REPriiSENT! a Nintendo Wii blog

Unwritten Stories that Should be Written

2007-05-19T14:38:00.000-07:00

Is the Third Party NYKO Sensor Bar better than the original? The existence of it suggests a need for it, but is there a need for it? For who would it be a good investment? How about those homemade sensor bars?

Ease of Use. What are the fan sites overlooking that may need to be explained?

Not just reviews but actual tips on playing games. There has never been any game controller like the Wii remote. Tip stories deserve merit.

Wii Jokes. And not the old kind. New ones, ones that aren't just puns but that rock the mullet. People take a console with such a silly name very seriously.

Out of the box glitches--glitches on the Wii itself, and how to avoid and correct them.

More personal experiences. If someone holds a Wii tournament, well, technically a Wii blog is still a blog. An original story on that experience, ( and what worked well, what didn't, tips for others), would be a refreshing story.

Lastly, criticism and praise for the Wii blogosphere. Never dissing or naming any Wii blogs, but some of them appear to be merely taking the first paragraph stories from other sites, giving one sentence of original opinion, putting a link to the story on the end, and posting another one every ten minutes. In contrast, this blog has stories that are too long, updating not that often, and well there's not much left to say until if I actually get a Nintendo Wii.

These are the sort of stories I would love to see on Wii blogs; other Wii blogs, as well as this one.

Victims of Fanboyism: Can we all get along?

2007-04-12T16:15:00.000-07:00

There is something dreadfully contagious that is spreading across the Wii (and general gaming) blogosphere, forums, and fan sites. A few remain to be unaffected. I, did not know much about this until I came into contact with it myself. It happened slowly and aimed to consume me. It was awful. It showed up in the posts, in the comments. I... became affected by something I previously sought to avoid at all costs! This phenomena is referred to, by the experts, as fanboyism.

I used to deny its prevalence and even its existence. The occurrence of someone taking pride in something that he did not create, explaining a work that was not his piece of art, defending the philosophies and emphases of a product of which he did not sit in the company meetings and develop. Nay, for I am not even a company employee.

Alright, enough with the dramatics. I observe that, on occasion, people will needlessly align themselves with a company or person, stick with them at all costs, and throw themselves forward to shield the verbal Q-tip arrows shot at said company. I came face to face with this harsh reality too, recently. I understand doing this if you work there or you know the person, but I don't understand why someone would take pride, and almost a sort of ownership, of a product that we didn't envision, toil over, create.

I am just fine with someone not liking the Wii. It's all about different tastes and things when it comes to entertainment. Imagine what it would be like if people succumbed to fanboyism when it came to things like people who make music (wait, way too late).

The point is that Nintendo is a great company. They can defend themselves. I think their product is great, but that doesn't mean I should be criticizing people who prefer other things. It's just a product! If you boil it down, all three of the major video game console producers want to make money off of us (of course, some are more blatant about it than others). That's how our economy works.

The Nintendo Wii will not fulfill me, the company is not going to hug me when I'm sad or shield me from danger, and it does not expect that from its fans either.

I need to say that, as it happened before, I could end up being a fan of Microsoft again someday if the next system they come out with is affordable. Before the Xbox (hard to imagine such a time, right?), I played the N64. Now I play the Xbox 1, with a bit of Game boy Advance on the side, saving up money for the Wii. Maybe I'll end up being a fan of Sony when the PS4 comes out, it's all about what's affordable. For some people, it's all about what will have the best graphics at any cost. That's good for them.

For others, it is only about the fact that a certain company made a system, and that's ridiculous if you think about it.

The point is that whatever you like, alright.

If you like the PlayStation 3, fine. But don't ever say things like "Ha ha, you can't afford it." You're jumping Jehoshaphat right I can't afford it! I can't afford a Wii. But this was just one person. There's probably a jerk somewhere who says "ha ha, you can't afford the premium dictionary." People who own PS3s, though rarer, are probably really nice people.

If you're a fan of Xbox 360, that's fine too. LAN parties and Halo 3, right? I've thrown many Halo 2 parties and I hope that you will invite me! If you think it's worth it, well that's your money. But don't ever say things like "the Wii is for immature people" as you turn around and play a 360 game where you... pretend to chainsaw someone's face for entertainment (somehow that's "mature"?).

If you own a Wii, don't throw your controller into the TV.

If you own all three... now that's just wrong.

That was just a little fun and joking. I have to say that, because someone might think I'm dissing "their" gaming system.

Here's the deal. If you buy a product, it does not mean you become a part of the product or even vice-versa. You are not an Xbox 360; you are not a PS3; you and I are not a Wii (or are we?). Chances are, you are not on the staff who made the console. If you are, then you made a great product and you probably don't want to dis the other systems because you know the hard work that goes into them. That would sting hard. This needs to become my mantra.

In actuality, most people who own a video game system do not get enraptured into a daze of fanboyism. Of course, you think a product is cool, and you want to share it with other people because you want to feel confident in your purchase. But it is rare that someone will assert that the product they bought is better than the other person's.

You bought something. I bought something. There's pros and cons. Who cares? Fanboyism in this generation of consoles may have started as a sort of fun dance but now it's getting to a point like the new denominations are going to secede based on what video game system you like.

Remember when we all used to be just regular people who liked to play video games in addition to other things?

As Sapadrew, (coauthor of this blog) said, "Wii is awesome 360 is awesome and PS3 is awesome! Why can't people just hold hands and sing about our great virtual world? lol"

Someday soon, Sapa. Someday soon.

:)

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Nintendo Wii: REPriiSENT Comic 7!

2007-04-05T09:37:00.000-07:00

Mario gets introduced to one of the Wii's Channels.

*Rimshot* Duh-dum-CHISH!

To "Digg" it

To view all Comics

Starfox 64 for Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console!

2007-04-02T11:46:00.000-07:00

Yeah yeah, I know that I strut REPriiSENT as being a blog with only original stuff on it that isn't everywhere else on the internet, but this is Special, and--hold on--there are original stories behind this!

Long ago, Starfox 64 was the first video game demo I ever played. I remember playing it in stores and being surprised by how the controller shook... it was the first time I experienced controller rumble. I was so excited when we had a copy of it in our home. Rumble wasn't built into controllers those days, so the game came packaged with a Rumble Pak! (there's no "c" in the word "pack", so cool.)

oh look! There's that KA for "Kids to Adults" rating I talked about in my last post.

The game also featured multiple ways to get through the game, many "routes." In the first level, which route you took depended on whether you could save Falco (one of the main character's friends), and if you did save him, he would show you a shortcut through a waterfall that would take you to fight a different boss than if you didn't go into it. Things like these determined if the next level you went to was on the hard, medium, or easy track, and you could go back and forth between them depending on scenarios within the game. This equaled (now equals) many possibilities.

Memories range from crashing into the mountains at the beginning and hearing Slippy (one of the main character's friends) say "Nooooooooo... !", to finding out the cool thing that happens when I was finally able to save Falco on the first level, and doing barrel rolls to make the laser bullets of enemies bounce off... and multiplayer was fun too... and... and...

In short, Starfox 64 was my first favorite video game. It featured rumble, a branching storyline, cool 3-D graphics... and it was definitely a challenge. This was one of the greatest games that anyone could play. I anticipate hearing how true this version is to the original, and I'd drop ten bucks to see how I could play it now.

Microsoft, Ahem, Wii is not just for Kids.

2007-03-29T17:21:00.000-07:00

A manager of XBOX recently typecasted (right word?) the Wii. He was quoted in an New York Times story which was quoted on Sickr (an almost daily posted-upon Wii blog)

“We don’t feel like the Wii customer and the Xbox customer are the same thing,” he said. “We think that as soon as the Wii customer turns 14 they want something else.”

- John Rodman, group product manager for the Xbox and Xbox LIVE

What else? "Overpriced gaming systems that largely market pretend killing as entertainment? I’ll pass," (how I commented on the Sickr blog).

