RSS
Home
2008 Wii holiday guide part 1
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
.jpg)
Introduction to the system: Back in 2005, Nintendo introduced their big secret for their next console - a motion control remote. There's no one word that can describe the mood of the industry and gamers alike. But Nintendo's message was clear: they wanted more people to actually play video games and simplifying the input device was the way. Fast forward three years later, that controller put Nintendo in a position it hasn’t seen since the early 90s: first place.
Ever since launch, the waggle wonder has found its way into the homes of a bigger audience that has never beenreached out to Despite its low price point, its groundbreaking controller and a new approach to game design (Wii Fit and Wii Play), the Wii has earned its place with some excellent games as well. While many hardcore gamers may bemoan the supposed lack of hardcore games and low third-party support (keyword: supposed), the Wii looks poised to end 2008 and go into 2009 the same way it started: firing on all cylinders.
System sales: Within its short existence, the Wii has been able to shoot to the top of console war with 36 million sold worldwide and nearly 16 million in North America, beating out the Playstation 3 as well as Xbox 360, released a year before both the PS3 and Wii. Even to this point, Nintendo has largely been unable to keep up with demand each month and is routinely at the top of sales chart. The only time it was ever outsold was when Halo 3 was released for the Xbox 360.
The software side has seen over 200 million games sold and will probably have three games with over 10 million units sold (Mario Kart Wii, Wii Fit, and Wii Play). The usual Nintendo suspects (Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Smash Bros.) have sold great and many third parties have seen some success, which wasn't the case for the Gamecube.
Hardware specs (w/grades): There's no getting around the fact that the Wii is lacking in raw horsepower compared to the Xbox 360 and PS3. The 'Broadway' CPU clocks out at 729 mhz, while the Xbox 360 CPU can be clocked at 3.2 ghz and the PS3's Cell Processor is just a mathmetical beast, able to perform up to 2 TFLOPS. The 'Hollywood' GPU of the Wii clocks at 243 mhz, while the 360's GPU clocks at 500 mhz and the Playstation 3 clocks at 1.3 ghz. That just means the 360 and PS3 can make purdy looking games with more detail. There’s also a lack of hard drive; the Wii comes with 512 mb of Flash Memory, making a flash drive more integral and has cut down on downloadable content.
The Wii has hardware similar to the GC to keep cost down, which is why Nintendo is making a profit off each system. That doesn't mean that nearly every Wii game is butt-ugly, as fans of Super Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption can attest to. The real magic of the Wii is the groundbreaking remote control, which comes built with accelerometers, infrared scanners and a sensor bar to make motion control in games a reality.
While most of the Wii's lineup has seen modest use of motion controls, some of the best games have seen praise for its proper use. Also, the WiiConnect24 service allows for systems to receive messages and updates for the system, but in reality, all it does it heat the back of the Wii. The less-powerful hardware may have led to a lack of ports of other high-profile franchises from other consoles, it has led to more original games (which is so more important).
Grade: B-
Online services (downloadable games, web browsing, how well it connects): The Wii also marks the first time Nintendo has dived into the online arena headfirst... In the shallow end. While it comes with built-in Wi-Fi, some owners have had to resort to LAN Adapters for a smooth connection. But once owners are actually able to connect, Nintendo does offer a giant collection of classic games with its Virtual Console and in nearly 7 months of work, its WiiWare service has seen a great collection of new games. The only flaw with the WiiWare service isn't the quality of games, but rather the size of the games: it takes up huge spaces within the flash memory, which means you may have to erase games before you can download a new one.
The Wii also offers a Wii browser that allows users to watch Youtube videos, but trying anything else is an exercise in frustration. the Nintendo Channel allows demos for DS owners, yet allows no Wii demos, which just seems silly in this generation of consoles. And as playing games online goes, Nintendo is far behind its competitors with its convoluted and tedious Friend Code scheme for each game, which makes online multiplayer between friends a bigger hassle than it needs to be. And some of the biggest games, Brawl mainly, have suffered from lag and a complete lack of voice chat.
Bottom line: While playing games online has been more miss than hit, Nintendo does offer a staggering amount of content. And you can't go wrong when Super Mario Bros 3, Super Metroid, Tecmo Bowl, Phantasy Star II, Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Sin & Punishment, and Gunstar Heroes (among other time-tested classics) are merely minutes away from being playable. And the upcoming Wii Speak channel will bring voice chat to the Wii.
Grade A-
Wii Essentials
Remote Jackets-Admit it-you feel like a fool for having to put on that wrist strap for any Wii game. The remote jackets are better because they're much better to grip and hold on to when game play gets a little too sweaty.
Wii Memory SD 2.0 GB-With all the great WiiWare and Virtual console games available, your Wii's internal memory can get eaten up in a week, no matter how careful you are. Which is why a 2GB memory comes in handy to hold all your downloads and game saves without worry of losing them.
LAN Adapter-You could fiddle around with wireless and worry about the connection going out in the middle of a game. Or you could keep a stable connection with a LAN adapter.
Charge Station-Wireless controllers are awesome but batteries suck. This device will save you so many trips to a store and so much money. Possibly the best thing you can buy for your Wii.
Classic Controller-If you're going to download classic SNES games, this controller will save you some hand cramps and won't taint any memories of Super Mario World.
Related Articles:
Comments
