When Nintendo released their new Wii system late last year, everyone was curious to see what the deal was with the long one-handed remote that was to serve as the console's main controller. It's definitely more useful and handy than the traditional game controllers, and it looks a lot like a standard TV remote control. So just how good is the Wii remote, with all of its motion detection capabilities and interactive play?



It's definitely at least one step ahead of other game controllers with its advanced motion detection capabilities. The design of the Wii remote definitely has everyone in mind, from beginner to expert. Anyone who has ever used the Wii remote would probably agree that Nintendo hit the nail on the head with this design. You must just remember to secure the remote to your wrist with the strap so that it does not slip from your hand when you're playing a game.

The Wii remote uses Bluetooth wireless technology to communicate with the controller. That sets it apart from other remotes that use cumbersome cords and unreliable wireless. You can play with 4 remotes. The best distance is around 16 feet, even though you can push it up to 30 feet away from the controller. It's almost a moot point because it'd be hard to see the screen from that far away.

The Wii remote was designed to be used ambidextrously, with either the right or the left hand, and to be held in a variety of positions. For games that require jumping and fighting, holding the remote vertically works best. It can be turned horizontally, like the original gamepads, to simulate a steering wheel for a driving game. There's almost no maneuver that you can't execute with your Wii remote.

Several attachments for the Wii remote were designed by Nintendo but only two ever made it to market. The nunchuck, which can be used in almost as many games as the remote, has an oblong shape and features an analog stick, a trigger button and a C button. The nunchuck plugs into the remote for communicating with the game, and it is held in your free hand. It's usually bundled together with with Wii console. The classic controller is the other attachment that Nintendo has made available. It is only used with the virtual console games that are purchased with special "Wii points". Virtual games are great because they make the selection of available games so much bigger.