The thing that I see the Wii doing is really going to back to more to what gaming was like when it first started. Or rather, what games were like when they first started... What I mean is that with the other consoles, you rarely see a game that is marketed to everyone. Take a good, long look at other consoles' games, just go to the store and look at the front of the game boxes of the previous system by the company, because that's what the games will be like.

You see mostly violent games geared for "people over 14", several really over-the-top games as far as offensive content for what is supposed to be considered "mature" (like it's something we're supposed to grow into), and then a few overly-kiddy games. (And I'm supposed to pay 4 hundred dollars for it?)

None of the games in those categories really appeal to me! I would have to work pretty hard to find a game that is meant to be fun for teenagers and adults to play that doesn't have the idea of me supposed to be getting pleasure out of something wrong.

Then came the Wii.

Yes, the Wii has a few really really really kiddy games, but at the same time, they have many games that are accessible to everyone with very little emphasis on blood and crime games.

At the beginning of consoles, the games were mostly for everyone. Mario, Zelda, Pong, Tetris, etc. If there ever was a game that wasn't for young'n's it probably was because it was too complicated, not because of offensive content.

The ESRB (rating peoples of games) used to have a rating that was "KA" for "Kids to Adults," meaning that it was a game that Adults could enjoy with nothing offensive. A lot of the games for the Wii warrant me saying that this rating needs to come back into circulation.

The Wii pushes the envelope with its unique fun-ness while other consoles push the envelopes of price, graphics, and violence, sex, crime, fill-in-the-blank-here.

Nintencast Members on Overlooked Wii Games

2007-03-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

Reporting from the forums! This is the second time we've visited Nintencast with a question, and like the last time, there were lots of great answers.

The question: Are there any games for the Wii that you personally think are great but are overlooked? If so, why do you think they're good?

-Myles- - I actually don't believe any good Wii game has been overlooked yet, they are each getting great coverage.

Ridstar - I think Wii Play got overlooked. People I know can't really decide whether it's a great game or not. It might not reach up to the standards of Wii Sports, but it's got a great bunch of mini-games that anybody of any age can get into.

THE TWILIGHT PRINCE - i think Sonic will get overlooked, as many people will have though "Oh its another crappy 3d sonic game" and they will put it back down

Kingstevie - I think Wii Sports is overlooked by the reviewers. I don't think enough people realize the genius that it is. It was very annoying to see it recieving very bad review scores, but it is a massive hit anyway.

Chuck_Norris - I don't think there have actually been enough games released for any to get overlooked. Some have sold too well *cough* REDSTEEL *cough* but the quality ones have sold the right amount in my opinion.

Nintencast covers news on the Wii, as well as the the hand-held DS, news and features a podcast and (as you can see) a thriving community. Thanks Guys!

2007-03-14T14:34:00.000-07:00

I know it has been awhile but it is kind of hard to write about something you don't own. Yes, all this time I have not actually owned a Nintendo Wii. Sapadrew does. So, I guess that's a lot of skill, I mean, imagine how good it is when I actually own what I'm talking about.

I guess this is a bit unprofessional, but it is better than nothing. If you're looking for Wii news, I regularly update the Shared Items box in the bottom module of the sidebar to the right. There's some interesting stuff there.

You can also tell us what stories you would like to see and what you would like to be featured on the site.

That's all!

Virtual On Wishes

2007-03-05T17:23:00.000-08:00

Cyber Troopers Virtual-On is an old arcade game from the 1990s that was made by SEGA featuring twin joysticks (flightstick style) to control a Mech (giant robot) in originally one-on-one, but expanded to, two-on-two battles in the third sequel. This game has used a lot of my friends quarters; we've had lots of fun with this 25 cent per play game!

It's kind of like a third-person fighting game with explosives.

Apparently there was also an edition that came out for PlayStation 2 that didn't sell very well in the United States. I believe that the Wii's Nunchuck-Wiimote combo would be a great platform for a fun, new, and sophisticated game with controls akin to what the controls were originally. I know that this would work because I've played a mini game of Super Monkey Ball that uses a similar controlling method to fly spaceships. The point is that I know that the Wii is very well capable of such a fun controlling technique. Maybe this sounds a bit over-the-top but I believe that Virtual On could be for the Wii what Halo is for the Xbox.

SEGA has made many games for Nintendo consoles including Wii, so it's very conceivable for SEGA to make such a game.

There's a demand for an Online-enabled competitive game for the Wii. There's actually a large market for them, even full-scale online Virtual On communities. I've been trying to join an online community to ask them what they think (and to ask them to email SEGA), but in order to join you have to send an email, and none of their email addresses have worked for me yet. If you're listening, VirtualOn.net, I would like to join!

Random tangent aside, I believe that such a competitive title would make for a great game to play on Wii system-link and on online play. The Wiimote and Nunchuck would work as well as, if not better than, the dual handheld flightsticks. Maybe they have the first version in your arcade, I would say to check it out and to email SEGA!

PS: Sorry about the recent lack of posts, yesterday I was having a little trouble uploading the second screenshot into this post!

WiiConnect24 Pros and Cons

2007-02-28T17:32:00.000-08:00

The Wii is great for playing with friends and family in real life, but will it ever be good for playing across an internet connection? Will WiiConnect24 take off soon? I'm not talking about being able to check the weather, download a retro game or vote for your favorite Holiday, I'm talking about online multiplayer.

Even though there are not any online-multiplayer-capable games yet in the United States, the fact that the Wii has free online multiplayer sounds attractive. No other system has free online--alright, the Playstation 3 claims to have free online, but Six Hundred Dollars for the system?... I think you're paying for it.

There are some pros and cons about the Wii's friend code system. Gamers hope that Nintendo will ensure that all games are attached to the same friend code, for ease and to allow you to send cross-game invites. If the Wii will have the fluidity of Xbox's Gamertags with the natural consequences associated with friend codes, it would be a sure success.

What are these natural friend code consequences that I am speaking of? Let me put it this way, on the Xbox, any person with some money to spare can get online, find a game and be a jerk to all the people and then do it again and again. With the Friend Code system, you'd only be playing with people you want to play with, largely only with people you know in real life or maybe you saw their friend code on a gaming forum. If someone is mean... well, they won't have anyone to play with.

But what if there is rarely anyone to play with, even for non-jerks? The beauty of Xbox LIVE was that you could always eventually find a game through a service called "Optimatch" which matched you up with random players based on the criteria you select. Now, it's the time for finding people to play with somehow and entering long, unwieldly friend codes.

Of course, the Wii is largely popular, but I doubt that everyone who bought the Wii got it with the intention of playing online. I believe that because WiiConnect24 is free, if game manuals contain information on online play inside them (like tips on strategizing with your teammates), people would have to at least check it out.

What about GAMES? Well, a game I am getting excited about is Battalion Wars 2. I don't know a whole lot about it except for what it says on the Nintendo Wii page, including the fact that it says "Online Play" in the features. Below is a screenshot. (No, I do not have a copy of an unreleased game I found it on the Internet silly goose.)

Looks strategical.

Another game I would like to see have online multiplayer is Metriod Prime 3, but online multiplayer is not mentioned in the description of it. It was originally going to be launched with the Wii, and the release has been delayed. Because the Metroid game for the handheld Nintendo DS has online capability, we can hope that the delay is for online multiplayer capability!

I'm not sure if there are any sketchy things that would make me not want to get the game even for single player, but either way, the more online-capable games, the better! Eventually non-online games will have to compete with games that have online capability, which will hopefully lead to more online multiplayer games.

The social aspect of the Wii is what draws a lot of people into it, and hopefully there can be this same social aspect over online play.

SD's Three Nintendo Wii Games & Why

2007-02-24T23:53:00.000-08:00

Just on the brink of having enough money, SDtektiv considers three games he wants and why.

First, there is a game that hasn't received a lot of attention, but is considered a solid launch title. I was put off a bit by Excite Truck, thinking that I'd prefer to try a more urban driving game such as Need For Speed Carbon, but after one has read reviews saying that the controlling on the new Need For Speed was sketchy, one may gravitate back to the first Wii game one ever played.

