In the past two years, Australians have purchased over 2,000,000 new gaming units – either hand-held or home-based consoles – meaning that at least 10 per cent of our population can be considered gamers.
Current Australian sales figures list the Nintendo Wii as the highest-selling home console of ‘the big three’ – which also includes Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 – but does that mean it’s the right buy for you?
Wii Remotes
You’re most likely familiar with the Wii’s big selling point – Nintendo has done away with the traditional controller scheme and replaced it with the ‘Wiimote’. A motion-control device, the wiimote can be turned on its side to emulate a traditional controller, or innovatively used as a variety of tools, including a tennis racquet, a scalpel, a light-gun, or a serving tray.
The innovation certainly carries over to the games. The console comes with Wii Sports, which is an excellent showcase of the wiimote’s versatility as a bat, bowling ball, tennis racquet (to name a few variations – look out for the upcoming Wii Sports 2 for more!). Trauma Centre: New Blood (finally released in Australia) allows the player to become a rookie surgeon in an addictive medical-simulator. Old icons like Mario have been reinvigorated with games like Super Mario Galaxy and Super Paper Mario. Wii Fit, advertised as an alternative to a personal trainer, features a balance board used for activities like push-ups and yoga.
Those looking to relive past glory days can take advantage of the Wii’s Virtual Console channel, allowing one to download and play old classics from retired consoles. Virtual Console games range from 500 to 1000 Wii points; points roughly cost $1.50 for 100. The Wii is also backwards-compatible, meaning it can play last-generation’s Nintendo Gamecube games. Other channels offer online functionality, such as ‘Everybody Votes’, where you can put your opinion up against that of other Australian or Global Wii owners.
Online play begins and almost ends there, sadly. For every rip-roaring-fun Mario Kart Wii Aussies receive with legitimately online play, they also get a Medal of Honour Heroes 2. The latter sports a 32-player online deathmatch feature available in everywhere except Down Under. Annoying Wii console codes are required to play friends, and each big game usually comes with its own specific code as well, making it hard to get online and playing in a hurry.
The Wii’s innovation can only go so far; the system is currently flooded with party-games such as WarioWare: Smooth Moves, Mario Party 8, or Rayman Raving Rabbids 2. The games are great in groups, but are very repetitive otherwise. The console is still seen as a child’s plaything by some game developers, and relatively new titles like Grand Theft Auto 4 are not available for the console – if not for the console’s reputation, then certainly due to its graphics capabilities. Dead Rising, which proved to be a great success on Xbox 360, has been literally gutted graphics- and features-wise to make a watered down appearance on the Wii this year. For those less tech-savvy, the Wii has graphics that look great on a normal TV, but not-so-great otherwise (especially when compared to a competitor).
Wii Fit
Graphic limitations mean game exclusives are mostly limited to Nintendo first-party releases, though they are strong; Super Smash Bros. Brawl was one of the latest (albeit a very late title for Aussies) sure-fire top-sellers. However, many third-party developers simply take advantage of the console’s popularity and flood the market with copies of games originally designed for last-generation’s PlayStation 2. The result is an inundation of graphically unimpressive games with wiimote controls added on purely for novelty. In the same vein, those graphical limitations mean the Wii doesn’t support DVD or Blu-Ray playback.
The Nintendo Wii is not just for kids, but may not satisfy all with its games. However, at a suggested retail of $399.95, the cheapest of the big three by far, the Wii is a great starting-off console for new gamers looking for simple to learn and addictive games. For some of the console’s best, pick up Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Wii Fit, Mario Kart Wii, Wii Play (if for the extra controller if nothing else), and Disaster: Day of Crisis.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.
The Great Movie Never Made – Podcast Special
On Sunday October 18th 2009 Qdog, Mr Moyle and Sooki-monster hosted a live show in Melbourne with a group of 20+ people to create the greatest movie never made
Mass Effect 2 – Game Review
Mass Effect: This game, on paper, should have been a classic. However it fell short of the mark. Bioware, however, has more than come through with the sequel Mass Effect 2.
The Chaser – Podcast Review
In a breathless race against time to find a ruthless killer, the survival of one woman depends on the quest of a fallen cop with a thirst for vengeance.
Planet Hulk – Movie Review
Exiled from Earth by The Avengers, The Incredible Hulk finds himself on a strange new world, one where he’s enslaved as a gladiator for the amusement of the Red King, but the desperate people of Sakaar begin to suspect that the Hulk could be the prophesied savior of their world.
Avatar – Podcast Review
A paraplegic marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home.
Up In The Air – Movie Review
With a job that has him traveling around the country firing people, Ryan Bingham leads an empty life out of a suitcase, until his company does the unexpected: ground him.
Gamer’s Roundup – Week One, February 2010
Stevivor’s back with what’s big in games this week…and Sony fans will not be impressed.
Signs of the Apocalypse Roundup – January 2010 – Week 4
3D porn, Jersey Shore, The Bachelor wedding, Film Threat, the death of Miramax, Trey Parker, Matt Stone, J.D. Salinger, Rip Torn and more….
