After two incredible sell out years this holiday season will be the third for Nintendo’s Wii and once again it is tipped to be the number one present this year. Lots of people have been asking us if a Nintendo Wii is right for them and if so; how to buy a Wii when they seem to be sold out everywhere and what games and or accessories do they need to purchase. Here especially for you is our guide to buying a Wii this November and December with handy shopping links.
Standalone Wii console
The Nintendo Wii is a great console for the family as a whole; it’s small, unobtrusive and will comfortable sit in any living room and not look out of place on your TV cabinet. Retailing at $249.99 the Wii package includes a controller set (Wii Remote and Nunchuck with batteries), Wii Stand, infrared sensor bar and a copy of the popular Wii Sports game disc which features; Tennis, Baseball, Golf, Boxing and Bowling. The Wii is a mid power games console and doesn’t require an expensive High Definition TV set but if you do happen to own an HD ready TV then the Wii can output at 480p for enhanced picture quality.
Stocks are predicted to be low this year so we recommend that if you are shopping for a Wii available before Christmas then buying earlier is good bet – don’t leave it until mid December as you’ll be disappointed. Where to buy Wii though? We are touting Amazon as the best place right now, not only do they currently have a good stock level but shipping is absolutely free to your door. The Wii basic pack is available at the Nintendo Wii Console page, if you want a great value pack with the console then try the Nintendo Wii Console with Starter Kit Bundle which includes additional sports controller extras thrown into the box. Note that in the likely event online stores run out of the console on it’s own, they may well still be sitting on hundreds of other bundles which include the console – so always search for Wii bundles as they may have the game you want thrown in at a discount price!
That’s the Nintendo Wii console dealt with but what about some extras to excite things up a bit, after all…it is Christmas. Everything else is optional but is available for those who want to add more to their Wii Console purchase.
Nintendo Wii games for boys
The Wii comes with the rather fun Wii Sports game collection, the five games included will keep the average family more than happy for the entire holiday season. However after a while you might notice the boys (young and old) will once again regain their natural tendency to want to shoot bad guys and play football. Here are our top two recommended games to keep the boys busy once they’re tired out after rounds of Wii Sports:
- Star Wars The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels – All boys love the idea of wielding a Lightsaber and this game finally makes that dream a reality.
- Madden NFL 09 All-Play – Unlike other NFL game before not only do you get the chance to play as your favourite football stars, you also get to act as coach and use the Wii Remote to draw and create your own runs on your TV screen.
Nintendo Wii games for girls
Girls play Wii too – gaming isn’t just for the boys and increasingly younger girls have wanted to get into the gaming scene and girls Wii games are a perfect choice balancing fun games with friendly content. Here are two of best wii games for girls that we recommend:
- Animal Crossing: City Folk – Animal Crossing is a cute town simulator which was a hit on the Nintendo DS. Now it’s back bigger than ever and can be enjoyed on the big screen and even online with friends – this game also includes the option to buy Wii Speak included.
- Wii Disney Sing It Bundle with Microphone – A home karaoke game bundled with a Logitech microphone featuring 35 tracks from hit Disney productions like High School Musical and Hannah Montana.
Wii family bundles
Why should the kids have all the fun? Maybe some extra family orientated games to compliment Wii Sports will keep everyone happy, here are our top four recommended Wii family games:
- Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel – Motor Racing isn’t all about Nascar or Indianapolis 500 you know, the whole family can enjoy kart racing here. Tons of fun Nintendo characters and themed tracks allow all to compete on the same level due to its clever item distribution system which could see Grandpa beating the kids to the finish line. The game comes with a free steering wheel too (extra official Nintendo Wii Wheels can be purchased separately for $9.99 if your family prefer the addon controller that comes free with the game).
- Wii Music – What better way to spend a Christmas evening than performing fun tunes with your Wii Remote and TV. This gentle music simulation brings over 60 musical instruments together and enables families to perform with each other in a carefree band environment and in a selection of mini games.
- Wii Fit – A great extra for the Wii, we gave the balance board based game a 9 out of 10 in our Wii Fit review back in April and a great product for loosing the weight you put on over Christmas.
- Hasbro Family Game Night – Remember Connect 4, Battleships and Boggle? Well why not play those and more of your favourites on your Wii? It’s interactive, a great way to bring these classic games to younger kins and best of all…there are no small pieces to loose or get swallowed.
Wii accessories
Although the Wii is boxed with enough goodies to get you started, for a full multiplayer experience you will need to purchase up to three extra controllers for everyone to use simultaneously.
- Wii Play with Wii Remote – All new Wii owners should purchase Wii Play because not only is it a collection of 9 fun mini games but it also comes bundled with a free Wii Remote controller.
- Wii Remote Controller – You can buy extra Wii Remotes which come with free safety wrist strap and cushioned jacket, however the Wii Nunchuk Controller is a seperate purchase.
We hope this guide has helped you with your decision to purchase a Wii this holiday season (get in early to avoid disappointment) and that your family enjoys our game recommendations. This article is open to updates so if you’d like to make any suggestions for Wii bundles, Wii accessories and the best Wii games for children and the family over Christmas then leave us a comment.
Related: Buy Wii Speak, Wii Fit review