23 November 2011

I need a Wii, how to buy one in Canberra?

23 November 2011 | Deref

I’m thinking of buying the kids a Nintendo Wii for xmas, but I know nothing about them. Shopbot lists them selling for about $200, but I have no idea whether that’s a good deal or whether the listing has everything I need for two players.

I’d be grateful for advice about what to look out for and what to be wary of, as well as any recommendations about where, and where not, to buy.

Thanks in advance.

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Deref12:49 pm 25 Nov 11

rogueideas said :

Don’t waste your money. Games are limited compared to ps3 and xbox, graphics are pathetic and game play frustrating and basically pointless. Get your kids these crazy things called bikes, trampolines, tents, swing sets etc. You get my point. Wii will stifle their imagination and see them become dependent on gadgets for their entertainment. Their learning will become severly retarded and result in them thinking that thinking occurs only within a virtual environment. Don’t get me wrong, electronic game play has it’s place but I teach kids everyday that are stuffed without Google, their phones and Facebook. Ask them to brainstorm, research and problem solve with their ‘brain’ and they increasingly cannot due to technology. It’s the old classic case of give a kid a toy that comes in a big box and they’ll end up playing in the box as it promotes individual imagination which we’ve used for millions of years – the gadgets dilute the need for us to do that. Anyone that tells you Wii is great is easily pleased. Ours was given as a gift and is gathering dust. My daughter reverts to games on ps2! Condition is she plays after cubby, swings and tramp. And that’s my 2 cents worth!

Just for the record, both kids have bikes and a trampoline and both have black belts in karate. Elder daughter, for whom I’m buying this, got high distinctions throughout her BSc at the ANU as well as in French, in which she’s now fluent, having been working in France for a year before starting her honours year in immunology. #2 daughter is on her gap year having saved up for and just come back from several months in Europe before she starts her study at ANU next year. Well-adjusted and well-rounded kids, I’d say – probably not the types who’ll end up brain-dead “‘tards” playing computer games all day. 😉

As I said, #1 daughter played it as a complete break from her long hours of study, and it’s her persistence and application that I’d like to reward with this small gift.

fgzk12:09 pm 25 Nov 11

rogueideas said :

Don’t waste your money. Games are limited compared to ps3 and xbox, graphics are pathetic and game play frustrating and basically pointless. Get your kids these crazy things called bikes, trampolines, tents, swing sets etc. You get my point. Wii will stifle their imagination and see them become dependent on gadgets for their entertainment. Their learning will become severly retarded and result in them thinking that thinking occurs only within a virtual environment. Don’t get me wrong, electronic game play has it’s place but I teach kids everyday that are stuffed without Google, their phones and Facebook. Ask them to brainstorm, research and problem solve with their ‘brain’ and they increasingly cannot due to technology. It’s the old classic case of give a kid a toy that comes in a big box and they’ll end up playing in the box as it promotes individual imagination which we’ve used for millions of years – the gadgets dilute the need for us to do that. Anyone that tells you Wii is great is easily pleased. Ours was given as a gift and is gathering dust. My daughter reverts to games on ps2! Condition is she plays after cubby, swings and tramp. And that’s my 2 cents worth!

I still don’t get where the “Tard” gene came from in the older generations. 2 cents is worth nothing.

Deref11:50 am 25 Nov 11

🙂 Thanks UrbanReality and Belles for that clear and comprehensive info. It definitely sounds like Wii is what I need. A hardcore gaming machine would be a waste for a family of casual gamers like us, and Zelda is definitely a must.

Thanks again, everyone!

