Wii - it changes everything

[InfiniteNow]

So, are you still enjoying the console the way you were when it first arrived? I'm curious if the novelty has worn off, or if you're still swinging and slugging away. ;)

 

 

:rolleyes:

[CraigD]

So, are you still enjoying the console the way you were when it first arrived? I'm curious if the novelty has worn off, or if you're still swinging and slugging away.

I got a Wii for my birthday, ca. 4/26.

 

Though I’m as or more favorably impressed as I expected to be, I’ve a couple of concerns and gripes

• I’m suspicious of the absolute pointing accuracy of the controllers, even after “zeroed in” by game software. Although fine for controlling a cursor and great for sensing motion, I don’t think they can quite replace an optical gun, like the GunCon PS2 accessories, even if its physical shape was better suited to aiming. (apparently, a gun-like Wii controller is forthcoming)
  
• I’d expected its support of Gamecube games to be very slick, involving a special wireless controller and otherwised emulating the Gamecube completely in software. Instead, you simply open a lid on the side to find 4 Gamecube controller sockets and a memory card slot (a Gamecube memory card is required to save any Gamecube game data), into which you must plug regular Gamecube controllers and cards.
  
• As with any platform, there’s no guarantee of good software (games), but at least one Early game is very bad – Red Steel. Nearly everything about this game is bad – I get the impression that it’s crowning technical achievement is allowing a turn of your hand to be mimicked on the one-screen hands, allowing you to fire your gun either normally or “gangsta-style”. It’s greatest challenge seems to be overriding your instinct to point toward that which you wish to shoot in order to avoid spinning uncontrollably in place, as POV-rotating on both axes is accomplished by pointing your weapon toward any edge of the screen
  

I’m eagerly awaiting getting a truly good game for the Wii, as I think the combination of its extraordinary controllers and first-rate game design and coding could result in “the best game ever”.

 

By now, most who follow such things are aware that an upcoming Wii game, Rockstar’s “Manhunt 2”, has been banned in the UK. Although some have speculated that the ban is motivated by a high-profile 2004 UK murder (which the victim’s mother attributed to the game “Manhunt”, despite police and court finding that the murder was a drug-related robbery, and finding no strong connection between he murder and violent video games or movies), one of the reasons given by UK reviewers for the ban is that its viscerally violent content is more disturbing due the physical “acting out” entailed by the Wii controler.

 

There may be something to this. At my wife’s request, I’ve declined to try climbing the ranks in the tennis game of the sports games that come bundled with the Wii, because she feel it gets my hyped-up and aggressive. The game does leave me feeling a bit … aggressive seems a fair term, which is odd, as I played a lot of serious competitive tennis as a youth, and never felt it a particularly aggressive game. I think the Wii game’s lack of realistic drop shots and net charging fundamentally alters the games psychology from that of its real-world inspiration.

[Jay-qu]

I have had a few goes of the Wii - only the sports games - and I was very impressed though I got bored of it very quickly.. I would really like to try playing some thing like call of duty 2, but after seeing it on the 360, the Wii is a big step backwards and I dont know if the unique controller would make up for it..

[Zythryn]

While I am not playing 8 hours a day, I still play almost daily.

It is a blast when friends come over, Tennis is still my favorite.

While I don't feel agressive once the game is done as Craig experienced, I do get quite into it during the match (which in my opinion is part of the fun:)).

I just got Pirates for the Wii which I am looking forward to. And I must say Resident Evil 4 is very spooooky;)

My wife is having fun with Paper Mario (she is a classic Mario fanatic:)) and we have downloaded a few classics on the virtual console which we also enjoy.

I don't find the internet or weather access all that thrilling as I prefer a PC for those purposes. The news is kind of fun to scroll around the world though:)

[TheBigDog]

My play has curtailed quite a bit with other things nipping at my time. I got Tiger Woods golf for my birthday, and have dedicated a couple of very late nights to perfecting my swing. The kids got some sort of Anime kung foo game (for the GameCube) that they play quite a bit. And #3 got himself a Pokemon game that he plays a couple of times a week.

 

We also got the Zelda game for the Wii and it consumed a great dela of time for about a month. But then I got the golf game and have played only that since. #4 still likes boxing the most.

 

Bill

[Queso]

twilight princess was my favorite game i've ever played.

the sacred geometry everywhere really tickled my fancy.

[ThisIsMyName]

The Wii is an interesting concept but leaves much to be improved. I suppose the Wii is a good system for some, but it just isn't my cup of tea.

 

Much agreed. My boyfriend got one a few months ago... I think he'll propose to it before he does me. But personally, I don't think it's worth it. The only game for it I've liked so far has been Mario Party 8 (which is actually saying much because after Mario Party 3, all the Mario Party's pretty much started repeating each other.). I love the idea of kids who don't exercise as much being able to do so while having fun, but there are easier ways. Plus, have you seen the news reports about people suing because they didn't tie the controller around their wrist and having it go through their TV's and windows? I don't know if it's the "We-didn't-completely-think-this-through" controller design, or that people just aren't paying attention. But I've always been somewhat skeptical about Wireless remotes.

 

I don't think the Wii gives enough excitement. Ah, the many-a-days I've spent yelling at my Super Nintendo because Mario kept getting hit by fireballs.... I just haven't experienced that with the Wii. After Golden Eye, Nintendo first person shooters went downhill... once in a great while they'll come up with a good adventure/RPG (The first Jak and Daxter for the PS2 was alright) but everything went downhill after the '64 (particularly Zelda games).

 

Now the Wii Sports wasn't that bad, and it's easy to get the hang of which is convenient if you're not completely familiar with the concept of the Wii. I particularly liked the Wii tennis. But at this same time I found myself wondering.... Why don't I just go outside and play baseball..... It won't cost me $300......

