The Best Features Of Nintendo Wii

With a price tag of $250 or less, Nintendo's Wii is reputed to be cheaper than most seventh generation game consoles. It also aims for a wider market demographic than its competitors. Hence, it is equipped with the capacity to be compatible with other platforms including the Internet.

Coming at only a few millimeters in height and width, the Wii is the smallest game console to ever rollout from Nintendo. And at only 2.7 pounds, it is the lightest among the present game consoles on the market. What's more, the Wii can be placed in a horizontal or a vertical orientation; so there is no reason for you not to find a perfect space and position to keep it.

While the best features it may have to offer are its ability to receive messages and updates online via WiiConnect24 and its low electrical consumption, the following are some more of the unique features that Wii has to offer.

One-Handed Controller

A striking feature about Nintendo's Wii is the remote controller that can be used with only one hand. The controller makes use of infrared sensors and accelerometers that are super sensitive to the user's movements and can detect the way it is positioned in a three dimensional platform. With this controller, a gamer can play using his or her movements rather than mere button-pressing.

The controller also features force feedback technology wherein players can feel vibrations to better simulate the game being played in a real world scenario. Best of all, Wii controller has an internal speaker that enhances the feel of the game being played. Wii also comes with a nunchuk unit for that more traditional touch of an analog stick and trigger buttons.

Equipped with Bluetooth, the Wii controller is connected to the console without the limitations posed by cords. And it can also be connected to other devices thru a port located under the controller.

Retro-Compatibility

Wii offers retro or backward compatibility with Nintendo GameCube software and some hardware. This means you can enjoy GameCube games on your Wii. The console comes with four GameCube controller panels as the Wii remote controller can't be used for GameCube games. It also has a slot for GameCube memory cards if you want to save games.

Parental Restrictions

The Wii console comes equipped with parental control capability. Parents can prohibit very young kids from playing games with unsuitable contents. Wii automatically checks the content rating of games being played. If a game doesn't meet the restrictions set, Wii won't load the game unless an override password is keyed in.

What Made The Wii Supply Run Out

It’s very rare when demand far exceeds the supply of a particular product, but that’s how it is with Nintendo’s newest gaming innovation Wii.

The release of the first batch of Wiis has reached the United States, the United Kingdom, and naturally Japan. In the United Kingdom, 50,000 units were sold in the first 12 hours succeeding the release. Just a few hours after the launch, over 1,200 units had exchanged hands through the leading online marketplace Ebay. The highest price Wii fetched on the virtual bidding site was £500.

With the first batch of Wii supply seemingly inadequate to satisfy all the pre-orders made through various stores, customers had received official mails informing them of the possibility of having their pre-orders unfulfilled before Christmas. This disappointed so much that scores of customers had emailed news programs about their predicament.

As such, parents who had the foresight to expect the Wii supply to run out and pre-order for Nintendo’s newest gaming unit have no choice now but to fall in line alongside other hopefuls.

And this was what almost happened in the UK store Woolworth’s. People had already queued up early in the morning before the shop would officially open. Although the lines for the Wii weren't as hysterical as the crowd that preceded the launch of the PS3 held several days before Wii’s official release, the crowd was still sizeable enough to guarantee a total sellout. Woolworth management believes that they would be hard pressed to have units available even before the weekend was over.

In spite of the insufficient Wii supply, however, other stores such as Dixons, Curry’s, and PC World promised that all pre-orders would be handled in “strict chronological order”.

Innovative Features: Why the Wii Supply Run Out
If you’re wondering why the Wii supply ran out, you need not wonder no more once you’ve taken a careful look of the various innovative features of Wii. The concept behind Wii is having a gaming unit that will bond everyone in the family, and people of all ages and gender. This is also why it’s called Wii – deliberately pronounced like “we” – and with two I’s together to indicate its preferred two-player status.

Nintendo Wii includes a built-in Wi-Fi system, a 512MB internal flash memory, an available slot for SD memory expansion, dual USB 2.0 ports, a new online gaming service to work with the Wi-Fi system, and of course the now famous Wii Remote, the unit’s motion-sensitive controller.