Keep in mind that these are mostly unedited thoughts of our staffers and do not necessarily represent N-Philes official stance on anything!
Desiré
A Wii by any other name would be as sweet.
Wii as a console moniker has grown on me over the past few months. I didn't really mind it originally, but I was much more pleased with REVOLUTION as the next big thing. Wii? That sounded childish and silly, but I never hated it outright. I just thought that as time went on, people would mock it more and more and not take the Wii seriously.
This morning I got off the phone with my mother, who casually asked me how I liked the Wii. No giggles, no jokes about genitalia or urination, just a "Hey, is the Wii really as fun as it looks?" type of question that I never expected from my mother, who rarely brings up video games with me out of the blue. I asked her what she thought of the name "Wii" and she just wondered if it stood for something. My youngest brother, who had originally mocked the name in every way I described above, is now hell bent on getting one, telling all of his friends how awesome the Wii is. My other siblings, diehard PlayStation fans, have finally seen the light and are more than willing to go up to their local gaming clerk and ask to play the Wii. My five year-old son at our local gaming emporium and wholly new to the world innuendo, told one of our friends last night, "I'm going home to play with my Wii!", much to the shock of some grandparents doing some early Christmas shopping. One older woman even gave me a dirty look for not reprimanding him. And as she glared, a middle aged woman came up to the counter and asked when they were expecting their next shipment of Wii's in. The old woman shook her head and left the store, presumeably to go rant about how immoral the world of gaming is. People not in the know are intrigued to find out just what the Wii is. The name is mysterious and intriguing to non-gamers and to gamers the Wii is all they can talk about. Forget the five hundred plus pricetag for other systems, the Wii is where it's at.
As for playing it, I've been lucky enough to have a Wii for a few days. The controls that I originally had problems with at E3 have since been tweaked enough that I haven't had any complaints, a rarity as anyone who knows me can attest. Including Wii Sports was one of the best marketing ploys Nintendo could come up with. I know people were originally disappointed that games such as Mario Galaxy weren't included, but Wii Sports is the perfect game to try out the innovative controls. We had a few friends over last night to Wii it up and it really was just like the ridiculous "no one can be this happy while bowling or playing tennis" commercials. You can't help but have fun and laugh while playing these games in a group. The Wii is everything I've been expecting and more. Now if you'll excuse me, Zelda's calling my name.
Ben
After the name was announced, I was rather indifferent about the name Wii. It wasn't until I used it in a sentence without thinking about it that it clicked and I crawled off the fence onto the side that said "yes!" I still cling to an article, though. The Wii. A Wii. It's like the whole "Enterprise vs. The Enterprise" debate!
I think I was more excited for the idea of Wii than I was for the actual system, as I was a bit underwhelmed after a dozen levels of Monkey Ball and some Wii Sports Golf. The build to getting it was really exciting, but once I ripped the plastic to shreds and hooked up everything, it was like "ok now what?" Having read about the system and studying it for 2.5 years, I knew what to expect, and the system meets my expectations (I was secretly fearing that Wii wouldn't meet them, so I'm happy that it does). Maybe the fact that it's actually sitting in my living room, that the Wii is tangible and definite, hasn't quite sunk in. There's a sadness that there won't be any more rumors about the system, that there isn't one last surprise hidden within. The lead up to this point was certainly entertaining!
The Photo Channel is really impressive though, as is sending and receiving Miis to and from friends. I think once the other Channels start working, it'll feel more complete, and I'll be happier! Part of the excitement for me is watching and playing with other people who are blown away by the system. I managed to get my girlfriend to play for an hour, and she was having so much fun. If that's any indication, then the Wii will a success that Nintendo enthusiasts haven't known in a long time.
Jared
When it was originally announced, I wondered for awhile why they chose "Wii" over "Revolution". It wasn't until someone suggested that the entire point was to differentiate it mnemonically from every other console ever made that it all made sense. For instance, while waiting in line 14 hours for a PlayStation 3, people within our group – actual gamers – commonly said "360" or "Xbox" when referring to the forthcoming PS3, to the extent of nearly becoming a running joke. As far as I know, the Wii has never been confused for anything but the Wii. The only exception is during the three days that the Wii has occupied my living room and dominated conversation, when talk of the Wii is often misheard as a suggestion to like, get high, man.
