Skip to main content

Nintendo Wii


November is a huge month for the gaming industry. The release of the Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii is highly anticipated among gamers. Without question though, more gamers are interested in the Wii due to its next-gen control system, which allows gamers to interact more closely with games. A few weeks ago Nintendo invited press to a private event held at their Rockefeller Plaza store in NYC. We got to spend a couple hours checking out new DS, GameCube, and Wii titles all without interruption. After 2 hours though, the Wii left much to be desired.

Nintendo Wii
The Nintendo Wii and Remote Control

Upon entering the store, Wii Sports was the first available title on display. They had boxing, golf, and bowling available for play. The games clearly target a younger audience; cartoonish and basic. The golf game is obviously not supposed to be the next “Tiger Woods” competitor, but the game isn’t all that fun. In fact, Wii Sports isn’t that fun in general. The games are great for parties and get-togethers with people who don’t game as much, but the titles will get old very fast. Don’t expect a Mike Tyson’s Punch Out from the boxing game either, although that was significantly more exciting than golf.

Wii Sports
The Wii Sports Display

After grabbing a drink, I headed upstairs and found the good stuff. Here, games like Madden, Zelda, and Call of Duty were available to try out for a while. But before I could even think of checking out games like Zelda, I was asked to try ExciteTruck. I agreed, grabbed the Wiimote and went at it. The game was pretty basic and all you had to do was hold down the A-button to accelerate while you steer by tilting the controller. Fun? Sort of. But what bothered me was that the game had graphics similar to Twisted Metal on Playstation One. This is 2006. Your console may have a completely new way of playing it, but you can make those graphics a little better. It didn’t even look as good as some Nintendo 64 games I’ve played. 10 minutes later and a bit disappointed, I headed over to check out Call of Duty 3.

Wiimote
The Nintendo Wii Remote

Call of Duty 3 looked pretty cool. Things were getting blown up, guns everywhere, and I’m a fan of the series’ previous installments. After watching a guy struggling to play and control the game for 5 minutes, he gave up and handed me the controls. Call of Duty 3 requires you to use both the Wii controller and its analog-stick attachment. After fiddling with the controls for a minute or two, it became apparent to me that this game was impossible to control properly. Shooting at enemies was too hard. My weapon kept flying all over the screen and having to walk using my right-thumb while actually moving my left hand to aim was tricky. The game itself again didn’t look all too great but was a vast improvement over ExciteTruck. After 15 minutes, I too gave up trying to control Call of Duty 3 and decided I should go for the gold: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

Waltzing over to the Zelda kiosk, I noticed something incredibly different than the other games on display – this one actually looked decent. Zelda looks great, plays great, and is lots of fun. If you’re a fan of the series, you’re going to really enjoy getting in some sword swinging action with Link and crew. I could only spend about 20 minutes playing the game before other people wanted to try, but overall, I was impressed. This is a solid Wii title that makes the system actually worth purchasing.

The Nintendo Wii Kiosk
The Nintendo Store @ Rockefeller Plaza

They also had the new Madden on display for us to see but no one really seemed to be playing it. The graphics actually look competitive with the Xbox 360’s and the controls appear to be solid. Football and Madden fans are going to enjoy trying to be Peyton Manning for once. You too will finally be able to be a 6’5” quarterback with a laser-rocket arm.

Overall, the Nintendo Wii left me feeling disappointed. I didn’t expect 360 or PS3 graphics, but I did expect better. The unique control system the Wii has should only be used for certain games. Madden and Zelda are great titles to get into with the Wiimote but Call of Duty 3 should be played with a regular controller. Nintendo is on to something here and every fanboy will probably be pleased. Those who are on a budget, are new to gaming or game only occasionally, or want Nintendo titles like Mario and Zelda should pick one up for $250. Otherwise, I’d recommend shelling out a little more for an Xbox 360 or a Playstation 3. You’ll be a lot more satisfied with your purchase.

Editors' Recommendations

Digital Trends Staff
Digital Trends has a simple mission: to help readers easily understand how tech affects the way they live. We are your…
How (and where) to trade Poes in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Poes sit near a waterfall in The Legend of Zelda: tears of the Kingdom.

It might take place in the same Hyrule as Breath of the Wild, but Tears of the Kingdom's landscape is radically different from its predecessor. Along with massive floating islands in the sky, there's a sprawling underworld to explore that's filled with secrets to discover and abilities to unlock. One such secret is Poes, which take a very different form than in past Zelda games -- instead of serving as an enemy, they're now an alternate form of currency.

Interested in learning more about where to trade Poes in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and how to find them? Here's everything you need to know about these unique collectibles.
What are Poes in Tears of the Kingdom?
When you first dive into Hyrule's underground area, you'll probably notice tons of blue-and-white wisps scattered around the surface in patches. Those wisps are Tears of the Kingdom's version of Poes. Yes, the classic enemy is now a simple item that you can collect.

Read more
The best Donkey Kong games of all time
best-single-player-nintendo-switch-games

While Mario has become the face of Nintendo, and perhaps video games as a whole, it's important to remember that it was in a Donkey Kong game that he really became an icon. Since then, our beloved ape has bounced between being friend and foe of the plumber, as well as broken free to star in his own series of games with an expanded cast of friends and enemies. It's been a long time since we've been graced with one of his banana-fueled adventures, so we decided this was as good a time as any to look back at Dinkey Kong's legacy and decide which of his many solo efforts stand as the best.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Read more
How to get the Thunderbolt of Zeus in Fortnite
Thunderbolt of Zeus

Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2 is underway and has brought with it some significant changes to the battle royale map that should shake up things quite a lot. This season is all about ancient gods descending onto the map, which is quite obvious by its multiple mythical locations like Mount Olympus and the Underworld. But these new landing spots aren't the only thing the gods have brought with them to Fortnite, as players can also get their hands on godly new items like the Wings of Icarus and Thunderbolt of Zeus. In this guide, we'll tell you where to find the latter and how it works.
How to get the Thunderbolt of Zeus and how it works
You can find the Thunderbolt of Zeus by defeating Zeus at Mount Olympus or by searching in Olympus Chests or Underworld Chests. It can also rarely be found in standard and rare chests.

This powerful lightning-based item can seriously dish out the hurt — provided you can use it in a situation where you won't be easily shot out of the sky. By pressing the fire button, you leap into the sky to begin unleashing a series of three massive lightning bolts on foes beneath you, with the first two bolts fired out rapidly and the final one a bit slower. You'll only get a total of three charges with this devastating weapon, so you'll want to be certain you make the most of each use and only let loose with it when you feel confident you can wrap up a kill.

Read more