Last Friday, Nintendo's new $250 videogame console arrived and in spite of being an admitted non-gamer, I was giddy with anticipation. I actually caught myself dancing a little jig. That evening, my wife and I were in the family room with another couple. My friend Chris and I got to work, connecting the Wii (pronounced "we" not "why") to a 42-inch Philips LCD TV, while the womenfolk looked on with politely condescending curiosity.

Wii Sports, a collection of cartoonish tennis, baseball, bowling, golf and boxing scenarios, comes with the system. I had presumed that it was merely an elaborate demonstration of the Wii Remote, which responds to natural motions rather than arcane button combinations. I discovered quickly that it might be the greatest videogame ever made.

Chris and I cleared a decent amount of space between the couch and the TV-the need for playing room cannot be overstated. We selected Tennis for two players. The TV's wide screen split into two frames, one for each side of the court. I tossed the ball in the air with a tap of a button, then swung my arm. A perfect serve. Chris returned the serve with a flick of his wrist, then I swung again. Early clumsiness fast became aggressive, aerobic, precise gesticulation. You develop a forehand, a backhand, even an overhead smash, just like on the real courts, and you work up a sweat doing it. Each time the virtual racquet hits the ball, it delivers an unbelievably satisfying "thok."

Looking on, my wife couldn't remember the last time she saw something as silly as two dudes jumping around, waving their arms and strutting like Agassi at a Grand Slam. But since the controls were so simple, she wasn't allowed to refuse when we told her it was her turn. Before long, she was channeling Steffi with her own fancy net work. I had my revenge.

The following night we hosted a dinner party. Though it was conceived without an inkling that the Wii would be in our midst, it became the official activity of the night. We designed hilarious avatars for each partygoer, so they could play games using a cartoon mini-self, or Mii. By selecting and adjusting face shapes, eyes, noses and hairstyles, you can build accurate caricatures, but beware of false friends who make your nose two sizes too big, or attach a sinister handlebar mustache to your otherwise handsome mug.

Everyone sampled all five Wii Sports. Tennis is still my favorite, but my wife got into the more cerebral Golf, achieving victories on the Wii what she was unable to deliver during her high-school golf-team years. Bowling probably came in third place, though Baseball and Boxing found fans. By the end of the weekend, the little machine had hooked ten people of very different temperaments and interests. Only one among us, Chris, was a bonafide gaming guy, and his years of button mashing didn't give him an unnatural advantage over anyone else. Excited as I was about my own attraction to the Wii, I was stunned by its universal appeal.

My zeal is directed mainly at Wii Sports. The Wii Channels network for weather, shopping and even surfing the Web, had not yet launched, and other games, such as Legend of Zelda title and Excite Truck, looked okay but didn't hook me. My hope is that Nintendo continues to develop games like Wii Sports—it's easy to dream up Wii versions of other activities, from fishing to snowmobiling.

Although the pull of the Wii is strong, I should point out a few issues that you should know. For starters, although the basic Wii system costs $250 and comes with Wii Sports, you absolutely have to buy a second Wii Remote ($40), along with its Nunchuk joystick attachment ($20).

Also, widescreen HDTVs are much better for split-screen two-person gaming, though paradoxically the Wii's video is only standard definition. For Wii Sports, this doesn't matter much, but it's a shame that Zelda and other visual titles don't get the high-definition treatment they deserve.

Finally, all this physical activity has a downside. As thrilled as I am that I now can play videogames in lieu of other aerobic exercise, I am sore. It may be the good soreness of muscles in need of a long-overdue workout, yet I fear that some people might get real tennis elbow from Wii's virtual Tennis, or even tear a rotator cuff when pitching in Wii's Baseball.

I encourage you to go out and get one, even if you're also planning to buy Microsoft's Xbox 360 or Sony's PlayStation 3. Just be careful, because Wii is physical. ...

