By MICHAEL MILLER
Introducing the Nintendo Wii
Posted: 2007-07-02 14:25:09
Where Microsoft and Sony have grand designs for their new consoles to be integrated home entertainment systems, complete with high definition DVD and music playback, Nintendo's Wii is a pure game system -- nothing more and definitely nothing less. Nintendo's goal for the Wii is to make game playing accessible for all different types of people, not just for hardcore gamers. With the Wii, Nintendo aims to make their games simple enough for casual users to learn, yet challenging enough to keep experienced gamers engaged. Nintendo may just have succeeded in this goal.
The Wii: What It Is and How It Works
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Click here and listen to our expert tell you more.
First things first. Wii is pronounced "we" -- or maybe "weeeeee," because it's so much fun to play. Unlike Microsoft and Sony, who concentrated on state-of-the-art technology and graphics with their new game systems, Nintendo focused on game play, which the Wii has in spades.
The Wii's outstanding game play starts with a new type of game controller. Moving well beyond traditional controller design, Nintendo has created a unique controller that, at first glance, looks like a handheld television remote control. The Wii Remote (dubbed the "Wiimote") is a wireless controller that uses Bluetooth technology to send its signals to your TV from up to 30 feet away.
More important, the Wiimote ditches the multitude of buttons and switches and joysticks common to today's other game controllers, instead opting for a motion sensing system. In essence, you control your onscreen characters by simply waving the Wiimote through the air. The Wiimote uses a combination of accelerometers and infrared technology; the signals it sends to the sensor bar receiver, which connects to the front of your TV, enables the unit to sense the controller's position in space. This lets you control the action using physical gestures with the Wiimote, as well as traditional button presses.
For example, if you're playing a tennis game, you swing the Wiimote like a tennis racket to make your in-game character swing his racket. Or if you're playing a sword-and-sorcery game, slashing the Wiimote causes the character to slash with his sword. It's different from all existing controllers, but quite intuitive -- and very addictive.
Just as the Wiimote is different from competing game controllers, the Wii console is equally different from the Microsoft and Sony consoles. The Wii is much smaller than its competitors, about the size of three DVD cases stacked together, and can be positioned either horizontally or vertically. Unlike the other units, the Wii doesn't include a built-in hard disk or DVD player; it's devoted solely to playing games, which allows for the compact size.
The Wii does, however, have 512MB of flash memory, for storing in-progress games and scores and such. It's capable of 480i or 480p resolution, in 16:9 widescreen format. The console itself has a slot for SD memory cards, another slot for older GameCube memory cards, as well as two USB ports. It sports an A/V multi-output port that features composite video, S-video, component video, and analog stereo audio outputs. Wii games come on 12cm optical discs; the Wii console will also accept the 8cm discs used in the previous-generation GameCube console. In fact, the Wii should play all existing GameCube games, with no compatibility issues.
There are two other differences between the Wii and the other next-generation game systems -- price and availability. The Wii is priced at just $249.99, compared to $399 for the Xbox 360 and $599 for a fully-loaded PS3. And, unlike Sony, which has short supplies of its new system, Nintendo is geared up to move a ton of units over the holiday season. There should be enough Wiis available to meet Nintendo's goal of selling 4 million units by the end of the year.
The Wii Interface
The Wii interface starts with an onscreen menu that displays when you first insert a game disc. The menu features a series of channels, each with its own unique function. The first menu choice is the Disk Channel, which you use to start up the game that is currently inserted in the system. Next is the Photo Channel, where you can upload, edit, and view photos from your digital camera’s memory card, which you insert in the front of the system. If you want to create your own custom avatar, choose the Mii Channel. You can store more than one avatar, meaning your friends and family can each have their own.
Other channels include a News Channel, Weather Channel Internet Channel, and Wii Message board -- with more channels to come.
