My Dog Hates the Wii

Unfortunately, there has been one major setback to my Wii gaming experience, and that is the fact that my dog (a Pembroke Welsh Corgi) completely freaks out whenever I try to play Wii Sports. He will tolerate most Wii games, but the combination of the dinging sound and the swinging the arms around really sets him off. He especially hates Wii Tennis. See for yourself:

I can sometimes get away with playing this game with the volume really low if he's somewhere else in the house, but if he detects the noise, he'll come running and put a stop to things. Other things he freaks out about include the door bell (actual or on TV), fly swatters, rodents in the back yard, and any of my nephew's toys that move or make noise. He's generally a very sweet dog with a good temperament, but I don't think he'll ever be a Wii fan. So be warned, if you have a dog who's skittish about noises or gestures, you may encounter some difficulties trying to play Wii Sports.

Rock Band vs. Guitar Hero World Tour

Rock Band for Wii came out on Sunday, and it’s a long-awaited title for Wii owners who are music simulation fans. Rock Band combines the fun guitar action of Guitar Hero with drum and vocal tracks, so you and your friends can form a virtual band and jam along to some great songs. However, the next Guitar Hero release, Guitar Hero World Tour, which for now is scheduled to come out on October 27, 2008, will also include drum and vocal simulations, and in many ways looks to be even more comprehensive and have more features than Rock Band. The instruments for each game are not mutually compatible, so your Rock Band instruments won’t work on the new Guitar Hero game and vice versa. With each bundle sporting a hefty price tag and taking up a lot of storage space, you may only have room for one of these games in your collection. So should you spring for Rock Band now or hold out for GH4: World Tour? Let’s compare the two.

Price:

Rock Band bundle retails for $169.99
Guitar Hero Band Kit pre-order retails for $189.99

Instruments:

Rock Band Drums

Rock Band Guitar

Guitar Hero World Tour Drums

Unlike Rock Band, this kit includes cymbals and is being hyped as a more realistic drumming experience.

Guitar Hero World Tour Guitar

This guitar will also include touch pads to alter notes.

Rock Band instruments do not need to be connected to Wii remotes in order to work (but they do come with other wireless connectors that you have to plug in).

The Guitar Hero World Tour instruments will need to be connected to Wii remotes in order to work.

Downloadable Content:

This will not be included on Rock Band (additional content will need to be purchased on “Track Pack” discs). It also does not include online play.

There will be DLC on Guitar Hero World Tour, and it looks to be extensive. Not only that, users will be able to create their own tracks and share them online. However, with the Wii’s limited storage capacity, it may be necessary to store content on memory cards.


Track Lists:

Rock Band songs include the following:

Rolling Stones "Gimme Shelter"
Aerosmith "Train Kept a Rollin'"
The Who "Won't Get Fooled Again"
Boston "Foreplay/Long Time"
Mountain "Mississippi Queen"
The Police "Next to You"
David Bowie "Suffragette City"
Black Sabbath "Paranoid"
Blue Oyster Cult "Don't Fear the Reaper"
The Ramones "Blitzkrieg Bop"
Deep Purple "Highway Star"
KISS "Detroit Rock City"
Molly Hatchet "Flirtin' With Disaster"
The Outlaws "Green Grass & High Tides"
Sweet "Ballroom Blitz"
Rush "Tom Sawyer"
Bon Jovi "Wanted Dead or Alive"
The Clash "Should I Stay or Should I Go"
Faith No More "Epic"
R.E.M. "Orange Crush"
Iron Maiden "Run to the Hills"*
Foo Fighters "Learn to Fly"
Metallica "Enter Sandman"
Nirvana "In Bloom"
Stone Temple Pilots "Vasoline"
Weezer "Say It Ain't So"
Smashing Pumpkins "Cherub Rock"
Radiohead "Creep"
Beastie Boys "Sabotage"
Hole "Celebrity Skin"
Garbage "I Think I'm Paranoid"
Soundgarden "Black Hole Sun"
The Hives "Main Offender"
Queens of the Stone Age "Go With the Flow"
The Strokes "Reptilia"
Jet "Are You Gonna Be My Girl"
OK Go "Here It Goes Again"
Nine Inch Nails "The Hand That Feeds"
Pixies "Wave of Mutilation"
Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Maps"
Red Hot Chili Peppers "Dani California"
Coheed & Cambria "Welcome Home"
Fallout Boy "Dead on Arrival"
The Killers "When You Were Young"
New Pornographers "Electric Version"

The Guitar Hero World Tour track list is not yet known, but artists are rumored to include Van Halen, The Eagles, Linkin Park, Sublime, Billy Idol, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Muse, Korn, Ozzy Osbourne, Interpol, and the Foo Fighters.

