Summary

The Nintendo Wii is just exploding with innovation and fun. It is simple to play mainly because anyone who picks it up will understand what to do almost instantly. The Wii-mote and nun-chuck handle very well with every game that I have personaly played. And I have not had any problem with the system as far as overheating (like I did with my 360) or the system just not working. Nintendo has alway been known for making a durable system, and once again they have not let anyone down. I have played 10 games for the system and everyone of them as it's own unique qualitys that work well with the Wii-mote.

Strength

The strengths of this system really vary from the system it self to the games that are out for it. Some of the launch titles are the stuff of legend. Games like Zelda Twighlight Princess, Excite Truck, Madden 07, and Rayman Raving Rabbids, all possess a lot of good quality fun. Not to mention the system comes packaged with Wii Sports. This is the first system since the SNES did it with Super Mario World. The price of the system is also a real plus. Parents are going to have a much easier time buying their child a system that has them moving around a little bit (like in Wii Sports when you break a sweat playing tennis) and the system is much cheaper in price.

Weakness

Their really is not a lot to say for weakness. The only thing I would say is this, if you are looking for a system that has true "next-gen" graphics then you will have to drop either 4, 5, or $600 dollars to do so.

Summary

I bought the Wii knowing full well what to expect in terms of it's control scheme and subpar graphics, just to be clear. So, even though I came into the Wii knowing what to expect mainly, I was still very surprised to find the controls of the Wiimote and Nunchucka to be so spot on precise for games like Zelda and WiiSports. Nintendo promised a unique and satisfying new way to game and they lived up to the that promise in nearly every way. Overall the machine is tiny, well built and NEVER EVER crashes...and I have 38 hours on Zelda and about 15 to 20 on Wii Sports. Not once has the machine stalled, skipped, crashed or failed in any way shape or form. The Wii is superlatively put together. For 250 dollars any gamer worth his salt is doing himself an injustice by not owning one of these machines.

Strength

The Wiimoto and Nunchucka control scheme is quite simply it's strongest point. Without it the Wii is basically a gamecube as far as visuals go. Nintendo says the Wii can blow the Gamecube and Xbox1 out of the water in visual quality....I have yet to see this statement bare fruit. The draw distance in Zelda is very far and quite good, and the particle and water effects actually make this game at times look almost next-gen, but not quite. The Gamecube 4 controller ports on the top that are protected by a swinging door are perfectly placed and the addition of a memory card slot is good forethought on Nintendos part. I have yet to understand the need or use of the docking stand that comes with the machine, I have no desire to take my Wii anywhere even if I know for sure where I was going had a docking station to plug it in to, so I scratch my head as to what Nintendos intention with that is. The machine being white, and I mean starch white was a good choice and looks right at home next to my Dreamcast and 360.

Weakness

The most obvious weakness is the graphics....so far. Remember, 90 percent of the games being seen on the Wii are either Gamcube ports and first generation works that developers will still need time to wrap their heads around. I think before long we will see the graphical prowess of the machine, just be patient. Zelda at first looked terrible to me, but I had just minutes before beat Gears of War on the 360. So if you are going from either playing 360 or pS3 to then the Wii you will be shocked at first how bad Selda looks. But now I have played Zelda strickly for 38 hours over the last 2 weeks and think the game got visually better looking as I unlocked more of the game world. Another weakness is the online scene, there is non to speak of. No Wii games are online enabled as of yet. The Wii has way more strengths than weaknesses and I believe it will have a good long run as a "New-gen" device, not "Next-gen"

Summary

Some features not available at launch.
Lack of big name games at Virtual Console's launch.
No remote charger available for controllers at launch.
More cities should be added to the Forcast Channel to allow for better weather search results.


