Wii Sports launched in 2006 with intentionally archaic graphics, no run button, and almost no gameplay depth, yet it became the fourth best-selling game in history with 82.9 million copies sold and a 2023 induction into the World Video Game Hall of Fame. This deep dive explains how Nintendo producer Katsuya Eguchi targeted cognitive load by building the game around the accelerometer in the Wii Remote, stripping out any mechanic that could not be controlled by swinging it. The hosts also cover the decision to drop Mario in favor of Mii avatars after play testers said they wanted to play as themselves, and how Reggie Fils-Aime won the fight to bundle the game with every console outside Japan.

The conversation then turns to the real-world consequences: broken televisions, the wrist strap recall, and injuries doctors dubbed Wiiitis, followed by ...