Which video game system should you buy? – Part 4

While I think all game systems have their good and bad points, I think a lot of your decision-making should be based on how often you play video games and the types of games you like to play.

I want to discuss what I think are the positives of the Nintendo Wii, Sony's PS3, and the XBOX 360 from what I consider a "casual gamer" point-of-view. Obviously if you're seriously into video games my perspective may seem a little basic, which I understand. I mainly want to address parents who may not play video games or people like me who play them on occasion and just want a good system for their needs.

Nintendo Wii:

The Nintendo Wii is a lot of fun to play, especially in a group setting where people have various skill levels. This is the only system my husband and I don't own yet because they're in such high demand still that it takes some effort or extra money to currently find them. I have however played the included sports game, Zelda, and Super Mario Galaxy.

Once you get the hang of the controls on the Nintendo Wii, the game play is very natural. Plus it's a game system where you get a little exercise in the process of playing, which I think is good for kids. I also think it's the best system for people who've skipped a few generations of game systems and want to get back into playing something.

Sony's PS3:

My husband and I do own a PS3, which we use more for a Blu-Ray player than a game system just because we work a lot right now. What's fun with it is hooking it up to a projector that uses computer connections, creating an instant high-definition home movie theater on a budget if you have a blank white wall with good quality gloss paint. (It's fun playing games on that big of a screen as well.)

Probably our current favorite game with this system is called Rock Band, which comes with a drum set, guitar, and microphone. Depending on the people you're with, it can be extremely funny or mentally challenging. My husband likes games such as Call of Duty as well.

XBOX 360:

You can't talk about XBOX 360 without talking about the Halo game series, which I believe has been it's best-selling set of games. I'm honestly not a shooter-game person, but my husband liked all three of them. From my point-of-view I can definitely tell a lot of quality went into making them.

This system also has a wide selection of games and has reasonable prices on most of them now. Guitar Hero III is very popular right now and is similar to PS3's Rock Band guitar. (I don't believe it comes with the drums and microphone however.) I've also seen our nephew play Cars and Lego Star Wars, which both look like good games. The XBOX 360 also comes with a standard DVD playing capability, and I've heard a HD-DVD (Blu-Ray's competitor) attachment is also available.

A Note About the Blu-Ray/HD-DVD Debate:

Some people treat the whole Blu-Ray/HD-DVD debate more seriously than government politics, but just from a practical standpoint it just didn't make sense for us personally to have both since we already had a Blu-Ray player with the PS3. We haven't had any issues come up with our Blu-Rays to where we'd want to own two different formats.

I would just recommend doing some research into finding out which format would fit your needs better if you're looking for a high-definition format with your gaming system, since I admit I'm not as impartial in this area as just talking about the systems themselves.

I hope this review has been helpful to you, and best wishes in your search!

Nintendo Wii and Wii Sports – Good for fitness in children?

The Nintendo Wii it seems, puts pay to the concerns in recent years over the inactivity in children due to their interest in video games consoles. The Wii console really sets itself apart from the rest with its revolutionary motion sensitive controller, which actually requires movement in order to play the games.

The Nintendo Wii comes with the game Wii Sports, which includes tennis, baseball, bowling, golf and boxing. In tennis you will be swinging the remote as if it were a tennis racket and flicking it up to toss the ball into the air with a quick swing to serve just like the real thing. The other Wii Sports games work in a similar way simulating controller movements for like movements onscreen. Boxing however is the only Wii Sports game that uses the nunchuk attachment and is the most physically exhausting game of them all. In order to hit your opponent in the head or body, you will have to aim high or low with your swings.

There are three different activities with each game. In training mode, you will participate in random challenges, after which you will be assigned a fitness age, based on your performance. Sound familiar? The Nintendo DS game, Brain Training comes to mind...a physical version perhaps?

The important thing here is that gamers are becoming more physically active without even realising it - you could say it has a 'kill two birds with one stone' effect, combining video game play with physical activity. Given this 'physical' nature of the Wii game play, I wouldn't be suprised if parents rushed out to buy the Nintendo Wii console just to get their kids off the sofa!

Another great thing about the Nintendo Wii is that it appeals not only to children and teens but to adults too, so its something the whole family can enjoy.

Could the Nintendo Wii revolutionize the way we play video games in the future? It will be interesting to see what Nintendo's competitors come up with next - this could be a tough one to beat!

Video game reviews: My Word Coach

My Word Coach Video Game Review for Helium

My Word Coach is a new title by Ubisoft for the Nintendo DS. This game is geared toward allowing the player to increase their vocabulary through a series of games. I am the type of person that has always loved playing word games and mind benders so for me to delve into a game such as My Word Coach wasn't to be unheard of. I looked at my getting this game would do two things allow me to play more puzzle games that I enjoy, but also in the long run it would allow me to get my children involved and while enjoying the game themselves they would also be learning some more vocabulary at the same time (and I wouldn't even have to twist their arms).

