When it comes to games consoles, the Nintendo Wii is a bit of a dark horse. In comparison with either the Xbox or Sony’s PS3, it is a little underpowered. It also has graphics which are, again relatively speaking, less complex – there is a cartoon like element to many Wii games. Even so, it is immensely successful.

The fact that it has a ticket price which is quite a bit lower than either the Xbox or the PS3 is definitely a plus point. Another factor is the Wiimote – Nintendo’s motion sensitive controller which is used to play Wii games. When compared with the other consoles, game play on the Wii is a totally different experience.

There is definitely more physical movement involved when playing Wii games than gaming on other consoles – where generally the thumbs are the only part of the body that get a work out. It’s also probably true to say that, apart from the physical exercise involved, Wii games are easier to learn and more intuitive to play. If you forget what button does what it doesn’t really matter – just flail your arms around and it’ll be fine.

A further result of the physical element to playing games on the Wii is that you require more space to play them (safely). This could explain why many families have the Wii in the living room as opposed to upstairs in teenage bedrooms – the typical site for the Xbox and the PlayStation.

As well as requiring more space to play, the Wii is better enjoyed when used with a nice big screen. This may seem like an odd notion considering that the Wii’s graphics are, at least in comparison with the other consoles, fairly rudimentary. The reason for this is that it is harder to keep up with the game action on a small screen when the player is jumping around.

In the summer of 2009, Nintendo launched a black Wii console in Japan. It was a big hit and Nintendo released it in Europe before Christmas 2009, where it was also a popular choice with gamers. One possible reason for its success may have been the fact that the black colour was a good match for the other electrical devices – the TV, the DVD player, the cable box etc. – that can be found in the typical family living room.

If you decide to treat yourself to a Wii, try to break yourself in gently. It’s good that you can play games and get a little exercise – but if you’re used to traditional gaming then the exertions of playing Wii Sports for the first time can leave you feeling a little fragile if you overdo it.

Check out the black Wii for yourself and see how it compares with the new slim version of the PS3 game console by Sony.