How to Choose Between an Xbox 360 and a Wii Gaming System

Both the Xbox 360 and the Wii are popular gaming systems that offer many different game play options. But they are very different in the amount of online game play they offer, as well as the kinds of games that can be played on each system and the accessories.

Instructions

1. Decide on which kinds of games you want to play. The games for Xbox 360 tend to much more adult in content, with a lot more "shooter" games, like Call of Duty, available for this system. Wii games include a lot of the Nintendo staples, such Mario Kart and Mario Party. There are more child-friendly games available for the Wii system, though some family game packages are now available for the Xbox 360 as well.

2. Decide how active you want to be. If you like the kinds of games that get you up on your feet and moving around, then the Wii games will be more your style. If you are looking for intensive shooting games with multiple levels and hardcore game play, get an Xbox 360 instead.

3. Decide on which kinds of accessories you want to buy. There are many different accessory options for the Wii. This includes light sabers, swords, baseball bats, crossbows, guns, wheels and even cooking utensils. There is also the Wii Fit pad, which allows you to play certain games and to exercise with the Wii. The Xbox 360 has different kinds of accessory options, such as controllers, remotes, hard drives and headsets.

4. Consider who will be playing with the system most often. If you are buying a gaming system for children and young adults, consider the more family-friendly Wii system. There are more games that can be played by the entire family, as well as more games with content that is meant for all audiences. And many Wii games encourage game play that requires movement and some amount of exercise, so even if children are playing all day, they aren't just sitting on the couch. If you are a hardcore gamer, or an adult who plays games, an Xbox 360 may be more your style. With the options to play online with people around the world, as well as games with more adult content, this gaming system is tailored toward mature gaming audiences.

5. Decide how much you want to pay for your system. The Xbox 360 is a more expensive system to buy than the Wii. The initial Wii package comes with as much memory as it can hold, as well as a controller and the Wii Sports gaming package. You can upgrade to Wii packages with more games and accessories, but the system will stay the same. The Xbox 360, however, comes with several different memory options, as well as packages that include Xbox Live subscriptions and accessories, different games and multiple controllers. While you can buy a relatively simple Xbox 360 package for less than a Wii package, you will need to buy upgrades immediately if you want to play old Xbox games, play online, or have multiple people playing at the same time.

6. Decide on how you will use your system with the Internet. The Wii comes with a wireless Internet option built in and can immediately start going online if you have a wireless router in your home. But while you can go online to buy more games, join Mario Kart tournaments or take part in the Wii Mii Parade, your online game play options are limited. The Xbox Live system offers a lot more in the way of Internet game play, but unless you have the proper hardware to connect to wireless Internet, you will need an Ethernet cable to hook into the Internet.

Resources

• Wii
• Xbox 360