Nintendo and MTV film helpful reminder: the Wii Wheel does absolutely nothing

We know, it's easy to get caught in all the magic that is Mario Kart Wii -- "it's like Smash Bros. but with karts and more banana throwing!" -- but let's not fool ourselves here: that Wii Wheel is potentially the least functional piece of plastic Nintendo has shipped since the Virtual Boy. It apparently took the fine folks at MTV two whole videos to figure this out under the patient tutelage of a Nintendo rep, but while the Wii Wheel can potentially serve as a helpful reminder to hold the Wiimote with the buttons facing you, it adds zero functionality to the equation, and it's only therefore "necessary" for the first 30 seconds of play -- after which it can be tossed to your dog or teething child as a chew toy. Some might appreciate the ratio of turning a full wheel instead of a Wiimote, but we all know the truly hardcore are going to be kicking your ass with their Wavebirds anyways, to the point really is moot. Video is after the break.

[Via Engadget Spanish]

[agroupofletters @ Mar 19th 2008 10:59AM]

Paul Miller, this is your second post in a row with a glaringly obvious mistake

"potentially" not "potential"

[Meccalangelo @ Mar 19th 2008 11:02AM]

I guess Nintendo wanted safer drivers (for a game that follows no road rules! haha)

Remember hold your wheel at 10:00 and 2:00 unlike the stand alone at 9:00 and 3:00

;)

[awesomehobbes @ Mar 19th 2008 11:31AM]

Actually these days they tell you to hold it at 9 and 3 because if the airbag were to go off, your hands will not be pushed into your face but rather down towards the seat.

[tiuk @ Mar 19th 2008 11:31AM]

When I took driver training they said to hold the wheel at 9:00 and 3:00. Apparently 10:00 and 2:00 can result in broken thumbs if the airbag goes off.

[geekmorgan @ Mar 19th 2008 12:02PM]

MTV can't afford a tripod anymore, huh.

[Wayne @ Mar 19th 2008 12:54PM]

Any exposed skin at your wrists is going to suffer major friction burns no matter where you hold the steering wheel if the airbag goes off.

[Fenway Beer Man @ Mar 19th 2008 4:28PM]

well they also say to hold it at 9 and 3 because it gives you the maximum degree of turn in either direction.

[Mystic @ Mar 19th 2008 11:04AM]

Did it actually take someone to tell you this? Wow Engadget, you and your readers are quite the idiots.

[LJKelley @ Mar 19th 2008 11:18AM]

I guess that means you are an idiot.

[Derek @ Mar 19th 2008 11:43AM]

I think this deserves the "dumbest comment of the day" award.

[Timmy @ Mar 19th 2008 12:06PM]

what Think-Tank did this idiot escape from?

[Arnob @ Mar 19th 2008 12:24PM]

probably engadgets...

[Yubastard @ Mar 19th 2008 12:47PM]

oh, wow, what a moron you are.

[Grant @ Mar 19th 2008 1:40PM]

ummmm.... i know you are but what am i?

[aMac @ Mar 19th 2008 11:07AM]

Video is after the break.....if you live in America

[Jordan @ Mar 19th 2008 11:25AM]

I know, they need to put it up on the TUBE or something... I WANNA SEE...

[Dyranios @ Mar 19th 2008 11:13AM]

HOLY SHIT

"that Wii Wheel is potential the least functional piece"

"that Wii Wheel is potential the least functional piece"


"that Wii Wheel is potential the least functional piece"

"that Wii Wheel is potential the least functional piece"


"that Wii Wheel is potential the least functional piece"


"that Wii Wheel is potential the least functional piece"


"that Wii Wheel is potential the least functional piece"

[Barry @ Mar 19th 2008 11:43AM]

Come on, give the guy a break. Besides,

"to the point really is moot"

Is a much better one.

Sorry, couldn't resist. Everyone makes typos at some point, no big deal.

[Dyranios @ Mar 19th 2008 12:11PM]

I guess you're right, its just that before I started reading blogs like engadget and tuaw etc I had really never seen any typos on any other sites/blogs I guess I took it for granted.

[giuliop @ Mar 19th 2008 11:16AM]

This is potential the least useful post on Engadget ever made.

[mcatrage @ Mar 19th 2008 12:50PM]

Um I think the posts about the Apple store being down are worse. They aren't telling you about potential products just that the store is down.

[John B @ Mar 19th 2008 1:53PM]

@mcatrage:

Make sure to duck really low when something goes over your head that quick .. er .. quickly.

[Allan @ Mar 19th 2008 11:17AM]

Having used a couple different Wii wheels... the Nintendo one appears to be the most comfortable so far. Judging by its looks anyway.

[y3k.nik @ Mar 19th 2008 11:22AM]

hmm.. most of the post today have been incredibly negative from what I can tell.

Guys, you need to put flowers in you office to cheer you up a bit.

[DP @ Mar 19th 2008 3:23PM]

Word. Take it easy.

[Josh @ Mar 19th 2008 11:23AM]

So, if everyone uses the Wavebird for Mario Kart and SSBB, then what again is the point of the Wimote?

[Daniel @ Mar 19th 2008 12:12PM]

My thoughts exactly! If everyone is using wavebirds and classic controllers, then what's the point? I thought the Wii's selling point was the gimmicky motion control.

