Nintendo Wii: the wee-little things

As much as we would have loved to devote the entire day to Wii-related goings-on, we also had some other important business to attend to; and besides, there are several blogs out there that are much better at covering gaming minutiae than ourselves. Still, amongst all the hustle and bustle of product announcements, press conferences, and rumor mongering, there were a few tidbits of info that seemed to fall by the wayside, so we thought it was only right to wrap those up into one tidy, bite-size post. Perhaps the biggest "non-news" of the day, so to speak, is that Wii has lost the DVD playback functionality that had been promised in earlier-speced versions of the console -- and the reasoning behind it kind of makes sense, as one less feature supposedly brought down the price of the console, and everyone already has a DVD player to begin with. On a more positive note, we also learned that at least Nintendo-produced discs -- and perhaps third party titles as well -- will be region-free, meaning that if you live in the US but have a hankering for one of those crazy, nonsensical Japanese cooking / weight loss / "thinking" games, all ya gotta do is import. Wanna learn more? Keep on reading...

Another topic we only glossed over was the use of so-called "channels" to partition the Wii's various functions; in no particular order they are: Disc (for playing -- you guessed it -- store-bought titles), Mii (for pimping out your avatar), Photo (for viewing and editing SD-based pics), Forecast (allows you to peep the weather anywhere in the world), News (self-explanatory), Wii shop (where they sell you swag like retro games, the Opera browser, and anything else they think you'll shell out for), Virtual Console (where you get your 8-bit-and-higher gaming on), Internet (duh), and finally, Message Board (a catch-all channel for posting, sending pics and text, and updating / patching games).

So, now that we've gotten most of the loose ends tied up, how's the public reacting to Nintendo's proposed bill of goods?

It's no secret that gamers and non-gamers alike have been looking forward to Wii for some time, so now that most of Nintendo's cards are on the table, what's been the reaction from the public so far? Well obviously the innovative console is getting some major buzz in the mainstream press, and from what we gather, people are pretty excited to strap on that Wiimote and get their game on. So the good news for the big N is that they've definitely captured the public's interest here, and at $250 -- much cheaper than either the Xbox 360 or PS3 -- the system has a good chance of meeting its stated goals of bringing new gamers into the fold as well as bringing back those folks who gave up on videogames once the controllers began to sport 3 directional pads and 50 buttons.

But is the Wii really such a good deal? As one commenter on Joystiq put it, when you factor in the cost of an extra controller ($40), extra nunchuck attachment ($20), a non-bundled game ($50), and the obligatory SD card ($20 to $50), you're looking at a package that costs over $400 -- and over $500 if you want to equip everyone in a four-person family with their own input devices.

Gamers have also been critiquing the cost of Virtual Console titles: are people really willing to spend $5-a-pop for a bunch of low-res games from the 80's (especially when these same games are available for "free" as ROMs at numerous sites online)? Finally, some folks aren't all that wowed at the "value-added" features like web browsing and photo manipulation -- we have computers for that, and they do a lot better job.

In the end, though, the decision of whether or not to pick up a Wii -- or any of the other next-gen consoles, for that matter -- is a highly personal one, and it's foolish to suggest that something which seems overpriced, underpowered, or gimmicky to some will strike others the same way. Our best advice, then, is to take your time, read some reviews, get all the facts down pat, and most importantly of all, don't listen to anything that the fanboys tell you.

Read- DVD playback
Read- Wii channels
Read- Region-free games
Read- US launch
Read- Japanese launch
Read- Launch critiques
Read- Console details
Read- Packaging

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 15th 2006 11:51AM]

Can I safely assume that a European launch will not happen until next year?
Nobody seems to give a crappaccino about us Brits.

I need a Wii Mummy!

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 15th 2006 9:36AM]

Just a quick comment to the debate between Gilbert and Cry Havoc. Gilbert, I understand some of where you're coming from, but there was one comment you made at the beginning of one of your early posts that actually lends itself well to the opposite side of the argument. You state that the reason that consoles have succeeded even though PCS are more powerful/flexible/etc. is that the market has proven that a dedicated console works best for providing that type of experience. Likewise, even as you've said with the DS, it provides the same type of specialization.

