Wii
First released in North America in November of 2006, the Wii was Nintendo's fifth home console following the GameCube. With the Wii, Nintendo decided to eschew advanced graphical upgrades in favor of novel gaming innovations. Features like the motion-sensing Wii Remote, GameCube backward compatibility, internal Wifi, limited connectivity for select Nintendo DS games, and the social-media-influenced Wii Shop Channel separated the Wii from competitors like the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Games like Wii Sports, Mario Kart Wii, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl quickly made the Wii a popular multiplayer platform. Accessories like the Wii Zapper, Wii Balance Board, and Wii Bowling Ball further cemented the console's position as an interactive gaming powerhouse. In 2013, the Wii was replaced by the Wii Mini, which did not retain the GameCube and DS compatibility. While production completely ceased in 2017, the Wii remains a popular party platform, and games like Wii Sports Resort and Mario Party 8 are still highly sought-after on the secondary market.
