The Nintendo Wii Is Now 15 Years Old

15 years ago on this weekend, Nintendo’s most prolific console would make its debut and shake the world of gaming!

Indeed, the Nintendo Wii is now 15 years old following its 2006 launch in North America. Featuring all new motion-based experiences with its oddly-shaped controllers, the Wii would ultimately cement Nintendo’s departure from the graphical arms-race – with the company pursuing unique gameplay gimmicks over powerful hardware to stand out in the market.

Nintendo’s gamble with the unorthodox Wii would somewhat pay-off, with over 101 million units of the console sold to date – many of which would end up in the households of families drawn in by the Wii’s novelty. The Wii is currently Nintendo’s bestselling home console to date, although the Nintendo Switch is quickly catching up.

The Nintendo Wii would play host to many great hits – chief amongst which were the Super Mario Galaxy games, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and much more. The cult-classic Metroid Prime series would even get rebuilt to work with the Wii’s motion controls in the form of Metroid Prime Trilogy, which is still beloved by the franchise’s fans today. Of course, the console’s killer app would ultimately be its pack-in title Wii Sports – where players use motion controls to engage in activities like Tennis, Golf, Boxing and more.

The DNA of the Wii is still present in Nintendo’s strategy of reaching the widest audience today – with the Switch now attracting a mobile generation of consumers, just as the Wii captured the hearts of young families and grandmothers back in the day. There’s no doubt that the bizarre Wii reshaped the gaming landscape forever.

Happy 15th, Nintendo Wii!

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