Self-proclaimed non-gamer sings the praises of Nintendo gaming system
Kick, throw punch, jump, stamp feet and yell obscenities at TV. No, those aren’t step-by-step instructions for faking a temper tantrum; they are the mannerisms of a Nintendo Wii gamer.
Up until release of Nintendo’s newest gaming system last year, the stereotype of closed-off, sun-deprived video game players with abnormally strong thumbs was universal. With the introduction of the Wii, video gaming has begun a transformation from this stereotype, to a healthy and social activity to be enjoyed by casual and life-long gamers alike.
Don’t get me wrong; I am not a video gamer. I don’t know who Zelda is, or what, exactly, a Donkey Kong is and I am not preaching to the choir. I, like so many others, however, have been sucked into the glory that is the Wii.
The Nintendo Wii is the company’s contribution to the next generation console arms race comprising three video game superpowers: Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. While Sony, with its Playstation 3, and Microsoft, with its Xbox 360, have both opted for high-definition graphics and console power that rivals a CIA supercomputer, Nintendo put its money on innovation, rather than glitz, glam and horsepower.
The Wii’s major selling point is the “wiimote.” This little gadget is the console’s wireless controller, and, completely unique to the Wii, is motion sensitive. The wiimote’s capabilities are central to the game play of every video game. Take for instance Wii Sports, which is a series of mini-games such as baseball, golf, bowling, boxing and tennis.
When the pitcher winds up with the throw in Wii baseball, you actually swing the wiimote like a bat to connect with the pitch. When boxing an opponent, you are weaving and dodging while throwing jabs and uppercuts of your own. I actually break a sweat after knocking out my roommate in boxing.
The Wii takes video gaming towards its first steps of true interactivity. The term “video gamer” no longer applies to the stereotype, but anyone and every one. The wiimote’s motion sensitivity opens up almost endless possibilities for fun, and even educational, video games.
Sure, the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 may be made like tanks and have the screen quality of a movie theater, but the Wii’s interactivity blows them out of the water. Add to that the fact that the PS3 costs $600 and the 360 comes in at $400, in comparison to the Wii price tag of $250, and you’ve got a winner.
Long live the Wii, and all hail the new gaming revolution.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Cassie Hewlings at Cassie.Hewlings@thecampuspress.com.
