Wheeeeeeeeeeee!
That's not only the pronunciation of Nintendo's new Wii console, which is in stores today, but an expression of the jubilation of experiencing video-game adventures in a more intimate, engrossing level than ever before through motion-sensor technology.
Until now, video games have pretty much always consisted of thumbs mashing buttons and joysticks on a controller. That changes with the Wii, which is equipped with a motion-sensor bar that can be placed above or below the television. Finger speed no longer determines how good a player you are. With the Wii, it's all about getting your arms waving, shaking and thrusting.
You'll grip the skinny, remote-control-style controller as a tennis racket to snap a serve past your best friend. You'll dodge a fireball and plunge a sword through an evil foe. You'll grasp a steering wheel with white knuckles as you barrel through an off-road path, feeling the rumble of the road as you whiz by trees, hurtling down a mountain.
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Shirking the superpowered graphics and high price tags of the other new-generation consoles, the Wii heads off in a bold, new direction. Nintendo ruled the land of pixels in the 1980s and early '90s with its original Nintendo Entertainment System and follow-up, the dominant Super-Nintendo, but lost relevance when Sony's PlayStation leapt to the forefront.
Following the relative failure of its past two systems, the Nintendo 64 and Game Cube, the Wii was a Hail Mary pass of sorts for the company.
After spending countless hours with the Wii in the past week, it's clear to me that the throw has been snagged for a touchdown.
The Wii costs $250, which makes it a bargain compared with the $400 Xbox 360 and $600 PlayStation 3. Another benefit is that the Wii doesn't dominate your living room the way the larger Xbox 360 and PS3 do. The machine is lean and compact, taking up slightly more space than a stack of three DVD cases. If you have a wireless Internet setup, it connects instantly, letting you share messages and pictures with friends or download classic games from the past via a pay service. Nintendo has promised online gaming in the future.
The system comes with one Wii remote controller, which acts as a wand that determines movements onscreen, and an attachable joystick-equipped Nunchuk, which you hold in your nondominant hand and allows for more precise control.
In some games, such as the boxing segment in "Wii Sports," which comes with the system, the Nunchuk is used as an alternative motion determinant, allowing you to swing punches with both fists.
If you buy a Wii, you'll definitely want to pick up an extra Wii remote ($40) and Nunchuk ($20), since most of the fun comes in playing with and against opponents. It was a tad greedy of Nintendo to not throw two controllers in with the system.
While new consoles are genuinely unimpressive out of the box because it takes a while for programmers to figure out how to maximize the technology, the Wii is a stunner from the get-go.
Once you've set it up — it took me 40 minutes to get all the protective plastic torn off, cords plugged into the right holes on the TV and into the system, the batteries unwrapped and into the controller and the motion sensor affixed to the top of the TV — playing is a breeze.
"Wii Sports" takes almost no time to learn and is so unintimidating that the novice could pick it up and hit the virtual driving range in minutes.
The remote is light and ergonomic, and the sensor can accurately pinpoint your movement whether you're standing or sitting, regardless of the angle you're perched at in front of the TV. The amount of physical activity involved in waving your hands and standing for emphasis gives you a bit of a workout, which justifies frittering away time playing. You're less a couch potato than a hot potato.
And sore. My arms, shoulders and upper back are as achy as they are when I start lifting weights again after a long time off. This can be a positive or a negative. Repetitive motion injury is probably a risk. Nintendo is mindful of this; that's why "Wii Sports" checks in every now and then with a message that suggests taking a break.
The system is remarkable for the way it seems to bridge the gap between gamers and non-gamers. The Wii also has the capability of turning into a party machine.
I persuaded my wife and three friends — women in their late 20s and early 30s who despise video games and wouldn't touch an Xbox 360 controller if it were a life preserver on a sinking ship — to give the system a try. For about an hour of giggling and shrieking I could hardly pull the controllers away from them. No doubt a Nintendo exec would cry with joy had he been there to witness the conversion.
● Nintendo has announced that 4 million Wiis should be available by the end of the year. This should be enough to keep pace with demand late in the holiday season, but getting ahold of one now will be tough. As of Friday, the system was not available online via most retailers. Amazon.com announced it will sell some Wiis today but expected a quick sellout.
● Tucson stores today will sell their first shipment with an unspecified number of consoles, which they will sell on a first-come, first-served basis. Lines were expected to form last night and this morning, and sellouts are expected before the stores open. On eBay, systems are available from private sellers, with bids of up to $745 as of Friday.
