The Next Step in Gaming?

I'm a little late with this, but three opinions are better than two, and the more games I play on the Wii, the more things I find to say about this nifty little device. I think I've run the gamut on most of the types of game that the Wii has out now, so I guess now's as good as a time as any to give a review of this.

First and foremost, here it is. The controller that was going to put Nintendo back in the midst of gaming revolutions. Well, on that account it succeeds. The funny thing is, every time I see a game that's coming out, I sometimes say to myself: "There's no way they can pull that game off with the remote," such as when Zelda came out, but Nintendo proves me wrong time and time again. The things that can be done with this thing is nothing short of amazing. We'll run through the types of things it can do in a minute, but let's take a second to look at the controller itself.

Yes, the controller is a remote, and functions much like one. There's not much in the button department. You have your A button, for basic actions in most games, your trigger on the bottom, a 1 and a 2 button near the bottom, and the handy button that takes you to the Wii menu with just a couple of clicks.

What this controller has done is simplified gaming. While the lack of buttons seems a little odd at first, you'll quickly see that a lot of actions, such as swinging a bat in a baseball game, can now be done without the use of buttons. In dealing with gaming menus, and the Wii's system menu in particular, you just point and click.

The controller also allows for a more immersive gaming experience. For most Wii games, you no longer relax and sit on the couch, but rather stand up, jump around, swing the remote like a bat or a golf club, tilt it to drive, and the list goes on and on.

Also, unlike most remotes, the Wii remote has great range. I accidentally discovered how great it was when I had to go get a drink was actually standing behind my TV, away from the sensor bar, and accidentally hit a button, and the action actually performed. Pretty impressive.

For those of us who have downloaded old NES games, such as Super Mario Bros., you tilt the remote sideways and play the game the same way you did years ago. It feels like holding that old Nintendo controller, and brings back great memories. Granted, not all VC games work with the remote, but the ones that do work pitch perfectly.

Ah, and we can't forget the speaker. The remote does have a speaker on it, which is an integral part of some games, but for most, just a useless little add on. If only the speaker was a little more powerful, there would be endless possibilities. But I think this feature has definite potential.

Now, for some of the drawbacks. The sensitivity seems a bit hit and miss sometimes, such as when you play tennis on Wii Sports. Too many times I've found myself swinging too many times because of a slight flick of the wrist, or swinging too late, even though I timed it right. But such is the price of technology.

Another drawback is the price. While not as expensive as an XBox 360 or a Playstation 3 controller, it's still pretty steep. Knowing the technology that went into it, it's understandable, but the price can be a bit prohibitive when you're on a tight budget.

The last drawback is a result of the world of gaming changing, and is inevitable. Having wireless technology is great, and of course you couldn't have a remote with cords, but all the stuff that went into this makes it a battery sucker. So, if you have a Wii remote, and especially if you have more than that, better stock up on the AA batteries. Granted, Nintendo is coming out with a charger soon, so if you can hold out, then the problem will be solved.

Here's the deal: This is truly a revolutionary controller, and while Nintendo has made its share of mistakes in trying revolutionary technology (the Virtual Boy comes readily to mind), they have also had great successes (the analog stick on the Nintendo 64 comes to mind on that end), and this is the next logical step. I mean, look at the analog stick. It's on everything now. I have a feeling that the Wii remote is going to be something that will be emulated in the future.