Normally, we only pick up and review videogames in general, but with the newly launched next-gen systems already behind us we felt the need to give people a hands-on review on a gaming system that changes the way we play games. Ever since the release of the Nintendo Dual Screen (known to the gaming world as DS) gamers the world over have fallen in love with the handheld and it's touch screen format. The handheld sold like hotcakes, so it's no surprise that the 'Big N' decided to go one step higher and change the way we play on a full-size home gaming console. On November 19th, 2006, Nintendo did just that when they released their fifth console, the Wii, to the American public. As for my personal experience, I remember waiting in line at Wal-Mart for over 14 hours just to pick up a Wii console of my own. Rose convinced me to go in and wait from 10:30 that morning until well after midnight that same night. While I won't go into too much detail about the wait, let's just say that the 14 hours go by quick when you have a fully-charged Nintendo DS by your side, a good group of people to sit around and joke with, and a supportive girlfriend that brings you lunch and dinner, and a charged cellphone, just in case.
Once I got home, I decided to waste little time in yanking the polar white square console out of it's cardboard box and put it all together. Actually, Rose was the one to hook it all up... I assume she was even more excited than I was to try this thing out. I'll have to agree with Rose on the fact that this system is quite simple to hook up and get started on. The controller is already linked up with the system right out of the box, and shouldn't need set up unless other controllers are added in the future.

The controller can be rather sensitive at first, until you get used to it. Although games like Trauma Center: Second Opinion force you to have nerves of steel to make for a good play through, most games at launch don't require such tight movements. Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Wii Sports are prime examples of the freedom that the new controller gives you... even if your nerves are shot to hell. The interface of the Wii is set up in little squares on the screen, referred to as "Channels". Among that list we have the "Forcast" Channel, "News" Channel, "Virtual Console" Channel, "Internet" Channel, "Mii" Channel, "Photo" Channel and lastly, "Disc" Channel. We'll cover each of these seperately:

Forcast Channel - Will allow you to check the weather in your area, as well as anywhere else in the world you would like to know about. At launch, this channel was not available, but now, as of December 20th, 2006 it has been added.

News Channel - Supposedly, this channel will allow you to check out recent news in your area, as well as anywhere else in the world that may interest you. This feature has not yet been added to the Wii, but is supposed to be released by the end of January 2007.

Virtual Console Channel - This channel allows you to download and play games on your Wii console from days gone by. Sega Genesis, Turbo Grafix 16, Nintendo, Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64 titles are added every Monday and are available for download via Wii Points (a monetary system constructed by Nintendo) and played either with a Wii Remote, GameCube controller or the new Classic Controller launched alongside the Wii ($20). Prices for retro games range from 500 to 1000 Wii Points. ($5 to $10) Wii cards can be bought at Wal-Marts, GameStops and EB Games stores around the world.

Internet Channel - Allows you to surft the web without having to use your computer. This feature was not available at launch, but was introduced to the gaming world on December 22nd, 2006. The feature is only in it's beta stage and can be quite irritating to use at times with a Wii Remote instead of a keyboard. This feature will be free to download until June 2007, after which it will be priced at $5 for the use of the software. No montly fees will be added after the one time fee.

Mii Channel - With this feature, you can make a cartoony-style version of yourself. Up to 8 Mii's can be added to a Wii Remote's memory.

Photo Channel - This channel allows you to upload pictures from an SD card to manipulate them in any way you see fit. I personally haven't used this feature since picking up the console.

Disc Channel - This is where the game inserted into the Wii console are read and started up. The Wii is backwards compatible with the Nintendo GameCube.

While there are many features that that have not be released for the Wii, or are not yet finished versions at this time, the Wii is actually a remarkable piece of hardware and pretty much everything in the CONS section of the review can be addressed over time. Two major problems for the Wii have already been addressed and corrected. One being the case of the thin wrist straps, the other being the error code that plagued people worldwide at launch. The infamous ERROR CODE 110213 was a technical issue that pretty much fried consoles when they attempted to connect to the internet for the initial firmware update. Nintendo urged all owners of defective systems to call their support line where they were told that they would receive a replacement system and would then send their system back in the prepaid box that arrived with the new console. I know firsthand how all of this went, seeing as how I had a defective system myself. Nintendo gave me a 21 day window to get my defective console back to them. Needless to say they were very easy to deal with both on the phone and through e-mail. The Virtual Console Channel seems to have a thing with releasing low end games every Monday with the exception of a few good ones here and there (Super Mario 64, Toejam & Earl, Bonk's Adventure, Super CastleVania IV) but hopefully this will become a better feature to use with top notch games being released every month.

