Row Your Boat
The Wii is never at a loss for add-ons. The newest addition is the Wii Rowing Machine.
The Wii Rowing Machine looks like a less than lasting rowing machine with pedal straps for your feet and a resistance changeable pull bar. I don’t know how that pedal stand is going to stay on the ground every time I pull unless it’s full of weights, but that’s just a question. Supposedly the rower will be compatible with Wii Fit Plus, Wii Sports Resort, and the Jillian Michaels work out game. I don’t know how much of a useful work out it will be …
Wii See Color
So the Wii is white, but Nintendo has gotten wise and is looking to help us customize the gaming system we love.
On Valentines day the public was introduced to the new Wiimote in either pink or blue. That doesn’t really get me thinking about Valentines day, more about baby showers, but hey it could be a cool present for that occasion too (maybe).
Playing with Dolls
Okay, so I write about Wii add ons all the time, this might be the weirdest one yet.
It’s a baby doll, a baby doll Wiimote (specially designed for the baby and me game, what?!) Baby and me is currently only slated for release in Australia, but that doesn’t stop the strangeness. The baby can laugh and cry through the wiimote speaker and if you have a Wii fit balance board you can increase the odd options with the ability to teach baby to walk. So strange, some childhood games should not be incorporated into video games.
Plus Fitness
It started October 4th and it’s time to workout. Maybe this release would have been better timed over new years, but those of us who already enjoy Wii Fit are not complaining.
Wii Fit Plus ($99 with balance board $20 without) is the first upgrade to Nintendo’s incredibly successful Wii Fit system. The new game will feature all new yoga, strength, and game activities. New games include Skateboarding and Kung Fu. New customizable functions will allow users to personalize their workouts like never before. Pick a specific area for improvement and Wii Fit will suggest specific activities. Enjoy one specific exercise? Customize the amount of time you need/want to spend on it.
Wii Fit Plus also includes a new calorie counter for those who take their workout time particularly seriously. But hey, you’re playing a video game as exercise, how serious can you be?
Meet Swinxs
If you are looking for something a little different for the holidays this year, this portable “pod” helps up to 10 kids play physical, creative and educational games at home or on the go. It recognizes players through the use of colorful wristbands that communicate with the unit and track scores and profiles. Unlike the Wii, which also allows for some physical play, the Swinx doesn’t use a screen to create the game atmosphere.
Games can be downloaded for free from Swinx.com and are divided by age and type from traditional hide-and-seek to educational quizzes and adventure games and races.
The Swinx was named 2009 Game of the Year from Creative Child Magazine. The unit costs $150 and comes with 4 wristbands, a USB cable, an adaptor and 10 pre-installed games.
Wii Love Additions
With new Wii games come new Wii accessories.
We’ve already sung the praises of Wii Sports, well now it’s time to talk Wii Sports Resort. This new addition to the Wii Sports line is both fun and expanded, with more sports than ever before. Play Frisbee, go jet skiing, play ping-pong or gold, try archery, rowing, or dueling. The concept remains the same, using the Wiimote to mime the game’s actions, but now things can be more “realistic” than ever.
CTA Digital has produced an 8 pack of add ons for the Wiimote and these new fun activities. From a gold club head, to a white plastic bow for archery now you can really pretend. All together the set is $40, and all are compatible with Wii motion plus.
Wii are Holographic
Holograms are awesome, any geek will tell you so. It’s just a cool idea, an excellent visual, 3D projections and the like. It’s in the movies, so where is it in life?
Well, the University of Tokyo has put us further on the path of actual hologram discovery with their projector prototype. Even more impressive than the hovering images is the “tactile feedback” so you can feel the images as well (through ultrasonic waves and Wiimotes). I’m not too knowledgeable about the actual science, but it doesn’t take a genius to understand that the tech is very cool.
You’re So Genesis
Nintendo and Sony have cornered the handheld gaming market for some time, Sega has decided to gasp for its share of the pie.
The Retro Gen is a handheld console that plays old Sega Genesis cartridges. Even those who have not saved up their genesis cartridges can still enjoy the console with 20 pre-loaded games and the possibility of future downloads.
The success of Innex’s Retro Gen is up in the air, just as most other handheld consoles have failed to make a dent in the market. Yet, at a price of $59 the Retro Gen will be the cheapest console on the market when it is released. So it’s definitely got that going for it.
Playful Additions
One thing Nintendo Wii is never short on is an accessory. Recently some pretty interesting game specific additions have made there way to the market.
If you’re interested in Star Wars (as I definitely am) the “Star Wars – The Clone Wars: Republic of Heroes” will be shipping with the first officially licensed lightsaber add on. The Wiimote slides right into the blades handle and the blade itself glows. If you’re going to be swinging a Wiimote around the room anyway why not go all out? Bensussen Deutsch & Associates have plans to release a Star Wars blaster add on as well.
Nitho will be releasing it’s own set of wiimote additions for the already available Wii sports game. Tennis racket, baseball bat, golf club, all will be included and compatible with Wii Motion Plus. Sure, playing the games will still look ridiculous, but they always have.
Time to Accessorize
The Wii is all about interactivity and CTA Digital is trying to take the reality coupled with the virtual up a notch.
CTA’s bowling ball accessory was presented at June’s E3 conference. Meant to be coupled with Wii’s classic Wii Sports game the accessory will not be short gamers. The ball actually splits in half and the Wiimote can be stuck inside. The ball comes with a wrist strap (which is very important to use in this case). You’re not supposed to let go of the ball, just like you’re not supposed to let go of the Wiimote but it sure gets you a little closer to a real bowling feeling (maybe).
