Pros
built in wireless, backwards compatibility, Zelda
Cons
horrible name, weak hardware, online strategy, controller sensitivity, no HD support

The Bottom Line
Let the Wii jokes begin!

Pretty much anyone who bought their Wii before February probably has a tale about how they were able to procure said console. Whether it was standing out in subzero temperatures for 5 hours, fighting through the Christmas shopping crowds, or robbing your neighbor at gunpoint and subsequently evading arrest, we all have a story.

Specs

729 MHz Power PC processor
88 MiB of RAM
ATI GPU with 24MiB of memory running at 243 MHz
512 MiB flash memory storage
SD Memory card slot
Built in WiFi 802.11b/g wireless connectivity
2x USB 2.0 Ports
Bluetooth controller connectivity
Media: Dual 12cm and 8cm Optical Disc drive

Overall the hardware is very comparable to the original Xbox only without the Hard Drive. That is, the Nintendo Wii isn't next generation hardware and the games will certainly resemble more of that of the previous generation. Still, there are many gamers out there who felt as if the current generation arrived too quickly, so we'll see if there are more ideas that can be explored with the Wii. In other senses, the Wii will miss out on many 3rd party Xbox 360 and PS3 ports because the hardware isn't powerful enough. Nintendo was clear from the beginning that the Wii will be geared more towards creating a unique environment for gamers not creating the most powerful console on the market. The last couple Nintendo consoles have tried to match Sony pound for pound with powerful hardware and they have since fallen by the wayside.

The Nintendo Wii doesn't support any HDTV resolutions other than up to 480p. This is also on par with that of the original Xbox.

Features

One of the best features of the Wii is the Wii Channels. The Wii Channels are different applications on the Wii Console which allow you to perform different functions. For instance the Mii Channel allows you to create virtual representations of you or your family based on facial features, favorite colors, size, weight and such. These characters can be imported into games like Wii Sports. The Photo Channel allows you to view pictures in jpeg form, movie files in mov format, and audio files in mp3 format from your SD card. In this channel you can also edit photos using a crude paint-link interface. The news channel allows you to view news stories from across the nation; the Forecast Channel displays the weather in the area including the current temperature. The Shop Channel allows you to purchase additional content including channels, and Virtual Console games. The Internet Channel is a web browser developed by Opera. It's a free download via the Shop Channel until sometime this summer. Currently it's a beta version that has limited functionality and doesn't support a USB keyboard yet. Virtual console games downloaded to your Wii also appear as their own channel.

The Nintendo Wii also has internet connectivity through its games. Your Wii has a 16 digit friend code as an console identifier similar to that of the Nintendo DS. The good thing is no multiple numbers to record. Speaking of Nintendo DS, your Wii also has wireless connectivity with your Nintendo DS. Currently only the Pokemon games have this connectivity and if the Gameboy Advance/GameCube connectivity was any indication, this won't be a well-supported feature.

Accessories

The Wii Remote is the basic component of the controller. It syncs with the Wii similar to that of the Xbox 360's wireless devices. The Wii acts as a pointer but also has gyroscopic functions that interact with the sensor bar that sits atop or below your TV. That is, the Wii can sense the controller's orientation relative to the TV. This is best illustrated when playing Baseball in Wii Sports. The Wii Remote has a trigger button (B) and an A button that sits prominently on the Remote's face. Above the A button is a dpad and in the upper left hand corner is the power button. Below the A button sits the Home button which returns you to the Wii Console menu. On either side of the home button lies the minus and plus button respectively. Below the home button is a speaker. Yes you can receive audio via the Wii Remote's speaker. Finally below the speaker lies the 1 button and below that the 2 button. Below the 2 button is 4 LCD lights indicating which player the current remote is set to. The Wii Remote has a lot of potential but the way it interacts with the sensor bar can be rather sensitive.

The Wii Nunchuk is an attachment that plugs into the Wii Remote through a short cord (hence the name "Nunchuk"). It comes standard with your Wii console and offers the same motion sensing as the Wii Remote. That is, you can use the Nunchuk for games like Boxing in Wii Sports. The Nunchuk has an analog stick on the top similar to that of the left analog stick on the GameCube controller. The Nunchuk also has two button triggers at the top, which makes it ideal for first and third person shooter games.

