Wii
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
</div>| Wii
<tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center;">Image:Wii at E3 1.jpg</td></tr> | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Nintendo |
| Type | Video game console |
| Generation | Seventh generation era |
| First available | NA SA November 19, 2006 JP December 2, 2006 AU IT December 7, 2006 EU December 8, 2006 ES December 9, 2006 <tr><th style="background-color: #eeeeee;">CPU</th><td>IBM PowerPC-based<ref name="hard_inf">Wii Hardware Information. Nintendo. Retrieved on 2006-05-09.</ref> "Broadway"</td></tr> |
| Media | 12 cm Wii Optical Disc 8 cm Nintendo GameCube Game Disc <tr><th style="background-color: #eeeeee; whitespace: nowrap">System storage</th><td>Internal flash memory |
The Wii (pronounced as the pronoun "we", IPA: /wiː/) is Nintendo's seventh-generation video game console. Previously known by its project code name of Revolution, it is the successor to the Nintendo GameCube and competes against Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3.
A distinguishing feature of the Wii console is its wireless controller, the Wii Remote, which may be used as a handheld pointing device and can detect motion and rotation in three dimensions. The console also notably features WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while consuming very little electrical power.
Nintendo first mentioned the console in the 2004 E3 press conference and later unveiled the system at the 2005 E3. Satoru Iwata revealed a prototype of the controller at the September 2005 Tokyo Game Show.<ref name="speech">Sinclair, Brendan; Torres, Ricardo. TGS 2005: Iwata speaks. Retrieved on 2006-09-24.</ref> At E3 2006, the Wii console won the Game Critics Awards for Best of Show and Best Hardware.<ref name="E3 Awards">2006 Winners. Game Critics Awards. Retrieved on 2006-08-13.</ref> In the December 2006 issue of Popular Science the console was awarded with the Grand Award Winner in Home Entertainment. The console was first launched in some markets in 2006 (see release date and price for detailed information).
Contents |
Launch
Release date and price
On September 14 2006 and September 15 2006, Nintendo announced release information for Japan, North and South America, Australasia, Asia, and Europe, including dates, prices, and distribution.
At a June 7 2006 policy briefing, Nintendo revealed that it intends to release 6 million console units and 17 million software units during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2007, as well as 4 million or more console units by the end of the 2006 calendar year.<ref name="policy brief">Nintendo Co., Ltd. Corporate Management Policy Briefing. Nintendo. Retrieved on 2006-11-11.</ref> On September 14, 2006, it was announced that the majority of the 2006 shipments will be allotted to the Americas.<ref name="shreveport times">Nintendo to Sell Wii Console in November. Gadget Guru. Associated Press. Retrieved on 2006-10-29.</ref>
The Spanish launch of the Wii console has been moved to December 9 2006, because December 8 2006 is the celebration of the Immaculate Conception and thus all shops will be closed.<ref>Nintendo Wii Release Dates. Video-Game-Consoles. Retrieved on 2006-10-29.</ref> The Italian and Swiss releases have been moved to December 7, 2006.<ref>Wii arriva in anticipo solo in Italia, con una "sorpresa" (Italian). GameStar. Retrieved on 2006-11-04.</ref>
Nintendo of Canada vice president and general manager Ron Bertram stated that the company expects to have one million consoles available in North America at launch, as reported by IGN on September 25, 2006.<ref name="ign pickup">One Million Launch Wiis for North America. IGN (2006-09-25). Retrieved on 2006-09-30.</ref> The next day, Nintendo branded the information as a "misstatement about the number of Wii consoles that will be available in the Americas during the launch rollout," and reiterated earlier statements of expected sales of 4 million consoles worldwide by the end of 2006 with the largest allotment available in the Americas. The company affirmed that they "are working to ensure a plentiful supply and a consistent flow."<ref name="Nintendo Sets the Record Straight">Bozon, Mark. "Nintendo Sets the Record Straight", IGN, 2006-09-26.</ref>Despite the price point of US $60 quoted for many seventh generation games,<ref name="prices nextgen">Gaudiosi, John. "Game Pricing", Next Generation, 2006-09-09.</ref> Satoru Iwata said that it is unlikely that first-party games would cost more than US$50.<ref name="GamePrice">Morris, Chris. "Nintendo president vows cheap games", CNNMoney.</ref>
On November 28 2006, Nintendo reported that it had sold over 600,000 consoles in the first eight days of launch in the Americas. Including the sales of accessories and games, Nintendo's Wii-related revenue has hit $190 million since its debut.<ref name="wiisales" />
The launch Wii package includes the console, a stand to allow the console to be placed vertically, a circular clear stabilizer for the main stand,<ref name="Wii box contents">Bramwell, Tom (September 15, 2006). Wii European bundle contents. Eurogamer. Retrieved on November 18, 2006.</ref> one Wii Remote, one Nunchuk attachment, one Sensor Bar, a removable stand for the sensor bar, one external main power adapter, two AA batteries, AV cables (component video and other types of cables will be available separately), and (in all regions excluding Japan) a copy of Wii Sports.