Wii Online
Simultaneous with the launch of the Wii console, Nintendo is also launching the new always-on WiiConnect24 service. This Internet-based service automatically goes online and downloads game updates direct to the Wii console. It also retrieves the latest news reports and weather forecasts.
And connecting to the Internet is quite simple. Unlike competing consoles, the Wii includes built-in WiFi connectivity; just plug it in to connect to your wireless home network and the Internet. (Nintendo will also be releasing a Ethernet kit, if you want to connect to a wired network.)
Once you get online, you can play against other Wii gamers worldwide via the WiFi Connection service, chat via the Wii message boards, or browse the web via the Internet Channel. You can also use the online Virtual Console service to download older Nintendo games. You purchase Wii Points ($20 for 2,000 points), which you then use to acquire games online. The entire Nintendo game archive will be available via the Virtual Console, including games for the NES, Super NES, and Nintendo 64 -- as well as the Sega Genesis and TurboGrafx16.
Wii Games
Since the Wii doesn't have the state-of-the-art graphics found in the Xbox 360 or PS3, its game play must be superior in order for the system to be successful. On that front, the Wii doesn't disappoint.
The most anticipated game for the Wii is The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. This latest chapter in the ongoing Legend of Zelda story has been described by many as the best Zelda game ever made. You control Link, the game's onscreen hero, by swinging the Wiimote like a sword. When you swing horizontally, Link slashes horizontally; swing vertically, and he slashes vertically. When you thrust the controller forward, Link bashes enemies with his shield. The Wii console itself comes packaged with the Wii Sports game. Included in this game are five different sports: Tennis, Baseball, Golf, Bowling, and Boxing. You use the Wiimote to control your athlete: swing the controller to swing your tennis racket, use your controller like a golf club to putt and swing in Golf, and swing the Wiimote underhand to bowl. Incorporating the Wiimote puts a fresh spin on these traditional types of games.
Why Wii?
How does the Wii compete with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 -- and will it succeed in the marketplace?
At first glance, it appears that the Wii soundly loses the features war. Both the Xbox 360 and PS3 use high-end graphics processors to deliver 1080p high definition resolution; the Wii is only capable of 480p enhanced definition resolution. The other consoles use 3.2GHz processors, where the Wii's CPU clocks in at just 729MHz; similarly, the Xbox 360 has 512MB video memory, the PS3 has 256MB, and the Wii has just 24MB. Both the Xbox 360 and PS3 have built-in hard disk storage; the Wii doesn't. Sound-wise, both the Xbox 360 and PS3 have 5.1-chanel Dolby Digital surround sound, via optical digital audio connection. The Wii uses the older Dolby Pro Logic matrix surround, delivered via traditional R/L analog audio connections. On the other hand, the Wii wins the form factor war. The Wii weighs just 3.82 pounds, where the Xbox 360 and PS3 tip the scales at 9.9 and 11 pounds, respectively. The Wii is also considerably smaller than the other consoles, at just 8.5" x 6.2" x 1.7"; the Xbox 360 measures 12.2" x 10.2" x 3.3", while the PS3 is a whopping 12.8" x 10.8" x 3.9" -- about double the size of the Wii. If smaller is better for you, the Wii is an easy choice.
On the other other hand, the competing consoles offer more non-gaming features. The Xbox 360 has a built-in CD/DVD drive for music and movie playback, and the PS3 has a next-generation Blu-ray drive for high resolution DVD playback. The Wii offers neither CD or DVD playback; it's strictly a game console, not a would-be multimedia center.
And that, perhaps, is the real difference between the Wii and its competitors. Philosophically, Nintendo has created a focused game system designed for all levels of users. Microsoft and Sony, on the other hand, have designed their systems for jaded hardcore gamers, and would like their consoles to be the centerpiece of a complete audio/video system, complete with music and movie playback, digital photo viewing, and web browsing. The Wii just plays games. That focus lets Nintendo create a much less obtrusive console, and one that sells for less than half the price of the competition. Do you really need your game console to play DVDs? If not, the $250 Wii is a steal, especially compared to the $600 PS3. And for your $250, you get truly revolutionary game play, thanks to the motion-sensing Wiimote controller. Even if the graphics aren't quite as good as the competition, the Wii's game play delivers.
