Need help? Got a question that needs answering?
Browse our help section below to find your answer:
What is the Nintendo Wii?
It aims to attract a wider demographic than the PS3 or XBOX 360 and competes with both for the title of king of the seventh generation gaming console.
It’s fun to play, looks great and provides a different take on gaming to the other ‘big’ consoles, with the emphasis clearly on family fun and involvement rather than stunning graphics and processing power (that said the Wii is no slouch in either of these departments).
Nintendo’s strategy is to avoid direct completion with Sony and Microsoft by ploughing its own furrow and attracting new people into the world of gaming with such titles as Wii Fit, this strategy seems to be paying off with over 29.62 million consoles sold to date.
What's in the box?
Wii CONSOLE
What’s 44mm wide, 215mm deep and 157mm tall?
Your brand new Wii console!
Gleaming white with a dashing flash of blue it’s the stylish games console of your dreams!
The Wii may look small but it delivers BIG!
Wii REMOTE WRIST STRAP
Such a small thing makes such a big difference.
The Wii remote wrist strap keeps the remote where it should be (in your hand) whilst you get “carried away” with throwing, bowling and punching.
SENSOR BAR
It may look pretty simple but the unassuming sensor bar is what allows you to interact with the images on the screen, helping to give the Wii its edge in terms of interactive free flowing game play.
Simply plug it into the Wii, place it near to your TV and remember to avoid direct sunlight which can interfere with the signal.
Wii POWER SUPPLY
It’s a plug.
You know the deal here, one end goes in a mains plug socket, the other into the Wii – just make sure the power block in the middle is kept well ventilated.
NUNCHUCK EXPANSION
When the going gets tough- the tough use the Nunchuck!
For some of the more complex games simply attach this expansion to the Wii remote and away you go, it doesn’t require any additional batteries as it takes its power from the main Wii remote.
Wii REMOTE
It’s a magic wand, light sabre and a Reyes boxing glove all in one – whatever you choose to play you will need the Wii Remote; your very gaming life depends on it!
It has built in ‘accelerometers’ that measure movements so (for example) your golf swing can be performed using the Wii Remote and has a rumble effect included too, so you’ll know when you’ve just taken a crushing left hook.
It performs almost like a mouse and requires 2 AA batteries (included).
COMPOSITE AV TV / MONITOR CABLE
OK this is the bit that can sometimes get tedious, but it’s really pretty simple.
The composite cable should work with most TV sets if it has circular red, white and yellow sockets at the back,if that is the case – great, your new Wii will plug directly into that – job done!
However, if you’re TV is all fancy and only has SCART sockets (those long rectangle ones) you’ll need to rush out and buy a SCART TO PHONO ADAPTOR.
You should be able to pick one up from any electrical store and once you have bought one you can stick the composite cable into that – job done!
Wii STAND
You’ll want to keep your Wii in tip top shape so to help it stay upright just place it in this cosy and beautifully designed stand.
Wii SPORTS GAME
There is nothing like being all revved up with nowhere to go.
Fear not! This collection of 5 sports games is included with the console and will provide you with great versions of tennis, baseball, boxing; bowling and golf are the ideal place to get started.
What is WiiWare?
These titles tend to be smaller and cheaper than those found in regular retail outlets and can be purchased via the Wii Shop Channel with Wii points.
The cost varies between 500- 1500 Wii Points.
Currently available titles include Dr Mario & Germ Buster, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King and TV Show King for the European Market whilst Defend your Castle, Lost Winds, Pop are amongst those available to the US.
What are the storage capabilities of the Nintendo Wii?
Rumours of a Wii- compatible USB hard drive have been in circulation since late 2006 but there is nothing available at present.
The company decided not to employ a built in hard disk believing that the family element of the consoles appeal may lead to it becoming damaged by young children – so a 512 MB on board flash memory was adopted instead.
Is the Nintendo Wii backwards compatible?
On the left side of the Nintendo Wii console are ports for GameCube controllers and memory cards.
All accessories (except for the GameBoy Player) for games such as Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat will still function through the Wii and in conjunction with the Virtual Console it is feasible that every game created by Nintendo can be played on the console.
Is The Wii Region Free?
This does not affect the ability to exchange messages or Mii friends around the world but could have ramifications for the online element of some games.
Any games purchased via the Wii Shop Channel are also region locked.
What are the Wii Channels?
NB: Those marked with an asterisk * require online connection.
Mii CHANNEL
This should be your first port of call; it’s the place tin which you create your 3D Mii avatar. A Mii is a simply to create caricature of yourself (or your friends) which can be used in certain Wii titles such as Wii Fit and Wii Sports.
PHOTO CHANNEL
The Wii offers a great way of sharing your photographs on the big screen, simply insert a SD card full of images and view them here; you can send them on to friends and family or mess about with them in a variety of fun and creative ways.
Wii SHOP CHANNEL*
This is the channel you need to be looking at if you want to take a look at Virtual Console, Wii Ware or any addition Wii channels you may want to download. You’ll be spending your valued Wii points here.
INTERNET CHANNEL*
Browse the internet just like you do at work when the boss isn’t looking right here.
