I have been playing with my wii...

[SpazBear]

If they added High Speed and Comet, along with the included Pinbot, I would just maybe have to consider buying a Wii.B)

High Speed would've been sweet ("Pull over, buddy!"), but only if it came with a rear-view mirror you could mount atop your TV....

Comet would've been very good, too.

Funhouse I'd drop in an instant for either of those games. Too complicated, too many tight shots, and a big drain suckhole on the left side.

[Taem]

Mario Kart = 0001-3945-0915
Smash Bros = 0731-4483-6144

[Bolty]

I am Wii nub. I just bought one (with a Wii Fit) and will be hooking it up next month (joint present for myself and my wife).

I have Wii nub questions. Answers, or pointers to places where I can get these answers, would be appreciated. Keep in mind, too, that this is the first console I have ever owned!

1) Now that the Wii has been out for years, and the initial problem of lack of good games is (supposedly) over, what are the killer-app must-have games? Not just hardcore ones like Metroid Prime 3 that I would like, but more casual ones for the wife that she would like. She likes Popcap games like Bejeweled, as an example. Between Wii Sports, Wii Play, and Wii Fit, we'll have enough to do for a while, but I'm thinking ahead here.

Take Mario Kart for instance - is there room for fun on a casual basis there, or would someone quickly get frustrated if they can't beat races? How nasty is the difficulty curve for a casual gamer?

2) What is this Virtual Console thingy?

3) What advantages come with getting online? How much does that cost? Can I download stuff? Please do not bias your answers with your desire to whoop me hard at something online.

4) What games have co-op modes? This is *big* for me and a main reason to get this console, besides its casual-friendly design. Playing against my wife is rarely fun - match up a hardcore gamer who's been playing games since the 70's against a Popcap casual gamer and the result is usually not pretty. But if we can play games *together*, that's just pure bonus. PC gaming has very, very few such games. Is there a co-op mode to Super Mario Galaxy, for instance?

5) If your TV doesn't have a flat top, how do you set up the "sensor bar"?

-Bolty

[RTM]

I am Wii nub. I just bought one (with a Wii Fit) and will be hooking it up next month (joint present for myself and my wife).

I have Wii nub questions. Answers, or pointers to places where I can get these answers, would be appreciated. Keep in mind, too, that this is the first console I have ever owned!

1) Now that the Wii has been out for years, and the initial problem of lack of good games is (supposedly) over, what are the killer-app must-have games? Not just hardcore ones like Metroid Prime 3 that I would like, but more casual ones for the wife that she would like. She likes Popcap games like Bejeweled, as an example. Between Wii Sports, Wii Play, and Wii Fit, we'll have enough to do for a while, but I'm thinking ahead here.

Take Mario Kart for instance - is there room for fun on a casual basis there, or would someone quickly get frustrated if they can't beat races? How nasty is the difficulty curve for a casual gamer?

2) What is this Virtual Console thingy?

3) What advantages come with getting online? How much does that cost? Can I download stuff? Please do not bias your answers with your desire to whoop me hard at something online.

4) What games have co-op modes? This is *big* for me and a main reason to get this console, besides its casual-friendly design. Playing against my wife is rarely fun - match up a hardcore gamer who's been playing games since the 70's against a Popcap casual gamer and the result is usually not pretty. But if we can play games *together*, that's just pure bonus. PC gaming has very, very few such games. Is there a co-op mode to Super Mario Galaxy, for instance?

5) If your TV doesn't have a flat top, how do you set up the "sensor bar"?

-Bolty

1 & 4: To clarify, I do not have many games for my Wii but I try to keep up on releases & reviews for future purchases.:) It sounds like you will want to look into Lego Star Wars/Indiana Jones for some co-op play. They are both very forgiving as far as difficulty is concerned, and you can play 2 player co-op on the same screen (i.e. not split-screen). Lots of unlockables and they're pretty funny to boot although the jokes assume you've seen the movies. Boom Blox has gotten some great reviews, check that one out too; it's like Jenga with bombs and throwing motions. There is a multiplayer aspect to this, but not having played it, I don't know if it's co-op or competitive.

