As part of a long-standing partnership with Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation, Nintendo has updated the Starlight Fun Centers to include a Nintendo Wii.

Since 1992, Nintendo and Starlight have been working together to bring these centers to children’s hospitals across the U.S. and Canada; Nintendo will be making 1,250 of them in its first run, and Starlight hopes to have placed 500 of them by the end of the year. The first two were donated to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles at a launch event on June 25, based on Super Mario Galaxy. Linda Garcia, of CHLA, commented that "through this...children learn about cooperation, positive thinking and problem-solving skills," while Paula Van Ness, CEO of Starlight, said that "the Wii technology can be used to encourage children to do physical therapy and motor coordination exercises."

I think this is a very good idea, especially given the "play together" nature of the Wii these days. Additionally, Penny Arcade’s Childs Play foundation does something similar by sending lots of gaming equipment to hospitals every year.