Four months after its first playable showing at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, Nintendo has opened the flood doors and let flow the juicy details about its new home videogame console, unconventionally named Wii, due for stateside release Nov. 19.
The system
Wii will retail for $250. The company announced that 1 million units will be shipped to North America at launch.
With the console, Nintendo aims to redefine “next-gen” gaming and get a leg up on the competition coming from Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Sony’s upcoming Playstation 3. Focused less on photo-realistic graphics and more on unique and immersive gameplay, the company is relying on Wii’s control functions to push for domination in the worldwide gaming market, much like it has in the handheld market with the Nintendo DS.
The controller itself, dubbed by fans as the “Wiimote,” looks like a television remote infused with the original Nintendo Entertainment System controller, except it does much more than the two combined. The controller reads complete three-dimensional depth, meaning when players use the Wii, the console takes advantage of the environment around him or her. Shooting, combat, sports and other activities are played out much like they would be in real life, but players can do all of these things from the comfort of their living rooms and without having to leave the couch.
There’s another reason Nintendo designed the “Wiimote” to look like the NES controller. Nintendo’s online offering with its WiiConnect24 software will allow consumers to download classic Nintendo and third-party titles that were released on the NES, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Genesis, Nintendo 64 and a lesser-known system from Hudson called the TURBO GRAFX16. Rumor has it that NeoGeo titles will also be available for download. By simply turning the controller horizontally, players will hold a more conventional controller for classic titles.
The television remote design aspect will come in handy for Nintendo’s Wii Channel Menu, an interface much like the Xbox 360’s dashboard. Unlike the dashboard, however, the Wii will feature several different channels that function like souped-up widgets found in the Mac OSX operating system.
For example, the Photo Channel allows users to view pictures and other media uploaded to the Wii via memory card. On the Mii Channel, users can edit and play with portraits that will be used as their handles in select games. The Forecast Channel gives up-to-the-minute weather updates, while the News Channel directs constant news feeds from around the globe. The Internet Channel provides standard Web browsing, and the Wii Shop Channel gives players a chance to spend Wii Points, much like the achievement points used in Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Marketplace. The console will also provide a Message Board Channel used for everyday rants and raves.
Wii shows a little more respect for its elders. Not only are Gamecube discs compatible with the system, there are also four ports built into the console for Gamecube controllers.
The games
Unlike its cubic predecessor, Wii has amassed major third-party support for games, including mega-developers Ubisoft and Electronic Arts. In fact, 41 third-party titles have been announced for release within four months of Wii’s release. Titles include “Splinter Cell: Double Agent,” “Prince of Persia,” “Need for Speed: Carbon,” “The Godfather,” “Madden 07,” “Red Steel,” “Mortal Kombat: Armageddon” and “Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam.”
Then you’ve got Nintendo’s own powerhouse titles. Available at launch will be the much-anticipated “The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess,” “Excite Truck” and “Wii Sports,” a game packed in with the console designed to show off its capabilities. Following shortly behind the launch window are Nintendo’s cr‹¨me de la cr‹¨me, “Super Mario Galaxy,” “Metroid Prime 3: Corruption” and “Super Smash Bros. Brawl.”
Wii is an affordable gaming option this holiday season considering a new world of $600 consoles, and its diverse opening line-up is sure to keep its owners occupied.