Super Mario Galaxy has a co-op mode but the 2nd person basically just controls a cursor which can shoot stars at enemies and assist with jumps (I think?). It doesn't add a whole lot to the game but your wife may find it fun.

Mario Kart is very fun, but I'm speaking as someone who's halfway decent at racing games. I can see how it might be frustrating for those who can't grasp powerslide mechanics (which aren't difficult). Online play is a blast! You have a ranking much like chess- as you win, you get higher rank and if you win against someone with a very high rank you advance very quickly. You generally race against people in the same ranking score area, but every so often you get someone in there who's way higher. I tend to like games where you unlock things, and Mario Kart has a lot of unlockables that show up as you complete various races and online goals. Definitely worth a rental to see if you like it or not.

Endless Ocean is basically the most relaxing game ever created. You basically swim around in the ocean and identify fish. The scenery is really beautiful and finding new species or the occasional whale is quite the thrill (in a relaxing sort of way, of course). It's about as casual a game as you can get.:)You can do nothing but swim around or there are little missions you can take which ask you to take pictures of a certain species or give a tour of a specific area. You can even tame and train your own dolphin(s). Very fun and a great way to unwind.

If you ever want to use your Wii, do NOT buy Puzzle Quest. Take Bejeweled, add a level-up system, a storyline, an overworld map, and items, and you've got yourself some horrible monster of a game that will suck you in like some sort of addictive vortex of shiny jewels.

Don't forget that you can also play Gamecube games in your Wii. There's an entire generation of games available to you also. You'll need a Gamecube controller for that but they should be available for cheap nowadays.


2. Virtual console is an online store where you can purchase and download old console games. There is stuff in there from way back in the NES days all the way up to N64 games, with non-Nintendo stuff from Sega and Turbografx16 also. It's a great way to catch up on some great games without going out and purchasing the consoles.

3. Online is free. The main menu screen of the Wii consists of "channels". So you have a disc channel (whatever game you currently have inserted), a Wii Shop channel, and a bunch of other channels you can add. Some are free (weather, shop, news, Mii, etc.) whereas others cost money. I haven't purchased any so someone else can speak up here, but I'm pretty sure that any games you purchase from the Wii Shop channel will show up as a channel also. So if you buy Legend of Zelda, it'll show up as a channel. To play it, just click on the channel. Games with online components may or may not have their own channel. Mario Kart Wii has it's own online channel, for example. There is a new channel they recently added which shows video previews of various Nintendo games. I am not aware of any Wii games that charge you for online access at the moment. Anyway, the point of all that is to say you'll need to be online to download a lot of the content that's available for the Wii.

Nintendo has a strange thing with playing online vs. other people. You'll have a code that identifies your Wii (your "Friend Code") and if you want to play with other people you'll have to exchange that code with them. It's pretty clunky but that's how Nintendo has decided to protect kids from bad things ™. You may or may not have a different friend code for each game. Yeah, it's pretty bad.

5. The sensor bar can go above or below the TV. There is a bit of leeway there.

[roguebanshee]

I have Wii nub questions. Answers, or pointers to places where I can get these answers, would be appreciated. Keep in mind, too, that this is the first console I have ever owned!

Some answers.

1) The LEGO games, as already mentioned (though they play better on a decent PC if you 1 or 2 gamepads). Mario Kart Wii is definately a casual title as well, make sure you get an extra wheel for additional fun. Some of the Virtual Console and Wii Ware titles fit this category as well, I suggest you take a look through your regional library (games available aren't the excact same across regions). Others have liked the Wario Ware and Raving Rabbids games (competitive micro/mini games), but I find them too unfocused and bland. You should probably rent dubious games before you decide whether to buy them.

2) Virtual Console is a library of old classics, Wii Ware (recently launched) is a library of new games made for the Wii. Games from both categories are bought with Wii Points, I suggest checking the cost of buying Wii Points online vs buying them in local stores. You can of course browse the games before you decide whether you want to buy any Wii Points (Wikipedia has lists for both types for all regions).