Last Friday, Nintendo's new $250 videogame console arrived and in spite of being an admitted non-gamer, I was giddy with anticipation. I actually caught myself dancing a little jig. That evening, my wife and I were in the family room with another couple. My friend Chris and I got to work, connecting the Wii (pronounced "we" not "why") to a 42-inch Philips LCD TV, while the womenfolk looked on with politely condescending curiosity.

Wii Sports, a collection of cartoonish tennis, baseball, bowling, golf and boxing scenarios, comes with the system. I had presumed that it was merely an elaborate demonstration of the Wii Remote, which responds to natural motions rather than arcane button combinations. I discovered quickly that it might be the greatest videogame ever made.

Chris and I cleared a decent amount of space between the couch and the TV-the need for playing room cannot be overstated. We selected Tennis for two players. The TV's wide screen split into two frames, one for each side of the court. I tossed the ball in the air with a tap of a button, then swung my arm. A perfect serve. Chris returned the serve with a flick of his wrist, then I swung again. Early clumsiness fast became aggressive, aerobic, precise gesticulation. You develop a forehand, a backhand, even an overhead smash, just like on the real courts, and you work up a sweat doing it. Each time the virtual racquet hits the ball, it delivers an unbelievably satisfying "thok."

Looking on, my wife couldn't remember the last time she saw something as silly as two dudes jumping around, waving their arms and strutting like Agassi at a Grand Slam. But since the controls were so simple, she wasn't allowed to refuse when we told her it was her turn. Before long, she was channeling Steffi with her own fancy net work. I had my revenge.

The following night we hosted a dinner party. Though it was conceived without an inkling that the Wii would be in our midst, it became the official activity of the night. We designed hilarious avatars for each partygoer, so they could play games using a cartoon mini-self, or Mii. By selecting and adjusting face shapes, eyes, noses and hairstyles, you can build accurate caricatures, but beware of false friends who make your nose two sizes too big, or attach a sinister handlebar mustache to your otherwise handsome mug.

Everyone sampled all five Wii Sports. Tennis is still my favorite, but my wife got into the more cerebral Golf, achieving victories on the Wii what she was unable to deliver during her high-school golf-team years. Bowling probably came in third place, though Baseball and Boxing found fans. By the end of the weekend, the little machine had hooked ten people of very different temperaments and interests. Only one among us, Chris, was a bonafide gaming guy, and his years of button mashing didn't give him an unnatural advantage over anyone else. Excited as I was about my own attraction to the Wii, I was stunned by its universal appeal.

My zeal is directed mainly at Wii Sports. The Wii Channels network for weather, shopping and even surfing the Web, had not yet launched, and other games, such as Legend of Zelda title and Excite Truck, looked okay but didn't hook me. My hope is that Nintendo continues to develop games like Wii Sports—it's easy to dream up Wii versions of other activities, from fishing to snowmobiling.

Although the pull of the Wii is strong, I should point out a few issues that you should know. For starters, although the basic Wii system costs $250 and comes with Wii Sports, you absolutely have to buy a second Wii Remote ($40), along with its Nunchuk joystick attachment ($20).

Also, widescreen HDTVs are much better for split-screen two-person gaming, though paradoxically the Wii's video is only standard definition. For Wii Sports, this doesn't matter much, but it's a shame that Zelda and other visual titles don't get the high-definition treatment they deserve.

Finally, all this physical activity has a downside. As thrilled as I am that I now can play videogames in lieu of other aerobic exercise, I am sore. It may be the good soreness of muscles in need of a long-overdue workout, yet I fear that some people might get real tennis elbow from Wii's virtual Tennis, or even tear a rotator cuff when pitching in Wii's Baseball.

I encourage you to go out and get one, even if you're also planning to buy Microsoft's Xbox 360 or Sony's PlayStation 3. Just be careful, because Wii is physical. ...

