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Wii Points Card
I absolutely love the Virtual Console for Nintendo Wii. It offers a decent variety of classic games at the moment with more arriving each Monday. The catalogue is derived from some of the best games for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), Nintendo 64 (N64), Sega Genesis, and the Turbo-Grafx 16. In the near future there will also be original gameplay content and there is the potential for the download of game demos for the Wii or even the Nintendo DS. I would suggest though that you DO NOT BUY THIS FROM AMAZON USING A CREDIT CARD. Amazon is a great site and I buy many things from here but I would not recomend buying this item with a credit card from Amazon. And here's why: If you are going to buy the card using a credit card you will have to wait until the card gets to you via however Amazon ships it to you. However, you could use a credit card (Mastercard or Visa) to download Wii points directly through your Wii via the Wii Shop Channel. The points download instantly and then you can begin downloading and enjoying your games immediately. So ultimately there really is no reason to buy this particular product from Amazon because you could do the same thing on the Wii and avoid the shipping unless you do not have a MasterCard or Visa credit card.
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The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
As you all know, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was not only a launch title for the Nintendo Wii, but ironically it was the swonsong for the Nintendo GameCube. The only differences between the two is that the lands are inverted, and Link is right-handed in the Wii version instead of left. It was the first game I bought for the Wii, and the first Zelda game I've ever beaten. It took me 50 hours according to the save file, and honestly, as hard as it was, I wouldn't trade it for anything.
This game takes place about a century after Ocarina of Time, and Hyrule is once again in jeopardy. A mysterious twilight covers the land, and our main character, Link, who is a farm boy in this game, is thrust into the middle of it. After he is asked to go to Hyrule Castle to deliver a tribute from his village, he is pulled into the Twilight Realm, which transforms him into a wolf. He receives help from a mysterious being named Midna, and soon Link realizes that he must save land of Hyrule from being pulled into the Twilight Realm.
That's the story in a nutshell.
All things considered, the Wii's unique control scheme combined with the storyline of Twilight Princess compliment each other well. All you have to do is swing the Wii Remote to swing the sword, and using the Hero's Bow has never felt so good. An intuitive control scheme makes this game so great to play. That's not to say that the GCN version isn't great, since it's exactly the same game.
I did get frustrated with this game at times, but I enjoyed the hell out of it! The storyline was dark, and sometimes I like it dark. I've played Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker and while they're both amazing they don't compare to this. Twilight Princess rocks like no other!
One of the things I loved about it was that while it took a long time to finish, it never disappointed. The storyline in which Hyrule is being swallowed up by the Twilight Realm is one of the most engrossing and intriguing storylines ever. The fascination with Midna is an integral part of the story, as well as how Ganondorf fits in (yeah, he's here too).
The weapons and items were no joke either. The Gale Boomerang, the Spinner (no, not like those on cars), the Iron Boots, and several others I won't name, since it would just ruin it.
I warn you. This is not for just any casual gamer. If you buy this and intend to finish it, get ready to put in a lot of hours. I strongly recommend getting the Strategy Guide along with this. If you are a Zelda expert, you may not need it, but considering how long it took me even with the guide, you may need it.
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The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
This game will take you in and never let you go. It's a must-have game if you own a Wii or GC. It's quite lengthy so be prepared to spend some time with it. But it's time well spent.
The visuals in this game are very pretty (especially with the component cable). While they are just a fraction of what the PS3 or 360 can do, it's hard not to appreciate the atmosphere when riding your horse through Hyrule Field or running around the sands of Gerudo Desert. Both friends and foes are a treat to look at.
The sound does its part as well with a soundtrack that's memorable and appropriate. Sound effects are accurate and effective coming through the TV and Wiimote. Too bad there's no voice acting. But I guess that would mean having to force Link to talk (which I'm used to him not talking). So I'm not too disappointed with this.
The story is reminiscent of Ocarina of Time with some innovative twists. It's not a Final Fantasy or Metal Gear story by any means. But it's compelling enough for you to find out what will happen next. Although due to the typical Nintendo simplicity, you will already know.