Wii still carries the same phallic suggestion as always, a condition which is only emphasized by the children's borderline intentional moniker "wee wee". It's not annoying, and nearly as often as I talk about the system I joke about it in juvenile fashion. Just last night, though, I decided: I'm calling it "the Nintendo" from now on. "I'm going to play Nintendo." "Where's the Nintendo?" "You got ripped off buying that Nintendo on eBay."
No nerdly crusade against using a name like Wii; I'm just sick of saying it by now. It's failed to make the transition to casual speech for me, and if it hasn't by now then it will probably always have that pretentious/awkward feel that comes with using Latin phrases to articulate common situations.
As for the games, I feel a very distinct DS-syndrome surrounding its launch – and that's a good thing. The sub-par graphics, the ports with horrible square-peg-through-round-hole control, the frustration of coming to terms with having to read a console's instruction manual after 20 years of gaming: all symptoms of a launch where nobody knows what to expect. Once the Wii's success is established (given sales and reactions about a year) we'll be in a place with gaming that this launch has me very excited about reaching. As Ben said, there's a certain bittersweet finality in dealing with the Wii as concrete reality rather than as the heralded coming Virtual Messiah, but for me the launch hasn't left much of that smack of finality. I feel like the possibilities don't end here, but rather [cue inspirational 70's synth] are only just beginning.
Curtis
My main arguments concerning the name change, to those who thought it was stupid, was to simply give it time. Well, this has been done, time has gone by. Seven months passed and yet, I still find it difficult to talk to new consumers about the product. I said two main points in my original writing, that it was simple, and easy to remember, which will have people talking.
Is it simple and easy to remember? Yes, but perhaps to a fault. Wii evokes certain thoughts from many people, usually a marijuana reference. I had one good friend sit there staring at me blankly last week as I went on about the Wii launch, and he stopped me about halfway through: "Dude, I'm sorry. I know you're saying a certain word, but can't help but picture you buying it in a shady alley". Another friend refused to hear me talk abut my sex life. I find myself continuously having to correct people, or replace the word Wii with "Nintendo's new console". It can be very frustrating.
But this argument can be nullified by sitting said person down in the front of the console and thrusting the Wiimote into their hands. The absurdity of it all simply fades away, and they use the term 'Wii' with ease. However when speaking to new consumers, it's hard to explain to them what "Wii" really is? Is that the point? Can Nintendo take this brand name and use it to the same sense that "Google" and "iPod" have caught on and used with ease?
I am much more maligned to the name then I was during it's inception, and that can only be changed when Nintendo proves to me that they can push the name to the general consumer, not just the general interactive entertainment enthusiast. You know those Wal-Mart commercials on television depicting a store clerk talking about the latest arrivals? I just don't think they can pull off "Hi, welcome to Wal-Mart! This week in the entertainment department, we've got Wii!". The FCC is going to have a field-day.
Gareth
When Nintendo had originally unveiled the dreaded name, Wii, I thought, along with everyone else on the planet, that they'd gone completely off their rocker and wanted to try to make the next generation more challenging to overcome, or something equally insane. I also thought they were absolutely nuts to announce it so shortly before E3. Turned out I was wrong on both counts. Announcing the name before the media buzz had allowed everyone (or well, most people), to get used to - and over - the strange name, and right down to what the machine is actually about: gaming. I still would have preferred a slightly more... um, what's the word? Cool? Yeah, that'll do. Cool name for the system. N5, Nexus, something cool, but with a huge side-dressing of cheesiness to go along with it. That's the way games consoles have always been. That said, Wii has grown on me, and while it feels incredibly strange to say in actual conversation, who actually talks about Nintendo outside of the internet?