| Region | Expected pricing at release | Release date | Accessories | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Release Price | Approx. USD Equivalent | Wii Remote | Nunchuk | Classic Controller | ||
| Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States | US$249.99<ref>Nintendo (September 14, 2006) Nintendo's Incomparable Wii Console Launches Nov. 19; MSRP $250.00, nintendo.com</ref> | $249.99 | November 19 2006 | $39.99 | $19.99 | $19.99 |
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada | CAD$279.95<ref>CNW Group (September 17, 2006) Nintendo's Incomparable Wii Console Launches Nov. 19; MSRP $279.95, newswire.ca</ref> | $245 | C$44.99 | C$24.99 | C$24.99 | |
| Image:Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico | MXN$4,499 | $410 ($355†) | - | - | - | |
| Image:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia | COP$1,099,000<ref>Wii pre-orders in Colombia. Viva Nintendo. Retrieved on 2006-11-28.</ref> | $480 ($410†) | - | - | - | |
| Image:Flag of Peru.svg Peru | PENS/.1,499[citation needed] | $465 ($390†) | - | - | - | |
| Image:Flag of Chile (bordered).svg Chile | CLP$259,990 <ref> Falabella[1] </ref> | $495 ($415†) | CLP$34,990 | CLP$15,990 | CLP$15,990 | |
| Image:Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil | R$2,399<ref name="NintendoLife.com">NintendoLife.com (November 7, 2006) [2], nintendolife.com</ref> | $1,110 | R$299.00 | R$199.00 | - | |
| Image:Flag of Japan (bordered).svg Japan | JP¥25,000<ref>Sanders, Kathleen (September 13, 2006) Japanese Wii Price, Release Date Revealed, ign.com</ref> | $215* ($205†) | December 2 2006 | ¥3,800 | ¥1,800 | ¥1,800 |
| Image:Flag of Australia.svg Australia | AUD$399.95<ref>Nintendo (September 15, 2006) Wii Australian details, planetgamecube.com</ref> | $315 ($285†) | December 7 2006 | AU$69.95 | AU$29.95 | AU$29.95 |
| Image:Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand | NZD$499.90<ref>Nintendo Australia (September 18, 2006). Nintendo Wii release information announced!. Gameplanet Store NZ. Retrieved on 2006-09-18.</ref> | $340 ($305†) | NZ$99.95 | NZ$49.95 | NZ$49.95 | |
| Image:Flag of Italy.svg Italy | €259<ref name="Nintendo Wii">Nintendo (4 November, 2006) [3], wii.com</ref> | $340 ($285†) | €39.99 | €19.99 | €19.99 | |
| Image:Flag of Switzerland.svg Switzerland | SFr 399‡<ref>Weltbild.ch. Weltbild - Wii Konsole inkl. Wii - Sports. Weltbild.ch. Retrieved on 2006-11-22.</ref> | $330 ($310†) | SFr. 69.90 | SFr. 34.90 | SFr. 34.90 | |
| Image:European flag.svg Europe | €249‡<ref name="Europe Gets Wii Last">Planet GameCube (September 15, 2006) Europe Gets Wii Last, planetgamecube.com</ref> | $330 ($275†) | December 8 2006 | €39.99 | €19.99 | €19.99 |
| Image:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom | GB£179‡<ref name="Europe Gets Wii Last" /> | $350 ($300†) | £29.99 | £14.99 | £14.99 | |