3) Some games include online features, mostly ways of playing the game together. Brawl and Mario Kart include random matchups in addition to friend matches. No cost beyond that of your normal connection. Connection is either via wireless (included) or a LAN addon that has to be purchased seperately.

4) SSBBrawl can be played cooperatively (single player campaign, various challenge modes), but it might not be her taste. The LEGO games as well. Other single player games may have coop, but the Mario games seem to be limited to make player 2 into a helper for the main player.

5) My Wii came with a small sensor bar holder thing that would let you use it on a rounded top TV as well. I don't know if yours came with one. Or you could try placing it under the TV.

[eppie]

I am Wii nub. I just bought one (with a Wii Fit) and will be hooking it up next month (joint present for myself and my wife).

-Bolty

Are you copying me??? Just kidding, same for me. I bought one together with my wife a few weeks ago. Also for me the first game console I have ever owned, and the playing together made me choose for the wii instead of a PS or xbox. While less beautiful graphic wise the games seem to be more fun, especially for non hard core gamers.
I love it I must say, the wii sports is fun (came free with the consle) and I bought excite truck rally. Quite fun as wel and a reasonable amount of races. Not difficult and you can play against eachother.

I am also interested in hearing about must haves so I will check out this thread a bit better.
Question from myself: you don't really need a wheel to pay mariokart right? It seems to go just as well with the normal controller (played it for 2 minutes in a shop).

[Bolty]

I am also interested in hearing about must haves so I will check out this thread a bit better.

I am now using this link to find what the "top games" are for the Wii. Seems as good a method as any, and many of the games mentioned in this thread appear in the upper portion of that list.

Also, I'm finding that Youtube has video reviews and trailers of pretty much every game on that list, to get a taste of what they offer.

-Bolty

[Taem]

I am now using this link to find what the "top games" are for the Wii. Seems as good a method as any, and many of the games mentioned in this thread appear in the upper portion of that list.

Also, I'm finding that Youtube has video reviews and trailers of pretty much every game on that list, to get a taste of what they offer.

-Bolty

Obviously, there is a few inherent flaws in that list, such as multiplayer games which are no fun when played in single player mode, or the fact that quite a few of those games with high scores are for mindless tweens. Those scores seem based solely on feedback from avid console games, because a lot of the games that utilize the sensor bar to its best example are either not on that list, or are lower on the list. Bolty, if you are looking for a new experience in gaming and have played PC games all of your life, your in for a bit of a disappointment I'm afraid; console games simply aren't as fulfilling as PC games, especially RPG's - not even close.

Of the few wii games I've enjoyed, Kororinpa: Marble Mania was one of the funnest and had a tremendous amount of replay value. You must hold the wii controller in your hand and steadily "guide" your marble to the end, similar to a marble maze you can purchase in any toy store, the exception here being each maze has truly challenging courses, but not so hard an amateur could not figure it out - you can set your marble difficulty if it is too easy/hard for you.

I believe the first Raymon Raving Rabbids is also a must have with so many mini games using the wii controller in every which way imaginable, and a truly fun multiplayer component anyone can play.

Geometry Wars: Galaxies is a must have. 'Nuff said.

If you like DDR games, Hottest Party was also very fun (I have StepMania on my computer and two metal dance pads I got on Ebay - lots of fun).

I found Super Mario: Galaxy very boring, but I quickly tire of single-player games if I'm doing the same things over and over.

I feel a RANT coming on: [Rant] In my point of view, ALL single players games can pretty much be summed up as the following: collect object "x" (this object can be a person, place, or thing, such as an idea), give object "x" to "such-and-such" to advance your LINEAR game further. Throw in a few character debilitating objectives to overcome, rince, repeat, and you've made your next single-player game; just add in a mediocre story line and your good to go. You are playing against the computer in single player games. You can ONLY advance your character/quest by following these paths of give/get object over and over. [/Rant]

Smash Bros. Brawl was nothing like its predecessor and the Smash attacks just ruined the game, IMO, the same way the Super Charger ruined Mario Strikers for the wii. All this over the top, game-ending smashing moves is ridiculous at best, game ruining for some at worst; I did not enjoy either of these titles.