Belles11:08 am 25 Nov 11

If you daughter loved playing Zelda then the wii is the way to go.
Yeah there are many other advantages to the different consoles, but as a chic (who has played console games since I was a kid) I have found that the wii is the most fun for multiple players.
Most of the games are not too complicated and the whole family can join in, friends can play and you can have a blast with it.
I will agree that xbox 360 and the PS3 have other components to them, but if you are buying for the fun of the games and the opportunity for more than one person at a time to play then I would suggest that you continue with your plan to buy a wii.
This is also coming from a standpoint of somebody who also owns a PS3 (I must admit I am a sucker for GT5) an xbox360 (hasn’t been touched for 2 years) and a PC that I game on.
Being christmas be on the lookout for bundle deals (usually you will get standard wii set and a couple of games, you may also luck into extra controllers and nunchucks) through the different shops – JBHifi, Target, Kmart, BIGW, WOW sight and sound, Hardly Normal or online stores (though online depending on supply and demand you may not get it in time). Skip stores like Game and EB they are overpriced and generally their staff look down on people who don’t know anything about games (or try to rip you of for something you don’t need)
Also I suggest that you either A) buy a ton of good batteries (cheap ones last a grand total of about 5 minutes before they need replacing) or B (Highly Recommended) Buy reachargable batteries or a recharging pad, such as this one http://dicksmith.com.au/product/YG0371/wii-induction-remote-charger-quad (we have one of these and they are great, also have a rechargable battery pack for the wii fit board that is made specially for it)
Hope that all helps 🙂

UrbanReality12:25 pm 24 Nov 11

Deref said :

Now it’s starting to get complicated. 😉

The driving consideration was Legend of Zelda, though no doubt there are other games that she’d like, too. But if I understand correctly, Zelda isn’t limited to the Wii – is that right? Neither of the kids is into videogaming in any serious sense (and neither am I), so it wouldn’t be sensible for me to spend substantially more money for something that may be technically better and have more available games, but which won’t get used.

Maybe it’d be better for me to ask them. It’d spoil the surprise, but at least they’d get the one they wanted.

Zelda is limited to the Nintendo range, so basically Wii and 3DS which is a portable handheld system. The Wii is excellent for causal, family gaming which sounds what your looking for. The other consoles are more expensive, designed to play more graphic intense and hardcore games. If you want hardcore gaming you can easily play them on the computer. The Wii was designed to be different and provide fun for the whole family.
A new Zelda (Skyward Sword) game has just come out for Wii, and there is an older game available as well (Twilight Princess). Kmart currently has a deal for $148 for The Wii, controller and Mario Kart, and you would need an extra controller (make sure it is a motion plus) which sells for around $50 at Dicksmith and then the new Zelda game at around $79.

Watson11:45 am 24 Nov 11

I don’t know how other consoles compare, but we love our Wii for party games too.

DUB11:40 am 24 Nov 11

@Deref- Wii would not even play dvds’, or CDs, go along with your kids and look at a range of games available for other consoles.
Based on my observations, PS3 has more games for kids (even student girls), however, Xbox 360 offers some awesome titles too – Sims, Viva Piñata, Left for Dead I and II (oops) 😀

Keijidosha11:31 am 24 Nov 11

Truth is that you can’t go wrong with Nintendo for christmas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFlcqWQVVuU

Deref11:24 am 24 Nov 11

Now it’s starting to get complicated. 😉

The driving consideration was Legend of Zelda, though no doubt there are other games that she’d like, too. But if I understand correctly, Zelda isn’t limited to the Wii – is that right? Neither of the kids is into videogaming in any serious sense (and neither am I), so it wouldn’t be sensible for me to spend substantially more money for something that may be technically better and have more available games, but which won’t get used.

Maybe it’d be better for me to ask them. It’d spoil the surprise, but at least they’d get the one they wanted.

arescarti4210:42 am 24 Nov 11

Lazy I said :

arescarti42 said :

While we’re on the subject, anyone got a Gamecube they want to sell me?

Interested to know why you wouldn’t just use the Wii to play Gamecube games? Only benefit you get with a real Gamecube is the ability to use the Gameboy Payer add on. Collections sake?

The console you should be chasing is a Dreamcast 😉

It’s actually just a cost consideration, there’s only a few GC games I need it for. I’m not a huge fan of the Wii controllers, so by the time I bought a Wii and a couple of GC controllers for it the cost would be probably 3-4x the cost of a second hand GC.

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