Wii Speak is a peripheral that, unsurprisingly, lets you speak to others on certain games over Nintendo WFC. Currently only one such game exists, Animal Crossing: City Folk, however The Conduit which (at the time of writing) is due to be released soon which is a very good thing as the Wii ... Read review
Advantages: Very clear despite its small size, Makes Animal Crossing: City Folk so much better on WFC Disadvantages: Animal Crossing: City Folk is the only game that currently supports it
...others on certain games over Nintendo WFC. Currently only one such game exists, Animal Crossing: City Folk, however The Conduit which (at the time of writing) is due to be released soon which is a very good thing as the Wii Speak peripheral is very good indeed.
== Look and Feel ==
The Wii Speak peripheral is of the same colour scheme to the Sensor Bar, with a light grey plastic body which is identical to the sensor ... ...cannot help but think why Nintendo could not of had a tougher microphone mesh. '''4/5'''
== Value for Money ==
At the time of writing, the Wii Speak peripheral only has moderate value for money. Its use in Animal Crossing: City Folk is faultless and works perfectly, coupled with its relatively cheap price for such a high quality product makes this a must buy for all Animal Crossing: City Folk owners. However for those ... more
Wii Speak is a peripheral that, unsurprisingly, lets you speak to others on certain games over Nintendo WFC. Currently only one such game exists, Animal Crossing: City Folk, however The Conduit which (at the time of writing) is due to be released soon which is a very good thing as the Wii Speak peripheral is very good indeed.
Look and Feel
The Wii Speak peripheral is of the same colour scheme to the Sensor Bar, with a light grey plastic body which is identical to the sensor bar, a black front, black microphone mesh and a grey cable making it look completely in place next to the Sensor Bar. It weights a bit heavier than it looks, feeling very robust and quality made. It is aesthetically pleasing, small and unobtrusive. 5/5
Robustness and Durability
As mentioned, Wii Speak feels very robust and does not feel fragile. The plastic body is very scratch resilient, with my Wii Speak falling off my television on multiple occasions yet it still looks brand new. Though, like most other microphone products, the microphone itself has a black foam covering and this is naturally susceptible to being caught by anything sharp (not that it should, being on top of a television) The main peripheral itself feels robust and durable but one cannot help but think why Nintendo could not of had a tougher microphone mesh. 4/5
Value for Money
At the time of writing, the Wii Speak peripheral only has moderate value for money. Its use in Animal Crossing: City Folk is faultless and works perfectly, coupled with its relatively cheap price for such a high quality product makes this a must buy for all Animal Crossing: City Folk owners. However for those without it this peripheral is not totally useless, Nintendo released a Wii Speak channel where you can enter a chat room with Wii friends. Also you can use Wii Speak to leave audio messages on your message board. This is not worth buying Wii Speak for though, this only gives value for money if bought for use with a game, and hopefully more games are released with support for this superb microphone. 3/5
Responsiveness
When used on Animal Crossing: City Folk (when you are in another friends town or vice versa) Wii Speak works perfectly. Even over my dubiously slow internet connection there was no lag or echo. On the receiving end, listening to someone using Wii Speak it sounds crisp and clear. It is just like talking on the phone, except this is free, I hope many other games released will support this peripheral. 5/5
Instruction Manual
The manual is rather unnecessary, with just the one cable going which goes to the Wii, it is very self explanatory, no buttons, no configuration, just plug in and play. The manual is in depth, maybe a bit too in depth.The manual could do with being a bit shorter though as using Wii Speak is even easier than using a controller. 4/5
Overall
Wii Speak is faultless in its look and design. It fits in perfectly with the sensor bar and is a very aesthetically pleasing shape. Currently lack of game support stops it from being a must buy, but hopefully over time this will change and Wii Speak will get the recognition it deserves. 4/5
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Product Information for "Nintendo Wii Speak Microphone" »
Microphone
Connectivity Technology
Wired
Connections
Connector Type
1 x USB ( 4 PIN USB Type A )
Manufacturer's product description
With the Wii Speak accessory, it's like you're all in the same room. The microphone sits atop the sensor bar and picks up the conversation of everyone in the room to encourage a more inclusive experience.