KEY POINTS:
Some experts said Nintendo's new Wii console was a 'clever gimmick' but that the fun wouldn't last as it'd be a passing fad.
How wrong they were - sales soared for gamers and newbies to the console system and people found interacting and simulating ten-pin bowling and tennis a
great group activity, easy to pick up and hard to put down.
But there are only so many times you can play Wii Sports and the Wii Play (bought with another controller in a $99 bundle) mini-games! So where are all the new Wii games at?
Thankfully Nintendo has confirmed there are a bunch on the way, between now and Christmas - at least 14 titles. The big ones? Nintendo will be using their own successful franchises "Metroid Prime 3: Corruption" and "Super Mario Galaxy" are examples.
Electronic Arts (EA) is adapting its sports titles but the big title to watch out for will be called Boogie and uses the controllers not to simulate sporting action but to create dance movements.
There will be another pro-bowling title, a BMX game and one called Carnival Games from Take 2 in which you're at an Easter show-type event knocking things down, rolling balls and so forth to earn prizes. Let's hope the prizes are better than what you get at the real life shows!
If you want something more adventurous, there's an update to a tactical GameCube game called Battalion Wars. Tricked into believing the solar empire is developing a devastating super-weapon, the commanders launch a pre-emptive strike to plunge the worlds once again at war. I can't wait to use these Wii controllers to drive tanks, command ships, pilot planes (this'll be fun) and direct troops into the heart of the action.
RECENT RELEASES
Among the Wii games out recently:
EA's popular snowboarding title SSX (this one, SSX on tour Blur). Once you get to grips with the controls, it's fast, slippery and there are more than a few hair-raising experiences as you hurtle towards a tree or sail over a cliff into the void.
There's lots of tricks, twists and turns to use with the controls and as usual the massive emphasis on airborne acrobatics we came to love on SSX tricky.
Also from EA is a Wii version of Medal of Honour: Vanguard. The first-person shooter is surprisingly fun to play with the controllers you control the main character with the Nunchuk's analogue stick and aim your weapons using the Wii remote although the response rate is not as fast as if you were playing with a mouse on PC.
As gamers we really have to appreciate being able to aim at the enemy and since this is a pretty good interface we'll forgive the slight delays in the response - as everyone has the same delay with offline multiplayer anyway.
It's good to see a variety of stuff coming out for the Wii not just gimmicky games showing off the controllers. Nintendo really has created a winner for all age groups with this fast-growing-in-popularity console.