Features and Design

A few misconceptions we should get out of the way up-front.

Despite being tagged as a "next-generation" console, the device's custom IBM-designed, PowerPC-based "Broadway" processor and ATI "Hollywood" GPU won't go toe-to-toe with PS3 or even last year's Xbox 360. Roughly twice as powerful as a GameCube, the Wii doesn't wow so much for its performance or polygon-pushing power. (Although games like the sweeping fantasy landscape- and otherworldly dungeon-sporting The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess or reflective water- and real-time terrain deformation-boasting Excite Truck still look a tangible order of magnitude sharper than less-sophisticated predecessors, even if they won't make veteran joystick jabbers' jaws drop.) Frankly, with graphical output capped at 480p widescreen displays, it's not the type of machine you'd buy to, say, show off a shiny new plasma or LCD HDTV.

On a positive note though, despite what you may have heard, the gizmo isn't just for kids either. A 62 title-strong launch lineup of new releases (including Trauma Center: Second Opinion, Red Steel and Rayman: Raving Rabbids) and classic favorites (e.g. downloadable, software-emulated editions of Ice Hockey and Super Mario 64) offers something for nearly everyone. And while you only get one game in the box – physical gesture-powered athletics outing Wii Sports, featuring baseball, boxing, bowling, golf and tennis challenges played by mimicking actual racquet swings or strike-scoring scooping motions – it's enough to quickly demonstrate the gadget's nigh-universal appeal.

Meaning that if the basic underlying idea (being able to immerse oneself to a greater degree in medieval dungeon crawls by wielding the TV remote-style controller like a sword or employ it gently in medical simulations as if you were controlling a surgeon's scalpel) sounds even remotely appealing, there should be no question. Nearly $50 cheaper than its next closest competitor and unlike anything currently released to retailers to date, it's worth standing in line – if not necessarily camping out – on November 19 to plunk $250 down for your own personal model.

Wondering what that not inconsiderable sum buys you, given that the standard package is sold as a system bundle? (Or worse, $699 mandatory minimum investment including added accessories and games, as certain gouge-happy retailers are all-too happy to offer.) Opening the box reveals the following contents: The Wii itself, a system stand for vertical positioning, one remote control, a "nunchuk" thumb-stick add-on, an AC adaptor, a composite video cable (sorry, component cable sold separately), sensor bar, sensor bar stand and two AA batteries used to power the Bluetooth-enabled gamepad. (Up to four controllers can function wirelessly from up to 30 feet away, and act as pointing devices at distances as much as 15 feet from the sensor.)

Slim and trim, the sleek, all-white unit (available now in iPod-type coloring only, upon which stains and markings will sadly show up clearly, though differently-shaded alternatives are surely coming) measures just 8.5" x 6" x 2", or approximately the size of three stacked DVD cases as advertised. Not only does it run quietly and coolly, as opposed to the noisy, nigh nuclear meltdown-inducing beast that is an Xbox 360. It can also be positioned horizontally or vertically as desired, with the mounting stand offering additional stability for those of us who can't resist the latter, sharper-looking option. Backwards-compatible with GameCube titles, both outings like Resident Evil 4 or Super Smash Bros. Melee and new, Wii-exclusive discs are inserted into a slit-like opening on the unit's front, which – while opening the possibility of scratching or kids accidentally damaging models by trying to force-feed the unit – works with a minimum of fuss.

Reset, power and eject buttons can also be found on the machine's face, with sensor bar, AC and A/V cable connectors hidden around back. Two USB 2.0 ports also adorn the machine's rear, presenting the possibility of upcoming add-ons such as keyboards or additional storage solutions. Games are currently saved to 512MB of internal flash memory, with SD cards – there's a reader on the front for archiving files or pulling pictures off digital camera – and GameCube memory cards (two ports to insert them into rest on the side) also providing extra room. Side-mounted slots for four GameCube controllers are further offered, although all openings can be covered with flaps which handily disguise them. Interestingly, the Wii has some heft to it as well, and feels surprisingly damage-resistant for such a small system. (A blessing, no doubt, for toddler-packing parents…)
Setup and Use

