Balanced games are usually novelty control interfaces such as a light gun, the Wii remote and a Nun-chuck etc. The advantages of balanced games are that it can improve immersion through ‘realistic’ control method. Also its very easy to understand because unlike unbalanced games there are no hidden moves and everyone can follow what’s going on with balanced games, a good example a balanced console is the Nintendo Wii. Since the release date on September 16th 2006 the Nintendo Wii’s monthly sales have been higher then its competitors. According to the NPD group the Wii sold more units in the United States than the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 combined in the first half of 2007. These statistics clearly show the Wii is the leading games console at the moment but why is this the case?
The Wii is the most developed recognised balanced console out at the moment which in itself makes it unique. I personally think this is the main reason why it has become so successful because its competitors such as Xbox, ps3 fall under the unbalanced category. Unbalanced console are usually targeted to a specific consumer. This usually means people who aren’t gamers will most likely not be interested in unbalanced games as there are too many rules and restrictions.
The Nintendo Wii on the other hand, is much more free, simpler and easy to use. Features such as the Wii lightgun, wheel and the balance board brings a completely different experience even for people who are not gamers. Games such as ‘Wii Fit’ have been very successful as people can now play games and exercise at the same time, something you can’t do with unbalanced games. The freedom and the simplicity of playing a Nintendo Wii together with the ability to exercise whilst being in your living room for me is the reason why the Wii has been successful over the past couple of years.
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