Anybody bought a Wii?

[DeeBye]

I'm thinking about getting a Nintendo Wii. I haven't bought a console game since the N64/Playstation 1 days, but the Wii has me interested. The price is right, and it looks like a lot of fun and original games are coming out for it. Plus, judging by Nintendo's track record I should be able to pick up some easy games for my son to play.

I have a few questions for those of you that might already have a Wii.

What would be the bare minimum accessories I should purchase with the Wii? Would I need an extra Wii remote and Nunchuk if I wanted to partake in 2-player gaming, or just a remote?

How does the Virtual Console work? One of the main reasons I like the sound of the Wii is due to the Virtual Console. Playing old SNES and Genesis games really appeals to me (I know I could emulate them on my PC, but it's not the same as playing them on a console hooked up to my TV). How many legacy games are purchasable, and is there a list of them?

I heard that a Gamecube controller can be used with the Wii. True/False?

Does the Wii have built-in wifi, or does it require a separate wifi accessory to connect to a router? How easy is it to connect to a home wifi network?

Does it play regular DVDs?

Is Zelda:Twilight Princess awesome? Nevermind, I already know the answer to that.

[Munkay]

Does it play regular DVDs?

No. At least not initially.

In Spring 2007 the Wii is scheduled to gain DVD playing capabilities. It looks like this will be done via a software/firmware update. Check here for more info.

Cheers,

Munk

Edit: Updated my information.

[DeeBye]

No. At least not initially.

Wii units sold in Spring 2007 are scheduled to gain DVD playing capabilities. It looks like this will be due to a physical hardware change, not via a firmware update. In other words, post-Spring 2007 Wii's will play DVD's. Only if an upgrade option is made available will any pre-Spring 2007 units be able to play DVD's.

That's too bad, but I guess it's not a deal-breaker for me. I was hoping to eliminate one of my ugly DVD players if I got a Wii.

Where are you getting this information?

[Munkay]

As far as emulated games (or 'legacy games') go, they are not all available at launch. 10 New games will be released each month. To quote from an article on 1up.com, the games available by the end of December 2007 (not all available at launch) include:

NES Games (500 Wii Points)

* Mario Bros.: Mario and Luigi punch turtles.
* The Legend of Zelda: The original Hyrulean adventure.
* Donkey Kong: The game that put Nintendo on the map.
* Donkey Kong Jr.: Not quite a classic, but its cameo in Yoshi's Island DS is pretty boss.
* Ice Hockey: Fat guy, normal guy and skinny guy hit the ice.
* Pinball: Mario moonlights as a paddle in this one.
* Soccer: Another early NES sports title. About soccer!
* Tennis: Simple but effective volley action.
* Urban Champion: An early, and not particularly good, brawler.
* Wario's Woods: A falling-block puzzle game starring Wario.
* Baseball: Yet another early NES sports game.
* Solomon's Key: A surprisingly difficult puzzle-action game.

SNES Games (800 Wii Points)

* F-Zero: A futuristic racer that reinvented the genre.
* SimCity: Make your city awesome and you'll get a statue of Mario!

N64 Games (1000 Wii Points)

* Super Mario 64: The template for 3D platform gaming.

Genesis Games (800 Wii Points)

* Sonic the Hedgehog: Spiky guy, attitude, goes fast. You know this one.
* Altered Beast: This bestial brawler will make you wise fwom your gwave!
* Golden Axe: One of the best multiplayer brawlers ever made.
* Columns: Before Bejeweled, there was Columns.
* Ecco the Dolphin: Save the ocean in this beautiful (but difficult) adventure.
* Gunstar Heroes: The action/shooter/platformer/brawler that made Treasure a hardcore fave.
* Space Harrier II: A fast-paced shooter featuring super-scaler action!
* Toe Jam & Earl: A funky and oddly mellow adventure.
* Ristar: Sega's less popular 16-bit mascot.
* Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine: (Psst, it's actually Puyo Pop.)

TurboGrafx 16 Games (600 Wii Points)

* Bonk's Adventure: Carnivorous caveman antics.
* Super Star Soldier: Superlative space shooting.
* Victory Run: Slick racing action.
* Bomberman '93: Explosive multiplayer mayhem.
* Dungeon Explorer: Classic RPG combat.

Check out the full article here for more, including info on the purchase system.

