I know, I couldn’t help myself. Every “re” prefix is translated to “wii” when people talk about Nintendo’s latest console sensation. I was contemplating getting myself one of them ever since the system was released, and I finally made the leap. Am I happy with the purchase? Yes, I’d say I am. Not only is the system an intuitive idea, but also an omen to the design philosophy of simplicity.
The only games I have so far have been The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007. Both titles are pretty decent, although the realism of Tiger Woods and the sometimes finicky controls make the experience not the most exciting. Zelda is a much more satisfying experience with easy controls, decent graphics, and a big world to explore. Although the story is quite linear, the fishing aspect is a lot of fun! I can’t wait until someone develops a decent and respectable fishing simulator. Other titles I’m waiting on are a Star Wars game, a Harvest Moon addition, a better boxing game, and a better golf game. With the recent news of the delay of Spore (by the creator of The Sims, Will Wright) it would also seem to be worth looking forward to Spore for the Wii, but most likely the game won’t be completed until somewhere around 2009.
Either way, I’m pretty happy with the system. The Wii Channels are nice along with the Opera web browser, and the controls are good for the games I have tried so far. The only complaint with the system settings has been the absence of a volume control for the system itself. I hate having to turn my TV’s volume so low just so the Wii doesn’t blow the speakers right off. But that’s just me. Well if there’s anything else to add about the new system, I’ll add it into a future entry. If you haven’t yet tried the Wii, go to a friend’s house and give it a try, just remember that those wrist straps are all important to the lifespan of those HDTVs!