Christmas Console Choices: The Nintendo Wii
With silly season rapidly approaching you may be toying with the idea of getting a games console, either for giving the family something to do or, for the multimedia experiences that they can now bring into the home.
Consoles have come a long way since the Atari or Comodore 64 which could take almost an hour to load certain games, thankfully we don’t have such issues anymore. But picking the right one for you and your family is something that requires some thought as it is almost like buying the right car. Get it wrong and you’ll be kicking yourself for the bad choice, especially when you see “The Jones’” gaily whittling away the hours; but how do you make the right choice?
That is where this post comes in as I hope to be able to guide you into making the best informed decision.
There are three consoles dominating the market right now, you have the Nintendo Wii, the Microsoft Xbox 360 and the Sony PlayStation 3 and each has it’s own strengths and weaknesses. Without sounding like I’m bragging, at one point or another I have owned all three consoles so this is purely an objective view and not based on any particular allegiance, and with the VAT going up in the new year it could work out cheaper to buy them in the Boxing Day sales.
So let’s get the ball rolling with Episode 1: The Phantom Menace.
Nintendo Wii
Released back in 2008 the bizarrely named Wii was unleashed to the world with much fan fare and was critically acclaimed as being a revolution in the way we interact with games and other digital media. The Wii, as you probably know uses the Wii-mote (a Infrared motion remote) which lets you point at the screen and carry whatever tasks you want to perform without using a clunky controller and as such has a broad appeal to regular gamers and light users alike.
The Wii is, compared to the PS3 and 360, and unobtrusive piece of kit which measures a mere (mm) 157 x 215 x 44 and Nintendo have recently released a sleek black version which means the clinical white of the original Wii’s is no longer a reason not to own one as the Black version will easily blend in with modern HD TV’s and the display cabinets that many come with.
Features
One of the Wii’s most redeeming features, which it shares with the 360 is the Parental Controls that it incorporates, which, not only restricts users from what games they can play; for instance those trying to play games that are age rated too high, but it can also limit or deny access to the Internet from the Wii (you have to pay for the Wii’s Internet browser!).
Another one of my favourite aspects of the Wii is that if you visit the Wii Shop Channel you can download an application for the BBC iPlayer which allows you to access the BBCs iPlayer service (UK) and view past programmes from the comfort of your chair. Couple this with the built in WiFi you won’t need to have a cable running around the room to reach your modem/router. Add to this the backwards compatibility that the system has for GameCube (GC) games which is to say that if you have a GC then you can use your controllers, games and memory cards with the Wii then it does offer good value for money.
This brings me onto one of the biggest sore points for me and the Wii, the lack of (or more accurately non-existent) HD. The Wii does not have a HDMI plug on it, so do not expect to get HD graphics or iPlayer programmes from the console. That doesn’t mean to say that what graphics it does have is bad, what it does do is make excellent use of the hardware it has but when it competes against the like of the 360 and PS3 which have their version of motion gaming then the Wii has a lot of work to do.
Games
Unfortunately however the Wii doesn’t have an astounding line up of games; it does have a lot of family orientated games like Wii Sports that allow multiple people to compete in various sports such as Bowling and Tennis. For the more discerning player looking for something more challenging then you have Mario or Link from Zelda to play as in their respective franchises but for those that are looking for more “adult” related games (graphically violent ones like Grand Theft Auto) then you will be sorely disappointed.
The Wii was and is marketed as more than a Games console and has taken a step into the “Casual Gamer” market. One aimed at people who aren’t massive gaming fans but do enjoy a half-hour here and there. One of the biggest “games” to be released is the Wii Fit, an interactive piece of software which uses a flat board (aptly named a Balance Board) which you stand on and the software tracks your weight, posture, centre of gravity and relays it to the Wii where it is analysed and you are given advice on how to exercise to improve your results.
To encourage you to do this the “game” offers you a broad range of exercises you can do from Cardio-vascular, Core-strength to Yoga training. Whether there is any real long-term benefit to be had from this is up for debate.
Summary
It is because of this lack of “glitzy graphics” and the fact that I barely used my Wii that I recently traded mine in and I don’t feel like I have lost anything in doing so, but, in the Wii’s defence it does have one of the stronger reliability percentages and is very resilient system and is family orientated, which is what is Christmas is all about (right?).
You can purchase the Wii from any good electrical retailer or online shop from £160 and be sure to check back tomorrow for our take on the Xbox 360.