So if you want truly state-of-the-art graphics, surround sound, and music and movie playback, go for the bigger and more-expensive Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 systems. But if you want innovative game play without all the multimedia bells and whistles, at a much more affordable price, check out the Wii. It just might be the most fun videogame system on the market today! (Alec Hauser contributed to this article.)
Michael Miller is a writer and commentator on technology and digital lifestyle topics.
More important, the Wiimote ditches the multitude of buttons and switches and joysticks common to today's other game controllers, instead opting for a motion sensing system. In essence, you control your onscreen characters by simply waving the Wiimote through the air. The Wiimote uses a combination of accelerometers and infrared technology; the signals it sends to the sensor bar receiver, which connects to the front of your TV, enables the unit to sense the controller's position in space. This lets you control the action using physical gestures with the Wiimote, as well as traditional button presses.
For example, if you're playing a tennis game, you swing the Wiimote like a tennis racket to make your in-game character swing his racket. Or if you're playing a sword-and-sorcery game, slashing the Wiimote causes the character to slash with his sword. It's different from all existing controllers, but quite intuitive -- and very addictive.
Just as the Wiimote is different from competing game controllers, the Wii console is equally different from the Microsoft and Sony consoles. The Wii is much smaller than its competitors, about the size of three DVD cases stacked together, and can be positioned either horizontally or vertically. Unlike the other units, the Wii doesn't include a built-in hard disk or DVD player; it's devoted solely to playing games, which allows for the compact size.
The Wii does, however, have 512MB of flash memory, for storing in-progress games and scores and such. It's capable of 480i or 480p resolution, in 16:9 widescreen format. The console itself has a slot for SD memory cards, another slot for older GameCube memory cards, as well as two USB ports. It sports an A/V multi-output port that features composite video, S-video, component video, and analog stereo audio outputs. Wii games come on 12cm optical discs; the Wii console will also accept the 8cm discs used in the previous-generation GameCube console. In fact, the Wii should play all existing GameCube games, with no compatibility issues.
There are two other differences between the Wii and the other next-generation game systems -- price and availability. The Wii is priced at just $249.99, compared to $399 for the Xbox 360 and $599 for a fully-loaded PS3. And, unlike Sony, which has short supplies of its new system, Nintendo is geared up to move a ton of units over the holiday season. There should be enough Wiis available to meet Nintendo's goal of selling 4 million units by the end of the year.
The Wii Interface
The Wii interface starts with an onscreen menu that displays when you first insert a game disc. The menu features a series of channels, each with its own unique function. The first menu choice is the Disk Channel, which you use to start up the game that is currently inserted in the system. Next is the Photo Channel, where you can upload, edit, and view photos from your digital camera’s memory card, which you insert in the front of the system. If you want to create your own custom avatar, choose the Mii Channel. You can store more than one avatar, meaning your friends and family can each have their own.
Other channels include a News Channel, Weather Channel Internet Channel, and Wii Message board -- with more channels to come.
Wii Online
Simultaneous with the launch of the Wii console, Nintendo is also launching the new always-on WiiConnect24 service. This Internet-based service automatically goes online and downloads game updates direct to the Wii console. It also retrieves the latest news reports and weather forecasts.
And connecting to the Internet is quite simple. Unlike competing consoles, the Wii includes built-in WiFi connectivity; just plug it in to connect to your wireless home network and the Internet. (Nintendo will also be releasing a Ethernet kit, if you want to connect to a wired network.)
Once you get online, you can play against other Wii gamers worldwide via the WiFi Connection service, chat via the Wii message boards, or browse the web via the Internet Channel. You can also use the online Virtual Console service to download older Nintendo games. You purchase Wii Points ($20 for 2,000 points), which you then use to acquire games online. The entire Nintendo game archive will be available via the Virtual Console, including games for the NES, Super NES, and Nintendo 64 -- as well as the Sega Genesis and TurboGrafx16.