Comic News Roundup – January 2010 – Week 4
Captain America, Kick-Ass, Fraggle Rock, Olivia Wilde, Kevin Grevioux, Justice League, Brett Ratner’s Superman, Zac Efron, Robert Downey Jr, Sgt. Rock, Scott Pilgrim and more…
TV News Roundup – January 2010 – Week 4
Farscape, Being Human, Parks and Recreation, Anita Bryant, Ron Moore, Vampire Diaries, La Femme Nikita, George Lucas, John Barrowman, Lost and more…
The Top and Bottom 5 films of 2009 – A (Cool) Shite Poll
Well the votes are in, they have been tallied, recounted, dismissed, rewritten, recounted, shuffled, intimidated, recounted again and finally collated into the following EPIC list of the Top and Bottom Films of 2009 as voted by YOU the humble (Cool) Shite listener…
The (official unofficial) Top 5 Video Games of 2009!
So, rather than applying some sort of scientific process to set all consoles and games on a level playing field, we’re splitting it up this year; say hello to your top games of 2009, plus a ton more notable runners-up! Oh and some real stinkers too!
Australia’s R18+ Discussion Paper and Submissions – The Great Debate
Michael Atkinson has said that the gamers of Australia are a vocal minority who do not speak for the bulk of the population, yet he, by his actions is an even more vocal minority of one man. Stand up and be counted Shiters!
Planet Hulk: Josh Fine – Interview
With the upcoming release of Planet Hulk from Marvel Animation & Lionsgate, we got the oppunitunity to speak to Supervising Producer/Marvel Animation Head of Development Josh Fine.
Star Chicks – Interview
Chris Rattray interviews Jim Roof, writer of new sci-fi web series from the creators of Zombie Strippers, Star Chicks – now playing off-off-Milky Way in a browser near you.
Van Diemen’s Land: Jonathan auf der Heide – Interview
We have a chat with Van Diemen’s Land director Jonathan auf der Heide
Daybreakers – The Spierig Brothers Interview
Daybreakers is a vampire story with a twist and it looks pretty damn impressive! It features a huge cast of great actors including Ethan Hawke, Sam Neill and Willem Dafoe, as well as some truly inspired visuals. We were lucky enough to sit down with the Brothers Spierig to talk about the film and lots lots more!
Mao’s Last Dancer – Interview
Cool Shite’s west-side correspondent Sabian Wilde interviews screenwriter Jan Sardi and the man himself, Li Cunxin.
Fallout New Vegas – Game Trailer
While there isn’t any actual gameplay footage in this new trailer, there is are some great hints as to what Las Vegas offers the Fallout player… namely a lot of death.
Bioshock 2 – Launch Trailer
The first Bioshock was something new and totally different that we’d never ever seen before. And now folks… its time to go back… Back to Rapture!
Tekken – Movie Trailer
So, if this going to be another Van Damme Streetfighter, another Legend of Chun Li, or another Mortal Kombat? For that matter, which one is worse?
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Daleks – Comedy Clip
The Hitchhikers Guide in all it’s (nearly) infinite wisdom has seen fit to inform the people of the insignificant little blue-green planet of Earth on the relative dangers of Daleks, Davros and Soccer injuries. Which is nice of it really…
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief – Movie Trailer
Based on the first book in the best selling series, Percy Jackson looks to be another attempt to get lighting to strike twice (Pun intended) and give Fox a tentpole film sereis aimed at the young adults and families alike, in the same vein as the Harry Potter franchise.
I like the Wii, but the other console always drag me back with games that have lots of storyline. Wii is great for the casual gamer. I really need to start playing mine more and even finish some of the Gamecube games I have.
Now that I can be less biased…I like the Wii too, but I’m disappointed overall now that I’ve bought an Xbox 360. Most controls feel like I’m waggling my arm unnecessarily, the graphics are starting to irk me (I mean, RE4 for the Gamecube is one of the nicest looking games on the Wii — come ON!), and the novelty has basically worn off.
Great article, Steve. Considered and thoughtful.
I think the Wii, more than any of the other consoles, really introduced people to how much fun gaming can be, kind of like a pop-up book makes reading fun.
Of course, for a deeper experience, we eventually ditch the novelty for something more serious, like a Dirk Gently novel for example, but then sneak a look at the pop-up book every now and then.
Now, a pop-up Dirk Gently novel – that would be teh awesome.
My wife bought a Wii, mainly for the Wii fit, which was fun for a while, but along the Wii is gathering dust. I’ve played a few different games on it, and whilst entertaining and good at parties, it loses its appeal whilst playing on my lonesome. I’m probably not the target audience of the console though….
Nice article!!
I’m was Nintendo fanboy but I was already very disappointed with the Gamecube.
NES, SuperNES and N64 were awesome but the NGC only had a few great games (Wind Waker, MGS Twin Snakes, Resident Evil 4). I hate most of the games out on the Wii except for Zelda and Mario Kart but I feel as though Nintendo doesn’t care about the traditional players like me anymore and is only focussing on old people.
So I bought a 360 and I’m very pleased with it!!!
I was a nintendo fanboy (sorry for the mistake)!!