My Word Coach is initially composed of six different training games that vary from having to choose the correct word that goes with the definition that shows on the screen, to filling in the missing letter to complete the word as well as playing a game where you have to remove tiles of letters by spelling words before your grid gets full. To go with these games there is also four sets of recreation games that don't necessarily score you as the first six would, to me they seem to be games to help you sharpen your skills in preparation for the main games. You also have an area where you can review your progress, dictionary and scores of how you have scored against yourself as well as anybody else that has a profile on the game. The last part of the game is basically made of the tools, those areas that allow you to delete profiles, save, or even quit the game.

I really did find this game greatly enjoyable and am looking forward to getting my hands on the two other titles that had come out with My Word Coach; those would be My French Coach and My Spanish Coach. Both of those games have a similar ideal behind them as My Word coach but it seems to also be looking to broaden our language skills and teach us a couple different languages. Games like this make it so much more understandable why it seems that we seem to retain more information when learning when the learning is fun.

Which video game console is better: PlayStation 3 or Wii? – Part 23

The Nintendo Wii has got to be one of the most fun new innovations in gaming today.

1 - Action is the name of the game.

Remember your kid sister or brother trying to jump over that block by lifting the remote up and over, as if the action would make it take place? Ha ha. Well guess what? As much of a dork it made them (or even you) look like, finally that will work.

With the Nintendo Wii, your game experience will actually consist of the actions you take with the wii remote. Now, when you move that remote, it will move things on the screen too! This is accomplished with a motion sensor strip placed on top of your tv.

Slice, shake, flip, tilt, and throwing motions, depending on the game, all have place when playing the Wii.

This is an easy way you can finally get those couch potatoes moving, Mom and Dad. It works.

2 This ain't just for the kiddies

As I've gotten older, I've notice that I tend to have less and less interest in gaming.

That's what's so great about the new Wii. Gaming has become fun again, as this console includes everyone. Moms, Dads, Grandmas & Grandpas, can all have a blast playing, as you directly interact with the games.

I can't think of an easier way to entertain guests than by pulling out the Wii and challenging your visitors. And it's so easy to figure out. Even the most inexperienced person can pick it up and have fun.

3 You grew up on this stuff

One of the best things that Nintendo has going for it is the character recognition. Who doesn't want to play a game with that familiar Mario, seriously?

"Oh, Zelda, I loved that game when I was a kid. Let me try."

In addition to knowing the characters and games, the Wii will also allow you to play any Gamecube game directly in the machine. What about some throwback action? With an internet connection you can purchase any game that your nostalgic heart desires and play it right there on your Nintendo Wii.

So take my advice. Buy a Nintendo Wii immediately, and thank me later.

Nintendo Wii Video Game Rating System

Since Nintendo makes video games for people of all ages, not all of them are appropriate across the board. Parents need to be careful about what video games they expose their children to. Some people won’t let their young child play a certain game but they allow them to watch others playing it. That isn’t a concept that makes too much sense.

For many parents who don’t play the games too often though they may not realize what is on them. While many of them are fun they can contain graphic materials that you may not want your children exposed to. Some parents are afraid that playing certain games can lead to criminal behaviors and aggression. This is a fear that the media has put into parents though due to playing video games being used as a defense when children do commit various types of crimes in our society.

In order to make sure parents know exactly what their children are playing, they have accepted the universal game rating system. This is on the box for every game as well as on the instructions and even on the label to the game itself. Should your children be trying to get you to buy them a certain game you can even look online to see what rating it has before you commit to doing so.

The Nintendo Wii rating that people are the most familiar with is the E for everyone. This means that regardless of your age or maturity level you will enjoy playing that particular game. Generally though it does mean that the game is able to be played by children at least six years of age.

For the younger consumers there are ratings of EC. This means Early Childhood so realistically children three years of age and older can play them. It is very likely that those about six years of age will find them to be boring and too simple. Still, if you have small children who want to be part of the Nintendo Wii buzz in your home it is nice to offer some games that they can play on their own.

You won’t find too many games out there for the Wii that are rated A for adults only. The rating of M for mature is very common though. According to this rating system that generally means for those over 17 years of age. Parents have the room to make this decision though. They may feel that their child who is only 14 is mature enough to play certain games. That is a decision for the parents to evaluate on a game by game basis though.

There is a T rating which is for Teens from about 13 to 17 though. You will find Nintendo markets many games in this age group due to the demographics of their consumers. You can be comfortable letting your children play these games as they aren’t full of violence but have plenty of action and graphics to keep them happy.

Occasionally you may see a rating of RP which means Rating Pending. Generally though Nintendo is very good about getting a rating on their games before releasing them. The company as a whole is very family oriented so they don’t want to be involved in any controversial issues. However, parents need to carefully evaluate video games that are RP before they decide if their children can play them or not.

