Nintendo’s system the best buy

Video gaming is ready to hit the power switch one more time this month.

This new generation of gaming comes with the usual upgrades — games
look and feel more realistic as they continue to become more complex
and diverse.

The key term is upgrade.

Microsoft followed up its Xbox with Xbox 360. On Nov. 17, after six
years of PlayStation 2, Sony will move on to PlayStation 3.

I’m a gamer like many college students. I’ve played Xbox 360
numerous times — it’s a great system. And PS3 should be a joy to play
as well.

But there’s only one company making leaps toward innovation — and
it’s neither Microsoft nor Sony.

That company is Nintendo, the same company whose GameCube has
embraced third place in the console wars like a soulmate for five years.

The design was too cutesy. Games shared the shelves with titles like
“Animal Crossing” or “Pokemon.”

The head-turning will continue later this month when Nintendo
releases its new system, dubbed the “Wii.”

Wait a minute, what was that? The Wii?

The title alone could make gamers cringe.

But believe it or not, if I had to put money down on a system this
holiday season, the Wii would earn it.

Don’t get me wrong — I love my PS2, and I’m sure that PS3 is only
going to improve on it.

But five to six hundred dollars for an upgraded PS2 with a limited
launch lineup of games? Thanks, but no thanks.

With the Wii, you get a whole new playing experience with the
“nunchuk” controller — a remote control with an attachable analog
stick.

Critics scoffed at it. They hated it like most gamers do now. But
when they played demos with it, they realized its true potential.

Imagine playing a tennis game and actually making a swing at the
ball, as if you were holding the racket. Imagine pointing and shooting
at an enemy as if you were actually a member of a SWAT team.

The versatility of the Wii is greater than anything we’ve seen on a
home console. It will make video games come to life.

And the system is just $250 — a price cheaper than most iPods.

Compare that to the PS3, whose preorders are selling at higher
prices than used cars on eBay.

The only glaring problem for Nintendo might be its limited amount of
games even after launch, something that’s been a tradition for its
systems since Nintendo 64. Older gamers will point out that Nintendo
only attracts younger audiences.

Problem is, Nintendo follows the philosophy of “quality, not
quantity” — the way games should be. “Animal Crossing,” as cutesy as it
looks, is one of the top-rated GameCube games.

Gamers can continue to mock that tradition, as well as the name and
the controller of the Wii.

But I guarantee Nintendo will continue to surprise when gamers hit
the power switch on its system.

Brian Manzullo can be reached at bmanzullo@cm-life.com.