Rock Band includes some cover versions, while Guitar Hero World Tour will have all original artist versions of the songs.

Customization:

Rock Band does not have Mii support or character creation.

Guitar Hero will have character and instrument customization options.


Verdict:

While there are still some mysteries surrounding Guitar Hero World Tour and it will be a bit more expensive than Rock Band, it looks to be a much more extensive and well-crafted game, with many more opportunities for creativity and fancier instruments. Plus, it will have the crucial elements of DLC and online interaction. Unless you absolutely can’t wait to bang on some virtual drums, I would hold out for Guitar Hero World Tour.

What Comes with the Wii and What Else Should I Buy?

The newer retail version of the Wii includes

Wii console with stand (to help with stability if you want to place it vertically)
Wii sensor bar
All necessary A/V and power cables
Wii Sports game (includes tennis, boxing, bowling, baseball, and golf)
513 mb internal flash drive of storage space
1 Wii remote with jacket and batteries
1 Nunchuck contoller


What else should I buy with my Wii?

You will probably want at least one extra controller, since much of the fun of playing the Wii is playing along with your friends and family.

A second Wii Remote costs $40 and will also come with a remote jacket, but if you pay an extra $10 you can get the Wii Play pack, which includes both a remote and a disc of mini-games for $49.99. I haven’t played this, so I can’t review it, but here is the Amazon listing with some customer reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/Wii-Play-with-Remote/dp/B000KRXAGE

Though some games only need the Wii remote, many others require the nunchuck, so you will probably want a second one of these too, so you can play your friends in games like Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Wii Boxing (part of Wii Sports). A second nunchuck will cost $20.

You can buy more remotes if you want to play up to four players on some games, but they are not necessary for many games, and remember that not all games support more than two players. Also note that certain Wii Sports games that involve taking turns like bowling and baseball allow players to share a Wii remote and take turns on it if necessary.

Wii remotes are powered by two AA batteries, which are included with each remote you buy. There are rechargeable battery packs and charge stations that you can buy, but they are rather expensive and unless you play all the time, you may find it sufficient to buy a bulk pack of AA batteries as they will have a decent life in the controllers and don’t drain as quickly as some people claim.

The Wii classic controller is not necessary for any Wii titles, though you can use it for some games like Super Smash Bros. Brawl. It costs $20 and is used for games downloaded from the Wii Virtual Console.
The Virtual Console is part of the Wii Shop channel. You must have your Wii connected to a wireless Internet network to access this. It is an easy to use and search and allows you to download titles from all the pre-GameCube Nintendo systems and Sega Genesis directly onto your Wii. The games are purchased using Wii points, which you can buy right on the channel using a credit card or buy in a store with a Wii points card that will include a unique code you can enter to retrieve your points. However you buy them, 100 Wii points = 1 dollar, and games on the Virtual Console cost between 500 and 1,500 Wii points ($5 - $15). So you can download tons of classic NES, SNES, N64, and Sega Genesis titles for relatively cheap. You will need either a classic controller or a GameCube controller to play most games, but NES games can be played by turning the Wii remote sideways. Note that the classic controller must be plugged into a Wii remote in order to work. The Wii Shop channel also includes WiiWare, which are original Wii titles you can download and play with the Wii remote. If you’re not interested in downloading and playing games from older systems or don’t have a wireless network, don’t bother with a classic controller, but the Virtual Console is a really fun feature of the Wii.

The Wii storage space is not huge like the hard drives found on other new consoles, but is sufficient to download quite a few games. If you really think you’ll run out of space you can buy an SD memory card to store your Virtual Console games. However, once you purchase a game from the Virtual Console you can delete it and re-download it any time at no additional charge, so a memory card is hardly necessary.

Okay, so your starter pack for Wii so far includes

Wii console with Wii sports ($250)
Wii Play for extra Wii remote and games ($50)
Second nunchuck controller ($20)
Classic controller ($20 + whatever you want to spend on VC games, let’s say $20 to start out)

That’s $360, which should provide lots of fun all on its own, but if there’s any room left in your budget, you should consider investing in some additional games. Here are some good starter titles:

Super Mario Galaxy – An Amazing new Mario game exclusive to the Wii. Makes great use of the Wii controls. There is a second player option, but it’s single player focused. Retails for $49.99.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl – A really fun fighting game for one or more players where various Nintendo characters do battle. You can play by yourself, against friends, or against random people online, which is a really fun feature. Currently on sale at Amazon.com for $39.99.

