GH Review: Nintendo Wii

Zardon · Nov 21, 2006, 01:16 PM

Read the review here
_____________________

The next generation of gaming came into full force this month seeing the releases of both Sony’s PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo Wii. The PS3 and Xbox 360 have a bitter rivalry because they are both regarded as technical powerhouses, and because of its less powerful components the Wii is often called “a GameCube on steroids”. While it certainly won’t outperform the other two in benchmark tests, what the Wii lacks in power it more than makes up for innovation. After trying out the Wii, we found it to be so much more than a creative system with a ridiculous name.

WhO_KnOwS · Nov 21, 2006, 01:32 PM

Great review!
Nintendo did the right thing in not trying to compete with Sony and MS on the graphics front.

bug77 · Nov 21, 2006, 01:48 PM

Looks like they did the right thing. I would call this 'next genertaion gaming' rather than what Xbox360 (and most likely PS3, though it's too soon to tell) did.

Vikingod · Nov 21, 2006, 01:53 PM

great review, makes me want to get out and buy one. Its sort of up in the air now, 360 or Wii.

franguinho · Nov 21, 2006, 02:16 PM

awesome Nintendo really stepped up to the challenge with this one and maybe even raised the bar... can't wait for some of the game reviews...seeing as I'm prolly not gonna have one of these for a long time!

Zardon · Nov 21, 2006, 02:48 PM

We should have our PS3 review up in the next week also, fingers crossed.

bug77 · Nov 21, 2006, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zardon

We should have our PS3 review up in the next week also, fingers crossed.

I already saw some screens with messed up graphics on PS3, make sure you keep an eye out for those. Buggy games would be a new console gaming era.

Zardon · Nov 21, 2006, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bug77

I already saw some screens with messed up graphics on PS3, make sure you keep an eye out for those. Buggy games would be a new console gaming era.

Lucky you, our PS3 died. more on the way though, fingers crossed we get a better experience this time.

riles9262 · Nov 21, 2006, 06:05 PM

Good review. I look forward to the ps3 one too, provided you get a working console...

OmegaRED · Nov 21, 2006, 06:33 PM

I did learn a few interesting things about the Wiimote and Wiichannels from the review but I wish it had been slightly more critical and gone in depth about the actually gameplay on the system. There's no talk of how the sensors reacted in the launch games, the graphics, sound, or other gameplay in practice. I guess the reviewer was having too much fun playing it to write it all down

WhO_KnOwS · Nov 21, 2006, 06:37 PM

I believe Andy will comment more on the gameplay within the game reviews that are promised at the end of the Wii review.

Zardon · Nov 21, 2006, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhO_KnOwS

I believe Andy will comment more on the gameplay within the game reviews that are promised at the end of the Wii review.

Yes this was an overview of the console and its benefits etc. game reviews and that side of the console are coming later.

SFOSOK · Nov 21, 2006, 07:21 PM

Pretty cool

Edit: Nevermind

ET3D · Nov 21, 2006, 09:30 PM

Thanks for posting the hardware specs. I'd love to know more about that graphics chip. I was surprised it had so little RAM (in particular texture RAM). I'll be looking forward to Wii game reviews.

Lowfat · Nov 21, 2006, 10:45 PM

nice review, provided a bit of info i didn't know about previously. Looking forward to some gameplay reviews.

IvanV · Nov 22, 2006, 03:28 PM

Good review. I'm glad Nintendo is trying to give us something really new, and not just shiny graphics (if their graphics is shiny at all? I wish there was some comment made about that.) This looks like a step towards more immersive gaming and true VR.
On a funny side, I just read a report that the Wiimote is "responsable" for breaking two TVs already. In one of the cases, reportedly, a 7 year old girl swung the Wiimote so hard that it slipped out of her hand, the wrist strap failed, and broke the screen of the TV set, while playing bowling!

Believe it if you like.

Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/6736203...7594385230468/

niceguyrichy · Nov 23, 2006, 02:12 PM

as ever fantastic review

just one question (please be patient with me if I'm being thick, 3 days no sleep)

Quote:

Strangely enough, the Wiimote and Nunchuk are sold separately ($40 USD and $20 USD, respectively)

does that just mean that they ship seperately were you to want to buy another pair, or are both not included in the base pakage?
in other words, if I go out and buy the cheapest Wii I can get, what'll be in the box?

Randomletters · Nov 23, 2006, 02:28 PM

Richy theres only one wii package it comes with one wii remote and one nunchuck, If you want to buy more online youll have to order both.

niceguyrichy · Nov 23, 2006, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randomletters

Richy theres only one wii package it comes with one wii remote and one nunchuck, If you want to buy more online youll have to order both.

thank you

thats what I thought, just though I'd clarify before we went and ordered one.
(I get confused by the shops here offering "ultimate Wii package" etc)

Drakon · Nov 23, 2006, 07:40 PM

Are all the different colored versions availabe in the US?

Judas · Nov 23, 2006, 07:57 PM

well theres about probably a good 30 PS3s in just saskatoon here, and about 5x more then that in Wii's.

From all the stores i've gone through, doesn't appear to be any DIFFERENT colors available for either console thus far.

Drakon · Nov 23, 2006, 08:00 PM

Hmmm, I'd definitely like to pick a black Wii if it's available in the US.

ferret2004 · Nov 24, 2006, 01:35 AM

Wii only comes in white, for the time being...

Nforce2XP · Nov 24, 2006, 02:22 AM

Oh my lovely Nintendo, thank you for thinking in me!! i don't care graphics, or if your specs are lower than the others, thank you

ronnn · Nov 25, 2006, 10:11 PM

Nice review! Will have to pick up one of these when a couple of great games come out. Don't even need a new tv.

Nov 21, 2006, 01:16 PM	#1
Zardon DriverHeaven Founder Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 32,480 Rep Power: 179	GH Review: Nintendo Wii Read the review here _____________________ The next generation of gaming came into full force this month seeing the releases of both Sony’s PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo Wii. The PS3 and Xbox 360 have a bitter rivalry because they are both regarded as technical powerhouses, and because of its less powerful components the Wii is often called “a GameCube on steroids”. While it certainly won’t outperform the other two in benchmark tests, what the Wii lacks in power it more than makes up for innovation. After trying out the Wii, we found it to be so much more than a creative system with a ridiculous name.

Nov 21, 2006, 01:32 PM	#2
WhO_KnOwS The Knows Mister Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Slovenia, Europe Posts: 409 Rep Power: 0	Great review! Nintendo did the right thing in not trying to compete with Sony and MS on the graphics front. __________________ How you can help DriverHeaven by using Digg!

Nov 21, 2006, 02:16 PM	#5
franguinho Brazilian Fool Join Date: May 2002 Location: São Paulo Posts: 3,380 Rep Power: 0	awesome Nintendo really stepped up to the challenge with this one and maybe even raised the bar... can't wait for some of the game reviews...seeing as I'm prolly not gonna have one of these for a long time! __________________ The Aliens mostly come out at night... mostly...

Nov 21, 2006, 06:05 PM	#9
riles9262 Driverheaven brewmaster Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 4,842 Rep Power: 72 System Specs	Good review. I look forward to the ps3 one too, provided you get a working console... __________________ A beer a day keeps the doctor away.

Nov 21, 2006, 06:33 PM	#10
OmegaRED Relapsed Gamer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Ottawa , Canada Posts: 5,688 Rep Power: 173 System Specs	I did learn a few interesting things about the Wiimote and Wiichannels from the review but I wish it had been slightly more critical and gone in depth about the actually gameplay on the system. There's no talk of how the sensors reacted in the launch games, the graphics, sound, or other gameplay in practice. I guess the reviewer was having too much fun playing it to write it all down __________________ E Penis Specs: <------------- See System Specs

Nov 21, 2006, 01:48 PM	#3
bug77 DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: around Posts: 792 Rep Power: 0	Looks like they did the right thing. I would call this 'next genertaion gaming' rather than what Xbox360 (and most likely PS3, though it's too soon to tell) did.

