Fans of in-depth, pixel-popping twitch games will be disappointed, as will big-screen HDTV owners. But for everyone else—from kids to casual gamers to families—the Wii will deliver twice as much fun for half the price of the others. Be warned, however, that the system seems unfinished. The built-in software lacks some promised features, and the SD card slot currently will not let you back up your saved games.
The experience starts with the system's amazing new controller. Instead of the traditional two-handed device, the Wii's wireless controller is a rectangular device that looks and feels like a TV remote control. Inside is an array of sensors, wireless transmitters, and receivers that communicate with the diminutive Wii base station. The controller alone is all you need to operate many games, but an additional oblong device, about half the size of a mouse, connects to the main controller via a plug-in wire. A thumb pad and two buttons sit on this secondary controller, dubbed the Nunchuk, which houses motion sensors.
Using the controllers can be as simple as waving the primary device around like a wand. You can also use the two controllers in tandem for more complex games. My first experience with the motion-sensing controller, during early previews of the Wii last summer, was less than positive: I never really got the hang of it. Even now, during the first 20 minutes of testing, as we played Nintendo's excellent new Twilight Princess game, both my 7-year-old son and I were pining for the old school. But after about a half hour, we were clicking, swinging, pointing, and playing with ease. By mid-day, we were hooked.