Excite Truck. This was the game I had played three times on Demo at a GameStop. I thought they might have selected this game instead of Wii Sports since you are less likely to throw your controller at the TV with "both hands on the wheel!" The driving of Excite Truck feels like driving. It's a launch title, it's a legit. It's fun and that's the point.

-SD

You will probably guess which one the second one is when I say that it is one that has recieved lots of attention and praise. Despite that, this was one that I would not have picked had you asked me a month ago. The game is Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. People who are not fans of the Wii even a wee bit sometimes finish their opinions on the Wii with "...except for Zelda. That looks awesome." A game like this might not be for everyone, as it contrasts the "Pick-up-and-party-games" that appeal to many people, as this one appears more to be a "Sit-in-a-dark-room-for-hours-for-weeks-till-you-emerge-from-the-depths-having-completed-the-game-or-in-need-of-a-strategy-guide!" I have never finished a Zelda game in my life. Of course, I haven't played that many Zelda games! (like three).

I started to like the new Legend of Zelda when I tried out a demo version of it. The controls were great, it felt free, the visuals were pretty cool, and my only concern about it was if it was eerie or if it had any edgy material in it later on. But, I read a review on Plugged In Online (this place that reviews mainly movies and says precisely what good and bad stuff is in it), and it sounds like for me like there is only a little bit of stuff that might offend my conscience, but not enough to keep me from this legendary adventure game. Plus an adventure sounds like fun.
- SD

The third game is another game that would be completely unlikely for me to want, until I heard of its interactive controls. The game is Madden NFL 07. I was dead-set against sports video games. "I should go outside and play the sport for real!" But, I heard from a friend about the actions of raising your Wiimote and Nunchuck to swat down a pass and other pantomines neccessary to control the action onscreen and I was sold.

That sounds like a much different experience than I've ever had playing a sports game. Plus, my dad and my brother would like playing this game with me. Maybe my mom?

- SD

Sapadrew: "It's Mii"

2007-02-22T15:44:00.000-08:00

Well since I saw SD's Mii I felt it would be cool to try it out too. Here is Mii!

Nintendo Wii Impressions Interview with Madden17

2007-02-21T17:24:00.000-08:00

Phone Interview on February 21, 2007:

SDtektiv: What would you like to be known as?

Madden17

SDtektiv: How long has the Nintendo Wii been in your house?

Madden17: About a month--exactly a month actually.

What Games have you played on the Wii?

Madden17: I have played Wii Sports, Madden, and the Twilight Princess game.

What is your overall impression of the Nintendo Wii?

I love it. It's nice. It's my favorite gaming system I've played... because you have a lot of freedom when you play it. You know, with the dual hand-set controllers.

Have you noticed any bugs or glitches with it?

Not yet. I'm sure if more games come out there'll probably be some because that's what happens with every game system.

So there's no bugs in the console itself that you've noticed?

Nope.

What games do you like best that you've played and why?

Madden is fun because it gets you involved physically. That's the same with Wii Sports.

Last Question. Is there something about the Wii that you think is cool that might be overlooked by the press?

Probably the quality of the games because they're great games, and the press just focuses on the motion-sensing technology.

Thank you for your time Madden17! It looks like it turned out good!
If anyone else would like to be interviewed about the Wii or if you have any comments about the story you can leave a comment!

Online Mii Editor, SD Mii Version!

2007-02-19T12:04:00.000-08:00

I thought it was pretty cool and others might too. This is like the Halo 2 Emblem Generator of the Wii world. It is the Mii Editor, a work in progress(?) by senocular. Here is the closest thing to a picture of me you'll ever get from me online. Here's Mii, except with a mustache, a Foo Man Chu to be exact.

SD: the Mii Edition

Maybe Sapadrew could make one of himself too!

My Apologies

2007-02-18T18:37:00.000-08:00

[UPDATED: February 28, 2007 (see bottom of post)]

Today, a former member of this blog was removed for posting a link to a violent video. This video was unoriginal and was likely to have been found somewhere and then regurgitated onto this page. The post and the member have both been removed and I apologize to anyone who viewed the video by accident. Understand that I have friends and family in real life from school and church who view this web page, and the video was unacceptable.

I apologize and want to establish that it went against everything that REPriiSENT is about. REPriiSENT is about creating original and fun articles about the Nintendo Wii, it is not about just surfing YouTube and then posting a sick and twisted video. I understand that our reputation might be tarnished forever, but the remaining members of REPriiSENT will strive to obtain whatever trust was lost, and I understand that it might be years before that trust is regained.

I'm sorry. From now on I'll only allow people that I know really well to join this blog.

-SDtektiv (Feb 15th 2007)

Recently, i posted a video of, well, a bad video. I would like to truly apologize to ANYONE that saw it and was offended. I am sorry, and i hope you all can forgive me
-Face Head (Feb 28th 2007)

Nintendo Wii Palooza February 17th Update

2007-02-17T10:06:00.000-08:00

At one time I thought that the Nintendo Wii could be a nice alternative to the Xbox 360. Now, after playing both at friends' houses and Demos at video game stores, the Xbox 360 would be a nice alternative to the Nintendo Wii.

At first I was unsure about the Nintendo Wii because of the weird controlling scheme, but then I tried it out. After a try of it, I was hooked. The money I was saving up for a 360 with was now going to go towards a Nintendo Wii.

In the meantime, I decided to start a blog about the Nintendo Wii, this one. And my dream was in a sea of fanatic Nintendo websites peppered with ads and run by people more interested in making a few dollars than just writing, that there would be a blog run by a team of people who love writing and the Wii, who would make original articles instead of always linking to Nintendo and not just providing the general news that you can find in many places.

Sapadrew joined and he was all for it, and he's a very valuable member because he owns a Nintendo Wii; he sees what it is like to own one.

I became too eager for members to join, because I let a third member named FaceHead join. I remembered him from forums, but I didn't actually know him. It was a mistake on my part to let someone I didn't know to join, and I'm sorry because I know that by chances at least one person saw the video he linked to.

I removed FaceHead from the group and I forgive him, because maybe I wasn't clear enough on the rules and I was way too eager to let someone I didn't know join. It was wrong for him to post that, but it was wrong for me to let him join.

I didn't think that he do would what he did. Because of what happened I was tempted to entirely shut down REPriiSENT, because I can't stand thinking of how there is someone who was hurt by it. Our reputation could be ruined, but I hope that it isn't.

I am hoping that anyone who accidentally saw it would email me so that I could apologize, but I'm afraid that the video was so bad and I know that I would not give anyone a second chance for showing it.

But now, I am saving up money for the Wii. I have $230, and I am getting close. (awkward segue) Almost there!

And I know this is off-topic but I've had Xbox LIVE for a year and all I have to say is "You don't need Xbox LIVE, it's $50 to play with racist strangers and occasionally someone nice. Just have Xbox LAN parties every month instead, they're great fun."

Another "great" ending to an article by SDtektiv!

Blurb about Wii Demos

2007-02-16T17:57:00.000-08:00

Demos are great. They give consumers the ability to try out the video game without having to pay for anything. They also give me the ability to play the Nintendo Wii for free! (Until I can save up enough money of course). But now, demos seem to be more complicated for some reason. So here's a short blurb/guide to Wii demos.

First, know where to look. The only places that I know that have Wii demos are either Wii events such as there were at the Monster Jam truck rallies and currently the Burton Tour, and the video game store GameStop. Now here's the important part, be sure to choose a GameStop that is separate from the Mall when going to demo. I say this for a few reasons. At both you will have to wait in line with people who are buying things in order to just rent out a controller. I don't know why. There's less chance that you'll have to wait in a longer line if you go to a GameStop that is not in a mall.

Also, there is one less ring of fire to jump through at a separate GameStop; at both you are required to trade a Driver's Liscense (they accepted my permit so that works too) as collateral since the Controllers are free-roaming and of high-value. But at the one at the mall, you have to also turn in a Credit Card. (You get your cards back when you return the Wii controllers).

There might not be any sort of sign or signal announcing how you can try out the Wii, but if you ask the people at the counter if you can rent a Wii Controller, if it is a GameStop they'll let you.

