Nintendo Wii review (Nintendo Wii)

Member Name: Walter_Kovacs

Product:	Nintendo Wii
Date:	29/11/08 (230 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Looks good, innovative, good range of games

Disadvantages: None

The Nintendo Wii is a home video console released by Nintendo. It is Nintendo's fifth home console and a direct successor to the Gamecube. It was released in November in the US and over here the following month.

Ever since word leaked out about Nintendo's new console, it had the codename of 'Revolution'. That changed after 27th April 2006, when the name was changed to 'Wii'. This change wasn't well received by some people who thought it was too childish and that Revolution was a much better name. But I have to say, after two years, it's really grown on me, and now I can't imagine the console being called Revolution!

The Wii is backwards compatible with the Gamecube, meaning that you can play all your favourite Gamecube games on it. You just slide it into the slot loading optical drive and away you go. The console has 4 Gamecube controller ports and two memory card slots concealed by removable flip-open panels at the top, so there's no need to buy any extra add-ons in order to play Gamecube games straight out of the box.

One of the biggest innovations since Nintendo invented the D-pad for the NES is the Wii controller. It uses accelerometers and infrared detection along with the sensor bar to sense the controller's position in 3 dimensions, meaning you can control the game by physical movements as well as with traditional button presses. Along with the remote you get the nunchuk unit, which plugs into the bottom of the Wii remote and features a traditional analog stick with two additional buttons.

The console came bundled with "Wii Sports" which, I have to say, is a big bundle of fun! You get several minigames, from Tennis to Boxing, and you use the Wii remote just like you would normally. My favourites were Tennis and Baseball, I try to be as physical as possible when playing them, so I swing the remote in Baseball just like I would if I was in Fenway Park, and I serve and return the tennis ball just like I were in Wimbledon! I think it's more fun that way, and these are very fun games anyway. They're great if you want to play for 5 minutes or 2 hours, and you don't really need to be an expert on the sports, as long as you know the basics you can start playing straight away.

Overall a cracking piece of kit, showcasing Nintendo's ability to bring something new to the table in the age where all anyone seems to care about are graphics, five stars!

Summary: Another great console from Nintendo!