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Nintendo Wii: My First Impression

The Nintendo Wii was released today. My brother managed to pick one up at a Best Buy this morning (see my last post for a related story). I had to find an extra “nunchuck” for the extra Wiimote he bought, and I found one at Sears in the Cape Cod Mall (the very last one in the entire mall).

Overall, I really like the system. In addition to the basics (console, sensor bar, power cord) it comes with one remote w/nunchuck and batteries, and Wii Sports. The setup process is mostly painless, though it is not immediately obvious that you have to point the Wiimote to select things. Wii Sports is a suite of games including baseball, tennis, golf, boxing, and bowling. I have not had time to become advanced at any of the games, but I think I actually like golf and tennis the best. In baseball, you do not actually control any of the fielders. To win at boxing, you really almost have to break a sweat. In bowling, it seems difficult to bowl a strike–I did not manage to do so on my first try. Golf and tennis do not seem to have any problems from my view. My dad even managed to figure out how to play golf!

Overall, I highly recommend the Wii. The Sony Playstation 3 and the Microsoft XBox 360 are only really worth it if one has an HDTV (but all three systems can be played on any TV built within the last 10 years). The Wii does not support high-definition video, and uses the standard yellow-white-red cable for composite video and stereo analog audio. Optionally, if one has an HDTV or EDTV, one can improve their picture by purchasing the Wii component video package. Unfortunately, I did not see this accessory at any of the stores I visited.

The best part about the Wii? Nintendo includes everything you need to get started. We had to buy an extra remote and nunchuck for two players, but the remote comes with batteries!

I find the “fun” factor from the Nintendo Wii to be a great determinant in one’s choice to go for a console.

PS3 and XBOX 360 sure play mp3, DVD, Blue-Ray, HD-DVD….etc….but given that consoles are made to PLAY VIDEOGAMES and these games should be FUN to play, I reckon the Wii delivers that “fun” we seek in games.

At this point, I don’t judge by how realistically the drops of sweat look on the face of my favourite FIFA 2006 football player, but perhaps more on how Mario jumps to hit the ball with a racket as I actually move my arm upwards to make him do so…

Cool, eh?

Yup, well said. I also think this seventh generation of gaming consoles is working toward different personas. The Wii is for people of all ages who actually have a life and want quick, fun games every now and then. The PS3 is for the hardcore gamers that enjoy the latest and greatest technology, such as Blu-Ray and HDTVs (by the way, the PS3 is the cheapest Blu-Ray player there is). The XBOX360 is a similar effort to the PS3, but stretches down to the high school and middle school age bracket with a wide variety of games.

I fit into the Wii persona, since, like you, I care more about having fun. I also don’t like being immersed into a game so much that it takes up all my time. Wii Sports actually encourages players to take a break between games and go outside!