wii're wii'ning

nintendo is about to overtake microsoft in sales. and it's due to the wii revolution (i got mine last saturday). sony killed their brand with their overpriced gamble (ps3), which people still tell me is technologically superior, but does that make it worth it? xbox has had it's advancements, and is still a good system, but even it's expensive. the wii? hey, let's not kid ourselves, cost a good amount of money. but, it slides in @ the least expensive of the new systems.

what makes wii worth it? i mean, the graphics aren't as good. the game selection isn't there yet (although they do have a lot of games and have the biggies like madden 08). it's not in hd or blu-ray. but what wii does, it does well. they keyed in on more interactivity. you get involved with the game physically as well as mentally. it's more like actually doing the activity. sometimes you work up a sweat. your arm is sore. honestly, i'm getting a minor work out playing wii. i've considered learning to use the controller with my other hand so that i get a little more balanced work out. sure, there are games you're just using the buttons, but most take a very active hand. really, the wii works mainly off your movements. and, it gives you input back through the sensor (something sony claims that they couldn't manage with their responsive controller).

this system is drawing in people that normally wouldn't play games. my wife, heather, will play the wii, although not as much as i do. gamers like it as well. i know 2 semi-serious gamers (jimmy & adam) and they both have them. i have two other friends (nick & kasey) that may play video games, but i doubt either obsessed about the ps3, game release date of madden or whatever. but they both have wii's. and, since the wii connects to the internet, we have the ability to play online. or, like adam and i have done, trade characters wii've created. shoot, we send messages, too.

the wii offers different channels you can check. i have the news channel on mine. i was surprised the quality of news (from national to international to celebrity stuff). i also loaded the everybody votes channel, where you can take part in polls, and predict what other people will vote for. silly, but fun. the online also offers a chance to buy other games, but i'm not going that far yet.

and as for games and graphics, they're still good. it's not like the quality or quantity is bad, it's just not quite as good as these other "super" systems. but i'd venture that they're as good as the ps1 and the first xbox. and game development takes time (ask ps3).

"Almost 10 million Wii consoles have been sold since it went on sale at the end of last year and it is poised to overtake global sales of the Xbox 360 within weeks. Perhaps more crucially, it will reach the 10m mark in half the time it took Microsoft."

wow, that's amazing. so, if you make a quality product, and price it right, it sells? unheard of. honestly, when the both ps3 and xbox 360 were coming out there was so much hype. we had a large scrum break out at the best buy in fresno at the ps3 release. all i heard about the wii was that it was going to be more interactive. and the gamers i heard talking all were dissing the graphics. shoot, i echoed these same sentiments. what's happening with those other systems? well, they're sitting on shelves in stores. they're slashing their prices. the wii? it's out of stock. really. try and find one. no retail outlet (best buy, target, walmart, circuit city, etc.) carry them in their online stores. you've got to wait for them to be advertised in a sunday ad, and then hope you get yours quick enough. they'll be back out of stock within a week, and not restocked for probably a month. in the fresno area, we have 7 target stores. now, i don't know how many each store gets in, but when they advertise, they sell out. once i decided i was going to plunk down the money, it took me about 3 weeks to successfully locate one in fresno. i know other people have been able to get them quicker, but that's just a matter of the right store in the right week.