by Julianna Strelow

Created on: August 02, 2009

When video games first hit the scene in the 70s, there wasn't a clear expectation of what to expect from the new technology. People who purchased the consoles were pioneers in a new form of entertainment, and became hooked. Time can stand still for no man, though, and these pioneer gamers began to grow up. If game makers wanted to stay current, they had no other option than to grow to the changing demands of their demographic.

Presently, the majority of games appeal to the people who first pioneered this genre. Titles are becoming increasingly complicated, as well as violent and graphic, which appeals to this older generation of gamers. Understandably, parents aren't necessarily keen on the idea of their younger children playing games with gratuitous violence and gore.

When the Nintendo Wii launched in the United States in late 2006, the system toted titles that were expected of a Nintendo system toward the beginning of the generation, such as Super Paper Mario, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and Super Smash Brothers Brawl. After launch, Nintendo decided to push the boundaries of its innovative motion-sensor hardware, and started producing titles that weren't related to any other franchises in Nintendo's prior consoles.

While the Wii's catalogue has come under a lot of scrutiny from video game connoisseurs, there's no denying that Nintendo's infiltration into a younger demographic has been a huge success. The Wii has long been the highest selling console of this generation, easily beating out Sony's Playstation3 and Microsoft's XBox 360. The other two systems certainly have more impressive catalogues; however, neither have delved into trying to reach a market outside of their core demographic.

Aside from a corner on the casual gaming market, the Nintendo Wii has several other advantages to its console counterparts currently on the market. When the Wii released in 2006, the starting price point was $249.99. This was in comparison to the Playstation3's starting price of $499 for the smallest hard drive, and Xbox 360's starting price of $399. In addition, the Wii also has the capability of playing all of the games from the prior Nintendo system, Gamecube, which is a feature that neither Sony nor Microsoft can compete with; these two systems only have limited backwards compatibility features, depending on the model which is in question.

At a reasonable price, innovative hardware, and a game catalogue that won't make a mother cringe, the Nintendo Wii has carved its place as a legendary video game console. Truly, there is no denying Nintendo's unconventional, but rewarding success.

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