Wii
© 2006 Nintendo of America
The name, Wii (pronounced "we"), was selected to signify a game console for everyone—young and old, experienced or novice. Based on the software titles we've previewed so far, Nintendo's Wii has more than lived up to its name. In general, it has far more to offer children and families than either the PS3 or the Xbox 360. The wireless Wii controllers are AA battery-operated and consist of two parts—one for each hand—enabling free hand movements in space. Just one will be included in the package (extras are $30 for just the remote; $50 for both the remote and the Nunchuk). The main control is the square-like "Wii Remote" with eight small buttons and one prominent trigger button. There's also a wrist strap to keep the thing from flying out of your hand when playing a game like baseball. A second grip-friendly controller, the Nunchuk, is optional--depending on the game. It plugs into the Wii remote with a short cable. This controller contains a joystick for your thumb and another trigger. When both are used, you have all the same controls that any current game controllers give you, and it is easy to imagine playing an existing GameCube title with no learning curve. The difference is the additional motion detection abilities—you can launch a missile or cast a fishing pole with a flick of either controller. Other motions let you swing a sword in a pirate fight, throw a punch, putt with a golf club or conduct an orchestra. Rumble features are in both hands, so you can feel motion. Surround sound speakers are embedded in the controllers to augment the sounds coming from the TV. For example, you can shoot a bow and arrow, and hear the string get tighter as the distance between your two hands increases. As your arrow shoots toward the screen, you hear a 'whoosh' sound moving toward your target--a feature that is used in the upcoming Legend of Zelda sequel. Motion is detected with a sensor (roughly five inches long) that must be attached to your TV, right below the screen, and hard-wired to the Wii console. Wii is also a gateway to the large library of older Game Boy, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo 64 titles, that will be be available for purchase online. Twenty-seven native Wii titles were demonstrated at E3. Of these, we counted nine for children. As you might expect, quality varies in these titles. Some of the games are easy to learn, while others are complex. Notes: 12/2/2006 it is easy to forget the direction you put in a disk -- you often put it in backwards. 12/13/2007 our Wii test unit, in service now for 13 months with daily use by over 200 different children -- still works. We've gone through three sets of straps for the controller. 9/26/2008 -- still working! 8/24/2010 -- still working! Wow.
$250, Wii
Teaches: a game console
CTR Rating: 100%