The Wii (/wiː/, WEE; also known as the Nintendo Wii) is a video game home console made by Nintendo.[22] It first came out on November 19, 2006, in North America. It plays video games made just for the Wii. The original model also plays games for the Nintendo GameCube.[22] It was succeeded by the Wii U on November 18, 2012 which can play and use all Wii games and controllers. With over 101 million units sold, the Wii is Nintendo's second-highest-selling home console, after the Nintendo Switch.[23] The original Wii and Wii Family Edition were discontinued on October 21, 2013, although the Wii Mini was still in production until November 13, 2017. The Wii received positive reviews.
There are many things called Channels on the Wii. They are called channels because, just like on TV, you can look through channels by pressing − and +. Each Wii Channel does something different. Some of them need to connect to the Internet to work, using either Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection or WiiConnect24, but some information that has been saved can be viewed without a connection to the Internet. WiiConnect24 could not be used anymore on June 27, 2013.
Disc Channel
Games can be played on this channel after a Wii game disc or Nintendo GameCube disc is put in the disc slot.
Wii Shop Channel
The Wii Shop Channel was used to buy and downloadVirtual Console (old) games, WiiWare games, and other Wii channels. An Internet connection was needed to use this channel. The Wii Shop Channel closed on January 31, 2019.
Mii Channel
The Mii Channel is where a player can make an avatar called a Mii to represent them, either in the Mii Channel's online feature Mii Parade, or in games that allow using Miis and most other Wii channels mentioned here.
News Channel
The News Channel was used to look up news on different topics, ranging from national news to sports and entertainment. An Internet connection was needed to use this channel.
Forecast Channel
The Forecast Channel was used to check the weather forecast for most cities around the world. There was a feature that let you select your local area to receive weather updates. An Internet connection was needed to use this channel.
Everybody Votes Channel
The Everybody Votes Channel was a channel containing regularly updated polls. There were three national polls (updated on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays) along with one worldwide poll. An Internet connection was needed to use this channel.
Internet Channel
The Internet Channel allowed users to access the web. It is based on the Opera Browser. You would need an Internet connection to use this channel. On September 1, 2009, the Internet Channel became free to download after an update was released to support Adobe Flash. Refunds consisting of a free Virtual Console NES title worth 500 Wii Points were offered by Nintendo to Wii owners who had downloaded it before for the same price.[source?]
Check Mii Out Channel
The Check Mii Out Channel (known as the Mii Contest Channel in Europe) was used to send and pick up other Miis, and was also used in voting contests to see which Mii was the best. An Internet connection was needed to use this channel.
Nintendo Channel
The Nintendo Channel was used to watch videos, collect and send feedback on certain Wii titles, and download Nintendo DS game demos to a Nintendo DS using the DS Download Service. An Internet connection was needed to use this channel.
Today and Tomorrow Channel
The Today and Tomorrow Channel is a channel that was only released in Europe on September 9, 2009, used to view daily horoscopes. Up to six Mii characters can be registered. It offers advice on five topics: love, work, study, communication, and money. It also offers hints on food, fun, and care. Another feature is a Mii compatibility check.
Homebrew Channel
The Homebrew Channel is an unofficial (it does not come with the Wii) channel used for loading unofficial software, or homebrew. With Homebrew, you can do many things that the Wii cannot normally do on its own (play DVDs, stream media from a computer, run emulators, etc.).
Wii Speak Channel
The Wii Speak Channel is downloadable once you buy the Wii Speak, used in certain games like Animal Crossing: City Folk. An Internet connection is required to use the Wii Speak Channel.
Wii Remote
The Wii Remote in a person's hand
The Wii Remote is a controller that is like a regular television remote. The Wii Remote uses accelerometers and infrared light sensors (from LEDs inside a 'sensor bar') to know where it is in 3D space.[25] This lets people control the game using physical movement and by pressing buttons. The controller connects to the console using Bluetooth. It has a rumble feature (the controller shakes when the game being played tells it to do so) and a speaker inside the remote.
An attachment to the Wii Remote that comes with the Wii console and can also be bought by itself in stores is the Nunchuk controller. It also has an accelerometer and an analog stick with two buttons, and it connects to the bottom of the Wii Remote with a wire. A wrist strap can also be used to stop the player from dropping or throwing the Wii Remote. Because of problems with the straps, Nintendo has given all players a free stronger replacement for all straps.[26] It also comes with a cover called the Wii Remote Jacket, which protects the Wii Remote and the thing that it hits from being damaged or broken.[27] It also gives a stronger grip, which makes it harder for the Wii Remote to slide out of players' hands.
