The last time I bought a system, it was the year 1991, I was 12 and the system was the SNES. As it reached its half-life I made my switch to computer games. Ever since I haven't been too compelled to migrate back -- that is until now.
The next generation Nintendo (I've skipped two generations, the N64 and the GameCube), the Nintendo Wii (pronounced "we") is risking a unique, active approach to user input. Their controller is a motion sensor that allows the players to simulate real world action . If you're playing a tennis game, the wand/nunchuk controller becomes a racket. Of course you don't have to swing with all your might (since you're not actually hitting anything) but a simple twist and snap of the wrist is necessary.
The other point is that the price will be much cheaper than the PS3, but this is understandable since the PS3's hardware is much more advanced and it includes a Blue Ray DVD drive.
The games are also aimed to be fun and easy to learn. Although the PS3 will have astounding games, they are just too complicated to learn for an old-timer like me. I don't have the patience to spend 3 hours to learn 200 different key combinations and climb to rank 1 in the world (alternatively, I don't want to find out I
do have the patience and find my time sucked away into this video game).
Here is an article by
Time Magazine that got me excited.
Here is Nintendo's page describing their controllers.
