Gamers await a Wii-volution

VIDEO game giant Nintendo says the next generation of video gaming will be defined not by fancy graphics but by how players interact with their games.
To prove this, Nintendo held the first public demonstration of its newest gaming console, the Wii, at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre last weekend as part of the GAME1 expo.
The Nintendo Wii promises to be fun for the entire family, particularly for people who fear playing video games because conventional game pads are doused with buttons.
The Wii controller is fundamentally a remote control that reacts to its position in 3D space.
When you play tennis on the Wii, you swing the remote like a tennis racquet, and likewise when you ten pin bowl, you hold the remote up like a ball, swing your arm back, and follow through with a swing – it’s simple, easy, and anyone can do it.
So precise is the remote that it also detects acceleration, translating into soft or powerful hits, or bowls.
E-Talk trialled the Wii for the first time and played several games in much the same way they are played in real life, including air hockey, tennis, ten pin bowling, weight lifting, and other mini-games designed to show-off the controllers capabilities.
Also on show was Nintendo’s flagship launch title, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
The hero of the story uses a sword and shield, and you use the remote, and a small attachment known as the Nunchuck, to control your character while your movements with the remote simulate the sword’s movements.
The Wii will launch in Australia on 7 December for the RRP of $399, including the console, necessary controllers, and free game titled Wii Sports.
The Wii will also be backwards-compatible with every Nintendo GameCube game, and future Wii games promise interaction with the Nintendo DS via a wireless interface.