Nintendo Wii Mini Vs Wii U

Nintendo Brings Wii Mini to the U.South. -- Should You Buy One?

Last yr, Nintendo appear the Wii Mini, a slimmed-down, simplified version of the aging Wii console. The Wii Mini was released in Canada in Dec 2012, followed past the U.Yard. in March of this twelvemonth.

Now, the $99 console is coming to the United States, hitting stores on November. 17. Since Nintendo has already sold 100 one thousand thousand Wiis, this version of the console is aimed at budget-minded and casual gamers who haven't already picked one up.

Only with Nintendo already selling its $300 Wii U, Sony'southward $400 PlayStation 4 coming adjacent calendar week and Microsoft's $500 Xbox One the week subsequently that, should you buy a new slice of old hardware?

Let'south look at the pros and cons of the Wii Mini.

More than: PS4 vs. Xbox One: Console Comparison

PROS:

one. Toll. At only $99, Wii Mini will be the cheapest console on the market. The basic Wii costs $129. Even the crumbling Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are more expensive, starting at $180 and $200 respectively.

two. Compatibility. The Wii Mini will play the i,300 games that have come up out for the Wii since 2006, and volition handle almost of the various available accessories.

iii. "Mario Kart Wii." It comes bundled with the Wii Mini, and information technology'southward a really fun game.

4. Blueprint. The Wii Mini is smaller and more free energy-efficient than the total-sized Wii, and for those who want more than the simple white or blackness color schemes of the past, the Wii Mini has cherry-red trim with a ruddy Wii controller and Nunchuk secondary controller.

CONS:

i. Pattern. Many reviews of the Wii Mini say it seems to exist made of inexpensive plastic and lacks the solid feel of the original Wii.

2. No Cyberspace admission. This is the biggest con, because it means the loss of many things. There is no online multiplayer for games on the Wii Mini, including "Mario Kart Wii." There's no buying downloadable games, including the classic games for older platforms on the Virtual Console. And in that location'south no streaming Netflix — in 2011, 25 percent of all Netflix streaming customers accessed the service through a Wii.

three. No SD card slot. Without support for SD cards, there is no power to look at photos, or to download games on another system and move information technology to the Wii Mini.

iv. No GameCube back up. For the first few years, the original Wii supported game disks made for Nintendo's previous console, and also supported GameCube controllers and memory cards. Later models ditched this feature to cutting costs, and too, the Wii Mini does non accept information technology.

5. No component video output. The Wii Mini does non have component video output, which splits the Boob tube picture show into three signals to requite you lot a 480p movie. Since the original Wii did not support high-definition resolutions or HDMI cables, component video was how you lot got the best picture out of the organization. On the Wii Mini, users must settle for an antiquated composite cable with a unmarried video signal, resulting in an interlaced, fuzzy image. How much money could Nintendo take saved by not providing a basic adequacy such every bit component video?

6. No support for Wii U games. It may seem obvious to gamers that a scaled-downwards Wii won't play Wii U games, but to the average person, it doesn't make sense that a brand-new console can't handle games made for a console released a year earlier.

More than: 7 Game Boosters and Overclocking Tools

Conclusion

Do non purchase a Wii Mini. The loss of multiplayer gaming, the lack of downloaded games, the inability to stream Netflix and the fact that you can't fifty-fifty get a sharp picture show are too many sacrifices to save $30.

If you really want an inexpensive console, hunt downwards the original Wii while you yet tin can. Or pick up an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 during a Black Fri or holiday sale. With the next generation of consoles coming this month, prices on refurbished, used and overstocked previous-generation machines will become fifty-fifty cheaper.

Follow Kevin Ohannessian at @khohannessian and on Google+ . Follow us @tomsguide , on Facebook and on Google+ .

What the PS4 Can and Tin't Do
Microsoft Shows Off Xbox One Multitasking and Voice Control
10 Most Successful Video-Game Kickstarter Campaigns

Kelly Ohannessian is a freelance writer and editor. With more 15 years of experience, she works with a focus on covering the creative aspects of the gaming industry. Her manufactures have appeared on Medium, Fast Visitor, Tom's Guide, Laptop Mag, Gamespot, and many more. Currently, she works as a director at Brooklyn Game Lab.