Setup's a cinch, with pop-up menus and intuitive commands walking you through basics like configuring the console and syncing up remotes (a.k.a. Wii-motes, to industry insiders). The trickiest part is getting WiFi network access up and running – and yes, encryption is supposed so you needn't compromise home security – although even that's a fully-menu-guided and therefore relatively painless process. Note that those without wireless LANs will require an additional adapter to go online (the console's built-in WiFi capabilities are the priority here, apparently). And that not only are network servers not up and running at this point, preventing us from sending other users messages and enjoying multiplayer match-ups. We were also unable to exchange cartoon avatars known as Mii that jazz up your user profile or appear as characters in various games, of which 10 can stored on Wii-mote's 6KB of memory, with other users.

Then again, perhaps it's for the best random acquaintances don't see the obese, bespectacled parody of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il we're using as a digital double. Or, for that matter, that we're temporarily prevented from accessing oft-discussed "WiiConnect24" features, which provide perpetual connectivity and download enjoyable extras (i.e. bonus cars and characters) while you sleep. There's only so much time we working professionals can afford to invest in Call of Duty 3 or Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz, after all.

From the outset, it's worth bearing in mind that the doodad feels like no other console you've ever experienced. For starters, it's not your average, everyday set-top box that requires precise placement of a gesture-tracking sensor bar centered above or below one's TV screen. Or, for that matter, once said item's been positioned, allows you to browse a TV-style, software-based system menu interface that contains up to 48 channels, or specific functional callouts, using the virtual equivalent of a laser pointer. While manipulating the Wii-mote does take some getting used to due to its extreme sensitivity (practice makes perfect) and free-roaming 360-degree movement, you'll be up to speed in roughly one to two hours. And instructional windows, warnings and text prompts constantly guide one through the process, making the overall venture feel more akin to fiddling with a high-end PC than a snazzy new videogame system.

In terms of basic navigation, the aforementioned channel-based setup keeps things manageable and ergonomic. There's a news channel for sourcing breaking headlines, forecast channel for grabbing weather reports, Internet channel for Opera browser-based web surfing (alas, thus far announced as free only through June 2007) and even a messaging channel for sending friends online or cell phone-ready pictures and notes. You can further import and manipulate digital snapshots to create funky images or MP3 soundtrack-backed slideshows using a dedicated photo channel. The disc channel is likely to be your most frequent stop though, as it's the location from where all games – Wii or GameCube – inserted into the machine are directly booted from.

Nostalgic geeks can also enjoy retro gaming goodness via the Wii Shop channel, where classic NES, Super NES, Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis and TurboGrafx-16 titles may be downloaded on-demand. (Retro titles are tied to your specific machine, tough, so sorry… no storing them on SD card and carting them around to a buddy's house, however.) Using gift/credit cards, one simply purchases Wii points ($20 buys 2000, so 100 points equals $1), then can browse or buy from a selection of age-old hits including F-Zero, Sonic the Hedgehog and Bonk's Adventure. These software-emulated outings – which cost a wholly-reasonable $5-10 apiece – are stored in Virtual Console channels, capable of being accessed and enjoyed at any time. And while the current selection's limited to 30 or so offerings temporarily, between Nintendo and Sega alone, you're looking at options to easily expand this number of available offerings into the hundreds in coming months using both companies' extensive back catalogues alone.

Sorry, cinephiles: No DVD playback is offered, and sound is Dolby Pro Logic II (not true 5.1 surround). But hey, you do get a nifty controller complete with face-mounted buttons, including a gigantic "A" key, located next to an 8-way directional pad and near two secondary buttons labeled 1 and 2. There are also + and – keys (a.k.a. start and select), a button for shutting system power on and off, and a home key for easy menu sifting as well. And don’t forget that nifty B-trigger located around back, built-in rumble capabilities or an integrated speaker used for 3D positional audio effects like tracking an arrow's flight all the way from your bowstring to a bad guy's behind either. Happily, while a wrist-strap's necessary to keep the thing from flying off your arm during active play and having to buy AA batteries to power the beast won't amuse anyone, the gizmo's shocking responsiveness should endear the Wii-mote to newcomers and jaded vets alike, nonetheless. Added bonus: You can also tilt the sucker sideways and hold it like a traditional gamepad, wiggling your wrists to, say, manually send Excite Truck's off-road vehicles skidding down hairpin curves in place of traditional d-pad controls.

