Why I'm Buying a Wii

In contrast to Kevin's Five Reasons I'm Not Buying a Wii this article will explore all the reasons why I will be there, 11:59 on December 7th jumping about readying for my first midnight launch. Disclaimer; just so the whole Sony crowd don't threaten to rape my cat, this article is 100% NOT written by a Nintendo fanboy. The Wii will be my first Nintendo console, excluding my (late) GBC and GBA.

Wii. Hilarious, don't you think? It's probably a stupid-sounding name, but in all honesty no-one mature enough really cares. If you take a second to think outside the box, Playstation, Dreamcast, Game Boy... we're as used to those names as the backs of our hands, but to someone who's never heard of them before, would they really sound so normal? Wii's new, it's innovative, it's different. Change, as strange as it is, takes getting used to - but people always do in the end.

Perhaps for some it's not a question of "What's so amazing I'll want this come launch?", perhaps it's more "I want a next-gen console. Which is the best option for me?" And to be quite honest, the asnwer to EVERYONE isn't "Nintendo Wii!". Take Kevin for example - he'd prefer to opt for something else as the Wii just doesn't tickle his pickle. But this article isn't about anyone else - screw Kevin. I'm sure you're all much more interested in hearing all about me, right?

So why do I think the Wii is the "best option" in my case? The main factor, I must admit, is the price. £180, includes controller, nun-chuck attachment, and Wii sports packed in? Hell yeah. I can honestly say I've forgotten how much Microsoft want for their 360, and with the PS3 nearing half a grand for their decent model - needless to say the Wii is practically my only option, save for waiting ages and begging for a 360 price drop.

But looking past the obvious selling points of the Wii (Come on, you all know about the Wiimote, Nintendo's rep for great first party games, graphics surpassing those of current gen consoles, the look, the size, and so on.) I want to explore the less talked about pros of the console.

First of all - how many people who don't scour the internet for all the latest on all the latest consoles, do nothing but talk about them with friends and so on (not unlike myself) - how many have even heard of all the different 'channels', functions, etc.? I explain them all in more detail here. If you've bothered to read that article, I'm sure you're at least a bit excited. Image manipulation, internet, news and weather... at the touch of a button on a home games console? That's new. That's exciting.

Now OK, if you have the money, the Xbox or maybe even the PS3 would be a more powerful, visually appealing, classier alternative to the Wii. But... surely the same old thing, just beefed up a bit is getting tired? I've owned a Playstation and a PS2, and I'm already getting tired of simply buying a new console so I can play the same sort of games, simply looking a bit prettier.

I can race a more realistic looking car, or kill someone more realistically, or watch tears relistically roll down someone's face - but what's the point? I want a Wii, because to be honest, I need change. I need something new, something innovative. Something that's fun again. Something that isn't another beefed up PS2 or Xbox, or just a souped up Gamecube. More power sure, but something new, too. Something new, like the Wiimote.

Here's the third grader comment. "All my friends are getting one (mum)!" - but it's not such a stupid reason to purchase a Wii in place of a 360 or PS3. Think about it; a big part of the fun of owning a console is talking to your friends about it, swapping games (yet another nail in the PS3's coffin - it aint possible) and playing multiplayer games with a group of pals.

I know one person who has an XBox 360, and possibly one or two that are thinking of getting one - although it didn't take long to persuade one of them to give the Wii a serious thought. As for the Wii, I know at least 5 or 6 close friends that'll get one on, or near the launch date. Five or Six people to discuss it with, swap games, and muck around on multiplayer mode, instead of all piling into someone's house and having a go one or two at a time on their 360 or god help whoever's stupid enough, their PS3.

And although ealier on I claimed to avoid all the obvious points, it's criminal to not even mention the games as a reason to buy a console. I'm sorry, but no hi-tech super duper motion detector controller is going to get me to buy a console that has no or few good games. But of course, this is far from true of the Wii. Just to mention a few confirmed titles for Nintendo's new system - Red Steel, Call of Duty Wii, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the Virtual Console list, as well as the most important games to us here at RPGSite, RPGs like Fire Emblem, Crystal Chronicles, Twilight Princess, and more as the console matures. A shortage of games does really look doubtful.

Although the extreme Sony fanboys will sacrifice their university fund for a PS3, and the extremist Microsoft fans would die to protect their beloved XBox, I hope this article has at least increased some people's interest in the Nintendo Wii. If it's helped you to make your mind up, it's just the right time - if you want this console for launch or Christmas, you'd do well to preorder it now. But don't forget to check out Alex's Preordering 101 before doing so.

All I can say is, I sure as hell can't wait until December. I already have my preorder in, and you'd do well to get yours pretty soon too.