Wii will never die
I came home from work to a surprisingly quiet house. I usually open the door to a cacophony of noises. It’s a glorious combination of celebration and fights to the death. What was wrong today? Why were my children so quiet?
I look at the TV and see that my 8-yr-old (Cale) is playing Super Mario Galaxy 2. Oh, what a glorious game! The kids are enthralled. He is jumping and flying his way through level after level, and the magic of Mario proves to be just as strong as ever.
Right when I’m contemplating selling or donating the system, the feisty little Wii proves why it still deserves a spot in my entertainment unit.
It’s the perfect system for young kids
Please take note of the wording there. I’m not saying that it’s only for kids. I’m saying that it’s perfect for kids.
It requires a level of interaction and movement that traditional gaming doesn’t. My boys can’t wait for their turn to swing the “bat” or balance the board.
Kids love large group party games, and that’s what the Wii so successful. Wii Sports, Wii Fit, Mario Kart, Donkey Kong, and basically any other game that resembles a cartoon or requires silly movement will fit the bill.
These games also get the kids involved. During a bad weather day, a family-wide gaming session can be just as interactive (and exhausting) as play time in the back yard.
It has the virtual console
I have a major weak spot for retro games. More specifically, if it was on the Super Nintendo or Nintendo 64, I’m probably completely sold on it. I remember when the Wii first released, it didn’t really catch my attention until I heard about the Virtual Console.
Granted, the virtual console release schedule left a LOT to be desired (There were months at a time between significant games being added to the collection), but the concept set the stage for Sony and Microsoft to start releasing their classics as downloads as well.
Just so many games
Most Wii games are so outdated now, they are easy to find on the cheap. The exceptions, of course being some of the harder to find games like Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn and Xenoblade Chronicles. I’ve played every Fire Emblem game, and I LOVE THAT SERIES. Xenoblade, however… I still haven’t had the opportunity to play that one yet.
Other than those rare gems, most Wii games are easy enough to find on Amazon, Ebay, or Craigslist (if I’m feeling dangerous). Our local library carries dozens of Wii games that we can rent for 7 days at a time FOR FREE. That, combined with some of Nintendo’s best first party software makes for an impressive collection of games that we can still enjoy.
Are they in HD? No. Do my kids care? No. They’re happy, so I’m happy.
Netflix
One last point I’ll highlight: About 50% of our use of the Wii is for Netflix. It’s an easy-to-use interface that rarely has issues. Even my mom has figured out how to use it.
What about you? Do you still use your Wii?