Nintendo Wii U the Next Generation Game Machine
By Howard Berenbon
Nintendo has been around supplying some of the best game systems since they entered the electronic game business in 1974. We’ve been enjoying their systems starting with the Nintendo 64 and working our way up to the Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Game Cube, the DS, Nintendo 3D and finally the Wii. We found the Wii the most innovative of any of the game systems with their unique controllers that incorporate movement and motion in their games, which also resulted in health, fitness and sports applications as well as the conventional video games we all play like fighting dragons, jumping monkeys or racing cars. One of their first sports games offered simulates realistic bowling, golf and baseball with avatars of your friends and fans rooting you on. Their simulations offered a very unique approach to real life games we play or attend.
When Nintendo came out with their Wii game machine in 2005 we were in line at the Nintendo World shop at 10 Rockefeller Plaza in the heart of New York City hoping to get one of 100 machines available that day. At the time, the shop sold only Nintendo products and at a great location next to NBC's Today Show studios, a live morning show with Al Roker, Matt Lauer and Katie Couric. When the store opened (about the time the Today Show ended) and line of hopeful gamers moved into the shop, we were told that all those in line would get machines. About 15 minutes later, we happily left Nintendo World with our Wii.
Now, fast forward to 2012 when Nintendo introduced a new and improved Wii, the Wii U. It offers more features, like touch screen controllers and better resolution (1080 p HD), thumb pads, shoulder buttons, an accelerometer, gyroscope, camera and built-in microphone, this new Wii is leaped ahead of its predecessor. And games and videos can be played on your large screen TV, or remotely on the small game pad controller screen—that quite a nice feature. Also, the new controller lets you access the Internet through your WiFi and allows control of your TV and cable box. Other features include access to videos and entertainment through the Internet, the ability to download and buy new games and content, interact with friends and video chat worldwide via Miiverse, and make and share Miicharacters, plus much more. You can also play most of your older Wii games on this new Wii U. Though the new machine has more features and options, it may not be as easy to use as your old faithful Wii.
The Wii U’s original game bundle was around $350, has now been reduced (in late September) by $50 to $300, and it’s a real bargain. For more information, or to order, visit Amazon.com.
