Nintendo is a world leader in both home and portable video gaming console units. At the same time, it boasts of some of the most popular gaming software titles in the world.

NINTENDO HARDWARE BUYING GUIDE

Nintendo provides the potential buyers with a variety of choices, so you can decide upon the model that fits your requirements most closely.

The primary choice to make is between the Nintendo Wii that is a Home Video Game Console, and Nintendo DS, which is a hand-hend video game console.

The Wii directly competes against the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3. It has a great distinguishing feature called the Wii Remote, which is wireless controller. It comes with a wi-fi connection and has another distinct feature called the WiiConnect24.

The DS, in comparison, is a small and light-weight gaming gadget that can be held in your hands. It has two LCD screens, the upper one is for display and the bottom one is a touch-screen for controls. The DS is a preferable choice for you if you are always on the move, and you like to carry your game along with you. The console supports wi-fi connectivity, so you can play from anywhere with multiple users online or with games available within a feasible range.

Many official and unofficial accessories are also available for the Wii as well as the DS console. The user can select the accessories of his choice from the official Nintendo website or other sources.

NINTENDO GAMING SOFTWARE BUYING GUIDE

There is a large selection of game titles available for the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS. The most popular games belong to categories such as Role Playing Games (RPGs), Platform Games, Adventure Games, Sports Games, Puzzle Games, Racing Games, and Fighting Games.

Before purchasing a game title, the buyer can preview the game from the following sources:

RESEARCHING THE TITLE FROM NINTENDO.COM

The official website of Nintendo provides information on most of the game titles supported by Wii and DS. The buyer can check the games that fit his purchase criteria such as the price, availability, type of game, parental guidance, and family orientation.

CHECK REVIEWS IN THE NINTENDO POWER MAGAZINE

This is monthly magazine exclusively providing reviews of Nintendo's game titles. It also has a website called nintendopower.com

RENT THE GAME BEFORE BUYING

Many video game rental stores also give Nintendo games on rent. So the buyer may first try to rent the title of his choice from a local store in his neighborhood, and check it out, before making the purchase.

"NINTENDO WI-FI CONNECTION"

The buyer should know that the games displaying this symbol on their packaging are wi-fi supported. It means the user can connect and play the game with other Wii players around the world. There is no extra charge for playing online with other players.

"PLAYER'S GUIDE AVAILABLE"

The games that display this icon are provided with a "Player's Guide" inside the package. This ensures that if the user gets stuck with the game somewhere, and cannot resolve the issue on his own, he can refer to the guide and try to seek a solution to his problem.

"ONLY FOR"

The games that display this sign indicate that such games can be played only on the specific hardware for which that game has been designed.

SUMMARY: With a little amount of research and information gathering, the buyer can make a good buying decision about the Nintendo hardware and software that are most appropriate for his needs.