Nintendo dropped the price of their console to $149.99. The previous console package included Wii Sports and Sports Resort, and these have been replaced with Mario Kart and a Wii Wheel. Nintendo also rolled out a line of popular titles for $19.99. The titles include Nintendo Selects: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Nintendo Selects: Animal Crossing: City Folk,Nintendo Selects: Mario Super Sluggers and Nintendo Selects: Wii Sports. All of these titles are very good.

This happened on May 15th. The question is, all three systems are out and have motion-based gaming. Which console is best to purchase now?

I say Nintendo is an amazing system and still a notch above the rest, especially given the price drop.

Why? One reason is games. Nintendo has games that appeal to children, teens and even older folks (I'll get into that later). I have an Xbox 360 and PS3, but I find myself playing Wii more. Why you ask? I love my Xbox 360 for Halo/Modern Warfare and other FPS games. That said, when playing games with a group, Wii wins hands down. From racing Mario, Luigi and friends in Mario Kart to battling with Marth and Link in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Nintendo has cornered the market on group-friendly games. Plus, Nintendo has many of the same FPS like Call of Duty: Black Ops geared towards older gamers that the PS3 and 360 have. To top it off, Nintendo has accessories like the Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board that not only integrate gaming and exercise, but make it fun and user-friendly from 5 years of age on up.

Side-story: I bought the Wii for my parents who are in their early 50s. They thought it was a gag gift. A few days after I bought the gift I got a call, "You're father and I have taken up tennis and we love it!" I thought she was referring to playing tennis with a physical racket, they were referring to Wii Sports.

Who has the best motion-based system? Nintendo's revolutionary motion-based gaming was first to market. Now 360 and PS3 have motion-based gaming as well. All are impressive, especially the Kinect for 360. However, neither the 360 nor PS3 have a great number of games that use their motion-sensor equipment. Nintendo on the other hand has been out for years and has a huge number of games that are motion-based. Buy Nintendo for an established motion-based gaming library.

Graphics? PS3 and 360 win this hands down. Wii graphics are not superior to the 360 and the PS3. However, a visually beautiful/realistic game does not equate to being a fun game. When you are racing at top speed in Mario Kart, you are not paying attention to how realistic the environment is on the side of the road, you are trying to shoot your opponent off the road. Fun games make you pay attention to gameplay, not graphics and Wii does this.

Nintendo is a great system and at $149.99, this is a great entry point. Be sure to buy an additional Official Nintendo Wii Wheel (Mario Kart for 1 isn't as much fun without two players). You'll also want to buy another Wii Remote Plus - Black and Wii Nunchuk Controller - Black controller. The system only comes with one set in the box. Take a look at the titles that were reduced to $19.99. You can't go wrong with any of these games.

Hope this was helpful, have fun gaming!

First, if you have an HDTV, you will need special component cables, found here: Component AV Cable for Nintendo Wii to HDTV.

Second, this system only comes with one controller, so you might want to get a second one if you hope to have more than one person playing at a time: Wii Remote Plus - Black. And if you buy a second controller, you'll want a second Nun-chuck attachment: Wii Nunchuk Controller - Black. And maybe a second WiiWheel if you want for Mario Kart: Official Nintendo Wii Wheel. You might also want to get rechargeable batteries for the controllers: Energizer NH15BP-4 Rechargeable AA Battery 4 Pack.

Third, the Wii Sensor Bar can easily be knocked down, so I used Poster Putty to help keep it secure. Duck Poster Putty, Removable/Reusable, Nontoxic, 2 Ounce/Pack (PTY-2)

Finally, the most common complaint you'll hear is that people get tired of playing with the Wii. "There's no good games," or "I'm tired of playing Wii Sports." If you only use any system to play ONE game, you're going to get bored not matter what you're playing. Paying $150 just to play Mario Kart is ridiculous. You need to optimize your investment by getting more games. So here are 52 of the Wii's notable games.

Wii Sports
Wii Play
Wii Sports Resort
FlingSmash
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy 2
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Mario Party 8
Kirby's Epic Yarn
Donkey Kong Country Returns
Punch-Out!! (Wii)
Metroid Prime Trilogy
Pikmin (Wii)
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel
ExciteBots: Trick Racing
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Animal Crossing City Folk
Red Steel 2
Zack & Wiki Quest for Barbaros' Treasure
Sin and Punishment: Star Successor
Wario Land: Shake It!
A Boy and His Blob
Geometry Wars: Galaxies
Muramasa: The Demon Blade
Boom Blox
Boom Blox Bash Party
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars
Monster Hunter Tri
Little King's Story
Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon
Okami (Wii)
GoldenEye 007 (Wii)
Sonic Colors
Klonoa (Wii)
Disney Epic Mickey
NBA Jam
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10
WWE All Stars
LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga
Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
Lego Indiana Jones
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean
Lego Batman
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
No More Heroes
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
MadWorld
Bully: Scholarship Edition
Resident Evil 4 (Wii)

KEEP IN MIND that you should always check a games ESRB Rating to make sure it's appropriate for the person playing it. Most games are rated Teen and under, but there are some Mature rated games that you might not find appropriate. I also am NOT guaranteeing that you'll automatically love every game listed. Some people don't like sports games. Some people don't like First-Person Shooters. Some games are too hard. Sometimes, they're too easy. Or maybe you don't really like "games" and you bought this to do the Zumba (Zumba Fitness) or to Just Dance (Just Dance), that's okay, too. But, like I said, if you want to get the most for your investment, you should consider building a nice size library of games.

I hope I was helpful, and at least, those One-Star Reviewers aren't going to be able to say the Wii "has no games" with this block staring customers in the face.

I've been a Nintendo fan for years. Generation after generation they put out amazing consoles with excellent games. So it comes as no suprise that the Wii continues the tradition started back in 1985.

The Wii was codenamed the Revolution becasue it was supposed to revolutionize the way we play games. I'm not so convinced that it accomplished it's goal per se, but I do think that it did introduce some new ways to play. When I first heard about the system I didn't think it would be nearly as successful as it was. I thought odd name, last gen graphics, and strange (ablbiet interesting) controller, yeah, good luck with that Nintendo. I was convinced that it would turn out much like the GCN, reasonably successful but nowhere near it's competition.

Well here we are 5 years later and we all know how it turned out. Much to everyones suprise, the Wii turned out to be a tremendous success. People were calling it the Gamecube 2 because it didn't have HD graphics. While the Wii may be similar to the Gamecube (GCN) in terms of archecture, in nearly every other aspect it is a completely different system. It was given marketed as family centered, rather than specifically to the gamer, where the GCN was fairly powerful for its day the Wii was quite underpowered, and the GCN had a focus on contectivity (GB link cable, GB player, Limited LAN support) the wii focused on motion controls.

The motion controls are the heart and soul of the Wii. While the PS3 and Xbox 360 have their respective options for motion controled gaming, it is hard to argue that the Wii not only started this "revolution" but they also have the largest library of motion controled games. So it goes without saying that if you want motion controlled gaming, the wii is not only the best option, it also happens to be the most affordable.

The purpose of this review is not to compare the Wii to it's competitors, it truly is a stand alone system, and is not fair to do so.

In my opinion, the Wii will largely appeal to two large contrasting groups: non gamers and core gamers.

On one hand you have the non gamers, they will immediatley be attracted to games like Wii sports, Wii fit, Kriby's Epic Yarn, Just Dance, Lego Star Wars, and things of that nature. These are games that anyone can pick up and play and have very broad appeal. The reason for the Wii's success is the non gamer, Nintendo captured an audience that no one knew even existed. Games like these are the reason that you will see the Wii in nursing homes and hospitals.

On the other had you have the hardcore or core gamer. Games like Metroid Prime 3, Donkey Kong Courty Returns, No More Heros, Red Steel 2, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom and Mad World are games that appeal to them. Many of these are hidden gems that only the core know or care about they are every bit as good as the better known Wii titles.

