Product Description

Games are many things to different people. Some see games as gateways to an unknown universe while others see them as extensions of the world around them. Nintendo created Wii to fit everyone's ideal break away from the everyday. The wireless, freehand Wii Remote not only makes games easy to play, it makes them more fun than ever before. Accentuating the sense of touch in the game lets you feel the heat of emotion with each movement. Because up to four players can grab a Wii Remote and play, there's always a party ready to happen with Wii! The Wii Remote frees you from cords and excessive, complicated buttons without sacrificing game play depth. The motion sensors contained within the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk controller add totally new interactions to existing games while opening doors for new genres. Wii makes your senses come alive! Wireless and motion-sensitive, the Wii Remote offers an intuitive, natural way to play games. The controller plays into the conventional motions you make everyday. When you hit a drum, swing a tennis racket or swing a bat, why should you have to press a button to replicate these things? With the Wii Remote, you can use everyday motions to help make you the center of the game. Nintendo designed the Wii Remote to be the most multifaceted gaming device ever. It can be a sword for one game and then a steering wheel for racing games. It's your paintbrush, your golf club, your airplane, but most of all, it's your key to unlocking a world of fun you've never imagined.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23 in Video Games
• Color: White
• Brand: Nintendo
• Model: Wii Remote
• Released on: 2006-11-19
• Number of discs: 1
• Platform: Nintendo Wii
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 1.80" h x 6.75" w x 8.75" l, .60 pounds

Features

• Used as a remote, operates up to 15 feet away
• Built-in speaker
• Rumble
• Features expansion port for additional input devices, such as the Nunchuk controller

Amazon.com Product Description

To make gaming as accessible to people of all ages and all abilities, Nintendo wanted to create a controller that was as inviting as it was sophisticated- the result is the Wii Remote. Nintendo fused the global familiarity of a remote control with the sophistication of motion-sensing technology to come up with an input device that differentiates the Wii from any other console that has come before it.

Revolutionary control
Sporting the dimensions of a small traditional remote control, the wireless Wii Remote is a multifunctional device that is limited only by the game designer's imagination. The magic of the Wii Remote's design lies within; acellerometers inside the controller body measure movement in all directions and at all speeds. In a tennis game, it serves as your racket as you swing your arm for a long forehand or a quick and hard backhand. In a 4x4 driving game it serves as a steering wheel, allowing you to swerve to avoid obstacles or pickup power-ups. In first-person shooters, the Wii Remote acts as a firearm that you can point directly at an on-screen enemy. The list of potential uses is enormous, and the light weight of the Wii Remote allows gamers to play for hours without feeling fatigued.

The Wii Remote boasts impressive technology for such a compact package.

All Wii Remote buttons are accessible and responsive. View larger.

Control many games from up to 30 feet away. View larger.

The motion sensing technology is neatly tucked away within the Wii Remote body.View larger.

The remote feels comfortable in both right and left hands. View larger.

As comfortable as it is functional

The Wii Remote is equally comfortable in right and left hands and houses just the right number of buttons for gaming- not so many that new players will get confused, but enough so that Wii games don't feel constrained. On the face of the remote are the D (or "plus") pad, a large "A" button which is used for major on-screen actions, and two small options buttons. Between the game buttons are a plus and minus buttons (which often act as "forwards" and "back"), as well as a "Home" button to engage the Wii home screen to change settings or check remote battery levels. On the back side of the controller is a trigger-like "B" button, perfect for timing releases of a bowling roll in Wii Sports.

Thankfully, battery life is excellent with the two included AA batteries, just as with the previous generation of Nintendo wireless controllers.

Immersive intelligence

Along the bottom of the Wii Remote, four blue LED lights indicate which player position the remote is currently set to. The controller automatically connects to the Wii console via Bluetooth wireless technology. Below the LEDs, an expansion port lets you connect a number of devices including the Nunchuck and Classic controllers for Virtual Console gaming (Virtual Console games and controller accessories sold separately). Other features of the Wii Remote include adjustable rumble force-feedback and a reinforced wrist strap to ensure safe use. A speaker inside the remote gives the player feedback about the strength of swings or the accuracy of their moves- such as realistic tennis noises as the "racket" connects with the ball in Wii Sports. Overall, the physical design of the remote is extremely sturdy and of very high quality, ensuring countless hours of Wii gaming fun!

Customer Reviews

High-capacity NiMH batteries recommended
The purchase of additional Nintendo Wii Remote controllers are the basic requirement for multi-player games. Strongly consider buying a pair of high-capacity NiMH rechargeable AA batteries along with each additional controller. The Nintendo Wii Remote consumes a lot of power because of the many functions it performs -- the Wii Remote serves as a motion controller, provides power to controller attachments, and generates sound and vibration effects. The included set of disposable alkaline batteries will last less than a couple of weeks for active players (six days in my case). This compares to a battery life of a couple of months for the previous generation of Nintendo's wireless controller -- the Nintendo Wavebird controller for the GameCube.

