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Wii Warm Up: USB Possibilities
As I completed a microprocessors lab on the wonders of RS-232, my mind flashed back to those two rather standard ports on the back of the Wii. Yes, the Wii still has two USB 2.0 slots on its behind, and yet not a single peep has come from Nintendo regarding their usage. Were we not promised external hard drive support? A keyboard would be lovely, too; typing with the Wiimote can get excessively tedious.Besides the obvious, though, how could the Wii make good use of these ports? Is there nothing that the Wiimote's expansion port can't cover? Hmmmm.
Wii Warm Up: Technical difficulties
Since the release of the Wii, we've gotten a few e-mails from people reporting that they've had various problems with their systems -- and we're not talking straps here, but actual technical difficulties. In light of that, we figured it was a good time to open the floor to everyone and ask: have you had any issues with your Wii? Controllers not working, discs not reading, tears, recriminations, explosions ... any problems at all? If so, we want to hear about it.
Wii Warm Up: WiiAIM
Since Nintendo isn't completely focused on turning their living room console into a central media hub like some folks, armchair developers are trying to bring all the functionality of the computer to the Wii. Up today: WiiAIM. Yep, there are some folks working to enable AIM chat on the Wii. We're a little skeptical about the practicality of such an application (navigating the onscreen keyboard to surf the web is bad enough), but we thought we'd ask you what you thought of such a move. Would you get your chat on with the Wiimote?[Via Digg]
Wii Warm Up: Is the Wii remote gimmicky?
It's the question Nintendo fanboys often avoid: is the Wii controller just a gimmick? It comes up a lot, this idea that the Wii is an impulse buy (maybe once it's, y'know, around) and that we'll grow tired of random remote-flicking in favor of traditional gameplay. Some have even said the Wiimote lacks the versatility of the DS -- the system to which it is often compared. Having played a variety of games with different control schemes, we're not convinced about that, and can only imagine the Wii's true versatility will be further apparent as devs spend more and more quality time working with the controls. What we want to know, though, is what you think. Is the Wii remote a gimmick, or will it endure?
Wii Warm Up: how 'bout them tunes?
You know, many things have been said about the Wii. Many have commented on its graphics, its WiiConnect24 feature, and of course its gesture-based controls. Not many people have talked about, however, the system's music. We're talking about the slick tunes coming from the Wii Shop Channel and the toe-tapping melody one hears in the Mii Channel. Have you, like us, caught yourself humming in the Mii Plaza? Do you wish that the Wii Shop Channel beats could herald in every incoming call on your cell phone? What's your favorite Wii jam?
Wii Warm Up: Coming up next
Here's a simple question: with all the AAA titles (supposedly) being released in 2007, which one are you actually looking forward to the most? Super Smash Bros. Brawl will certainly be a favorite, but recent hype and an unwavering faith in Miyamoto-san make us want to experience Super Mario Galaxy just a tad bit more. Maybe you're looking for the first truly-done-right first-person shooter on the Wii, courtesy of Metroid Prime 3, or perhaps you simply desire a return to a certain blue hedgehog's former glory in Sonic and the Secret Rings. Maybe we're wrong altogether. If you could have just one of the 2k7 games, which would it be? Which title can you just not live without?
Wii Warm Up: A Wii-friendly web
Some sites are going the extra mile to make sure there's plenty of Wii-friendly content for the remote-enabled couch surfer, but they're not all announcing it. We also figure thousands of eyes are better than our six, so while we're pleased with the sites we've found, we'd love to hear what you browse from your Wii. Found any sites offering content optimized for the Wii? Tell us about it![Thanks, Mike!]
Wii Warm Up: The nature of the fanboy
Time for a bit of self-reflection. We are, by definition, Fanboys. We're huge followers of Nintendo; we eagerly await every drop of news that springs forth from those locked doors in Kyoto, we have an effigy of Reggie in our bedrooms, and we attempt to feed mushrooms to every Italian we cross in the street.The word "fanboy" has a negative connotation these days. With the possible exception of the PC vs. Mac battle, it's quite rare to see people galvanize and root for multi-billion dollar companies as we do in the land of gaming. People do not "root" for Paramount Pictures, nor do they "cheer" for Exxon-Mobil. One could make the case that we want Nintendo to succeed because their success will breed more of the same: as in, more of the franchises we know and love. But why are we so passionate, so stalwart in our fandom? Is it truly a "bad" thing to be a fanboy, or do you bleed phazon and red potion? Let's hear it!