Related Post of the Past: Wii Kiosks Unnecessarily Complicated

I've visited the GameStop just to play a demo about four times in the past three months. Recently, they have a Legend of Zelda demo. Before, I wasn't sure if I was all that interested in the game, but I played the demo and I had a lot of fun! My only concern is if there is a lot of witchcraft in it or not.

Here's a link to the "Try Wii" section of Nintendo.Wii.Com where you can find various places to try a Wii demo: http://wii.nintendo.com/trywii_index_en.jsp

REPriiSENT! Comic 6!

2007-02-16T16:09:00.000-08:00

This issue of the Comic is a commentary. At one time I would one who would say that a First-Person View game on the Wii could only be weird.

You could click on the comic to view it full-size, or I suppose you could squint really hard to read the text!

Originally, I was going to write an article about this, but I thought that a comic could make more sense. I guess we'll find out soon enough!

CVG members on Xbox LIVE and WiiConnect24

2007-02-14T17:20:00.000-08:00

Reporting from the forum! the segment where we take a question to a forum and report the answers. The forum and the question (and therefore, the answers) are different every time!

Christian Video Gaming is primarily an Xbox LIVE community. So, it was hard to think of a question for Xbox LIVE gamers that would apply to the Nintendo Wii scene:

From what you've seen with Xbox LIVE, in what ways do you think WiiConnect24 needs to be different and the same, and why?

Snuffaluff:
The same: It's hard to say how it should be the same since xbox live is different with every game. I really think that all of live should be as simple as it is in Halo2. Being able to hook up with your friends in a party and then join a server is great fun and I don't see that in any other games. You have to hunt down your friends and then try to find them over and over again after every game. So, how should Wii do things the same... I'm not sure really.

Different: They should have dedicated servers so that there isn't a host advantage, and they can be monitored better. They should try to make it easy to use and easy to find and play with your friends. **as a side note, I'm by far not a computer savvy person. I really don't know if dedicated servers would be better or not. I know the cost would be outrageous.

wyoming:
Nintendo is at times an entirely different ball game than Microsoft. They've been around gaming [console] a lot longer, and have a much larger library of games that are small enough to be offered as a downloadable item. In order for WiiConnect24 to succeed, they need to offer as many of their NES, SNES, N64, and GB[A] as possible for download. They need to modify some of these games so that they are playable with co-op and multiplayer over the WiiConnect service (MarioKart!). They need to start producing more games that are online enabled so that people won't just use the service to download and check the weather. Similar to MS, they may need to offer two tiers of the service, with the purchased tier offering things like dedicated servers.

Those are my views on the service...it seems like they're off to a good start with it.

Thanks guys! (for your very thorough answers!)

Christian Video Gaming's motto is: "an online Christian gaming community which provides a place for Christians to have a fun gaming environment as well as meet and play with other Christians." And here's a link to their forum too!

Nintencast Members on Connecting to WiiConnect24

2007-02-08T16:33:00.000-08:00

Reporting from the forums is a segment where we visit different gaming forums with a question and post some of their answers. Today's forum is the forum of Nintencast, whose slogan is "Bringing you the latest news in the Nintendo Wii and DS World".

There seems to be three methods to connecting to WiiConnect24: a wireless router, Nintendo Wi-fi USB connector through the computer, or the Wii LAN adapter using an ethernet connection.
Which connecting method are you using or planning to use to connect to WiiConnect24 and why that method?

tux_do: I plan on using a wireless router, mostly because it's what I use for my ds

A-Zar: wireless router because it is the best way. i use it for both ds and wii. and [because] i use it for my laptop.

Liam616: i use my home wireless router, but its a different one to the one i use for my ds

THE TWILIGHT PRINCE: I have a Wireless router and it works fine :)

Nintencast features a Podcast and news, reviews, and of course, a forum for fans to mingle in and for me to put a question into. It's been in the links section on this blog for awhile, and they've recently updated their front page, so you should check it out!

Finding Your Way Around the Site

2007-02-06T13:12:00.000-08:00

This post is about various things such as what is on the website, and a bunch of cool things on it that might not be obvious.

This is really cool. Next to the "[B]" at the very top of this blog, is a place where you can type in something you want to search for on this blog. For example, if you wanted to view all the comics on one page, you could search for "Comic."

In the center of the bar is the word "Next Blog", it will take you to a random website that runs on Blogger, I have no control over where this will take you so I don't recommend clicking on it.

In the sidebar to the right of the posts you will find a list of the authors of REPriiSENT. Clicking on one of the names will take you to a search page where you will find the titles of all the stories by that author in a random order!

Below the list of authors is a link about how to join our team, and below that are the categories, Rhythms, that articles fall under. Here is a story about what each Rhythm represents.

Below the Rhythms will be the three most recent comments... sort of. The Recent Comments seem to update themselves every time a new blog post is made. So, what the Recent Comments will tend to show are the three most recent comments except for the comments made on the most recent post.

Next, the Archives. You can "drill-down" the Archives and view every post ever made individually, by month, or by year should you choose to do so.

That's it!

SSX Blur

2007-02-01T19:33:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited! My favorite X-treme sports game is coming to the Wii! This long-time Snowboarding game has a new look and very very cool controls that add the the Wii experience. You can watch a video of it Here .

I really can't wait for it!

The Prevalent Wii Pun is not a Pun

2007-01-29T19:58:00.000-08:00

Since when did anyone say "I'm going to play with my GameCube?" You think you've heard that a hundred times, but before the Wii, you hadn't. If we said it like that, it makes it sound like GameCube and me are going to run around the backyard, kick a soccer ball, jump on the trampoline and cool down with some Otter Pops.

I'm going to play with my Xbox.

Is not something you'd say! I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to play a video game on my Xbox or "I'm going to play Xbox."

Seriously who (other than modders) is going to say "Let's play with my Xbox today..." We never hear that! We hear "let's play Xbox now."

Maybe things are different in your region, but if this is the case, then someone saying "I'm going to play with my Wii" is not an innovative joke but rather far-fetched. The only reason anyone would say that, other than when they think they've discovered some amazingly creative pun and want to get a laugh, would be from the fact that they've had it pounded into their memory by the millions of folks who ingeniously came about such an "original" pun... that isn't even a pun!

In the defense of the people who say this joke, we haven't been given many options, our other two choices to express this thought across are I'm going to play on the Wii... or... I'm going to play Whee! But before you decide to bash the Wii's name, or decide to repeat back to your friends a "joke they've never heard before", just stop, and ponder about how we aren't in the predicament that the French are, who might find themselves saying I'm going to play the yes!

The News Channel

2007-01-26T17:55:00.000-08:00

Well the News Channel is up on the Nintendo Wii (finally) and I have to say I'm pretty impressed. You can find the news on the network or even globally. You can see a video of it at this link. If you are in demand of the news 24/7 this is for you. Also this adds to the family thing Nintendo has got going on. I don't use it that much other than to look at what happened on a global scale. There are some minor bugs in the load time and it crashes from time to time.

Over all I would give it an 8/10 just because it has some minor bugs.

Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

2007-01-23T17:18:00.000-08:00

NEED WII POINTS NOW!

I NEED THEM SO BAD! The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, originally for the SNES, just came out today on the virtual console. This was said to be one of the best Zelda games of all time. Check it out at the article at Nintendo.com.

I want this badly and my local EBgames just ran out of Wii point cards. :(

Nintendo Wii Jacket?

2007-01-22T17:10:00.000-08:00

I spotted the Nintendo Wii on a youth leader's jacket at youth group a few days ago. Turns out it was just a coincidental design element on an REI brand jacket:

Does this not look like a Nintendo Wii jacket?

Podtacular

2007-01-15T12:53:00.000-08:00

Well I am a member over at Podtacular which is the unofficial Halo universe podcast. They had a Wii episode and I was asked to guest host on the round table. You can listen to it here:

SDtektiv's Edit: I switched it to a player with the single episode to make the page-loading time quicker! And my note to my friends and loved ones, I am unaffiliated with Podtacular and by my standards their Podcast is usually raunchy and has lots of 'wrong' jokes. If that sort of stuff doesn't bother you, it is Podtacular Episode 95.

