We Wub da Wii-Mote, You Wascal Wabbit

Why do I find myself talking funny when referring to things having to do with Nintendo's Wii system and its accessories? Who cares? It's just fun to talk that way. I'm proud (beating my chest) to be a Wii-Kend Warrior!

Let's face it, when you buy a gaming console today, most companies (in their infinite wisdom) sell you ONE controller. Some speculate that it's greed that drives this. Forcing you to spend more money for controllers - KNOWING few people play games by themselves. I think they should include two controllers but that would just make far too much sense.

A couple of years back, I read stories where people's Wii-motes were flying out of their hands (while playing) and smashing into walls or into TV screens - YIKES! Now, these Wii-Motes come with protective gel covers and wrist straps - very smart! If you shop Ebay, you can find covers and stickers for all the Wii-controllers in various colors and designs.

The first time you strap one of these wireless Wii-motes to your wrist - it's a magical moment. Magical because the gamer has that much more physical connection to the gaming experience. When I mention that it's wireless, the optional Nunchuk controller (that plugs into the Wii-Mote) comes in either wired or wireless versions.

If you play a tennis game, you swing forehand or backhand shots and the motion is reflected on screen by your character. Same thing for driving games. There are steering wheels available to enhance your racing game experience. Golf games, shooting games, fishing games and others have that much more longevity because of the physical interaction with it's players. I like that the Wii-Mote plugs into various add-ons in lieu of having to buy expensive versions with controllers built in. Bravo!

The slender Wii-Mote has (on top) a directional "cross" button, an 'A' action button, '1' and '2' buttons for optional actions, a '-', 'home menu' and '+' for menu options. Underneath is the 'B' or trigger button. It's all laid out in a manner comfortable to the hand - either hand. So no "righty" or "lefty" issues. There are also four small blue LED lights to indicate which number remote it is (#1 - 4) so you can distinguish between all the similar white controllers. I should also add that there's a small speaker in the Wii-mote. Sound effects echo through your hand for some reason. Vibration in a controller I can understand, but a speaker? Maybe there are alien gamers with their ears located in their hands or something. (shrugs)

In some game configurations, the Wii-Mote is actually held sideways and gives the player an "old-school" controller feel.

In other games, the use of a light gun accessory makes the game that much more realistic. The player actually points the Wii-mote at the screen and pulls the trigger to shoot the bad guys. Instead of having to buy light guns with their own controls, this Wii-Mote slides into a pistol housing or clips into a rifle frame (called Zapper) to make the game so much more fun (and easier on your wrists).

But the gyros and servos that make this magical wand so unique is a bit flawed. I find that (for instance) that when I play Zelda (for the Wii), instead of tossing an exploding heart bomb, the motion causes my character to draw a sword instead while the bomb drops and explodes at my feet. Very annoying! My point is that the sensors could be a bit more accurate.

Well those days are coming to an end very soon. In the Fall/Winter of 2008, Nintendo will release a plug-in called, "Wii-Motion Plus." It'll plug into the port that the Nunchuk controller would plug into and it'll render this Wii-Mote a highly accurate device. Any slight angle to the wrist and/or hand will be accurately mimicked on screen. Games like Zelda and the upcoming Star Wars: Clone Wars will be be that much better. The frustration of inaccurate light sabre blows will just not work for hardcore gamers. Yes, it will ship with an extended gel cover for the Wii-Mote with the Wii-Motion Plus device plugged in.

Again, Nintendo is smart in that they don't make us go out and buy a newer generation of accurate controller - they package it as an add-on to existing hardware.

One accessory I would highly recommend - rechargeable batteries! You will go through so many batteries and that's no good for the environment. Some products are an all-in-one instead of two separate batteries. Make sure they are around 2800mAh - the higher that number the longer they will last. On Ebay, there are so many options with and without charging stations.

The only other small gripe I could possibly conjure up would be its color. Everything for the Wii is white. While that may be aesthetically pleasing, the stuff just gets dirty fast. I find that I need to keep some wipes nearby.

This Wii-Mote is very necessary - and even more of them will be needed for larger families or household that entertain all the neighborhood kids. At $30-40 a crack, it can add up fast. I wish Nintendo would sell a package deal of three or five (at a reduced rate of course) for us hardcore gamers.


Please check out my other Wii-related reviews:

Nintendo Wii Console System

Wii Fit

Wii Sports

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Racing Wheel for Wii

Game Party for the Wii

Pinball Hall of Fame for Wii