Peronally I am somewhat of a rare breed in the fact that I enjoy both, but most gamers will fall under one catagory or another. I think the real diffrenece between the two is the casual gamer will purchase the Wii as a an only system, whereas the core gamer will buy it to go along with a straight hardcore system. But it's that broad appeal that makes the Wii as successful has it has been.

Unfortunatley, the Wii's best years are behind it. 2010 may have been a great year for the system, but 2011, thus far has been very weak. With E3 coming around the corner gamers will see what will be the last major software to be released for the system, and of course it's successor with be there as well. But not all is bleak, Nintendo just recently dropped the price of the Wii to $149 and swapped out Wii sports and Wii sports resort for Mario Kart Wii. Furthermore they rolled out their Player's choice lineup albeit under a different name. As they say, good things come to those who wait. Now is a great time to buy because the better price, better software bundled, and there is a fairly large library of games avalable.

The reason I gave it 4 out of 5 stars was because I do feel it is missing in some key areas that make it hard to give a perfect score. First, I do feel the online aspect of the Wii is very weak. The setup makes it near impossible to find friends online and communicate with them. Very few games sopport voice chat.

Second, because of the popularity of the system there is a TON of shovelware. Shovelware is (as the name imples) garbage software that gets shoveled onto the system so the developers can make a quick buck off the popularity of the Wii. Generally, I would say stick to first party titles if you want to be safe but even some of these aren't worth getting. Games like Wii music are terrible. Do your reseach and you wii be fine. Finally, even though the library is impressive, there are some holes in there. You will be hard pressed to find ambitions RPG's or M rated action games. Don't get me wrong,... Read more

The Nintendo Wii is the most inexpensive of the current generation of gaming consoles. It provides motion sensing controllers and 480p graphics. We tested the Wii before its launch day (I'm a game reviewer), and we had our own unit in our home the morning of launch day. Here are our findings.

The Wii is designed around a menu of "channels". There is of course the game-playing channel, where the Wii will play any Wii or GameCube game. Simply load the disc in and go. There is a Mii channel where you set up a profile and avatar to connect to all your game playing. The Photos channel lets you look at photos on your TV. Other channels for news, weather, and online shopping require an interent connection; the news and weather were not actually working at launch time.

The system does NOT have a regular network cable port, which both the PS3 and XBox 360 have. Instead, it works with built in wireless or with a USB network adapter. I am a firm proponent of wireless - less clutter! So I am thrilled that they offer wireless automatically. With the PS3, you have to pay extra for the 60 gig unit to get this built in. The XBox 360 requires extra hardware as well.

It's hard to generalize gameplay on any console - it really depends on what games you buy. That being said, the comes-with-it software of Sports is really quite fun and is about as basic as you can get. You swing at baseballs, lob tennis balls, bowl, box and play golf. A "fitness" mode puts you through a variety of tasks and then calculates your fitness age, sort of like how Brain Age keeps track of your mental age. If you did both every day, you could aim to be as fit mentally and physically as possible!

In a world where video games = couch potato, it really is quite amazing to have a game where it natively expects you to move and be active. You don't lounge back and gain pounds here while playing games. Boxing can be quite strenuous, jabbing, blocking and weaving in real life. Tennis involves quick reflexes and strong arm movements. Bowling might be the most relaxed of the sports, but even there you are standing, moving, swinging. You get your heart going at least a little, and get some exercise. My boyfriend had a sore arm after playing for a number of hours, in a good way, as he would from exercising.

The 480p resolution is certainly not high def 1080p like the other two systems. It's something you accept when you're paying such a low price for the console. But really, it's not that big a deal. I still play the old Zeldas and love them for their gameplay, even though you can't see the pores in Link's face. If they are going for the cartooney characters and environments, 480p is DVD quality and is quite good. If you really, really crave high definition super realism in your games, then the Wii might not be the best choice for you. However, if you're fine with playing games with a more impressionist / cartooney look to them, the 480p can show that quite nicely. For example, there aren't fans in the stands for baseball - there are colored blocks.

Nintendo has always been known as a "Kid's Console" - but I really do think with the Wii that they have become a "Family Console". It's not just kids who will enjoy this. Seniors can have fun bowling without knowing anything "Tricky" about how to use a video game unit. It's very intuitive. Moms can easily play with their kids, each with their own Wii profile. Adults having parties can have fun passing the controllers around. Family groups can share slideshows on the big screen while hanging out and drinking wine. Every person who has come over - from 8 to adult - has instantly understood and enjoyed the Wii, without much explanation at all.

With the price tag being so low, a gaming household that "needs" a higher end system can easily save up their money to get that XBox 360 or PS3 - and still be able to justify to get a Wii for the fun, casual gaming stuff to share with their non-gaming friends.

Well recommended! Since I own all three systems, and am playing all three wirelessly, feel free to contact me if you have any further questions.

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Update: One year later, and the Wii is still going strong! It's really funny how many people said the Wii would bomb because it wasn't as good as the PS3 or 360 - and here we are a year later and the Wii is still the system that people are really wanting to get. Hospitals are getting Wiis for their patients to play with. Senior centers are getting Wiis for their residents to play games together with. I was just on a cruise ship and they had Wii tournaments going on every day! This is a fantastically fun system that we really enjoy playing with and that literally the whole family can have fun with. There are great games for kids, great games for teenagers, great games for adults. I am really very pleased with how the Wii has held up and the game set available... Read more

Since the console has been covered in other reviews, this one will be a little more in-depth about the controller, and only the controller. I hope it can convince you, because it certainly enhanced my gaming experience.
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Wow. That's all I had to say after plugging the Wii in at my home on November 19th. After months of waiting, it is finally here, and for once, this game system actually met and possibly exceeded my expectations. Know before continuing that I'm not a Nintendo fanboy, I hated the Gamecube, own a PS2 and will be buying an Xbox 360. Well, after buying this, I don't know if i will be needing that 360.

The biggest thing about the Wii is it's new controller. Instead of the traditional two-handed gamepad with 2-4 buttons and some analog sticks, the Wii's input system is shaped like a TV remote control. It has a couple of buttons on it, but not nearly as many as the average controller. How can you play complex games with such a simple controller? The answer is motion control.

The Wii's controller has accelerometers inside of it, allowing it to sense when you wave, swing, punch, stab, or shake. It can also interact with a sensor bar placed on top of the television to make a pointer for the TV. For example, to select a menu option, you just point at the option with the remote and click the A button. This creates a whole new gaming experience. It's like one of those arcade games at the local mall, but it works better, and no more 25 cents per turn!

The remote is also very comfortable. For games that would need two analog sticks, such as shooters, there is a connectable perephial with an analog stick and two shoulder buttons, which is called the Nunchuk. In a shooting game, this would handle movement and the remote would handle the aiming. It takes a very short amount of time to get used to, but once you do, it is much more comfortable than the normal controller. You can spread your hands out instead of hunched up, holding your hands together.

The Wii Remote is functional, efficient, comfortable, and smart. It is so much better than controllers of the past, and I hope this is a sign of things to come from Nintendo.

The true battle of the gaming consoles began months before last Christmas. Beginning about October, and definitely by Black Thursday - the Friday shopping day after Thanksgiving, television, newspapers, and every advertising medium were filled with articles and advertisements for the new gaming consoles coming out just in time to put under the Christmas tree.

The gaming console picked to attract the most attention immediately was the PlayStation 3. It touted the Blu-ray player that was part of the standard equipment, and that Blu-ray player was supposed to be the feature that crushed all other game consoles. Unfortunately, the PlayStation 3 - like its predecessor and the original Xbox and Xbox 360 - was underproduced. Supposedly the problem was in the blue diode chip that enabled the Blu-ray player to work. As a result, there were simply not enough PlayStation 3 units produced to fill every Christmas stocking.

