How much you save is of no moment, of course, as an amount saved is an amount you’ll get keep rather than spend.

But what if a Nintendo DS Lite bundle is a deceitful marketing ploy? What if, amidst the hoopla over the exclusive colors and the packaged software, is a trick that will make you spend more compared to buying the individual components separately?

How much can you really save with a Nintendo DS Lite bundle? Will you really be able to save some money by choosing such a package, in the first place? Alas, this is the goal of this investigative piece: to determine whether or not a Nintendo DS Lite bundle is the best choice for would-be purchasers.

Let’s do a little computation.

Let’s take, for example, the newest Nintendo DS Lite bundle in the market today: Nintendo DS Lite Green Spring Bundle includes Personal Trainer: Cooking and Carrying Case. Released only in July 1,2009, this bundle carries the SRP of $150 (though some online establishments are selling it for $140).

That sounds like a good deal, right?

Let’s take a look at the corresponding prices of the individual compents:

Nintendo DS unit: $130
Personal Trainer: Cooking: $20

Alas, the grand total is: $150, which is the same as the undiscounted SRP of the Nintendo DS Lite bundle.
What makes the bundle more special and enticing, however, are the bonuses that come with it. The bundle in our example comes with a carrying case. Though such a carrying case can be purchased separately somewhere between $7 and $25, depending on make and quality, the fact that it’s free with the Nintendo DS Lite bundle is a welcome addition, indeed. Also, the Nintendo DS Lite that is packaged with the bundle comes in spring green color, a variation that you can’t find in separately sold units. This exclusivity alone should make the bundle worth its asking price, right?

There are Nintendo DS Lite bundles, however, that are sold at a more expensive price than the sum of its individual components. This is true for limited edition bundles that are no longer sold in the market. Such an example is the Nintendo Ds Lite Cobalt Blue with Mario Party package which fetches the high price of $172 as of this writing. The Nintendo DS Lite bundles of today, especially the limited edition ones, are sure to command a higher price in the near future.

Which brings us to one important, and immeasurable, characteristic of Nintendo DS Lite bundles: collectivity. Because of the rarity of certain features included in these bundles, such as the color of the unit and some of the additional items included in the package, their values are not set in stone. They may cost $150 today, but they may fetch a $300 price tag next year.

The problem? At this point in time, the Nintendo Wii carries an SRP of $250, which is quite expensive for most folks.

Hence, many people are on the lookout for chances – no matter how farfetched – that will help them score a free Wii.

Don’t laugh. It’s not an “impossible dream.” Winning a free Wii is perfectly doable. Of course, it will take a positive action on your part. You will have to act. You cannot win without participating, after all.
So, how can you score a free Wii?

Here are 3 magnificent ways that are worth the try:

1. Join contests. This is the most popular way to snag a free Wii. Many contests – both online and offline – offer a Nintendo Wii as the prize. Some of these contests are luck-based, like raffle contests or lotteries. Some are talent-based, like writing contests or art competitions. If you have the appropriate skills, talent-based contests are better options because you’ll have a higher chance of winning a free Wii.

2. Trade your stuff for a free Wii. There are many swapping websites on the internet today, and some of them have members who’d want to trade their Nintendo Wii for something else – something which you may own and would want to trade away as well. If you have what they desire and if both items are of equal value, a valid swap may transpire and you’ll find yourself with a free Wii.

3. Collect store points. Most online stores reward people who refer customers to their websites. This is a great way to score a free Wii. Most of these rewards come in the form of store points. All you have to do is to sign up as an affiliate for a particular online video game store and get your affiliate link. Then, you’ll have to promote your affiliate link to lead people to the store’s website. For every person that you manage to refer who eventually buys something from the online store, you’ll receive corresponding store points. You can collect these store points and spend them for any item being sold by the establishment, which may include a Nintendo Wii. This affiliate marketing option is a fabulous way to win a free Wii because it is a method that is completely under your control.

o Have a close look at the Nintendo. If you are sufficiently familiar with its different parts you are better off. The application of the skin will be accurate if you start from the smaller parts.
o See to it that the surface of the gadget is sparkling clean. If you are putting a sin on an unclean body, it will produce undesirable outcomes. Also, there is the risk of air bubble formation if the surface is not cleaned thoroughly.
o When you are putting a skin on your Nintendo DS Lite, start from the centre and move outwards. Avoid getting any air bubbles on the surface. Remember, it will look best when it’s free of dust and bubbles!
o If you want to revamp your gadget, no problem! Just remove the earlier skin and go for a new one but be careful about the mentioned points.