Wii Warm Up: What do you do with your booty?
We're talking about booty in the pirate sense here (can we say piratical?) -- specifically, all your gaming booty, and we want to know what you do with it. Are you an obsessive collector, stockpiling all the games you ever obtain, until your walls are lines with cases? Do you sell them or maybe trade with other gamers? Or do you put up with the jankery that is gaming store trade-for-credit deals, simply because it's easy? 'Fess up -- we want to know all about what you do with games once you've finished them.
Wii Warm Up: So, Zorro
Yeah, we saw this one coming -- a Zorro game for the Wii. We can see it. The Wii remote is made for sword-fighting, and slashing the iconic "Z" with the controller is something we should all probably do once. But a whole game? We're skeptical ... and more so when it comes to the philosophy behind it. According to the developers, Pronto Games, they're trying to cram something for everyone into a small package; they want something "instantly engaging" with "challenges for casual gamers but with an interest level that will attract hard core gamers, too." While it sounds good on paper, it seems as though they're more interested in trying to please everyone than they are in just producing a good game. What's your take on this coming title?
Wii Warm Up: On franchises
Yesterday's news of a DDR game headed Wii-ward got us in the mood to speculate about what other established franchises would work well with the Wiimote. We don't mean ports that "make use" of the Wii controls, though that can be fun, too. We're talking about games that would be really, really perfect. Additionally, the news that DDR will require a dance mat as well as both the Wiimote and nunchuk opens up a world of peripheral possibilities. So what inventive ways can you think of to implement beloved franchises on our beloved console?
Wii Warm Up: Wii Sports accomplishments
We know you guys still like to get in there with the racket or the boxing gloves -- you told us -- so we're dying to know about all the bragging rights you can claim in Wii Sports. Are you struggling to just get bronze medals, or are you maybe rolling in the platinum? Have you gone pro? What's the state of your Wii Sports habit?
Wii Warm Up: Wii vs. PS3
We talked about this a little recently, since it's hard to discuss the Wii60 phenomenon without invoking the PS3, but we wanted to spend some time directly addressing the "fight" between the Wii and Sony's PS3. It's something that has often been invoked by both industry sources and the mainstream media. Journalists of all stripes have been consistently pitting the two systems against one another since long before they were actually released, while the Xbox 360 -- though a next gen console -- is often left out in the cold due to its head start. An article in yesterday's New York Times put the spotlight on the head-to-head "console war" and we thought it was time to ask you guys what you thought. Is it accurate to pit the Wii and the PS3 against one another? Is this generation a typical console war in any sense? Are you sick of hearing about the forgotten piles of PS3s filling stores, while the Wii shelves lie empty and dormant? And is it even accurate to ask, as the Times did, which one readers prefer?[Thanks to Max for tipping us on the NYT article!]
Wii Warm Up: to Standby, or not to Standby
Don't get us wrong, we trust Nintendo. However, the idea of our system being in Standby mode frightens us to new levels of fear. We worry about going to bed with the Wii in Standby mode, only to be awaken in the middle of the night by a bright, horrible sight. One that has our Wii in flames and melting a slow, horrible death.We're sure it's absolutely safe to leave the Wii "off" with a yellow light on the power button, but our irrational fears have caused us to make sure our system is totally off every night by first changing the Standby mode feature through the Wii's settings into the off position and holding down that power button until we see that beautiful red light. That got us to thinking; could we be complete loons or are their others out there in the world who worry about the longevity of their system and the effects the Standby mode might have on it just as we do? Do you Standby?
Wii Warm Up: Seriously, news and weather?