The Xbox 360 came out the Christmas before. It, too, was underproduced and ended up inspiring a whole new generation of campers that took up the sport outside Walmart, Costco's, and other electronic outlet stores around the United States. The price tag of the PlayStation 3 was exorbitant, as was that of the 360 when it first broke.

But the same time Nintendo released its new game system called simply Wii. At $250.00 per unit, buying a Wii seemed like a no-brainer, except that people were getting wooed in by the wowser graphics offered by the PlayStation 3. But the lack of PlayStation 3 units caused a run on the Wii at Christmas that has taken months to level off.

I had been looking for a Wii since before Christmas and finally scored one at a Best Buy in May. My eighteen-year-old and I had been diligently calling the local retail stores trying to nail one down. We even called in favors from some of his friends who worked at those places to find out about incoming shipments. The problem was, those incoming units generally disappeared as soon as they hit the floor. No one would hold one back. And you couldn't buy one over the Internet. Not even from Amazon.

We got up bright and early on a Sunday morning and hauled butt down to the local Best Buy to grab a unit seconds after it was put out. My wife thought we were crazy. My son and I thought we were mission to rescue the Holy Grail. My nine-year-old came with us. It was his first time for such foolishness and he had a blast. After we got the unit, we hit the game shelves. Everybody got something.

Of course, Dad got the bill.

At home, we hooked the unit up to the 42-inch television in the living room and proceeded to play. The games were broken out and passed around. Then we chose up lots to see who got to play first. Everybody got to play for a little while. Even when we weren't playing our games, we all sat around watching everyone else play their game. Of course, we made comments on the player's form. Unfriendly comments that beggared gross retribution when our own time came to play.

Admittedly, I felt like an idiot waving the controller around. If someone had been looking through the window, I feel certain that the onlooker would have believed he was tuned into Discovery Channel and was watching a presentation involving tribal rituals and the sacrifice of small animals. There's just no way to look cool while playing a Wii.

The controller is incredibly easy to use. All the new games made for the Wii are already coded to respond to the wireless controller's motions. Button use is even at a minimum so you don't get the sore thumbs you normally get with console systems. Whatever the programming is that allows the motion sensitivity to work with the games is amazing. In addition to the primary wireless controller, there's also another wireless controller that plugs into it called the nunchuk. Using different configurations of these two devices allows for many permutations of movements.

Since we got the Wii right at the end of school, we had time to play on the weekends and often used it as a stress reliever in the evenings. For the first time a long time, we were all gathered around the television and a gaming console. Over the years we've played board games and card games, but there is nothing like playing video games together or providing moral support during a hard-fought campaign. Every victory is celebrated together, and every defeat is never alone.

The Wii package we got came with a collection of sports games. The collection includes boxing, golf, bowling, tennis, and baseball. We had more fun, and more laughs, playing those games together than we did playing our individual games with support.

I fault the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 for not making more family-oriented games. They just don't bring families together the way Nintendo games always have. Of course, I have to give it up to the graphics that are... Read more

Nintendo dropped the price of their console to $149.99. The previous console package included Wii Sports and Sports Resort, and these have been replaced with Mario Kart and a Wii Wheel. Nintendo also rolled out a line of popular titles for $19.99. The titles include Nintendo Selects: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Nintendo Selects: Animal Crossing: City Folk,Nintendo Selects: Mario Super Sluggers and Nintendo Selects: Wii Sports. All of these titles are very good.

This happened on May 15th. The question is, all three systems are out and have motion-based gaming. Which console is best to purchase now?

I say Nintendo is an amazing system and still a notch above the rest, especially given the price drop.

Why? One reason is games. Nintendo has games that appeal to children, teens and even older folks (I'll get into that later). I have an Xbox 360 and PS3, but I find myself playing Wii more. Why you ask? I love my Xbox 360 for Halo/Modern Warfare and other FPS games. That said, when playing games with a group, Wii wins hands down. From racing Mario, Luigi and friends in Mario Kart to battling with Marth and Link in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Nintendo has cornered the market on group-friendly games. Plus, Nintendo has many of the same FPS like Call of Duty: Black Ops geared towards older gamers that the PS3 and 360 have. To top it off, Nintendo has accessories like the Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board that not only integrate gaming and exercise, but make it fun and user-friendly from 5 years of age on up.

Side-story: I bought the Wii for my parents who are in their early 50s. They thought it was a gag gift. A few days after I bought the gift I got a call, "You're father and I have taken up tennis and we love it!" I thought she was referring to playing tennis with a physical racket, they were referring to Wii Sports.

Who has the best motion-based system? Nintendo's revolutionary motion-based gaming was first to market. Now 360 and PS3 have motion-based gaming as well. All are impressive, especially the Kinect for 360. However, neither the 360 nor PS3 have a great number of games that use their motion-sensor equipment. Nintendo on the other hand has been out for years and has a huge number of games that are motion-based. Buy Nintendo for an established motion-based gaming library.

Graphics? PS3 and 360 win this hands down. Wii graphics are not superior to the 360 and the PS3. However, a visually beautiful/realistic game does not equate to being a fun game. When you are racing at top speed in Mario Kart, you are not paying attention to how realistic the environment is on the side of the road, you are trying to shoot your opponent off the road. Fun games make you pay attention to gameplay, not graphics and Wii does this.

Nintendo is a great system and at $149.99, this is a great entry point. Be sure to buy an additional Official Nintendo Wii Wheel (Mario Kart for 1 isn't as much fun without two players). You'll also want to buy another Wii Remote Plus - Black and Wii Nunchuk Controller - Black controller. The system only comes with one set in the box. Take a look at the titles that were reduced to $19.99. You can't go wrong with any of these games.

Hope this was helpful, have fun gaming!

First, if you have an HDTV, you will need special component cables, found here: Component AV Cable for Nintendo Wii to HDTV.

Second, this system only comes with one controller, so you might want to get a second one if you hope to have more than one person playing at a time: Wii Remote Plus - Black. And if you buy a second controller, you'll want a second Nun-chuck attachment: Wii Nunchuk Controller - Black. And maybe a second WiiWheel if you want for Mario Kart: Official Nintendo Wii Wheel. You might also want to get rechargeable batteries for the controllers: Energizer NH15BP-4 Rechargeable AA Battery 4 Pack.

Third, the Wii Sensor Bar can easily be knocked down, so I used Poster Putty to help keep it secure. Duck Poster Putty, Removable/Reusable, Nontoxic, 2 Ounce/Pack (PTY-2)

Finally, the most common complaint you'll hear is that people get tired of playing with the Wii. "There's no good games," or "I'm tired of playing Wii Sports." If you only use any system to play ONE game, you're going to get bored not matter what you're playing. Paying $150 just to play Mario Kart is ridiculous. You need to optimize your investment by getting more games. So here are 52 of the Wii's notable games.

Wii Sports
Wii Play
Wii Sports Resort
FlingSmash
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy 2
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Mario Party 8
Kirby's Epic Yarn
Donkey Kong Country Returns
Punch-Out!! (Wii)
Metroid Prime Trilogy
Pikmin (Wii)
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel
ExciteBots: Trick Racing
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Animal Crossing City Folk
Red Steel 2
Zack & Wiki Quest for Barbaros' Treasure
Sin and Punishment: Star Successor
Wario Land: Shake It!
A Boy and His Blob
Geometry Wars: Galaxies
Muramasa: The Demon Blade
Boom Blox
Boom Blox Bash Party
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars
Monster Hunter Tri
Little King's Story
Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon
Okami (Wii)
GoldenEye 007 (Wii)
Sonic Colors
Klonoa (Wii)
Disney Epic Mickey
NBA Jam
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10
WWE All Stars
LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga
Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
Lego Indiana Jones
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean
Lego Batman
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
No More Heroes
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
MadWorld
Bully: Scholarship Edition
Resident Evil 4 (Wii)

KEEP IN MIND that you should always check a games ESRB Rating to make sure it's appropriate for the person playing it. Most games are rated Teen and under, but there are some Mature rated games that you might not find appropriate. I also am NOT guaranteeing that you'll automatically love every game listed. Some people don't like sports games. Some people don't like First-Person Shooters. Some games are too hard. Sometimes, they're too easy. Or maybe you don't really like "games" and you bought this to do the Zumba (Zumba Fitness) or to Just Dance (Just Dance), that's okay, too. But, like I said, if you want to get the most for your investment, you should consider building a nice size library of games.

