After much speculation about an upcoming game, it has been confirmed that the Beatles will be coming to a game produced by Harmonix, the makers of Rock Band. There is much to be excited about, besides the fact that this has to do with The Beatles.

Just the details, ma’am

Wired live blogged the event and while much of it is tangential ephemera, there’s a good summary at the top. The key points: The deal is exclusive, the game will be released during the 2009 holiday season, the game won’t be branded with the “Rock Band” name, and Giles Martin will be involved!

The lack of the “Rock Band” name was expected – The Beatles clearly didn’t want to dilute their trademark but from what I am guessing, the core gameplay will remain the same, with the “musical and visual journey” providing lots of trivia, information and history to placate rabid fans, such as myself. (Think of it as Rock Band fused with The Beatles Anthology)

Not just a cash-grab

Also surprising is Giles Martin’s involvement. Giles, the son of Sir George Martin, famed producer of The Beatles, collaborated with his father to produce the 2006 Love compilation album that was also the soundtrack for the identically-named Cirque du Soleil performance. I quite enjoyed the album, so I’m hoping some of that experience will brought over to the game. I’m sure that George Martin would love to be involved himself, save for his age.

Coupled with the fact that The Beatles are known for resisting undue use of their trademark, I believe this will make the game more than just a cheap one-timer meant to empty the pockets of fans. Harmonix, the developers of the original Guitar Hero and Rock Band also have a good track record for originality. While Rock Band 2 wasn’t too much of an improvement over the already great original, there’s no denying it’s not a good game. (I have yet to write my full review of the game, but check out my preview for more)

One point of interest that sure to be a sore wound for Activision is the fact that the deal is exclusive. This means that there’s no possibility of The Beatles appearing in a Guitar Hero game, unlike other artists (such as Oasis) that have tracks available in both series’ games.

The Songs: What’s important

From what I’ve read, the game will feature a variety of songs from their early days (Please Please Me) to their final days together in the studio. (Abbey Road). Obviously, some songs are a natural fit (While My Guitar Gently Weeps) others would just not work with a game. (Revolution 9)

Wired is holding an online poll where you can vote up the songs you’d like to see in the Beatles game. I suggest you take part and voice your opinion, since Harmonix, the developers, are known to check Internet forums for feedback on what songs to include in upcoming games.

My personal preferences have already been stated.

Changing the game

A Beatles music game has real potential to be wildly successful. Besides the fanatics (like myself) who are already in love with Rock Band and The Beatles, a properly-executed game will have potential to drawn in an older generation to video games, and at the same time, introduce the awesome music of The Beatles to a younger generation, that, for whatever tragic reason, has yet to appreciate the wide range of their abilities.

Even though the likely release date is over a year away, it’s safe to say that I’m excited. Very excited!

More Reading

• Apple Corp., MTV Announcing Beatles, Rock Band Deal
• Live Blog: Beatles, Rock Band Makers Team For New Game
• Rock’s holy grail: MTV scores Beatles music for video game
• Which Songs Do You Want to Play in the Beatles Game?

Yesterday, Rock Band 2 was officially released for Playstation 3 across North America. I managed to snag a copy of the SE Bundle after some looking around. Here’s a brief overview of what you get along with my initial impressions. Expect a full(er) review later. And yes, I am going to be lazy and link to the Wikipedia article on Rock Band 2 for those of you in need of some background information. (For those of you looking for just unboxing photos, we have those too, along with a comparison between instruments of Rock Band 1 and Rock Band 2)

For $190 US/CAD (the CAD version actually being cheaper with the exchange rate changes of late), you get the updated guitar, improved wireless drums, microphone, and of course, the game. For comparision, the original Rock Band SE bundle cost only $170 US when it was released 11 months ago. So, where is the extra $20 going to?

Firstly, there are 84 songs included in the Rock Band 2 setlist, versus only 58 for the original. Additionally, 20 more tracks have been promised as free downloadable content via an access code included with the game.

Secondly, the instruments have changed. The drums are now wireless, the pads are quieter and the bass pedal has been reinforced with a top layer of metal, though it’s still mostly plastic. Having quieter pads is the main reason I decided to buy the bundle even though I already have the original RB bundle. (Getting an extra guitar also helps)

The guitar itself is changed, though I wouldn’t say that it has been improved like the drums. The neck and fretboard now have a faux-wood look, though strangely, the body of the guitar included with the PS3 Rock Band 2 bundle is the same black/white colour as the original, and not the “sunburst” colour of the version included with the Xbox 360 bundle. Perhaps the sunburst colour was only for the 360 version? After all, Microsoft did strike a deal with Harmonix to get the game released a month earlier for the 360.

Update: Flameburst/Sunburst Strat Guitar NOT included with bundle

It appears that I’m not the only one noticing that the bundled guitar that comes with Rock Band 2 does not have the flameburst/sunburst design on the body, and only the fretboard has the faux-wood look, as seen in the images here. Others are reporting that the Xbox 360 RB2 SE bundle also comes with the black-bodied guitar. It appears the only way to get the new design is to buy a standalone guitar. I’m a bit displeased at this, since the “sunburst” design was heavily showcased in all the Rock Band 2 previews and promotional images, so it was expected to be included in the bundle. Maybe Harmonix had a surplus of black plastic guitar bodies to get rid of.

