MobileTechReview Forum, News and Reviews: Nintendo Wii

I made a list of many of the most frequently-asked questions that keep getting asked on various gaming message boards and answered them in a question and answer format. Maybe this will help those of you out who have a lot of questions about the upcoming Nintendo Wii system and its many features and launch details.

When will the Wii be released?
The Wii will be released on November 19th in the US, December 2nd in Japan, December 7th in Australia and New Zealand, and December 8th in Europe.

How much will the Wii cost?
The Wii will retail for $249.99 here in the US.

What comes in the Wii system package?
- Wii System
- Wii Stand
- Wii Remote
- Nunchuck
- Sensor Bar
- Sensor Stand
- Power Cable
- A/V Cable
- Wii Sports Game

Can I trade Wii Sports for some other game?
Not likely since not many people are going to want to buy Wii Sports when it already comes with every Wii console.

Can I connect the Wii to my HDTV?
Yes, but you'll need the optional Component Cable to take advantage of the Wii's progressive scan output.

What colors will the Wii be available in at launch?
The Wii will only be available in WHITE at launch.

Are more Wii system colors being planned in the future?
Nintendo has stated that more Wii system colors will be available in 2007, but for the time being the company will only produce white Wii systems in order to keep Wii buyers from only buying their favorite colors.

What games will be available at the Wii launch?
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII
Call of Duty 3
Elebits
Excite Truck
Far Cry: Vengeance
GT Pro Series
Zelda: Twilight Princess
Madden NFL 07
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Monster 4X4 World Circuit
Need for Speed: Carbon
Open Season
Rayman Raving Rabbids
Rapala Tournament Fishing
Red Steel
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz
Splinter Cell: Double Agent
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam
Trauma Center: Second Opinion
Wii Sports (Included with Wii system)
World Series of Poker

What, no Super Mario Galaxy? When is it going to be released?
Sorry. Super Mario Galaxy was originally thought to be a possible launch title but has since been pushed back into 2007. No exact release date in 2007 has been announced as of yet.

What Wii accessories will be offered seperately and how much do they cost?
Wii Remote - $39.99
Nunchuck - $19.99
Component Cable - $49.99
USB 2.0 Ethernet Adapter - $14.99

How do I connect the Wii to my broadband connection?
You can connect wirelessly or purchase a seperate USB 2.0 Network Adapter to connect directly to the Wii via an Ethernet cable.

Does the Nintendo USB dongle work with the Wii?
Yes, you can use the Nintendo USB dongle with the Wii.

What Virtal Console games are going to be available at launch?
So far, these are the only confirmed Virtual Console games, with the ones that will be available on launch day marked as such. Nintendo has stated that they will have 10 new Virtual Console games available each month.

Super Mario Bros. - NES
Super Mario World - SNES (Confirmed for launch)
Super Mario 64 - Nintendo 64 (Confirmed for launch)
Sonic The Hedgehog - Genesis
Bonk's Adventure - Turbografx-16
New Adventure Island - Turbografx-16
R-Type - Turbografx-16
Ristar - Genesis
Columns - Genesis
ToeJam & Earl - Genesis
Donkey Kong - NES (Confirmed for launch)
The Legend of Zelda - NES (Confirmed for launch)
Golden Axe - Genesis
Ecco the Dolphin - Genesis

How much do these Virtual Console game downloads cost?
NES Games - $5.00 each
SNES Games - $8.00 each
Nintendo 64 Games - $10.00 each

How large are the Virtual Console games approximately?
NES Games: Around 600-900KB
TG16 Games: 140-400KB
Genesis Games: 1-6MB
SNES Games: Around 1-6MB
N64 Games: Around 16-32MB (There were only a couple of 64MB N64 games)

Where can I preorder the Nintendo Wii system?
So far in the US, only Nintendo World in NYC and Gamecrazy are taking Wii preorders, but other retailers are likely to begin taking them soon now that the launch information has been released. Allocation numbers are what most retailers are likely waiting on in order to avoid the debacle that happened with the Xbox 360 launch.