REPriiSENT! Comic 5!

2007-01-11T10:48:00.000-08:00

Out of gas and out of money... what's a traveling "Wii agent" to do?

This is now my favorite issue of the REPriiSENT! Comic!

Japanese Section of Wii.com Proves Interesting!

2007-01-10T11:08:00.000-08:00

Today, school got canceled because of snow, and since there isn't anything entertaining on TV in the morning, for some reason I thought it would be fun to visit the Japanese section of Wii.com . I did, and it was pretty fun! Half of it was trying to figure stuff out!

One of the things I saw was a tutorial on what I'm guessing are the games for "Wii Play." Under the graphic, there are icons representing different Wii Play games and you can, by clicking on any of them, view a tutorial on how to play the game.

As I looked around, I saw a section called "Wii CM." I was curious, so I clicked on it and it took me to what I think is a commercials section.

Here are some commercials that stood out to me:

Wii Remote Action with Sound Effects!

Legend of Zelda!

WarioWare Commercial with purdy Japanese Girls!

The commercials are really cool! If Nintendo is listening, I think that they should air them in America.

If the Japanese Girls are listening, I'm a nice guy, with red hair, which I understand is a rare hair color in Japan. I don't know much Japanese, but I am in my third year of French, and I know that there are more Japanese graphic novels that are translated into French than into English, and that the actual word "Anime" comes from the French. So... parlez-vous Francais? ou English? WarioWare?

Nintendo Wii Notions

2007-01-09T17:09:00.000-08:00

It seems that every time I visit NexGen Wars, the Wii's sales climb by a million. It will be interesting to see if it will surpass the 360. I sent NexGen Wars a few questions in an email to their "press" email address, but I wonder if they have enough time to answer questions; they have to keep track and count sold consoles. You might be wondering just how they do it... me too!

On the bus ride home from school today, a friend of mine and me ended up talking about the Wii. He said that he hadn't heard that great things about it. He added, "I mean, it's probably a lot of fun and all..."

"...but isn't that the point?" I responded.

It is true that if you want excellent graphics and sound and the like, the 360 is a very good overpriced alternative. But what I see in Nintendo is that instead of lots of focus on improving the graphics to make it more realistic, they like to experiment and revolutionize gaming entirely in other aspects. It seems that the other gaming systems just take what is already good and push it as far as they can, and the revolutionizing stuff is not in actual gameplay but in add-ons. Xbox LIVE gets major props though. That was revolutionary.

From what I've heard, WiiConnect24 isn't at the level of Xbox LIVE yet, but it is free.

REPriiSENT! Comic 4!

2007-01-06T13:45:00.000-08:00

Sapadrew made a very good point to me that links can help your blog, so we've added a links section in the sidebar. But, I was thinking that a few more couldn't hurt.

I did this during my studio art class. Sweet! I'm getting credit for drawing a comic for my blog!

Our Name Explained

2007-01-04T16:40:00.000-08:00

Ever since the gaming community--well actually America and Europe in general--realized that "Wii" is the actual name, there may have been just a little Wiiping and gnashing of teeth, but more so, numerous puns and appearances of the one-syllable name have surged.

You've probably heard them, "To Wii or not to Wii?" "Wii want the Wii!", and countless others. It's even showing up in classic rock songs: "Wii will rock you," "Wii are the champions!", and those are puns on titles of songs from just one band.

Even wii have it in our footer: "Wii talk Wii and Wii live what Wii talk!", which is there mostly because it sounds cool.

The name, REPriiSENT! takes this a step back. Instead of making another Wii pun, it's simply the same thing Nintendo did: Take an English word and change a long-sounding "E" into a "double-i."

Whatever puns wii continue to come across, wii can safely say that the Wii puts the Wii in suh-wiit! Sorry, I couldn't wiisist.

REPriiSENT! Comic 3!

2007-01-03T16:12:00.000-08:00

This edition of the REPriiSENT! comic is coming to you in 5 frames! (six if you count the title frame). What happens when the Wii agents' travels take them to the Appalachian Mountains? Click on the picture to see.

Wii Play

2007-01-03T09:57:00.000-08:00

Although Wii play has been delayed here in the U.S. there are some videos from other countries showing some of the fun games in side Wii play. In case you didn’t know Wii play is a collection of mini games that take advantage of your Mii avatars. Here is a small preview.

Wii vs PS3 vs Xbox 360 Statistics

2006-12-31T14:18:00.000-08:00

NexGen Wars has been covering the popularity of the Xbox 360, the Playstation 3, and the Wii.

UPDATE: May 19, 2007: Nexgenwars has changed for the worse. They have chosen to run advertisments featuring scantily-clad women. I have broken the links to them for this reason. They were special because they didn't have a lot of ads... now they do. Another one bites the dust, this is disappointing.

UPDATE: May 19, 2007 CONTINUED: I have left the counters above for anyone who wants to see the numbers without exposing themselves to the unfortunate stuff. Nexgen wars was cool until they lowered their standards, now I see it as just another crappy site, but that could change if they changed.

Gaming is Different now.

2006-12-30T18:30:00.000-08:00

Some people sit in front of their TV, passively intaking what they see and hear. We? We aren't those people, you and I. We are not better than anyone else, it's just that we see that glass screen as a tool for playing; gaming is different.

Depending on which video game, it can require problem-solving, having quick reactions, anticipating movement and knowing when to time things right. This is what I think draws people into it, and what makes it fun! We aren't sitting in a dark room with no lives, we're just like everybody else, except we have more interactive entertainment choices.

When people invite us to their houses or to events we go. We are social. Sometimes we take the games along with us to share and to have a little fun competition. And now with the Wii, we can move! (talk about immersion). This can help us share our love of gaming with others, and it puts a freshness and life back into gaming.

Plus, There's nothing good on TV anyway. If there was, we wouldn't notice... we're too busy having fun.

UPDATE at 8:37: I realized that this post makes it sound like video games are the only form of entertainment I entertain myself with! This isn't the case. I also listen to music, watch movies, and read... and on occaison, maybe I'll watch Rachael Ray.

Seven Nintendo Wii Sites

2006-12-29T11:53:00.000-08:00

Seven links. Three Sentences. Can he do it?

There was some Definitive Speculation about the Wii. I just think it is Sickr than the others because it can offer more than a Wiikly dose when it comes down to the Wiire...

I've got three more links, Help Mii! Nintencast! O-pah?

Tell us about your Nintendo Wii Blog!

2006-12-27T13:17:00.000-08:00

REPriiSENT! is considering having a links section of other Nintendo-related blogs. If you know of a really good, relatively ad-free blog about the Wii, maybe its one that you own yourself, please submit it to us by leaving a comment and why we should have a link to it.

You can be sure I'll get the comment. After you submit your site, either Sapadrew or I will look at the blog and decide if it should be linked to.

I know that I'm curious about reading other Wii-related blogs, so you'll have at least one more reader of your blog if you submit it in the comments, and even if it doesn't make to the link list, someone's bound to read the comment and check it out anyway!

Virtual Console Alternatives

2006-12-26T13:04:00.000-08:00

You're itchin' to get a Wii Points card to buy retro games on Wii's Virtual Console, but hold on! You might save some money by considering a few ways that you can play the very same games offered on Virtual Console and possibly save some money.

Alternative Numero 1. Certain games may be available in a "collection" or "anniversary" game disc for the GameCube. Examples are Sonic: the Hedgehog Mega Collection and Megaman Anniversary Collection, which are essentially a bunch of retro titles in the series on one disc. GameCube Discs and Controllers and Memory Cards are compatible with the Wii.

Pros -Get a bunch of retro games on one disc instead of having to buy them individually
-May have games not yet offered on Virtual Console

Cons -May have to unlock other games on disc by completing the first games presented on the disc.

