It’s probably fair to say that all the big three games consoles – the Sony PS3, Microsoft’s Xbox and the Nintendo Wii – all have their own individual advantages. Different gamers will have their own personal favourites and it’s pretty much a waste of time to try to persuade them that one of the other consoles is any better.

Many families today will have more than one, and quite possibly all three, games consoles. Not forgetting the various mobile consoles like the Nintendo Ds and the Sony PSP. It’s not uncommon for games consoles to double up as blu-ray disc or DVD players.

However, ignoring the almost pointless discussion regarding which console is “best”, it’s probably reasonable to suggest that the Nintendo Wii is the most sociable of the three available consoles. Whereas the PS3 and Xbox are more often than not found in teenager’s bedrooms, the Wii is just as likely to be found in the family living room. The Wii has less processing power than the other two consoles and has much simpler graphics – more cartoon like in general. Yet it is the Wii that is often found connected to the big screen TV in the living room.

Part of the reason for this is the fact that the Wii’s motion sensitive controller means that, even though the graphics are simpler, it’s harder to follow the action on a small screen TV when you’re jumping around like a lunatic. The other thing is that it’s easier and more intuitive to learn games on the Wii. It’s so easy that even adults can manage it – so it’s a lot easier for all the family members to take part in the fun.

All of that jumping about when playing games on the Wii means that the amount of space required to play Wii games is greater than that needed for the other consoles. This also means that the living room is a more attractive venue than the typical teenage bedroom, where you would almost certainly be tripping over piles of unwashed clothes, half finished pizzas and empty coke tins. The physical side of playing games on the Wii is a good thing. It means that there’s a certain amount of exercise involved when playing Wii games. Of course, you really should take it easy in the beginning. It’s very easy to wake up with a stiff arm or sore legs after your first evening of playing Wii Sports.

The fact that so many Wii consoles can be found in living rooms could explain the success of the black Wii. Nintendo went to the dark side and released a black Wii console in Japan in the summer of 2009. It was released in Europe just before Christmas 2009. It proved to be a very popular choice with many gamers – probably because it matches the TV, the DVD player, the cable box etc. – better than the white version.