Buy a Wii or Xbox with Kinect?

There are some great holiday deals out there for the Wii and the Xbox 360 with Kinect, but are you confused on which one to get your kid? The Wii made the promise of getting your kids moving while playing games. The Xbox with Kinect is new but promises to take motion sensing controllers to a new level. So which one should you get? Since I have received a few questions about this already, I figured I would help clarify things a bit with my recommendation on which one you should get.

Should You Buy A Wii?

The Wii was launched back in 2006 with great fan fare due to the new motion sensing controllers that promised to get people moving. The Wii was a huge success and out sold the Xbox and the Playstation for quite some time, which is what motivated Microsoft and Sony to create their versions of a motion controller. Should you consider getting a Wii?

The Pros

• Motion sensing controls are built into the system and are included with every console
• Largest game selection available for motion games
• Great classic games such as Mario, Zelda, and Sonic that cannot be found on other consoles
• Cheapest console system
• Great party system for older people or people who have physical limitations
• Great for little kids, between the ages of 5 – 8

The Cons

• The game line up is boring and too child like
• Graphics are not Hi def
• Very few games support online play
• You can easily trick the motion controls by sitting on the couch and only doing the movements required for the game

Price

The Wii is certainly the cheapest option out there right now for gaming consoles, but not by much. Right now on Amazon.com the Wii Hardware Bundle sells for $199.99. This bundle comes with the console, a Wii Remote Plus, a NunChuck, and two games. The Remote Plus and NunChuck are attachments to the standard controller that further enhances the motion sensor. This bundle will get you up and running for 1 player. To get another controller Wii Remote Plus controller and Nunchuck will cost you another $60. You will end up spending $260 to get the Wii to a point where you can play two players.

Should you buy an Xbox 360 w/Kinect

While the Xbox 360 has been around for a while, they just released a console redesign that included a new motion sensor add on called Kinect. The big difference between Kinect and the Wii is that there is no physical controller to hold as you and your body will be the controller. Kinect has a couple of cameras and an infrared sensor to read your motions to control the gameplay.

The Pros

• Really delivers on the promise of getting you moving as Kinect uses your body to control the game
• Can track two players at a time
• HD graphics will produce better looking games, which will attract to the older kids
• Voice control allows you to control your Xbox with your voice
• Xbox Live is built into most games
• Existing game line up for non motion control games are strong

The Cons

• Kinect is an additional purchase on top of the console
• Requires a fair amount of space to play games. You need 6 to 8 feet to play the games
• Game lineup is small for right now, but this should change over time
• About a $100 more than the Wii

Price

There are two options when it comes to buying the Xbox, and the big difference is the amount of storage you want for your system. The 4GB system with Kinect is $299, while the 250GB storage option is $399. If you plan on downloading a lot from Xbox Live, then you should go with the 250GB option, otherwise go with the 4GB option. Even with the 4GB option you can always add the larger HD later for about $100. With this bundle, you get Kinect, a Kinect Game, the Xbox 360 Console, and a wireless controller. While Kinect can detect two people, if you plan on getting other games you may want to pick up another wireless controller for $40.

So Which One Should I Buy?

Even though the initial cost of the Wii is lower, I think you get better value with the Xbox with Kinect For a little bit more in price, you get a lot more with the Xbox bundle. The Wii was the only game in town when it came to motion controls but that is not true anymore. The initial idea excited people because it got everyone moving but the long term playability of the system is short. The games get boring for older kids and adults, but are great for the younger kids. Compared to Kinect, the Wii doesn’t live up to the hype and doesn’t get you moving as much as Kinect will.

I would say that if you kids are getting close to the ages of 7 or 8, then I would consider the Xbox 360 with Kinect over the Wii. The long term playability of the Xbox is greater than the Wii thanks to the current game lineup for the Xbox 360 plus the games that are in line to come out that will take advantage of Kinect and the full graphic capabilities of the Xbox. Microsoft already has some great developers in line that publishes games for the Xbox and they are excited about working with Kinect. Plus, with the additional graphics capabilities of the Xbox over the Wii and the ability to play online, older kids will continue to play the Xbox for quite some time.