Wii Classic controller is a controller that closely resembles that of a hybrid PS2 Dual Shock controller and the GameCube controller. The two analog sticks sit side by side on the bottom of the face of the controller like with the Playstation Dual Shock. The dpad sits above the left analog stick, and the A,B,X,Y face buttons are configured in a diamond shape but similar orientation to that of the GameCube controller. The select, home, and start buttons sit in the middle of the controller. There are also two sets of trigger buttons. A long set of triggers on the outside and two on the inside.

At the top of the Wii there are 4 ports for GameCube controllers and two slots that can be used for GameCube memory cards. This is pretty sweet because the Wii acts as a smaller version of the GameCube in addition to its normal usage. There's no need to sell your Wavebird controller either.

Nintendo has a horrible history with its accessories. From the Power glove and R.O.B. on the NES to the Bongo Drums and microphone on the GameCube, there are a ton of accessories which really were only used for one or two games. The connector on the Wii Remote makes me cringe thinking what kinds of silly accessories they might try to pawn on us this generation. So far, the Nunchuk and Classic Controller will likely see mainstream usage. However, other controllers could only see sparse support.

Library

The Wii's gaming library is tied very closely to the unique properties of the Wii remote and accessories. Harkening back to the days of the NES and the SNES, the Wii comes with a pack in game Wii Sports. While Wii Sports isn't as deep as most sports games, it showcases the properties of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk while also exhibiting how Wii games can be accessible to many gamers. That's the goal of Nintendo with its library. It's to provide a controller interface that's easy to learn, allowing new gamers young and old flock to the console.

The Wii's North American launch featured about 15 titles. However with the exception of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, there isn't a single game which was a must have for all Wii owners. In the case of Madden NFL 2007, Call of Duty 3, Cars, and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance; the Wii version scored much lower than ones on other consoles. So it's goes without saying that there are serious questions about the strength of the Wii's library now and for the future.

However, if it's any consolation, the Nintendo DS had a weak launch, but given a few months of time for developers to figure out the touch pad, better games were released. I would think this would be the case with the Wii given its unique controller.

The genre with the biggest weakness on the Wii right now is role-playing games. The only RPG titles currently out now would be Marvel Ultimate Alliance and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Those two games are both solid (very good in the case of Zelda), but also could be categorized more as action titles than RPGs. I don't have any serious worries that the Wii won't attract any RPGs because the GameCube had Tales of Symphonia, which was one of the best RPGs of the previous console generation; the Nintendo DS already has a strong lineup of RPGs; and there are several in house franchises that could be hashed out as well like Paper Mario, Harvest Moon, Fire Emblem, Golden Sun, and Pokemon. The question is whether Nintendo can attract get Square Enix aboard for some serious RPGs too. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles for the GameCube was awful by their standards. If the Wii can at least make some serious penetration in this genre, the Playstation 3 is in some serious trouble.

The genres which could prove to be revolutionary on the Wii are first person shooters. The Wii's remote could be used for aiming while the Nunchuk could be used for movement and strafing. There also could be some great puzzle games and adult-oriented games designed for the system too given the success of such games on the Nintendo DS. The Wii has proven in prior generations that its first party titles can be system movers. The Wii should prove to be no exception given the success of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Future first party titles from proven franchises include Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, and Super Smash Brother Brawl. However, as for future 3rd party titles, there aren't any games announced that currently have the hype that Final Fantasy, Grand Theft Auto, or Gears of War generate. Until the Wii can attract successful titles like those, it must rely on its first party games to carry the console, which is what doomed the Nintendo 64 and GameCube.  