As for the system itself, well, I can't say. Us poor Europeans on the far side of the Atlantic won't be able to get their hands on it until December. Let's hope it lives up to the (personally, immense) hype.
Matthew
I still feel kind of stupid calling it the Wii. I mean, I guess it's cool and unique, but I just feel kind of dumb referring to something as "the Wii." A couple neckbeards behind me in line at Wal*Mart kept arguing about the name. One refused to call it anything but "Revolution," and the others harangued him for the better part of an hour for it. Who knew such division amongst Nintendo fans could be fraught by a name? Then again, these are the same people who create petitions based on Link's dominant hand. But, I digress. The Wii looks cool on paper, and the logo captures the spirit of the console perfectly for me. I just don't like the way it sounds when I say it. I didn't when the name was announced, and I don't now that I have a unit sitting next to my TV. Plus, the puns are starting to grind on me.
The actual console, however, is excellent. My girlfriend has spent the better part of an hour customizing her Mii (despite poking fun of me for camping for 11 hours and playing video games in general), and Wii Sports is the perfect pack-in for the system to get people interested. It's been the hit of my apartment, and I can't wait to take it home for Thanksgiving break to let my family play. They all already have Miis, by the way. The various channels are all sorts of fun. I was even excited to connect it to the Internet and update the firmware. Oh, and as for WiiConnect24 - the disc slot glowing blue when a message is received is awesome. The Photo channel is fun to play with, and the Wii Shop is fun to look at - but I'm not sure I'm ready to drop $10 on Mario 64 yet. The original Legend of Zelda is tempting for $5, but for some reason I'm a little hesitant. The Virtual Console remains untouched on my Wii. I just wish the games were a few dollars cheaper. But if that's my biggest problem with the Wii, I suppose Nintendo's done their homework. Make my Wii glow blue: 7294 0904 9325 1329.
Adam
When Nintendo first announced the name of their new console, the Wii, I was fine with it. To me, anything was better than Revolution. Calling the new console the Revolution wasn't just cocky (like if Jesus wore a t-shirt that said "Savior"), it also sounded stupid. Sure, "Wii" doesn't sound manly, but I thought it was at least somewhat clever. The biggest problem I had with the name was that I thought it was a stupid business decision, especially for a company that claimed to be attempting retain its appeal to "hardcore gamers" (read: 18-28 year old collegiate males). Over time though, the joking has seemed to stop, and just like Nintendo guessed, people have become comfortable with the name "Wii." Good for people, I've been content with it since day one.
I was patient enough to get a Wii on launch day, camping out for about ten hours at the local Wal-Mart, even though I had a meeting at work the next day at 6:45 in the morning. Unfortunately my lack of money prevented me from purchasing anything but the Wii itself, but so far I've had plenty of fun messing around with the Mii channel and playing Wii Sports. I have been pretty disappointed with other games that I've played, however. Red Steel was a huge let down, playing as bad as it looks. Tony Hawk was also not so great and really made you wonder why you were wiggling a remote around instead of using a standard analog stick. In both games' defense, I only played each game for about ten minutes. But first impressions were not so great.
Luckily, as I said, Wii Sports, while simplistic, gives me much hope for the Wii. Each game is fun in its own right, and I've logged in much more time on Bowling than I'd like to admit. Also, the Wii's interface is pretty nifty, and I look forward to wasting lots of money on games that I already own on their original respective consoles. Now all I can do is patiently wait for pay day, as I patiently waited at Wal-Mart. But now I wait not for a console, but for a paycheck. So I can buy some games. For my console. That I waited for. Patiently.
Dan B.
No matter how you look at it, the name Wii is just ridiculous for a videogame system. Back when it was the "Revolution" had no problem saying the name in a conversation, but Wii just sounds weird, and whenever I do say it uninformed gamers give me an odd look, and are just as surprised and dumbfounded by the name as well. Now in days I've found it much easier to just call it "Nintendo's next system" however now that the system is actually out and people are finally getting some exposure to the system through either hands on experience or marketing campaigns I'm sure I'll eventually adapt to calling it by its real name, but I still think it's one of the worst console names ever. But don't feel too bad, Nintendo, you still haven't out-performed Gizmondo or the Zodiac.
