getting the wife a wii, got some questions...

LaraCroftsLeftBoob

LaraCroftsLeftBoob

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on the back of game boxes, when it shows the nunchuck beside the controller icon, does that mean the nunchuck is supported? or required?
is the motion plus add on thingy worth it? are there any games that require it or is it just an added feature kind of thing?
i know the wii has built in wifi, but does it alos have an ethernet port for wired connections too?
does it have a hdmi output, or just component?

thanks for the help.
 
[quote name='LaraCroftsLeftBoob']on the back of game boxes, when it shows the nunchuck beside the controller icon, does that mean the nunchuck is supported? or required?[/QUOTE]

This is a bit sketchy. Seeing that icon means that the nunchuck is supported for the game... but sometimes you are required to have one.

For example, Mario Kart Wii has the icon on the box, but offers several different control schemes without the nunchuck. Rayman Raving Rabbids also has the icon, but you MUST use a nunchuck to play the game.

is the motion plus add on thingy worth it? are there any games that require it or is it just an added feature kind of thing?
Click to expand...

The motion plus add-on is worth getting ONLY IF you are buying a game that requires it.

Wii Sports Resort or Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 are the only ones I know of... and both games are good enough (in my opinion) to make it worth owning 1 or maybe 2 motion plus attachments.

i know the wii has built in wifi, but does it alos have an ethernet port for wired connections too?
Click to expand...

You can buy a ethernet port that plugs into the USB slots on the back for wired connections. It doesn't come in the box though, so this is a separate purchase. Check for knock-offs from online sites - they will do a good enough job and save you some cash.

does it have a hdmi output, or just component?
Click to expand...

Only component. Shame about that, but the Wii isn't really powerful enough to push the best graphics anyway.
 
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If you get a component cable, get it from monoprice.com. It is way cheaper than the official and third party ones, but the same thing at a faction of the cost. Ejamer's answers are all solid.
 
yeah, i know all about monoprice. i order pretty much all my cables from there.
i know the wii doesn't really have the graphical power to need hdmi, i was just hoping it still had the output for it because my component outputs are all being used already.
will any ethernet to usb adapter work? or do i need one specifically designed for wii? i knoda wonder about drivers for them.
 
[quote name='LaraCroftsLeftBoob']will any ethernet to usb adapter work? or do i need one specifically designed for wii? i knoda wonder about drivers for them.[/QUOTE]

Good question. I'm also interested to know.

Quick search on Google suggests that some generic USB-ethernet adapters will work, but definitely not all. Some interesting discussion here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=768385



Also, it's worth noting that the Wii has good wireless connection speeds if you configure your wireless router properly. I've read multiple complaints about needing a wired connection, but testing on my part showed no notable improvement over optimizing the wireless connection.
 
[quote name='ejamer']Good question. I'm also interested to know.

Quick search on Google suggests that some generic USB-ethernet adapters will work, but definitely not all. Some interesting discussion here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=768385[/quote]

i found a nyko brand adapter on amazon for $15 so i ordered it. was designed for wii and had pretty good reviews. figured it was worth the few extra bucks to get one that i know will work then get a cheaper one that may or may not.



[quote name='ejamer']
Also, it's worth noting that the Wii has good wireless connection speeds if you configure your wireless router properly. I've read multiple complaints about needing a wired connection, but testing on my part showed no notable improvement over optimizing the wireless connection.[/QUOTE]

everything else i have is wired, so i just decided to keep with it.
 
I know ejamer covered all of this but I wanted to do it myself as well. So sue me. :p

[quote name='LaraCroftsLeftBoob']on the back of game boxes, when it shows the nunchuck beside the controller icon, does that mean the nunchuck is supported? or required?[/QUOTE]

Nintendo doesn't really specify. As ejamer said, the logo found on the back of Wii cases could mean either that it's supported or required. You'll have one nunchuck that comes with the console, so you'll be at least covered for all games. It's easily on a case-by-case basis because so many titles support so many different types of control schemes.

Some games require the Nunchuck (Super Mario Galaxy, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Most One-Player games), some merely support the nunchuck but do not require it (Mario Kart Wii, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Super Smash Bros. Brawl).

Keep in mind that many games that are multiplayer-oriented don't use the Nunchuck or will have a Non-Nunchuck option. In the two years I've owned my Wii I've managed to get by with only owning one Nunchuck since so many multiplayer games either don't require it or can be played with different configuration. For example, in one room you can play Mario Kart Wii with one player on a Gamecube controller, one on a Wii Remote (In the WIi Wheel), one with a Nunchuck & Wii Remote combo, and one on a Classic Controller (Connected to the Wii Remote)

My personal recommendation is that I wouldn't purchase a second Nunchuck until you run into a situation that you absolutely need it, and I can't imagine needing more than two in the long run.