| Image:Flag of Hungary.svg Hungary | HUF 70.000<ref>Index.hu (November 22, 2006). Megizzaszt a Nintendo Wii. Index.hu. Retrieved on 2006-11-28.</ref> | $360 ($300†) | - | - | - | |
| Image:Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark | DKK 2199[citation needed] | $390 ($310†) | - | - | - | |
| Image:Flag of Russia (bordered).svg Russia | RUB 9950‡<ref name="How we build Russian Wii price by Dmitry 'Richy' Burkovsky (ND Videogames)">Hardware.no - Prisguide [4], hardware.no</ref> | $380 ($335†) | - | - | - | |
| Image:Flag of Norway.svg Norway | NOK 2395<ref name="Prisguide - Spillkonsoller - Nintendo Wii">Hardware.no - Prisguide [5], hardware.no</ref> | $385 ($310†) | 399 kr | 249 kr | 249 kr | |
| Image:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden | SEK 2659‡[citation needed] | $385 ($310†) | 479 kr | 299 kr | 299 kr | |
| Image:Flag of Iceland.svg Iceland | ISK 29 990 | $440 ($335†) | ||||
| Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg Finland | €269.90<ref>Nintendo Finland (October 26, 2006). Nintendo Suomi - Wii:n suositushinnaksi 269,90 euroa!. Nintendo. Retrieved on 2006-11-01.</ref> | $355 ($290†) | - | - | ||
| Image:Flag of Spain.svg Spain | €249‡<ref name="Spain Wii.com">Nintendo.com (November 4, 2006) Wii, wii.com</ref> | $330 ($285†) | December 9, 2006 | €41,95 | €19,95 | €19,95 |
* Wii Sports comes packaged with the console in all regions excluding Japan.
† USD equivalent with local VAT, GST or sales tax removed for ease of comparison with territories that do not include taxes in consumer prices
‡ Retail price as estimated by, rather than suggested by, Nintendo<ref name="Europe launch">Wii European launch details announced (English). Nintendo (September 15, 2006). Retrieved on 2006-11-11.</ref>
Marketing expansion
From November 15 2006, Nintendo ran a series of television advertisements in North America directed by Academy Award winner Stephen Gaghan as well as Internet ads under the slogans "Wii would like to play" and "Experience a new way to play". These ads have a total budget of over US$200 million. The productions are Nintendo's first broad-based advertising strategy and include a two-minute video clip showing grandparents and parents enjoying the Wii console with their children. 80% of the advertisements target adults in an attempt to expand the market beyond Nintendo's traditional audience.<ref>joystiq.com "Nintendo Wii Marketing To Exceed 200 million" (November 12, 2006)</ref> The music in the ads is from the song "Kodo (Inside the Sun Remix)" by the Yoshida Brothers.
Titles
On November 14 2006, it was confirmed that 21 titles would be available on launch day in North America and South America, with another 13 games being released before the end of 2006.<ref name="The Twenty Wii Launch Games">Rodriguez, Steven (November 14, 2006). The Twenty Wii Launch Games revealed (English). Planet GameCube.</ref> Wii Sports will be included with the console bundle at launch in all regions excluding Japan.