Last Friday, Nintendo's new $250 videogame console arrived and in spite of being an admitted non-gamer, I was giddy with anticipation. I actually caught myself dancing a little jig. That evening, my wife and I were in the family room with another couple. My friend Chris and I got to work, connecting the Wii (pronounced "we" not "why") to a 42-inch Philips LCD TV, while the womenfolk looked on with politely condescending curiosity.

Wii Sports, a collection of cartoonish tennis, baseball, bowling, golf and boxing scenarios, comes with the system. I had presumed that it was merely an elaborate demonstration of the Wii Remote, which responds to natural motions rather than arcane button combinations. I discovered quickly that it might be the greatest videogame ever made.

Chris and I cleared a decent amount of space between the couch and the TV-the need for playing room cannot be overstated. We selected Tennis for two players. The TV's wide screen split into two frames, one for each side of the court. I tossed the ball in the air with a tap of a button, then swung my arm. A perfect serve. Chris returned the serve with a flick of his wrist, then I swung again. Early clumsiness fast became aggressive, aerobic, precise gesticulation. You develop a forehand, a backhand, even an overhead smash, just like on the real courts, and you work up a sweat doing it. Each time the virtual racquet hits the ball, it delivers an unbelievably satisfying "thok."

Looking on, my wife couldn't remember the last time she saw something as silly as two dudes jumping around, waving their arms and strutting like Agassi at a Grand Slam. But since the controls were so simple, she wasn't allowed to refuse when we told her it was her turn. Before long, she was channeling Steffi with her own fancy net work. I had my revenge.

The following night we hosted a dinner party. Though it was conceived without an inkling that the Wii would be in our midst, it became the official activity of the night. We designed hilarious avatars for each partygoer, so they could play games using a cartoon mini-self, or Mii. By selecting and adjusting face shapes, eyes, noses and hairstyles, you can build accurate caricatures, but beware of false friends who make your nose two sizes too big, or attach a sinister handlebar mustache to your otherwise handsome mug.

Everyone sampled all five Wii Sports. Tennis is still my favorite, but my wife got into the more cerebral Golf, achieving victories on the Wii what she was unable to deliver during her high-school golf-team years. Bowling probably came in third place, though Baseball and Boxing found fans. By the end of the weekend, the little machine had hooked ten people of very different temperaments and interests. Only one among us, Chris, was a bonafide gaming guy, and his years of button mashing didn't give him an unnatural advantage over anyone else. Excited as I was about my own attraction to the Wii, I was stunned by its universal appeal.

My zeal is directed mainly at Wii Sports. The Wii Channels network for weather, shopping and even surfing the Web, had not yet launched, and other games, such as Legend of Zelda title and Excite Truck, looked okay but didn't hook me. My hope is that Nintendo continues to develop games like Wii Sports—it's easy to dream up Wii versions of other activities, from fishing to snowmobiling.

Although the pull of the Wii is strong, I should point out a few issues that you should know. For starters, although the basic Wii system costs $250 and comes with Wii Sports, you absolutely have to buy a second Wii Remote ($40), along with its Nunchuk joystick attachment ($20).

Also, widescreen HDTVs are much better for split-screen two-person gaming, though paradoxically the Wii's video is only standard definition. For Wii Sports, this doesn't matter much, but it's a shame that Zelda and other visual titles don't get the high-definition treatment they deserve.

Finally, all this physical activity has a downside. As thrilled as I am that I now can play videogames in lieu of other aerobic exercise, I am sore. It may be the good soreness of muscles in need of a long-overdue workout, yet I fear that some people might get real tennis elbow from Wii's virtual Tennis, or even tear a rotator cuff when pitching in Wii's Baseball.

I encourage you to go out and get one, even if you're also planning to buy Microsoft's Xbox 360 or Sony's PlayStation 3. Just be careful, because Wii is physical. ...

