Nintendo Wii Features

Since it is in essence an Internet connection (that's where the game updates, messages, and more come from) it relies on underlying mechanisms. One of the more important aspects is the Wii's built-in Wi-Fi support. Wi-Fi allows the Wii to wirelessly connect to the Internet.

There are a few different ways to support that connectivity. One is to make use of a wireless router you have already in place in your home computer network. If you do not have that as part of your network design, you can take advantage of the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector. This small device plugs into your computer's USB port and acts like a mini-wireless router for a system that is hard-wired to the Internet.

Once your Internet connectivity is established, using WiiConnect24 is straightforward. It enables any Wii console to remain connected to the Internet 24 hours per day (hence the name) while in standby mode. In that mode it is possible to receive the game updates, messages, and more. Forecast Channel and News Channel both use WiiConnect24 to receive up-to-date information, for example. A great Nintendo Wii feature!

Watch For Heat

There is a potential problem with that Nintendo Wii feature that has affected some Wii consoles. Wi-Fi connectivity can produce excess heat, the enemy of all electronic systems. In standby mode with WiiConnect24, the Wii uses more power, nearly 10 watts as opposed to just a bit more than 1 watt without it. When the internal temperature becomes too great, chips misbehave, sometimes even suffering permanent damage.

It is rare, and it is pretty easy to minimize the probability of this happening.

Early victims of the problem suspected it was WiiConnect24 itself creating the risk. But that is just a software element and so it can not produce heat. Others suspected the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) was at fault, since one way the problem shows up is through random darkened pixels on the screen. But that is a side-effect, not the underlying cause. With the system in standby mode, there's no way a graphics unit can produce excess heat.

After much research, Nintendo found that the Wi-Fi components inside the console were responsible for the problem for those few systems that experienced it. Fortunately, the cure is straightforward.

Keep Your Wii System In A Well Ventilated Area

Despite the name, few systems are designed to be on 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Those (like PCs and Macs) have special software, fans, and more that help reduce heat. The heat is produced by the chips themselves as electricity passes through them all day. The Wii, too, has a fan and vents to expel heat and cool the components, but they have to be allowed to work properly. Keeping your Wii in a well ventilated area with none of its vents covered or too close to a wall can head off problems before they occur.

Just Turn It Off Once In Awhile!

If that does not do the trick as you can detect by touching the side of your Wii and finding it excessively hot to the touch, external cooling fans are an option. In the worst case, which is not very bad after all, just completely power off your Wii once in a while. Daily power-off is rarely needed, but that is an option, too. The Wii boots up quickly.

Getting Updates

Once you have established your WiiConnect24, you will be able to get updates for Animal Crossing, Big Brain Academy, Mario Kart, and many more games. You will be able to tell that your feature is working by the yellow color of the Power LED (red means off). Once you receive updates the Wii Optical Drive will glow blue and/or flash depending on your firmware level or what sort of data has been received. (This is a favorite of the Nintendo Wii features!)

The Wii Remote

The Wii console is a fine piece of gear, lightweight and with good specs. But what truly sets the Wii system apart from the competition is its superb controller, the Wii Remote. Affectionately known as the Wiimote, it offers a level of realism and control that has eluded gaming systems until now.

The Wiimote contains accelerometers and sensors which permit it to judge the position of the device in space and its orientation. As you move it, gravity and infrared beams that interact with the sensor bar signal 'up-down, left-right, forward-back' and the rotations that are combinations of these.

Sound And Vibration

It also houses a speaker and vibration modules that enhance the control and realism still more. Sound and tactile information flows back to the gamer as he or she makes moves within the game. A sword clang followed by a forceful thud in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess lets you know you struck your target. A bonk and a swoosh make it clear that the virtual golf ball you just hit in Wii Sports is going to zoom down the fairway.

That same set of sensors and reactors applies to literally hundreds of games and applications that are far from what we usually think of as games. Steer a truck in Excite Truck and you feel close to the real thing during a session. Swing a tennis racket in Wii Sports and you do not even have to imagine that you are on the court, because you are.

The Channels

Another important Nintendo Wii feature is the Channels. An interface to interactive features and more that will connect you to the Internet. You can just point to any of six basic channels that will connect you to download areas, the shop, additional characters like the Mii, and more.

An action as simple as using the Wiimote as a mere point-and-click device provides more ease-of-use than a computer mouse. More than just a gaming system, if you want to use the Wii to display images and playback video, the Wii Remote provides a super-simple control device.

It Is So Realistic!

One of the best Nintendo Wii features is how realistic it is. For those used to the traditional-style controller with a joystick and tons of buttons, the Wii Remote does take a little getting used to. But try to play golf, tennis, or thousands of other activities with a classic controller then use the Wii Remote. It is much more intuitive and realistic to be able to actually swing a device than use your fingers to 'tell' the system to swing at something on the screen.

Choices For Controllers

Nintendo Wii features different choices for controllers. With added accessories like the Wii Nunchuk you can increase that intuitive control even more. And, for those who still want to enjoy the experience of computer games as they have been played for more than ten years, Nintendo provides a Classic Controller (for legacy Virtual Console games) and support for a GameCube controller.

In short, anyone who wants to play video games, as well as anyone who has shied away from playing them until now, will find the Wii Remote a revolutionary way to do so. It brings gaming full circle - back to real life in a way never before possible. It is the Holy Grail that gamers, and those who wanted to be one, have been seeking for a long time. There are alot of great Nintendo Wii features to seal the deal and get one!

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