After nearly a year, a console's lifespan is unexpectedly cut short.

We all know that Microsoft gets a ton of flack when it comes to the hardware woes of the Xbox 360. Red lights and disc read errors appear to be a problem which numerous consumers throughout the globe have faced. All except me. I've owned the same console [knock on wood] since launch. Yeah, I am one of the lucky ones — it's just a matter of time I figure until the system kicks the bucket. And till this day, all of my PlayStation units have operated without any noticeable flaws. Unfortunately my beloved Wii recently decided to hang it up and isn't working correctly. The New England area has been hit with a random heatwave which ultimately lead to a few power surges. I came home to discover all electronic equipment was either shut off or in need of configurations (see: alarm clocks and microwave).

When the power surge occured, I never bothered to think about how the consoles would have been affected since I've been regularly playing with my Xbox 360 on a regular basis. But last night, my family pointed out that they couldn't play the Wii at all. Game discs can't be read, I can't access the internal settings, the Mii area or any of my Virtual Console games. So that's when I decided it was time to consult Nintendo.com's knowledge base for answers. As it turns out, the system was definitely defective, which left me with two possible solutions: a. send it back to Nintendo for repair or b. purchase a new Wii. Obviously the second option won't be happening anytime soon due to the nationwide shortage of units, not to mention that $250.00 is quite a bit to swallow. I've sent off a repair request and now it's just a matter of time before the UPS pre-paid shipping label arrives. Then I'll have to wait for 4 - 7 business days without the console, leaving my family Wii-less for the time being. (They love play the latest Mario Party and nothing else). 

It just puzzles me how the power surge only affected the Wii. All the other consoles were plugged in and they all work perfectly. Although it's my least played console in the household, it's absence from the entertainment unit will be painfully obvious — which makes me realize actually just how much I appreciate owning one when there are still so many gamers out there still waiting to get their own.