Top 5 Uses Of Nintendo Wii Controls

‘TGIF’, that term meant a lot back in the day when Fresh Prince and Boy Meets World was on the air. Nowadays it means that it’s time for WiiBlog.net’s Top 5 List for the Nintendo Wii.

Today we’ll be taking a look at some of the most innovative control schemes to grace the Nintendo Wii thus far. Most of the success that the Nintendo Wii has seen is because of the fresh, and creative ideas utilized by the Nintendo Wii controls. So let’s get to this week’s Top 5 List.

5. Wii Bowling – Sometimes it’s the simple things that are the easiest to appreciate. It’s within in the control scheme for Wii bowling that you truly find what the Wii is all about. For most people (especially those who purchased the Wii at launch), Wii Sports was the first title to enter their disc trays. Once you tried all the games that Wii Sports offered, most people came back to bowling (atleast around my house).

So what is it about Wii bowling that makes the game so addictingly fun? I think the answer is how it emulates the actual form of real bowling. The motion of pulling a ball back and rolling it down a lane is captured so effectively in Wii bowling. The proof can be found by how the wii remote picked up on my real life bowling tendencies. I’ve never been able to bowl straight, and always have to adjust to the natural curve I give the ball. Just like in real life, my curve is apparent in Wii bowling as well. It’s because of the fun nature of the controls, that when people are over Wii bowling somehow makes it onto the tv screen.

4. Mario Kart:Wii Wheel Steering – Ever since the SNES days of old, nearly every single Nintendo console has seen a Mario Kart game. The Wii was no exception to this rule, as Mario Kart: Wii launched back in May. Pretty much the biggest question on everyone’s mind was how the wii remote steering would be implemented, and how effective would it be?

After a couple of races, and getting used the controls it was apparent that Nintendo definitely hit the mark with the motion controls. The game came bundled with the Wii Wheel, and helped with the motion steering. If you used just the Wii remote without the wheel, it was pretty cumbersome to try and control.

MK:Wii is so effective at even picking up on the slightest of motions, giving the game true sense of actual driving. There were problems with game, but none of them stemmed from the very responsive, and fun to pick-up driving mechanics.

Let’s Hope Future Wii Driving Games Utilize The Wii Wheel The Way MK:Wii Does

3. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption FPS Elements – One of the genres that most Wii owners were excited to see was the First Person Shooter (FPS). When the Nintendo Wii first launched, gamers were given the first FPS by way of Red Steel. The game received mixed reviews, as Ubisoft didn’t seem like they took enough time to work all the kinks out and give it a final coat of polish.

It wouldn’t be until the final installment of the Metroid Prime series that we would see what the Wii could truly offer for FPS gamers. While at its’ core, MP3 wasn’t a conventional FPS, it relied heavy on the elements that you see in more traditional FPS games. The controls were spot-on, as aiming your crosshairs was as simple as pointing your wii remote at the television. Even though it wasn’t the first FPS to come out on the Wii, it was the first game to pull off the FPS controls in such a fluid and responsive nature.

**Video Spoiler**

The FPS Controls Were Utilized In Epic Boss Battles Such As This One

2. Lost Winds’ Control Scheme – Although Lost Winds wouldn’t see a ‘big box’ debut, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have plenty to offer. Easily the single greatest thing about the game is how it utilized the motion controls in a platform setting. There are plenty of games that are ripe with motion controls, but a lot of games that rely heavily on motion appear to gimmicky. With Lost Winds it’s the exact opposite, because nearly every platforming element used in the game has a motion attached to it, while at the same time not feeling tacked on just for effect.

The controls weren’t hard to learn either, as all it takes is a flick of the remote to execute a jump. You would learn a few more moves which were mostly used to tackle the puzzles that were laid out through the game. The environment also responded to how you used the remote as well. If you slid the remoted across a tree, the leaves would rustle. The total package of controls that can be found in Lost Winds really shows off what the Wii is capable of.

Lost Winds Can Be Found On Nintendo’s WiiWare Download Service For 1000 Wii Points

1. Wii Fit Balance Board- When I first came up with the idea of today’s topic, I was going to call it ‘Top 5 Uses Of Nintendo’s Wii Remote Controls’. If I were to do that, then I’d be leaving out what could be one of the best accessories to hit the video game market in years. When the balance board was announced back in E3 07, most gamers were left scratching their head. Some were ready to light a fire under Nintendo, as they wanted to see announcements for new games, and more news on games that were coming out. I’ll even admit that I thought Nintendo had no idea what they were doing, and was going to sink the success they had built.

Fast forward a few months, and Wii Fit is the one game that is hard to find on store shelves. The success of Wii Fit can easily be racked up to the utilization of the balance board. Once you hear the words “step on”, your immediately engrossed in everything that Wii Fit has to offer. While some of the activities can become tedious over time, that doesn’t overshadow what the balance board is able to pull off. After about a few weeks of playing, I now have a regular workout routine consisting of me playing Wii Fit and going out to jog. This routine can be accounted for just how fun it is to take part in the exercises that Wii Fit has you doing. The balance board’s sensors pick up on even the slightest movement that your body takes, and once you play you realize how out of sync your body really is.

I’m so anxious to see how developers take advantage of what the balance board has to offer. With the sensitivity of the sensors, I can see all kinds of games utilizing it in creative ways. It’s hard to imagine what else Nintendo can offer in terms of ‘motion control’ once you hop on the balance board.

Just Imagine The ‘Spy Game’ Possibilities That The Balance Board Could Bring

I’m sure that a lot of you disagree with some of the entries in my list. I tend to get along with people that have differing opinions than me, so I would definitely like to hear back from you. What would be your list for best uses of Nintendo Wii controls thus far?