Nintendo Wii User Experience
Posted on November 19th, 2006 in Usability | 7 Comments »
Brave Design — “Instead, Nintendo has attempted to re-design the gaming experience, opting for a controller which looks like a remote control but is motion sensitive, offering gamers a potentially simpler but at the same time more immersive experience. The games for the machine have also been designed to be more accessible, with a focus on casual and family gaming.”
I’ve heard that people using the Wii love it. The interesting thing is that Nintendo seems to be doing what they planned, which is getting families excited about gaming. Mothers and daughters are joining brothers and fathers to play games. Some people who have never played a video game, including older women, are having a good time with the Wii. Seems impossible, but that is what I’ve heard.
How and why is this possible? The article doesn’t fully explain it but it does provide some clues. The answer is usability and an excellent user experience blended with smart marketing and family friendly games. Know your audience, develop good products for them, and then get them involved.
Let’s see if it pays off. I think it will.
7 Responses
I think the success of the Wii has less to do with the target audience and more to do with its scope — in this case, practically everybody. Everybody loves games. Everybody likes a puzzle, everybody likes a challenge.
The real challenge for non-gamers isn’t the types of games, but the interface. I think they looked at how the mouse changed how we interact with machines or virtual spaces. It’s intuitive — point and click.
It seems that the Wii remote was designed with that in mind. Ultimately, the Wii remote appeals to some very primal instincts that we have, ever since we started using tools during the Stone Age. Use it to swing at things, chop things, attack things, poke things, write things… and today, point and shoot at things.
I’m convinced that the Wii remote is so intuitive that if you introduced the console to some natives of some remote aboriginal village somewhere, I’m sure they could get the hang of it… if they aren’t afraid that the console and TV aren’t posessed by demons. On a similar note, I’d like to see what some smarter primates would make of the Wii.
Oops, those two “aren’t”s are weird.
“… if they aren’t afraid that the console and TV could be posessed by demons.”
There, that makes more sense :P.
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“There, that makes more sense :P. ”
LOL, Nothing in life make sence to me.
The system is so intelligent it can even anticipate what an old codger like me (66) is going to do before I do it. Great gaming system.
Great Site! Far too many demons! Wii kicks the ass off any systems!
nice post. This what i looking for. Thank for the info
I decide to buy wii soon after read your post