No matter how beautiful the Nintendo DS Lite skins are, if they look unkempt it will mar your efforts. So clean it regularly with a wet cloth and then have fun at your fingertips!

The positive aspects that made the Nintendo Wii renowned were its revolutionary peripherals, an incredible compact size, fit enough to hold in a pocket and a beautiful architectural structure. By the time the Nintendo Wii was launched there was already a fan group eagerly waiting to grab a Wii system.

In spite of all the hype and fanfare, the Nintendo Wii subsequently disappointed a lot of its users mostly by the lack of good, stable third party support. Even though Nintendo released console after console yet it lacked a proper channel of developers ready to create games for it.

It did provide some astounding games like Mario, Zelda, and Metriod but still it lacked variety and a wide genre of games. This made the console seem pretty useless making experience of gaming with Nintendo Wii not that exciting and fan-fare after a while.

Nintendo Wii did provide its users with host of add on functionalities like getting access to news, internet and even the voting channel but the real let down was the non existence of DVD compatibility. It was a huge let down for the Wii as its user could do many things but not watch movies.

But again, the Nintendo Wii came up with lots of innovative features in the form of backward compatibility, SD card support, downloadable feature, and WiiWare. Were these really new? Well backward compatibility had been there since console sequels began, SD card to save games was just like any other memory card or hard drive and downloadable content is not really something revolutionary.

The other major setback for the Nintendo Wii was its inability to provide a low, decent graphics, much to the disappointment of hard core gamers. Moreover absence of built-in wireless adapter and limited built-in storage function retarded its much created hype.

The Nintendo Wii falls short of meeting the expectations of hardcore gamers probably better suited for families and friends. Final verdict, it’s good but not great.

Moreover, Wii comes with everything you need for a pleasurable gaming experience. Together with the controller, the cables for hooking to your TV, and a sports games package, it remains a good deal to get started. However to extract the most from your Wii experience you may need to spend a little more.

For instance, an owner of HDTV will need the Wii Component Video Cable that will cost around $30. You might need to shell out another $30 for an extra controller necessary for two player games. Also, the remote controllers for Wii run on AA batteries that drain out quickly, so for a hassle free gaming experience you will require a Wii charge station for another $25. Probably you will be more satisfied with some extra memory adding on to the 512MB internal memory of Wii.

Therefore, finding the best bargain for your Nintendo Wii price isn’t that easy? The market is flooded with lots of packages and the best deal will depend on what you are looking for.

So, based on your needs, a budget of about $400 will help make the most of your Wii purchase. Perhaps the best deal might be from the local Craigslist. However, if you are thinking of trying the local Wii vendors you may be provided with better warranties. You can also depend upon your local Target, Walmart, Toys R Us and Circuit city for a good Wii price.

If you are one of those people who do not find offense in online purchases, you can search for a good Nintendo Wii price deal through any one of the trusted online sellers like Amazon or eBay. Signing up with Best Buy card can also be helpful due to the attractive discount schemes on offer. On the other hand if you are looking for a used system, you can look for a good deal at EBgames or Gamestop.

In conclusion if you are looking for an affordable yet hi-tech gaming console, they probably don’t come better than the Nintendo Wii.

Take, for example, the case of the Sony Playstation 3. The 60GB version demanded a $599price at launch. I slightly inferior version with a 20GB hard drive was also sold for $499. These costs are very prohibitive for most video gamers, many of which belong to the adolescent and young adult demographics who either are not yet earning their own money or are not yet earning enough money to support their hobbies.

The Sony PS3 has yet to recover from its pricing “debacle.” Currently, even at $399 SRP for an 80GB version of the console, the Sony PS3 is terribly trailing the other 2 consoles of this generation, the Wii and the Xbox 360.

And the console that’s consistently leading the sales charts by a huge margin?

The Nintendo Wii’s total sales are said to be bigger than the sales of the Xbox 360 and the Sony PS3 combined. This is how successful Nintendo’s newest video game system is.

