For some strange reason, this post was deleted. Actual posting date was November 22. I have since purchased a Wii of my own.

Say what you will about Nintendo and how its video game machines are “just for kids”, but it is the only company who is taking this whole next-generation business in a next-generation kind of way. In the past five to ten years, many one-time enthusiasts have become disenchanted from (Or intimidated by, depending on your point of view) video games because of their increasing difficulty. Thought to be gone are the days of pick-up-and-play titles like Pac-Man and Space Invaders, games that anyone could play regardless of inherent “skill” or “talent.” In their place are complicated RPGs and a whole bevy of complex first person shooters. After a while, every Counterstrike, Halo, and Ghost Recon starts to look kind of the same.

The days where anyone can play are back with the absolutely ingenious Nintendo Wii. Not only is the big N marketing this latest system at the stereotypical gamer (which, by the way, is a 35-year-old male with plenty of disposable income), but they are selling this innovative video game machine to people you would never think they’d try marketing to. Middle-aged housewives, the girl gamer, and yes, even senior citizens. And that’s not to say the hardcore gamer will be disappointed either. They’ve got children’s licensed content (Spongebob Squarepants, etc.), fun variety games (Rayman: Raving Rabbids, Elebits, etc.), and immersive action titles (Red Steel, Call of Duty 3, etc.). Just as Nintendo managed to sell the DS to seniors and girls with non-conventional games like Nintendogs, Animal Crossing, and Brain Age, they will likely do the same with the Wii.

Talk about the targetting the non-gamer. I wandered into the local Future Shop earlier today and imagine my surprise when I saw a middle-aged Chinese woman captivated by the Wii demo video. They had it showing on some flat panel television, looping through clips of Wii Sports, Excite Truck, Red Steel and a few other launch titles, interspersed with videos of people actually playing the games. She did look a little nervous, or maybe even embarassed to be watching the demo (she kept glancing over her shoulder), but shortly after, she found herself in the Wii games section, checking out some of the titles. She seemed particularly interested in Monkey Ball. Maybe it was the cute primates on the cover. Either way, she appeared to be sold on the concept. The Wii is for anyone and everyone.

As I wandered around the mall in a blissful stupor, I stumbled across a Wii demonstration area where they had four systems up and running with reps showing off the great games and technology. I had a chance to try to fishing mini-game in the hugely anticipated Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. I found the Wiimote to be very comfortable and extremely light. It was fairly responsive and accurate, though reeling in the fish got to be a little tiring (you rotate the nunchuk attachment). The graphics were, as you would probably expect, something like a GameCube on steroids. The same could be said about Excite Truck (the other game I tried). Nothing to wow your graphically, but the gameplay was very immersive. I couldn’t see myself staying interested in Excite Truck for too long — the simple arcade racer isn’t all that interesting — but it certainly gives a sense of what the Wii is capable of. All I had to do was put the Wiimote on its side, hold it like a steering wheel, and tilt it as necessary. Fun, intuitive, and incredibly easy to just pick up and enjoy. Wii Sports: Tennis and Wii Sports: Bowling operated much the same way. Easy to learn, difficult to master, just as games should be. You’re there to enjoy yourself, not to get frustrated.

To refresh, the Nintendo Wii, codenamed “Revolution” during development, features a unique motion-sensitive interface. Instead of fumbling with controllers that boast 10 or even 15 buttons, they’ve designed the Wii Remote (or Wiimote, as many call it) to sense more intuitive motions. Want to swing a tennis racket, throw a baseball, or go fishing, simply mimic the motions you would in real life. It’s designed to be completely pick-up-and-play.

Sure, the PlayStation 3 and the Microsoft Xbox 360 may boast some crazy flashy graphics — Gears of War quite literally rocks my socks — but you would never see a middle-aged Chinese woman interested in a game like that. By contrast, people young and old can enjoy Wii Sports: Tennis, Wii Sports: Bowling, or Excite Truck. Nintendo may have suffered some pretty heavy hits to their fan base when the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 hit the scene (outselling the Nintendo 64 and GameCube, respectively), but with the Wii, they’re hoping to capture an audience that wouldn’t otherwise be interested in video games at all. If today’s experience is any indication, they will. Long live the Wii (the name, although it sounds too much like a children’s euphemism for an unmentionable part of the body, has slowly grown on me… yes, wii would like to play).