Here at the Fanboy, we're not quite sure what to think about these silly new channels. Both the news and the forecast channels perform admirably, giving an easily accessible wealth of happenstance and Celsius. Still, how often will they really be used, especially by the standard gaming crowd? All the news you really need can actually be found on one website, and no matter how convenient Nintendo's weather service is, it's tough to beat Firefox plug-ins or, you know, just walking outside.What do you think: can you see yourselves using these that's-kinda-neat features over extended amounts of time, or would you rather just stick to that glorious land of freedom that is yon internet? Do old people really care about these things? Do squirrels really eat pizza? Hmmm.
Wii Warm Up: Costs of the Virtual Console
Prices for games vary on the Virtual Console, with many games available for as few as 500 Wii points, or a measly five bucks, up to twice that ... and it's rumored that some games may be even more expensive than that. Sure, five or ten dollars doesn't sound like that much, but considering your other Wii costs, which we discussed over the weekend, many gamers are more frugal when it comes to choosing their Virtual Console purchases. After all, most of us have played these games before. Still, when it comes to reliving a beloved game experience, what's a few dollars?Today's question is how you really feel about Virtual Console pricing, and what's driven you to start spending Wii points. What's been released that you just couldn't go without? How many games have you purchased so far?
Wii Warm Up: Wii60
Spawned as the gamer's answer to the price of the PS3, or out of spite and anger toward Sony fanboys (depending on who you ask), the Wii60 "movement" isn't something we've much discussed around here, though sometimes it's a good excuse to talk about the mountain of awesome that is Reggie Fils-Aime. Regardless of how you feel about the neologism created to define those who own both a 360 and a Wii in favor of a PS3, we are curious about how many of our readers are living the definition. What's hooked into your television, and why have you chosen the consoles that you own? Let us know in the comments.[Thanks to Christopher for supplying his Wii60 image!]
Wii Warm Up: Adding up the costs
A reader dropped us a note about the money he'd thus far poured into the Wii, and at first our jaws dropped at the amount ... and then we started adding up our own costs, and boy weren't we red-faced. Let's look at some of the basic items:Console: $250Wii Remote: $40 (each)Nunchuk: $20 (each)Games: $50 (each) Classic controller: $20 (each)Component cables: $30So let's assume that we're Little Lisha Fangirl, and we head out to get hooked up with the Wii goodness. We buy a console, one extra controller and nunchuk, a couple of classic controllers, and two games, as well as component cables. With tax, we're probably looking at a little over $500. Not too bad; after all, you're not buying extra shinyz for a PS3 or 360 plus the console for that ... you're probably not even getting a PS3 by itself for that. But then you start laying in a few extras. Third and fourth controller, say. A couple of those nifty controller gloves so you don't have to play guess-which-remote-is-player-one. And you have to have some Wii points, so you break out the credit card and load up. You pick up an SD card. And suddenly your reasonable console, when you add in a couple more games, is slouching toward a cool grand. Ouch. We're even the inexpensive guys. How do you feel about the costs of gaming these days? It seems there are more games around than we could possibly buy and play and grok in fullness, but we do what we can. Still, do you ever feel overwhelmed by the hidden costs of gaming? That's today's question.[Thanks, RD!]
Wii Warm Up: So how is the name?
Once upon a time, the Wii was known as the Revolution, and it was good. Then Nintendo announced that the console's real name would be Wii, and the backlash rocked the media and gaming community. Also, there were a lot of anatomical jokes.But here we are, not quite a year later, basking in the success of the new system ... when we can stop playing it, that is. We've had a little time to get used to the new name, but we have to ask -- how is it? Do you like "Wii" now? Does it suit the system? Or has the Wii succeeded thus far in spite of the name?We also recommend going back and looking at the comments on that old post, as they're certain to make interesting reading alongside what is said here today.
Wii Warm Up: Where in the world do you Wii?
Remember that map for Wii owners? It got us thinking that maybe today, we should talk about you guys. Maybe we need to get to know one another a little more. We can hang out. Totally be BFF! But first, we need to know where you are.Well. It's not so much that we need to know. We're just curious. And maybe we don't have some fancy map, but maybe we can get a few Wii connections working right here at home. So let us know -- where do you hang your Wiimote?
