[Archived] Nintendo Wii

[M-K]

Once known as Revolution. Will be launched as Wii.

Yes, it's pronounced how you think it is. I think it's quite nice, actually, but I'm not sure how other English people will react. Is this the only country where 'wee' is kiddy slang for urine?

Taking the Wii

[AndyH16]

I could've thought of a few better names for it. I think the name alone would put a few people off buying one.

Although I'd doubt they'd do it for such a mainstream product but has it not been the case in the past that products have been renamed in different countries? I'm sure there was one console but I can't think of the name off the top of my head.

Edited April 27, 2006 by Hainesey

[Glenn]

I could've thought of a few better names for it. I think the name alone would put a few people off buying one.

Although I'd doubt they'd do it for such a mainstream product but has it not been the case in the past that products have been renamed in different countries? I'm sure there was one console but I can't think of the name off the top of my head.

402777[/snapback]

(Super) Famicom ((S)NES)

Genesis (MegaDrive)

But yesterdays announcement did imply that Nintendo where calling it wii worldwide.

[tchocky]

I'll buy it. Just for the controllers

[promoted2001]

ps3 will wee on it

[Modi]

I always thought there should be a consol called Nintendo Interactive Player System - or NIPS for short.

[mode_m]

haha what a name for a console.

"hey guys wanna come over and play with my wii?"

"my wii is awesome! I love playing with my wii!"

and more...

I'm going to buy it still, probably within the first month depending on launch titles. I will just stick to calling it Nintendo in the mean time.

[Seggie]

Guy walks into a French games shop

Guy:Do you have any Wii

Shopkeeper: Oui

Guy: Wii

Shopkeeper: Oui

Guy: Can I have a Wii s'vous plais

Shopkeeper Oui.

You get the idea.

[M-K]

This is from Time magazine, apparently:

Nintendo gave TIME the first look at its new controller--but before I pick it up, Miyamoto suggests that I remove my jacket. That turns out to be a good idea. The first game I try--Miyamoto walks me through it, which to a gamer is the rough equivalent of getting to trade bons mots with Jerry Seinfeld--is a Warioware title (Wario being Mario's shorter, fatter evil twin). It consists of dozens of manic five-second mini games in a row. They're geared to the Japanese gaming sensibility, which has a zany, cartoonish, game-show bent. In one hot minute, I use the controller to swat a fly, do squat-thrusts as a weight lifter, turn a key in a lock, catch a fish, drive a car, sauté some vegetables, balance a broom on my outstretched hand, color in a circle and fence with a foil. And yes, dance the hula. Since very few people outside Nintendo have seen the new hardware, the room is watching me closely.

It's a remarkable experience. Instead of passively playing the games, with the new controller you physically perform them. You act them out. It's almost like theater: the fourth wall between game and player dissolves. The sense of immersion--the illusion that you, personally, are projected into the game world--is powerful. And there's an instant party atmosphere in the room. One advantage of the new controller is that it not only is fun, it looks fun. When you play with an old-style controller, you look like a loser, a blank-eyed joystick fondler. But when you're jumping around and shaking your hulamaker, everybody's having a good time.

After Warioware, we play scenes from the upcoming Legend of Zelda title, Twilight Princess, a moody, dark (by Nintendo's Disneyesque standards) fantasy adventure. Now I'm Errol Flynn, sword fighting with the controller, then aiming a bow and arrow, then using it as a fishing rod, reeling in a stubborn virtual fish. The third game, and probably the most fun, is also the simplest: tennis. The controller becomes a racket, and I'm smacking forehands and stroking backhands. The sensors are fine enough that you can scoop under the ball to lob it, or slice it for spin. At the end, I don't so much put the controller down as have it pried from my hands.

John Schappert, a senior vice president at Electronic Arts, is overseeing a version of the venerable Madden football series for Nintendo's new hardware. He sees the controller from the auteur's perspective, as an opportunity but also a huge challenge. "Our engineers now have to decipher what the user is doing," he says. "'Is that a throw gesture? Is it a juke? A stiff arm?' Everyone knows how to make a throwing motion, but we all have our own unique way of throwing." But consider the upside: you're basically playing football in your living room. "To snap the ball, you 'snap' the remote back toward your body, which hikes the ball," Schappert says. "No buttons to press, just gesture a hiking motion, and the ball's in the hands of the QB. To pass the ball, you gesture a throwing motion. Hard, fast gestures result in bullet passes. Slower, less forceful, gestures result in loftier, slower lob passes. It truly plays like nothing you've ever experienced."

Edited May 8, 2006 by M-K

[heapbag]

Ok I was looking to see if there was a Wii thread and found this one buried. I just wanted to know if anybody has bought one or have tried it out. I've been hearing a lot of positive reviews on it. If anything I applaud Nintendo for creating a console that's different.