Et Cetera -Only really worth it if the disc costs less than what it would cost to buy the games that interest you on the disc on Virtual Console

Alternative Numero 2. Games may exist as GameBoy Advance (GBA) Titles. Nintendo released a few NES (original Nintendo) games in the GameBoy Advance cartridge format such as the original Mario, Metroid, and Zelda titles.

Pros -can take with you on-the-go on the GBA and DS (the latest Nintendo Hand-held gaming system)

Cons -you're limited to the GameBoy or DS's handheld screen unless Nintendo releases a device that allows one to play GameBoy games on the TV through the Wii--which they may do because it came out with such a device for the GameCube.

Et Cetera -Only worth it if the cost of the game in GameBoy Advance form is less than the price ($5 for an NES game) on Virtual Console, and you have a GameBoy Advance or DS of course!

Alternative Numero 3. Alright I feel a little guilty mentioning this one. Using an Online Console Emulator. An emulator is a program that allows you to download and play many illegally copied retro games on your computer.

Pros -Free

Cons
-"..it is illegal to download and play a Nintendo ROM from the Internet." -says Nintendo's Legal FAQ
-Have to sit at computer.
-From unofficial and even untrustworthy sources. Because you have to download programs from unofficial sources, could be dangerous (virus, spyware coming with the game, etc.)
-Downloading the game for free doesn't support the game publishers.

Et Cetera -It is illegal. Even if you already own a copy of the game! I personally do not advise this practice, but I included it in the list because people have been doing this for years including at times when the only way they could get the retro games was through this method. It is worth noting that Nintendo also says in their legal FAQ:

"...the current availability of a game in stores is irrelevant as to its copyright status. Copyrights do not enter the public domain just because they are no longer commercially exploited or widely available."

Also, they say that I can get into trouble if I make a link to an example of an Online Emulator, so here's a link to a Wikipedia (online encyclopedia) entry about Console Emulators.

Alternative Numero 4. On the original retro system console

Pros -if you got it and it works, nothing beats playing retro games as they were originally played, authentic feel

Cons -that's the thing about old systems... they're old, and they may not be in as pristine a condition as they were when they came off of the assembly line.

Et Cetera -If you are considering getting a title from Virtual Console and you have a retro gaming console, it is worth trying the game one more time in its original format before shelling out those Wii Points for a game you already have.

Lastly, commentary on the Virtual Console itself!
The beauty of it is being able to play games of old, not off of a game cartridge which may freeze mid-game or get dusty, but off of the memory of your Wii. This means that the hassle of maintaining an old system or game is eliminated, though you should probably take good care of any game system no matter how new it is.

The convenience of being able to sit down and enjoy a retro game without trying to find it at a store is a great feature, and a great option. Plus, games can't be sold out.

I encourage those who may already own the game in GBA, GameCube, or the original format to check to see if they already have the game they're considering, and to consider if their Wii Points, and money, would be better saved or spent on a game they haven't experienced yet.

Games in Action Members on GameCube Games

2006-12-25T12:36:00.000-08:00

Reporting from the forums! is a segment where we visit different gaming communities' forums, ask them a question, and report the answers.

Today's forum: Games in Action

The Question:
"Because the Wii is backwards compatable, are there any
GameCube games that a Wii-owner should get?"

"
xTDCx Roggie (moderator):
Tales of Symphonia. Best Gamecube RPG out there. Amazing storyline (until the end, where it's a little bit corny), great gameplay, and it's just fun. I hate cartoonish graphics, but I loved the graphics. I can't think of one complaint with the game.

Johnrap (administrator):
OK, I"ll play along, Mario Kart Double Dash is great for playing with your nieces and nephews, because it's four player. You can even play 2 vs 2, kind of like with Warthogs.

RoAFie (moderator):
Super Smash Bros Melee. Best fighting game ever. It's fun and the controls are simple. Plus who wouldn't want to beat up Jigglypuff.

TwilightWolf 77 (moderator):
Zelda: Wind Waker for definite. Especially if you're getting Twilight Princess.

Christmas Update for Readers

2006-12-25T08:10:00.000-08:00

Improvements made to the blog this month included:

the blog existing!
Sapadrew Joining!
Customization
REPriiSENT! added to Technorati today!
The authors' names now function as a link to a search of all their posts on this blog!

Future plans:

Articles featuring "reporting from a forum" where we visit a forum with a question and bring back their best answers in a blog post.
The same things we've been doing.
New Writers joining! Hopefully!
Me responding to comments more (after all since I appreciate them so much might as well tell them!)

Want to join our writing team?

2006-12-24T20:30:00.000-08:00

A blog is a great place to hone your writing skills in a place where people can read and comment on your work. It's so cool to see your work up on a website, not to mention a lot of fun!

We are a humble group starting out this blog project, and we would like anyone who might be interested in trying out being a team member of this website to let us know! There's no pressure on you to post a certain number of times a week or anything, the only sort of thing close to that is just that we ask you to keep it high-quality and try your hardest.

So, if you're a fan of the Nintendo Wii, are cool with our Code of Conduct , and have some knowledge and opinions that you would like to share, you're welcome to join our team! If you try it and find out that being a part of our team isn't for you, you can leave with no hard feelings, but I hope that you'll find writing and posting on REPriiSENT! to be a relaxing and fun hobby when you have free time.

Email: SDtektiv(at)yahoo(dot)com
I'll send you a few questions asking why you want to join, why you are interested in the Nintendo Wii, and use your answers to introduce you with a post!

Links:
Code of Conduct for Writers

So, if you are into writing or want to try it out, or have some enthusiasm about the Nintendo Wii, join us and see if this is something you want to do!

SD's Christmas Note to readers:
If you're just into reading, that is just as important and I am sure that Sapadrew is also thankful for every visitor or passerby who looks over our articles! Merry Christmas!

Wii Kiosks Unnecessarily Complicated

2006-12-23T14:25:00.000-08:00

Go to an Xbox 360 or PS3 kiosk (little demo-playing stand) and you'll find the simple way to demo, pick up the controller and play.

Go to a Wii kiosk and you'll have a little trouble as there is not a controller there, and if the store is smart enough they'll put a sign up saying to trade your ID to rent a Wii Controller at the counter. One store that I went to did this, the other didn't. At the one without the sign I was unsure what to do so I asked a roaming store helper if I could rent out a Wii Controller. I expected him to take me back to the counter and trade me for it, but instead he directed me to go to the counter, in which I'd have to wait in line behind people who were buying things.

As I waited, I thought it might be better if they had a separate counter or section with a huge sign that said "Wii Controllers here, need ID." It doesn't make sense to have to wait in line behind people who were making deals and asking questions for a simple, "here's my ID, thanks for the Wiimote, see you in 15 minutes" transaction.

My waiting had ended, and it was my turn to talk to the guy at the counter. I was ready rent a Wii controller out with my Drivers' Permit in hand. I placed it on the counter, but then he said I needed a Credit Card too. I had a little disappointment because I thought that I had waited for nothing... Fortunately, my mom was nearby so I used hers. From there I walked from the counter all the way to the entrance where the kiosk was.

Finally, I could play. The game, just like the one at the last store I went to, was "Excite Truck." I had a lot of fun playing it, and one of my concerns was that one of the people watching me would want to play and I would have to somehow explain that I need to trade it with the counter person.

The game was a lot of fun, especially since this was my second time with it and I understood it a little better. It was fun figuring out how to play Excite Truck, but I didn't like the game of getting to play it.

Oftentimes the fun of a game can be in figuring it out and getting used to its difference, but I didn't want that element to spill out to the process of getting to play it.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

2006-12-21T18:36:00.001-08:00

Wow! What can I say about this game! Well I might as well start off with the bad things and get to the good stuff.

Bad thing#1: If you just want to learn the ending and skip all the game play, well... good luck because this game clocks in at over a week!
Bad thing#2: At times the AI for the enemies seems to be lacking unless they're in groups or a boss of some sort.

Ok now to the good stuff. Well The Legend of Zelda TP takes place in your standard Hyrule being invaded but this time by a misty force called the TWILIGHT. Your job is to well stop them and save Princess Zelda.

