At the Electronic Entertainment Expo in 2004, Nintendo first spoke of its upcoming seventh generation console, which they called the Nintendo Revolution. The reason for the name was simple: Nintendo intended to revolutionize the world of gaming consoles with this new offering. When the game system was released in 2006, it was known as the Nintendo Wii instead of the Nintendo Revolution, but it was without a doubt a revolutionary system.
When it comes to advances in video games and consoles, people most commonly think of the graphics that a new console offers. Gamers are always looking for the next level of realism and dazzling new special effects. Part of the reason that the Nintendo Wii is revolutionary is because of its departure from that way of thinking. Nintendo’s developers came to the conclusion that if the market were flooded with too many high-powered game consoles, the competition would be too high and none would flourish. So they tried something different, and called it the Revolution.
The major attraction of the Nintendo Revolution is it’s innovative control system. It’s the first system to fully incorporate motion control with its unique controller, known as the Wii Remote, or “Wiimote.” The Wiimote communicates with a sensor bar placed on top of or in front of the TV through infrared, and its able to pick up a number of different inputs.
The Wii can tell how a player moves the Wiimote for precise aiming at objects on screen, and how fast a player moves the controller to determine the strength of a movement. It can also detect when the player shakes the Wiimote or moves it in a specific pattern, and many games incorporate unique uses of the controller. The controller is comparably simple to other controllers of its generation, with fewer buttons and comfortable grip. For some games, players need to use the “nunchuk” attachment, which includes an analog stick and additional buttons.
Another way that the Nintendo Revolution has stayed true to its codename is in the way that it is marketed. Nintendo has chosen to focus its efforts on expanding the world of gaming to people of all ages and walks of life. While the other console manufacturers offer pricey systems with complex and intensive games, the Wii is both cheaper and more accessible. Thanks to its often intuitive controls and focus on fun over flashy graphics and gimmicks, the Wii has outsold both of its seventh generation competitors by a significant margin.
The Revolution has some other unique features that distinguish it from its competitors. The system can connect to any wireless network and allow the user to download updates and even old games from previous Nintendo, Sega, and other types of consoles. In addition, the Wii is backward compatible with Nintendo’s sixth generation console, the Gamecube. Gamecube mini-discs can be inserted directly into the Wii, and the system also has inputs for Gamecube controllers.
This console is the first to really shake up the video game market in many years. It truly represents a paradigm shift in the world of gaming – a revolution in the way that both consumers and developers think about games.