So, how much money is the Nintendo Wii requiring from gamers? It should be quite low to lead to its rousing success so far, right?

Definitely! The Nintendo Wii is the most affordable console today, with an SRP of $249.

The fact that the Wii is bundled with what is described as the best Wiimote game in the system, Wii Sports, only elevates the value of the package to attract even more potential buyers.

But is this the sole answer to the question of how much money is the Nintendo Wii demanding from video gamers?

Or is there another question? How much money is the Nintendo Wii demanding from the people who already own the system? Are there hidden charges? Are there maintenance fees? Are the subscription rates that apply?

There are none.

The only additional expenses you may be compelled to meet are the costs of the software titles you will need to enjoy the system, as well as the peripherals that may be required to extend the functionality of the console.

How much money is the Nintendo Wii demanding in terms of these software titles and peripherals?
A copy of a Wii game usually costs $50 to $60 for Grade A titles, and $40 to $50 for less heralded ones. Older titles can be bought for a cheaper price like $20 and $30.

As for essential peripherals, you will need the following:

- Nunchuck. Approximately $20.
- Additional Wiimote. Approximately $50 and comes with a full game, Wii Play.
- Balance board. Approximately $90 as a package with a full game, Wii Fit.

Imagine this: you’re driving Mario’s favorite go kart-style racer, and you’re at 2nd position on the 3rd and final lap. You’re gaining momentum, and the person in pole position is in sight. You know you’ll be able to overtake him on the next bend, as quick turn drifts are your specialty. The bend comes. You’re right at his tail. You press on the gas and reverse at the same time. You turn your wheel. You drift way past him.

Then bam!

Your racer explodes and turns upside down.

Then you realize that the player in 3rd position also had both of you in sight, and he also waited for the same bend to unleash his collected special power: a bomb, on your unsuspecting self.

Such is the fun that can be had with a multiplayer game of Mario Kart Wii. You won’t be playing against the computer AI. You will be competing against real people from different parts of the world. They are living, breathing, thinking gamers who will react accordingly to the situations presented by each race. This makes each game more challenging, and ultimately, more rewarding.

Want to become a better Mario Kart Wii player? Here are some tips that will help you improve your game:

- Master the “rocket start.” This is a staple of each and every Mario Kart game, Mario Kart Wii included. Successfully performing the rocket start will give you an early advantage in the race. To perform the rocket start, press on the gas button as soon as the timer counts down to 2. You need to perfect your timing though, as being off for a mere millisecond will compromise the technique.

- Collisions are curses. As much as possible, avoid colliding with other racers as such will slow down your speed and it’ll take time before you build up to your peak once again. Instead of racing side by side with another player, try to tail him instead so you’d know where he is. Then overtake him once your boost power is ready. This way, you’ll be way ahead of him and out of collision range once the boost wears off.

- Either learn how to drift or learn how to let go of the gas button. Most players are just impatient. They want to step on the gas at all time and run over each and every obstacle in a track, including walls on bends. However, you won’t be able to make most turns at high speed. You will need to learn how to drift (take time to study the tutorial in the game) or let go of the gas button to slow you down a bit, enough to make the sharp turn.

Currently, there are no Nintendo Wii bundles.

Is this a marketing oversight – if not a total mistake – on the part of Nintendo? Bundles, after all, are proven to increase sales of consoles. This has been the case since the days of the Atari video game system.

So why hasn’t Nintendo prepared a Wii bundle?

The answer is quite simple: the original Nintendo Wii package is already a “bundle.” Indeed, when you purchase a Nintendo Wii, you will not only get the console and the required peripherals such as the Wiimote, the sensor, the power supply unit (PSU), and the appropriate cables, you will also get a bonus game which you can never purchase anywhere else. The game’s title is Wii Sports, and it is one of the best games you can ever play for the system to date.

For people who are looking for an extra remote, Nintendo has prepare a Wii bundle that includes the Wii Play box, a package that is composed of a Wiimote and the game Wii Play which is a collection of more than a dozen mini games utilizing the Wii’s motion sensing feature.

Still, many gamers are looking for a Wii bundle that will include the console plus a popular game that they can opt to buy separately. After all, bundles are quite common for the Nintendo DS, the Wii’s handheld cousin. A lot of gamers even desire Wii bundles because such can offer a Wii console in an exclusive color, such as pink, green, or even yellow… the same marketing ploy implemented for the Nintendo DS.

