Monday, July 30, 2007

Initial Impressions of the Wii

My first few days were without internet access, so I didn't initially get to try that out (and once I did I discovered it isn't what I expected, but more on that later).

First off ... the hardware:

  • Beautifully designed. My favorite of all the current consoles.
  • The feel of the Wii Remote is good. It isn't too heavy, but is generally very comfortable.
  • The Nunchuk controller is similar, but is rather more simplistic. Still, it feels natural to use.
  • The range of the Sensor Bar to detect pointing directions from the Wii Remote is somewhat problematic for me right now. I can't find any position that allows me to stand or sit and play without moving the sensor bar, but I think this may be solvable.
  • I really wish the console came with video cables better than plain old composite. Honestly, in this day and age, S-Video or more likely, Component really needs to come in box.
  • Video generally looks good (given SD expectations), but I haven't tried hooking it up to my HDTV and likely won't until I get my hands on a Component cable.
  • Seems I can save just about anything to good 'old SD flash. Nice change from other vendors.
Now for the software:
  • I started with only Wii Sport. This game is a lot of fun, if not a bit repetitive. My favorite mini-games so far are Golf and Boxing.
  • I rather quickly went out and picked up Wii Play bundled with a second Wii Remote. This game is a bargain bin collection at best. It isn't nearly as good as the Sport disc, but you only pay a $10 premium over a Wii Remote on its own, so the value isn't too bad. The Cow riding and fishing are fun. I have yet to get comfortable playing Billiards.
  • I think games that demand physical action (sports, etc.) will work beautifully. I'm not sure the novelty won't fade on other titles, but we'll see.
  • I rented SSX Blur and Elebits last night. Both seem fun, but I haven't really dug into them much yet.
More coming this week:
  • Internet Connectivity
  • Virtual Console
  • More in-depth discussion on the listed game titles

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