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Life & Arts

Nintendo transforms gaming with new Wii

by CHRIS ELLIOTT
The Daily Cougar

Revolution would have been the perfect name for Nintendo's new console -- the system takes gaming to a level of complete involvement and emersion unheard of before its release. Instead, Nintendo elected to go with Wii, but the name doesn't matter. Neither does any game out on any other system as of right now. Forget the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 -- for a game experience that puts you in the middle of the action, the Wii is the undeniable front-runner.

It all starts with the Wii-mote and nun chuck accessory. These two devices were meant to be together more than the iPod and iTunes. They work with pinpoint accuracy with the small, concealable motion sensor that can be placed either above or below the television. It's as simple as point and click.

The concept of holding two separate motion-sensitive controllers in opposite hands will take all of five minutes to adjust to, and the console itself is unbelievably small and sleek. It is about the size of three DVD cases put together. Though it may be cliche, it must be said: If there was such a thing as a sexy game console, the Wii would be the equivalent of Eva Longoria -- petite, but very nice to look at.

If you manage to get your hands on a copy of Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, you'll be more than surprised. This game is arguably the best launch game ever released on any console. IGN, Game Informer and G4TV have deemed Twilight Princess the most anticipated game of E3, a national video game convention.

Only Nintendo came make a dude running around wearing nothing but a green tunic, tights and boots seem so appealing. 

Just like in its previous installments, Link starts Twilight Princess with nothing and eventually ends getting his hands on a sword and shield. This is when the fun starts.

Anyone who knew anything about the Wii before its release knew Link's combat abilities would be maximized through the motion sensing abilities of the Wii-mote and nun chuck. When you first experience it, it feels just like Christmas.

The Wii-mote is the sword for the game. So if you slash right, Link does too. Hold the Z-button down, move the analog stick forward and thrust and Link makes a stabbing motion.

If there is a wireless signal around, the Wii will pick it up and connect to the Internet. Once you set up an account, you are free to create a Mii character, which is kind of the three-dimensional equivalent to an avatar on Yahoo.

But what separates the Wii's wireless features from any other console out there is the ability to download old Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis and N64 games onto its 512 megabyte hard drive through its Virtual Console service.

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