Gameplay is very similar to Ocarina of Time and that's a good thing because Ocarina of Time had great gameplay. I think using the Wiimote as a sword is innovative but nothing groundbreaking. To swing your sword it takes a little jab with the Wiimote. Using the Wiimote can be a chore when it comes to using long-range weapons because there is an occasional delay because you may be prompted to adjust your position so the sensor bar can detect it. Very responsive and easy to use controls make up for that though.
Some of the gadgets you were used to in Ocarina of Time will be present in this game. But you'll come across some new and unusual gadgets you'd never think to find in certain dungeons. You'll have to find out for yourself. But I think you'll be pleasantly suprised.
Combat is considerably easy and boss fights are nothing short of being a pushover once you find out each one's weakness. Fortunately, the fights are very epic and you'll encounter a feeling of pride once that victory music plays. Turn your volume up.
Dungeouns are very well laid out and are challenging at best. In my opinion, the puzzles are not as challenging as Ocarina of Time. But the dungeons are lengthy and will take time to get through.
I recommend this game to any Wii or GC owner to add to their collection whether you're a fan of the series or not.
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The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
This game is so incredible. Great graphics, storyline, music and best of all the game play using the Wii control. You fight using your sword while moving the Wiimote. Great puzzles, the storyline is superb. You can do so many thinks like: fighting, fishing, rolling, horseback riding, be a wolf. As a wolf you have new animal senses you can view trails, traces, even spirits that you can not view as an human, you can dig the ground to find valuable things or to create tunnels to escape.
Simply impressing. This is one of the games that gives Nintendo the edge in console playing. Including a solid console that works without problems like the Wii.
Every adverturer with the Wii must get this game.
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Wii Classic Controller
This controller is ideal for the Super Nintendo games available from the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console. A few titles that are perfect for this solid and well-made controller are Donkey Kong Country and Super Mario World. I recently downloaded Donkey Kong Country and attempted to play it with my Gamecube Wavebird controller. This did not work at all as the button layout on the Wavebird is optimized for the Gamecube and definitely not for the Super Nintendo, a piece of hardware that is three generations old. To play these classic games practically and as they are meant to be played, and most noticably the Super NES games, this Classic Controller is necessary. It's a high-tech version of the Super NES controller that looks and feels great.
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Wii Classic Controller
For all the people saying that a wireless GameCube controller is a better purchase ... I'm wondering, have you tried Super Mario World with the GameCube controller yet?
It's unplayable. I have both and I tried to play 2-player SMW. The classic controller of course works perfectly, but the GameCube one is awful. Here's why: SMW requires you to do running jumps over pits. That means you hold Y and press B to jump. Y and B are right next to each other on the classic controller, but on the GameCube controller, there is an enormous A button almost directly between them. You have to bend your thumb at a weird angle to hit B and Y but not A, because if you hit A you will do a spin jump and probably fall in the pit.
So really, one of the best Virtual Console games out right now does not work well with the GameCube controller ... the classic controller is great and works well with all of the games. (That's what it was made for, you know)
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Wii Play with Wii Remote
I don't really see what all the complaints are about... this game is a STEAL for the extra $10. If you're like me and don't need the extra remote, then buy it, keep the game, and sell the remote! We have entertained ourselves for hours trying to earn Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platnium medals in all the different categories. I love the pool game and can't wait for someone else to release a full version! The tank game is really really fun. Fishing is good. The Where's Waldo version of Find Mii is super fun especially with 1 or more people helping you! The shooting game is fast, but fun. The laser hockey is frustratingly fun! The bubble game hurts my wrist, but is also very fast-paced and exciting. Table Tennis is much better than some of the reviews have give it credit for... it's more challenging than it looks... I still haven't got 100 volleys! There's even a racing game... on cows! True, none of these games have the dept of Zelda, but they are fun and entertaining AND will help hone your Wiimote skills! It's definitely worth $30, if you can pick it up for that. If you need the remote, then you're in business since it's $40 by itself! If not, sell it and keep the game! Side Note for Online Wii Users: The New Everybody Votes Channel is now available for FREE download! It's a little cheezy, but should be pretty cool once it's up and running for a while! Wii enjoy it as well as Wii Play!