Although I don't like the slow release idea, I am pumped that Ice Hockey for Nintendo is being released in the first batch. That game evokes so many childhood memories :).

Cheers,

Munk

PS. Sorry for the double post, when I edited this into my old post the quote function broke. So I left it like this instead.

[Munkay]

Where are you getting this information?

I get most of my information from Engadget.com. Here is a specific article relating to DVD playback on Wii.

I'm glad you asked, since I already gave some false information. My information was outdated, the 2007 DVD upgrade does in fact appear to be a software/firmware update for DVD capabilities.

Here is an interesting link to check out, it's a 44 Question FAQ Engadget made about the Wii. Many questions I never would have dreamed of asking.

Cheers,

Munk

PS. If Gamecube does in fact take older controllers, when I feel the need for a controller I think I'll take the comfortable Wavebird


Over the new alternative

[DeeBye]

I'm gonna paste in replies to your previous pair of posts so this thread doesn't get too whacky to read.

As far as emulated games (or 'legacy games') go, they are not all available at launch. 10 New games will be released each month.

That kind of sucks :( 10 new games per month is alright, but I want to replay Shining Force and Shining Force II RIGHT NOW!:angry:

Is there any information about possibly distributing the Sega Dreamcast library via the Virtual Console?

I get most of my information from Engadget.com. Here is a specific article relating to DVD playback on Wii.

I'm glad you asked, since I already gave some false information. My information was outdated, the 2007 DVD upgrade does in fact appear to be a software/firmware update for DVD capabilities.

Here is an interesting link to check out, it's a 44 Question FAQ Engadget made about the Wii. Many questions I never would have dreamed of asking.

PS. If Gamecube does in fact take older controllers, when I feel the need for a controller I think I'll take the comfortable Wavebird
http://www.1101.com/nintendo/wireless_cube...es/wavebird.jpg

Over the new alternative
http://games.kikizo.com/media/wii_virtualc...le_e306/04c.jpg

Cool on the DVD playback front. I can handle a wait for a software/firmware update. After years of amassing a mighty army of audio/video doohickeys around my TV, I am making a concerted effort to go minimalist. All I want is TV, receiver, centre channel, DVD playing device. I don't want or need multiple devices that can play DVDs, and the Wii is certainly smaller and more pleasing to the eye than my current DVD player. If the DVD update also enables DivX playback capability, I'll be really happy.

I really like the looks of the new Virtual Console controller. It looks a lot like


I'd buy one if I had to, but if I could get away with using a cheap Gamecube controller for Virtual Console games I will certainly go that route.

[gekko]

Seriously, buy a seperate DVD player. Nothing worse than burning out your $279 game system (CAN dollars) because you were using it rather than buying a $40 DVD player.

I'm really dying to grab a Wii but I'm forcing myself to wait. Too many papers to write, and I know what would happen to those if I bought Twilight Princess.

gekko

[Munkay]

I'm really dying to grab a Wii but I'm forcing myself to wait. Too many papers to write, and I know what would happen to those if I bought Twilight Princess.

This is why I don't own any video game systems while at college (my last system, a gamecube sits in a closet at home). I already want Blizzard to refund at least .30 of my GPA their video games caused me to lose. :P

Cheers,

Munk

[Doc]

Bah, if you can't blow the dust off of the catridge to make it work, I don't want it.

HARRUMPH.

[DeeBye]

Seriously, buy a seperate DVD player. Nothing worse than burning out your $279 game system (CAN dollars) because you were using it rather than buying a $40 DVD player.

I already have a separate DVD player (a few of them, actually). I just don't want any extra "clutter" around my TV. If the Wii plays DVDs (which is apparently in the works), I will ditch the DVD player. This is assuming I buy a Wii, of course.

Why would playing DVDs burn out a Wii? Most people with a Wii would be playing games, and I assume that at some point the disks would be spinning around inside the Wii, much like a DVD would. You can't tell me that playing DVDs in a Wii leads to a higher failure rate than playing Wii games in the same console.

This reply is way too argumentative, which I did not intend.

[Roland]

I already have a separate DVD player (a few of them, actually). I just don't want any extra "clutter" around my TV. If the Wii plays DVDs (which is apparently in the works), I will ditch the DVD player. This is assuming I buy a Wii, of course.

