Article - Nintendo Wii - All About The Nintendo Wii

About Nintendo Wii

Wii, Nintendo’s fifth video game console, has seen enormous success in the short time since it has been released.  Launched just last year, over 3 million units have been sold worldwide.  Demand for the system continues to be extremely high, resulting in users of auction sites such as eBay listing them for several times the original price.  The Wii system, originally known as “Revolution,” is the successor to Gamecube, yet Nintendo has stated that it intended to reach a wider demographic with this new system.  Its aim has been to target those who do not normally play video games, and judging by sales, it has done a good job.

The key to Wii is the controller, called the “Wii remote.”  The remote detects motion and rotation in three dimensions.  The system is similar to television in that it has channels and a menu with which to access them.  The six primary channels are the Disc Channel, the Mii Channel (which allows players to create and customize avatars for themselves), the Photo Channel, the Wii Shop Channel, the Forecast Channel and the News Channel.  Players can check the weather and news, shop, and even network with other Wii users.  The console connects to the Internet via a built-in Nintendo WiFi service.  There are no fees for using this service, and the Wii can download updates even while it is not being used.  Parents will be happy to know that, like certain television providers, it gives the option for parental controls to block inappropriate content.

Nintendo’s aim has been to “revolutionize how people play games,” and it has accomplished this by adding a new, deeper level of interaction to its system.  Golfers actually swing the club, for example, rather than moving their fingers over a hand-held controller.  Yet Nintendo understands how beloved its classic video games are, and is creating an archive where people can download them.  The currency for such, as well as for shopping on the Wii Shop Channel, is Wii points.  Players can purchase a Wii Points card in stores or use a credit card to purchase them online.

Some of the advantages to the Wii, as expressed by reviewers, has been that it appeals to non-gamers, has a brand new physical element, has built-in WiFi capabilities, comes with a game, and rewards brand loyalty by being backwards compatible with all Nintendo Gamecube games.  On the other hand, it has been noted that the controls are not always responsive, online support is lacking, and the graphics are not as good as those of other systems.

Whether a long-time gamer or someone new to this form of entertainment, Wii offers something for everyone.  It is part-television, part-video game console, and part-Internet portal.  Its widespread popularity has testified to the fact that as technology advances, we expect our methods of entertainment to advance with it.  The Wii meets these challenges and Nintendo will most likely inspire other companies, such as Microsoft and Sony, to follow in its footsteps.