Nintendo Wii – A Mom's Review of a Family Video Game System

We recently joined the 21st century when our children received a Nintendo Wii. I debated for a quite a while with myself if the Wii would be a good addition to our family. Were the kids too young? Would it take away from other activities? Would they be zombies staring a screen unaware of their surroundings? Although it has only been a month, I am happy to say that our Nintendo Wii has been a great addition to our household of two thiry-somethings and three kids ages 3, 5 and 7.

System Basics
The basic Nintendo Wii system comes with the small unit that plays discs similar to DVDs, a Wii remote control (Wii-mote) and a Nunchuck controller. Most systems come with a game. Additional controllers and games can be purchased separately. Games typically run $20 - $50 while extra controllers are $20 -$40.

Set up is easy. Although there is an extensive user's manual all of the important, need to know information is found on the quick set-up card. You need to place the remote controller reader bar near the television you are going to play on and then plug the game into the RCA connectors on your televisions using the included cords. If you have an older television without RCA inputs, you can purchase a converter that allows you to use your television's cable input. It took us less than 10 minutes to plug in the unit and go through the initial brief setup to get the system working properly.

The system is WiFi capable for downloading games or playing with friends. There is 512 MB of internal memory and a slot for an SD card. There are two USB ports for add-ons and 4 ports for backward compatibility with Nintendo GameCube as well as Wii specific add-ons like the Outdoor Challenge pad.

Controller
Players use a wireless remote control to interact with the Wii. Additional controllers, such as the Nunchuck (similar to a joystick) plug into the Wiimote, but the Wiimote is the primary input device. Players are warned to use the soft rubber protective cover on their remote and to wear the attached wrist band lest the remote go flying around the room during active play.

Depending on the game, you can have up to four players and four remotes. For some games, it is possible for players to share a single remote, but we find that when more than one person plays at a time it is better to have at least two remotes. Of course all of the games can be played solo against the computer generated opponent when necessary. So far we are impressed with battery usage with the remotes. Although it seems like we all play a lot we are still on our first set of batteries.

Mii Time
Our system came with Wii Sports, one of the most common bundled games. We were all anxious to start to play the games so it wasn't until a day or so after that we took the time to explore the Nintendo Wii's main menu. There we met our Miis. A Mii is a virtual representation of each player that can be customized with body size, hair, facial features and favorite colors. We all spent some time trying to make our Mii look as much like us as possible. My children thought this was a game in and of itself. Your Mii lets you keep track of your progress in various games. If the software allows, you can import your Mii from the system and use the same one in different games.

Time to Play
Ready with out Mii and our Wii, we were ready for some competitive play. Nintendo Wii Sports includes bowling, tennis, golf, boxing and baseball. The software leads you through a brief tutorial the first time you play so you can learn the basics of using the controllers. Additional instructions to improve your skills are available in the training section of the game.

As much as you can with a short remote control and a television, the moves are natural and intuitive. You need to take a full swing and follow through to play golf, for tennis you need a good forehand and backhand. Bowling requires good aim and control and there is a lot more to boxing than just punching your opponent. Baseball allows you to both hit and pitch.

Five and Seven got the hang of the using the remote within minutes. Move it left and your Mii goes left; swing your arm and the racket, club or bat moves right along with it. The girls are evenly matched and like to compare their cumulative scores for the various games. Sometimes they play against each other but then they have to agree on exactly which games to play. We find that setting a timer for 30 minutes and having the children take turns works out better most of the time. Although sometimes we play bowling as a family, which we have discovered is more fun than regular bowling - no heavy balls to lift and almost never a gutter ball. While not realistic in that sense, Wii bowling is far less frustrating for young kids.

Three struggles a bit more, depending on the game. For games like baseball and boxing, where all he has to do is move the remote around to get the screen to respond, he has a great time. Most of the games require the use of buttons on the remotes and he lacks the patience to listen to anyone explain how to do that. I honestly do not think it is a coordination issue since he can play action games on the computer using the mouse and keyboard. He just wants to play how he wants to play, and for now he is satisfied.

