Wii For Sale

Finding a shop with a Wii in stock is not easy, but neither is it impossible. A copy of the good old yellow pages will go a long way here.

You could try the big outlets like Toys R Us, but it's hardly worth it - everyone goes there first and so they sell out each new batch within minutes of opening the store each day.

Chain stores such as Game are a better bet. Many of these have more than one Wii in stock. They also sell second hand equipment, and as the Wii is such a recent console, you can often pick up a nearly new one at a bargain price. It will even still have much of it's original guarantee.

If only new will do, there is still hope though. Lots of independent retailers do have Wiis in stock. A little leg-work on the phone goes a long way, and in our testing, it takes an average of 4 phone calls to find a shop with a Wii for sale and in stock. When you find one, reserve it right away. And be sure to let the shop staff know when you'll be in to collect, it's only fair they don't hold it too long.

Turning to the internet, there are places to find your Nintendo Wii. Amazon is not one of them, they're selling out as quickly as anybody.

Ebay on the other hand, is doing a roaring trade in Wiis. Indeed, if you find a shop with a couple of Wiis in stock, you might consider buying two. One for yourself, and one for resale on ebay. With new Nintendo Wii consoles selling at above RRP on ebay, this can be a great way to partly finance your new purchase.

Why is Wii So Popular?

So why is the Nintendo Wii such a popular machine? After all, technically speaking, it's years behind the PSP 3 and the Microsoft XBox.

Well it's all to do with that funky controller, nicknamed the "Wii-mote". It's accelerometer chip allows the player to control the Wii by means of waving it round. This is brilliantly demonstrated by the games in the Wii Sports pack that is shipped with each Wii console.

For example, in the tennis game, the wiimote is held like a tennis racket. The player makes the exact same movements as if they were playing a real game of tennis, and their actions are mirrored on screen.

The wii-mote has democratized gaming. Where once, computer games were the exclusive realm of the spotty nerd in the corner, all thumbs on the control pad, now all generations of the family are getting involved. Even some retirement homes are getting a Wii in the lounge, and holding bowling contests for their residents!

The other reason the Wii is so popular is its bargain basement price. It costs less than half the price of a PSP 3. This is because a Wii is actually a Nintendo Game Cube in a new box. It's older technology costs less to produce than a PSP.

Indeed, despite the high price tag, Sony actually lose money on every PSP they sell. They make up the difference (and more) on the games that are sold.

Nintendo on the other hand, manage to make a profit on every Wii sold. It just goes to show, better technology isn't always the answer. How you apply it makes all the difference.