I'm back from a bit of a break and will be writing some more reviews soon, so don't all delete me fr...
I'm back from a bit of a break and will be writing some more reviews soon, so don't all delete me from your lists just yet.
Member since:22.03.2009
Reviews:38
Members who trust:24
Nintendo have been at the forefront of computer gaming since the early 80s with arcade games such as Donkey Kong and a highly successful series of consoles including the NES, Game Boy and N64. They appeared to have dropped the ball a bit with their previous home console, the GameCube; despite having some excellent games, it saw them lose much of their market share to Microsoft's X-Box and Sony's Playstation 2. However, they've bounced back with two of the most successful machines of the current generation; the DS and the Wii, and this review will be considering the latter.
Looking at the Wii's hardware specifications you won't see anything particularly special. Indeed the CPU and graphics hardware are roughly on a par with the previous generation X-Box, although still significantly better than the GameCube and PS2, as evidenced in many of the better games. Externally, it's a stylish white box, about the size of a hardback book and weighing a little over a kilo. With a much smaller physical size than other current consoles it's easily stashed inside your TV cabinet. So, what is it about the Wii that makes it so mould-breakingly different?
The answer to that question, in case you didn't already know it, is in the innovative control system; the Wii Remote, also known colloquially
as the Wii-mote. This is a wireless motion-sensing controller that allows you to act out in-games moves by gesturing with it; you might swing it like you would a bowling ball, golf club or baseball bat for instance. This has served to change the whole game play experience from one for couch potatoes into a more active one that'll have you jumping around the room. As well as its motion sensing capabilities, the Wii also has a cursor control and several buttons, including a trigger, for more conventional controls. It comes with a nunchuk attachment that you hopefully won't be flailing around too much, with an analogue stick and further buttons for games that require precision control.
Accidents can, and have, happened with Wii-motes though and they're equipped with a rubber sleeve and wrist strap to stop them flying out of your control and damaging your furniture too much. Still, be careful; I'd recommend a read of the site wiihaveaproblem.com if you want to see what people have managed to do; be prepared for scenes of smashed TV sets, self-inflicted injuries and worse though.
Even with such a revolutionary controller, no console is complete without its games. A couple of the most eye-catchingly innovative and popular are Wii Sports and Wii Fit. The former is bundled with every UK Wii and makes great use of gesture controls with the Wii-mote in a fashion that's been copied many times since. It's relatively simple, yet stylish, graphics don't unduly tax the machine though and it's lacking in the depth and online play that hardcore gamers would expect. Still, its influence is undeniable and the presence of gesture controls in most subsequent Wii games ensures that they feel quite different on the machine to any other console.
Wii Fit adds another piece of hardware call the balance board. This is something that you stand or lean on and gives you feedback on various exercises and minigames. As something that's both fun and gives you some exercise, it's been a huge fad and further sparked the movement of gamers from the safety of their couches. Like Wii Sports though, it's not yet a fully realized concept and is lacking in the sort of features that those looking for a serious workout. However, other games are starting to make use of the balance board and it looks set to make as serious an impact on gaming as the Wii-mote did even if we aren't quite there yet.
This is not to say that the Wii is totally bereft of classic console genres though. Rather, it has some excellent role playing games, puzzlers and racers; there's even a smattering of decent first person shooters. It's got the best beat 'em up game of the moment in Super Smash Brothers Brawl and a truly stellar platformer in Super Mario Galaxy.
Onto what the Wii won't give you. It's lacking the HD graphics of the X-Box 360 and PS3. Sure, you can plug it into an HD set, but with most games natively running at 480p it's not going to give you the detailed graphics of the other machines. It's also lagging behind seriously in terms of cross-platform titles; there's no Bioshock, Grand Theft Auto IV or Orange Box for the Wii, nor is there ever likely to be as the hardware simply isn't up to the job. Games like Guitar Hero III and Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 have been ported over but lag behind the other consoles both in terms of features and release dates. The Wii is also unable to play DVDs without third-party hacks and generally lacks media-playing features or a useful amount of storage for them to be easily added later.
In terms of price, at about £175 the Wii sits in between the 360 (from £125) and the PS3 (about £290) but, seeing as it's a relatively lightweight console I get the feeling that this is being buoyed up by the huge demand for the machine. It ought to be a lot cheaper to manufacture than either of its rivals and even if Nintendo don't have the sort of clout that Microsoft do to engage in a price war.
Overall, I'd recommend the Wii highly to those looking to play innovative console games, particularly if you've become rather jaded by by the sort of rehashed and glossy ideas on offer elsewhere. Hardcore players of traditional console games will probably want to give its rivals a look though, particularly the 360, although the Blu-Ray player in the PS3 makes that a tempting choice for videophiles with HD televisions. There's room for all three consoles in my collection right now, but if I had to pick just one it'd be the Wii.
(Also posted to ciao.com as Phantom_Wombat)
Pictures of Nintendo Wii
Wii Sports will get you out of your seat and swinging your Wii-mote like a tennis racket.
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(+) Plenty of storage space, for media. Good Games, Great for partys, with singstar. Very Reliable. (-) Sometimes the optical drive, breaks; but not very likely, my 60gb still working after 2 1/2 years.
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Advantages: Unique gameplay and control, Gets people moving. Disadvantages: Lack of decent titles, Lacking in some features compared to other consoles.
Erykgecko 05.03.2008 (05.03.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Nintendo Wii
Apr 8th, 2009
exceptional by (8%):
very helpful by (92%):