Now, could the PS3 gain an attachment to do what the Wii does at higher resolutions? Probably. Could they build it into games as an option, so that you don't necessarily require the motion sensing controller for the game? Also probably. But for the same reason that Consoles have survived in a PC gaming market, I think the Wii can survive/thrive in a console market with two competitors with more traditional control schemes. And because the controller is the basic controller, suddenly it becomes the Lowest Common Denominator that designers are working with on the system, and as such, should also be the best designed interface for that version of the game, rather than a tacked on peripheral.

Just a thought.

Cheers

[gtangjr Posted Sep 15th 2006 10:41AM]

Antemeridian,

I def agree there is room for it to survive. However, in the long run, what's next?

The next step in the total-immersion process for Nintendo has to be visual by default. And when it is, what is N going to do, alienate its customers by releasing something that costs 100% or more over the price of the Wii? I'm not too sure. Think of the Wii2, what could it possibly be? Better graphics and a better controller, right?

But by then, if the succeed on all innovation fronts and survive, which, as a person born with a Famicom as a pacifier, I hope to God they do, don't you think the other Big Two will come around with their superfluous add-on controllers, even though they're not developed for as an LCD?

[cckrobinson Posted Sep 15th 2006 10:42AM]

My oldest son just turned 4. I can't wait for the Wii to launch. The only consoles that I've owned over the year were the original Nintendo and the Dreamcast. I will have a Wii in my house by Thanksgiving. My wife really likes the idea of the new controller. Instead of just sitting on the couch and twiddling his thumbs, my son will actually be able to interact with the game physically.

[gtangjr Posted Sep 15th 2006 10:45AM]

I should clarify that, "LCD" refers to Antemeridian's use of "Lowest Common Denominator."

Also, I'm aware that for the Wii2, Nintendo could very well "innovate" something else. Though, I have a strong feeling they want this tech to stick around for at least one more generation.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 15th 2006 11:11AM]

I think that if Nintendo wishes, they can design a next-gen console with graphics comparable to that of Xbox360 and PS3. But no, they didn't, because extreme graphics and complicated controller, and consequently higher cost will turn the majority of people away except the hardcore gamers. Plus, Nintendo's best games always relied on innovative and fun gameplay, rather than graphics. If they can attract people from other age groups, they can make a lot more profit than xbox360 and PS3. Don't we all love Smash brothers even though its graphics sucks compared to PS2 and Xbox?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 15th 2006 11:21AM]

Playing Super Smash Brothers networked with old college buddies in NYC what!?!?!? Dibs on Solid Snake.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 15th 2006 11:44AM]

I just hope I can play the games w/o the wii controller sometimes. I can see myself wanting to play games "the old fashioned way" without swinging around a controller.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 15th 2006 1:44PM]

Unfortunately Nintendo's next console (Wii2) is going to pave the way for Holodecks. There won't be any fancy creation of items but you'll need 8 monitors surrounding each player and a body suit to interact in a semi-3D environment.

The Wii3 is going to be a sphere of monitors (yes, including where your have your feet), a full body suit, and devices to spray you with water, air, and fire.

After that the WiiX will get to a head plug-in (networked of course) and a chair so you feel like you're in the game (i.e. The Matrix (if I had to explain that to you then shame on you!)) and then finally the Holodeck.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 21st 2006 11:12AM]

Ellen Degenerous gave one Working Wii console to a visually impaired person. Cool. Just want to share.

[spil Posted Sep 16th 2006 2:44PM]

I think virtual console will be relatively succesful, and I'd rather just pick up a 1 gb flash drive for $20 than an SD card.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 26th 2006 8:07PM]

Everyone is saying how the wii isn't worth the money with the cost of controllers, but they're comparing that price to the PS3 and 360 CONSOLES, and not adding the controllers for those systems!
The wii is cheaper as long as it's even. Of course a wii and four controllers costs more than a PS3, because the PS3 comes with 1 controller and no game!!!
Please think when you do math!

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 22nd 2007 7:28AM]

THERE IS A NEW WII DESIGN COMING OUT FOR THE LAUNCH OF MARIO KART WII THERE WILL BE A BLACK WII WITH A MARIO ON THE SIDE OF THE WII DRIVING A KART.