Nintendo Wii
£180 including Wii Sports.
Launch of the Wunderdog.
Released on December 8th 2006, Nintendo’s Wii has attracted massive media attention, successfully eschewing the traditional hardcore image of a console’s launch (replete with midnight queues of geekish fanboys) for mainstream coverage.
This was always Nintendo’s idea, to open gaming up to the masses that were scared of the multi-button joypads and complex titles that typified it at its core. Focusing on accessible, fun games that any member of the family can pick up and play, the similarities between the main controller and the universally accepted TV Remote Control is no coincidence.
With the basic premise of the console being based around its innovative motion sensing controller, future proofed processing power has been shunned for a new way to play games and Nintendo are hedging the bet that people are more than willing to make that trade.
What you get for that trade is a compact, relatively cheap, Apple-esque console design that utilises a controller that can detect three dimensional movement in every way and also features rumble and a built in speaker for surround sound style effects.
What this means for gaming is easier demonstrated than described but as is shown in Wii Sports (bundled with the console) it means you can play games by moving your hands in the same way you would in the sport - swing a racket, throw a punch or bowl a ball.
For the hardcore gamer, it means a more direct and tangible interface with the virtual space. With full three dimensional control, the player will be able to do things in games that joypads could never do. At least that’s the premise - time will tell if developers meet the challenge and rise above the initial first wave of gimmicky action.
Backed up by the ‘nunchuk’ attachment that expands the control scheme of the remote controller, the Wii also allows for more complex games like First Person Shooters, which if handled right could prove more immersive than the favoured mouse and keyboard setup.
With all the focus on the controller it’s easy to miss what else the console has to offer. Upon booting up your WiFi internet connected Wii you’re presented with ‘Wii Channels’ - a grid of screens dedicated to specific features of the console such as a web browser, avatar maker and access to the ‘Virtual Console’ service.
Similar to the 360’s Live Arcade, the Virtual Console allows you to purchase and download from a library of retro games from past consoles. With a library as revered as Nintendo’s (think Mario, Zelda etc.) it’s fantastic and it also allows for Sega Megadrive and TurboGrafx downloads and hopefully other consoles will soon follow suit (Sega Saturn’s ‘Radiant Silvergun’ please!).
As the definite underdog in this round of the console wars, Nintendo has a difficult task ahead of it. Opting out of the power struggle and leaving the PS3 and Xbox 360 to scrap it out on the Hi-Def stage, the Wii’s modest strength will certainly show its graphical age in years to come especially as Sony and Microsoft’s developers settle into their new technology and Hi-Def TVs become more popular.
For the moment though the Wii is in a unique place with a lot to prove and, like the DS, the future should hold many surprises. Or at least it’ll be fun.