The wii console games, such as Wii Fit, Wii Plus, and Wii Sports, are all fun to play for novelty sake of the new controller, but to be perfectly honest, all these mini-games suck, and not just a little. You will end up feeling very unfulfilled once your game is over. Give Wii Sports a try and if you like it, then go ahead and get the others, but don't expect Wii Plus to be any better because its newer because it most certainly is not.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy your wii. I can't wait till my kids tire of mine so I can sell it because there are no good games for the system yet IMO, and everything I was waiting for, such as Mario Kart, was completely different from its N64 component so as to even be broken. I was really disappointed with the Game Cube and this system as sealed it's fate in my mind. I don't think I'll throw any more money at Nintendo for now on unless they change their game creating philosophy. I should have gotten an Xbox 360...

[roguebanshee]

you don't really need a wheel to pay mariokart right? It seems to go just as well with the normal controller (played it for 2 minutes in a shop).

You don't really need it, but the feeling is different and somehow more fun.

Anyway, if you don't have the kind of baggage that MEAT has, then the Wii should provide enough fun for a long time.

[Griselda]

Congrats on your purchase.:)

I haven't had a lot of available time for gaming lately, so in a lot of ways I'd probably qualify as a casual gamer these days. I'm also hoping that maybe I can provide a female perspective.

I'd have to put Mario Kart at the top of the list. Part of my reason for liking this game, I guess, is that my husband and I pretty much spent our first summer together playing Mario Kart 64, so it's been fun to have rematches.

But, I do think it has some good casual player features. First of all, the wii wheel is much more intuitive of an controller for a driving game (definitely get a second wheel, they're not too expensive). The 50CC single player mode isn't that difficult, so I think most people could be successful at that level. For a more hardcore gamer, trying to race the ghosts or get a star rating in all the cups to unlock everything keeps it interesting.

There actually is a way to play Kart competitively with different-ability players. My husband was able to play a lot more when we first got the game, so he was much better than I was. When we raced, he would pick a tougher vehicle or driver, and I would race my favorites. That gave him practice on a variety of vehicles and kept the races fairly competitive. As I got better, the gloves came off, so that now the races are more competitive (he still swears more when I beat him than vice versa). The items are also designed to (mostly) balance the races, so you get stronger item drops if you're further behind.

There is a coop mode for mario kart, but we haven't played it much. It's much more fun to throw shells at each other.

Getting online is free and a snap if you already have a wireless network. Online interaction at this point is very limited, probably because the consoles are supposed to be "family friendly". My daughter is (still) not a gamer, but even she likes to make miis and enter the mii contests that they have online. The online Mario Kart play probably would not be good for a casual gamer, as it's pretty competitive, but it is more challenging than playing against the AI if you're a good player. I hear that they are going to be introducing WiiSpeak that might add a voice component to online interaction. This is old news for the PC, but still off in the future for the wii.

You could see if your wife has any fun nintendo-playing memories from her childhood, and get her those with the virtual console. The old game downloads are pretty inexpensive.

Please don't try to get your wife to play Smash Brothers. I'm having a hard time getting my husband to accept that fact that I really don't want to play a fighting game. Maybe he's just tired of me beating him on Mario Kart.:P

I also didn't really enjoy Lego Star Wars. I found it kind of annoying and random. YMMV, I guess.

I'm pretty sure that Galaxy has an option for a second player to come in and play a supporting role. You only get one Mario, but the second person can come in and play a supporting role. So that might be a good match for you guys.

Don't get her MySims. My daughter has it and it's pretty terrible. It's clearly designed for kids rather than casual-gamer adults, first of all, but also it has some serious interface issues that make it more annoying than fun to play.

Anyway, I hope this was helpful!

