Picking out Wii games

Before heading to the game store, or spending hours online frantically searching for your next video game, take a few moments and reflect. The first question you should ask yourself is: what genres do I like the most? If you like raw action and fighting scenes, the point-and-click adventure game Zack and Wiki: The quest for Barbaros' Treasure or Yoga's Lotus Focus may not be a good choice. Instead, you could pick Overlord Dark Legend in which you become a young Overlord protecting his castle and lands against evil. If you prefer fighting and enjoy being transformed into a large, scary spider or scorpion stalking your pray, Deadly Creatures is the game for you.



The main wii video game genres are:

Action/Adventure - the focus is on fast-paced thrills, exploration and adventure - e.g. Lego Star Wars: the Complete Saga, X Men Origins Wolverine or The Conduit.



Fighting - the games centers around individual or group combat - e.g. Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, or James Bond Quantum of Solace.



Life Training - This is a combination of entertainment and ways to better yourself - e.g. Wii Fit or Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree.



Sports - It is actually more fun to play sports, than to watch them, especially if you can join professionals like Tiger Woods. With lots of practice you too can perfect any of your athletic skills - e.g. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10, Fifa 09 for soccer fans, or Top Spin 3.



Racing - Get your adrenaline pumping when your racer speeds into the next hairpin curve - e.g. Ferrari Challenge Deluxe, Mario Kart or My Sims Racing.



Party - As the word implies, these fun games are designed to be played in a group setting e.g. Mario Party 8, Wii Music or Boom Blox Bash Party



Puzzle - Puzzles generally require contemplative thought to find answers and solutions - e.g. Family Feud, Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords or Mercury Meltdown Revolution.



Role-playing - This category includes any game that requires you to roll-play. They can involve turn-based battles and are usually long-lasting play sessions - e.g. Little King's Story or The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.



Rhythm/Music - These games test musical and rhythmical talents and will show you in a flash if you are a quick-beat pop star, or more of a folk singer kind of guy or girl - e.g. The Beatles Rock Band, Battles of the Bands or Guitar Hero.



Strategy & Simulation - This genre covers everything from realistic war simulations to peaceful scuba-diving trips - e.g. Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince or Monopoly.



Before taking your new game to the cash register, or downloading it from the Internet, read the complete content description and check its Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) ratings. Game choices should be age appropriate and reviewed by a parent.



By reading all the game's information you will also discover if you will need other remotes or controllers to play more efficiently. Some games require a Nunchuk, Zapper, Steering Wheel or Balancing Board. Music fans may need a wireless Gibson guitar-shaped controller.



One last piece of advice: reading detailed reviews is always beneficial and not only when buying your Wii video game console or favourite accessories. Wii users are eager to share their experiences about controls, graphics and game usability. Do yourself a favour and take a few minutes to check out those write-ups. In the end, it may save you a lot of frustration, embarrassment and money.