KEY POINTS:
Herald rating: * * * *
It's when you're standing, slightly damp in the armpits, playing virtual tennis with a total stranger in the middle of a crowded electronics store, that you know the Nintendo Wii has something special to offer.
The console caught in the middle of the next-generation gaming war takes a different path from its competitors by keeping things simple. The Wii serves good graphics, but not the high-definition graphics of Microsoft's Xbox 360 or Sony's PS3.
That had me sceptical of its value to serious gamers, but after some playtime with the Wii, it's obvious the hardcore gaming set is not the target audience here - the price tag gives that away.
The centrepiece of Nintendo's new gaming experience is the Wii-mote, which uses infra-red sensors to communicate with a little box that sits on your TV, to translate your movements on screen.
The effect reminds me of Sony's efforts with the EyeToy, a camera that plugs into its PlayStation 2 console and inserts you into the game. But this is more fun.
Wii Sports, the five-game package included with the Wii console, is a surprisingly entertaining collection. Tennis is by far the most fun, especially when played against a Wii-mote-wielding friend in split-screen mode on a large TV screen. Swipe the Wii-mote through the air and you've just returned the ball over the net. It's very realistic and a lot of fun once you've mastered using it.
Parents will love the Wii's tiny footprint. It won't clutter the lounge like the old generation Xbox and PS2 consoles. Its case is a stylish white, reminiscent of the iPod, and the Wii can be stacked vertically, like the PS2 and Xbox 360. An AV cord is included, allowing easy set-up with your TV.
There's a nice slot-loading disc drive, similar to those used on some laptops, which sucks in the disc, making it easier to load. Old 8cm Gamecube discs will play fine, but don't expect to use the Wii as a CD and DVD player - those discs are incompatible, making the Wii less of an entertainment hub than its rivals.
Nintendo intends it to be used as a device for displaying digital photos on your TV screen, thanks to the inclusion of an SD card slot, which lets you plug in your digital camera's memory card. That same card slot can also supplement the Wii's 512MB of onboard memory, which is used for storing games and online downloads that will be made available.
Like Nintendo's handheld gaming device, the DS, the Wii is WI-FI enabled, so can use your home wireless network to connect to the internet and the WiiConnect24 online gaming network, where you can buy games from Nintendo's vast back catalogue. The Wii will also communicate with the DS, presumably for multiplayer games that will be released.
The Wii goes on sale at electronics retailers today for $500. The standard pack includes one wireless controller, a Nunchuck controller, which clamps on to the Wii-mote giving you more controller options for action games, and the entertaining five-game Wii Sports collection. Some 20 games are available at launch time, but you'll need to invest in a second wireless controller to get the most out of those energetic multiplayer games.
Nintendo Wii
Pros: The Wii-mote design is a stroke of genius, It has a SD slot for viewing photos and adding storage, plays old Gameboy titles, Wi-fi for connecting to the web and the Nintendo DS. Wii Sports is great fun. Cheaper than its rivals.
Cons: Doesn't have the HD graphics power of the Xbox 360 and PS3. Nor can it play CDs and DVDs. Fewer games available than with the Xbox 360