Why would playing DVDs burn out a Wii? Most people with a Wii would be playing games, and I assume that at some point the disks would be spinning around inside the Wii, much like a DVD would. You can't tell me that playing DVDs in a Wii leads to a higher failure rate than playing Wii games in the same console.

This reply is way too argumentative, which I did not intend.

His point, DeeBye, is that you'd be using the system for two purposes, thus effectively doubling the workload, and shrinking the life expectency by half. Now, granted, if you watch DVDs once a month, but play video games twice a week, you're not going to be impacting the lifespan nearly as much as if you were watching DVDs equally as long as you play video games.

Basically, it's a precautionary measure. DVD players are dirt cheap, and you can find some players that are literally half the size of your average player (not mini-DVD players, but set-top boxes that just cut out the unneccesary clutter), if size and clutter are that much of a concern. I can understand, completely, your desire to make things look neat and orderly, and remove any redundant systems, but really weigh the costs before you make a final decision. If you're going to be playing movies just as much, or more, as you will be playing games on your Wii, you might just be better served, in the long run, to have a seperate DVD player. DVD-based gaming consoles do NOT have a very strong track record for drive life (PS2, Xbox), although later iterations tend to improve this somewhat.

It's just a thought. Basic DVD players themselves will be obsolete by the time we see the next generation consoles, having been replaced by HD type DVDs, or something completely new (content on-demand, for example), so the Wii (featuring, AFAIK, only basic DVD playback) will move into obsolence along with the rest, leaving the 360 and PS3 as the surviving console / entertainment hybrids. In that case, it may be a bit of a moot point. Even so, I know I have a seperate DVD player for the VERY few times I watch DVDs (I prefer my cable box; I pay too much for what I use, so I try to use what I can when I can). I don't want to put any undue strain on my gaming systems, partly because they're so expensive, but also because I bought them for gaming, not "home entertainment". Call me old-fashioned, but there are better systems suited to such tasks, IMHO. Gaming systems are for gaming, in my place. I have my cable and my DVD player for the rest, along with my PC (which is not hooked up to my TV). I want ALL my systems to last at least as long as I do, if I can help it.:)What can I say, I want my kids to grow up with the same things I did, to experience the same enjoyments I did. Besides, just because technology moves on doesn't mean the old FUN becomes obsolete. Old games done well are just as fun and exciting as new games done well. Technology just makes it more immersive, more realistic, and allows for broader options. A fun game is still fun, no matter from what generation.

[Roland]

Bah, if you can't blow the dust off of the catridge to make it work, I don't want it.

HARRUMPH.

A man after my own heart.:)

However, IF with this Virtualization Console we get the full, TRUE experience of the old games (not emulated sound that has to be converted into MIDI instead of the real deal; not updated graphics and gameplay {ala Contra for the 360 Live Arcade}), I'll gladly sink money into purchasing the games for the system. I still have all (don't make me list them all) my old gaming systems, and I always will. I have all my old games, too. Someday, I'll set them all up in one big entertainment center. In the meantime, the Wii with Virtual Console could prove to be a real great idea, if they can deliver what they promise, and if that delivery lives up to the originals.

[DeeBye]

His point, DeeBye, is that you'd be using the system for two purposes, thus effectively doubling the workload, and shrinking the life expectency by half. Now, granted, if you watch DVDs once a month, but play video games twice a week, you're not going to be impacting the lifespan nearly as much as if you were watching DVDs equally as long as you play video games.

I understood the point quite clearly. I use the DVD player connected to my main TV for maybe three movies per month.

[Roland]

I understood the point quite clearly. I use the DVD player connected to my main TV for maybe three movies per month.

Well then, you obviously won't need to worry much about wearing down your Wii. I wouldn't make DVD playback a make-or-break choice in terms of a gaming console, but that's me. Ultimately, it's your money, your family, and your time and involvement. If you feel that DVD playback is enough to avoid getting a console, by all means, wait. However, if you can live without it for the time being, especially since it would appear that it's a software solution, and so can be patched in in the future, you might be better served getting one sooner.