MarioKart for Wii – A fun racing game, which comes with a wheel that you insert your Wii remote into for fun steering action. The game and wheel are $49.99). An additional wheel can be purchased for $9.99, but a second player can also use the Wii remote/nunchuck combo as a controller. Note that this game is currently in high demand and quite hard to find.

Rayman Raving Rabbids – A really fun series of mini-games that you can get on Amazon.com for $19.99. Good family fun.

There are plenty of other titles for the Wii that are worth owning, but one or more of the above would be a great way to start out before you delve deeper into the vast Wii catalogue.

Where Can I Buy A Wii?

Even though it has been available for nearly two years, the Wii is still hard to find in stores and is in very high demand. You will find plenty of them online at prices that are marked up way above retail price. You shouldn’t pay $400 for a system that retails for $250, so I’ll try to offer some tips for getting a fair price. There are always systems for sale on eBay, but there is lots of competition for them, so you’re likely to still pay a marked up price, even for a used system. Online retailers like Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, and Target.com are almost always sold out of the systems. However, it is not impossible to find the Wii in stores, where you will pay the fair price for them. This can be difficult, and may take some searching and calling around. Depending on store policies, you may be able to have a Wii set aside for you in certain stores when new shipments come in, but not all stores will agree to that.

Now is probably the best time to look for a Wii in the store. It is early summer. It’s no longer graduation or Father’s Day season, and the holidays are still months away, so demand is decreased. I was shocked when I wandered over to the Wii section of Target intending to look at their game selection and saw that they had four Wii consoles in stock. I bought one on the spot and I do not regret it. I have also seen them in stock at GameStop in my local mall. Don’t wait until the holiday season, though, even if you intend the Wii to be a holiday gift. By then the demand will go way up and they will be impossible to find in stores. If you want to surprise someone during the holidays, I advise buying the Wii now and hiding it well. Here are some places you might consider calling or visiting to see if you can find a Wii:

GameStop
Target
Circuit City
Best Buy
Wal-Mart
Kmart
Toys R Us
KB Toys
Blockbuster
Sears
RadioShack
CompUSA

Other Options to Consider

1. Some lesser known online discount electronic retailers may have Wii systems in stock for retail price or close to it. There is always a risk with these sites, so you should make sure they are reputable and have good ratings before you make a purchase from them. Search using Google’s “shopping” feature for prices and ratings from these retailers.

2. Major retailers may have Wii systems in stock online as part of a “bundle,” meaning it comes with the Wii plus extra games and/or accessories. These will tend to be expensive, but that is because you are paying for all the extras. Before buying a bundle, make sure it is worth it. Add up the retail prices of all of the items included (check BestBuy.com or somewhere similar to find those), and make sure that you are not paying too much for the extras. Also, keep in mind that the games and accessories offered with the Wii may not be ones that you would want. Research the games and see if you’re interested in them before wasting your money on extras you don’t really want. If you don’t like all of the items in the bundle, or if they’re marked up from retail, then it’s really no bargain.

3. Try searching items for sale in your local area on craigslist.com. People will probably still mark up the price for new systems, but it is likely to be less than you would pay on eBay, and most people will allow you to go pick up the item, so you will save on shipping costs. This is also a good way to get a bargain on a used system, as many people want to unload them quickly and may include lots of games and extras with the purchase.

Some Common Questions and Answers about the Nintendo Wii

Do I Need an HDTV to play Wii?

Absolutely not. Wii will work on any relatively recent TV model (you need the red, white, yellow A/V holes, which all fairly recent TVs have.) You can use a Wii with an HDTV (I do), but it is not necessary. You can easily configure the settings of the Wii to be widescreen or a more square aspect ratio. The Wii does not have the higher resolution graphics of systems like the PS3 or XBox 360, so you will not be losing out if you hook it up to a regular TV.

Here is my Wii set-up if you’re curious:

Close Up of the Sensor Bar

Wii and TV

Note that I have the Wii plugged into the A/V jacks on the front of the TV. There are usually at least one set in front and one in back of the TV, so you can hide the cables more easily than I did by plugging it into the back of the TV (provided this spot isn't already taken up by a DVD player or some other component).

Make sure that the Wii is set up with plenty of space in front of the TV if you intend to play games like Wii Sports (which you should – it comes with the console and is lots of fun). You will need adequate space to swing your arms around, especially if you’re playing multi-player. The Wii is not well-suited to a cramped bedroom set-up for that reason. If you have very little room in front of your TV, you might want to reconsider buying the Wii until you have adequate room to play and get the full Wii experience.

Is There Risk of Injury or Breaking Things with the Wii?