Name
The console was known by the codename of "Revolution" until April 29 2006, immediately prior to E3.<ref name="revolution renamed to wii">Nintendo Revolution Renamed To Nintendo Wii. Console Watcher. Console Watcher. Retrieved on 2006-11-03.</ref> According to the Nintendo Style Guide: A Guide to the Proper Usage of Some of Nintendo's Products, the name "is simply Wii, not Nintendo Wii." This means it is the first home console Nintendo has marketed outside of Japan without the company name featured prominently in its trademark. Nintendo spells "Wii" with two "i"s to imply an image of players gathering together, as well as to represent the console's controllers. The company has given many reasons for this choice of name since the announcement; however, the most well known is:
| {{{1}}} |
Despite Nintendo's justification for the name, members of the press, online communities, and game developers<ref name="Gamasutra dev interview">"Wii Reactions: Developers Comment".</ref> initially reacted negatively to the name change. Some "wish Nintendo had stuck with 'Revolution',"<ref name="CNN Criticism">"Nintendo drops Revolution, renames next gen console Wii".</ref> pointed out phonetic similarities to the French word oui and mostly negative words in English,<ref name="Gamasutra dev interview"/> or expressed "fear that the name would convey a continued sense of 'kidiness' [sic] to the console."<ref name="Forbes Criticism">"Iwata's Nintendo Lampooned for 'Wii'".</ref> Reggie Fils-Aime acknowledged the initial reaction and further explained the change:
| Revolution as a name is not ideal; it's long, and in some cultures, it's hard to pronounce. So we wanted something that was short, to the point, easy to pronounce, and distinctive. That's how 'Wii,' as a console name, was created.<ref>Michael Donahoe, Shane Bettenhausen "War of the Words", EGM, July 2006, pp. 25. Retrieved on 2006-11-18.</ref> |
Nintendo defends its choice of "Wii" over "Revolution" and suggests to that those who dislike the name: "live with it, sleep with it, eat with it, move along with it."<ref name="IGN Kaplan Interview">"Nintendo Talks to IGN about Wii".</ref>
Hardware
The Wii console is Nintendo's smallest home unit yet; measuring 44 mm wide, 157 mm tall, and 215.4 mm deep in the vertical orientation without the included stand (which itself measures 55.4 mm wide, 44 mm tall, and 225.6 mm deep).<ref name="Japan Wii">Wii (Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved on 2006-11-11.</ref> It is approximately the size of three standard DVD cases stacked together (approx. 4.5 cm x 15 cm x 20 cm). It also weighs 1.74kg(3.84 pounds), which makes it the lightest of the three current-gen consoles. The console can be placed either horizontally or vertically.<ref name="hard_inf"/> The prefix for the numbering scheme of the system and its parts and accessories is "RVL-", after its project code name of "Revolution".
The front of the console features a slot-loading media drive illuminated by a blue light which accepts both 12cm optical discs for Wii software and 8cm discs from Nintendo's prior console, the GameCube. The Disc slot light briefly illuminates when the console is turned on, when connected to WiiConnect24 and when receiving new data, such as messages, and upon having selected "Bright" or "Dim" in the "Slot Illumination" settings for WiiConnect24. The disc slot light does not stay illuminated during game play or when using other features of the Wii console. The ability to load differently sized discs is uncommon in slot-loading media drives, which typically only accept discs of a single size. Two USB ports (at the rear) and one SD card slot (behind a flap cover at the front of the console) are provided. A software update first needs to be downloaded from Nintendo to enable save/write functionality for SD cards.
Nintendo has shown the console and the Wii Remote in various colors, including white, black, silver, lime green, and red.<ref name="Rev colors console">Wii Colors. Revolution Report. Retrieved on 2006-07-15.</ref><ref name="Rev colors control">Wii Remote Colors. news.com. Retrieved on 2006-07-15.</ref> The console will initially be available only in white<ref name="Only In White">Wii cuts up the Big Bapple. gamespot.com. Retrieved on 2006-10-31.</ref>. At E3 2006, the Wii Remote was shown in light blue.<ref name="Sky blue at E3 2006">E3 2006 Wrap Up. nintendojo.com. Retrieved on 2006-11-06.</ref> Numerous minor changes were made to the design between its original unveiling and launch, mostly in the Nintendo branding used and button placements.