$175 for a t-shirt? Really? We suppose being deemed worthy for high fashion is a cultural milestone, but a grotesquely overpriced t-shirt seems to clash with Nintendo's thrifty image. Given the shirt's cost in relationship to Wii's asking price, Dolce & Gabbana's forthcoming PlayStation 3 tee should only set you back $420.

Screen of the Tshirt via Comments
via joystiq ...

The original Yoshi's Island has attained G.O.A.T. status. True, not everyone agrees that it's the single-greatest 2D platformer ever, but SNES's Yoshi's Island certainly ranks among the best. Now, more than a decade later, Nintendo has finally published a true sequel (we don't count N64's Yoshi's Story). But with Artoon (responsible for GBA's ill-received Yoshi Topsy Turvy) sharing development duties, there's been some doubt about Yoshi's Island DS's ability to escape the shadow of its heralded predecessor.

GameSpot (91/100) - "It's hard to top a masterpiece, but that's just what Nintendo and Artoon have done with Yoshi's Island DS."

IGN (80/100) - "Perhaps the designers stuck too close to the established design in this new game, since it really ruins a lot of the surprises if you've already played through the original ... [Yoshi's Island DS] runs into the problem of not doing enough to make it its own game."

EGM (68/100) - "I'd never choose this over the sublime original."
Current overall average: 83/100 (6 reviews)

Via Joystiq ...

Puns aside, one of the more adult orientated Wii games set for iminent release is that of Spike's Necro-Nesia. It's a survival horror game set on an island filled with abnormally large wildlife. The player has lost their girlfriend to the chitinous fangs o' doom and has to use a mixture of torchlight and a machete to make their way through the sinister horde.

It's fair to say that the screenshots fill me with horror but not in the way the developers probably intended (plus gameplay impressions elsewhere haven't been great). On a partial upside the official site does hold host to a rather nice animated comic.

The game is released in Japan on the 2nd December for 7,140 yen.

More Info ...

Puns aside, one of the more adult orientated Wii games set for iminent release is that of Spike's Necro-Nesia. It's a survival horror game set on an island filled with abnormally large wildlife. The player has lost their girlfriend to the chitinous fangs o' doom and has to use a mixture of torchlight and a machete to make their way through the sinister horde.

It's fair to say that the screenshots fill me with horror but not in the way the developers probably intended (plus gameplay impressions elsewhere haven't been great). On a partial upside the official site does hold host to a rather nice animated comic.

The game is released in Japan on the 2nd December for 7,140 yen.

More Info ...

Puns aside, one of the more adult orientated Wii games set for iminent release is that of Spike's Necro-Nesia. It's a survival horror game set on an island filled with abnormally large wildlife. The player has lost their girlfriend to the chitinous fangs o' doom and has to use a mixture of torchlight and a machete to make their way through the sinister horde.

It's fair to say that the screenshots fill me with horror but not in the way the developers probably intended (plus gameplay impressions elsewhere haven't been great). On a partial upside the official site does hold host to a rather nice animated comic.

The game is released in Japan on the 2nd December for 7,140 yen.

More Info ...

After confusion arose yesterday from news that some Virtual Console games "can only be played with a Classic controller", according to Wii's instruction manual, Nintendo has explained the situation, as it currently stands, to GamesRadar.

GameCube pads will be the only way to control GameCube games, which can be played as normal with your existing game discs. You must also use GameCube memory cards, and cannot save to Wii's internal memory or SD memory card.

GameCube pads can also be used to play any NES, SNES and N64 titles downloaded from Wii's Virtual Console, although N64 games will not feature rumble capability.

The Wii-mote can be used as a controller for all NES and PC Engine/Turbografx games on Virtual Console. Finally - and obviously - all games on Nintendo's Virtual Console will be playable with Nintendo's Classic controller.

A sliver of good news is that multiplayer games can be mix-and-match. A NES game could be played by one person with a Wii-mote, one with a GameCube pad and a third gamer using a Classic controller, for instance; or a SNES game with two people using the Classic controller and two more using GameCube pads. ...