[Jeff @ Mar 19th 2008 4:27PM]

in my opinion, the people still clinging on to the wavebird for things like smashbrothers are pussies.

They're the kids that "invested" so much of their lives on the previous games that they NEED to have the "i already know all the moves" advantage.

Don't get me wrong, the kids i know who will only use the wavebird tend to be good at the game, but it's still a pussy move in my book to be so afraid of loosing a GAME a few times that they refuse to use a different controller.

[mikeydeeb @ Mar 20th 2008 12:46AM]

These games have been around for ages.
The Wii remote is great and all, and I'm sure everyone will try it
but it doesn't have the same advantage as a regular controler, afterall, nintendo built these games with a regular controller in mind and to continue the series they can't stray far from the original concept, often resulting in the use of controllers. They still pump out a lot of Wii originals, but the classics are best left with that, the classic controller.

[sdh @ Mar 19th 2008 11:35AM]

If that's in the US he might consider to switch places with the other dude because right now that is UK-driving.

[TubeTop100.com @ Mar 19th 2008 11:37AM]

I bought a Virtual Boy about two weeks ago. It's actually a pretty darn nice and unique experience. They should make a virtual boy like extension for the Wii.

[Fred @ Mar 19th 2008 11:38AM]

If David Hasselhoff didn't need a wheel driving KITT, you don't need one.

[the hoff @ Mar 19th 2008 3:08PM]

WWDHD?

[MosquitoControl @ Mar 19th 2008 11:40AM]

I skimmed through the video last night, and I thought they kept saying that it was easier to steer with it and that it required less motion, arguably because you were more likely to hold it at the proper angle.

Of course, it was a Nintendo rep stating all this, but it's not like you can really argue with the video, when both of them say it's easier. It's not the type of statement easily debunked without doing it yourself.

Questionable at best, regardless.

[Matt @ Mar 19th 2008 11:59AM]

What I don't seem to understand is why the focus back on the gamecube controller? Why wouldn't a player very well take a "classic controller" and use that first if they wanted the traditional controller approach. With the way the Wii is selling I would imagine more people might have a "classic controller" anyways.

[JAmerican @ Mar 19th 2008 11:59AM]

Video for non-US people:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z9O8i6WUvI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPptmQtPK2U

JAmerican

[Jagannath A @ Mar 19th 2008 2:48PM]

I can watch the original video and I'm in India.. what was wrong ? :\

[billedluh @ Mar 19th 2008 12:03PM]

dude, chill out on the virtual boy. That thing was freakin awesome. I had seven. And of course also had the seven associated copies of mario tennis.

[db2 @ Mar 19th 2008 12:04PM]

As pointless as these wheel contraptions may look, I find that they definitely give you a more comfortable grip for steering, if nothing else.

[Galley @ Mar 19th 2008 12:04PM]

My niece would probably enjoy that game, but then again she's only two.

[vdogg89 @ Mar 19th 2008 12:12PM]

is it just me, or does the wii steering suck? i want to use a classic style control to drive a car, not the tilt sensors. I find it much harder to use the tilt controllers

[directive0 @ Mar 19th 2008 12:35PM]

Disagreed. To use excite truck as an example, I really feel it is one of the more awesome driving games I've ever played, I much prefer having a realistic level of control over a physical object then a stick with a simple 2-3 cm travel with which to translate my commands. Its hard to remember that the remotes control is dependent on its position relative to the ground, and so many are confused with how to quickly and adequately get the return to center that an analog stick will do for you. I find people who try the "Wii steering" once or twice lament and brush it off as imprecise and gimmicky only because they are forced to deal with an unfamiliar and entirely new way of controlling what's on screen. I felt the same way when I switched to mouselook for the first time.

[Paul @ Mar 19th 2008 12:30PM]

It sounds to me like the guy liked the feel of the steering wheel more than the wiimote alone, contrary to what the engaget summary would lead you to believe.

[Mark @ Mar 19th 2008 6:18PM]

agreed, looks like the dreaded engadget bias again.

[lol @ Mar 19th 2008 12:37PM]

You know, it would be much nicer if the wheel had a dock. You know, a central point for the wheel to rotate on? Seriously nintendo (or any third party, for that matter), why can't you just go ahead and make a wheel with a stand that the controller snaps into? That way I don't have to worry about the wheel waving around and feeling like I'm rotating a pie plate.

[terenceyyk @ Mar 19th 2008 12:47PM]

I'd like to play like excite truck...

[FoolsRun @ Mar 19th 2008 1:29PM]

Isn't the point of Mario Kart (and most video games) to have fun? I think the wheel looks like more fun. I don't care of some kid who spent hours learning how to exploit the wavebird controls for the best time beats me --I'll be having more fun than him.

Or I'll just play with my friends who'll be using wheels.

[Jeff @ Mar 19th 2008 4:29PM]

word.

[Ian @ Mar 19th 2008 2:00PM]

Of course the wheel is just for show. They really had to sit and think about if it was or not?

[stinkweed @ Mar 19th 2008 2:01PM]

I will jump on the band wagon here and as like others what is so innovative about the Wii? The gimmick of the controls has worn off and 1st party titles play better with Gamecube controllers. Reggie had better have an earth shattering announcement for the holidays, or price drops and second and third gen titles from Sony and MS are going to spell real problems for the Wii longevity.

Of course that is just my opinion and I could be wrong.