NINTENDO CHANNEL*
This is the place you’ll find downloadable demos, previews of new titles and you can also download demos onto your Nintendo DS.
NEWS CHANNEL*
All the news from around the world is streamed into the Wii News Channel, stay informed of all the latest developments right here.
FORECAST CHANNEL*
Rain, Sun, Sleet, Snow or Hail, whatever the weather you’ll receive an up to date report here on the Forecast Channel, it’s fun to spin the globe around and find out the weather is like all over the world.
Mii CONTEST CHANNEL*
This is the place you can really strut your stuff if you are that way inclined.
Display your Mii to the world and see how you rank in various look-a-like competitions.
EVERYBODY VOTES CHANNEL*
The burning issues of the day are debated here, cast your vote on the big questions and see if you are in step with the (Wii) world opinion.
THE DISC CHANNEL
This channel remains anchored to the upper left hand side of the Wii Menu. When a Wii game is inserted it will display a short video clip with sound alongside the title of the game when a GameCube title is inserted it will only display the GameCube logo with no details of which title has been inserted.
What is Virtual Console?
In effect it allows the user to access a vast array of classic Nintendo titles, games that were previously available for platforms such as NES, SNES, N64, SEGA, GENESIS, TurboGrafx -16/PC- Engine.
You can buy your favourite title using Wii Points for a set amount i.e. 500 Wii Points for a NES game or 1000 Wii points for a N64 titles, it really is a case of ‘back to the future’.
What is Wii Connect 24?
Items could include new levels for games, different costumes and weapons whilst the popular News and Weather Channels also use this service to keep the information flow up to the minute.
This service does require that you keep your Wii in sleep mode 24 hours a day but it uses a minimal amount of energy and can be turned off at any time via the Wii option menu.
Can I play online with the Nintendo Wii?
If you want to select who you do battle with then simply trade a 12 digit ‘friend code’, these codes vary from title to title and allow those chosen to compete online with your good self.
Other online games of the competitive nature will random match making so you can play Mario Kart with a fellow fan from across the globe.
However there may be some issues as to which areas of the world are compatible with each other due to the region locked nature of some of the titles.
You need a wireless Internet Connection to join in the fun, this is essential when connecting with Wii’s integrated Wi-Fi signal.
If you want to know if a game has an online gaming element simply look out for the Blue Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Icon usually found on the top left corner of Wii game boxes.
How do I connect my Wii to the internet?
Actually before that you need broadband internet access but that’s a given right?
The Buffalo range of Air Stations are designed specifically with this purpose in mind and come recommended by Nintendo – simply plug it in and with one click of a button you’ll be up and running.
If you don’t want to bother with a router then you could purchase a Nintendo USB Wi-Fi Dongle.
This can be attached to any PC and will create a secure wireless environment for your Wii to connect to with no chance of anyone being able to ‘piggyback’ (steal) your signal.
Once you’ve selected the relevant hardware it’s a pretty simple process to get yourself online:
SETTINGS MENU>CONNECTION SETTINGS?>WIRELESS CONNECTION>SEARCH FOR AN ACCESS POINT.
The Nintendo Wii will detect your router or USB dongle and once you’ve entered any requested security information there will be a quick connection test and update check and that’s it.
Can I play DVD's on the Nintendo Wii?
It was a conscious decision by the makers of Wii NOT to include DVD playback as part of the Wii function.
There are many reasons which could be put forward as to why this is the case.
Wii is strictly a gaming console and the cost of including a DVD player would have impacted on the retail price and also invited comparisons with the Xbox 360 and the PS3.
Nintendo fans won’t mind as a majority want their console for one thing and one thing only – gaming!
Can I chat online on my Wii?
Click on ‘Create Message’ on the screens lower left hand side
Click on ‘Address Book’ (this is where you’ll find your Wii friend code)
Click on the desired recipient of your message
(You must know your friends Wii code to add them to the address book and vice versa)
Type out your message using the onscreen keypad
Click ‘OK’ then ‘Send’
Done.
How do I download content using my Wii?
These can be bought from a regular high street game store or from the Wii Shop itself, you can also exchange Star Points you’ve earned for Wii Points if you have registered the relevant game at clubnintendo.co.uk
You can buy points select ‘Add Wii Points’.
You can either enter a Wii Points Card number and select the ‘Redeem Wii Points’ option or alternatively you can buy Wii points using your Visa or MasterCard, it’s all totally secure so your personal details will remain safe.
Once you’ve obtained your Wii Points you will notice that the Wii Shop has three main options:
– Virtual Console (Classic retro Nintendo games)
– Wii Ware (Wii specific titles)
– Other Wii Software (for additional channels some of which are free and others which must be paid for).
Take time to learn about the products before you buy, check out the most recent releases, the most popular or in the case of Virtual Console the machine the game originally appeared on.
Once you’ve made your choice click on the Download option and having confirmed that the selection is correct your Wii Points will be deducted from your account and the download will begin.
Once complete your purchase will appear in its own window on the main Wii menu.
The whole process is very similar to that of iTunes; you can also buy a game for a friend which gives the chance to download the game for nothing. A quick way to win friends and influence people!
