"Wii" All Love Video Games

Could you picture your grandmother playing video games?



Well, the latest video-gaming console from Nintendo wants to make that happen. Called the Wii (pronounced "we"), the solid white console is designed to be inclusive for everyone. The machine is the size of two DVD cases and features the Wii-Remote, a motion controller that looks almost identical to the remote control on your coffee table.



The Nunchuck attachment can add more complexity to the controls, or the Classic Controller attachment can take you back to 1992. While I could go into more technical details, that would be defeating Nintendo’s philosophy of simplicity.



The console sells for a considerably cheap $250 and comes packed in with Wii Sports, a title that has five different sports to play with the Wii-remote. The game is so accessible that when my dad asked how to play, I told him to "swing the Wii-mote like a tennis racket" or "like you’re bowling." Instantly, he was playing and had a big grin on his face.

One of the most interesting aspects of this console is its online-capability. While it hasn’t gotten online play and competition down just yet (typing in phone number-sized friend codes is a hassle), Nintendo’s online marketplace, dubbed the Virtual Console, more than makes up for it.

Players with wireless broadband can connect to Nintendo’s Virtual Console and download an expansive array of retro NES, SNES, Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games with their credit card.



Over the past decade, Nintendo has had a very difficult time reclaiming its title as the premier video-games manufacturer, but when they announced that they were going to start the "new generation" of gaming by appealing to a more casual crowd, many were skeptical. Since then, Nintendo has taken the lead in the fierce console race against the digital behemoths Sony and Microsoft and even more than a year after its release, it’s still generally sold out across stores.



Because Nintendo and its avante garde philosophy are leading the market, many consider the Japanese giant to have permanently changed the way we interact with video games. 



The DS (dual-screen) is Nintendo’s handheld counterpart to the Wii, and is similarly setting market records. The DS Lite, a slimmer version of its predecessor, is a fold-up unit with one screen on top and a touch-screen on the bottom, with buttons on the side. The DS is the fastest selling console in the history of video games, having sold over 54 million since its launch 3 years ago. The touch-screen mechanic falls right in with Nintendo’s philosophy of making gaming intuitive and fun, and its sleek look and compact size are perfect for gamers on the go.



Nintendo’s attitude is not just an empty philosophy. Many casual games have been released this year, like the popular "Brain Age" series, "Cooking Mama" (a cooking simulation) and even the "New York Times Crossword Puzzle," a virtual take on a Sunday morning staple.



With exercise games like "Wii Sports" and "Wii Fit" (first quarter 2008), Nintendo might even change the way we take care of ourselves.



Never has there been a better time to be a gamer with so much innovation in the marketplace. And with Nintendo changing the way we think about and play games, little Timmy might not be the only one getting a Nintendo this holiday season.



Stephen Woodward is a review and features writer for Gamezone.com. He attends Emory & Henry College.