I'm sad to report however that I have still yet to get my hands on a Wii, I never made it to E3 and I've never tried a demo unit. I'm an embarrassment, don't worry, I know. Initially I planned on getting one on day one, but after experiencing the absolute mayhem that was the PS3 launch I really didn't want to go through that experience again and walk away empty handed. And oddly enough I'm actually kind of glad I didn't. To me the launch seems more or less of a dud, aside from Twilight Princess (which I desperately need to play) every other game seems pretty average. I guarantee I'd still enjoy a handful of them, such as Metal Slug Anthology, Rayman Raving Rabbids, and Trauma Center but none of them appear to be carrying the torch of why the Wii is the next step in gaming.
But of course I do still want one. In fact I called both Wal-Mart and Best Buy today seeing if they knew when new shipments would arrive, it's just that the Wii launch doesn't seem that much greater then other systems before it. I assure you though I will find a system before Christmas. Give me Wii or give me death.
Jordan
It just sounds stupid. That's what I thought immediately after Nintendo announced the title. That is, after I learned how to pronounce it correctly (I still think that this reason alone is enough to make an argument against the name).
So the months have passed, reviews have streamed in for launch titles, a new Zelda title is being released, people in North America are apparently going crazy for the system, and we're here discussing this topic again. Frankly, I still think it's a dumb name. I like the look and styling of it on paper; I just don't like saying it. I'm not saying much for "Revolution" either, because I felt kind of dumb saying that out loud as well, but there's just something about Wii that doesn't click.
Either way, it doesn't really matter. The name has, for the most part, settled in and we've come to accept it. It's real now, as is the system and as are its games. For me, this is what matters most not because it's finally out and I can see and touch it, but because even though it's out, I don't have much of a desire to go out and buy one (let's ingore, for the moment, the fact that I have no money right now). The idea of the Wii still has so much more power in my head than what I look out and see actually makes up the line-up. There's zero doubt in my mind that we'll eventually see cooler stuff, mainly because I've already seen a bunch of games coming out down the line that look interesting, but I can't help but glance at the offerings now and be a bit underwhelmed.
Well, that's the verdict, such as it is. Keep checking in for steady updates from the staffers in the N-Sights staff blogs.Adrian
Word to the wise - when you try to explain what the Wii can do to anyone who has never heard of it, expect at least one of two things to happen:
1) People will ask, "Did you say a "Wii"? Like WEEEEE!?" Then you have to say, "Yes I said Wii" and try to keep a straight face because if you don't your entire discussion falls apart from there. I dont care how cool Zelda is, from that point forward you had better not even as much as grin because remember - these people are immediately thinking of pee pee in one form or another, so staying dead serious is mandatory in getting your point across.
2) People will ask what it's about. Whatever way you try to describe the experience, whether it's the remote control example, a sixteen hour tirade on the innovative qualities of the controller (and how it differentiates from the PS3's) or a flat-out game of charades that makes you look like a glue-sniffing lunatic, chances are they are going to be confused.
Regardless of how easy (or not) it's going to be to get the general public enthused about the system, I have faith in this console. I have faith because the potential is so thick and chewy and yummy you almost wish it came in a pressurized can so you could ram it up your nose, press the trigger and feel it blast out of your earholes. The games that we'll be playing for the first six months most probably will be duds, but that's not surprising in the first round. What we can look forward to is a refinement of gameplay and a resurgence in making games fun again, which is something we can always depend on Nintendo to do. Hopefully this time without triforce collecting. Which is not fun.
Regardless of all of our personal experiences in the first weeks of the Wii's life, it's going to be an exciting Holiday season as a launching point in the race to victory for all three systems. I've actually taken a liking to the console's name more than I did upon first hearing it – it's curious, it's fun to say and, if Nintendo's marketing execs can get their heads out of their collective asses, can one day become a name synonymous with fun. Fun that doesn't involve a weiner.