The one issue I foresee in the Wii library is that there will be some absolutely terrible games. I've seen lazy programming from development houses before and the Wii controller takes a lot of discipline and tweaking to get right. I became apparent to me when I analyzed the mechanics of the golf game works in Wii Sports. The Wii Remote can be way too sensitive at times and you have to take shortcuts and make the pointer sticky in some situations. I just don't see this happening with some 3rd party developers. The strong sales numbers and the extended hype and demand of the console even now a month after Christmas goes to show that there will be at least some initial 3rd party support. However, I can only hope that those developers won't rush out a game without properly testing and tweaking the Wii Remote functionality first.

The Wii also features backwards compatibility with GameCube games. The disc drive takes not only the 12cm Wii discs, but also the 8cm GameCube discs. The GameCube controller and memory card ports for the GameCube allow you to use your Wii as a GameCube minus certain accessories like the Gameboy player. Given the availability of GameCube games it enhances the library of the Wii.

In addition to backwards compatibility with the GameCube, the Wii's Virtual Console allows you to emulate games from older consoles like the sega genisis, Turbo Graphics 16, super nintendo, and original Nintendo downloaded via the Wii's Shop Channel. There are currently only a few dozen games available on the Virtual console but new ones are added every few weeks. The controllers you can use include the Wii Remote, Classic Controller, and GameCube Controller. The Classic controller works for all the games while the other two works for some games but not others. For more information about what games are available for the virtual console click the link below:

http://wii.nintendo.com/virtualconsole_en.jsp

Overall, given a strong launch and some decent games set to be released later in the year, I have high hopes for the Wii library. It isn't strong now and will certainly lose out on some Xbox360 and PlayStatuion3 ports because either the controls won't translate to the Wii remote, or there isn't enough horsepower under the hood of the Wii. I'm not too concerned about the Wii remote issue because the PlayStation3 has limited gyroscopic attributes too which can be transferred, and if not the Wii's classic controller could also be mandated for some ports. Can the Wii match the Xbox 360 after Halo 3 and Grand Theft Auto IV are released? Will Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3, and Super Smash Brothers Brawl make up for those two titles? Will the Wii retain 3rd party developers and will their games impress gamers? Those are the serious questions that plague the Wii and its library.

Impressions

With regards to durability, the Wii is a worthy addition in the chain of Nintendo consoles. The console seems pretty sturdy and well-constructed, though if it's any indication, prior Nintendo consoles, especially recent ones stood the test of time unlike its competition. The issues with Sony's PS2, the original Xbox and the whole DVD drive fiasco, and the recent troubles with the launch Xbox 360s dying makes me never want to get a console so close to launch. Though Nintendo seems to defy this trend and when I picked up my Wii I bought it with confidence. Besides, with a $250 price tag, it wasn't as bad as dropping $400 or even $600 on a console only to have it die a year after launch.

The games on the other hand do not look quite as nice. Wii Sports has graphics on par with the GameCube, the same with WarioWare: Smooth Moves. Only The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess has graphics that truly look better than that of the GameCube. On my HDTV the games look good at 480p, and I think that in the coming months the graphics will improve.

With regards to the control scheme, I'm still wary. It's not quite as bad as the disaster with the N64 controller, but there are sensitivity issues with the pointer. That is, pointing and clicking does take some getting used to. Now games like wii sports, wario ware, and Twilight Princess takes away a lot of the learning curve at first. Still for video game novices like my wife and daughter, this hasn't been much of a problem except while using an interface like with the web browser. It would be nice to have some sort of USB keyboard support.

Overall I have no doubt that the Wii will be a wise console choice for this generation. Role playing game fans might want to hold tight to see what kinds of RPGs are headed the Wii's way first. However, if the Playstation 3 continues to slip in the public's eye, Nintendo might benefit greatly as Microsoft still hasn't penetrated the Japanese market that well. However, the next step for Nintendo is that it has to convince the hardcore gamer that the Wii isn't a gimmick and that it's capable of some really transcendent games. That shouldn't be too hard considering their impressive launch now means that Nintendo has the gaming world's attention. I was convinced enough to get one. The low price and current selection of games shows that if the Wii does fail to catch on in a major way, at least it'll be a good complimentary console to the more mature-oriented Xbox 360. That is at least I can play interactive games with my kids on it.

Recommended: Yes