To aid you in your adventure you have Midna. She comes into the story very early to help you as you are wolf. She can:

Teleport you when needed
Change you into a wolf and back on demand and
Tell you helpful hints during game play (kind of like Navi)

Once you pick up this game you will find out how open ended this world is. It is very fun to explore and find little Easter eggs here and there.

TP also uses very cool features on the Wii-mote. You can wave your controller to do a simple slash or you can flick your Nunchuck and do a spin attack. Using your arrows is a simple point and click feature that is very helpful in combat.

Well some of the items in your adventure are remakes from other Zelda games but there are a few new ones COUGH(spinner)COUGH that will help you solve puzzles and find hidden places.

All and all this is a really good game and its completely worth buying a Wii for all on its own.
I give it a 9.9/10

Line Rider for Wii and DS

2006-12-19T17:56:00.000-08:00

I just read an article on the Wiire. A fun game that runs on the flash program today, called Line Rider will have a game for the DS and the Wii! Why the exclamation point? Well, being curious as I am, I played it and it was pretty cool.

Line Rider

UPDATE: I went back for another session of Line Rider, it is fun!

REPriiSENT Comic 2!

2006-12-19T11:33:00.000-08:00

I was a fan of Rachael Ray and her 30 minute meals on Food Channel. Now it seems that she's showing up in a lot of places. Click on the picture to read it full-size, and please let me know what you think!

The Rhythms Explained

2006-12-19T11:23:00.000-08:00

Just be glad I didn't call them "Phat Beats". All the articles on this blog somehow relate to the Wii, but in different ways. Here's an explanation of all the Rhythms:

Hype is the Team ranting and raving about games and features we think are cool but haven't been consumed by us or really experienced by us yet. Expect to find articles along the lines of Previews, News, First Impressions on games, and the like.
Philosophii covers basics about the blog, like what it's about, what we believe, explaining features of the blog, stuff like this post actually.
Reviews are articles about games, features, and magazines that have been explored through and through, forwards and backwards that member(s) have come to form their own distinct and detailed conclusions and opinions on.
Communitii stories zero in on a specific person or group and focus on the human rather than the machine. Interviews and other individual-related articles will fall under this category.
Motlii are articles that don't fit under any other category. Though it will still be Wii-related, some randomness is to be expected!

The purpose of these categories is just to look cool and to help people who feel like just browsing particular types of articles!

Wii GameCube Capable

2006-12-18T10:18:00.000-08:00

I do not own a GameCube, so when I got excited about a game, I was disappointed that it was for GameCube and not for the Wii. Then, it dawned on me. The relationship between the GameCube and the Wii is much different than the relationship between the XBOX and the 360.

The Wii has one-hundred percent backwards compatibility for GameCube games, even the GameCube controllers are compatible! This means I'll be looking for cheap deals on the Starfox, Metriod, and Super Smash Brothers Melee games, and for a few GameCube controllers to play the games as well.

Since my XBOX no longer works, I bet I could trade some games in, hopefully on a one-for-one basis since they're the same generation.

EDIT 11:09 AM: The Wii has two slots for GameCube Memory Cards as well, but it appears that you have to have a GameCube Memory card to save your place in a GameCube game when playing it on the Wii. Link: Crave: Must-have Nintendo Wii accessories. Maybe Sapa can confirm this for us!

Wii Virtual Console

2006-12-17T18:30:00.000-08:00

By directly connecting the Nintendo Wii to the internet, there are a few features of it that open up to you. One is the ability for you to purchase and download retro games to the console by using "Wii points" that you get off a card you buy at a video game store.

Since I don't like doing a lot of mental math, I like how the "Wii Points" system seems to be close to American cents initially. Since 2000 Wii points costs $20, I suppose you could say that based on the Wii Point-values it's about $5 for a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) game, $8 for an Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) game, and $10 per N64 game. Sega Genesis, a gaming console that rivaled the SNES will also have some games available for $8, and I'll be honest, I know nothing about the system TurboGrafx-16 except that they cost 600 Wii points ($6) and like the NES games, they can be played on the Wii Remote, whereas most of the others require either a Wii "Classic" Controller and some, a Gamecube Controller will work.

I can imagine people being able to go through sequels of games which series' spans multiple consoles without having to find old systems and get them to work, and having an XBOX and having a friend who has an NES, I know that it will be a plus being able to play retro games without having to worry about if the system will "recognize" the game cartridge. It's been said that there have been many many renditions of some games like Zelda and Mario, and since it's compatible with GameCube games, I suppose fans could have fun trying to go through them one by one!

Personally, I'll probably not use this feature too much, but it sure is nice to have the option!

Here's a link to the Wikipedia (online Encyclopedia) entry on it that has a lot of information including charts and information on problems such as how some popular games might not be liscensed on Virtual Console due to the company that made it being bought by a rival of Nintendo.
Wikipedia: Virtual Console

LOL commercial

2006-12-17T09:36:00.000-08:00

Well I was just surfing around on youtube and i found an amazing commercial that brings up a good point. Well just check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnxEnoosh4Q

REPriiSENT! Comic!

2006-12-16T13:22:00.000-08:00

I drew a comic and I think it rocks! Click on the image to see it full-size in all its glory! Let me know what you think!

Review: Nintendo Power Magazine Jan 2007

2006-12-16T13:06:00.000-08:00

Reviewing: Nintendo Power, Volume 211,

Specs:
$4.99 US, $6.99 CDN
Found at Fred Meyer but not at Albertson's
Cover Feature: Zelda "Stayin' Alive In Hyrule", and "Zelda's creator reflects on Twilight Princess."

I used to have my mom buy copies of Nintendo Power for me in my N64 days, now, because of my interest in the Wii, and because of a power outage (sorry bad pun), I decided to revisit this magazine.

The main reason I bought this magazine was for the eight Wii reviews featured on the teaser bar on the top of the cover, but I was delighted to find lots of cool stories and doodads along the way. For example, do you know what Pikachu's name means? Pokemon has gotten to the point with me that it is not dorky but nostalgic, and there is a short Pokemon manga (Japanese comic) insert. Other goodies I was surprised with was a two-sided poster (modern Zelda on one side, Retro Sonic on the other), and a mini-page-thing of four Wii stickers.

Some things, being me, that I have to warn about is a sexy Tomb Raider ad on the back cover and a couple sexy ads throughout the magazine. However, this is nothing that a folded piece of computer paper and masking tape couldn't fix.

All in all, I enjoyed the reviews and my absolute favorite article was a feature on the yet-to-be-released WarioWare game for the Wii. The article shows the different ways you must hold the Wii Remote to complete the task of particular minigames (the game is essentially a rapid fire of random tasks). Each way to hold it was accompanied by a few screenshots of a couple minigames that requires that controller-holding method. It's worth noting that there is also plenty of content discussing games for the DS (Nintendo's latest handheld), for DS fans, but there's plenty of Wii content too. Basically, if you like either the Wii or the DS or both, it's good. There, I said it.

In conclusion, I'm glad to see Nintendo Power still doin' their thing. This was a great issue, I enjoyed the extra things that came with it, and if it wasn't for the sexy pictures, I would buy a subscription in a heartbeat!

A sad day in my entertainment center

2006-12-15T16:30:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is really a sad day. My Wii has been sent in to a call-back by Nintendo. It seems that the wrist strap and the controller are being held together by this tiny little piece of string that easily rips off. Hopefully I get my Wii back soon.

Introducing: sapadrew!

2006-12-14T18:23:00.000-08:00

Sapadrew is now official a member of this blogging team. His knowledge of the Nintendo Wii and experiences will be a great asset to this blog. Let's find out a bit about him!

Why did you join REPriiSENT?

Well mostly because I love to talk about how great the Wii is! In fact I got one of my friends to buy a Wii!

What first got you interested in the Nintendo Wii?

The motion controller and of course my lifetime love of Zelda! I have been playing it since the Ocarina of Time!

What do you like about the Nintendo Wii?

Although there aren't many games out at the moment the ones that they do have out are awesome!

What features or games are you looking forward to with the Nintendo Wii?

Super Smash Bros. Metroid, and Farcry. If Nintendo comes out with another Mario Cart, that would be cool too.

