Why The Wii Looks Good In Black
When it comes to games consoles, the Nintendo Wii is a bit of a dark horse. In comparison with either the Xbox or Sony’s PS3, it is a little underpowered. It also has graphics which are, again relatively speaking, less complex – there is a cartoon like element to many Wii games. Even so, it is immensely successful.
The fact that it has a ticket price which is quite a bit lower than either the Xbox or the PS3 is definitely a plus point. Another factor is the Wiimote – Nintendo’s motion sensitive controller which is used to play Wii games. When compared with the other consoles, game play on the Wii is a totally different experience.
There is definitely more physical movement involved when playing Wii games than gaming on other consoles – where generally the thumbs are the only part of the body that get a work out. It’s also probably true to say that, apart from the physical exercise involved, Wii games are easier to learn and more intuitive to play. If you forget what button does what it doesn’t really matter – just flail your arms around and it’ll be fine.
Another consequence of the physical side to Wii games is that you need more space to play them. This is one of the reasons why many families have the Wii console in the living room rather than tucked away in teenager’s bedrooms – the normal habitat of the Xbox and PS3.
As well as requiring more space to play, the Wii is better enjoyed when used with a nice big screen. This may seem like an odd notion considering that the Wii’s graphics are, at least in comparison with the other consoles, fairly rudimentary. The reason for this is that it is harder to keep up with the game action on a small screen when the player is jumping around.
In the summer of 2009, Nintendo launched a black Wii console in Japan. It was a big hit and Nintendo released it in Europe before Christmas 2009, where it was also a popular choice with gamers. One possible reason for its success may have been the fact that the black colour was a good match for the other electrical devices – the TV, the DVD player, the cable box etc. – that can be found in the typical family living room.
Finally, one word of warning – if you decide to get yourself a Wii, take it easy at first. The physical activity involved in playing Wii games is a good thing – but if you’re more used to conventional video gaming it’s pretty easy to wind up with stiff arms and sore legs after your first session of Wii Sports or Wii Sports Resort.
Have a look at the black Wii for yourself and see how it compares with the new slim version of the PS3 game console by Sony.
