And there was us thinking it was just a fad. No, apparently sweaty-palmed Wii players are still flinging their Wiimotes left, right and centre. Particularly centre, where one overenthusiastic Wii Bowling toss can end up with a broken TV and infinite regret.
Nintendo’s response was to strengthen the Wiimote’s flimsy strap and wrap it in a condom-like sheath. Panasonic have gone one better: A TV with a front strong enough to reportedly withstand the force of a thrown controller. No need to gingerly wave at the screen, now you can play Wii Sports with gay abandon, safe in the knowledge that your foolhardiness won’t lead to disaster.
There’s no release date or price point yet. Until then, make sure your insurance is up to date or invest in the less wieldy Wii screen shield. Either that, or calm down, man. You’re not going to knock down all the pins by doing that anyway.
Even been tempted to drape your Wiimote in fur? No? Then how about snakeskin?
Designer Mayumi Hasegawa has created a luxury cover for the Wiimote that’s made from “python leather”. That’s right, not a print, but actual, real, honest-to-goodness snakeskin.
The “Remocon Python Suit” comes in two styles: white and black. They’re available to buy via Hasegawa’s website for 15,750 yen (about $150). If freaking out your friends and loved ones is your bag, then this is a pretty good way to go about it.
What is the Darwin controller, and why should Nintendo be worried about it? Because it promises to be an “evolutionary” leap forward in motion control, that’s why. Thank yew, thank yew, we’re here all week.
According to Technology Review, the Motus Corporation is developing a motion-sensitive controller for use with PCs and other current-generation consoles (though not, presumably, the Wii). Named “Darwin”, it claims to offer a greater level of control than the Wiimote because of its advanced usage of gyroscopes and accelerometers.
Motus also reckons that it will always orient itself with magnetic north, and can sense which direction it is pointing. The company got their start building hyper-realistic controllers to help golfers with their swing, and believe their background in working with more complex controllers gives them an advantage over Nintendo.
The product should arrive in shops by the Autumn, estimated price between $79 and $99. No word yet on what kinds of games you can play with it, but if we were in Ninty’s shoes, we’d buy this company and fast.
A document from the European Patent Office reveals some of the crazy applications Nintendo was planning for their fledgling Wii console in the heady days of 2006.
Some of them are weird and wonderful, like this sad teddy bear with a cavity in his stomach where the Wii should be. Another more practical idea is to have a rechargeable stand for the Wiimote; considering the so-so battery life, it’s something we heartily endorse.
It’s an interesting - and rare - insight into Nintendo’s creative process. Judging by the plethora of throwaway ideas like Wiimote slots for bikes, helmets, and skateboards, they belong to the school of design where you throw lots of stuff at the wall and see what sticks.
It’s dangerous for this stuff to be leaked into the public domain, though. It’s just grist for the mill with third-party accessory makers, and lord knows they don’t need any provocation.
The esteemed American organ GamePro has done some scientific tests. They wanted to see how long the battery life lasts on the controllers for each of the three major consoles, and the results will shock you. Well no, not really. We’ve always thought that the battery life of the Wiimote was piss-poor compared to the 360, and now we have evidence to prove it.
If you’re incapable of reading the graph above, here’s the breakdown. The Wiimote clocked in at 36 hours and 43 minutes from each set of batteries. The PlayStation 3’s Sixaxis managed a feeble 18 hours and 41 minutes, whilst the Xbox 360 controller came in at a whopping 56 hours and 56 minutes.
To be fair to the Wiimote, the presence of so many extras in a single unit (speakers, gyroscopes, etc) is an additional strain on the battery compared to what the other controllers offer. That said, Nintendo need to seriously consider offering Wiimotes with rechargeable batteries at some point in the future. As well as being less of a strain on the wallet, it will do Ninty’s green credentials no end of good.
A company by the name of Snakebyte is releasing a third-party Wiimote that takes on the fruity shade of a prune. Or maybe a red grape, if we were feeling generous and slightly myopic. Yours for only 40 Euros from February 8th onwards.
It’s an interesting design, not too radically different in look (or price) from Nintendo’s official model. Perhaps it was conceived as a lasting tribute to the late lamented GameCube? Or mayhap Snakebyte know something we don’t and are expecting multicoloured Wiis to hit the shops any day now?
Unless our eyes are mistaken, that looks like a regular size Wiimote propped up next to the smallest HD television in the world. No, waitaminnit, we’ve got things the wrong way round. That’s actually the largest Wiimote in the world, looming over an equally massive HD television and about to start a fight for control of the living room.
Unfortunately it’s not a working Wiimote, it’s just a cabinet built by one lucky gamer’s dad to store - I dunno - stuff. It’s mighty impressive though, and we’re green with envy. The only time my parents got out a hammer and saw was to bust me out of juvenile detention, but that’s another story for another time.
Wii hacks? Can’t get enough of ‘em. That little Bluetooth module inside each and every Wiimote has proved to be a blessing disguise, and each day brings a new and exciting development in DIY engineering. The latest and greatest is this studenty hack for the Sony AIBO (remember those?), with the Wiimote being used to control the useless dogbot to an unprecedented degree.
Dubbed the “Wiibot” by students at the University of Calgary, it’s a research project based on human device interaction. In the video above, they compare the Wiimote hack against standard keypad input controls; can you guess who comes out the winner?
At this juncture we’d make some fanboyish observation about Nintendo technology once again kicking Sony’s ass, but it’s late on a Friday afternoon and our mind is busy with thoughts of the pub. Woof!
Finally! Our dream has come true. Ever since we saw the potential of the Wiimote to be wielded like that mighty weapon that defined the noble Jedi and evil Sith, our heart has been set on just one thing. And that thing is for somebody to release a non-official stunted blue-glowing piece of plastic that bears a resemblance to a lightsaber. Hmm. Somebody should sue.
You slot in the batteries, attach the rod to your controller, then watch in awe as the lightsab… sorry, we mean Light SWORD powers up. Go on, swish it around. We haven’t heard it, but we bet it doesn’t do that magical vrrmm, schwvish noise on its own. Your best bet is to hook it up while playing the lovely Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, for the full, slightly copyright-infringing audio and visual experience.
It’s all yours for £15 and comes with an in-built novelty guarantee of two days until you get bored of it.
Venerable online retailer Amazon.com is running a wedding registry service for couples about to tie the knot. They can place a list of their desired goods online, which friends and family can then purchase on their behalf to commemorate the big day. But can you guess the most desirable gift among the husband and bride to be? Yes, that’s right, it’s the Nintendo Wii.
Whilst the white box of wonders resides at the top of the table, next-gen competitors are languishing much further down the chart, with the Sony PS3 at No. 44 and the Xbox 360 at No. 96. And of course, if you’re going to buy the newlyweds a Wii, they’re also going to need an extra Wiimote (No. 15) and nunchuk attachment (No. 26) so they can play together.
How’s about that for a sign of the times? Back in the day, couples about to get hitched would want a set of saucepans or a washing machine to kit out their new home. Today, however, it’s all about casual gaming in the living room, thrashing your dearly beloved in a tense game of Wii Tennis. That’s what I call romance.
Even been tempted to drape your Wiimote in fur? No? Then how about snakeskin? 
What is the Darwin controller, and why should Nintendo be worried about it? Because it promises to be an “evolutionary” leap forward in motion control, that’s why. Thank yew, thank yew, we’re here all week.
A document from the 
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