[DeeBye]

I am now using this link to find what the "top games" are for the Wii. Seems as good a method as any, and many of the games mentioned in this thread appear in the upper portion of that list.

That's a pretty good list and I'd agree with many of those top scores.

For me, the "must haves" (as in the ones I own and love to death) are:

Mario Kart Wii This game really is a blast, whether you suck at driving games or get super competitive. It's appealing to a wide range of skill levels.

Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess It's Zelda. 'Nuff said.

Super Paper Mario Cutesy graphics, but great gameplay and a pretty good story. I like this even more than Zelda for adventure RPG.

Resident Evil 4 It's cheap, and awesome.

Endless Ocean It's cheap, and the definitive ultra-relaxo (I made that term up just now) game. You swim around, listening to really relaxing music, and look at various stuff under the sea. If you ever have a stressful day at work, pop in Endless Ocean and I promise you that within 10 minutes you'll feel much better.

I have a bunch of other Wii games, but mostly ones I bought for my young son which don't really appeal to me. I still maintain that the best Wii game is the one that comes bundled with the console - Wii Sports. I don't know anyone that doesn't like it, and I know a bunch of people that have bought Wiis and only ever play Wii Sports. It's crazy.

As for accessories, I'd definitely buy another Wii Remote (check out Wii Play - a game that comes bundled with one for a few bucks more than the price of a Wii Remote) and Nunchuk. If you get Mario Kart Wii - and you should - get another Wii Wheel. I'd also try to get your hands on a Wavebird wireless Gamecube controller for playing GC games (you'll need a GC memory card as well). The Wii Zapper is kinda cool too, although not many games make use of it. Still, it comes with a target shooting Zelda themed game and is really cheap.

[Griselda]

Oh, and get a recharging dock for the wiimotes. Nintendo doesn't make one, but the one we have works well and we never have to deal with running out of batteries.

[Merlinios]

Resident Evil 4 It's cheap, and awesome.

Quite frankly, the is the only game I've played on the Wii where I felt the oddball controllers actually added to the game instead of forcing the developers to do something they didn't want to. It added so much to this game, however, that I actually wanted a Wii for awhile.

--me

[Bob the Beholder]

If you ever want to use your Wii, do NOT buy Puzzle Quest. Take Bejeweled, add a level-up system, a storyline, an overworld map, and items, and you've got yourself some horrible monster of a game that will suck you in like some sort of addictive vortex of shiny jewels.

This.

This is what you want.

Whatever it takes to draw her into the dark side.

[Bolty]

Oh, and get a recharging dock for the wiimotes. Nintendo doesn't make one, but the one we have works well and we never have to deal with running out of batteries.

Yes, I guess I should have been more specific about what all I got, so I'll lay it out:

Wii Console
Wii Fit
Wii Play, since I wanted a 2nd remote and it's $10 additional for another cheap game
Extra Nunchuck controller
Nyko Docking Recharge station, supports recharging of 2 remotes
Rechargeable battery for balance board
"Dreamgear" 7-in-1 pack: includes component cable for 480p resolution, and some junk like a wheel, tennis racket accessory, golf club accessory, etc. Came as part of a bundle, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered. Still, nice to know if I get Mario Kart, I already have the extra wheel.

As far as Puzzle Quest goes, some of the reviews weren't so hot, basically saying it was a bad port. Boom Blox looks much more interesting. I will probably get Puzzle Quest eventually, but...

MEAT, I'm perfectly aware that console games don't have the depth and fulfillment that PC games do. But my wife has no interest in playing such in-depth, involving games. She tried WoW briefly - very, very, very briefly. I don't think hardcore gamers realize that even games that really help guide you into them like WoW are still too involved for the Bejeweled-loving crowd out there unless they go in with the mindset that they WANT to play it very badly. There's still a good learning curve, especially for someone who's never really played games before.

