How the Wii Stole This Generation: 50 Reasons it Won the Console War

For many gamers the console you choose is more than just an everyday purchase. For many, your console of choice is not only a display of affection and support for a particular game company- but also a life choice. For the next four to five years, you'll likely be utilizing this game system for leisure and recreation. Not every gamer can afford multiple game consoles and selecting the wrong one can be a tragedy. Just how did Nintendo convince over 70 million people to choose the Wii over the competition?

When Nintendo developed the Wii, they knew exactly what they were doing. While Sony and Microsoft were preparing to engage in a Cold War style arms race, Nintendo forewent the beaten path and forged their own. Focusing on the gaming aspects that Microsoft and Sony were neglecting, Nintendo set itself up to knock over its rivals and pick up all the pieces. Instead of creating a technical powerhouse, Nintendo created a console based around innovation, user friendliness, multiplayer, and motion controls. Now you yourself can learn the 50 reasons for how the Nintendo Wii won this generation.

1. It Focuses on Multiplayer

What do Super Smash Brothers Brawl, New Super Mario Bros Wii, Mario Kart Wii, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World, Wii Sports Resort, Warioware: Smooth Moves, Wii Music, Boom Blox, Mario Party 8, Clash of Ninja Revolution 3, and Mario & Sonic at the Olympics all have in common? They're all Wii exclusives with extremely popular multiplayer. All these titles and more exist for gamers and their friends or families to play together on the couch. Four players on one screen, no need for an online connection, just multiplayer gaming the way its intended.

Gamers looking for a social game console for parties, get-togethers, late night gaming sessions with friends, or weekends with the family, found and loved the Wii. The Wii offers over 600 multiplayer games spanning all genres- adventure, RPG, fighting, FPS, platformer, sports, rule your private kingdom, racing, simulation, insane plunger wielding rabbits, and every other you could imagine! Yet all is not perfect...

Developers are notorious for snubbing the Wii versions of games when it comes to online play. While split-screen multiplayer has flourished on the console, online multiplayer almost always takes the backseat. While there are a number of Wii titles notable for their fantastic online options (Monster Hunter Tri, Super Smash Brothers Brawl, The Conduit, Mario Kart Wii, Animal Crossing: City Folk to name a few) there is still much room for improvement.

Fortunately the number of Wii games with online connectivity is always on the rise and is nearing a hundred in number- no paltry sum. Thankfully it was Nintendo's focus on same-screen multiplayer that made the Wii resonate with gamers. Gamers have always loved being able to just grab another controller or two and join in. It's what makes this hobby so timeless.

2. Everybody Can Play It!

It's common knowledge that Microsoft's 360 chases the male college student dollar while Sony targets the graphical enthusiast market, but what demographic does Nintendo focus on? All of them! Nintendo makes every effort to make sure that any person, regardless of age or gender, can enjoy their console. Titles like Wii Sports, Wii Play, Wii Fit, Wii Music, and the upcoming Wii Party all exist to attract new gamers. Every audience is satisfied on the Wii from young children, to teens, to adults, to the elderly. There's a game for every occasion, every genre, and every person.

3. The Price

While Sony was trying to convince people to spend half a grand on their PS3 and three red rings were tormenting the 360, the Wii released with a price of $250- considerably cheaper than the competition. With the recession growing worse and worse, gamers found an inexpensive paradise with the Wii. With less expensive games, accessories, and free online play- Nintendo set itself up to easily win the price war. With Nintendo's latest bundle of a black Wii console, Wii remote, Wii Nunchuk, Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort, and Wii Motion Plus for $199- gamers have had all the more reason lately to go Wii.

4. The Wii's Non-Gaming Features

Both the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 have extensive media capabilities. Unlike the competition, Nintendo opted to focus almost exclusively on the gaming aspects when developing the Wii. While this approach has sold over 70 million Wii consoles, it has cost it some sales as well. The lesser focus on graphical power and media capabilities has hurt the console's appeal to more tech-loving gamers. Even so, the Wii does offer many extra features and services that have attracted gamers anyway- several of which cannot be found on its HD rivals. Many in the form of their channel-like medium. The most popular:

The Virtual Console
Download classic games across numerous retro consoles!

Wiiware
Download all-new Wii titles!

The Photo Channel
Check out and edit your photos from an SD card! As a bonus, listen to music from it! All for free!

The Nintendo Channel
Watch game trailers, recommend titles, and even download Nintendo DS demos. Free as well!

The Weather Forecast Channel
Check the forecast for your city and anywhere else in the world. Did I mention... free?

The News Channel
Browse the latest headlines and read-up on the news. Free as the air you're breathing.

Netflix Movie Streaming
Watch hundreds of movies available on Netflix on your TV! Fr-... Oh, no, wait- you do need to pay for this one. Still cool.

Opera Internet Browser
Surf the net from your couch with the Wii! And guess what? It's free!

Wii Speak Channel
Chat with friends or family anywhere with your Wii Speak accessory! Free with purchase of Wii Speak!

Messaging Services
E-mail, text, or send a Wii message to friends! All I gotta say is- free!

5. The Motion Controls.

When you pick up the Wiimote, it becomes an extension of yourself. It becomes your sword, your gun, the embodiment of you character. The Wii's motion controls have been the console's selling point since the very beginning- unlike the pretenders Kinect and Playstation Move. Gamers and non-gamers alike enjoy the feeling of control they get when they wield the Wii remote or any of the other Wii accessories.

The other 45 reasons? The exclusives!

6. Super Smash Brothers Brawl
7. Super Mario Galaxy
8. New Super Mario Brothers Wii
9. Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
10. Mario Kart Wii
11. Pokemon Battle Revolution
12. Metroid Prime Trilogy
13. Super Paper Mario
14. Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World
15. Mario Strikers Charged
16. Animal Crossing: City Folk
17. Mario & Sonic At the Olympics
18. Kirby's Epic Yarn
19. The Conduit
20. Little King's Story
21. Trauma Team
22. Tatsunoko Vs Capcom
23. Monster Hunter Tri
24. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Crystal Bearers
25. Harvest Moon Animal Parade
26. Madworld
27. Punch-Out Wii
28. MySims
29. Donkey Kong Country Returns
30. Boom Blox
31. Sonic & The Secret Rings
32. Sonic & The Black Knight
33. Endless Ocean
34. Sin & Punishment 2: Star Successor
35. Wii Fit
36. Donkey Kong Barrel Blast
37. Arc Rise Fantasia
38. Excite Truck
39. Excitebots: Trick Racing
40. Wii Sports Resort
41. Red Steel 2
42. Castlevania Judgment
43. Mario Sports Mix
44. Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility
45. Naruto Shippuden: Clash of Ninja Revolution 3
46. Mario Party 8
47. Mario Super Sluggers
48. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
49. Super Mario Galaxy 2
50. Wii Sports

What you see up above is a list of 45 Wii exclusive games that helped to bury the competition. Without even mentioning the popular multiplatform titles (Guitar Hero, Spiderman, Lego, Madden) you can see why so many gamers decided to hop on the Wii train. A single exclusive can sell a game console to someone. Is it any wonder the Wii has outsold the 360 and PS3 combined?

For more by this author, read PS3 Afterglow Controller Review, 8 Video Games that Changed Gaming (Without You Realizing It) and Best Mp3 Players & Programs for Gamers.

Source(s)
Nintendo Power
E3 Expo
Personal Experience Through Ownership of Wii
Nintendo.com