of games besides Mario! Also add better support to HD content since i probably wont use the HULU or Netflix App since its not the best quality.

Fun with friends, fun alone. Great games and innovative gameplay.

I'm a diehard Nintendo fan, I grew up with them. And to me, the company has always been about innovation - creating new fun game experiences not possible theretofore. In that regard, the Wii does not disappoint.

The first time I popped in Wii Sports (bundled with the system) and played with the unusual remote, I was in awe and knew the potential this system could have. It feels so satisfying and natural to use the remote as an extension of your body. If you want to hit the ball in tennis, you simply snap your arm as if you're actually holding a racket. Very simple, very fun.

If the Wii will be remembered for one thing, I think it'll be the unique gameplay experiences it brought to the table. And that it brought people together like never before in gaming. It brought families together instead of the increasingly tendency of people to play games by themselves. And it also introduced a myriad of non-gamers to the gaming universe. Wii is very much a social machine. Not to say there aren't titles that are good for solo play; there are. It's a system for everybody.

The graphics on the Wii are not state-of-the-art, but they are certainly capable enough to produce stunning visuals. Just gander at a game like Super Mario Galaxy or Zelda: Skyward Sword - both beautiful games. And in a way, some power limitations can motivate the developers to be more creative and make the graphics uniquely suited to fit the system. In the end, Wii's crown is its unique gameplay experiences.

As the old saying goes, any console is only as good as its games. And the Wii has had some utterly remarkable games. Like: Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, Metroid Prime Corruption, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Kirby's Epic Yarn and New Super Mario Bros. Wii and World of Goo just to name a few. Some of these games will be remembered as some of the very best in history.

Wii does have a few flaws, of course. Although the graphical capabilities are certainly adequate, they could be improved. The online capabilities are nice but not deep enough, and some games can be prone to lag ... but there is a cool Wii Shop channel where you can download retro games from past systems and also new WiiWare games. And I'm not sure if the Wii's unique controller was utilized to the fullest as much as it should have been.

But all things considered, anyone can have great fun for years on end with Wii. And that's what video games are all about at their core: fun! And thankfully, Wii is very reasonably priced and is a great value. You can even play all your GameCube games on it too!

Get it for the kids-if your an intense media fanatic probably not the best

I bough this for my personal use, It keeps the children busy and i can buy decent games for the kids without breaking the bank. I love the price and the smallness of the system but i feel they should include more support to a different genre of games besides Mario! Also add better support to HD content since i probably wont use the HULU or Netflix App since its not the best quality, even though i have it accounts for both LOL