Wii (Nintendo) $249.99 ($269.99 Cdn)

Wii took the world by storm when it hit the gaming scene two years ago, cutting expansive swathes through a formerly untapped but broad and diverse demographic: non-gamers. To that point, the videogame console playing/buying audience seemed huge enough, a couple hundred million consumers -- based on combined sales of the previous generation consoles, anyway -- that the industry seemed content to vie over.

Ignored, however, were the zillion-odd consumers often regarded as "casual-" or "social-gamers"; ungamers all simply for the fact that these were people who had a real life or otherwise put videogames low on their collective list of hobbies, somewhere below "Pictionary night with the neighbors" but above "Pretend to enjoy a round of Yahtzee with the spouse and kids." (Seriously, Yahtzee?)

Wii came along and changed all that by offering, more often than not, gameplay that was simple yet engaging, easy to pick up and enjoy, particularly in multiples, and just as easy to shut off when real life came calling. It also offered the assurance of safe haven for kids left to their own virtual devices, decent distraction for parents looking for a quirky way to unwind and, probably most importantly, an excellent new way for entire families to play together without having to pack up and go camping or skiing.

Systems sales snowballed despite the fact that a snowball is only a collection of fluffy white stuff... in this case, a rolling avalanche of pearly doom only to its competitors, not its users.

Wii is now the best selling video game console of this generation and the competition, while waxing indifferent, is scrambling to catch up by offering similar doses of casual, social, family-friendly-fare -- and doing an admirable job of it, it must be said. But there's really no stopping the Wii as the marquee brand of all-ages fun.

Still, it's important to not that the Nintendo Wii is a wimp. There is nothing innovative nor cutting edge about it save for the fact that it's a clever compilation of commonplace components combined for use in an innovative way. That is to say, Wii's motion-sensitive controllers are nothing more than accelerometers and infrared transmitters, the ubiquitous stuff of airbags and TV channel changers. It's near-antiquated graphics processor only coughs up standard definition gaming, reluctantly so in many cases; it lacks a hard disc drive for gaming and related data storage, relying on removable SD cards instead, sold separately; it doesn't even work as a second DVD player for the rec room.

As such, serious gamers scoff at Wii. And while Nintendo and its penchant for innovation in design rather than cutting the edge with technical advances help keeps systems like Wii in an affordable price range, it can no longer boast this generation's least-expensive console. With the entry level Xbox 360 "Arcade" now priced at just $199, $50 less than a Wii, you're getting twice the system and a wide gamut of games for specific skill sets and ages, including all-ages, and including social/party content galore, just without the waggle factor, the bowling, and the virtual yoga instructor.

Certainly buy a Wii for the pre-teen(s) or the parent(s) of a pre-teen knowing that the thing will get a lot of use, much of it shared, all of it fun. And while Wii is often decried as a "gimmick system," it's better described a novelty-in-perpetuity, because there's always some fresh take on Wii-gaming coming available, so genius is Nintendo in its strategic marketing and roll-outs. Just know that a better, more complete new-generation console experience is available for less money elsewhere.

The Goods:
+ Unique, motion-sensitive controllers are accessible to everyone
+ Several clever, endearing and enduring games, most of them exclusively so
+ New features and functions periodically added for freshness (WiiMotion Plus, Wii Balance Board, Wii Speak, etc.)
+ Good pricing (but no longer the cheapest new-generation console; Xbox 360 is)
+ A system the whole family can enjoy both together and individually

The Grief:
- Way too many over-priced, waggle-happy knocks off and derivative mini-game collections (meanwhile, online "Virtual Console" store hocks too many $5 re-releases of 20-year old games that weren't even fun back then)
- Even the best looking Wii games look dated compared to the HD-intensive competitors
- Some, but not enough serious games (teens and "core" gamers aren't big on Wii for good reason)
- "Fresh" new features and functions usually require the purchase of a new peripheral (balance board, special Wii Speak microphone, etc.)