[Console Review] Nintendo Wii

[Raiyven]

Alright, so my fiancee and I have had the thing for nearly a week, and I thought I might toss up a quick review of the thing for anyone considering a next-gen console.

Control Style. The first thing that everyone notices is the obviously different gameplay experience as per the control style, and the style of the games. After having a discussion with one of my classmates who also made the purchase, we came to an agreement after I'd suggested that this may start a new trend in console gaming, moving from limited interaction (button mashing) to full interaction (whole upper body) in a wide variety of moves. The Wii isn't the first foray into this kind of experience (think of DDR, or more closely to Para Para Paradise), but it demands of its user a wider variety of motion (other than mashing your feet around like drunk octopus or waving at a screen like a drunk... car wash clown). Just looking at the bundle game Wii Sports for example, you're provided with 5 games (Boxing, Bowling, Tennis, Golf, Baseball) each with their own unique set of arm movements/button combinations for gameplay. After extended play, you *will get sore*.

IR Technology. Quite different, it comes with an IR sensor connected to the console via firewire for limited communications slowdown, and sits either above or below your TV. It's nice and small, doesnt get in the way. Admittedly, it's a little buggy. The most slowdown i've experienced is at most .25 seconds. However, where we really noticed some issues was in the sensitivity of the Wiimote; if you're not careful, you'll force it to swing on-screen in a manner you don't want. However, what we do have to realize also is that this is a first-gen console; there are bound to be issues. What I really recommend anyone doing is buying it from EB; they offer a console protection plan (1 year for 40 bucks or so) that will let you get a new one at no cost if something goes.

Console. Honest to god, this thing is tiny; it's about half the size and weight of my 360. What is also impressive is that the Wii has now made the GameCube superfluous; it contains memory card and controller docks for the GCN, as well as the ability to read the UMD-sized discs. What's also a neat innovation is the console dashboard. It's similar to the 360 in that you have a console personality you create, but it's more than just a name- you create for yourself on the console... yourself. The Wii allows you to make an avatar, a 'Mii', which is incredibly fun and oddly enough can actually look like you. So far, this only shows up in Wii Sports as the player you play as. Also coming soon is the Virtual Console, where you can pay to download old NES and Sega games. This i'm not too thrilled with, as ROMs have been my outlet for many years this way, but it still is a neat addition. Also, there's a news and weather channel built in to the dashboard. Sure, it's kinda useless, but anything's better than CNN.

Launch titles. Honestly, i think this (next to cost) makes or breaks a new console. So far, when compared to the PS3, Wii launch titles are a little more innovative. Though there have been some iffy previews/reviews on Red Steel as a hack n slash n shooter, both it and Zelda: Twilight Princess are turning heads. What furthermore makes this console on launch titles again goes back to control style; the PS3 is more of the same. Instead of being a flat successor to the GameCube, the Wii guarantees that most of its new titles will be wholly new game experiences through this new method of input.

Cost. It's half the price of the goddamn PS3.


That's about it for now... We're going to pick up Zelda at christmas, and i've got a friend who's already swearing by it and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. Although i do love my 360, the Wii is a great, great gaming experience for little cash.