Wii First Impressions

[VideoGameCritic]

I've been getting a lot of use out of my Wii since I picked one up on Sunday.  Even had a bunch of friends over the other night for some four player action.  Here are some impressions.

Overall design: This is without a doubt one of the crappiest looking consoles ever designed.  It looks like a small white hard drive, until you start opening the various compartments (to plug in a GameCube controller for example).  Then it REALLY looks hideous.  It wouldn't be hard to picture this machine on a shelf at the Good Will 15 years from now.

Set-up: Unlike what some had claim, the initial system set up was quick and painless.  Setting the options and creating my Mii was actually a lot of fun.  The only bad experience occurred when I connected to the wireless internet.  I opted to perform a system update, and it took about an hour!  It might be that my signal is just weak, because when I tried the weather and news it took a while to download.  I opted to turn the 24 hour connect off.

Nyko Wireless Sensor: This thing works like a charm, and I really need it, because my Wii sits about 15 feet away from the TV!  The 25 foot reach is a bit of a stretch though - it seemed to lose the signal around 20 feet.  Another flaw is that the blue power light is REALLY bright, and can be distracting on top of the TV, although eventually you forget about it.

Controllers: Very comfortable.  I like the limited number of buttons.  The speaker is really cool - providing some really subtle sound effects.  The pointer works great, and would be ideal for light gun games.  Also, it's really easy to turn the console on and off with the controller.

Gameplay: I like how Wii games tend to get your ass off the couch.  Playing against other people is far more satisfying because of this physical aspect.  Unlike Sony and Microsoft, who believe bigger is better, Nintendo really "gets" video games.

I'm reviewing a bunch of games, so look for some juicy new reviews in a week or two.

[Shawn]

unlike Sony or Microsoft, Nintendo really "gets" video games'?

This has to be the dumbest thing I think I have ever seen you write? Weren't you just praising God of War 2? Ya know, that terrible game from Sony? I swear you are becoming more of a fanboy the older you get. Ok, so the Wii has a bunch of mini games for two players. I'll take Gears, Rainbow Six or even Battlefield 2 any day over the Wii anyday. Look, I am glad you are enjoying your Holy Grail but let's not get too carried away. I'll get back to playing the 360 although Microsoft doesn't "get" video games. Don't bother with the reviews; we all know that only A+++++ titles grace the "Holy Grail" of gaming.

[Cataclysm1]

I hear that the Wii is only a fad. You better sell your system immediately, VideoGameCritic, while you still can! I know you've had your Wii for a day, but isn't that long enough? Better sell it now and rake in the money since millions of used Wiis are going to be flooding the grey market in a few weeks! The gimmick should be wearing off anytime now.

(As for the PS3s, you better start buying lots of them. I hear the PS3 is about to EXPLODE in sales as everyone buys a HD TV and say, "LOL, look at Wii's low processor and bad graphics." I think buying at least thirteen PS3s and re-selling them when the demand ERUPTS is a good idea. Imagine the reaction of your wife and friends when they walk in the next day and find your Wii gone but find thirteen additional PS3s.)

When your wife kills you, can I have your games?

[m0zart1]

I haven't used the Nyko Wireless Sensor Bar, but I have bought the Nyko Wiimote Recharger Station.  I highly recommend it, as the Wiimotes really use up the batteries -- much more so than the other two consoles' controllers.  Not only do the rechargeable batteries they come with last longer than the average battery, but it takes very little time to recharge.  It fits two controllers at a time.  The only minus is that it requires you to remove the back cover from both controllers and replace it with theirs.

By the way, I really like the look of the Wii, and I love the blue light coming out of the DVD slot.  By the way, when that light turns on, it's telling you that something is available: it can be an update, someone sent you their Mii, a new channel to download, or a message sent to you from someone else.

[Blah]

I absolutely love the design of the wii. The nice glossy Macintosh feel is awsome, and the blue light makes it look all the more cooler. I do agree, however, that plugging in the Cube controllers makes it a lot uglier. By the way, are you going to keep the Gamecube now that you have the Wii?

[m0zart1]

[QUOTE=Blah]I absolutely love the design of the wii. The nice glossy Macintosh feel is awsome, and the blue light makes it look all the more cooler. I do agree, however, that plugging in the Cube controllers makes it a lot uglier. By the way, are you going to keep the Gamecube now that you have the Wii?[/QUOTE]

I think he's said that he never gets rid of any systems.

Of course, that doesn't mean he'll keep the Gamecube hooked up.

[Paul Campbell]

[QUOTE=Shawn]

unlike Sony or Microsoft, Nintendo really "gets" video games'?

This has to be the dumbest thing I think I have ever seen you write? Weren't you just praising God of War 2? Ya know, that terrible game from Sony? I swear you are becoming more of a fanboy the older you get. Ok, so the Wii has a bunch of mini games for two players. I'll take Gears, Rainbow Six or even Battlefield 2 any day over the Wii anyday. Look, I am glad you are enjoying your Holy Grail but let's not get too carried away. I'll get back to playing the 360 although Microsoft doesn't "get" video games. Don't bother with the reviews; we all know that only A+++++ titles grace the "Holy Grail" of gaming.
[/QUOTE]

You know, you could say everything you just said without sounding so offensive and rude, and then everybody would actually read your posts without dismissing them before they even get to the end. 

I think his point is that the point of video games is how fun they are, not which one looks the best.  Not something to freak out over. It's an opinion.  You're always bashing people for knocking your opinions, and this is a major sin of hypocrisy on your part.  You'd think he accidentally shot your grandmother or something.  Chill out.  It's such a mystery why so few people like you around here.

[Marriott_Guy1]

Paul - well stated post. 

[JustLikeHeaven1]

Hey Critic, what is your take on the amount of physical room needed to play multiplayer games?  I personally think its one of the biggest drawbacks to the system, since people with small apartments and such will be hampered by lack of room to navigate.

Do you have plenty of room to play the Wii or does it get cramped.  Right now I can have 3 people max playing the Wii...I just don't have room for a fourth and I live in a house with a normal sized TV room.

About the system updates...that must be due to a weak signal.  My updates take 3-4 min at most.  You should try moving your wireless router around...or get a new one with a stronger signal. 

Do you have any plans on trying out the Virtual Console?  You probably have most of the games on it, but I figured I would ask anyway.

[Paul Campbell]

I also like the look of the console, but I prefer it flat on its belly than on the stand.