That's right people. I gots me one.

INTRO


At E3 last year Nintendo announced the 'Revolution', their next home console that would change the way we play games forever. The name was later changed to the 'Wii' to stand for 'we' as a people, unity, and so that the name not be translated into any other language or abbreviated. Just Wii. It turned out to also be great market sense because it got everyone talking about it, like it or not. You will grow used to the name as I have. How many other great products out there had weird names but we grew to love them?

I GOTS ME ONE


Well, yesterday after work I got my Wii. I also bought 'The Legend of Zelda: The Twighlight Princess' with it.

Inside the box were two smaller cardboard packages. One contained the Wii mote, the Nunchuk, instruction booklets and little bits and pieces to set it up. (Nothing complicated, just a litle stand, stuff like that).
The other package had the console. Oh the excitement and wonderful feeling as I took the Wii out the box. It was surprisingly smaller than expected, as wide as only 3 DVD cases, but it was heavier than I expected from the size which is no surprise considering what they had to cram in there.

Because of my crappy TV it took me a while to get it set up, but once all the cables were in the right place and I fit the little console snugly in the tiny gap next to my TV (it's great because it has a stand so it can sit upright, and its small, so I was able to leave my gamecube in the cupboard and just slot the Wii next to the TV) and I was finally ready. The powerlight flashed on and strange music played from the TV. Yes, I liked the pretty lights.

WE START TO PLAY


One word about my first time using the Wii: simple. I didn't have to read the operations manual to figure it out. One might be confused slightly by the sudden appearance of different channels if they didn't know what to expect from reading all the internet hype, but a few moments moving the Wii mote around should clear all confusion.
Immediately I tried out the Wii sports game with my mate Jono.

Now, I had given the Wii a test in the shopping mall a few weeks prior, but that experience was nothing to be able to sit (or stand) in the relaxed environment of my own home without lines of peole waiting behind me. It was just me and the Wii. And Jono.

WII SPORTS


We jumped straight into tennis. I should probably expand on what I said about the Wii being simple for those worried about a kids toy. Learning how to use it is simple, but the advanced tehnology and multiple ways to interact with the game allows for huge area's of improvement. It's no kids toy (Zelda and Red Steel speak for that).
It was simple to learn how to hit the ball back to the opponents court on the Tennis game, but it took alot more skill to learn how to top spin it well and hit a hard, fast ball right where I wanted it. Eventually me and Jono started winning. (tomorrow I get a second controller so I can talk about multiplayer).

We then tried out bowling and also golf. It's brilliant, just like the real thing. In golf, if you dont swing the club (or Wii-mote) straight, the ball will angle off to the sides. In bowling you can change the direction and angle your facing, and then when you draw your arm back, you can spin it as you throw the ball forwards and put top or back spin on the bowling ball. When you can backspin a bowl and get a strike I tell ya, it feels good.

My favourie though was definitely the boxing game. Even after all I'd read on the net I was surprised by how intuitive and responsive this game was.
If I thrust my arms forward quickly my character does short, quick jabs. Great way to build a combo. If I punch down I punch my opponents lower body, or I can bring my arm down and punch back up to puppercut, or you can head shot, hit aroun the side, whatever. It's brilliant.
Better yet, you can dodge and weave! Just like real boxing! You lean to the side, your character leans to the side. You duck, he ducks. You lean back to dodge a punch, your character leans back to dodge a punch. Its fan-freaking-tastic.
I spent hours that night training in boxing, working up my punching and dodgind skills. I got so into it I was actually working out my shoulders ( I was really going for the punches like a real opponent ), and when I got off that night I had a bit of a stitch.

The Wii sports even has a fitness mode wher you can play exercise version of the sports, like get in as many punches as you can before the timer runs out, smack back 50 tennis balls, hit 20 baseballs out the park, its great. And it really is fitness, altho I havent had the time to try out a full fitness program yet. I was too eager to try out the other stuff.

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA


I havent had the time to have an extensive run through of this game yet, but I tell you, what I've seen so far has me dying to go back and keep playing.

I can see how some people feel the Wii controls are tacked on. This was originally a Game Cube game and the graphics stuck while they added in Wii-mote playability. But honestly it works fine, great even. I love how the incorporated the Wii mote.
After playing Wii sports it might feel like it was tacked on with Zelda because it's not used as much, but it's the same reason they didn't incorporate motion sensing at all in Zelda: too much use of the motion sensing can make games harder and just ridiculous. Its something you use when it's appropriate.

After I have had more of a play I will talk more about this game, but I'm being rushed off back to start working again.

CONCLUSION

All in all I think you can see I have an extremely positive view on the Wii. I barely left it once it was setup last night, and I even got ready for work early (its early enough anyway, 9 in the morning start) just so I could play a few minutes of Zelda before work.
If you're thinking about somehting fun to buy maybe a great idea for christmas, the Wii is your bet. Even my sister, who hated games before, too complicated for her, got hooked last night on the Wii. You will love it I guarantee you. It's also the cheapest on the market. More features to talk about later. Have a good one guys, hope this helps convince you