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Wii Play with Wii Remote
I find it odd that Nintendo decided to release this title when they did (almost 3 months after the release of the Wii). To me these aren't really mini games. Well not all of them. Several of the 9 are truly demos and instructional games to help you understand how the Wii remote works. For example, in the manual for the Shooting Range game it says, This game introduces basic pointing techniques. For each game the manual explains what purpose it serves (i.e. which skill it is going to teach you). Most of the games are very short overall. It's weird that Nintendo would release this long after people with a Wii have gotten used to using the remote, and that they are calling it a real game when it's really not. To me it is a Wii remote that comes with Wii Play and not the other way around.
I suppose this is considered an expansion of Wii Sports, but as you have read in all other reviews it is much simpler. The only similarities are how it starts off. You choose how many players and then which mii(s) you will be playing with. Oh and you can win bronze, silver, and gold medals just like in the training section of Wii Sports.
So I'll break down each game for you and tell you what I think. Here they are in the order that you unlock them when first starting up the game.
Shooting Range-- Not bad. This one isn't really short. I believe there are 5 stages that last for a little while each. It is kinda like Duck Hunt except you don't shoot at just ducks. There are little targets that appear among other things. Occasionally a duck will fly by. It does get pretty challenging at the end. Birds and what not are flying all over the place. I have not tried yet, but you can use two remotes in single player mode. I guess that would make it more fun. The gun shot sound is pretty realstic.
Find Mii-- This game is absolutely stupid and boring. There are several stages. Most of them involve you finding the two miis that look alike in a small group(in the face, they all have different clothes on) and you must do it before your time runs out. Once you have to pick your own mii out in a crowd. It's just, well like I said already: really stupid, repetitive, and boring, but you have to play it in order to unlock the rest so...
Table Tennis-- This game is really simple. There is no swinging motion like in Wii Sports tennis. You simply point the remote where the ball is and it hits it back for you. It gets old really fast. The goal is to return 100 balls. I got bored and lost on purpose before reaching 100 just so I could move on.
Pose Mii-- I'm embarrased for Nintendo. This game is more complicated than Find Mii, but to me it is more stupid. These little bubbles come floating down with little miis inside of them. Your job is to point the remote at them (which is a mii too) and twist it to match the orientation of the mii inside the bubble then it goes away. You can't let any fall down. There are 3 different mii poses that you scroll through using A and B. When the pose in the bubble changes you must change yours to pop it or whatever. It does get challenging as a lot of bubbles come down with different mii poses at the end. Just die on purpose so you can go to the next game. (Apparently it doesn't matter how well you do to unlock the next game so long as you have played it.)
Laser Hockey-- This is a 2-D bird's-eye view of an air hockey table. It's called laser I guess because everything is in bright neon colors. This game is pretty fun. You move your paddle thing around and try to score more than the computer before time runs out. You can twist the remote to aim the little ball. It can get really fast. It does get old after a little bit though.
Billiards-- This is one of the more complicated games. I found it to be entertaining at least for a while. It is short though because you can only play 9-ball. You must point anywhere on the table and hold B to aim. Then point at the cue ball to decide where on the ball to strike. Then hold B and pull back and push foward. It is pretty responsive to how hard you hit the cue ball. The way the balls react is pretty realistic.
Fishing-- It's kind of like fishing with the first rod in Zelda. Sort of. The fish are really dumb looking and are very 2-D. They all look like they are swimming sideways, like a flounder or something. You lower the remote and you can move it around side to side and foward and backward to put it where you want. Jerk it up when you get a nibble. You get a set number of points for catching different kinds of fish. Pretty boring.
