That is the question… I’m trying to convince myself I want a Wii over an Xbox 360. I know, I know, you’re like: “What? You need a REASON?” Even so, I feel some deliberation is in order. This is an upgrade, so away with the Xbox. If I get a Wii, I’ll buy Halo on PC, the best FPS I’ve ever played. Yes, the original. Another assumption is that the new Wii with DVD playback is released in Australia. Purely for competition with the PS3 and 360, the Wii should have had DVD playback from the start. So I’ll wait for Wii: The Lost Chapters, thanks ;-) But I guess I should make a list…

Reasons to buy a 360:

• Halo 3. If it comes out on PC, not a reason. Although I wasn’t that impressed with the preview on Good Game recently. Still, the trailer and bitatch of a cliffhanger at the end of Halo 2 both make me want it more.
• Fable 2. If it comes out on PC, also not a reason.
• I already own a (wired) 360 controller. Only half a reason since I think I really do prefer a mouse and keyboard for first person shooters.

Reasons not to buy a 360:

• It’s LOUD and overheats. The loudness, I’ve witnessed and it’s bloody annoying, especially when watching a DVD. Overheating, possibly just prejudice. I don’t like things that run hot though. Never have. They die sooner, and it just seems like gluttonous design to me.
• The Xbox emulation is total craparse. I’ve finished all my Xbox games, though. Halo is the only one I’d really want to keep playing.
• That whole controller confusion episode in Worms Arcade sticks out as a major usability flaw.
• Other issues, like disc scratching, and class-action inducing faulty firmware upgrades

Reasons to buy a Wii:

• Super Smash Bros. Melee and Brawl! OMG major reason, but I’ll need a GameCube controller and memory card to play Melee, but I can live with that. Actually, why would I own both Melee and Brawl anyway?
• Other games I might like: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers, Kirby (OMG Kirby!), Mario Party 8, Pokemon Battle Revolution, Spyro: The Eternal Night, I could go on…
  
• Wireless online connectivity with WPA support (not for GameCube games)
• It’s cheaper than a 360.
• You can use a Nintendo DS as a controller.
• Deep down, I’m really a Nintendo fan, not a Microsoft fan.
• It just feels cool, you know? It’s got “Nintendo Factor.” It’s hard to describe… They’re going after pure innovation, not just beefing up their existing consoles.

Reasons not to buy a Wii:

• *scratches head* Um… anyone?

To wrap up, here’s some quotes from Shigeru Miyamoto from the Wii development team that I think perfectly illustrate Nintendo Factor:

“…power isn’t everything for a console. Too many powerful consoles can’t coexist. It’s like having only ferocious dinosaurs. They might fight and hasten their own extinction.”

“We had to compromise on graphics and give up on a powerful chip. Many of our employees initially wanted high-definition graphics. But they agreed with us that graphics wouldn’t matter if the games weren’t fun to play.”

“The classic controller …had come to dictate a lot of what went into games—the way graphics were made, the way battles were fought in role-playing games, the arc of in-game stories. They were all being made to fit one standard. Creativity was being stifled, and the range of games was narrowing.”