Relatively lightweight and fun to fiddle with, a bottom-mounted attachment port also legs you plug in supporting peripherals like the nunchuk secondary pad. A curved, C-/Z-trigger and analog joystick-sporting handheld device designed to be used in tandem with the Wii-mote, the gadget's a huge boon in adventures and first-person shooters, letting you quickly move characters around open environments or aim more naturally, with plenty of other useful applications in development. For example, in the The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, you can use the nunchuk's joystick to cause hero Link to run around and explore forests or dungeons, while simultaneously using the remote to initiate blade-slashing attacks or assault spiders and goblins with a handy slingshot.
An optional dual-joystick "classic" controller – similar to what videogame fans have gotten used to – will also be offered for use in certain titles. Additional remotes cost (yikes!) $39.99, with nunchuk and classic controllers priced at a more affordable $19.99. Best of all though, games themselves will run just $39.99-$49.99, or $10 less on average than those for competing platforms.

All of which combines to make the Wii a fairly monumental achievement, save for the fact that – like any newly-launched console, which developers haven't had time prior to ship date to maximize game performance on – its potential hasn't been anywhere near fully tapped. From Madden NFL 07 to Need for Speed: Carbon, Cars, Barnyard, Metal Slug Anthology and Rampage: Total Destruction, a large portion of the launch lineup simply consists of upgraded ports of games previously launched for other systems. (Even Twlight Princess is merely an enhanced take on a long-awaited GameCube outing.)

However, with widespread industry support from the likes of top publishers such as Electronic Arts, Activision, UbiSoft, Midway, THQ and Konami, expect the situation to change soon. As efforts like the original Elebits and Super Swing Golf prove, third-party enthusiasm is much greater for the machine than GameCube, and software makers are just getting started. Rest assured you aren't buying another pricey gewgaw destined to simply collect dust on a shelf. And that the future will bring even more interesting applications for the technology, given that any physical activity's now fair game for being turned into a virtual play mechanic. (Even something as simple as opening doors, which you'll twist and turn your hand to do in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.)

Conclusion

Serious gaming enthusiasts can subtract about 0.2-0.5 points from our official review score for the first six months. But come late 2007, you can add that back and then some. A fantastic effort that you'll have to try firsthand to believe, the Wii finally sees Nintendo return to form. And, potentially, as the company's claimed it's planned on doing for quite some time now, light the spark that could ignite an entire game industry revolution.

Pros:

• Motion sensitivity
• User-friendliness
• Selection of games
• Third-party support
• Appropriate for all ages
• Free wired/wireless connectivity
• Backwards-compatibility
• Retro gaming emulation

Cons:

• Less powerful than rivals
• No true HDTV support
• DVD, HD-DVD and Blu-ray playback missing
• Sensor bar required
• AA-battery munching remotes
• Lacks a hard-drive, extensive online music/video downloads

Specs

Key Features
Console Type Home Console

Platform Nintendo Wii

Processor IBM "Broadway"

Gaming Type LAN Gaming • Multiplayer Gaming
Processor
Processor type IBM "Broadway"
Memory
RAM Speed 512 MHz

RAM technology Flash
Graphics
Graphic Processor ATI Hollywood

Graphic Processor Speed 243 MHz

Graphic Card Memory 3 MB

Polygons Per Second 500 Million
Storage Type
Optical Drive Type 12 cm discs
Audio
Audio Out Proprietary Audio Out
Technical Features
Communication Type IEEE 802.11b • IEEE 802.11g • USB 2.0

Controller Pad Ports 4

Expansion Slots SD Card

Wireless Capabilities IEEE 802.11b • IEEE 802.11g

Input / Output Ports 4 x Game Controller Port • 2 x USB 2.0

DVD Movie Playback Optional DVD Movie Playback

Guitar Hero 3 Review

Guitar Hero 3 Review
Written by Mckin


Nintendo gets a Guitar Hero! The game is just like the others, we all expected that, but the Wii has some bonuses, although some drawbacks as well. First off let’s just mention the obvious, the price is $10 less, the guitar is white, and a wiimote fits inside of it. Now onto the game.

