by Lisa Haasbroek

Want to get your girl to game? Consider getting a Wii. Since its launch, the Wii has been marketed towards non-traditional gamers, in particular female audiences and seniors. If you need any proof, just check out the glut of pink Wii accessories on the market…and yes, I confess, my Wii is pink.

Because its relatively budget friendly and doesn’t require much investment, noobs to console gaming are more likely to give it a try. Let’s check out a few popular titles that might appeal to women non-gamers.

Wii Sports

This usually comes bundled with your Wii, and its a great place to start. Play tennis, bowling, boxing, golf and baseball, with daily fitness tests included. The learning curve is manageable, and the games are family suitable, so everybody can play. Even non-gamers eat this up.

At the time of this writing, this title is available in South Africa.

Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party Bundle

Dance against opponents, or by yourself. Awesome concept. You use the Game Cube ports to plug in your dance mats, up to four at a time. The Wii allows you to use both foot and hand motions to play, and there is even a workout mode that tells you how many calories you’ve burned! Lots of people buy DDR as a fitness tool. There are dance hits from the past 4 decades, so the music alone is worth it.

At the time of this writing, this title must be imported in South Africa.

Trauma Centre: Second Opinion – (Wii)

This is a cult classic, animated surgery simulation. You play as hotshot surgeon Derek, and must save patients as they roll into your ER. The Wii control system adds realism, though it takes a steady hand to perform some operations. It’s just as good, if not better than the original.

At the time of this writing, this title must be imported in South Africa.

Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock Bundle

With hits by Santana, White Zombie, and Aerosmith, this game doesn’t need much introduction. You slot your Wii remote into the guitar, and you’re set to battle your way against rock legends. There’s no strings, but to simulate playing you have a bar you push which affects how fast the notes move. There’s a multiplayer action mode too, so its a great game to play together or with a group, assuming you can manage to dig up another guitar.

At the time of this writing, this title can be pre-ordered in South Africa.

Cooking Mama:Cook off

It’s a cooking simulation game, where you perform various tasks related to food preparation, such as grilling burgers, melting butter, beating eggs, and grinding meat. It’s easy to learn, but don’t expect to gain any new culinary skills. Still, with 55 recipes, its interesting, fun, and mindless entertainment.

At the time of this writing, this title must be imported in South Africa.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

It’s been referred to as the best adventure of all time, and Wii’s combat controls make this game very immersing. It’s a retelling of the original classic story, but with new twists. As Link, you navigate through the world exploring dungeons and temples, fighting monsters and bosses, and using you head to solve simple logic puzzles. It may be fairly challenging for new gamers, since it is still an action title, but the learning curve is not too steep. Anyone with a love for fantasy adventures will dig it.

At the time of this writing, this title is available in South Africa.

By Lisa Haasbroek of Plastic Ostrich Games, local developers of freeware games.