The Wii Difference
There’s no getting around the fact that Nintendo’s Wii is a weird machine. (Hell, even the name is freaky.) While Microsoft and Sony strive to deliver whiz-bang high-definition visuals and sound in their next-gen consoles, Nintendo takes a very different approach with the Wii. The system’s inner workings don’t stray too far from the GameCube’s last-gen tech (a calculated maneuver to keep hardware costs down), but the interface—an innovative motion-sensing wireless remote—fundamentally changes the way you play your games.
Couch potatoes should be worried: With the Wii, your days of vegging out while leisurely holding a gamepad are history. Most Wii games have you mimic real-life motions (throwing a football, swinging a sword, steering a car, and so on) to manipulate onscreen action. Coupling the remote with the add-on Nunchuk accessory opens up even more control possibilities, like independent moving and aiming for first-person shooters or dual fisticuffs for boxing.
After putting Wii’s launch titles through the paces, we’re definitely impressed with the controller: Simpler minigame fare like Wii Sports and Rayman Raving Rabbids feels instantly instinctive, and even comparatively traditional games like Zelda benefit from the newfound freedom and creativity. Despite the system’s obvious graphical shortcomings, we believe that the Wii’s paradigm-busting controller and top-quality first-party software will allow it to hang tough alongside the far beefier Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Nintendo Wii has the most unique controller of any console of all time. Known as the Wiimote, it more resembles a TV remote control than a typical games paddle. At first glance it seems like a very simple device without many buttons, seemingly too few to adequately play modern games with. First impressions are very deceiving.
The Wiimote has motion sensors inside it, meaning that simply waving the controller in the air is a means of input in itself. The Wiimote also features force feedback, meaning events in the game can cause it to rumble for a more immersive feeling. It also has its own speaker, allowing for a depth of sound never before heard on any console.
Experienced PC gamers will know that the only way to control certain types of games is using the mouse. Up until now games consoles haven't been able to compete with their clumsy controllers, most notably on first-person shooter (FPS) and real-time strategy (RTS) games. The Wiimote is the only controller for a console which can match and even surpass the effectiveness of a mouse.
The Wii is not all about games though. When powered on the Wii interface will include Wii Channels, a gateway to interactive features and using the Internet. The Wiimote is an intuitive pointing device suited well for this purpose as well.
When needed the Wiimote can be coupled with a second device to hold in your other hand. This second device features an analog stick and its own motion sensors that are independent from the main Wiimote. This is effect gives the user '2 hands' in the game, allowing for great ways of interaction.
System specs
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