I hope I was helpful, and at least, those One-Star Reviewers aren't going to be able to say the Wii "has no games" with this block staring customers in the face.

I've been a Nintendo fan for years. Generation after generation they put out amazing consoles with excellent games. So it comes as no suprise that the Wii continues the tradition started back in 1985.

The Wii was codenamed the Revolution becasue it was supposed to revolutionize the way we play games. I'm not so convinced that it accomplished it's goal per se, but I do think that it did introduce some new ways to play. When I first heard about the system I didn't think it would be nearly as successful as it was. I thought odd name, last gen graphics, and strange (ablbiet interesting) controller, yeah, good luck with that Nintendo. I was convinced that it would turn out much like the GCN, reasonably successful but nowhere near it's competition.

Well here we are 5 years later and we all know how it turned out. Much to everyones suprise, the Wii turned out to be a tremendous success. People were calling it the Gamecube 2 because it didn't have HD graphics. While the Wii may be similar to the Gamecube (GCN) in terms of archecture, in nearly every other aspect it is a completely different system. It was given marketed as family centered, rather than specifically to the gamer, where the GCN was fairly powerful for its day the Wii was quite underpowered, and the GCN had a focus on contectivity (GB link cable, GB player, Limited LAN support) the wii focused on motion controls.

The motion controls are the heart and soul of the Wii. While the PS3 and Xbox 360 have their respective options for motion controled gaming, it is hard to argue that the Wii not only started this "revolution" but they also have the largest library of motion controled games. So it goes without saying that if you want motion controlled gaming, the wii is not only the best option, it also happens to be the most affordable.

The purpose of this review is not to compare the Wii to it's competitors, it truly is a stand alone system, and is not fair to do so.

In my opinion, the Wii will largely appeal to two large contrasting groups: non gamers and core gamers.

On one hand you have the non gamers, they will immediatley be attracted to games like Wii sports, Wii fit, Kriby's Epic Yarn, Just Dance, Lego Star Wars, and things of that nature. These are games that anyone can pick up and play and have very broad appeal. The reason for the Wii's success is the non gamer, Nintendo captured an audience that no one knew even existed. Games like these are the reason that you will see the Wii in nursing homes and hospitals.

On the other had you have the hardcore or core gamer. Games like Metroid Prime 3, Donkey Kong Courty Returns, No More Heros, Red Steel 2, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom and Mad World are games that appeal to them. Many of these are hidden gems that only the core know or care about they are every bit as good as the better known Wii titles.

Peronally I am somewhat of a rare breed in the fact that I enjoy both, but most gamers will fall under one catagory or another. I think the real diffrenece between the two is the casual gamer will purchase the Wii as a an only system, whereas the core gamer will buy it to go along with a straight hardcore system. But it's that broad appeal that makes the Wii as successful has it has been.

Unfortunatley, the Wii's best years are behind it. 2010 may have been a great year for the system, but 2011, thus far has been very weak. With E3 coming around the corner gamers will see what will be the last major software to be released for the system, and of course it's successor with be there as well. But not all is bleak, Nintendo just recently dropped the price of the Wii to $149 and swapped out Wii sports and Wii sports resort for Mario Kart Wii. Furthermore they rolled out their Player's choice lineup albeit under a different name. As they say, good things come to those who wait. Now is a great time to buy because the better price, better software bundled, and there is a fairly large library of games avalable.

The reason I gave it 4 out of 5 stars was because I do feel it is missing in some key areas that make it hard to give a perfect score. First, I do feel the online aspect of the Wii is very weak. The setup makes it near impossible to find friends online and communicate with them. Very few games sopport voice chat.

Second, because of the popularity of the system there is a TON of shovelware. Shovelware is (as the name imples) garbage software that gets shoveled onto the system so the developers can make a quick buck off the popularity of the Wii. Generally, I would say stick to first party titles if you want to be safe but even some of these aren't worth getting. Games like Wii music are terrible. Do your reseach and you wii be fine. Finally, even though the library is impressive, there are some holes in there. You will be hard pressed to find ambitions RPG's or M rated action games. Don't get me wrong,... Read more

**Please note this particular console is not backward compatible with Gamecube. It only plays Wii games. For me this is a deal breaker. If you want a backward compatible console buy the Mario Kart Wii bundle, which is backward compatible and cheaper. Deciding between the Mario Kart Wii bundle and this bundle is a no-brainer in my opinion. Why pay more for this particular Wii that does less? UPDATE 11/7/2011 - It appears Amazon is discontinuing sales of the Wii Mario bundle. It looks like Amazon will only directly sell the Wii console with Super Mario Bros. If you want the Wii Mario bundle you will have to buy from an authorized Amazon reseller and pay more money or you can go to another major retailer that is still stocking the Wii Mario bundle.**

The recent bundle releases are the Wii Console with Mario Kart Wii Bundle - Black and the Console Black With New Super Mario Bros. The question you need to ask yourself is which of these bundles best fits you. I'll discuss what you get in each bundle and the differences/similarities below.

Included with the Mario Kart bundle for $146.98 (price fluctuates): a Wii console, Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel, nunchuk controller and Wii remote plus (black or white depending on the bundle you pick).

Included with the New Super Mario Bros bundle for $149.99: a Black Wii console, Black Wii remote plus, Black nunchuck, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and the Super Mario Galaxy 2 soundtrack

SIMILARITIES:

Each bundle contains a Wii console, nunchuk controller and remote plus.

KEY DIFFERENCES:

The Super Mario Bros. Wii CANNOT play Gamecube games. The New Super Mario Bros. bundle only comes in black. The Mario Kart bundle comes in black OR white.

The Mario Kart bundle includes Mario Kart and a wheel ($45.52 if bought separately), whereas the New Super Mario Bros. bundle includes the New Super Mario Bros. game ($43.99 if bought separately).

CONCLUSION: The prices are similar enough, $146.98 (fluctuates and sometimes goes to the low $140s) vs. $149.99, that it is silly to pay the same amount for a console that doesn't offer backward compatibility. Buy the Mario Kart Wii console. I'd recommend picking up the Super Mario Bros. game separately. This game is incredible. A blast from the past with 2-d scrolling and multiplayer. One of my favorites and a perennial best-seller on Amazon.

Warning! This wii console is not backwards compatible with game cube games, it has no port for the dance revolution pad, and you can not stand it upright. The Super Mario Bros game comes in a cheap paper sleave instead the usual plastic jewel case. So your game is more likely to be scratched and has no trade in value without the jewel case. Do yourself a big favor and buy the wii bundle that comes with Mario Kart. This is still backwards compatible with the game cube games. It costs a little more but its well worth it!

I've read a lot of less than five-star reviews for this new Wii package but I have a different perspective on it.

I bought this for a family member who has never owned a Nintendo Wii and doesn't care for the game Mario Kart but loves Super Mario Bros. So this was a win-win product solution for me. It just depends on who the product package is for and their likes/dislikes. I'm concerned the negative reviews are going to make first-time buyers think there are other issues with the gaming console. If I bought the bundle that included Mario Kart, I would have had to buy Super Mario Bros separately, adding about $50 more to the cost. And not everyone cares about playing Nintendo GameCube titles, it's just a preference.

If anyone is a hardcore Wii user, I can't imagine they would consider this product anyhow, just wait for the next version of Nintendo Wii to be released in the near future.

Game On!

