It’s only a few more weeks until the new next-generation Nintendo Wii hits the shelves at retailers. The Wii is backward compatible with the GameCube games, but offers more options for the new, improved games and user interface this console offers.

I think the Wii will be the big seller this holiday season. The price is only $250 for the console. Only $250? Compare this to the Sony Playstation 3 which is going to be far more than $500, largely in part to its bleeding-edge Blu-Ray drive. Yes, the Sony will probably look and play fantastic, but the larger price tag will scare away a lot of the holiday money that people will spend elsewhere. Nintendo is predicting to have enough units to prevent a holiday shortage, so we’ll see what happens.

The big news is the Wii’s wireless controller. It is no longer a control stick/pushbutton array as in the past, but it works akin to having a built-in gyro that transmits the motion of your hand and arm into game movements. Example: if you are playing a tennis game, you swing your arm and wrist like a tennis racquet. Are you in a sword fight in Zelda: Twilight Princess? Then you slash and stab with your hand and arm like a sword, and that’s transfered to the game. It’s an unusual interface, but Nintendo claims it will be a lot more natural for people who are not “gamers”; in other words, these movements come naturally to you, vs. having to coordinate hand and eye to control what is on the screen. Wii is also going to be “connected”: it has wireless network capabilities, which means you can get online with other Wii players around the world, or download dozens of legacy Nintendo titles from the NES, Super NES and other old consoles for play on your Wii. (I’ve even heard rumor that some Sega Genesis titles will make it to the Wii, since Sega is no longer in the hardware/console business.) Wii has a lot of other new twists. Initial titles will be pricey, but I’m sure some retailers will offer bundles with a popular game title or two.