DS seems to get a free pass for some reason. Same with the NES.

But yeah, every successful platform ever has a ton of shovelware, and any gamer worth their salt knows how to spot them a mile away and avoid them, so I don't see the big deal. It's not like you have to play through Just Dance or Cooking Mama to unlock Mario Galaxy and Xenoblade.

A miserable little pile of secrets.

I don't understand that logic either. Some people do the same thing in the PS1 vs. N64 debate, but it's not like people are going to base their decision on the premise on not buying a console because it has more bad games, their going to buy a console based on whether it has more games they want/have games they want more.

The Wii was a great underrated console, at least to me.

I had tons of fun with it, probably the home console I had most fun ever. It also helped me introduce videogames to many of my family members.

As the WiiU is backwards compatible, we pratically don´t use the Wii anymore for gaming but I still keep it on our guest bedroom so relatives may watch Netflix on it.

I really have mixed feelings about i looking back on it with a fresh, detached perspective compared to a decade ago (which btw I can't freaking believe it's been that long, how time flies)..

It was a great console with and exciting concept overall. I loved the 3D motion of the controller. I remember playing Wii Tennis with my cousin on launch day and it felt like the first time playing video games all over again. I didn't really see it as a "gimmick" like many, but more like an evolutionary step like the rumble and trigger buttons. I also didn't think it was necessary to force motion into every game like Nintendo and many third parties apparently felt the need to do. Use it when it compliments the game and that's it. Especially nowadays, I view the motion thing as more of an evolutionary step or gameplay enhancement, rather than a earth-shattering revolutionary gaming invention.

As far as its success - I still view largely reject the notion of it being a result of the "motion control fad" or "teh cazual gamez!" as many core gamers resorted to as an excuse for its sales explosion. After all, some of its most successful games used motion control mimimally or not at all (Smash Brothers, anyone?) Rather, I viewed it more as a response to the sort of simplification of games that had gotten increasingly complex and more niche in their appeal, allowing it to appeal to a mass audience who could wrap their head around merely waving a controller around in Just Dance or running and jumping from left to right in Mario. There was also the key factor in the overall strength of the library, maybe not so much from its QUALITY per-capita but from the sheer QUANTITY of games. It had such a diverse lineup that no matter what your gaming tastes, chances are there were at least of handful of Wii games for you.

The library was a complete mixed bag. A ton of shovelware by third parties who didn't "get it" but I can't fault them too much on that as even Nintendo didn't seem to get their own console judging from some of the later Wii games and the Wii U flop that followed.. But like the PS2, the sheer quantity of the library meant there were plenty of very good games, though it was sort of lacking in the "OMG AMAZINGLY EPIC" games department.

Though I feel like my Wii hype was something of a short burn, much like its sales curve itself funny enough. It quickly went from total and utter love and excitment, to "just alright" to "meh" within a few years. Now I mainly only use my Wii for virtual console. Overall it was an innovative console and a refreshing left turn from the AAA stuff on PS360 with mega-horsepower and complex gameplay.

Yep, my point exactly.  Especially since OP is asking for a "gamer's perspective" from "gamers who frequent gaming forums".  These gamers aren't likely be duped into buying Imagine Babies just because it's there on any system.

sure you can, but when those games account for most of the library of a system, thats kind of a problem. What other home console had as much shovelware or more shovelware than they had regular games?

I never understood the argument that 3rd parties didnt get it. They got it just fine, they made the games that people wanted to play on that particular system. Dont personally care for those Just Dance, Bachelor, Carnival Games, but they were cheap to make and they sold real well, initially at least.

I'd say pretty much every successful platform ever, (and for that matter nearly all platforms successful or not) have more bad games than good ones.

Exactly. Nobody is forcing you to play Cooking Mama or Carnival Games. The kind of people who hate them can easily identify them and avoid them, so it shouldn't have any impact.

I have used the Wii more than any other video game console. Last week my brother got married. The night and morning before he got married we played the Wii in the motel room. We played Mario Kart 64, F-Zero X, Wave Racer 64, Super Street Fighter II, Goldeneye and SSB Brawl with Game Cube controllers.

I believe the reputation of the Wii is improving now that the run of the mill third party games that the PS3 and Xbox 360 had are being forgotten.