My husband and I got a Wii for our birthday. We also have 3 kids, two of whom are old enough to play Wii games. Right out of the box, we found the Wii to be very intuitive. Set up was easy. He had it set up within a few minutes while I was putting the kids to bed (we wanted to try it out before letting the kids see it!) We immediately put in Wii Sports and found the game to be intuitive. We thought it was fun - my husband liked the Boxing best and I liked the Tennis best. We have really enjoyed Sports Resort as well. I think the swordplay is the overall favorite for 2 players, but we have also enjoyed Archery, Skydiving, Table Tennis (well, that's me!), and Frisbee (my husband). In addition to the included games, we got a few others. My 5 year old LOVES the Princess and the Frog Wii game. We also really enjoyed Just Dance! My 4 year old still doesn't understand the controllers, but she was able to participate in Just Dance! without them. My 5 year old and I both held the controllers (we only have 2 right now). Mario Kart is probably our favorite game! It is fun for adults and kids alike (though it is too hard for my 4 year old).

The reason we chose a Wii was the fact that it is fun for the whole family. With the games we have played, there are things for people with a range of ages and skill levels. I love that my kids can play and not get frustrated. We really enjoyed playing Wii games with family and guests. Because the Wii is intuitive, people who have never played before can easily join in with games such as Sports, Sports Resort, Mario Kart, and Wii Ski. Swordplay on Wii Sports Resort is a huge hit for social gatherings. I'm not saying that the games are really easy - only that it doesn't require hours of practice to have fun.

We aren't what I call serious gamers. My husband and I used to play a lot of computer games when we were younger and we had Nintendo systems as kids. But we haven't really played many video games as life got hectic. The Wii definitely has better graphics than what we had seen 7 or 8 years ago when we played video games more regularly. I think that the Wii really is the perfect system for a family.

For people interested in a Wii, you don't need to get too much extra other than what comes in the box since it comes with two games. However, it only comes with one controller - get a Remote Plus (you don't need Motion Plus with the Remote Plus and either Motion Plus or Remote Plus are necessary for Wii Sports Resort). I definitely recommend getting one more Remote (at least) so you can play with others. You may also want an additional Nunchuck. Last, consider getting a charging station.

As for games, shop around. There's something for everyone. I found that a LOT of games are available for significantly less than $50. Only the newest games are that pricey (and nearly all video games cost around $50 or more when they first come out). You may want to check out some gently used games too or renting them from your local video store. Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort are fun games, but they aren't "classic" video games. The neat thing with Wii is that you can also revisit video games and characters that you enjoyed 20 years ago!

I wanted to point out that this packaging includes Remote Plus. If you are looking for this in a store, be sure that you buy the one with the Remote Plus. We actually initially bought a Wii at Best Buy but returned it before opening it once we realized that it came with the regular remote and the Motion plus instead of Remote Plus. Remote Plus is the newest Wii remote and does not require you to have a separate Motion Plus attachment.

OVERALL:

- Wii is an entertaining game system for the entire family. The Motion games are very intuitive and easy to use for anyone over the age of 5.
- The Wii White (and Black) hardware bundles come with the console, Remote Plus, Wii Sports, and Wii Sports Resort. The included games are NOT classic video games, but are lots of fun for a wide range of ages.
- You likely will need at least one more controller. Get the Wii Remote Plus, as it has the Wii Motion Plus capability, but doesn't require you to buy both the Wii Remote AND Motion Plus attachment.
- You may want to buy additional games. Try renting or check out some used ones for a lower price. There are lots of games for the entire family. You can find traditional video games for Wii as well as ones that take advantage of the Wii's motion sensing capability.
- Get a charging station, as Wii remotes go through batteries pretty quickly. We got this one: [...]

I bought the Wii for my husband and I. We are both in our 50's and not very good with your basic game controllers. I bought a PS2 a few years ago, but it is not easy to use at our age! We are not big gamers so I decided that for the winter months, the Wii would be great for us and it is the BEST game I have ever owned! It is so easy to set up and start using. Everything works as they said it would. My husband has broad shoulders and had a hard time with the size on the PS2 controller. He would be sore from only sitting and playing. We found that with the Wii, we get great exercise playing the games as well and we notice how the muscles we don't often use are given a workout! Time flies too when playing! I have searched for months for a good price on the Wii, and Amazon has EVERYONE beat with this bundle! I also got the extra controller, nunchuk and the charger that is offered as well that was rated 5 stars. I am waiting for that to arrive. Plus, I did order more games as well since we enjoy being a part of the game.
Overall I give this a 5 start rating thus far. I have a logitech keyboard coming too since the Wii console also easily picked up my wireless internet and we can go online now from our living room with a nice large screen to surf the web. This was a win win for us! You can't go wrong if you are considering which console to get from the 3 main games out there. This is hands down the best deal there is out there and again, at $177.00, a real steal! You don't have to get a second controller off the bat, but Amazon had that on sale as well. Even if you are in your 50's or older, and have been thinking about getting a game console, this is your best bet. It is much more user friendly and there is not tons of buttons to figure out to play the game. It is basic and low stress! Just let the fun begin!
Lastly delivery was faster than what they said it would be which was great! The games give you a quick tutorial and you can play alone or against one another quickly. The other deal I am going to get in on is Netflix downloads for the Wii. It is cheap and you can cut your cable bill down by paying only $7.99 a month to download unlimited movies to your TV. I can't WAIT to cancel some of my cable options! There won't be any discs to return unless you want the option for $1.00 more to get movies via disc. I hope this helps anyone who was undecided! You will be pleasantly surprised at how easy this is to use. Happy holidays and enjoy the Wii! Wish I got one sooner!!!!

Even though the Wii's graphics aren't as great as the PS3's and Xbox 360's, the quality of games on the Wii show how fun it is. Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 are some of the best games and Mario Kart Wii is still incredibly fun. The Wii is more designed to be a family friendly console versus the PS3 and Xbox 360's shooter games. Whether you should purchase a Wii or not depends on what type of games you want to play. If you want casual games, buy a Wii, if you want hardcore games buy a PS3 or Xbox 360. In general, the Wii is one of the greatest consoles of all time and is worth every cent.

INTRO:
After years of wanting a Wii, we finally got one! And, of course, like any overly-excited newbie, I couldn't wait to get the new WiiFit (WiiFit Plus). I picked it up at midnight, with the Balance Board. (TIP: if ur buying from brick-and-mortar stores, call ahead, it took me an hour to convince them that it was ok to sell it to me, and it was already 12:30a!) I got home, set it up (took just a few minutes, mostly unwrapping) and played until 5am! I was nearly falling asleep between games, but it was so much fun, I couldn't stop! Now, THAT's a motivator to work out! It even asked if I was a 'NIGHT OWL' and I had the option to keep my "day" 'open' until 3am, for those late-night workout sessions!

THE GAMES, & WHY I LOVE THEM:
Without leaving my 12'x12' living room, I can do: Circus Juggling, Skateboarding, Island Cycling, HulaHooping, Rhythm Parade, Segwaying, & Perfect 10 - these are the ones I like the most right now. My current favorite is the Bulls-Eye game (you flap your arms to 'fly' over water and reach platforms!) It's just awesome! And, it's cool that most of the activities are all on the same island - so you can bike it, run it, walk it, fly it, segway it, float it, bounce it, etc.! I also like that, in most games (not the Bubble one, tho), you don't 'die' if you do it 'wrong'. Nothing's worse than almost getting to the end of a cycling game, and then running into a tree and having to start over - ugh! But, with WiiFit, it's so pleasant, you just maneuver your way back on track! No stress! Yet, I like that u still do collect points - I already have a competition to 'beat' my BF's scores - I even left him a 'note' on the wii to try to beat mine in a couple of games, when he woke up! We haven't tried the 'multiplayer' mode yet.