Should I camp out at my local game store or will there be plenty of Wii systems available on launch day?
Although there will likely be plenty of Wii systems on launch day to meet demand, we've seen many console launches over the past two generations be met with shortages, so if you want to guarantee yourself a Wii system, you should preorder where possible and if not, you might want to get to your local game retailer a few hours before they open on the launch day to be sure.

Can I use my Nintendo Gamecube memory card with the Wii?
Yes, the Wii system has a memory card slot for your Gamecube memory cards.

Can I use my Gamecube controller with the Wii?
The Wii system has 4 Gamecube controller ports so you can use your Gamecube controllers with the system.

How will we play the classic Virtual Console games?
Nintendo is selling a Wii Classic Controller for $20 that can be used for all Virtual Console games.

Will the Wii play my Gamecube games?
Yep. The Wii will play all Gamecube games.

Can I use my Gamecube component cable with my Wii system?
No. The Gamecube component cable only had output connections for VIDEO and then you had to still use your other composite cable in order to get AUDIO, which worked fine on most Gamecube systems since they had two A/V ports. The Wii only has one Multi-A/V port so if you were to use your Gamecube component cable, you couldn't get any sound at all, and that's assuming that the Gamecube component cable would work at all on the Wii.

Do I need a memory card to store my game saves on?
The Wii has a built-in 512MB of flash memory that can hold many game saves, and you can also use a separate SD memory card if you wanted to or if you began to fill up the internal memory.

Where do I store all of my downloaded Virtual Console games and wallpapers?You can store them either on the internal 512MB of flash memory or use an external SD memory card.

Can I play my Turbografx-16 CDs and Sega CDs on the Wii?
No. That's not to say that this feature might not be made available at a later time, but at the current time, no plans to make the actual Turbo CDs and Sega CDs playable on the Wii console exist.

Can I play DVDs or CDs on my Wii?
Music CDs can be played but despite early reports that the Wii would allow DVD playback, the feature was cut for the final version of the Wii and now the Wii will NOT play DVDs.

Can we save our downloaded Virtual Console games to CD or DVD?
No. The optical drive of the Wii is "read-only" and cannot burn save files or game files to CD or DVD.

Where do I put the Wii Sensor Bar?
The Wii sensor bar can be placed above or below your television screen.

Is the Wii Remote rechargeable or do I need batteries?
The Wii Remote is NOT rechargeable in itself, but rechargeable batteries can be used as well as regular non-rechargeable batteries.

Will every NES, SNES, Genesis, and TG16 game be available for download or only the hit titles?
It's not likely that every single title from each system will be available on the Virtual Console. Licensing issues will keep a lot of classic games from being released on the Wii Virtual Console, but Nintendo has promised that the Wii Virtual Console library will provide a HUGE number of classic games over the life-span of the Wii console.

How big is the Wii system?
The exact dimensions of the Wii are: 8.5" x 6" x 1.95".

Does the Wii system have to be set up vertically or can I lay it horizontally?
The Wii system can be situated either vertically or horizontally.

How much will Wii games cost?
Nintendo is recommending a $49.95 retail price, much like their 1st party titles will be priced at, but third party publishers are allowed to use their own discretion.

Are the Wii graphics as good as the Xbox 360 or Playstation 3?
The Wii is not capable of Xbox 360 or PS3-quality visuals, but the Wii is closely compared as being a little better than the original Xbox in terms of visual capabilties.

Do I have to have broadband in order to play my Wii?
Yes, you will likely have to have a broadband connection in order to use the online capabilities of the Wii much like you do with the DS system.

I don't have a wireless broadband connection, so how do I connect my Wii to the internet?
Nintendo will be selling a USB 2.0 Network Adapter that will allow Wii users to connect their broadband connection directly to their Wii system.

Do I have to stand up in order to play the Wii games?
While some games will obviously require you to stand up to play, many Wii games will allow you to play from a normal seated position.