[promoted2001]

I've pre-ordered on... to sell on ebay

Might get one next year when there are some decent games out.

[roversyoyo]

So, has anyonme managed to get their hands on a wii???

seems that pre-ordering one was no guarantee of getting one!

[modes98]

My mates has either arrived today or it will be there tomorrow morning. Looks like amazing stuff!

[Cocker]

My mates has either arrived today or it will be there tomorrow morning. Looks like amazing stuff!

I will expect a full report.

The main thing I want to know is - is it going to be like the Eye Toy and just a gimick or is it really fun to play. I just dont buy the 'free roaming controlers at the mo'

Please let us know

[Guest Kamy100]

Well I managed to get three of these, all of which went on Ebay.

Friend of mine got one which I had a go on today.

It is a very good machine, back to basics with the emphasis on gameplay. You get Wii Sports with it and it is a hoot. The new controller is fantastic and works very well on Wii Sports, although we probably looked like real tits when playing the boxing game. The new Zelda game also looks very promising.

It is not going to beat the 360 or PS3 on graphics or performance, but I think that Nintendo are onto a winner here, it is very easy to use and the games that I have seen so far are extremely playable, for me the Wii puts the "fun" back into gaming and for that Hats of to Nintendo.

[AndyH16]

This site is a bit of an eye opener to the problem with the strap on the controller:

http://wiihaveaproblem.com/

Still, doesn't put me off wanting one after the rush has died down, think that's more down to people getting carried away.

[Cocker]

Cant believe this.

Went into game today to buy a new game. Got to the front of the queue and a guy came up beside me and asked the bloke behind the counter for a wii game. The bloke behind the counter said "do you own a wii console" the guy said "yes" guy behind the counter said "did you buy it from game" Bloke says "No" guy behind the counter says " in that case we cant sell you a game for the wii, you have to have bought your wii console from Game for us to sell you a wii game" This shocked me but to make matters worse, some school girl behind the couter said to the guy "Have you looked online? Not only will you be able to buy a game for the wii but it will probably be cheaper"

SOMEONE EXPLAINE THAT

[Cocker]

Click

[BuckyRover]

If you have broken something with your Wii controller then you are an idiot.

Fact

[Welshrover1981]

Well to much of my surprise, my girlfriend got me a Wii for Crimbo without telling me. She managed to get it 5 days before the big day.

Thank god her mother works for Toys R Us.

Well whats it like?

It kicks ass. i have never played anything which allows soo much interaction with a game. Wave goodbye with sitting on your fat ass and start getting fit with Wii Sports. Saves the pennies on the gym.

I was quite sceptical at first considering the whole waving your arms around and hitting my bro over the head but Nintendo have hit the nail on the head.

My mum dad, girlfriend, gf sister, her mum dad have had a go and all loved it. The first thing which they say is that it is soo easy to pick up and play. No reading the manual, just a case of give it a swing and see what happens. This I believe why it will be succesful and X Box and PS3 will be following suit. This has changed the way games are played.

I cant wait ever to be able to download classics from the internet.

I have also played zelda which looks and plays really well. The problem is that there is no voice overs which makes the characters a little wooden.

Red Steel is very good but isn't brilliant. As the first game being a 1st person shooter, it plays well but the sword fighting is a big let down and just seems to be a little to predictable and easy. Also when everything goes off with bullets firing everywhere you lose where the Wiimote is pointing and realise it is pointing to the opposite wall and thus you lose your bearings. But hopefully these will be ironed out in the future and I will expect far better games

Wii Sports is great and I love it. Bowling and tennis are great fun, but my favs are the golf, baseball, and boxing. Golf is fantastic and you really have to judge your shots as well as the baseball. I cant wait to play some cricket on this. Though I am not expecting anything great to come from the footy department as I cant see me sticking the wii mote on me shoes.

but overall, give this time and it will reward. PS3 and XBox to follow the same route? Definetly.

look forward to seeing your opinions.

[Exiled_Rover]

If you have broken something with your Wii controller then you are an idiot.

Fact

Ain't that the truth.

[AndyH16]

Damn you WelshRover, now I want one even more

[disgruntled]

Anyone found any in stock anywhere?

[AndyH16]

No chance (in UK based stores), unless you want to have fun on ebay. If you do, ignore the Buy It Now items that require you to contact the seller to be added to their list - just a handy tip to save you wasting time

You could try this site out http://www.wiipreorder.co.uk but with tomorrow being new years day I'm not sure there'll be new stock until Tuesday.

Edited December 31, 2006 by Hainesey

[rog of the rovers]

Ive got a Wii and its AMAZING would reccomend anybody with friends to get one.