If you’re looking to have a great time with friends or a group of people, nothing beats hosting a Wii gaming night.  The Nintendo Wii is quite different from most gaming systems, in that it really relies on group interaction to have a great time.  The Play station 3 and XBOX are popular, but are geared towards single-player;  The Wii is not.  I’ve found on my own that playing Wii alone is really boring, but when played with friends it makes for a lot of unique fun for all ages.

Playing with a projector is really nice, but even a nice large screen will work as well – especially if you’re inside.  When outside I recommend using the Wireless Sensor bar rather then the factory sensor bar – the wireless one can be set up away from the WII unit and gives you greater distance from the Wii Remote Controllers.

OUR FIRST LARGE WII NIGHT:

We had a Wii night with some friends of ours probably a year ago where they set up a huge screen outside and used a projector to play:  The experience was larger than life and so was the crowd.  At first everyone is a little timid but eventually everyone had a go at playing the WII and then really didn’t care how funny they looked while playing it – Everyone had a ball.  Essentials:

• A Projector or LCD HDTV
• Wii Console with Wii Sports – this comes with 1 nunchuk and 1 Remote Controller
• 3 x  Wii Nunchuk Controller & Wii Remote Controller
• Wii Charge Station
• Wii Wireless Sensor Bar
• Optionally: Wii G-pak Console Organizer Case 

Fun Additions:

• Snacks: Nachos, Buffalo Wings,7-Layer Dip (Wim you made a great one that time!) – Use your imagination.
• Drinks: Soda for the kids, Alcohol for the adults (Beware, this can be a hilarious combination! – Refer to: www.wiihaveaproblem.com)
• Last but not least, Some Good friends!

Games I’d also recommend picking up for the event:

• Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
• Smarty Pants: Trivia for Everyone
• Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
• Mario Party 8
• Karaoke Revolution: Presents American Idol Encore 2 w/Microphone
• Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel
• Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 2 with Dance Mat
• Carnival Games

I hope you all give this a try one of these days.  I think you’ll find it to be surprisingly fun – even if you’re an old fart!  Feel free to post your experiences and how your Wii night went – as well as further recommendations.