Charge!-- It looks like it will be stupid. It is weird. You are riding on the back of a cow. The point is to knock down as many scarecrows as you can as quickly as possible and make it to the finish line. You hold the remote like in Excite Truck. Roll it foward to make the cow run faster or roll it back to slow down. If you jerk the remote up the cow will jump (there are hurdles in your way). This game is weird but it's kinda fun. The course is short though. The time limit is 90 seconds.
Tanks!-- This is my favorie game and really makes the extra 10 bucks for the remote worth it for me. It is a bird's-eye view of a little battlefield with little barriers and walls and what not to hide behind. I don't know how many levels there are because I keep dying after like 7 or 8. This game can be pretty hard. The CPU tanks get fast and have fast flying bullets. You can move around with the D-pad or plug in the nunchuck and use the joystick. A lays mines and B fires. You can bounce a bullet off of a barrier to hit someone around a corner which is fun. Point the remote where you want to shoot.
Note: I have not played any game in multiplayer, so I don't know about that.
So, the conclusion is: buy this if you need a remote. Tanks!, Laser Hockey, Charge!, and Billiards are all pretty fun. And Shooting Range is OK too. The other games are not. But who cares. Now I can play two-player tennis on Wii Sports, which is why I went out and got this anyway.
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In many ways, the the Wii is the most fun of the current generation of consoles. I've played Zelda, sports, and wario ware, and all of them are great fun and entirely fresh gaming experiences. The remote is truly awesome, and swinging Link's sword or my baseball bat or golf club are all really sensitive and rewarding.
My wife, who only enjoys puzzle games, can play wii sports for hours at a time and truly enjoys Zelda! Indeed, I suspect that a great many non-gamers are going to get addicted to the game play here. My friend played boxing so long, he broke a sweat and his arms hurt the next day. No more couch potato gaming with wii sports. There are more fun titles at launch then there were for the 360 or the PS3, and its price point can't be beat.
A lot of the channels and online stuff are great fun, too. The beta version of the web browser bring a farily functinal net browser to my HDTV (I watched youtube videos on it for about an hour the other day). I've had nothing but trouble getting my 360 to work with my router, but the Wii has been trouble free. The online weather and news channels are great. The photo channel is cool and can even play .mov videos. The Mii channel is kind of fun because as you create little Mii characters, they begin to populate the games you play. It's just a nice touch.
Also, I have to rave for a second about their true backwards compatability with the Game Cube (memory cards, disks, even joysticks). I'm visiting Resident Evil 4 in high def now. If you never had a cube, this is a great way to explore the library. I also have to thank Nintendo for using a standard scan disk memory card for the memory. You can pull one out of your pda, phone, or camera and save $50 for a system-only memory card.
The one downside I have is that you have to upgrade to high def and buy a component cable on your own. Then again, anyone shopping for graphics should look at the other two systems and get over it. (If you do buy a component cable, but the mad catz, it's only $20 on Amazon, and it works great!)
I'm not going to go in to any great depth here (there are plenty of lengthy reviews abounding about the wii, just scroll down). I just want to add my 5 star rating to the mob. If you can find one, this is a superb system. It's small, it doesn't overheat, and you're going to have some truly unique gaming experiences with this one (and Mario isn't even out yet!).
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Finally, I had a chance to play the Wii. And I only played the sports games that came with the system.
I started off playing boxing, which was alright, but then it got really involved. Batting practice blew me away; I had to bend my knees and step into the swing. When I practiced hitting to a certain location, it was a drill I never once did in years of sleepaway camp or gym class.
Sony and Microsoft were focusing on building the next best game systems, and they probably have (I've played Xbox 360 but not PS3). Yet with the Wii, Nintendo did something else entirely. They created an interactive experience, something you'd wait on line to try at a World's Fair.
I know I'm slow in saying it, yet with game systems, I'm hardly an early adopter; at home I have the original Nintendo Entertainment System from the 80s, still working (Dr. Mario's the current favorite). Despite many thoughts of upgrading over the past two decades, this is the first time I've ever really thought it's worth it.
All I'm left wondering now is how the heck Nintendo did it.
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