[quote name='LaraCroftsLeftBoob']is the motion plus add on thingy worth it? are there any games that require it or is it just an added feature kind of thing?[/QUOTE]

The Motion Plus is an accessory that was released this summer alongside Wii Sports Resort. It's designed to add an extra sensor to the Wii remote that can register motion more accurately. The biggest misconception with the Motion Plus it that it improves all Wii games. This simply isn't true, as the game has to be designed with Motion Plus in mind to utilize it.

These are the games that use it:

  • Academy of Champions
  • Food Network: Cook or Be Cooked
  • Gladiator A.D.
  • Grand Slam Tennis
  • James Cameron's Avatar: The Game
  • Kidz Sports - Crazy Mini Golf
  • The Legend of Zelda (2010)
  • NHL 2K10
  • Rage of the Gladiator
  • Red Steel 2
  • Shaun White Snowboarding
  • Span Smasher
  • SpongeBob's Truth or Square
  • The Grinder
  • Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10
  • Virtual Tennis 2009
  • Wii Sports Resort
  • Zangeki no REGINLEIV
Keep in mind that not all of these are released, and I just copied the list from Wikipedia so it's only as accurate as Wikipedia is.

Like the nunchuck, you won't need to rush out and buy four of these, as not all games that support the Motion Plus require it, but of course it's recommended to use if you can. (Thus far only Wii Sports Resort requires Motion Plus)

If you plan on getting Wii Sports Resort (Which you should because it's awesome) it comes with a Motionplus to get you started. Last month they released a limited edition model that included two motion plus units, for an extra $10 more, so if you can track down one of these it's a good deal as the motion plus units cost $20 by themselves normally. Tiger Woods had a similar bundle release so if you're planning on getting that you'll have two, and Red Steel 2, which releases early next year, will also have a bundle package.

So in the end, if you're getting Wii Sports Resort you'll be covered for your initial Motion Plus, and you'll only need to buy extra if you'll be playing with more players. Again I doubt you'll need more than two for the moment.

[quote name='LaraCroftsLeftBoob']i know the wii has built in wifi, but does it alos have an ethernet port for wired connections too?[/QUOTE]

Simply, no, it does not have built-in ethernet. However it has two USB ports in the back that support a USB-to-Ethernet adapter. Nintendo has their own model available, but there are third party adapters that will be a little bit cheaper.

Here's Nyko's model for $19.99. I see cheaper models but Nyko I generally trust so I'd start there personally.

I use the Wii's Wi-Fi connection and I have no issue with it, for what it's worth.

[quote name='LaraCroftsLeftBoob']does it have a hdmi output, or just component?[/QUOTE]

The Wii does not have HDMI output, and only supports Component through the apppropriate cable. Nintendo's official model costs $30, but as others have said, you can get this cable via Monoprice for cheap.

At < $4, it's worth a shot to start here.

In addition, if all your Component connections are being used, it might be worthwhile to invest in a Component Video Switch, found here.

I personally wouldn't use the Wii without the component connection. The improvement in sharpness and color is worth every penny.

[quote name='LaraCroftsLeftBoob']thanks for the help.[/QUOTE]

You're welcome. ;)
 
thanks for the answers.
the only thing im still unsure about is do any games require motion plus? other that perhaps wii sports resort since it comes with motion plus.
 
[quote name='LaraCroftsLeftBoob']thanks for the answers.
the only thing im still unsure about is do any games require motion plus? other that perhaps wii sports resort since it comes with motion plus.[/QUOTE]

So far, none of the games released that utilize Motion Plus require it. (Outside of Wii Sports Resort, AFAIK)

Red Steel 2 will require it, however. And the Zelda title for next year likely will require it as well.
 
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[quote name='maximumzero']...

My personal recommendation is that I wouldn't purchase a second Nunchuck until you run into a situation that you absolutely need it, and I can't imagine needing more than two in the long run.

...

So in the end, if you're getting Wii Sports Resort you'll be covered for your initial Motion Plus, and you'll only need to buy extra if you'll be playing with more players. Again I doubt you'll need more than two for the moment.

...
[/QUOTE]


These points are TOTALLY worth repeating.

Lots of people buy a Wii new and spend lots of cash on extra controller accessories that they don't really need. Only buy what you need, when you need it - otherwise you're probably wasting money.
 
I bought an SD card at launch for like $30 that I didn't need, a 1GB one official from Nintendo. I'm pretty sure it's the same thing as the $10 SanDisk 2GB ones that the store where I work now sells (plus I get a discount), so I wound up spending almost four times as much on a card that's half as good. Worth repeating indeed!
 
one piece of advice i can give is to not play it until you get the component cables, playing it on my my 40" 1080p gave everyone who played headaches from everything being kind of blurry, its worth getting a second chuck just for multiplayer games, an sd card is an sd card so whatever brand you prefer, the wireless sensor bars suck, keep it out of direct light (learned that the hard way), and if you like fishing sega bass fishing is worth the money even though its a dreamcast port it has aged very nicely and works great with the wiimote
 
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