Is there a misconception regarding the age range of Nintendo gamers?

[Gamerace]

Well, I'm 43. I own a Wii and 360. My step-son (12) plays on the 360 and I on the Wii.

To me, the type of games on 360/PS3 - violent, movie-like games that require long play sessions are aimed at the pre-teen market who think anything violent is cool and have endless free time to waste playing games. Of course they aren't old enough to buy these games but it's amazing how many pre-teens have M rated CoD and GTA. My adult children also play 360, but Wii as well. My wife will play Wii occasionally (Just Dance mainly - no Kinect for 360).

I play in 10-30 minutes segments 3-5 times a week. I don't have time for long games, and I don't care about the 'story' in games, I play to play not to watch cut-scenes.

I grew up playing Donkey Kong, Mario, Pac-man, Q-Bert, etc. So I have no adversion to 'cute' characters in games. And based on the success of Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, and their ilk, neither does the vast majority of the world. Frankly it's only the PS360 gamers who (very conveniently) dismiss Mario as too kiddy (and then play Xplosion Man or Little Big Planet). I find this a very immature attitude and frankly tentative to 'sticking their head in the sand' and ignoring the fact their mothers and grandmothers are playing Wii Sports/Wii Fit (because they are little kids?) or nowadays Angry Birds, etc.

On the flip side parents of young kids will always go for Nintendo over MS/Sony (especially this gen) since Nintendo's games are (almost) always kid friendly. But today the trend is to give the kids the old smartphone/tablet to play with when the parents upgrade.