Wii FAQ
What's this Revolution thing?
In development, and to perhaps to deter domain name hunters, the Wii was codenamed the Revolution. It wasn't until April 27th that Nintendo officially announced it's true name.
Why "Wii"?
Well the guys at Nintendo wanted to have a name that showed that it was unique, they wanted a brand rather than a descriptve name.
What about the graphics?
Nintendo are cleverer than they may look. They put forward the notion that game-players were more concerned with game play than graphics. so they built a great games controller and software features and kept the cost low by not including a DVD player, HD-compatibility or super-rich graphics. They also wanted something that wasn't going to be louder than the game itself - which often is a problem for the XBox consoles.
How big is the Wii?
It's no big beasty at just over 15cm long, 21.5cm tall and 4.5cm deep.
How can I fit it in my room?
Well Nintendo have made it so you can place it horizontaly or vertically.
What's the Wii's tech specs?
Nintendo aren't selling the Wii on a "big is beautiful" pitch. But the specs we can garner are.
- 729 MHz IBM PowerPC "Broadway" CPU
- 243 MHz ATI "Hollywood" GPU
- 24MBs "main" 1T-SRAM 64MBs other 1T-SRAM
- 512MBs internal flash memory
- 3MBs texture memory on GPU
- Built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi capability
- One SD memory card bay
- AV multi-port: S-video, composite, component
- Analog (left/right) audio / DPLII
- Four GameCube controller ports
- Two GameCube Memory Pak slots
- Two USB 2.0 ports
- Compatible with up to four wireless Wii-motes
- Self-loading media drive
- Accepts 12cm Wii and 8cm GCN discs
Doesn't play DVDs
Nintendo were keen to get the Wii into the homes that the XBox 360 and PS3 never could. They want to appeal to "potential-gamers", to people that were affraid of all the technical speak such as polygons and cpu.
Whats this WiiConnect24 thingy?
When you're not playing games the Wii is connected to the internet which allows it to update the news, weather etc. It also gives you the option to automatically download game updates adn tehre's also been talk of your characters visiting other people's games as you sleep.
I heard something about downloading classic games, is this true?
Yep, I've never owned a Nintendo console before, but having the option to go and download old games for a few quid is quite exciting.
I've also got a Nintendo DS, I head I can connect to it from my Wii?
That's also true as far as we're aware.
Can I browse the internet on the Wii?
Yep, via a WiFi connection (if you've got a wireless router).
I don't own a wireless router, can I still connect?
Yes you can. If you've only got a wired connection you'll still be fine. You may have to get a USB Network adapter however.
What's the controller called?
It's generally accepted that it's called the Wii-mote.
How does it work?
The Wii-mote is unique, different and fantastic. It uses a "built-in accelerometer and other motion detection hardware to judge motion, pitch, tilt and depth".
How would I use the Wii-mote?
In some games you'd use it to mimick you own arm movements such as to punch or use a golf club or even a fishing rod. In other games you may use it to mimic a gun.
I want rumble, can I have it?
Unlike the PS3, the Wii will have an internal rumber feature as well as an internal speaker! You can turn the rumble feature off too.
How do the Wii-motes connect to the console?
It uses Bluetooth connectivity and you can have upto four in use at any one time.
What's this about the Nunchuk?
The Wii-mote is truely fantastic as you can use attachments with it such as the Nunchuk which offers the option of using a stick controller which should be good for first-person shooter games.
I don't like the sound of this gadgetry and wizzardry can I have a normal controller please?
Yep, there is a classic controler that is wired to use too.
What's the interface like?
When you turn your Wii on you'll get something called the "Wii Channel" which is the method of accessing your games and content. If you've ever used a Win TV Card, you'll recognise the lay out. Basically you've got a whole selection of "channels" to choose from.
What channels do I get?
There are a number of channels as standard such as the Disc Channel which lets you see what's in the drive. Then there's the Photo channel which lets you look at and edit pictures on an SD card - you'll need a converter if you which to look at your mobile phone photos if you use a mobile-sd card.
There's also the Shopping channel which allows you to buy virtual console games.
Obviously there's also the Internet Channel which utilises an Opera browser with Flash support. We're unsure if you'll have to pay for the browser, or if it'll be free for a limited time as may be the case in Japan.
The Forecast Channel needs an internet connection but you'll be able to get daily and weekly weather forecasts for your area.
One of the most interesting areas is the Mii Channel which allows you to create your own avator which in turn can be transfered to your Wii-Mote and played on your mate's consoles.
Another nice feature is the message board. This allows you to save messages for other users of your console. I can predict the fun many people can have with this with messages like "I bet you can't beat my score, I just got ..." etc.
What types of games can I download?
From what we've seen you'll not only be able to download games that Nintendo have created but games from the Sega and Hudson, with more to come.
How many games can I download?
From the outset there will be about 30 titles to download when it's launched in the USA - with about 10 more being added each month.
What do I get in the box?
You obviously get the console, but also get:
- one Wii-mote
- one nunechuck attachment
- a Wii stand (makes it stand upright)
- an AC adaptor
- a composite audio/video cable
- a sensor bar
- two batteries for the controller
- a copy of "Wii Sports" which has five sports games on it for you to get used to the controller.
Most shops are selling it for around £179.
When is it released?
We're last with a release date of December 9th.
How much are additional controllers?
They'll cost around £29.99.
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