Wii Hardware

THE GOOD:

The Wii's sleek white exterior may look innocent, but this thing is amazing. And the most amazing thing about it, is the controllers.

The Wii's controllers are more like remotes; they are a lot different than most controllers. But it is not their new shape that is so revolutionary, it's what they can do. The Wii remote, or Wiimote as it is often called, can detect motion in all directions! You can swing it, twist it, tilt it, and pretty much anything else you can think of. It can do it all. It can be a sword, a steering wheel, even a bowling ball! It brings you deeper into the game than you had ever thought possible. The Wii remote also has a smaller attachment called a "nunchuck", which is shown on the left. It is used for some games, and also has motion sensing abilities.

When you turn on the Wii, you start at the main menu.

Each box is a channel, where you do different things. There is a disc channel where you play games, a weather channel that shows you the forecast, and many more. Access a channel by aiming at it and clicking it with the Wii remote!

Another great thing about the Wii is it's appeal to casual gamers. A lot of the games are quick and easy to learn, while still being fun at the same time.

And Nintendo has introduced yet another new idea, Miis! Miis are virtual cartoon people who are created by you. Give them silly faces and wacky hairstyles, then play with them in games and other fun activities!

The Wii also has online and Wi-Fi capabilities. Hook it up to the internet with a USB cable, or just utilize the wireless internet built in! Either way, there are loads of things you can do. Play and talk with friends, send them pictures and videos, and download lots of cool features!

And here is something for all the retro gamers out there, the Wii features something called the Virtual Console! Accessed from the Wii Shop Channel, there is a section where you can download games from older systems, including NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis, and TurboGrafx16. Each game you download is added to the Wii menu as a channel. However, these will cost Wii points, which is basically money for the shop channel. You get these Wii points by buying a Wii points card at a game store, or by inputting your credit card information. At the shop channel, you can also download other fun channels, such as the internet channel, an internet browser for the Wii.

THE BAD:
The graphics and processing power of the Wii are good, but nowhere near the quality of the Xbox 360 or the PS3. The memory is also relatively small, with only 512 MB built in. But don't worry, that is enough for about 15 N64 games, and after that, you can use SD cards for extra memory.
The motion controls can also get a little messed up sometimes, but for the most part are fine.

SUMMARY:
The Wii is the cheapest current generation game console out right now at 250 USD, so that's all the more reason to buy it. It is also fully backwards compatible with the Nintendo Gamecube, with four controller plugs and two memory card slots concealed by a cover on the top of the Wii. Overall a great console with a lot of features and great games, for both casual and hardcore gamers. When you buy the Wii, you get:
-The console
-The stand
-An AV cable
-A power cable
-A Wii remote
-A nunchuck attachment
-The sensor bar (used for self-positioning of Wii remotes)
-The sensor bar stand
-The help and installation books.
-A copy of the Wii game "Wii Sports", which features virtual tennis, baseball, bowling, golf, and boxing, which all use the Wii's motion sensing abilities.

So if you are looking for some fast and easy fun alone or with friends, the Wii is your solution!