If I don't get a Wii on launch day, will I still be able to get my hands on one before Christmas?
Nintendo seems pretty confident that they will have plenty of Wii systems on store shelves throughout the holiday season so it shouldn't be a problem. But if you are worried about getting a system, it might be a good idea to grab one as soon as possible just to be on the safe side.

Is the Wii region-free or not?
Although NOA originally announced that the Wii system would be region-free, it was later corrected and made public that the Wii games will, in fact, be region-coded.

Will Nintendo make games that use the DS and Wii systems cooperatively?
Nintendo has stated that there will be games for both the DS and Wii system that will allow players to use both systems cooperatively. There has been no official word yet on any specific titles or features, however.

How do I connect my DS to my Wii system?
They connect wirelessly, so no extra cable is needed.

Does the Wii have parental controls?
Yes the Wii does have built-in parental controls.

What is WiiConenct24 and what does it do?
WiConnect24 allows the Wii system to have access to your online connection even when the system is technically turned off. This will allow for updates and downloads even when you're not actually using your Wii system.

What are Wii Channels?
Wii channels are similar to TV channels. The Wii will have many different channels. One example is the weather channel that will give you up-to-date weather forecasts using your internet connection. Other channels, like the shopping channel, will allow you to purchase Virtual Console games as well as other Nintendo goodies, right from your Wii system.

Can I surf the web on my Wii?
Yes. Nintendo is offering the Opera web browser for use on the Wii system and it will function much like the computer version of the program does.

Does the Wii have an internal hard drive?
No, the Wii has an internal 512MB of flash memory for storage purposes.

Will all Wii games be widescreen?
Nintendo has stated that most Wii games will be made to take advantage of the 480p 16x9 Widescreen format.

Will the Wii Remote or Nunchuck Controllers be available in different colors at launch?
Not likely since the console itself will only be available in white. Plus no word has come from Nintendo that different colored controllers will be made available anytime soon.

Does the Wii Remote have a rumble feature built-in?
Yes. The Wii Remote has built-in rumble function as well as a built-in speaker.

How far from the Wii can I be and still use my wireless Wii Remote?
Nintendo claims the wireless range of the Wii Remote is 35 feet and in truth, why would you want to be any further away than that anyway.

What buttons are on the Wii Remote controller?
The Wii Remote has the typical Nintendo D-pad as well as the following buttons:
"A" button
"B" button
"Power" button
"1" button
"2" button
"+" button
"-" button
"Home" button
"Sync" button (under the battery compartment)

What buttons does the Nunchuck controller feature and how does it connect to the Wii Remote?
The Nunchuck controller features an analog stick as well as a "C" and "Z" button on the front side of the controller for easy finger access. The short Nunchuck controller cord plugs into the bottom of the Wii Remote.

Is the Wii drive bay really illuminated by a blue light?
Yes. The opening of the Wii drive bay does imminate with a blue light much the same as you see in most pictures of the system.

Will the Wii play the actual NES, SNES, Genesis, and TG16 cartridges?
No. All of the classic Virtual Console games will be available for download over the system's internet connection and saved to either the Wii's internal flash memory or an SD card.

What companies are currently planning support for the Wii Virtual Console?
So far, these are the third party companies that have already signaled support for the Virtual Console. Konami, Atlus, D4E, Masaya, Capcom, Takara Tomy, Sega, Sunsoft, Kemco, Hal Laboratories, Irem, Tecmo, Taito, Koei, Enterbrain, Netfarm, Paon, Chun Soft, Bandai-Namco, Jaleco, Square-Enix, Banpresto, and Hudson.

What about the light gun for the Wii?
It's not actually a light gun, but more of a shell for the Wii Remote to fit into. So far, no word on whether or not this attachment will be available for the system's launch.

Is it true that Gamestop is only allowing people to trade in game stuff in order to preorder a Wii system?
This was only done as a marketing test in Hawaii and doesn't have anything to do with Gamestop stores in the rest of the US. Gamestop is not currently taking preorders as most stores are still waiting on allocation estimates.

Does the Wii Classic controller come with any free Wii Points?
No. As far as we know, there are no free Wii Points with the purchase of the Classic controller.