My husband and I love the Wii, boxing being one of our favorite games, but so far most of the games are fun. We both grew up in an age of Pacman and Asteroids and many of today's video game systems are intimidating to us. While the graphics sound and realism have improved dramatically since the 1980s no one in our house has hours to devote to mastering a complex video game. Our Nintendo Wii games allow us to pick up and start playing in a matter of minutes without a complex background story to understand, you just play. And yet it allows my husband and I to feed our competitive natures with high scores to compare our progress. And while the Nintendo Wii may not have the best graphics available today, there is a noticeable improvement over Donkey Kong.

There can be some trouble from time to time. Players need to stand far enough back from the television so the sensor bar can pick up the remote movements. My children seem to naturally move closer to the screen as they play and then get frustrated because their Mii isn't responding to the remote. We even resorted to putting a strip of tape on the floor to show them how far back they need to stand. But once they start jumping around and playing, they pay no attention to the marking so we just need to keep reminding them to back up. Additionally, as you become better at a game so does your computer opponent. While the increased challenge is great, especially for adults, sometimes my daughters aren't really improving but getting lucky. Luck will only take you so far in some games and at some point you are going to have to learn the skills of the game to progress.

While the technology is amazing, that doesn't mean it is perfect. Putting in golf is definitely far different than putting in real life. You need to make an exaggerated follow through to get the ball moving in the right direction. And with some of the games in Wii Game Party, despite the instructions, none of us can master the movements.

The Wii Is Different from Other Game Systems
The Wii has many games that encourage players to get up and move. While you can sit on the couch and move the remote to dodge a blow from your boxing opponent, it is so much more fun to stand up, move your feet and bob and weave. Most of the games require large movements so players have to be up and moving to get the best scores. That can pose a problem with other players or spectators getting in the way of the action. We are in fact trying to find a better play for our Wii since non-players occasionally walk into the middle of the action and get hit by a swinging arm. No injuries yet, but there are bound to be some if we don't find a more isolated area for our Wii. While playing on the Wii won't replace a half hour at the gym for exercise, my husband and I can work up a sweat while playing trying to beat the other. Even on the more relaxed games like bowling, you are still moving around more than you would be just watching TV or with more traditional video game systems.

It is somewhat odd to receive feedback from a game through the remote control. You can feel a good solid hit as the remote vibrates in your hand. The simplicity is wonderful, there are no complex controller maneuvers to learn. The large remote reader picks up most of the action. For games where you do need to use the buttons, their use feels natural.

For the most part all of the games are family friendly. While there is some violence, like boxing, most of it is inherent to the game. I have yet to come across bloody shoot outs rand murders in any of the games we have researched. Some are definitely geared to older players, but that is more for interest level as opposed to maturity.

The Wii is Just Like Every Other Video Game System
The use of the remote and natural action is what makes the Wii different, but not all of the games take full advantage of this unique technology. There are plenty of games that have be converted from other platforms to the Nintendo Wii. With those games players can sit in front of the television and zone out, holding the remote still and using the buttons to control screen play. This is exactly what I did not want in a video game system.

Fortunately, at this time, those games hold no interest for anyone in the family. Perhaps in time they will, but right now, we all like the high action get up and move games. As we look to add games to our collection, it seems few take full advantage of Wii technology, which is why we have the system in the first place. Those games that are more active seem to be repeated over and over again, just with different themes. Skee ball, darts, target throws and other skill games translate well to the Wii platform. But does it really matter if you play those games with Shrek, the Simpsons or clowns? Software companies need to provide new uses for Wii technology and not just repackage the same old games.

Who is the Wii For?
The Nintendo Wii is a great family game system. There is nothing to intimidate children or adults, no matter what their gaming experience is. The games are geared for families and feature preschool characters like Nickelodeon's Dora and Diego and familiar faces for older children like Shrek. But the Wii isn't only for children. Adults who may be intimidated by a world of video game systems so different from those we grew up with will enjoy the Wii too. The whole family can play together and have fun with the games.

While I hope to see more and more active games added to the Wii platform, my children are really happy with the two that we have and hardly touch the more traditional video games we have for the system. Gamers looking for a realistic, immersive game experience may be disappointed by what the Wii has to offer. The games are simple and graphics aren't the most realistic I've seen on a game system. But I don't believe that is the audience Nintendo is targeting with the Wii. They are after us; the family looking for a video game system we can all play together.