The song list for GH3 is much longer then previous GH games although ‘Legends of Rock’ probably wasn’t the best title. Many songs are far from legends and many real legends were excluded such as Jimi Hendrix. Although with such a large song list I feel it makes up for it somewhat except the Wii can’t download additional songs yet, although that could always change in the future.

New to the game is the concept of Boss Battles which I found a new challenge. You play vs mode against the CPU pretty much but with ‘battle power’ not star power, and the object is to make the boss fail the song before it finishes. My first battle I proved victorious but the concept is nice and provided a challenge later on against the next 2 bosses. A bonus to beating the boss is there’s an encore after him in which he’ll play along. Treating you to the guitarist’s talents but not unlocking him to use until you buy him from the shop.

Online has also been enabled which I was first nervous about going on it. I’m not close to expert and was assuming I’d lose, and lose bad but the game makes it easy to set up what your looking for or what you want to host, choosing friend or stranger, difficulty, game type, and # of songs to play. The WFC seems to move fairly quickly with GH which is always a nice bonus.

All in all I’d say the game is nice and a great way to pass time or entertain yourself. I picked it up since I was board and just put it down long enough to write a simple review. Enjoy, maybe you’ll even pick up a few roadies with your mad skills.

PS. For a little added pleasure try hyper mode, Orange, Blue, Orange, Yellow, Orange, Blue, Orange, Yellow in the cheat menu.


http://myebook08.profitstre.hop.clickbank.net

This report was provided by:

Gerald Lacey

President/CEO

Lacey LLC and OmariWholesale, Inc.

http://nintendowiireviewandbestprices.blogspot.com/

My eBooks Resell

www.myebooksresell.com

sales@myebooksresell.com

http://myebookresell.blogspot.com

http://tagged.com/myebookresell

Games, movies measure up: who's the biggest?

Games, movies measure up: who's the biggest?
Me! Me! No, me!
By Mike Smith

A new report from UK-based retail analysts Verdict would have us believe that sales of video games and related products are set to outpace music and video takings by an impressive-sounding 4.6 billion pounds ($7.3 billion) this year -- but how do top-selling movies and video games rack up in on the global stage?

Critically-acclaimed thriller The Dark Knight ranks at the top of the movie charts for the year so far, ushering close on a billion dollars through box office tills around the world. Set that against Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto IV, so far 2008's best-selling video game, and it's a tight race. Although GTA passed the half-billion mark in just a week, a feat that took Dark Knight much longer, video games just don't have the staying power of a great movie. GTA ought to finish out the year within striking distance of Dark Knight, but it's going to be a close-run race.

Those two are outliers, of course -- but three other 2008 movies have already topped the $500 million mark at the world's box offices thus far, and it's only the cream of the video-game crop that can hit those heights. Wii Fit certainly did, with its $90 price-tag (and it's already tipped to outsell GTA by the end of the year). The year's other top sellers, EA's Madden 09, Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and Mario Kart Wii are all in with a chance, but it's by no means a shoe-in.

But as with many of these comparisons, the outcome all depends on how you slice it. GTA's debut was a mammoth achievement, but for every $60 paid by gamers for Grand Theft Auto, four movie-goers could have seen Dark Knight, and they'd still have had money for popcorn. Conversely, although Dark Knight certainly ran long, it's nothing next to the 20 or 30 hours of entertainment an average gamer might get out of Grand Theft Auto.

Box office counts also don't give us a great impression of the overall power of a movie's economic impact. They don't include DVD sales, for one thing: Dark Knight's DVD and Blu-Ray versions will be in stores in December, and you can bet they're going to be turning up under a great many trees this holiday season. Dark Knight will still be shifting boxes long after gamers, with their notoriously short attention spans, have abandoned GTA for the next big thing.

