The new generation of games consoles are hovering over us like expectant wives. But unlike wives, these machines are designed for our entertainment pleasure and don’t care how often we tell them we love them.
With Microsoft and Sony both going for full, brute-force power with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 respectively, it’s left cash-strapped Nintendo with only one path to go down: innovation. Or give up. OK, two paths to go down. Luckily, they chose the first.
Unfortunately, the company chose a rather pathetic name: the Wii. Blame the Japanese. You see, it’s their version of the word ‘we’ meaning ‘everyone’. It’s a console for everyone… Get it?
The Wii uses a new type of controller, packed with motion-sensitive technology, to immerse the player like never before. Never before in the home, that is. Arcades have been dabbling in this stuff for years.
The idea is pretty straight forward; you clutch the remote-control-like controller (Wiimote) like a tennis racket to play a tennis game, a bowling ball to bowl, etc. The Wiimote senses everything from how hard you swing it to where in relation to the TV it’s being held. Liken it, if you will, to magic.
Pros
The controllers
The Wiimote is a bridge between the ‘hard core’ gamers and the people who’ve heard of that Lara Croft character and maybe dabbled in Singstar at a party this one time. It’s intuitive, so anyone can pick it up and play. That’s the theory. We’re happy to report that it’s also how it works in practise, with the Wii becoming popular with grans, dads, sisters and neighbours up and down the country. Seriously, our dad loved it and he hates video games.
It’s cheap
It costs £180. Yes, £180. One more time? £180. For that you get the console a Wiimote, the Wiimote’s sometime companion the nunchuck (also motion sensitive), and one game; Wii Sports. Yes, yes, we know. Wii Sports. It sounds rude.
It has some very nice titles
The boxed game, Wii Sports, contains the following gaming treats; golf, tennis, bowling, boxing and baseball. Each one is a good old laugh, with plenty of room for developing the mad skillz.
Other titles of excellence include, Zelda Twilight Princess (a massive sprawling adventure game), Wario Ware (a truly excellent party game), Wii Play (another medley of gaming titbits) and Rayman Raving Rabbids (a game you need crack to play*).
Look out for these, too: Cooking Mama, Mario Party 8, Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3 and Super Smash Brothers Brawl.
Nice features
The Wii has a wireless internet connection so, if you have the right set-up at home, you can browse the net, check the news and the weather. You can also create little avatars for you and all your mates. Nintendo has chosen to call them Miis. Your Mii can be swapped with other Wii owners over the net. The current fad amongst Wii owners is to mock up Miis of famous serial killers and dictators. Someone sent us a Hitler and Jeffrey Dahmer to play with.
Not only that, but you can also download dozens of retro Nintendo and Sega games, like Sonic, Golden Axe, classic Bomber Man, Mario 64 and many other. This costs money though.
It’s not HD!
Remember the HD thing we talked about with the Xbox 360? Well, it doesn’t exist on the Wii. With Wii your current old TV will work just fine. Although you may need to lift it up three feet, and clear some room… and something bigger than a 25-inch set would be beneficial.
It’s hot property, you know
If you have Wii, you will be popular. Everyone wants one. Even your mum. Go on, ask her.
Cons
Not many games just now
It’s early days for the Wii. Even though game studios like Electronic Arts have whole departments dedicated to Wii development, titles are few and far between at the moment. Sigh. Rumours of a Harry Potter wand-wielding game and a Star Wars light sabre fare are, well, just rumours for now.
It’s not HD
If you have an HD TV, the Wii will look decisively poor on it next to, say, the Xbox 360. Oh well.
Rehash, rehash.
For every generation of Nintendo console there is one constant: there will always be a Mario and there will always be a Zelda. It’s hardly original thinking. Having said that, they have all been corkers. Super Mario All Stars on the SNES, Mario 64 on the N64 and, er, Mario Sunshine on the GameCube… OK, that was rubbish. The Wii will continue this long standing tradition.
Need a lot of batteries
The Wiimotes can go through batteries like the Scots go through whiskey. It’s best to invest in a slew of rechargeables. There’s also some nifty recharge holders on the way. But, if like us you haven’t got either, battery cost soon adds up. Like we said, it’s early days for the Wii.
If you can get one, get one. The Wii really is a lot of fun. You will need space in your room to play it, mind. And, if you have a tiny telly, it may prove an awkward gaming experience. But don’t let that put you off.
Next time, we’ll be tantalising you with the ups and downs of the last console to hit the shelves, the PlayStation 3. In the meantime, we’re off to Woolworths to find a good pack of rechargeable batteries.
*Do not use crack.
[story by Richard Preston]
Olly Clanford says
Nice article, but I take issue with one point, namely “cash-strapped Nintendo” – I think you’ll agree that a $1.1 billion profit in 9 months (April-September 2006) is pretty good and more than enough to ensure that Nintendo directors aren’t smashing their piggy banks just yet.
People really should do their research before making throw-away comments like this.
Richard says
Hello. I wrote this rant, I did.
I’d like to point out that Nintendo were cash-strapped before coming up with the Wii.
Since releasing the Wii they have done “$1.1 billion profit in 9 months (April-September 2006)”.
To recap; before the Wii Nintendo were cash strapped. After the Wii, now, they are not.
Thank you for your comments,
R
MP says
Good article but needs another correction. Nintendo was NEVER cash strapped. It is a for profit company. They don’t sell any of their hardware at a loss. Even when they were doing gamecube they had BILLIONS in the bank.(Although not billions in profit each year.) Yes, BILLIONS. Gameboy is a cash cow and they even made a little profit on gamecube. They numbers above are just record profits because of the DS.(Wii didn’t even come out until end of 2006.)
rhagafa says
the wii hasent even been out that long, nintendo was never cash-strapped
they have made alot of money off the DS too rite?