There's always an Xbox 360 to consider. Yes, it's more money, and probably not as kid-friendly as a Wii, but it will do DVDs, and with an add-on, HD-DVDs. Not to mention Live Arcade, which does have some old classics, and games that anyone, including your son, can enjoy. But I know that was not the object of your inquiry, and I don't expect you to change your mind. Personally, if I didn't have a 360, I might be tempted to get a Wii first. But, then, it'll be much harder to get one over a 360, and although I own VERY few games on my 360 (cost being factor #1, limited selection being #2), I have gotten plenty of mileage out of my system, and am comfortable enough with the monetary investment I have put into it. Live Arcade has greatly expanded my gaming library and my enjoyment of the system, and serves as a solid interim solution between major game releases. But, then, I'm probably a bit stronger gamer-at-heart than you, so having multiple consoles would fit with my tastes and desires more than yours, I am guessing. And, I don't have any children to worry about, so I can afford to base my decisions based solely on what I want out of the system.:)

I will be picking up a Wii. Probably post-Christmas, with my gift money that I earn. I don't see too much on the horizon for me to pick up, in terms of gaming. I'm avoiding the PS3 just like I did the PS2 and (for awhile) original Xbox. Even my 360 I didn't get until March of 06. A PS2 may finally be in the works for me, doubly so if they cut the price again (although I doubt they will). I'll probably pick up a silver one, just to be different.:)The tricky part will be finding all the old games I've missed over the years, but that's what Ebay is for. I'm content with my 360, and Gears of War satisfies my gaming urge plenty well for the time being. I'm planning on waiting a bit on the Wii, though. I bought a DS when they first came out, having not learned my lesson from GBA (and then SP, and now Micro), and although I have a small GBA library, I own no DS games, despite there being a wealth of good ones to choose from. So, I may wait until next spring to pick up a Wii, to truly see how things go. Back in the old days, first-gen console adoption was a given. But, then, everything worked back then. There were less problems, less things to go wrong, and certainly not as much innovation as seen with the Wii. So although I'm not really skeptical of the Wii, especially not like I am the PS3 (which WILL be plagued by numerous problems, mark my words), I'm planning on waiting until there's a bit more solid library of games out, and the waters have been tested by others who have more money and time to burn than I do. I definitely support Nintendo in their efforts, and I will be picking up a Wii as I said, but for now, my 360 keeps me very happy, and my PC fills the rest.

Let us know how your decision goes, and if you do choose a Wii, what you think of it. I'm eager to have some more hands-on experience from someone, as media outlets generally suck for reviews and previews.

[Mithrandir]

I just cannot get over that ridiculously annoying Wii controler. I don't want to have to swing piece of plastic around to get stuff accomplished on the screen. I want to sit on my couch or chair and just play. That is it. Oh why oh why have you done this to me Nintendo.

[Doc]

A virtual conductor program would be awesome... You could conduct a virtual symphony with your little wand. The music would swell, slow, speed up, etc, with your movements, and you could point to various secions of the symphony like if you wanted a cello solo or something.

Er, probably a stupid idea. Never mind. Younger people these days have no music appreciation.

[Rhydderch Hael]

Physical activity. Scary.

Still, there's an idea for a Harry Potter game. Or, for the cooler folks among us, an Indiana Jones one.

[Yrrek]

A virtual conductor program would be awesome... You could conduct a virtual symphony with your little wand. The music would swell, slow, speed up, etc, with your movements, and you could point to various secions of the symphony like if you wanted a cello solo or something.

Er, probably a stupid idea. Never mind. Younger people these days have no music appreciation.

Actually, Doc, that is an excellent idea! I would definitely play that game! You should write Nintendo about it.

PS - (I am one of those younger people who has no music appreciation. I was in band 5 plays and played multiple instruments, and I still play my bass guitar. =) ).

[Chesspiece_face]

A virtual conductor program would be awesome... You could conduct a virtual symphony with your little wand. The music would swell, slow, speed up, etc, with your movements, and you could point to various secions of the symphony like if you wanted a cello solo or something.

Er, probably a stupid idea. Never mind. Younger people these days have no music appreciation.

did you watch the E3 Wii video? it's in there.

edit: Link

[Doc]

Actually, Doc, that is an excellent idea! I would definitely play that game! You should write Nintendo about it.

PS - (I am one of those younger people who has no music appreciation. I was in band 5 plays and played multiple instruments, and I still play my bass guitar. =) ).

Well then, you are not a person obviously. Duh!

You are a Lurker. Big difference. ;)