Full Review

The Nintendo Wii is the newest in wireless gaming. It is awesome! We got the system for Christmas and took it with us when we went to visit Grandpa and Grandma and the cousins for the week. The game brought the whole family together. Grandpa, who usually can’t go bowling with his grandkids because of knee problems, was able to bowl, play baseball, tennis and even box with them. The Wireless controllers are what make the system so unique. Two goals were accomplished with the Wii. One, was ease of use for all generations and ages. Two, getting back to family game interaction- not just children playing games -but entire groups of people enjoying the game together

Nintendo wanted to make playing video games interesting and easy for people of all ages and all abilities to enjoy. The Wii controller (or remote) was the answer. It is easy to use but also extremely progressive. The sophistication of this new motion-sensing technology makes it easy for all age groups! Also, the Wii controller is ambidextrous which allows both left and right hand players accessibility seldom seen in game controllers. When you purchase a Wii console you get one free controller and a nunchuck with the system. (The nunchuck is an additional device that attaches at the end of the controller to expand the possibilities of play-like boxing with two hands). My nephew, who is 4 played Wii sports, Excite Truck and Raymons Raving Rabbids with no problems. My father, who is 70, played all of the sports games and Excite Truck with no problems. He was not able to playing Raymons Raving Rabbids or watch it because it made him sick and dizzy. Also, the boxing game included in Wii sports made most of the grown ups confused while watching it, but the children had no problems. My brother did not like the controller for Excite truck, he wanted to go back to the classic controller for this -but you are not able to.

How does the contoller work? The Wii wireless Remote uses a wireless connection by sending information from the controller to the small sensor that is either placed below your television or above it. Nintendo used Bluetooth technology in the remote to send your actions to the Wii console from as far as 30 feet away. As a pointing device, the controller can send a signal from as far as 15 feet away. Up to four Wii Remotes can be connected at once, making for some great multiplayer fun! Set up is very easy for the system. If you want to go online though -set up is a little more complicated, but that is for another review.

The Wii remotes come into play with the wii sports games that are included with the purchase of the Wii console system. In a tennis game, it serves as your racket you swing with your arm. When you bowl or play baseball you use the wii remote to throw the ball or bat. To box, it is your boxing gloves to punch, block or bob and weave In a driving game, such as Excite Truck, the controller serves as your steering wheel. For shooting games, the Wii Remote acts as your weapon that you point at an enemy. The remote will act as a sword or shield in fighting games. Everyone is looking forward to star wars games where the remote will become the light saber. In the Legend of Zelda the remote is a fishing pole. The list of uses is infinite and fun.
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In addition to its pointing and motion-sensing abilities, the Wii Remote also includes a speaker, rumble feature and expansion port for additional input devices, such as the Nunchuk. It is amazing to sit and watch friends and family with these remotes in their hands while they move realistically playing the games. Grandpa and Grandma really got into it. It was fun for the rest of the family to sit and interact, laugh and enjoy watching while waiting their turn. It is perfect for parties or get togethers as it brings everyone into the fun.

Exercise is important- children and adults are getting fat. An additional goal of Nintendo was to make playing video games more active so that people would have to move around a bit. The wii controller does a good job of this. The boxing game is probably the most cardiovascular game that the wii has that I have played. I played this game against my sister (we are both in our forties and out secret desire to sometimes beat each other up was satisfied) and we came away sweating with our hearts beating rapidly. I do have to admit, my overweight brother who is 45, found a way that he could sit and play most of the games and not be active. All of the children that were playing, 12 cousins ranging in age from 4 to 17, were jumping, moving and swinging around while playing all of the games. In my opinion, Nintendo was very effective in making controllers and games so realistic that the player really gets into it and are exercising with out even knowing.

On the Nintendo website they put the following pre-cautions for using the remotes and playing the Wii games:
Playing video games can make your muscles, joints, skin or eyes hurt. Follow these instructions to avoid problems such as tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, skin irritation or eyestrain:
Avoid excessive play. Parents should monitor their children for appropriate play.
Take a 10 to 15 minute break every hour, even if you don't think you need it.(during video play the wii consoles sends a message every 15 minutes for you to take a break)
If your hands, wrists, arms or eyes become tired or sore while playing, or if you feel symptoms such as tingling, numbness, burning or stiffness, stop and rest for several hours before playing again.
If you continue to have any of the above symptoms or other discomfort during or after play, stop playing and see a doctor.
The Wii console and Wii Remote can emit radio waves that can affect the operation of nearby electronics, including cardiac pacemakers.
Do not operate the Wii console or remote within 9 inches of a pacemaker.
If you have a pacemaker or other implanted medical device, do not use the Wii console or remote without first consulting your doctor or the manufacturer of your medical device.
Wear the wrist strap. Make sure that all players using the Wii Remote are wearing the wrist strap and that it has been tightened using the strap lock. When sharing the Wii Remote between multiple players, please be sure each person using the Wii Remote takes the time to properly put on the wrist strap. Wearing the wrist strap will help prevent the Wii Remote from flying across the room if you accidentally let go of it during game play.

Hold the Wii Remote firmly and do not let go. Even while wearing the wrist strap, make sure you don't let go of the Wii Remote during game play and do not use excessive motion. For example, in Wii Sports bowling, the proper way to let go of the ball while bowling is to release the "B" button on the Wii Remote—DO NOT LET GO OF THE Wii REMOTE ITSELF. If you are having so much fun that you start perspiring, take a moment to dry your hands. If you use excessive motion and let go of the Wii Remote, the wrist strap may break and you could lose control of the Wii Remote. This could injure people nearby or cause damage to other objects.
Give yourself plenty of room. You will probably move around while using the Wii Remote, so be careful that all areas that you might move into are clear. Make sure that furniture, objects and people are out of the play area so you don’t accidentally bump into them while playing. Also, as indicated in the Wii Operations Manual, it is recommended to stay at least three (3) feet from the television.

Replacing the wrist strap. Nintendo also had some instances where the controller strap broke and people were throwing it thru their television set or other objects and people,. Like I said players get very involved with these games, especially baseball, and the remote could easily be swung so hard it could fly. Nintendo is offering to replace the original version of the wrist straps for the Wii Remote with a newer version. Because Wii consoles shipped starting in early December already utilized the newer version of the strap, you will need to determine which version of the strap you have before ordering a replacement. The original straps were very thin and skinny and could easily break. The new ones are thicker and make of an unbreakable plastic covered wire.

The remote runs on two AA batteries. The batteries that came with the remote died after 24 hours of use. In the instructions it says not to use them. I don't know if they got old sitting in the box or that is the amount of use you can expect to get from AA batteries. The downside of the remote is; it is not compatable with rechargeable batteries therefore we will be going through a lot of AA batteries! I better have some on hand! Also, the remote will automatically shut down if left unused in 10 minutes.

We love the new Nintendo Wii and the remotes. It is fun for all of us to enjoy. We have been having a lot of fun creating mini -Mii’s with the remote that represent all of our friends and family. You need to buy the wii and find out what you are missing.