STRENGTH, FLEXIBILITY, & KEEPING TRACK:
I LOVE the 'make your own' routine - you pick as many activities as you want, from dozens of Yoga Postures, and Strength Training choices (they even tell you how long the total 'workout' will take, as you make your selections) and then you hit 'start'; and it cycles thru them, one-after-the-other, checking off each one, as you go; and, saving the 'routine' for the future. If you don't need to have that much customization, or if you need more guidance, you can choose from 5 options for a pre-made routine (Lifestyle, Health, Youth, Form, & Combine), or you can click the cute balance board graphic and it creates one for you! The tracking capability is nice, complete with graphs, and a visual calendar which I 'stamp' every day I use the WiiFit. You can even add your daily step count AND activities you do outside of the WiiFit! This appeals to my analytical and visual side! Another option it gives you is that you can choose a food (from a selection of 20 or so), and then make a daily goal to burn as many calories as that food has - I didn't realize sticky rice had so many calories!

SHOW ME THE NUMBERS:
It calculates your BMI from your user-entered height and a balance board-measured weight. The weight measurement seemed a little off, as it made both me and my BF about 5-10 lbs lighter than we've been told, from other scales. But, that's A-OK with me! (NOTE: if you use it on carpet, adding the little "carpet feet" will improve accuracy, and potentially, gameplay response). Our weight measurements "normalized" with the little feet added. It seems like it's mostly set up to help you lose weight and burn calories (while improving your balance & posture), however my BF and I have different goals - I'm trying to lose 20 lbs, and he's trying to gain 20 lbs. The Wii did rightfully call him underweight and told him to do strength-training to build muscle. It just laughed at me and told me to 'strap in'! haha - jk!

WISHES & BENEFITS:
While it might not be 100% perfect (wish there was no 'dying' in the Balance Bubble or Tightrope game; and in the snowball fight, it'd be nice to have the option to physically move my arm to throw, instead of just pushing 'A' to throw; skateboarding goes thru a long 'training run' every time you play; it would be cool if Super Hula Hoop was more than just Left AND Right circles (like add arms or something); and oh, to be able to enter total calories eaten for the day; etc.), it sure is a LOT of fun and DEFINITELY motivates u to MOVE! The corny but pleasant music, scenery, and challenges are already helping me look forward to getting going in the morning and coming home at night. You earn fit credits, with activities, which then allow you to unlock more advanced activities, giving you a good bit of motivation to keep going - imagine if they gave you 'legal trade' currency coins for working out! Plus, it always fits into my schedule: I can do as little as a *minute* of activity or as much as I want! It's closer than a gym, there's no monthly dues, you can wear whatever you want, it's open at 3am, the smoothies are always organic, and (depending on... Read more

Ok, so I'm in my mid 40's, I've broken everything from my neck in 2 places to my ankle in 3 places, my knees were rammed into an engine block at 65mph when I was 25 and haven't been right since, ad in 2 concussions in this lifetime so I don't have the best balance to boot. Then toss in a nice little dose of being peri-menopausal and HATING doing anything outside in the FL Summer, which lasts for 7 months of 90 degree plus weather, and sprinkle that with a tad of depression from NOT being outside which doesn't exactly have you running about the house singling merrily while pushing a vacuum and you have 15 extra lbs that you haven't a CLUE where those little suckers came from ;) ;), and you are flopping and sagging in places you never knew you had to begin with to ad insult to the poundage! Now according to the wii I'm just above normal putting me in the barely overweigh category, but I FEEL overweight and I know I've gotten weaker/un toned and I FEEL it.

I know I needed to and WANTED to get and feel more fit but I HATE gyms, gym rats, the stereo typical gym ANYTHING. I don't want some sleek 20 year old in my face saying "AGAIN, do it AGAIN" I,.e. (you want to look like me, you never ever will..but try, try HARDER) No thanks!
I don't want some guy telling me 'a moment on the lips a lifetime on the hips!' either. And tho I think I've seen every late nite infomercial for every get fit contraption there is, and nope, I have not parted ways with my $19.95 yet, nor is their a bow flex in the corner of every room, yet I see many of them for sale in the flyer for $50 bucks HMMMMMMM!

So, for about a year now I've been eyeing the nintendo wii with the wii fit. Here, there, everywhere. Then they drop the price. Hmmmm And then they come out with a wii fit PLUS...HMMMMMM. Ok, so me and my $300 dollars took a chance and parted ways. (for the console plus the balance board and wii fit plus)

I LOVE THIS THING! Not only does it calculate your BMI and weight and all that. (Even has a place for you to put Fido or Fluffy on the "scale" but I've been too selfish to share yet and see what that's all about. ;) IT'S FUN! And don't let the little weeble looking characters fool you, you WILL get a work out. But what's great, is you're actually smiling because it is cute and engaging and you don't feel the pain till after the fact. And you find yourself wanting to...go do some more, too! I've given it a dedicated TV and room so I can just wander in there and do 1 or 2 exercises, or spend an hour. It also tells you how many calories you've burned for each activity and keeps a running tab-it will tell you how long each day you worked out (cumulative) as well as calories burned, (so I can have that moment on the lips without the lifetime on the hips) for each actively as well as for the day. And IT'S CUTE and it's FUN, I cant say that enough. And it may look easy, but ITS NOT.

Now I think any GQ gym rat out there who can do 500 chin ups and runs 5 miles every morning might laugh at it. But if you are just an average person who doesn't want to get out of shape or out of shape person, which are about 90% of us, then its great. Their are a couple more serious sections, Yoga and Weight Training I think, that have more adult looking trainers to guide you, but the rest of the activities are colorful and you are a "weeble". And it lets you know when you are doing great or not so great, and it is not belittling at all, if anything it makes you want to try to do better next time.

My ONLY complaint is I hate have to push "A" 3 times to get to a game I already played and know how to play-now if you push A fast you can skip past the tutorials pretty quickly, but it still annoys me, because I want to PLAY IT AGAIN. But on a good note, you can walk away from it or get off of it without messing everything up.

And as a person who has been beaten up pretty bad (auto wreck, high speed horse wreck/fall) and who has spent WAAAAAYY tooo much of her life in PT (which can be even MORE depressing than a gym), let me say this, THIS is a GREAT rehab tool. If they would have had one of these in the hospital I would have gotten so much better so much faster. I hope PT rehabs/hospitals and even nursing homes will get and use these! My leg isn't right, nor are my knees or my balance for that matter, but, wow, I can see improvement already! And I go to bed happily sore, but look forward to DOING IT AGAIN! :) So even if you have some disability you can still use this! I even cheat when my leg has had enough and can sit on the board and use my tush for some of the games just as well, and I'm still active and moving my upper half! Oh and another helpful hint...don't do it barefoot like on the box, at the very least wear socks and after hurting the bottom of my sensitive footsie, I now wear rubber soled lightweight slippers to give some cushy to the bottom of my boney feet. :) Works GREAT... Read more

So, after 5 days playing and getting exercises with my Wii Fit Plus (from now on WFP), I think I am ready to write a review, I will try to make it short but useful as possible. (English is not my native language, you will notice immediately).

First, about me:
I do not go to the gym (have tried but don't get used to), nor do exercises, or run... but I do move around a lot because of my job, I work on the field, so I have to walk a lot, also I do eat consciously, from December 2008 to nowadays I have lost 15 lbs and was decided to not go back.
So I was looking at Wii Fit this summer, and knew about WFP and decided to wait. Meanwhile, I was on the blogs, the forums, online videos, about people experience about this game, and I wanted to get fit and have fun.

Then, I got WFP:
I explored the games, the routines, I was doing my daily body tests, I am true about this and I want to get fit. At the end of the second day with WFP, I felt the lack of exercises in my body, for example the Rhythm Kung Fu, some think this mini game is lame, but my biceps were hurting, probably because of the fast move of the arms forward. The Jack-knife made my abs to shake, I was amazed about how weak I was, when I try to hold a pose and start shaking after 10 seconds, I struggle to keep the poses because I know it is working out my body; I feel it, a start to a better life, so, if you are true about this game, pardon, "Investment", you will feel the work out.

