💙❤️ Falling In love With the Nintendo Wii (again) 💙❤️

13 Years ago back in 2007, I jumped on the hype train of the Nintendo Wii and it was to be my first Nintendo console since 1991 when I owned a Super Nintendo. 
I'd played a Nintendo Wii at a friends house and was amazed at how much fun it was to gather around the little white console with its funky controllers and play Wii Sports with my friends and family.

The Nintendo Wii was the video games console that had got me back into video games and I was smitten for it. I devoured games like Mario Galaxy and Resident Evil IV and my love for the Wii was strong.

BUT that was all about to change...

One night in 2008 I visited a cinema and witnessed the trailer for Gears Of War 2 on the cinema screen and it moved me. I decided immediately that I just had to own an XBOX 360. The Gears Of War 2 marketing had got me right in the feels and I knew that the Wii just couldn't compete.

The problem I had with the Wii at this point is that it was missing all the big franchises that I wanted to play. I wanted to experience Bioshock, Fallout 3, Call Of Duty and Gears of War. 

Instead, it just seemed like the Wii was getting heaps of shovelware and the only good games were coming from Nintendo themselves and a few other developers who looked past the Wii as a gimmick and more of a gaming machine.

That Christmas I got my XBOX 360 with a copy of Halo 3 and I never looked back. The 360 became my console which allowed me to explore vast lands in Fallout 3, explore Rapture in Bioshock, go behind enemy lines in Call Of Duty 4 Modern Warfare and also experience the whole of Half-Life 2 on the amazing Orange Box compilation. 

I'd fallen for the 360 and the Wii was relegated to a doorstop which came with its very own doormat (the Wii balance board). The Wii proceeded to gather dust and yet I never sold my Wii, I kept hold of it throughout my exploration of the PS3, PS4, Nintendo Switch and the 3DS. 

The Wii has been by my side for all these years and it's been an ever-present in my household as now and again I'd play Wii Sports with mates as it was always lots of fun and easy to play.

Fast forward to 2019 and my Wii is still here with me in our latest home. My kids are now at an age where they are getting into video games and the Wii has made an appearance again as it's easy to teach a child how to play Wii Bowling and Wii play. 

Now fast forward a little further to a chance encounter in a charity shop between me and a copy of Mario Kart Wii. 
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I used to own Mario Kart Wii on the Wii but over time I stopped playing it and sold it even though I kept my Wii. This charity shop I was in was selling Mario kart Wii for £1.99! 

I just had to get it. It was too good to not buy it. I felt pretty good about this bargain and thought to myself even if I don't play it it will be a good game to sell on as it's still very popular.

I'd always thought of the Wii version of Mario Kart as being inferior to the SNES version and had almost dismissed it at the time. But then I thought "hang on! my kids would love this game!".

So I set about sourcing some Wii steering wheels on Facebook Market place. I managed to pick up two official Nintendo ones with the blue circle on the back for £8! I was overjoyed.

Now it was time to test out Mario Kart Wii on my kids. I needn't have worried as they loved it immediately! It's almost as though I'm looking at this game and the Nintendo Wii with fresh eyes again as I rediscover my love for all things Nintendo Wii. 

Battle Mode is our favourite evening past time after all the homework has been completed and I'm truly enjoying teaching my kids the nuances of battle modes and all the different characters we can play as.

 I'm now in the process of scouring eBay and Facebook Market Place for more Wii goodies as my Nintendo Wii gets its second birth. I'm thinking getting Boom Blox Smash Party as that was awesome last time I played that!

Please forgive me Nintendo Wii, I should never have doubted you, my old friend.

Have you still got your Nintendo Wii?

Is it gathering dust somewhere or are you still playing it?

Let me know in the comments below.

Rich