Wii - the active console (Nintendo Wii)

Member Name: ecolier

Product:	Nintendo Wii
Date:	03/10/09 (31 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Motion control

Disadvantages: No HD graphics

The Wii is a truely alternative console. The traditional image of a gamer is someone in the dark frantically punching buttons on a tiny gamepad while looking with bloodshot eyes at a tiny TV screen - not any more with the Wii! The Wii is a family console aimed at anyone who wants to get up and active while playing. Most of the games requires the player to get up or at least make movements with the controller. So let's move on to the basics...

--- the HARDWARE ---

The Wii looks like a brick and is completely white. It would look nice in every home - from the outright messy to the ultra contemporary. Its Wii disc-loading mechanism can light up with a blue light to remind the user that there is a message for them. To access the internet, the Wii has wifi connectivity built-in or a LAN cable plugged (optional adaptor required) to the 2 USB ports on the console. There is also an SD reader at the front for images and channels storage - so you can take your channels with you to a friend with a Wii too. On the back there are various connectivity options - including the sensor bar (required for the Wii remote to work), a video output, and an AC adaptor. The Wii, as it is so well known for, is controlled by pointing the Wii remote at the TV screen. This is facilitated with the sensor bar and a bluetooth connection between the remote and the console. The Wii remote also has an accelerometer built-in - which detects vertical / horizontal movements. There are also peripheries to be plugged into the remote - including the nunchuck (which one comes with a standard package), which also has an accelerometer - facilitating 2 hand playing.

--- the SOFTWARE ---

The Wii is by no means lacking in this department. The standard set-up includes the Wii menu and some channels already installed, and the standard UK package comes with Wii Sports for free. Additional channels can be downloaded from the internet - now (with effect from 1/9/09) even Internet Channel is free you can surf the internet with the Wii. There are also other channels including Voting Channel, News Channel, Weather Channel in addition to Shopping Channels etc. You can also download additional games via this channel by buying Wii Points. The channels and games bought online can also be saved on an SD card so you can take it with you to a friend with a Wii.

--- Wii SPORTS ---

The Wii Sports game, which comes with the Wii deserve more than a special mention. It contains Baseball, Basketball, Bowling, Golf and Tennis. There are also various other games and options including a daily Wii Sports age game to test your agility and hopefully one would improve as the days go on (this feature is somewhat, in my opinion, superceded by the Wii Fit age). There are also challenge mini-games such as in Bowling - 100 pins to bowl etc. This game itself will keep you glued to the Wii for days, if not months.

--- CONCLUSION ---

Overall I would recommend the Wii to anyone. Despite it not having HD support, if you have an HDTV get a component cable. It enables 480p (EDTV) output instead of 480i (SDTV) output and should improve graphics quality. With the Wii now at £140 from Amazon it is an investment well worth making. If you want (yourself, or your kids) to get out of the couch and start moving, get the Wii!

--- STANDARD PACKAGE ---

Wii console
Wii stand
Sensor bar
AC adaptor
RGB lead
RGB-Scart adaptor
Wii Sports game
Wii remote x1
Nunchuck x1

Summary: Excellent console for an excellent price