A Nintendo spokesperson confirmed that Nintendo plans to release a version of the console with DVD-Video playback capabilities in Japan. The spokesperson also stated that releases of the DVD-Video capable version in other territories are not currently planned.<ref name="DVD Wii">Gibson, Ellie (October 31, 2006). Japan to get Wii with DVD player. GamesIndustry.biz. Eurogamer Network Ltd.. Retrieved on 2006-10-31.</ref> On November 8 2006, digital media company Sonic Solutions issued a press release stating that Nintendo has chosen their CinePlayer CE DVD Navigator software engine to provide DVD-Video functionality for a future version of the Wii console for release in the latter half of 2007.<ref name="Sonic Solutions press release">Sonic Solutions (November 8, 2006). Nintendo Selects Sonic to Enable DVD Functionality in Future Version of Wii Console. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-11-13.</ref> Nintendo of America confirmed to GameDaily BIZ on November 13 2006 that the DVD-Video enabled Wii would be coming to North America at a higher price point than the standard Wii. Even though software will be used to enable DVD-Video functionality, it "requires more than a firmware upgrade" and could not be implemented through the WiiConnect24 network.<ref name="GameDaily BIZ: Confirmed: Nintendo to Release DVD-Enabled Wii in 2007">GameDaily BIZ: Confirmed: Nintendo to Release DVD-Enabled Wii in 2007 (November 13, 2006). Retrieved on 2006-11-14.</ref>
Wii Remote
The Wii Remote is a one-handed controller that uses a combination of accelerometers and infrared detection (from an array of LED's inside the Sensor Bar) to sense its position in 3D space. This allows users to control the game using physical gestures as well as traditional button presses. The controller connects to the Wii console using Bluetooth, and features force feedback, 4KB non-volatile memory<ref name="IGN Wii FAQs">Casamassina, Matt. IGN's Nintendo Wii FAQ. IGN. Retrieved on 2006-11-11.</ref> and an internal speaker. The controller can connect to other devices through a proprietary port at the base of the controller. Perhaps the most important of these is the Nunchuk unit, which features an accelerometer and a traditional analog stick with two trigger buttons.
Technical specifications
Nintendo itself has released few technical specifics regarding the Wii console, but some key facts have leaked to the press. Known details include:<ref name="Wii: The Total Story">Wii: The Total Story. IGN. Retrieved on 2006-11-20.</ref><ref name="USAToday Preview">Kevin P. Casey (August 15, 2006). Nintendo hopes Wii spells wiinner. USA Today. Retrieved on 2006-11-20.</ref><ref name="hard_inf" /><ref name="IGN Wii FAQs"/>
|
Processors:
Memory:
Ports and peripheral capabilities:
Built-in content ratings systems: |
Storage:
Video:
Audio:
|
Features
Wii Channels
The operating system interface for the console is designed around the concept of television channels, with a Wii Menu used to access them. Separate channels are graphically displayed in a grid, and are navigated using the pointer capability of the Wii Remote. There are eight primary channels: the Disc Channel, Mii Channel, News Channel, Forecast Channel, Photo Channel, Wii Shop Channel, Internet Channel and Virtual Console Channel(s).
Backward compatibility
The Wii console is backward compatible with all Nintendo GameCube software and most GameCube peripherals. This backwards compatibility is achieved with the help of the slot-loading drive being able to accept GameCube discs, and a set of four GameCube controller ports and two Memory Card slots, concealed by flip-open panels.<ref name="hard_inf" /> A GameCube controller is required to play GameCube games, as neither the Wii Remote nor the Classic Controller will function in this capacity. Nintendo has stated that the Wii console is not compatible with the GameCube modem adapter, broadband adapter, Game Boy Player, AV cable, or AC adaptor.
Nintendo DS connectivity
The Wii console supports wireless connectivity with the Nintendo DS. Shigeru Miyamoto said Nintendo was still working out when features using this connectivity would be available, but that it would be soon after the launch of the system, due to the popularity of the Nintendo DS.[citation needed] At Nintendo's corporate policy meeting in June 2006, Satoru Iwata explained that the DS uses its wireless connectivity to communicate with Wii and that no further accessories will be needed.