Many games require the additional purchase of a controller attachment for multi-player mode -- the Wii Nunchuk Controller or Wii Classic Controller, both of which plug into the base of the Wii Remote. In multi-player mode, the Wii Nunchuk is used for two-handed Wii games, e.g., Red Steel or the boxing game in Wii Sports.

The Wii Classic Controller attachment is currently used to play games on the Wii Virtual Console. Held sideways, the Wii Remote can serve as a game controller for all current Sega Genesis, TurboGrafx 16, and Nintendo (NES) Wii Virtual Console games. A Wii Classic Controller or Nintendo GameCube controller is required to play Super Nintendo (SNES) or Nintendo 64 virtual console games.

You may want to purchase a Wii Classic Controller or Nintendo GameCube controller (this plugs directly into Wii Console itself) to play Virtual Console titles anyway. The Wii Remote is diminutive, and a Wii Classic Controller or GameCube controller both offer better handgrip and button placement. Of note, a Wii Classic controller can currently only be used for Wii Virtual Console games, while a GameCube controller can be used for Wii Virtual Console games and all Nintendo GameCube games.

Each "Wiimote" has a nice touch of interactivity, holding up to 10 Mii avatars per remote. You can take your Mii character along with you to play games like Wii Sports on other Wii consoles by taking your Wii Remote along with you.

The one improvement I would make to the Wii Remote Controller would be to add finger nubs. The Wiimote can get a little slippery during gameplay because of sweat. Third-party manufacturers offer latex rubber / silicone controller gloves that fit over the Wii Remote to improve hand grip. I find these gloves are more hassle than they are worth because they are time-consuming, both to put on and to peel back when changing the Wiimote's batteries.

Light, Intuitive, Easy to Use
The Wii Remote Controller is shaped like a standard TV remove, and has motion sensing ability. You wave it around, and your on-screen character waves their wand!

This isn't an add-on controller - this is the actual, standard controller that most if not all games on the Nintendo Wii use as their primary control unit. There is also a "nunchuck" that can be used in your off hand, but many games don't use the nunchuck.

The aim of the Wii was to make gaming as simple and intuitive as possible for the casual non gamer. Pretty much every person with a TV is comfortable using a TV remote. You point, you click. The Wii Remote Controller works in the same fashion. The motion sensors know what you are doing with the remote. If you're playing a baseball game, you swing at the ball. If you're playing a bowling game, you bring your arm back and swing it forward. Everything "makes sense". A sword swing? A light saber battle? Just move your arm and the character does the same thing.

There are only two buttons that really matter. There's an A button on the front that you push for most operations. There's also a trigger underneath that is the B button. Depending on the game, they will have you use one or the other button. There are also a few other buttons for more complex gaming. There's a D-pad. A "home" button lets you go instantly back to the main Wii menu if you're tired of playing. There's a plus and minus button, a 1 and 2 button. There's even a power button. You don't have to walk over to your Wii any more to turn it on or off. Just hit the power button on the remote and you're all set.

The remote runs on two AA batteries, so there's no USB plugging in or charging up, as with the other systems' remotes. You do get a wrist strap, though, so the Wii remote doesn't fly out of your hands while you're doing a super powerful golf swing.

There's even a speaker in the remote! This is great if you're playing a game against another player. Say I'm boxing my boyfriend and I am the winner. *My* remote says that I triumphed, to me. Neat!

I definitely love the Wii remote controller. It's light, it's super easy to use, it's intuitive and I can just pop batteries into it when it runs out, instead of having to wait for a recharge. Highly recommended. Just note that if you want to play a game that needs a nunchuck as well, that you have to buy that separately.

Buy an Extra One
As fun as the Wii can be, it only gets better when you play head-to-head against family and friends. Since the standard Wii packaging only includes one controller, you will need to order a second device to experience the optimal level of game play.

Holding the controller reminds me most of holding a fishing pole. The thumb and index finger control the most essential functions of the players, with extra buttons only really coming into play during mode selection screens. During live action, players don't toggle between much more than two buttons.

Batteries seem to be an issue for many people, but not me. I suggest you turn off the "rumble feature" for games (the controller vibrates or pulsates during dramatic moments in games) as a way to save battery use. I've gotten about 30 hours out of each round of batteries on my Wii.

Lastly, believe what people say about collateral damage with your Wii controller. I thought the stories of people breaking TVs, windows and fish tanks by accidentally losing grip of their controller during a strong tennis swing and sending a dangerous projectile through their living rooms were exaggerations. But it happened to me...and it will happen to you.