In the graphics department, the Wii isn't terrible either. While not up to par with the likes of the Sony Playstation 3 or the X-Box 360, it still looks good. Most high profile gaming supporters are saying the Wii graphics are somewhere between X-Box and X-Box 360 graphics, but not quite there yet. In my honest, humble opinion... as long as the story and gameplay is good, the graphics don't need to be out of this world. Just like any other system launch in the history of gaming, there has never been a full line of blockbuster titles. Most of the greatest game releases for any given console usually don't come about until after the first or second year of the console's life. I guess the best thing to do now is sit back and wait to see what the 'Big N' has planned for this wonderful console.

With that said, check out the scorecard below.

(Please note that future game reviews from www.enterthezombiegod.com will not go by the same scorecard.)

SCORECARD:
A

Based On:
Features
Graphics (by games played so far)
Learning Curve
Innovation

Strength

+ Unique controller design
+ Basic look to the console
+ Easy learning curve on most games
+ Virtual Console feature

Weakness

- Some features not available at launch.
- Lack of big name games at Virtual Console's launch.
- No remote charger available for controllers at launch.
- More cities should be added to the Forcast Channel to allow for better weather search results.

Summary

As is always the case, I bought the newest Nintendo console without a second thought. Though I have responsibilites that prevent me from the "camp-outs" for a new system, I always keep tabs to find out when they arrive in stock. On to the Wii...

Asthetically (phsyical looks), the system is awesome. It uses a "less-is-more" dsign much like Apple's successful line of iPod devices. Everything is nicely concealed under hatches to give the system such a sleek look. Only three buttons mark the face of the console. The front features a hatch that hides a "sync" button to add Wiimotes to the system and a slot for a SanDisk memory card. Though I purchased a 1-gig card with the system, it is basically not needed as there is a half-gig of flash memory (for game saves, etc.) built-in. The system has two more opening hatches on the top (if standing the console upright, otherwise it's the left side) with memory card slots and four ports for Gamecube controllers. I was concerned at first that the Wavebird connector was too big without removing the flap itself, but it fits perfectly.

The controller (Wiimote and nunchuck attachment) are a marvel of engineering. Though touchy at first, you quickly become oriented to the controls of the Wiimote and will find using it to be second nature. Very intuitive, very natural.

Graphically, the Wii is behind the times when compared to the PS3 or Xbox 360. Nintendo made no illusions to say otherwise and I fully expected this when purchasing the system. However, being "less-than" these other two next-gen consoles doesn't make the graphics "bad" by any stretch. Zelda looks beautiful. While most games so far don't demonstrate how powerful the system WILL be, the fact that the Gamecube pumped out the likes of Metroid Prime and Resident Evil 4-two games which still kick-@$$ graphically compared to today's next-gen titles, I have alot of faith that this little system will have some fine-looking games that get better as time goes by.

Overall, with the low cost of the system, fun way to play, bundled 5-pack of games in Wii Sports, backwards compatibility and the Virtual Console, the Wii will be a strong and more importantly-FUN-system for a long time to come.

Strength

1) The control scheme. Nothing else out there is like it. Sony tried to rip it off with the Sixaxis, but failed miserably.

2) Backwards compatibility with Gamecube. Alot of great 1st & 2nd party Gamecube games out there that can be had for cheap prices now.

3) 1st & 2nd party new releases and 3rd party exclusives. Zelda, Wario Ware Smooth Moves and Sonic-the Secret Rings are all awesome titles that utilize the Wiimote in very unique ways. I can't wait to see what comes up next.

