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Should you buy a Nintendo Wii?
I noticed that many people ask the question "Should I buy a Nintendo Wii game console? . Since its launch in November 2006, the Wii has dominated the current generation console battle, with its combination of a cheap price, single control system, and family values. This does not mean that the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 have seen their own successes, but Nintendo seems to have beaten a little different consumer demographic, which has led to an amazing uptake of their console. To determine which console is best for you, requires you to weigh the pros and cons every current platform, which is expected this article will help out.
It is easy to forget that the current generation of consoles has been around few years, and the original appeal of each platform has changed over the years. Prices have changed, catalogs of games have matured, and the event that the platforms have been of new developments.
Price
Initially, the Wii console was the cheapest current generation, but this has changed around a bit recently. The following table is ordered by the United Kingdom recommended retail price ascending price, and includes All current versions of each console.
£ 129.99 / $ 199.99 Xbox 360 Arcade (256 MB)
£ 169.99 / $ 299.99 Xbox 360 Premium (60 GB)
£ 179.99 / £ 249.99 Wii (512 MB)
£ 229.99 / $ 399.99 Xbox 360 Elite (120 GB)
£ 299.99 / $ 399.99 Playstation 3 (80GB)
£ 339.99 / $ 499.99 Playstation 3 (160 GB)
As you can see, the Xbox 360 Arcade is the cheapest gaming console available, and undermines the Wii and an impressive £ 50 / $ 50. The major disadvantage of the Arcade model is the lack of substantial storage space as well as for consumers in the UK the premium version is a bit more attractive, with its 60GB hard drive, and the price is £ 10 less than the Wii. Note that these are just the recommended retail price, so it may very probably be a little cheaper than if you hunt around various distributors.
The Wii shortages have occurred steadily since its launch, so it seems to maintain its value significantly better than the other consoles, and is less susceptible to discounted prices. Also unlike the other consoles, the Wii has not seen a single official price cut since its launch, and not expected to change until eventually supply exceeds demand.
Graphics
The Wii is often described as being based on the latest hardware, thus have very similar performance the Nintendo GameCube. However, it was a very easy platform to develop games, and Nintendo has proven they can squeeze every last drop of performance graphics out of it, with titles like Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime.
It is evident that both the Xbox 360 and PS3 graphics have no way of potential beyond the Wii, and have already produced some amazing games. It is not clear between the two consoles themselves, with multiplatform titles look pretty similar in both bits of hardware. However, it will be another year or more before we see the true potential of these consoles, but something to look forward.
It is important to note that both the Xbox 360 and PS3 1080p high definition output, which looks great on your massive TV. The Wii will unfortunately only a maximum of 480p, which can not begin to look pretty rubbish in larger screens. There are many rumors that Nintendo will offer an updated version of the Wii at some point, that will correct this limitation.
Controls
As you know, the Wii has motion funky controls that allow the console to identify how they are swinging the controller around, or if you're pointing a specific direction. Certainly is not just a gimmick, and can be very effective, but sometimes the games are not wrong. Fortunately, the Wii controls are very good and the level of play style, so that designers game is not restricted. The controller is a remote (Wiimote) and a separate optional analog stick (nunchuck), which are connected by a short cable. The same controls are wireless and include a built-in speaker deaf and effects.
The PS3 also has motion controls, but has not been successfully implemented as widely or as the Wii controllers. Both the Xbox 360 and PS3 controllers have enough standard style, and come in the form of cable and wireless. All versions of the driver 360 has a vibration function, and so does the latest version of the PS3 controller.
Games
Each console has its own set of exclusive titles available only in their specific system. Nintendo has been around a while now, and have some long-standing franchises such as Mario, Zelda, and Metroid. Sony and Microsoft also have some great exclusives, including Gran Turismo and Killzone for PS3, and Halo and Gears of War for 360. It is important that you identify specific titles that you want to play, and exit consoles that are available for.
Online Features
Each console is compatible with a variety of features online, including online gaming, web browsing and downloads of the media. Both the Wii and PS3 are free to play online games, while the 360 requires you pay for your subscription service. Many people consider the online features of Xbox 360 than the PS3 and the Wii, although all are quite adequate for online play.
Both the Wii and PS3 have web browsers that can access the Internet, while the 360 does not have this feature for now.
varies to downloadable content from the consoles. The Wii allows you to download system updates, applications, games, retro and indie. The 360 supports everything the Wii does, but also includes demos of games and TV / movie downloads. Currently, the PS3 features are very similar to 360, although only movie downloads are currently available in the U.S..
Hardware Features
Each console hardware has additional features that may influence your decision to buy. The Wii and the PS3 come with wireless networking standard, while the Xbox 360 comes with ethernet port, and the option to buy a wireless adapter separately.
The Wii is not compatible with any format for playing movies. The PS3 supports Blu-ray and DVD playback, the Xbox 360 supports playback of DVD, and HD-DVD format and quite redundant through a unit optional external.
The Wii is compatible with most GameCube titles, and even supports GameCube pads control through four ports at the top of the console. Current UK PS3 versions only support the original PlayStation titles, and no more games to support PS2. The Xbox 360 will play a wide selection of original Xbox games, but you will require a hard drive for playback.
I'm not an audiophile, but useful to see how the 3 consoles support surround sound. The Wii simulates Dolby Pro-Logic II through an analog line, while the 360 and PS3 sound support 5.1 surround sound through optical digital connections. It is important to note that really comes down to games, and how well they are designed to support multiple sound channels.
Conclusion
There are obviously many factors to consider in the purchase of any console, so it is not always an easy decision. So you should buy a Nintendo Wii? Comparing prices and features, you can find that the other consoles are more attractive, but if you are interested in motion control, or of exclusive titles for Nintendo, the Wii may be for you.
About the Author
Hugh Gallagher is a techie and avid gamer who writes for the Nintendo Wii Game Console Blog.
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