Looking Back At The Wii In 2011
Looking back over 2011, the Wii console has held up even though it’s been eclipsed somewhat by huge selling titles for Xbox like Call of Duty. The Wii audience has never really been the same as the Xbox, if truth be told; games with Mario and Luigi are not going to appeal to the same players. With families with kids, or adults who want to use the Wii Fit, there isn’t a fanboy type attitude toward the Wii that you get with the Xbox. When young kids grow into teens, it’s pretty clear that they want to move up to Xbox or PlayStation and to the more “grown up” action titles.
That held true for 2011, as the Wii saw sales slump but the Xbox continued to sell units. Having the new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 come out, and sell $1 billion in the first two weeks doesn’t hurt publicity either! We love the Wii mainly because it’s so family-friendly, but the reality is that these action games sell, and also the Kinect is giving Wii a run for the money.
But if you have a family with young kids, and you want to have a fun game system, the Wii is the better choice. Even though Xbox came out with Kinect and PlayStation with the Move, Nintendo titles and other developers kept true to the ease of use of the Wii and the most popular stable of Nintendo characters. Games like Mario Galaxy 2, Mario Kart, Wii Sports Resort and Wii Play are the kind of games that a family can enjoy together. Some stable titles like Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword were much anticipated by gamers who love the Zelda series, and Nintendo made it a little more friendly and less dark than the previous Zelda: Twilight Princess title. Play is more difficult compared to the other Mario games, but these are still the type of games that appeal to a younger audience, not the hard card Mature-rated first person shooter games.
We still recommend the Wii for anyone who enjoys video games but isn’t in it for the hardcore killing action. There’s still the Wii Fit although specific balance board titles are hard to come by, as fitness titles increasingly don’t require the use of the Wii Fit balance board. Wii Fit Plus made headway by adding extra online features; we hope Nintendo will continue to add to and update these.
It’s also true that we expect that most Wii owners will at some point wind up getting an Xbox, usually as the kids get older, or because the Kinect is also a pull. Kinect has some fun games, but it doesn’t have anywhere near the game base of the Wii. Microsoft is working on that, with lots of fitness titles like Motion Sports and Dance Central. Kids’ titles are also coming out fast, like Sesame Street from Warner Bros, and Fantastic Pets from THQ. THQ has also released UFC Personal Trainer, mimicking MMA training routines, for both the Kinect and the Wii.
We just don’t see it as a winner take all competition between the Nintendo Wii and Xbox, or PlayStation. The consoles have so many different features it’s hard to say you wouldn’t like having one of each. But with other entertainment value, such as online games, downloadable content, Netflix streaming video, and Blu-Ray capability on the PlayStation and DVD on the Xbox, there is so much more you can do with any of the three other than just play games. With Nintendo releasing its new Wii U console and game pad this year, it’s going to be exciting to see just how that plays out in the market against the competition from Xbox and PlayStation.
The Wii Still Rocks!
The Nintendo Wii is still a wonderful game system, even though it came out a number of years ago. It’s actually refreshing to come back to it after playing with some of the competing game systems. The Wii console is easier, it just seems to flow better, in the design and how the games are played. The motion controller is so easy to use, and while some players like the Kinect for being a little more intuitive, waving a Wii controller is simply an easy way to make things happen on the screen. The Wii console in black, white, or red is also more inviting, and friendlier, than the black boxes that are the domain of the “serious” game systems.
The Wii console is truly one of a kind. There are games Nintendo has made that will only work on the Wii, and they are by and large a lot of fun for all ages. Being able to play a game with your ten year old daughter as well as your sixty year old dad is saying something. Many seniors accepted the Nintendo Wii into their homes, where a couple years ago, no one would ever think to put “senior” and “gamer” in the same sentence. Getting seniors to be more active has been a great achievement of the Wii. Getting people more active generally is a great achievement of the Wii, as with the development of the Wii Fit balance board, many more people who didn’t consider themselves gamers went out and bought this console. Having the ability to work out at home and also play games has been a big boost to Nintendo sales.
Now though, the market for game consoles is pretty well saturated, and anyone who has thought of buying one has probably already plunked down their cash. Which is a shame, because prices today are lower than they have ever been, and you can find some great Wii bundle deals hovering around the hundred dollar price point. There’s a good reason to buy now, if you don’t’ already have one, which is to get in on one of the greatest entertainment values ever. You can also use the Wii to stream video from Netflix, which the other consoles were able to do first, but it’s a great benefit if you only buy the Wii. You can also download games, and surf the Web on the Wii, with what is agreeably a very limited browser, but you can do it nonetheless.
The Wii is not over either. Nintendo has announced plans to release the Wii U, the next generation of Wii console, sometime in 2012. This new Wii console has a tablet-like controller that has a whole new level of game play that no other console system has. Again, Nintendo is on the cutting edge, and we’re going to keep you informed.
In the mean time, we’re going skydiving again with Wii Sports Resort. Have fun!
Wii Fit Bundles Are The Best Deal
If you want to buy the Wii because of the Wii Fit balance board, you will definitely want to check out Wii Fit bundle deals. The Wii Fit is responsible for making the Wii console so popular, offering a feature that other game consoles can't match. Using the Wii Fit, you can design and develop your own fitness workout program right at home.
The Wii Fit remains extremely popular as a product that can be used at home for fitness with your Wii game console. Wii Fit Bundles contain everything you need in a complete package: the Wii console, the Wii Fit balance board, and games of your choosing, whether it's workout or yoga routines, or skateboarding and skiing. There are so many excellent games available for the Wii Fit right now, there's no reason you can't get started on your weight loss new year's resolutions right away with the Wii Fit bundle!
Some of the top selling games include EA Sports Active and much more. The new Wii Fit Plus also has online additions of games and fitness routines for you to access. There are even games for kids to keep them active, including Nickelodeon Fit and Mario and Sonic At The Winter Games.
The Wii Fit is different from the Kinect in that you can use it to weight yourself - it will track your weight over time as you progress in your fitness program. Since the Kinect operates using a camera only, there isn't a way to take a weight measurement. With the Wii Fit balance board, you can see graphs and charts of your weight, your BMI and other measurements.
The Wii Fit can also track and train for things like balance, with a great variety of exercises that help you improve your stability and posture. There's even a meditation "game" that helps you center and focus! With the Wii Fit, you will get many features that just aren't available anywhere else.
You'll also want to have the many Wii Fit accessories that help you with your workout program. There are items like yoga mat, pushup bars, strength bands, fitness mat, travel bag and more. If you want to bring your workout with you on vacation or even on business travel, now you can.
Many active adults use the Wii Fit to stay in shape. More seniors are using the Wii Fit to stay strong and active, especially focusing on balance and weight bearing exercise. The Wii has brought a huge new dimension to the world of video gaming with its appeal to so many non-traditional video game users. The Wii Fit isn't so much a game as it is a part of your fit lifestyle.
Wii Bundles
Wii Console with Mario Kart Wii Bundle - White
Sale Price: $168.00