The connectivity will allow the player to use functions like the Nintendo DS' microphone and touchscreen as inputs for Wii games. The first example Nintendo has given of a game using Nintendo DS-Wii connectivity is that of Pokémon Battle Revolution. Players with either Pokémon Diamond or Pearl will be able to play battles using their Diamond or Pearl Pokémon on Wii with the Nintendo DS as a controller.<ref name="connectivity returns">Gantayat, Anoop (June 7, 2006). Connectivity Returns. IGN. Retrieved on 2006-06-07.</ref>
It has also been confirmed that the Nintendo DS will be able to play game demos downloaded from the Wii console which they would receive from Nintendo, similar to a DS Download Station.<ref name="Iwata Tech-On 3">Naoki Asami; ITpro Publisher; Hiroki Yomogita, Silicon Valley (2006-05-25). Regaining what we have lost: Nintendo CEO Iwata's Ambitions for the "Wii". Tech-On! pp. 3. Nikkei Business Publications. Retrieved on 2006-06-09.</ref> The console will also be able to expand Nintendo DS games.<ref>News From Nintendo's Management Meeting. NintendoSpin.com (2006-07-08). Retrieved on 2006-08-07.</ref>
Parental controls
The console features parental controls (an update is needed), prohibiting younger users from playing games with content considered unsuitable for their age level. When a disc is inserted, it reads the content rating encoded on the game discs; if this rating is greater than the system's set age level the game will not load without a correct override password. However, the parental controls setting does not affect GameCube games.
European units will utilize the PEGI rating system,<ref name="par_pegi">"Revolution To Feature Parental Controls", Planet GameCube, 2005-11-16.</ref> whereas North American units will use the ESRB rating system.<ref name="par_esrb">Nintendo of America (2005-11-16). Nintendo Announces Play Control System For Next Hardware. Press release.</ref> While Nintendo has stated that parental control will be included in all Wii consoles worldwide, it has not yet clarified whether that means the console will support the native rating systems of other territories, such as that of CERO in Japan, the USK in Germany, the BBFC in the United Kingdom (games in the UK carry a PEGI rating, but may be submitted for BBFC rating if they include certain content or at the publisher's discretion), or the OFLC in Australia.
Online connectivity
The Wii console is able to connect to the Internet through its built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and through a USB-to-Ethernet adaptor, with both methods allowing players to access the established Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service.<ref name="hard_inf" /> Nintendo has stated that the console will implement standard Wi-Fi protocols. Wireless encryption by WEP, WPA and WPA2 appear to be supported.<ref>IGN previews Wii's interface menu system (video, 7:24 mark). Joystiq (2006-10-30). Retrieved on 2006-11-08.</ref> Just as for the Nintendo DS, Nintendo will not charge fees for playing via the service<ref name="USA Today">Nintendo hopes Wii spells wiinner. USATODAY.com. USA Today (2006-08-15). Retrieved on 2006-08-16.</ref><ref name="Nintendo Wii Wi-Fi page">sjohnson (2006-07-18). Secret Wii Details Revealed. The Feed. G4 Media, Inc.. Retrieved on 2006-07-20.</ref> and the Friend Code system will control how players connect to one another.<ref name="Wii Wi-Fi Just Like DS">Casamassina, Matt (2006-05-11). Wii Wi-Fi Just Like DS. IGN.com.</ref><ref name="Nintendo Wii Wi-Fi page" /> This system will also be implemented for console-based software such as the Wii Message Board, for which a feature is being considered for alerting registered friends for the Wii Message Board about new games that have been purchased. <ref name="Iwata v3 p3">Iwata Asks. Nintendo.</ref>
The service has several features for the Wii console, such as the Virtual Console, WiiConnect24 and Wii Browser. The console can also communicate and connect with other Wii systems through a self-generated wireless LAN, enabling local wireless multiplayer on different television sets. Battalion Wars 2 first demonstrated this feature, for non-split screen multiplayer between two or more televisions. Nintendo announced two Wi-Fi enabled games at LGC 2006 in Leipzig: Mario Strikers Charged, and Battalion Wars 2. Although the console features an online mode, Nintendo has not provided the programming tools for 3rd party developers yet, meaning that only first party Wii games will be online so far. Nintendo has also stated that it will release an Ethernet Kit for the Wii console, which allows users to connect the console to a standard internet router without wireless support.<ref>http://computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=147074</ref> The console also has the ability to connect to the Internet using the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector.<ref name="Wii Ethernet">Nintendo to offer Ethernet Kit for Wii.</ref>
At E3 2006 Nintendo announced WiiConnect24, a feature that will allow the Wii console to remain connected to the Internet in standby mode. The console only uses the amount of electricity equivalent to that of a miniature light bulb. Some possible uses of WiiConnect24 that were mentioned include allowing friends to visit a player's village in Animal Crossing and downloading updates for games without having to be actively using the system. It has also been said that it would be possible to download Nintendo DS promotional demos using WiiConnect24 and later transfer them to one's Nintendo DS,<ref name="Iwata Tech-On 3">Naoki Asami; ITpro Publisher; Hiroki Yomogita, Silicon Valley (2006-05-25). Regaining what we have lost: Nintendo CEO Iwata's Ambitions for the "Wii". Tech-On! pp. 3. Nikkei Business Publications. Retrieved on 2006-06-09.</ref> similar to a DS Download Station.