But there's one four-year-old video game that still dwarfs the best the movie industry has to offer: World of Warcraft. With over 11 million subscribers, its maker Blizzard surely grosses well over $1 billion annually just for keeping the game ticking over -- and that's before you take into account the doubtless impressive sales figures its newest expansion pack, Wrath of the Lich King, will generate. Those are figures that would make even George Lucas raise his eyebrows.

Gerald Lacey
www.myebooksresell.com
sales@myebooksresell.com
http://myebookresell.blogspot.com
http://myebooksresell.com/NINTENDO_Wii_Console.html

Buy 'em now! Select games already facing holiday shortages

Select games already facing holiday shortages

Buy 'em now!
Select games already facing holiday shortages
By Mike Smith

Have you started your holiday shopping yet? Chances are, if you're anything like us, it's still a long way off, but you could already have missed the boat on a few of this holiday season's top gaming gifts.

Chief among the culprits is Activision's Guitar Hero: World Tour, which adds drums and vocals to the enormously popular music game series. Following an investor conference call this week it emerged that World Tour is virtually sold out at present, and Activision considers it unlikely that it'll be able to get enough copies to stores to meet holiday demand.

The woes don't stop there for shoppers. One analyst recently tipped Wii Fit as becoming the biggest selling game of the year over the holiday season, and it's already hard to find. Coming with a custom balance board controller and the promise of a fun way to lose weight, it's spectacularly popular with non-traditional gamers, and the demand is pushing Ebay prices well over the $89.99 retail price. Some online and brick-and-mortar stores still have stock, although it'd be wise to be quick.

What of the Wii itself, which proved one of the hardest gifts to find for the last two holiday seasons running? In an interview last month, Nintendo's American president Reggie Fils-Aime was hopeful the company would be able to meet demand, and the company is shipping Wiis at a rate 50% higher than this time last year. Will it be enough? Given that the Wii is selling considerably faster now than it was back then, we're not holding out much hope. If you're hoping to have one under your tree this year, now's the time to start looking.

Gerald Lacey
www.myebooksresell.com
sales@myebooksresell.com
http://myebooksresell.com/NINTENDO_Wii_Console.html
myebookresell.blogspot.com

The best Wii games – a gamers choice! »Nintendo Wii – Review and best prices

Advantages: Innovative controller design provides excellent motion-sensitive gameplay possibilities; included Wi-Fi offers you access to free online services and gameplay; Virtual Console appeals evokes a positive nostalgia feeling; Wii is compatible with all GameCube games and controllers available on the market; you can store and view your photos thanks to a SD slot; includes Wii Sports game; currently it is most affordable game console you will find.

Problems: Controller requires lots of batteries’ power and requires some time to get used to; online gaming and community options are disrupted by terrible “friends code” system; nunchuk controller is unfortunately sold separately; there is no advanced HD graphics and surround sound that are present on the Xbox 360 and the PS3; the console needs a wired receiver unit located close to a TV to interface with wireless controllers; it is impossible to play CDs or DVDs.

The Wiimote: In contrast to other next-gen systems, the Wii has one significant feature that simply proves Wii to be a success. The Wiimote. The Wii’s controller makes use of motion sensing technology in order to interact with games. For instance, in the Legend of Zelda, you swing your sword simply by making small slashing gestures with the Wiimote. In another game, the Wiimote is held like a baseball bat and swung in order to hit a ball. The Wiimote is tracked in 3D space, involving rotational orientation, and can also be applied as a pointer on the TV due to an infrared sensor bar.

The bottom line: Although it doesn’t give you the graphical excellence and powerful media features of the Xbox 360 and the PS3, the Nintendo Wii’s mixture of unique motion-sensitive controllers and focus on fun gameplay make the extremely-affordable console an item hard to resist.

Let me just mention about the very attractive price of Nintendo Wii. Certainly the actual price of Wii may be different depending on the shop, but in all cases it should be affordable for all gaming fans. Personally I would recommend searching for the cheapest offer on the web. From my own experience I have found out that both Nintendo Wii and all available accessories can be bought for a very decent price on Ebay.com. Moreover, this shop offers you various discounts and additional offers, so my advice it to buy your gaming device there.