The Wii is a video game console from Nintendo that launched on November 2006, first releasing in America. It has sold 50 million units worldwide. Its major selling point is the inclusion of motion sensitive controllers the Wiimote and Nunchuk. That ability is to swing at golf, throw a bowling ball, and punch with boxing provides the virtual game challenge experience. It is a physical experience and provides good cardiovascular movements. Recently, Nintendo has introduced the Wii Fit title along with it a Wii Balance Board. This extended functionality allows the user to do yoga, ski, hula-hoop, hit soccer balls with their head, and strength training. In 2012, the console received a successor, the Wii U, which has a controller with a touch screen, like a tablet. It is backward compatible with Wii games.
In July 2009, the Wiimote received a boost of improved sensitivity with the addition of a remote device extension. Increased range of motion games are offered with the Wii Resort package which include canoe races and ping-pong. The console is truly backwards compatible, allowing games of previous Nintendo consoles to play on the Wii such as GameCube games. Popular games for Wii include Wii Sports, Wii Play, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Paper Mario.
Nintendo has always catered to family-friendly entertainment. The Wii console comes with Parental Controls. The next-generation consoles from Microsoft and Sony have much more detailed, hi-resolution images and increased processing power with which to play hundreds of blood-and-guts games. By comparison, of the tens-of-hundreds of games available from Nintendo, only two Wii games have mature PG17 content. In addition, Nintendo has drawn-in millions of new gamers who would not have stepped into the experience if it were not for the Wii. Women, elderly men, children have an easy time grasping the simplified means of operating the console. It is not uncommon to find these consoles in use at pubs, conventions, holiday gatherings, for hospital physical therapy, the gym and more. The result has been enormous success in sales versus their competitors.
Game characters/players are crafted by their own Mii. This personalized experience allows users to design their avatar for use throughout the games. Gather enough skills and earn professional status.
Nintendo provides an online service, WiiConnect24 for game downloads, device updates, weather, contests and other community oriented features. Points purchased at neighborhood stores unlock Wii Shop downloads. The Wii has built-in Wi-Fi for access to the Internet.
The design is roughly the size of a external DVD player making it highly portable. Due to the Wii's widespread adoption by the public, stories of injuries began making news cycles recently. Also, stories of flying Wiimotes and broken television sets are common.