Firmware
The Wii console requires firmware updates from time to time. As reported by IGN,<ref name="IGN Firmware">IGN: Wii Channels to Require Upgrade (2006-10-10). Retrieved on 2006-10-12.</ref> it was discovered that to use the Online Channels, a firmware update was required. Some earlier produced units were reportedly shipped with older firmware, and had some problems. Most units, however, shipped with the latest version.
The first firmware update for the Wii console via the WiiConnect24 feature caused a small portion of units to become unusable. This forced users to either send the unit to Nintendo for repairs where saved data was retained, or exchange it for a free replacement. The latter option had a faster turn around time but led to a loss of saved data.<ref name="Wii Firmware down">Wii Connect 24 Kills Wiis.</ref>
The current firmware version for North American Consoles is 2.0U., as shown in this video clip.
Software library
Games representing all of Nintendo's flagship franchises, such as the Zelda, Metroid, Mario, Animal Crossing, Pokémon, Super Smash Bros., Star Fox and Fire Emblem series have been announced for the Wii console. Likewise, there are many original titles for it as well as many expected third party games. Ubisoft has upped their number of titles in development for the console to 14 (eight of which are to be launch games and only three of which were previously known about),<ref name="E3 2006 game list">Matt Casamassina (2006-05-09). E3 2006: Wii Game List. IGN. Retrieved on 2006-09-04.</ref> while Midway Games has announced they have six titles in development,<ref>Matt Wales (2006-08-02). Ubisoft and Midway suck up Wii. computerandvideogames. Retrieved on 2006-08-07.</ref> and EA has recently increased their development efforts for the console, declaring they are going to support it '100%'.<ref>Simon Carless (2006-08-01). EA Sees Larger Loss, Ramps Up Wii Production. Gamasutra. Retrieved on 2006-08-07.</ref>
Following a statement from Perrin Kaplan that the system would be region-free,<ref>Region-Free Wii. Wired (2006-09-14). Retrieved on 2006-11-03.</ref> Nintendo of America and Nintendo of Europe have come to an agreement that the console will be region-locked.<ref>Wii not even remotely region-free. Joystiq (2006-09-15). Retrieved on 2006-11-03.</ref><ref>Wii is region-locked after all. EuroGamer (2006-09-15). Retrieved on 2006-10-28.</ref> Since the Wii has lauched in Japan and America, this has been confirmed.
References and notes
</span></div><references/>
See also
| Selected home game consoles |
|---|
| First generation |
| Magnavox Odyssey • Pong • Coleco Telstar |
| Early second generation |
| Channel F • Atari 2600 • Odyssey² • Intellivision |
| Later second generation |
| Atari 5200 • ColecoVision • Vectrex • SG-1000 |
| Third generation (compare) |
| NES • Master System • Atari 7800 |
| Fourth generation (compare) |
| TurboGrafx-16 • Mega Drive/Genesis • Neo Geo • SNES |
| Fifth generation (compare) |
| 3DO • Jaguar • Saturn • PlayStation • N64 |
| Sixth generation (compare) |
| Dreamcast • PlayStation 2 • GameCube • Xbox |
| Seventh generation (compare) |
| Xbox 360 • PlayStation 3 • Wii |
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to: |
External links
- Official sites
- Official Wii site
- Official Wii site at nintendo.com
- Official Wii page at nintendo.com
- Nintendo Corporation - Nintendo President, Satoru Iwata, media briefing speech at E3 2006
- Wii at E3 - Nintendo E3 2006 coverage
- Confirmation of JP release date (Japanese)
- Unofficial coverage
- Wii page at GameSpot.com
- Wii coverage at IGN.com
- TheWiire.com
- Cubed3.com
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