I know all too well that you are/were a big fan of the Halo game series, why did you decide not to continue by buying the XBOX 360 and later, Halo 3?

Well mostly for Zelda, but the fact that the Wii has such a cool controller I could not stay away. Also I feel that the Xbox 360, although a great system, just doesn't have enough other than Halo 3 to keep me interested.

Lastly, say anything you would like to say.

Wii is awesome 360 is awesome and PS3 is awesome! Why can't people just hold hands and sing about our great virtual world? lol

Wii Comebacks!

2006-12-13T19:51:00.000-08:00

Some of you may have heard some people say some fightin' words about the Wii... Well here's some comebacks you could use. Please note that this is just for fun and people should not take it personal.

A Playstation 3 owner says: Ha! Wii?! That's such a dumb name.

Response:
Yeah, "PS3", I wonder where they thought of that original name!

PS3 Owner: PS3's controller has motion-sensing capabilities!

Response: But no rumble. And, the PS3's motion-sensing capabilities aren't really the same and don't compare to the Wiimote's.

PS3 Owner: the PS3 is state-of-the-art!

Response: Yeah, but can it do this? *Pulls Nintendo Wii out of pocket, puts it back in. *

Now for Xbox 360 Owners:

360 Owner: Xbox LIVE is thriving.

Response: for $60 a year. It might not be thriving yet but the Wii is new and the online service is free.

360 Owner: You say the Wii has more "fun-for-all-ages" games, but you don't have Viva Pinata!

Response: Viva Pinata might be a great game, but its for young'ns. The Wii's "fun-for-all-ages" games are fun for all ages.

360 Owner: You only have one thumbstick, ONE! How can you expect to have a good control scheme?

Response: The motion of the Wiimote and the nunchuck can implement the controls often used by other consoles' "second thumbstick" in a cooler way. *points Wiimote.*

360 Owner: You can recieve updates when the Wii is off? Sounds a little Wii-erd.

Response: True. (when on Xbox LIVE in Halo 2 lobby) By the way you failed to load the map.

For Both:

360 and PS3 owners: blah blah blah blah blah

Response: Nintendo's not price-gouging their fans. *Runs away*

Fun Factor over Graphics

2006-12-13T16:20:00.000-08:00

The main purpose of video gaming has always been for fun. There's nothing like an XBOX LAN party, and I can't wait to see where the Nintendo goes with this. Will the Wii's wireless connectivity lead to people renting out Coffee Shops, Churches, and other places with wireless internet in order to have WiiConnect24 parties? Who knows? But that's for another post. This post is about the main selling point of any game system. The games.

It has been said that the Wii's graphics, when compared to the PS3's and the 360's, aren't up to par. I agree that there are more games for those systems with ultra-HD graphics, but am I really willing to fork over so much money when there's not many games that interest me on those systems?

Though there are games for the Nintendo Wii with really bad graphics, there are some with really good graphics, the new Zelda game for example. I believe that as more game developers take time to push the Wii's graphic capabilities with their games, there will be games with better and better graphics.

But graphics are only one part of a game, another is the fun factor. The games on the Nintendo Wii look fun to play. I've even had the chance to try out Excite Truck at a store, and that was a lot of fun to play, and I can't wait to try out the steering system with a game that interests me more, Need for Speed Carbon.

The premise of the games of the Nintendo Wii seem to have an emphasis on fun for everyone, including people my age (I'm in High School). On the other hand, the front of the line-up for the 360 is gory killfest games of carnage, and the games that aren't like that are geared for really young kids. Neither of those two categories really interest me, and I'm not even going to comment on the PS3 because (here it comes...) it is 600 dollars!

Microsoft can show me excellent graphics all day but what's it worth if there's only one game and a few mini-arcade games on it that interest me?

The main purpose for gaming has always been for fun, and the sheer quantity of games that appeal to me on the Wii greatly surpass the others. I say this based on just my reading articles of new games coming out for it, and my limited time trying out a demo at a game store. They aren't trying to price gouge me and it's a game system with lots of games. Sounds like a good equation to me.

REPriiSENT seeking Writers!

2006-12-12T20:23:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: AS OF FEBRUARY 16, 2007, ONLY PEOPLE WHO I KNOW CAN BECOME AUTHORS OF REPRIISENT. I LEARNED THAT I SHOULD DO THIS THE HARD WAY.

Are you a fan of the Nintendo Wii? Do you love writing or want to try it? REPriiSENT is seeking to build a team of writers who want to write recreationally for this independant blog. Once you join the blog, you'll be welcome to come and go as you please and post whatever you want having to do with the Nintendo Wii and gaming in general. Reviews, Profiles, your beliefs on the Wii, how you got interested in buying the Wii... Just be sure to check out the Code of Conduct and see if the philosophii of this blog matches up to yours.

If you're sure or just interested, please send me an email at SDtektiv (at) yahoo (dot) com. I'll send a few questions asking why you want to write for this blog. If you decide that you want to try it out, I'll make you a team member, and make a post introducing you on the blog. The best part is that this is just for the joy of writing and you can come and go as you please, post a lot or a little, long articles or short blurbs, it doesn't matter, just so long as we do our best to keep it high-quality!

Noteworthy Wii Titles

2006-12-12T20:09:00.000-08:00

Some games that look cool to me
and why I'm interested...

Need For Speed Carbon
I liked how the Wii's steering worked in the Excite Truck demo at GameStop, I bet that the steering would be loads of fun in the arena of Street Racing in the City. Plus you can customize your ride.

WarioWare
Non-stop hilarity, task after task after task. Perhaps that could be a bad thing sometimes, but I think it would be awesome at parties.

Metroid Prime 3
Hey I like Halo 2 which is a Sci-Fi shooter, maybe I could give Metroid Prime 3 a chance and see how I like it!

Rayman Raving Rabbids
I'm not a huge fan of Rayman, but this game's premise is enough. From what I've seen this is what it seems to be: instead of the Gladiator you have Rayman, the fans are crazy bunnies, and instead of death battles, mini-games! This could be lots of fun with my friends!

Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII
There's not a lot of hype with this game, but then again there was not a lot of hype with the first Matrix movie when it came out. I wonder what the game designers will do with the potential of having the Wii's position-senses integrated with the controlling of the plane. I hope they find a cool control scheme.

SSX Blur (remember SSX Tricky, the snowboard game?)
The SSX snowboarding video games of the past were fun, and what's there not to like about doing crazy tricks down a steep mountain?

Elebits
Players manipulate and navigate every-day environments to find mini-creatures. A first-person shooter where there is gun shown onscreen, your Wiimote is the grav-gun!

Code of Conduct

2006-12-12T18:12:00.000-08:00

Code of Conduct for the writers and members of REPriiSENT:

You can cuss, but the policy when it comes to posting on this blog is "No Cussing. Ever. Not even things that resemble cussing are allowed." You're welcome to cuss as much as you want just so long as no one else can see it or hear it. If you cuss once on accident when playing a game or something, that's not okay, but we're not going to ban you for it. I understand if you gotta cuss, but there's a difference between cussing out loud and typing cuss words for all to see.
Be nice. Never nag people publicly about misspellings in their posts or mistakes in online gameplay. We are here to have fun.
Never embarrass someone in public. If you have beef with someone, send them an email or something.
People will not be judged on how "active" they are on a website.
Keep it clean. Lewd jokes are not allowed and no sexy pictures or links to them are allowed.
Cheating in a way that uses something outside of the game in the raw will not be tolerated.
Always have good sportsmanship.
Only join if you want more people to play with on WiiConnect24 (once it gets going that is).

Finally, if you like these rules this is the place for you. If you don't like these rules or you find them ridiculous, you're cool, but I recommend checking out a different place, or making your own website. The reason for having such a code is to make it 100% clear who this group is for and who this group isn't for.

About the Blog

2006-12-12T17:59:00.000-08:00

This blog was established on December 12th 2006. I have a vision and hope for this blog that it will expand to be a team blog with many Nintendo Wii fans writing just for the sake of writing.