You’ve probably heard or seen online about people getting very enthusiastic while playing Wii and losing the grip on their controller, thereby accidentally flinging it and breaking things around the room. In light of these problems, Nintendo has taken a lot of steps to make playing the Wii a safer experience. The newer models now have a thicker wrist strap and come with a cool clear rubber “jacket” that let’s you get a much better grip on the Wii remote. As long as you tighten the strap (which the Wii dutifully reminds you to do as you start each game), it is unlikely that the remote will fly out of your hand.

However, as I mentioned above, make sure that there is enough space around you when you are playing games like Wii sports. Since games like tennis involve moving and swinging your arms around, you need enough space so you don’t hit anyone or anything else. If you follow all precautions, the risks are low.

Do I Need Wireless Internet Access to Play Wii?

It is not absolutely necessary, but if you want the full Wii experience, it is nice to have a wireless network. If you do have a wireless network in your home, it only takes a few simple steps to connect your Wii to it. After being prompted to do so, the Wii detects the network and can be connected to it. Consult your manual or onscreen menu prompts to do this; it only takes a minute. If you don’t have a wireless network, you can still play tons of Wii games; however, you will miss perks like online play, downloadable content (forthcoming in certain Wii titles), and, most significantly, the Wii Shop channel and other Internet based channels, which are lots of fun. I will go into more detail about the Wii Shop channel and the Virtual Console (games from older Nintendo Systems you can pay to download directly to your Wii) in another post.

Should I Buy a Wii?

I personally think the Wii is a great console. Hardcore gamers will probably not be as impressed with it, as it lacks many of the bells and whistles of consoles like the XBox 360 and Playstation 3. However, due to its innovative motion controls, which you will not find on other systems, even veteran gamers will probably find the Wii to be worth owning.

If you are not an experienced gamer, the Wii is the perfect starter system and even has things to recommend it for people who are not especially interested in video games in general.
First of all, the size and the aesthetics of the Wii are very appealing. It is small and compact, not bulky like the next-gen systems sporting huge hard-drives. It can stand vertically or lay flat, so it is easy to find space for it in your entertainment set-up (but remember that it needs some space on all sides to breathe, so don’t wedge it in somewhere too tight).

The Wii is easy to set up. Follow the instructions in the manual. You will need to connect to a power source and connect the A/V cables that come with it to your TV (more high end cables are available for purchase if you really want HD graphics, but they are not necessary for the full experience). The other thing that needs to be connected is the thin black sensor bar that comes with the Wii. This picks up the signals from the wireless controllers and can either be mounted on top of your TV or right in front of it, along the edge of the surface that the TV is sitting on. The sensor bar is small and hardly noticeable, so it won’t obstruct your TV viewing or anything like that. Set-up should only take a few minutes.

The Wii also has very fast load times. It starts up in a matter of seconds. The menus are easy to navigate with the point-and-click remote controller, and there are lots of onscreen prompts telling you exactly how to use the controls.

The Wii is the most inexpensive newer system on the market. It retails for the very reasonable price of $250 (though you will probably want to invest at least $60 more for a second set of controllers, which I will discuss further in another post). Even when you buy extra controllers and such, the Wii is much cheaper than a PS3 or XBox 360. The games are usually cheaper too. Newer titles cost around $49.99 (versus $59.99 for PS3 and 360 titles), and there are plenty of titles on the market for $20-$40, so it is much cheaper to build a collection of games than with other systems. Keep in mind that the Wii can also play GameCube games, but you will need GameCube controllers for that.

And the most important reason to buy a Wii… it’s fun! Virtual tennis or bowling with your friends is a blast. It can be enjoyed by all ages. Little kids, older adults, and anyone in between can enjoy playing Wii, and it is not difficult to learn at all. The Wii is the only video game system that can give you anything close to a workout. It gets you up and moving for games like Wii Sports and Wii Fit, which is certainly an innovation in gaming, generally considered to be a sedentary hobby.

For all these reasons, I think the Wii is an excellent choice even for someone without much gaming experience.

Introduction to My Wii blog

Hello,

This is where I will be posting information, questions and answers, relevant links, and reviews all about the Nintendo Wii. I bought a Wii as a college graduation present to myself, and since then I have become very interested in all aspects of the Wii and gaming in general. I hope this will be a place that both veteran gamers and prospective or inexperienced Wii owners will be able to learn about and debate different aspects of the Wii and Wii games.

A special note for amateurs, noobs, and those debating buying a Wii:

Though I am somewhat new to the world of Wii myself, I hope this blog will be especially helpful and informative to those thinking about buying a Wii, trying to select games, and trying to familiarize themselves with everything the world of Wii has to offer.