If you think shovelware is unique to the Wii then you're simply to young to remember that shovelware has ALWAYS been part of the videogame landscape. Same goes for books and movies. In the Atari 2600 days, there weren't any magazines to provide reviews, so you went on box art and word of mouth. In the NES days, magazines appeared, but you had very limited choices for quality reviews, and still relied many on word of mouth and the reputations of the developer and publisher. By the time the 16-bit wars rolled around, there were a huge number of gaming magazines. However, even with the Internet, shovelware has existed because many consumers fail to inform themselves before they make a purchasing decision. When a parent or grandparent wants to buy a game for their young child (or grandchild), they can often times be easily swayed by the boxart or a low price, or a popular IP (such as Dora or Mickey). The PS1 was notorious for shovelware because it was the first platform where games could be made extremely cheaply, as opposed to the expensive cartridges of previous consoles. To say that the Wii caused shovelware is both ignorant and naive.
Hardware is only a means to enjoy great games!