Nov 21, 2006, 01:53 PM	#4
Vikingod Int'l Fish Liaison Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: By the light of lamp I sit and type... Posts: 16,197 Rep Power: 112 System Specs	great review, makes me want to get out and buy one. Its sort of up in the air now, 360 or Wii.

Nov 21, 2006, 02:48 PM	Thread Starter #6
Zardon DriverHeaven Founder Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 32,480 Rep Power: 179	We should have our PS3 review up in the next week also, fingers crossed.

Nov 21, 2006, 06:37 PM	#11
WhO_KnOwS The Knows Mister Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Slovenia, Europe Posts: 409 Rep Power: 0	I believe Andy will comment more on the gameplay within the game reviews that are promised at the end of the Wii review. __________________ How you can help DriverHeaven by using Digg!

Nov 21, 2006, 07:21 PM	#13
SFOSOK 939 Goin Strong Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Ontario Posts: 7,033 Rep Power: 90 System Specs	Pretty cool Edit: Nevermind __________________ Warning - Explicit Content Preceeding METAL!!

Nov 21, 2006, 09:30 PM	#14
ET3D Hopeless Dreamer Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Dreamland, near the pool of infinite graphics cards Posts: 3,057 Rep Power: 105 System Specs	Thanks for posting the hardware specs. I'd love to know more about that graphics chip. I was surprised it had so little RAM (in particular texture RAM). I'll be looking forward to Wii game reviews.

Nov 21, 2006, 10:45 PM	#15
Lowfat Xtreme Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Grande Prairie, AB, Can Posts: 4,254 Rep Power: 101	nice review, provided a bit of info i didn't know about previously. Looking forward to some gameplay reviews.

Nov 22, 2006, 03:28 PM	#16
IvanV HH Assassin Guild Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 5,912 Rep Power: 333 System Specs	Good review. I'm glad Nintendo is trying to give us something really new, and not just shiny graphics (if their graphics is shiny at all? I wish there was some comment made about that.) This looks like a step towards more immersive gaming and true VR. On a funny side, I just read a report that the Wiimote is "responsable" for breaking two TVs already. In one of the cases, reportedly, a 7 year old girl swung the Wiimote so hard that it slipped out of her hand, the wrist strap failed, and broke the screen of the TV set, while playing bowling! Believe it if you like. Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/6736203...7594385230468/ __________________ If anyone has Portal 2 and hasn't played the co-op and wants to do me a favour, let me know (PM me or whatever).

Nov 23, 2006, 02:28 PM	#18
Randomletters ))<>(( Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 2,418 Rep Power: 54	Richy theres only one wii package it comes with one wii remote and one nunchuck, If you want to buy more online youll have to order both. __________________ <----------- Sexy Budget Rig stats to the left.

Nov 23, 2006, 07:40 PM	#20
Drakon DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Floatin'... Posts: 4,957 Rep Power: 0	Are all the different colored versions availabe in the US?

Nov 23, 2006, 08:00 PM	#22
Drakon DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Floatin'... Posts: 4,957 Rep Power: 0	Hmmm, I'd definitely like to pick a black Wii if it's available in the US.

Nov 24, 2006, 01:35 AM	#23
ferret2004 HardwareHeaven Addict Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ohio, USA Posts: 285 Rep Power: 0	Wii only comes in white, for the time being...

Nov 24, 2006, 02:22 AM	#24
Nforce2XP DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Los angeles Posts: 201 Rep Power: 0	Oh my lovely Nintendo, thank you for thinking in me!! i don't care graphics, or if your specs are lower than the others, thank you __________________ RES.T.A.R.S

Nov 25, 2006, 10:11 PM	#25
ronnn DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 617 Rep Power: 0	Nice review! Will have to pick up one of these when a couple of great games come out. Don't even need a new tv.