Has anyone on your list requested the Nintendo Wii system this holiday season? Most likely they have. Since its initial introduction, the Wii system has become one of the most sought after products in the video game industry. It also sells out in a matter of minutes and is almost impossible to find. Sure, other video game systems are being requested, but the difference is who!
The typical gamer is no longer the 8-year-old clicking buttons on the controller. Nor is he the slightly overweight 20-something who should really be doing more than just trying to beat the high score in the latest RPG. Today, it is the grandmother who is terminally connected to the video game console, beating scores and becoming a professional player in Nintendo’s Wii Sports.
At a recent family gathering, we tried to show my grandmother and her friend how to play Wii Sports on the Nintendo Wii system. We did it mainly as a joke, but we knew that the game of baseball would interest my grandmother, since she was a huge Yankees fan. Before we knew it, there were two old ladies, one 67 and one 82, swinging the Wii remote and striking out (okay, I hate to brag, but my 82-year-old grandmother actually hit a few home runs, and ended up winning the play). This is unheard of with other video game consoles.
What is unique about the Nintendo Wii is its controller. Traditional video games like the Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox have controllers that require the user to memorize sets of buttons. These buttons are often located at different points on the controller and require the player to use confusing combinations that aren’t as easy for an older person to learn, especially when that person hasn’t played video games their whole life. By contrast, the Nintendo Wii controller uses movement. If you want to throw the ball in a game of baseball, for example, pick up the remote control and move your hands in a pitching motion. Do you want to make a strike? Hold the remote like a baseball and swing! The same goes for other games like golf, bowling, and tennis. It is truly a realistic experience that is exciting and easy to learn.
One of these days, perhaps other video game system manufacturers will follow Nintendo’s lead and create a gaming system that allows family members of all ages to join in the fun. For now, only the Nintendo Wii system with Wii Sports is available, and supplies are running out fast! If you want to get the Nintendo Wii with Wii Sports for someone special on your Christmas list, get it soon because this system isn’t sitting on the shelves!