The nintendo wii is a new games console, which is currently selling on eBay for more than the RRP because they are sold out just about everywhere. The console is popular not just among gamers but amongst non gamers too, so i have written a guide here to explain to those non-gamers what the deal is- what extras do i need? , how much should i pay? Where should i buy it from? Is it really worth the money? What's the differance between the wii and other consoles? There is an ending summary if you want to skip the details.

The controller/ wii remote. This is the small white 'stick' that have been plastered onto every nintendo advertisement etc. It is one of the biggest differances between the wii and other consoles. Mainly due to the motion-sensing inside, you are able to play games simply by moving the controller- moving it around in 3-d, aiming at your tv, making specific motions etc. the controller also has a speaker and few buttons- making it easy to use for inexperienced users. A nunchuk controller is also available. This attaches to the wii remote and also has motion-sensing. It has an analogue stick, two more buttons, and is usually used in more complex games which i will come to later on. The controller is wireless from the console, but there is a wire between the wii remote and nunchuk.

The inside. The wii does not boast spectacular graphics like the xbox 360 or ps3. Nintendo has tried to market its console in a way that graphics dont really matter that much, with the aim more on new ways of playing with the motion-sensing remote etc. You will also find that the wii is usually cheaper than its market-rivals due to the less complex inards. The wii has 512mb memory inside, allowing you to save game data etc without the use of an SD or other memory card.

Games. When you pick up a brand new wii, you will also be treated to a free included game called wii sports. This has the player using the wii remote to play 5 sports- tennis, baseball, bowling (10 pin) , golf, and boxing. For example in tennis, you will swing the remote to hit the ball, or in boxing you will punch the remote and nunchuk forward to knock down your opponent. Such games are easy to pick up, are fun and offer good laugh-out-loud multiplayer. There are of course other games;
    
Wii Play- This is a box set including a second wii remote (for multiplayer) and a 9-game disc. Games are easy to play, such as a shooting game, fishing, laser hockey, billiards etc. Similar to wii sports, this is aimed towards the non-gamers, but are also fun for the more experienced players. Easy to use, hard to master.

The legend of zelda- twilight princess. This game is aimed mainly towards the serious gamer but is worth mentioning. it offers at least 40 hours of solid gaming before completion. Your quest is to roam around the land of hyrule collecting items etc to destory the evil that plagues it. Anyone with experience of games will almost certainly want to pick this up, but is not perhaps for those new non-gamers.

Wario-ware smooth moves. This game offers a couple of hundred micro-games. It makes excellent use of the wii remote and is again easy to pick up. You are told to make silly actions with the remote to complete small games in quick succession.

super-monkey ball banana blitz. here you have to guide a ball (complete with monkey inside) around levels including narrow ledges, jumps, wheels, moving platforms etc while collecting bananas. Your aim is to get to the other end of each level without falling off! The game also includes 50 minigames- mostly multiplayer and single player. Some are good, other just okay.

Excite Truck. here you drive big heavy trucks in an unusual racing game. The aim is not just to win, but to get the most points. Points are awarded for winning, doing jumps, skids, etc. It is fast-paced and exciting. there is also a 2-player mode also.

Red Steel- Another 'gamers' game. here you are guided through levels- your aim to resuce your girlfriend. Beginning in the US, you shoot and slice your way into Japan with a range of guns and swords. Some say that the controlls take some getting used to, so is probably not the best game for newer gamers.

I have talked about only a few of the many great games on wii, just to give you a taste of the wii's capabilities. If you are interested in any of the above games, or any others sold on eBay i advise you search for them on google, wikipedia or other sites. The wii also allows you to play nintendo gamecube games. For this you will need a gamecube controller and to save your progress a nintendo gamecube memory card. (You cannot save gamecube data on the wiis' memory)

Wii channels. The wii offers more than just gaming, and includes many other channels (some require a high-speed internet access as i will explain later). the channels include the mii channel which allows you to replicate yourself and others into a cartoony wii-form. This new form can be used in wii sports, wii play and other games. For example- it will look like you playing tennis, not just a computer. There is also a photo channel which allows you to view and edit photos from an SD card. If you are able to connect to the internet, you can get weather and news updates via two other channels. An opera browser is available and free to download for a limited time only. (this will allow you to view most internet sites via your wii on your tv). A more recent channel allows you to cast a vote for several questions, and see the results from other voters all over your region or even the world.

Virtual Console. The last of the current channels that i will talk about is the wii shop channel. Here you can download old games from past nintendo consoles (NES, SNES, N64) and others. There is a limited number of games available, and you do have to pay. Some games will also require a nintendo gamecube controller or a 'classic' wii controller.

Summary. The Nintendo wii is a console seperated from others by its amazing remote control and unique imaginative games. With the wii you can play games from the NES, SNES, N64, gamecube and wii among others. The consoles RRP is £180, with which you will recieve one nintendo wii, wii sports, one wii remote and one nunchuk, as well as necessary cables etc. Games are between £35-40 in shops, and extra controllers are about £30 or £15 for nunchuks. Bear in mind that wii is sold out just about everywhere, so at the time of writing you may find items selling for more than this. You should basically pay however much you want, because it may be a while before you local shops are stocking them. I offer only a very rough guide to give eBay-ers an idea of what all the fuss ia bout. If you are thinking about purchasing a wii, or are interested in any of the games or other capabilities, i advise that you research further on other sites as well as eBay. I do not want you to buy a wii based on this guide and be disapointed! I hope that this has been of use to someone.