Wii Games
Since the Wii doesn't have the state-of-the-art graphics found in the Xbox 360 or PS3, its game play must be superior in order for the system to be successful. On that front, the Wii doesn't disappoint.
The most anticipated game for the Wii is The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. This latest chapter in the ongoing Legend of Zelda story has been described by many as the best Zelda game ever made. You control Link, the game's onscreen hero, by swinging the Wiimote like a sword. When you swing horizontally, Link slashes horizontally; swing vertically, and he slashes vertically. When you thrust the controller forward, Link bashes enemies with his shield. The Wii console itself comes packaged with the Wii Sports game. Included in this game are five different sports: Tennis, Baseball, Golf, Bowling, and Boxing. You use the Wiimote to control your athlete: swing the controller to swing your tennis racket, use your controller like a golf club to putt and swing in Golf, and swing the Wiimote underhand to bowl. Incorporating the Wiimote puts a fresh spin on these traditional types of games.
Why Wii?
How does the Wii compete with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 -- and will it succeed in the marketplace?
At first glance, it appears that the Wii soundly loses the features war. Both the Xbox 360 and PS3 use high-end graphics processors to deliver 1080p high definition resolution; the Wii is only capable of 480p enhanced definition resolution. The other consoles use 3.2GHz processors, where the Wii's CPU clocks in at just 729MHz; similarly, the Xbox 360 has 512MB video memory, the PS3 has 256MB, and the Wii has just 24MB. Both the Xbox 360 and PS3 have built-in hard disk storage; the Wii doesn't. Sound-wise, both the Xbox 360 and PS3 have 5.1-chanel Dolby Digital surround sound, via optical digital audio connection. The Wii uses the older Dolby Pro Logic matrix surround, delivered via traditional R/L analog audio connections. On the other hand, the Wii wins the form factor war. The Wii weighs just 3.82 pounds, where the Xbox 360 and PS3 tip the scales at 9.9 and 11 pounds, respectively. The Wii is also considerably smaller than the other consoles, at just 8.5" x 6.2" x 1.7"; the Xbox 360 measures 12.2" x 10.2" x 3.3", while the PS3 is a whopping 12.8" x 10.8" x 3.9" -- about double the size of the Wii. If smaller is better for you, the Wii is an easy choice.
On the other other hand, the competing consoles offer more non-gaming features. The Xbox 360 has a built-in CD/DVD drive for music and movie playback, and the PS3 has a next-generation Blu-ray drive for high resolution DVD playback. The Wii offers neither CD or DVD playback; it's strictly a game console, not a would-be multimedia center.
And that, perhaps, is the real difference between the Wii and its competitors. Philosophically, Nintendo has created a focused game system designed for all levels of users. Microsoft and Sony, on the other hand, have designed their systems for jaded hardcore gamers, and would like their consoles to be the centerpiece of a complete audio/video system, complete with music and movie playback, digital photo viewing, and web browsing. The Wii just plays games. That focus lets Nintendo create a much less obtrusive console, and one that sells for less than half the price of the competition. Do you really need your game console to play DVDs? If not, the $250 Wii is a steal, especially compared to the $600 PS3. And for your $250, you get truly revolutionary game play, thanks to the motion-sensing Wiimote controller. Even if the graphics aren't quite as good as the competition, the Wii's game play delivers.
So if you want truly state-of-the-art graphics, surround sound, and music and movie playback, go for the bigger and more-expensive Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 systems. But if you want innovative game play without all the multimedia bells and whistles, at a much more affordable price, check out the Wii. It just might be the most fun videogame system on the market today! (Alec Hauser contributed to this article.)
Michael Miller is a writer and commentator on technology and digital lifestyle topics.
2006-11-27 11:07:50
