There's a perfectly apparent reason. If you put that much power (and at the time it came out it was a fairly hefty amount of power) on a die size that big in a box that small then it's going to overheat. Tech advances, die sizes shrink, heat distribution improves with it, which is why later models are far more reliable (see also YLOD with the original model PS3, effectively caused from the insides melting and welding together). The reason the Wii never overheated is because it had the relative power of a doormat. Cart based systems like N64 have no optical drive or hard drive, so no moving parts, which already drastically reduces the heat output.

We should see less of that with the new gen which are using low-power, high efficiency parts (basically turbocharged versions of x64 netbook/ultrabook components) rather than last time round where one had what basically amounted to an overclocked G5, which was always an inefficient beast (hence the Power Mac towers that ordinarily housed them being the size of a small car) and Cell, which still nobody really seems to know how it works.

I feel that Nintendo was strongest during the days of the regular Nintendo and the super Nintendo. I really feel like the quality of the games on the Nintendo 64 was just not up to snuff.

My Xbox360 has not had any of the issues with breaking that others have complained about.

I agree with this. While I love Nintendo, I'm not really that big of a fan of the new Nintendo. I own the WiiU but my kids play it more than I do. I've never had any issues with my Xbox (or PS3, for that matter.) and I prefer the games on Xbox.

I can remember the days when the AC adapters would be the size of a toaster oven and the put out enough heat that they could be used as a toaster oven.

That's sort of still the case, just they now put the voltage transformer in a box halfway up the cable instead of incorporating it into the plug housing.

I think I need to bone up on my knowledge of electrical to completely understand what you are saying here. Most of my expertise is in the actual computer and no the electricity running to it. All I know is I haven't seen an AC adapter that big since the days of Atari. Today they are normally much smaller.

I feel that Nintendo was strongest during the days of the regular Nintendo and the super Nintendo. I really feel like the quality of the games on the Nintendo 64 was just not up to snuff.

My Xbox360 has not had any of the issues with breaking that others have complained about.

I agree with this. While I love Nintendo, I'm not really that big of a fan of the new Nintendo. I own the WiiU but my kids play it more than I do. I've never had any issues with my Xbox (or PS3, for that matter.) and I prefer the games on Xbox.

I think Nintendo really hit a dud with that motion sensor crap and they really put everything in to it. I play the punchout game from time to time but I always just use the controller turned sideways. I never stand up and actually try to box with it and when I do I have trouble beating glass joe. Every game that I like on the wii lets me play with the controller turned sideways in the classic style. The only game that I think truly benefits from the motion technology is mario cart. It really bums me out because my favorite title is zelda and I can't enjoy it on the wii because you are obligated to use the motion sensory crap.

I downloaded legend of Zelda: link to the past for the wiiU. Love it. Oh that, and donkey kong country.