Up to how many Wii Remotes can be used with the system at once?
Up to 4 Wii controllers can be used at once with the Wii system, each using it's own wireless bluetooth technology.

What exactly are the Wii specs?
729 MHz IBM PowerPC "Broadway" CPU
243 MHz ATI "Hollywood" GPU
24MBs "main" 1T-SRAM
64MBs other 1T-SRAM
512MBs internal flash memory
3MBs texture memory on GPU
Built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi capability
One SD memory card bay
AV multi-port: S-video, composite, component Analog (left/right) audio / DPLII
Four GameCube controller ports Two GameCube Memory Pak slots
Two USB 2.0 ports Compatible with up to four wireless Wii-motes
Self-loading media drive
Accepts 12cm Wii and 8cm GCN discs; no DVD movies

Will there be any original 2-D games for the Wii?
Nintendo has stated that there will likely be some original games developed exclusively for the Virtual Console. Some of these are very likely to be 2-D since many of the classic games themselves are.

Is it possible for a game to make use of dual Wii Remote controllers?
It's certainly possible, although no word yet on any games that will make use of this control scheme.

Is it likely that any Virtual Console games that didn't make it to the US might be translated and released on the Virtual Console?
While I wouldn't say it would be likely, it might depend on just how popular the Virtual Console becomes. If there was a big demand for a certain game that was never localized, it might be a possibility. We've already seen several non-US games translated for the GBA system.

When will we start seeing Wii commercials on TV?
I would guess around mid-late October. Nintendo normally doesn't start the marketing blitz very early, but the Wii is definitely the type of console that needs to be shown in action to really attract people's attention. It shouldn't be too much longer until we see the Wii commercials popping up on Nick and Cartoon Network as usual.

What about playing the Wii on an LCD or LCD HDTV? I've read that LCD televisions have response lag?
If you want to take full advantage of the Wii progressive scan output of 480p, you must have an LCD TV and it must support up to 480p output. Let me warn you, if you plan on buying or using an LCD or LCD HDTV with your Wii system or any game system, you need to make sure it has a fast response time. I'd recommend something in the 8ms-12ms range if you want to avoid the response lag times. Older LCD TVs often had long response times, and this can make it to where what you're imputing on your game controller takes longer to refresh on the LCD screen and you'll notice a pause. The lower the number in the response time, the faster the LCD screen refreshes. Anything over 12ms and you're going to start noticing the lag. Just be thorough when you start shopping for an LCD TV to use with any of your game systems.

What about the Virtual Console games. Will they be able to output in progressive scan on my LCD TV like the Wii games will?
Yes, in an article from EGM magazine this topic was covered. Here's a clip from that article: Regarding backward compatibility, EGM's article noted that all Virtual Console games will be progressive-scan enabled, but will not feature improved graphics (meaning no updated game models; article did not discuss framerates).

Will there be a shortage of Wii consoles on launch day or in the weeks thereafter?
Although it's impossible to be 100% sure, we do know that there will be at least 1,000,000 Wii systems available for sale in the US on launch day, Nov. 19. That should be plenty for a launch, especially considering the Playstation 3 system will be launching just two days before the Wii launch. It's always a good idea to pre-order, and if you can, do so.

Is the Nunchuck controller motion sensitive like the Wii Remote is?
Yes, the Nunchuck attachment is motion sensitive as well as the Wii Remote. In fact, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess makes use of the Wii Remote and the Nunchuck's motion sensing capabilities.

I've heard that there will now be Commodore 64 games on the Wii system's Virtual Console. Is this true?
Epyx is bringing out some of their Commodore 64 titles on the Virtual Console system. The first group of Epyx titles that will be released on Virtual Console are:

Impossible Mission
Impossible Mission 2
Summer Games
Summer Games 2
Winter Games
Pitstop
Jumpman Junior

-- Corbie Dillard

If you have any more questions, please feel free to post them and I'll answer them as quickly as possible.

For more information, check out: Nintendo's Official Wii Page