4) $250 versus $300-$600 for an Xbox 360 (low-end) to a PS3 (loaded version). That's a big difference. Nintendo kept the system cheap which is a great selling point.

5) Virtual Console. The ability to download classic titles from the NES, SNES, N64, Genesis and Turbografx 16 is a big bonus.

Weakness

1) Nintendo systems since the N64 have a history of less-than-stellar 3rd party support. The unique control scheme makes it difficult for developers to port over standard control games and the lower capabilities of the system ensures that most 3rd party multiplatform games may skip the Wii alltogether.

2) Nintendo's own snail-pace for releasing games. Ever since the N64 when 3rd party releases began drying up, it's a llooonnnnggg wait sometimes for a new "great" game to get released. Hopefully with Nintendo's surge in popularity with the Wii and unique nature, this won't be an issue. Unfortunately though, the next "BIG" Nintendo releases are months away and gamers are or soon will be looking for the next "big thing" after completing Zelda.

Summary

ALLLLL RIGHT! This is my first review so if I suck....well screw you.

The Wii is Nintendo's next-gen console that uses motion sensor technology to its fullest with its controller called the Wii-mote. When I bought the Wii I was ready for the most ultimate gaming experience of my life. As soon as I got it, I fell madly in love. I had a blast doing the little things like turning the controller upside down to see the finger point downward....ahh good times. I screwed around with the channels a bit, just to get familiarized with it.

I had alot of fun with the Mii Channel where you make these kinda dumbed down sims. I liked it for awhile but I dont really see how anyone can just sit there and make dozens of these.

The Shop Channel, which I really enjoy, allows you to purchase a bunch of the old games from Genesis, NES, SNES, and the N64. The only game I have from that is the Zelda from SNES but for alot of gamers thats all they'd need.

The Picture Channel....hmmm. I really dont mess with this too much. I dont own a digital camera (crazy right...darn parents) so I really cant use it. Although even if I could, I dont see a point. Believe it or not, I dont really care about sending pics through my game system. Thats what my computer is for. I just think that was tacked on.

The News and Weather Channels are fun little distractions...for about 20 minutes then it gets old fast. But I gota say, I still use the weather channel for a second opinion (you can never trust those guys on tv).

Everybody Votes Channel is a complete waste of time. All you do is vote on various mundane subjects and in the end those votes dont affect anything or anyone. This is one of the few cases in which voting doesn't mean anything. Kinda sad if you sit and think about it.

Lastly, the Internet Channel. I love it....BUT again I think its just a neat little distraction. I really dont see the point in a web browser except for the fact that you can say "Whoohooo im looking up porn on my Wii!!" I have a computer for that which goes like 5 times faster. I'm also not a youtube fanatic so the web browser is almost pointless for me.

All in all, I still love this little white rectangle to death. The fact that it has backwards compatability for the GC is awesome (I can wreck any1 in ssmbm...get at me ;]). This little guy also stays online ALL THE TIME, it never turns off and it gives off this cute lil blue light when it wants to update or something. Oh and I almost forgot, the cost of the system $250. Compared to the PS3($499) and the 360(I forgot...probably around $399) its a pretty damn good deal.


I think everyone should buy this system because it is so inexpensive. You get alot in that little package.

Strength

- Backwards compatability to the extreme
- Wireless motion sensor controller
- Easy to get online, assuming you have a wireless router but then again, who doesn't
- I'm not sure how much the thing weighs but I can balance it with a finger
- Has two USB ports which I have been using to charge my ipod because...
- ...It never turns off, it just stays in a low power standby state

Weakness

- Some of the channels are tacked on.
- The Wii's power as a whole is nowhere on par with PS3 or 360
- Paying $8 for a game on the shop channel I could get for a buck in a discount bin. Or better yet, just download it.
- a few games are very gimmicky
- Third party support is better than the GC's but still is lacking
- The use of friend codes to communicate with others.
- Games dont take advantage of the Wii's online capabilities