Every Tuesday, Mike Sylvester brings you REVOLUTIONARY, a look at the wide world of Wii possibilities.
We are all aware that the Wii prints money, but while it's filling Nintendo's coffers, it's also spitting out greenbacks for game publishers and peripheral manufacturers. The expansion aspects of the Wii extend beyond anything we've seen before in a Nintendo console, and some companies are making a killing by exploiting that.
Will the creativity of these peripheral companies be put to use in creating innovative products for enhancing our Wii gaming experiences, or will we be stacking up more R.O.B.s in the closet to collect dust?
I'll be the first to admit that my homemade balance board wasn't the most practical add-on imaginable, but then again, I wasn't trying to sell the thing. The design of Nintendo's official Balance Board is far better conceived and looks to be versatile enough that it won't immediately become a giant paper - uh, carpet weight. Of course, there's never any guarantee of longevity, even with a versatile peripheral, or else we might still be playing with our Super Scope 6s.
The Wii followed the pattern of the Nintendo 64 in that it was designed with a focus on defiance of convention. But where the two differ is in how the Nintendo 64 made its then-novel 3D visuals the main attraction, while the Wii puts emphasis on input devices and social interaction off-screen. The Nintendo 64 had its share of controller add-ons like the Memory Pak, Rumble Pak, Gameboy Transfer Pak, and the Hey You, Pikachu! mic, but those were relatively small, and unintrusive, and beyond them the system wasn't taking up tons of space with accessories. Taking Gamecube backward compatibility into consideration, the extreme number of devices that can be attached to and used with the Wii can be overwhelming to anyone that doesn't have a dedicated games room or storage closet.
Back in the 80s, Nintendo claimed large amounts of real estate inside our houses for the storage of all the non-essential inputs devices that we as children couldn't resist. But even with a controller as flexible as the Wii's, we're bombarded with a selection of even-less-essential gear with which we can "enhance" its functionality. I didn't know I needed a laser sight on my lightgun shell in order to blast the undead into an eternal slumber. Well, considering that my Wiimote doesn't even aim directly where I'm pointing it, I guess I don't!
It may all boil down to Nintendo's quest to expand the gaming market getting out of hand. With an increasing number of people willing to spend money on home entertainment, they also bring with them the popular desire to adorn their electronics with fancy clothing, jewelry, and accessories. What used to be a desire to improve functions or ergonomics has become little more than "Pimp my Wiimote." Or maybe I'm wrong, and your backhand really does improve when you augment your controller to more closely resemble a racket.
We all had a laugh when the WiiHelm made its debut at ThinkGeek, but there are discussions in the Wiimote scripting community that suggest such a device might be in demand, at least for a niche market. Head tracking is considered by some to be the next frontier in the pursuit of the ultimate immersive gaming experience. Basically, wherever you turn your head to look, the game's camera would follow (albeit at a faster rate, so that you don't have to be turned completely away from the screen in order to swing the camera around 180 degrees). Sticking a Wiimote on your head, while making you look like a hopeless dork, would fit that role. Yet, the WiiHelm is meant as a joke, and products like this are a marketed reality.
Does your support for everything Wii include the purchasing of cosmetic add-ons? Which shells, skins, husks, or attachments have you found to be so cheesy, it makes you feel ashamed to confess your interest? Scroll down and leave a comment for discussion.
1. Depends on what you consider a periph. Is the Classic Controller a peripheral? If it is, then I feel like that particular purchase was well worth my money. The Wii Balance Board seems to add major functionality as well...and like we all hope, it may lead to some interesting gameplay innovations later on down the road.
Some things are simply designed to maybe make something a bit more appealing...or at least, that's the company's intention. The Zapper and the Wheel don't really add anything to the gameplay, but they are being worked with for in-game functionality, such as button layout and whatnot.
Then, you have the completely unnecessary, like those third party rackets and whatnot. Those actually interefere with gameplay, especially by interrupting the IR signal.
Word to wise; stick to Nintendo's products. Those have a better chance of sticking around and standing the test of time.
Posted at 11:43PM on Oct 9th 2007 by jorojoserojas