About 1 year ago I wrote a post about the then soon to be released Nintendo Wii and what benefits it would have over other systems for library gaming.  Having now owned a Wii for about 6 months and having used it at my library a time or two, I thought it would be fun to revisit the post to point out a few reasons that this system is a great choice for library programming.

             Before the release of the Wii I speculated that it would be a great system for libraries because it would appeal to many ages and I stand by that thought now that it is out.  One of the things that Nintendo has done with the Wii is create a system that is accessible to every one, from a young child, to the elderly, because it relies heavily on natural physical movements and less on the mashing of buttons, which can be unnatural to someone who does not have much gaming experience.  In addition to creating a system that could be fun for everyone, Nintendo also seems to be doing a good job putting out games for it that appeal to anyone.  From simple games like Wii Sports, to more complicated games like Trauma Center: Second Opinion, there are games for both the casual and hard core gamers alike, and gamers of any age.   So, in addition to being a great draw to get teens into your library, this system can also be used for events with a younger crowd.  Better yet, it might be a perfect system to use if the teens in your library would like to help introduce their parents, or even grandparents, to video gaming.

             Another great thing about the Wii is that there seem to be two reasons that make it a great choice for social gaming.  First is the fact that it is a physical experience.  Games like Dance Dance Revolution or Guitar Hero have become very popular with libraries because it is fun to have a game that gets you moving, and it is also very fun to watch someone play a game that gets them moving.  Nintendo has capitalized on that by making movement a central part of almost every game for the Wii.  You can have 4 people lined up next to each other, each swinging the remotes like a tennis racket, while the characters on the screen engage in a heated doubles match.  Afterwards everyone could take a turn using the controller like a fishing rod and hopefully real in a large catch.  Not only is this a ton of fun to do, but it is also very fun, or better yet funny, to watch. The second reason is that many of the games that Nintendo makes are often meant to be played with numerous people.  This has been a big draw for earlier Nintendo systems and it continues to be the same for the Wii as well.  There are games like Mario Stikers Charged or WarioWare Smooth Moves, which are already out, as well as the soon to be released Super Smash Bros. Brawl, which is sure to be a huge multiplayer hit.  Either way, because of both the style of play, and the type of games, Nintendo has hit the nail on the head when it comes to social gaming, a fact that their advertising is often quick to point out.

             There is also a temporary reason that makes the Wii a great choice for library gaming.  This is the simple fact that is still very hard to get your hands on one.  When stores do actually get this system in stock they still sell out very quickly.  This means that if the library can somehow get its hands on one, there will be plenty of people who want to come experience it because they can not get their own.  This is a lot easier said than done, but if you happen to find one somewhere, or if you have a staff member who owns one and is willing to bring it in I would highly recommend doing so.  At our last videogame night I brought mine in and every one, teens and parents alike, was very interested in trying it out.

One last reason that the Wii is such a good choice for the library is its price point.  The Wii retails at $250 dollars, which includes a game called Wii Sports, as opposed to the Sony Playstation 3 which retails at $499 and up.  The Microsoft Xbox 360 has recently come down in price, but it still generally costs $299 for the core system.  All three systems have similar prices for games and controllers depending on which ones you choose to buy.  So, when considering the ever tightening budgets that libraries have, the savings of anywhere from $50 to $250 can be a big deal.

So, all in all, if your library is looking to purchase a video game system to use for programming, I highly recommend the Nintendo Wii.  It is a very fun system, which is sure to draw a big crowd at your next gaming night.  For more info on the system or the games check out the Nintendo website, IGN, or an Avatars Reflection, which is where Jami Schwarzwalder, an active library blogger and video game enthusiast reviews games for the Wii.