Attachments for the Wii Remote
Nintendo and many other companies have made attachments for the Wii Remote. They are usually connected by a wire or by a small plug at the bottom of the Wii Remote.
Nunchuk
The Nunchuk, looked at from the side
The Nunchuk is the most common attachment for the Wii Remote. It is made to fit perfectly into someone's hand. It comes packaged with the Wii. The Nunchuk has an analog stick on the front and two buttons on the back. A Nunchuk is needed for many Wii games, as it is required to move characters around the game. The name "Nunchuk" is a play on the word "Nunchuck" or "nunchaku".
Wii Motion Plus
The Wii Motion Plus connects to the bottom of the Wii remote to help the sensors find the remote more accurately. It improves the playing of some games.
Classic Controller
Nintendo has released a "classic" controller for the Wii. The design is similar to the SNES's controller, but it has two analog sticks and four shoulder buttons instead of two. It was mainly made for playing older games that can be bought from the Wii Shop Channel.
Zapper
There is also a case that looks like a gun for the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. It is named the Zapper after a NES gun controller. When the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk are placed inside it, the shape of the controller in the player's hands changes. The Zapper does not actually plug into the Wii Remote. It just holds it in place. The Zapper also included a free, short game to help the player get used to it.
Instruments
There are many pretend instruments made by Nintendo and other companies for playing music video games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band. So far, they have made guitars and drums. They plug into the bottom of the Wii Remote. There are also microphones that plug into the USB port on the back of the Wii console.
Wheel
There is also a plastic wheel. These came with Mario Kart Wii and other racing or car driving games. The Wii remote goes into the middle of the wheel. There are some built-in buttons on the wheel to make it easier to reach the buttons on the remote.
Models
Wii Family Edition
A revision of the Wii (also called the RVL-101) that was released near the end of its lifecycle was announced on August 17, 2011. This model is designed to only sit horizontally (with the buttons changed accordingly) and is incompatible with the Nintendo GameCube's software and its accessories. This model was released in North America on October 23, 2011, in Europe on November 4, 2011, and in Australia on November 11, 2011. It was not released in any Asian countries. The Wii Family Edition includes a black console, the game New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and the Super Mario Galaxy: Original Soundtrack.
Wii Mini
A red Wii Mini
Another late-cycle revision of the Wii (also called the RVL-201) was announced on November 27, 2012.[28] As its name suggests, the Wii Mini is the smallest model of the Wii. Like the Family Edition, it is not compatible with GameCube games or its accessories. In addition, it also does not have online features and several built-in channels, such as the Photo Channel and the Weather Channel, similar to the Wii Mode on the Wii U. It also can only sit horizontally. The main feature is its notable redesign. Unlike the original Wii and Family Edition, which are mostly white, the Wii Mini is black with a red frame. All the buttons are located on the top of the console, and it lacks online support for Wii games. Additionally, the Wii Mini has a manually operated top-loading disc drive (similar to that of the GameCube) instead of the slots that former models have. The console launched in Canada on December 7, 2012 for $99.99. It was then released in Europe on March 15, 2013 at a cost of at least $79.99. It was then launched in the UK on March 22, 2013 for $99.99. It was finally launched in North America on November 17, 2013, bundled with a red Wii Remote Plus and a red Nunchuk for $99.99. Like its predecessor, the Wii Mini was not released in any Asian countries and it was not released in Australia either. The Wii Mini is the third home Nintendo console since the SNES and NES to receive a redesign right after their respective successors launched though the NES 101 model launched two years after the SNES launched. The N64 received no redesigns of any kind, and the GameCube had a small revision that lacked the unused Serial Port 2 (though the cover still remains) and the unpopular Digital AV Out port.
Reception
The Guardian titled the Wii one of the 10 most influential video game consoles.[29]
IGN ranked the Wii 10th among the best video game consoles.[30]
↑Nintendo Australia (September 15, 2006). "Wii Australian Details". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on October 19, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
↑Nintendo of Europe (September 15, 2006). "Europe Gets Wii Last". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on October 19, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
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