 

I don't DISlike the system, and I'm not one those, "Oh maaa gaaawd, you like the Wii??" And I love the whole Internet access thing, that's awesome..... Plus it's easy to unhook and move to another house... But I would rather buy an X-Box and kill the Covenant than buy a Wii. I just expected more.

 

3 Stars out 5. (Not horrible, but not great)

[KatherineLee]

The Wii changed my college dorm hallway. One of my friends came back from the semester break with the wii and it became my dorm communitie's "whore." Every night a dozen people would be playing with the wii and it was always in a different dorm room each time.

 

I've only played the Wii sports, and although it was sort of fun, it wasn't really anything like the actual sports. I got done testing my wii fitness and I was just completely dismayed and have shunned the system since.

 

I would rather save the few hundred and settle for a gamecube.

Although I know I should really see the other real wii games first.

[CraigD]

I would rather save the few hundred and settle for a gamecube.

Although I know I should really see the other real wii games first.

I agree, you should – though, in my own two-month experience with the Wii, what I’ve actually enjoyed most is playing a couple of old Gamecube games in the Resident Evil franchise I’d wanted to for years, but, lacking a Gamecube, been unable to play. IMHO, those old RE games are simply art on many levels :love: – though I did suffer a moments trepidation sticking those little Gamecube CDs into my pretty new Wii’s blue-lit slot, hoping I’d not be tearing it apart trying to get them out. :love:

 

I suspect a sizable number of more serious console gamers will forever prefer a PS2-type controller to the Wii’s “revolution” controllers. No matter how well a future game manages to realize the Wii’s potential, one of the characteristics that separated a serious console gamer from a novice is their zen-like physical detachment in using the controller. While the novice strains his/her fingers and arm tendons to painful exhaustion in a vain attempt to mash the buttons hard enough to get an imagined extra input from them, flicks the thumsticks with frustrated furry, and tilts and swings the controller as if it was, as the Wii’s actually are, motion-sensitive, the expert sits in a bubble of relaxed calm, using only milliNewtons of force more than necessary to trigger the dual-pressure-sensing buttons, moving the thumbsticks like extensions of his/her skeletal system. The Wii seems to scoff at this mastery.

 

However, I don’t think this will be a barrier to the true adept. Already, I’ve noticed myself unconsciously learning how to get the desired effect from the Wii with a minimum of movement, subtle wrist flicks replacing full-armed swings, the actually stepping and lunging I first fell into when playing the bundled tennis sports game a thing of the past. I don’t even stand anymore to play, but relax in a chair. If I’m representative, the promise of the Wii to combat youth obesity may be overrated.

 

I find myself longing for forbidden (at least, I suspect Nintendo forbids it) Wii fruit – a nice little USB-connected box and an SDK to let me hear and see my cool Wii remotes – or something similar - on a PC. Not knowing quite what they’re actually doing, and what, with the right software, they’re capable of doing, is maddening! :doh:

[ThisIsMyName]

I suspect a sizable number of more serious console gamers will forever prefer a PS2-type controller to the Wii’s “revolution” controllers. No matter how well a future game manages to realize the Wii’s potential, one of the characteristics that separated a serious console gamer from a novice is their zen-like physical detachment in using the controller. While the novice strains his/her fingers and arm tendons to painful exhaustion in a vain attempt to mash the buttons hard enough to get an imagined extra input from them, flicks the thumsticks with frustrated furry, and tilts and swings the controller as if it was, as the Wii’s actually are, motion-sensitive, the expert sits in a bubble of relaxed calm, using only milliNewtons of force more than necessary to trigger the dual-pressure-sensing buttons, moving the thumbsticks like extensions of his/her skeletal system. The Wii seems to scoff at this mastery.

 

Wow, man... It's like you get me.

Marry me! :confused:

[GAHD]

a nice little USB-connected box and an SDK to let me hear and see my cool Wii remotes – or something similar - on a PC. Not knowing quite what they’re actually doing, and what, with the right software, they’re capable of doing, is maddening! :o

WiiLi.org Wii Linux - Remote Buddy -mac

WiiLi.org Wii Linux - WiinRemote -win

WiiLi.org Wii Linux - WMD -nux

 

Wiimote as WoW controller - Nintendo Wii Fanboy HEAR AND SEE! hack and slash too!

[pianoman1976]

So the last thing I need in the house is a game system that relies upon undupable disks

 

 

All game disks for systems by Sony and MS can be "duped." You just have to have the right software.

 

Even better, these systems can be modified with a "mod-chip" that allows you to change the bios - add additional storage and interface with a computer. A modified system no longer uses disks. Rather, all games are stored on a internal or external hard drive.

 

The manufacturers do not want you to do this for it enables you to pirate games via the Internet. You never have to purchase another game title. In one evening you could download the entire catalogue of games for the 360 or PS3. But you may not want to ride that Karma train.

 

I think its great to have a mod-chip in your system. Tech nerds all agree - customized start-up flash screens with your own customized sound and graphics are super-cool when you power up your system. Modified operating systems are another plus. The ability to transfer your games from disk to HD allows your kids to use the original game disks for frisbees if they so desire. I draw the line at downloading pirated games from the Internet. Not too cool a practice - but tempting.

 

MOD-CHIP.com

 

Thank you for your Wii review! The thing that is so great about Nintendo is the multi-player fun that can be had with their systems - and I'm not referring to online multi-player, rather having friends and family over for a throwdown tournament. Nintendo makes the best games for this type of fun. Mario Party comes to mind. I wonder if this title is available for the Wii? The new Wii controller makes it even more fun to play with others.

 

Ryan :o