With the Nintendo Wii games you can put a lock on your gaming console. This means to be able to play certain games a code has to be given. So even if you have games in your home that you have told your kids not to play they can’t do so even if they are tempted. It is important to realize though that if you are using backwards compatible games from the Nintendo DS or the GameCube that these codes won’t keep them out.

Nintendo Wii & wii points

Wii Points is a payment system that Nintendo uses for its Wii game console via the Wii Shop Channel. You can buy points via online credit-card transactions or by purchasing a Wii Points card directly at stores. These points are then redeemed in the Wii Shop on downloadable games and other cool wii content.

Instead of taking real money, Nintendo wants you to buy these points to use in their Wii Shop to buy classic games to play on your Wii game console. It's a pretty straight forward process: scrape off the silver area on the back of the card and enter the code to add Wii points to your Wii account, simple right.

The card itself is just flimsy plastic not like any normal plastic credit card you may have, but, so what, that doesn't affect much at all. The wii points system is quick and easy, which is the whole point of the points card. Just make sure you're not paying, at most, $20 for the card, not including tax, because some stores charge more than the MSRP, gee what a surprise.

Buying game gifts can be difficult. It turns out kids are particular about which brand controllers, and games they want, whoa, what a surprise, right. That is exactly why gift cards are so popular now. The Wii points card fit right in, and allows the purchase of downloadable games. As an example, almost every Nintendo wii game may be purchased online using the Wii console and the Wii Points Card. Nice and neat.

Alrighty then, for those who are curious about whether it is possible to get free Wii points, good news, because you can as long as you put in a little effort. There are a few online sites that do pay out in Wii points but you will have to open an account with them and then answer surveys, your reward, a certain number of Wii points. The trick of course lies in collecting sufficient amount of Nintendo Wii points after which you can shop for whatever cool wii gadgets you want.

Get A Nintendo Wii – The Most Popular Game Console!

The Nintendo Wii has outsold all expectations for 2007, and it's causing havoc with holiday gift giving. Nintendo chose not to manufacture more of the Wii console , and it's getting hard to find them in stores this season.

Where can you find a Wii if you wanted to give a Nintendo Wii for a holiday gift? The best place to find one is online, and the best place online to buy a Wii are auction sites like eBay.

For months, the auction sites have had sellers with Nintendo Wii consoles available, both the regular console, with Wii Sports and a single controller, but also the game console bundles, including multiple games, Wii controllers and the unique nunchuk controller add-on. While some buyers might be hesitant to purchase a Wii console online, by following a few basic precautions, it's as safe as buying in any retail store.

The Nintendo Wii is so popular because it's got the unique motion sensitive controller. The game action is really exciting, and plenty of new Wii games are out to take advantage of the special features. While some gamers aren't happy that the graphics aren't state of the art, and rely on less than high definition, most average players don't care. You'll note in the ads for the Nintendo Wii that the players are kids, moms, dads, college students, and not the hard core gaming types. It's clear that this is a great gift for just about anyone. Here's how you can get the best deal on a Nintendo Wii console for the holidays:

- Use a reputable auction site. eBay for example has really cracked down on fraudulent sellers. They have designations including feedback and Power Seller status to demonstrate that a seller has a long-term history with eBay. Check your auction site to make sure you can get similar information.
- Use a secure payment option. If you are using a credit card, make sure your credit card company has buyer protection. When on eBay, PayPal, which is now owned by eBay, offers buyer protection too. At least you can get a refund from PayPal if your seller proves less than honorable.
- Review the auction to see if the seller accepts returns. What is the return policy if it's not a full refund? Be sure you are clear on those details.
- Buy insurance if it's available. Many reputable sellers require that you pay for insurance to guard against damage or loss in transit.
- Be sure to read the whole description and ask the seller any questions before bidding. Does the auction include all the pieces you need or want?
- Finally, review the shipping terms. Sometimes, the shipping price is raised to make the sale price look lower. See if you can upgrade our shipping service to get your new Wii console delivered faster? Know when to expect delivery, and whether it's coming from UPS or the Postal Service.

If you use these tips, you can have a Wii in time for holiday gift giving with no hassle. If you're new to auction buying, these tips will make sure your Nintendo Wii arrives safe and sound, and at a great price too!

Nintendo Wii: a New Game Plan

Nintendo Wii – Home Entertainment System And Game System

Download EA Sports Active Nintendo Wii Game

Classic Game Room HD – MARIO KART Wii review Part 2

InecomCompany asked:

Part 2 of 2. Classic Game Room HD reviews MARIO KART Wii for the Nintendo Wii. This game is the bomb for those of you looking for intense, colorful and competitive kart racing gameplay on the Wii. We use the Wii wheel in this review. This Mariokart review of Mario Kart has gameplay footage from Mariocart showing the game being played and why Nintendo Mario Cart is awesome. Mario Kart Wii was released for the Wii in 2008 and has numerous courses from the Super Nintendo SNES Mario Kart, the ...

Best Prices-Guitar Hero