I've played console games before, but I've never owned one. I expect novelty games that are fun for short periods of time, and from what I understand, this fits the bill perfectly. My wife and I got to play Wii Sports for about half an hour once, and she was having so much fun despite not having a clue what she was doing that it seems a slam-dunk. I mean, if I have the choice between sitting around and watching a movie with my wife or playing a rousing game of Wii Tennis, because WoW isn't her thing, guess which one I'd rather do? It's so much more enjoyable, and she thinks the same way.

Can't hurt that it also gets me off my butt. :) Not saying it's exercise, but moving > not moving.

Edit: added nunchuck controller.

-Bolty

[DeeBye]

Oh, and get a recharging dock for the wiimotes. Nintendo doesn't make one, but the one we have works well and we never have to deal with running out of batteries.

I have an intense hatred for rechargeable batteries. They never seem to last very long before you get a battery only capable of having a 5 minute charge, especially with the NiCad batteries. I went to Costco and bought a giant 100 pack of AA batteries. I'm only about halfway through them and I bought them when the Wii came out. Yes, it's bad for the environment but my rage for crappy rechargeable batteries knows no bounds.

Now, if Nintendo came out with rechargeable LiOn battery packs I might be tempted to use them, but for now I'll stick with plain AA alkalines.

[--Pete]

Hi,

I have an intense hatred for rechargeable batteries. They never seem to last very long before you get a battery only capable of having a 5 minute charge, especially with the NiCad batteries.

You've been bit by the 'charge memory' bug. If you routinely partially discharge a battery and then recharge it, it takes a 'set' and pretty soon, that's all the use you can get out of it. Newer batteries and other technologies are much better than the old NiCads were. Using disposable batteries is not only worse for the environment, it is worse for your wallet. If you can get a smart charger you can get hundreds of cycles from a set of rechargeable batteries. Back when I was flying electric RC, I'd get a year or more of pretty frequent flying out of a battery pack, and that was with fast charging, which is harder on the pack than normal usage.

So, if you feel like it, check it out -- may be worth your effort.

--Pete

[Chesspiece_face]

I am now using this link to find what the "top games" are for the Wii. Seems as good a method as any, and many of the games mentioned in this thread appear in the upper portion of that list.

Also, I'm finding that Youtube has video reviews and trailers of pretty much every game on that list, to get a taste of what they offer.

-Bolty

Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure

great game.

[Hammerskjold]

I have an intense hatred for rechargeable batteries. They never seem to last very long before you get a battery only capable of having a 5 minute charge, especially with the NiCad batteries. I went to Costco and bought a giant 100 pack of AA batteries. I'm only about halfway through them and I bought them when the Wii came out. Yes, it's bad for the environment but my rage for crappy rechargeable batteries knows no bounds.

Now, if Nintendo came out with rechargeable LiOn battery packs I might be tempted to use them, but for now I'll stick with plain AA alkalines.

Hey Dee, I'd highly recommend the newer generation of NIMH AA batteries, specifically the Low Self Discharge ones.

I don't know if they have it at your specific Costco, but there's one called Sanyo Eneloop. I have these, and I'd give them top marks. For most purposes like these, I'd say these newer NIMH types can hold their own vs LiOn technology.

If your Costco don't have it, there's the Duracell Pre-Charged, or Rayovac Hybrid. I kinda prefer Sanyo, since the Duracell ones can be a bit pricier, and are more or less the same as the Sanyo. (From what I've read and at least experienced myself, the Sanyo is the generally the best of the bunch.) The Rayovac isn't bad, and can be found in 'Sprawl'-mart for approx. 12$ for a pack of 4 AA.

And yeah, to echo Pete get a good smart charger, something that can charge individual batteries. The ones that says you must charge in pairs are usually 'dumb' ones and can cook\damage your rechargeables. The Sanyo eneloop bundled charger at Costco is pretty good, but make sure you get the charger with only 1 indicator LED on it. That's the smart charger version. If it has 2 indicator LEDs, it's a dumb charger version.

And if you care about the looks, the Sanyo Eneloops have a spiffy white colour scheme that matches the Wii colour scheme.

(ps. No, I don't work for Sanyo.)