Game play review:
The game fits my needs; I have a wide variety of choosing how and where I want to work out. Example I can choose a category of exercises to work my arms, abs, legs, etc. Also I can combine those to avoid interruption, and the best of all for me, I can select how long I want to work out, 10 minutes, 15, 30... and the game will arrange the exercises to fit that time, in any of Yoga, Yoga & Strength, or Strength only category, and as you do the poses, the game will put a checkmark on it and continue, so you will "carpe diem" that time as much as possible.

About the balance board:
I notice immediately something was not right about my weight according to WFP, so I compared my weight on the balance board to a professional scale (you know, like one of those the doctors have on their office), the scale is calibrated correctly, 1 litter of water is exactly 1 kg, since the weight I get from the pro scale is as I am, with my cloths on (unless I want to weight without cloths, then I will have to weight without cloths on the balance board, that would be the more accurate weight of your body), I chose a cero lb discount (the part where I am asked to select the weight of my cloths), and I did the numbers, and found out and offset of 3 pounds, exactly 3 pounds, my balance board is measuring 3 pounds lower than real weight, and I use the balance board on hard floor, so I do not need the leg extensions.

Other than that, it is very sensitive and does the job... oh! by the way, you will need a yoga mat if you work on hard floor, as some poses requires you to bend on your knees, and if your hands are sweating, or your feet, you will slide off, so get a yoga mat for extra grip and soften bones/floor contact.

So, that's it, my final review, invest on WFP, do not get it just for the games, they do work you out, but I think this game is targeted to do the fit exercises (Yoga and Strength), after your routine, play some mini games to "carpe diem" your daily use of WFP, as those counts too towards your kcal goal (or Cal, with capital C) and time spent.

When we first decided to buy a Wii, I didn't realize that there is more to it than that. White or black? How many remotes? What is Wii Fit? Is it the balance board, the software, what?

After reading a handful of reviews, I decided that this configuration was the way to go -- and I still believe I was correct (not always the case). The black box fits nicely with our other TV components. The Wii Resort software that comes with the package is so cool as a starter set that I haven't felt the need to purchase other software (yet).

One game in particular has been the source of many hours of fun: Island Flyover. Why? Because it was easy to learn (I'm 55) yet well designed enough to keep me engaged looking for landmarks, white balloons to shoot, etc. Hey, is anyone aware of any other games like this one? If not, somebody should design one or more. I'd buy them!

So the wii is the interactive game of the decade, blah blah blah, everyone says that. But why should you buy the black wii with the Sports Resort package? First, I'll say this is my second wii, (lost my first one in a split up), so the wii itself isn't a new thing to me, so I'm reviewing this package deal.

Well, I bought the black wii to match my tv and other electronics, and was planning on painting the base black to match (does come silver), but after setting it up, it matches the silver speakers built into my 2 TV's perfectly! That ensured the 5th star for Nintendo.
Getting a basic wii years ago, you'd get a basic sports disc that was short lived, this wii sports resort is a full set of games and challenges, this could keep you busy for quite some time. The inclusion of the Motion Plus is indeed a nice touch also, this is the full package for 1 player.

My recomendations - may as well pick up a second Motion Plus Controller and Nunchuck with your order so 2 people can play from the start, and unless you like changing/charging batteries all the time pick up an Induction Charger like the one I got: Wii Energizer Flat Panel 2x Induction Charger

It's a wii, you love them or hate them, but this package and color option are well worth the money.

**and don't forget, Amazon sometimes gives rebates with these, I got a $[...] game credit when this purchast finalized, very useful!!**

I am not a fan of video games, but I must admit that this is the best one out there, especially bundled with all the sports software. My family, from the preschooler (age 5) to the great-grandma (age 80), and everybody at every age in between, really enjoys playing the sports games, either solo or even better competitively. Now this includes a lot of couch potatoes, including me, so I am very happy to see everybody physically active, no matter how limited. The variety of games also allows for various levels of physical and mental abilities, depending on age and disability, and it permits individual and "team" choice and preference based on natural interest in one sport over another. This might just be the best thing to ever happen to "family togetherness" since the invention of television, which tends to isolate people from each other. Just from the standpoint of physical and mental exercise and challenge, the Wii is truly a bargain. And this bundle is an incredible bargain, combining so much hardware and software in one package. (I do wish there were a second Remote substituted for the Nunchuk, so as not to have to keep passing the Remote from player to player during the games. But I suspect Nintendo figured that this is a good way to increase profits, practically forcing people to purchase a second Remote for convenience sake, and I have to admit that at the Amazon price they may even be justified in taking that tack.) Of course, various family members also are puchasing their favorite arcade-type games as well, but again I have to admit, as a non-gamer, that those games also appear to be lots of fun and worthwhile, if you're into that type of entertainment. Finally, the design of the entire system looks and feels sleek and modern (especially in black), as well as sturdy. This is a real winner and a great deal at Amazon.

In the beginning there was DDR. Video game "dancing" consisted of mashing your feet to certain patterns. It was fun, it was a great workout, but at the end of the day it wasn't really dancing.

Then along came Just Dance, which introduced the world to dancing to popular music using "real dance move", the kind that you could practice at home and then wow everyone with on the dance floor. It was slightly annoying that the controller accuracy was a bit off, but the dance moves were so fun we didn't care. Just Dance 2 introduced much better motion control accuracy. Plus, it introduced the concept of "duets", where people could dance cool choreographed routines together. And it was another winner. Because of the popularity of Just Dance, this spawned a lot of "copycat" titles from Ubisoft to cash in. Dance on Broadway. Michael Jackson The Experience, Just Dance for Kids. Even Just Dance with Smurfs. They were fun, but at a certain point they started to get a bit tiring, as they were all variations of the same theme.

And so, we've all been waiting to see what Ubisoft would do for an encore with Just Dance 3? Could they push the genre forward, even as copycat titles on other platforms like Dance Central on the Xbox and Everybody Dance on the PS3 encroached on their turf? I'm happy to say that Just Dance 3 pushes the platform even further and does it with great success.

When you start up Just Dance, the first thing it asks is if you'll connect Just Dance to the Internet so that "Ubisoft can learn more about the way you play to make Just Dance even more groovy". I wasn't sure quite how to answer the question, but I figure since Just Dance doesn't use a video camera like those other systems, there wasn't too much harm in it.

The opening menu, like in Just Dance 1 and 2, is delightfully simple. There are only a couple choices:

1) Dance!

As with the previous versions, you just right into the dancing. What I love about Just Dance 3 is that getting started is extremely simple. No silly things to take up your time like creating avatars. No adjusting of cameras or calibrating of equipment. You just shake your remote to see what "color" you are on the screen, and get started.

You can create a profile at any time; your name is limited to 5 characters. If you don't create a profile you'll be dancing by default as "Happy" (as opposed to "Sunny").

As with previous version, your job is to dance the "mirror image" of a colorful silhouetted on-screen figure showing you the dance moves. I'm happy to say that the motion controls are better and more accurate than ever. Granted, it still only detects the movement of one arm holding the Wii remote, so technically you could still just hurl your arm the right way to build up points. But of course the fun of the game is to get into the dance with your full body (and in fact, if you follow the choreographed moves perfectly with your whole body, your score will be better than ever). One other subtle improvement over previous versions is that the audio cues coming through the Wii remote (for example, when you hit a milestone while dancing) are much louder and clearer than before.

The choreography and backgrounds are as fun and in some cases as quirky as ever. For example, in Wilson Pickett's "Land of 1000 Dances" you're following a dancing alligator in a fancy suit dancing in a schoolroom. And yes, you "do the alligator" :) If you dance well on some songs, you can see the background animate and change.

As with Just Dance 1 and 2, each song has a "technical difficulty" indicator from one to three gears, and a "workout intensity" indicate from one to three drops of sweat. There are over 45 great tracks to suit everyone's tastes, and most of the songs are popular and familiar.

