Nintendo's Wii a surprise hit with seniors

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From an MSN article my wife sent me, thought others might find it interesting too --
Six seniors at the Sedgebrook retirement community gathered in the lounge after dinner last year as the holiday season was getting under way. The center's residents were an unlikely test audience for the season's hottest toys. The plan: determine which toys their grandchildren might like.

The assumption was that they'd give their grandchildren the toys they approved. But it didn't quite turn out that way. The Nintendo Wii was so popular that the residents clamored for their own.

Today, each of the Erickson chain's retirement communities, including Sedgebrook, outside Chicago, owns at least one Wii.

Other retirement communities and municipal senior centers in recent months have followed, many using wellness grants and public funds to pay for the video-game system. The Wii retails for about $250.

Proponents say the Wii offers a welcome reprieve from a sedentary lifestyle and boosts hand-eye coordination among the over-60 set in a way that bingo and mah-jongg can't.

But it can be a challenge to get residents comfortable with the video games. Many retirement communities are encouraging hesitant seniors with tournaments, trophies and cash prizes. Some centers are placing their Wiis in high-traffic areas where seniors congregate or, for the bashful, behind a movable privacy screen.

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They call it a surprise hit, I don't know how surprised I am. It's such an accessible console and, I know, that bothers some people...but if it gets more people to actually pay attention to and accept video games as a formal form of media alongside television, movies, and books, then I'm all for it.
 
I don't know who could be bothered by having an accessible console... its good to broaden the audience. Only thing I dislike is shitty games.
 
Wii's had one of the best first years for a console. The "shitty games" argument is ridiculous. Now the PS3 has had a year of shitty games.
 
[quote name='Theduck'] Now the PS3 has had a year of shitty games.[/QUOTE]

It all depends on your demographic. IMO the PS3 had much better games released overall (Uncharted & Ratchet and Clank :drool: ). Only Wii game I have truly enjoyed this year are MLB power pros (also on PS2) and Mario Galaxy.

The article should read that Wii Sports is a hit with seniors, because I doubt they buy much else.
 
[quote name='Theduck']Wii's had one of the best first years for a console. The "shitty games" argument is ridiculous. Now the PS3 has had a year of shitty games.[/QUOTE]

It's all personal taste.

Wii has only had Zelda, Mario and Metroid that I though were really good games so far.

PS3 (which I don't have) easily has more games I'd like to try out: Resistance, Motorstorm, Ratchet and Clank, Uncharted, etc. as exclusives as well as multiplatform games like VF5, Oblivion etc.

Still not enough for me to consider it over the 360 when buying a 2nd console a couple months back, but I could definitely get more gaming time out of it than the Wii.

But I can't miss Mario, Metroid and Zelda as those are bar none my 3 favorite franchises.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']It's all personal taste.

Wii has only had Zelda, Mario and Metroid that I though were really good games so far.

PS3 (which I don't have) easily has more games I'd like to try out: Resistance, Motorstorm, Ratchet and Clank, Uncharted, etc. as exclusives as well as multiplatform games like VF5, Oblivion etc.

Still not enough for me to consider it over the 360 when buying a 2nd console a couple months back, but I could definitely get more gaming time out of it than the Wii.

But I can't miss Mario, Metroid and Zelda as those are bar none my 3 favorite franchises.[/quote]

I could just see some geezer rippin shit up against Meta-Ridley in Metroid Prime: Corruption. "Hey Esther! What did you do to the remote? My grapple beam isn't working!" "I don't know Harold, It worked fine last night when I beat dark Samus."
 
I was in line to pick up Bioshock a few months ago and there was a little old lady in line in front of me. She looked at me and said "You look like you know about video games. I've been playing the Wii a lot lately and it's the most fun I've had in years. What should I get for it?" Pointed her towards a couple bits of lighter fare. Somehow I didn't think she'd have too great a time with Zelda.
 
[quote name='TahoeMax']I was in line to pick up Bioshock a few months ago and there was a little old lady in line in front of me. She looked at me and said "You look like you know about video games. I've been playing the Wii a lot lately and it's the most fun I've had in years. What should I get for it?" Pointed her towards a couple bits of lighter fare. Somehow I didn't think she'd have too great a time with Zelda.[/quote]

That is awesome.
 
[quote name='pittpizza']I could just see some geezer rippin shit up against Meta-Ridley in Metroid Prime: Corruption. "Hey Esther! What did you do to the remote? My grapple beam isn't working!" "I don't know Harold, It worked fine last night when I beat dark Samus."[/quote]

For some reason that sounds like it could be a Far Side comic. That's the image that popped in my head, anyway.
 
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