Nintendo Wii

The Wii  (pronounced "we") is Nintendo's innovative new console that has turned heads everywhere in the gaming world. Though it's not as technically advanced as its PS3  and Xbox 360,  this is the one system that might truly change the way games are played, and add a level of immersion not yet seen in the still-evolving video game scene. The package ($249.99) includes the Wii Remote  (Nintendo's new take on the controller), the nunchuk peripheral  (a joystick with a cord that attaches to the Wii Remote) and the game Wii Sports.  For a comparison of the three newest game consoles, see the Video Game Console guide.

What's Up With the Name?

The change to Wii from "Revolution"  angered some fans and had industry analysts smacking their heads in disbelief, but it's odd how the name tends to grow on you the longer you get used to it. The bizarre, new-age spelling is meant to signify Nintendo's out-of-the-box thinking. It's pronounced like the word "we," to signify unification. Nintendo has said it intends to sell the system to those who aren't familiar with video games as well as hard-core gamers.  Since its introduction, that noise has settled down, and Nintendo has even found a brand new set of followers.  The Wii system was sold out last Christmas and continues to remain a hot ticket.

Controller or Remote?

The skinny, unorthodox wireless Wii Remote reacts to motion sensors posted on the TV, meaning players will swing their arms to throw passes in sports games and wield swords in adventure titles. This motion technology has clearly been a winner for Wii, as it gets constant rave reviews.  Just don't expect that if you are an expert bowler or a tennis pro that you'll be able to beat your 8 year old nephew at any of those games.  The simplified button structure is a reaction to the increasingly complicated controllers on other systems. The Wii not only takes things back to basics (remember the old eight-button NES controllers?), it's a true advance in terms of how people play games. Of course, there's also a more traditional Classic Controller  for conventional games.

Kicking it Old School

Online functionality is a given. The system is Wi-Fi ready straight out of the box, as it has router capability for users that do not have a previous wireless system in use. Gamers will also get to draw from 20 years of video games' past. Not only does the Wii play GameCube  discs, a system server called "Virtual Console" offers hundreds of titles from past systems, including the Nintendo,  Super Nintendo,  N64,  Sega Genesis  and TurboGrafx 16.  Games from the NES cost $5, SNES games are $8 and N64 games are $10.

Fine Online

The Wii gets online via a Wi-Fi connection much like that of the Nintendo DS.  The console connects to the player's home computer wireless network, which is accessible either through a Wi-Fi hub  or a USB adaptor. The good news is that it will be free to play online. The Wii surfs the Internet via the Opera browser, which gamers can purchase for an additional fee.

Inside the Wii (For the Techies)

Wii boasts 512 megabytes of internal flash memory, two USB 2.0 ports and built-in Wi-Fi capability. A bay for an SD memory card  lets players expand the internal flash memory. Design was optimized with state-of-the-art processing technologies that minimize power consumption, keep the console compact and enable the "sleepless" WiiConnect24 mode. It's charged by a PowerPC CPU (code-named "Broadway"). Made with a 90 nm SOI CMOS process, jointly developed with and manufactured by IBM.  Developed with ATI,  the graphics processing unit (code name "Hollywood") consists of internal memory of 3 megabytes of embedded graphics memory and 24 megabytes of high speed main memory. It is likened to GameCube 's "Flipper" and "Splash" components. The box includes four ports for classic Nintendo GameCube controllers and two slots for Nintendo GameCube Memory Cards. There's also an AV Multi-output port for component, composite or S-video. The Wii does not offer DVD playback.

Related Buying Guides

• Wii Games buying guide for your brand new Nintendo Wii Game Console 
• Wii Accessories to add to your game play
• DS Accessories for a portable DS Lite game console 
• DS Games for your Nintendo DS Lite 
• Video Game Consoles buying guide offers information about all the major platforms
• Handheld Gaming Guide for when you want to game on the go

External Links

• Wii.com: Look here for the company's official positions on all things Wii.
• GameSpot.com: Check out one of the biggest game site's Wii page.
• Boards.1Up.com: Message boards focusing on gaming topics.
• Aol.com: AOL's Wii message board.
• Wiichat.com: A post chronicling important Wii information to date.
• Wii Wiki