Multiplayer is where this game really shines. There's "Dance Crew Mode" which is like Duet Mode, except that up to 4 players has their own independent choreography (and a chance to shine with a solo performance). There's also a "Dance Til Dawn" party mode where you can just start the game up and it'll cycle through songs all night, without the need to go back through menus again.

2) Just Sweat

As someone who follows Wii exercise titles very closely, this option was the one I was most excited about. You can choose from a "Free Session" (an instant fitness session for up to 4 players) or the "7-Day Challenge" (A selection of challenges to boost your fitness during 7 days).

For "Free Session" You can choose from a variety of options for the kind of music to work out to, including:

Speed Shuffle
Non-Stop Shuffle
Pop! Pop!
Rock Party
R&B Vibes
Electro Sounds
Just 80's
Oldies but Goodies
Fancy Dress Ball
Around the World
Extreme
Sweat Attack

There are also fantastic options for working out in a group,... Read more

I am a very loyal fan of Just Dance and Just Dance 2. I waited for months for the release of Just Dance 3. I picked it up on the release date and danced for 5 hours straight. It is amazing. First of all, the game play is so much fun. Most of the games are highly active and you definitely break a sweat. There are some slower ones, but those songs are also really fun too! There are so many good songs that I can't even pick one...or two...or three. I was skeptical about the 4 person play, but my friends and I had SO MUCH FUN! It is really well made and everyone was into it. The couples dances are good as well.

Some new features include earning Mojo points that open up locked songs, mash-ups, and different song playing options. It starts out easy to earn these locked features, but once you start playing more, the number of Mojo points needed to unlock increases. Speaking of mash-ups, they are amazing. It incorporates all the best dance moves into one song.

The dancing is pretty difficult at times, but always a fun challenge. Everyone who tried to play, even those that hadn't played a Just Dance game before got really into it after a couple of rounds.

Overall, Just Dance 3 is a near perfect game. I am not disappointed at all. It met all my expectations and beyond. Get this game! You will not regret it!

I have two girls, 11 and 13. They loved the previous versions of this game and couldn't wait to get this one. They seem to really enjoy this one as well, but I have a couple of concerns. My first issue is probably more Wii related than game related. As with earlier versions of this game, it does not record the movements correctly. Sometimes it will give them credit when they do it totally wrong and other times it will not give them credit even though they nailed the move. As a result, it does not really promote dancing, but rather jerking the remote at the right time.

My second issue with this game is their song selection. Many of the songs are obscure and odd. It was as if they were saving royalty money by using strange music recorded by undiscovered artists. I also think that several of the songs are far to risque to be on a game that is aimed at preteens and early teens. For example, Nelly Furtado's "Promiscuous" is all about sex. Many (but not all) of the inappropriate words have been cut out of the song (which makes the flow of the song really odd) but the generally theme is still very clear. There are millions of fun and appropriate popular songs out there so why they chose obscure or highly inappropriate songs for the target age group is baffling!

In martial arts, nunchucks are a pair of short wood rods connected with a chain that ninjas whirl around their bodies :) With the Wii, the nunchuck is a single controller held in your off hand.

The nunchuck is not the main controller unit for the Wii. The Wii primarily uses the Wii Remote, shaped like a TV remote, for its functionality. The Nunchuck is for use in the "other hand" (i.e. your left hand if you're right handed) just for a few games. It plus into the bottom end of the Wii Remote with a cable that's about 2 1/2 feet long. Most of the time, you leave it unplugged and sitting by the console.

For example, in the sports pack that comes with the Wii, only one of the five games uses the nunchuck. This is the boxing game. You use the nunchuck to hit with your off hand, just as you use the Wii remote to punch and jab with your primary hand.

The nunchuck has the same motion sensing technology as the Wii remote does, so that you can move your hand around and the game knows what you are doing. The buttons are much simpler - there is a Z big trigger button, a smaller C trigger button above it, and then a joystick up on top. For some games, no buttons are used at all.

The cable length is designed so you don't trip yourself with it :) It's long enough that if you held your hands apart, you could easily ride even a wide-handled bike. It's not long enough that you could put both arms straight out to the left and right, though. I've never had any problems with the cable length hindering me. None of the games require you to have your hands far apart. In boxing, for example, your hands are always near each other and there's plenty of cable length even when you're jabbing.

The nunchuck doesn't need its own power - it plugs into the Wii remote controller when it's in use. So there's no worry about charging up or batteries.

I would definitely have at least one functional nunchuck for my Wii, and if you're really into multiplayer two-handed games like boxing matches, then having two would be important. However, for most gamers, one will probably suffice!

In case you are unfamiliar with the Nunchuk, it is an accessory that simply plugs into the bottom of any Wii Remote. You may have seen Nintendo saying things like "with the Wii Remote, to hit a tennis ball, simply swing the Wii Remote". This is true for some games, for many others, it is not that simple.

How would one play a game like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess without a Nunchuk? How would you control your character and swing your sword? Would you simply use the + control pad (on top of the Wii Remote) to move your character, and when you get some action, start swinging? How would you move around while in combat? Why am I asking so many questions?

This is where the the Nunchuk adds depth and variety to games like Zelda. The Nunchuk has two buttons (Z and C) and an Analog Stick. In Zelda, the Analog Stick is used for character movement, the Z button is for aiming, and the C button is used to look around. Some games use them (Zelda, Metroid Prime 3 etc.) and some don't (Boxing in Wii Sports... I think that's it). But the most innovative feature of the Nunchuk isn't ON the Nunchuck, but rather IN it.

It has a built-in accelerometer, which in human terms, means that it shares some of the motion-sensing abilities with the Wii Remote. What kind of motion-sensiing abilites you may ask? I'll give some examples.

When you shake the Nunchuk in Zelda, you do a spin-attack. When you "punch" with it in Boxing (included in Wii Sports), you punch the character you are fighting against. It may not have the pointing abilites of the Wii Remote, but it shares the core motion-sensing abilites, which it also shares with products like the iPhone and SIXAXIS PS3 controller.

To summarize, the Nunchuk attachment isn't only a cool add-on for the Wii Remote, but it is a neccessary add-on for the Wii Remote. It will set you back around $20, but it is better to buy it now than hear your kids endlessly nag you about it. They are very durable, very innovative, and very fun.

I love the nunchuck. It really adds much to the gaming experience. You can use it like a reel for fishing, especially in the new Twilight Princess. The analog stick is used to control movements. In Wii Boxing, you use it for your weak arm to throw punches. It has its own motions sensors. I love the nunchuck. The only problem is that it is overpriced. When you have to buy the Wiimote for $40, it its a little steep to buy a nunchuck for another $20, especially since most games will require it.

I really wanted to like this whole off-brand idea for the controllers, maybe I just got faulty equipment, but the nunchuck will not work if you use the wii motion plus. And if your more than 3 feet away from tv the remote will lose sync. The system picks up that something is plugged in, but the nunchuck is completely and utterly useless. Oh well, I would return it but the seller charges a 20% restocking fee. Now I wish I spent a few more dollars on the real genuine Nintendo made controllers.

I originally wrote a review about how disappointed I was with this product because I couldn't get it to work. New Harbor read my review and contacted me about it. They REALLY worked with me to help me get the remotes synced with my Wii. I'm not a very tech - oriented person but New Harbor staff stuck with me and now my remotes work great! New Harbor gets thumbs up for an affordable product AND for Great customer service

I have had much bad luck with 3rd party gamecube controllers in the past, but this wiimote is surprisingly reliable. The only differences in quality that i can notice is the nunchuck cord, which is a little more rigid, and the built in microphone sounds a bit more... grainy. I have not had any tracking problems with the 'mote, and the product has yet to break, despite being dropped a few times. I suppose you get what you pay for, and if you just want a second controller to make your friends use but you dont want to pay a lot, I recommend this one.