However, as we have mentioned earlier, there are no such Wii bundles to date.

Your best bet is to hope for the third party bundles prepared by retail establishments. Walmart, for example, has an offer for a “Wii bundle” which allows the buyer to purchase a Wii console, then choose any game he wants to take home with him, then choose among a selection of bonus games prepared by the store, and finally, choose a Wii accessory that he can also take home as part of the bundle. Not bad, right? All of these for the low price of $359, at least as of this writing.

Amazon has a similar offer for the Nintendo Wii bundled with the Wii Fit and its peripheral, the balance board. The price for this makeshift Wii bundle is $339.99 as of this writing.

These offers aren’t bad at all, considering that the Nintendo Wii carries an SRP of $249, currently.

1. Wait for seasonal and quarterly sales. The most popular – and some say, the easiest – way to buy Nintendo DSi cheap is by waiting for the eventual sales to hit your local shopping establishments. As a general rule, retail stores conduct sales every quarter. They differ, however, when it comes to when such cycles begin and end. The surest thing is to wait for end-of-summer sales and pre-Christmas sales, the latter being held in October or November of every year.

2. Shop online, but be on the lookout for special offers. Many online stores conduct regular sales where items are given amazing discounts. Online shops like Amazon and PlayAsia are popular for this, and so are other online stores specializing in electronic entertainment items. It’s a great way to buy Nintendo DSi cheap.

3. Try the secondary market. There’s nothing wrong with buying a used Nintendo DSi unit. A Nintendo DSi is a sturdy gadget. It can withstand the wear and tear of normal usage. You can buy a used unit for as long as 30% of its original selling price, which is a great find if you want to buy Nintendo DSi cheap. You just have to be diligent in purchasing a used unit. Check if it’s in perfect working condition before committing to buy the same.

4. Trade for it. Some people who want to dispose of their Nintendo DSi units don’t need cash. You can win their interest by trading for their goods. Offer them something you think they’ll like, which should be of similar value, and you might find yourself a good deal. Want to buy Nintendo DSi cheap? With this method, you may not even have to “buy” one, per se. There are many swapping websites on the internet. Established classified ads sites are places to start with your trading expedition. Try Gumtree and Craigslist for this.

5. Win it. The best way to buy Nintendo DSi cheap is by not buying one at all. Rather, you can win a Nintendo DSi. Because of the sheer popularity of this handheld gaming system, many establishments – online and offline – hold regular contests for the chance to win a Nintendo DSi. Track down these contests. Enter if it such entails no risks. Who knows, Mother Luck might smile on you and you’d take home a unit and start playing New Super Mario Bros. and Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass by the evening.

Adding to its features, the Nintendo Wii system allows players to download old classics from Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis at their own convenience. The Wii system even allows its user to download the latest movies and/or favorite television shows. In other words, the Nintendo Wii is definitely much more than just another simple console system.

So, besides its innovative features, what makes a Wii system so sought after and attractive to hordes of loyal fans? Undoubtedly, it is the smooth and architectural design making it compact and helping it stand out from the rest of the products in its category. Wii is the smallest console since the inception of Nintendo including the next generation consoles like Play Station 3 and Xbox 360, with the dimensions of 44 mm (1.73”) wide, 157 mm (6.18”) tall and 215.4 mm (8.48”) deep, you basically have a gaming system that’s as compact as it gets.

A slim and sleek design does not limit the potentiality of the system. Banking on the immense popularity of the system game makers are lining up to develop a wide range of titles. Users have a limitless supply of games such as Twilight Princess, Guitar Hero 3, Mario galaxy, etc.

The Wii system also provides the user the facility to play online. As per this service, players can create an avatar and use it to play games and interact live with other users over the internet.

Do you want more? Well the Wii system makes sure all your gaming needs are fulfilled. With add on features of backward compatibility it allows its user to play any of the games supported by Nintendo Game Cube. The Wii also allows its user to work with Nintendo DS, using it as a controller.

Nintendo Wii system is undoubtedly the hottest console system available for any serious gamer not only for the multiple features that it provides but also for the attractive pricing as compared to the Play station 3 and Xbox 360. So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and grab the Nintendo Wii system to enjoy a never before gaming experience.