Besides the cosmetic change, the guitar fret buttons are quieter as promised, but the strum bar is a bit louder. This is because it has a definite “click” and “stop” to it, rather than the “mushy” feel of the original that turned some people off. (It took me a while to get used to it)

The microphone is essentially identical to the Rock Band 1 version. Gameplay is, of course, basically the same as before. (If it ain’t broke…) There are some nice addons, such as “No Fail” mode that allows you to make it through any song without the annoyance of failure. You can also now play the Band World Tour mode online, expanding your options for the game, since this was undoubtedly the best mode of the original Rock Band. There also doesn’t appear to be a strictly separate “Solo” mode anymore; instead you are free to start a group in Band World Tour mode consisting only of yourself. These are nice updates that add to the replay value.

That’s all I have to say for now. Expect a full review later. For now, you can browse some photos I’ve taken of the Rock Band 2 bundle, along with some comparision shots between the Rock Band 1 and Rock Band 2 instruments.

Update: Rock Band 2 vs. Rock Band 1 drums loudness/noise

I’ve uploaded a quick video that shows the difference in sound between the Rock Band 1 and updated Rock Band 2 drums.

Unfortunately, my camera is not the best at picking up sound, so the video doesn’t fully reflect the difference. I’d say the best example in the video is the difference in noise between the yellow pad hits on the two drum sets. The new drums are substantially quieter/softer than the originals.

Update: Rock Band/Guitar Hero instrument compatibility guide

Joystiq has put together an up-to-date Rock Band and Guitar Hero instrument compatibility guide. Pretty much all the instruments are shown for the Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii versions of available games. The good news? It appears that both Rock Band 1 & 2 instruments are compatible with Guitar Hero: World Tour.

With the recent rumours that Beatles representatives met with both the makers of Rock Band and Guitar Hero to discuss the possibility of a Beatles-themed game, I’ve been more than a little excited at the prospects of rocking out to these tunes. (See more coverage at Wired and the original FT article)

Whatever the outcome, it could be a deciding factor in what console (if any) I decide to buy. I’m already feeling the pain of no DLC for the Wii version of Rock Band, which is putting doubts into my mind as to whether I should have bought the Wii version.

With that said, here’s a list of the top 10 songs (in no particular order) I’d like to see in any Beatles-themed game or available for DLC for an existing game like Rock Band. (Top 10 list idea shamelessly taken from the Wired article and others)

1. Rain
2. One After 909
3. Revolution 1
4. Day Tripper
5. Here Comes The Sun
6. Drive My Car
7. What You’re Doing
8. I Wanna Be Your Man
9. A Hard Day’s Night
10. Helter Skelter

Those would provide a good all-around experience for all the instruments in a Rock Band-like game. Actually, those are just the first 10 that came to mind while browsing through my play list. I actually just want all of the Beatles songs to be released for Rock Band DLC, then I’ll finally be able to justify a PS3 purchase…

Was it worth the wait? For me, it was. However, there are some obvious shortcomings when comparing the Wii version of Rock Band to those on the Xbox 360 and PS3, most of which were expected. Whether these were the fault of Harmonix (the developers) or Nintendo is a matter of debate.

Outsourcing

Similar to the PS2, the Wii version of Rock Band was outsourced by Harmonix to Pi Studios for development of the port. While Harmonix developed the in-house versions of Rock Band for Xbox 360 and PS3, I guess they felt that they didn’t have the expertise to fully develop other versions by themselves. With a completely different team of developers in charge of the Wii/PS2 versions, it was expected that they would be similar in content. Some notable features missing in the Wii/PS2 versions:

• No downloadable content (DLC)
• No character creation
• No Band World Tour gameplay mode

There are a few other differences, but these are the major gripes. The lack of downloadable content was quite a big disappointment, since that was a major reason behind Rock Band’s popularity; with DLC Rock Band became more of a platform for experiencing the music you like, rather than just a game. Whether you blame Nintendo or the developers is a matter of personal opinion. You do get five “bonus” tracks with the Wii edition, but the fact that each of these is already available as DLC for the PS3/Xbox 360 versions makes this seem like a sad consolation prize.

While character creation may seem like a minor thing and thus its absence a bit puzzling, there is a clear reason for this: performance. Performance? What? Well, it turns out that the gameplay footage (of your characters singing/jamming on instruments) is pre-rendered and is effectively just a video playing in the background. Obviously this static content could not match up with the dynamics of custom character creation. This is in stark contrast to the Xbox/PS3 versions, where the gameplay footage is rendered like in any other 3D game. Unfortunately, the pre-rendered video doesn’t look all that great, with some aliasing noticeable if you’re playing on a big screen.

Gameplay

However, visuals might be a somewhat minor point as you’re not likely to notice it much when you’re concentrating on hitting the notes. What matters then, is the gameplay. Rock Band for Wii preserves the same basic gameplay offered by the other versions. However, the glaring omission of the Band World Tour has me disappointed. This mode offered a non-linear way for you to progress through the songs, playing at various gigs in cities across the world and offering the ability to play through set lists. Instead, all that is left is the much more stripped-down version, which just has you playing through groups of songs in order of difficulty, very much like Guitar Hero III. Personally, I can’t see the reason why this mode was left out, as it was one of the features that set the game apart from GH3.

Audio performance is roughly the same, though obviously the game cannot support Dolby Digital 5.1 as the Wii doesn’t have the hardware for it; Pro Logic II is supported, however.

The lack of DLC is offset somewhat by news that they’ll soon be releasing a standalone track pack for Rock Band that adds 20 more songs. (An included paper insert in the game also broadcast this fact) Though you don’t get to choose the songs, as with DLC, the price of $30 is very attractive. The additional track pack won’t need the original game to play, probably because they needed to include the game engine and track data on one disc.

As expected, the game does not support the GH3 controller, with both of the parties involved blaming each other. Realistically, there’s no chance this will get resolved, as each side has no real incentive to do so. It’s unfortunate, because at $60 there’s no way I’m buying a second guitar for either game – plus, the thought of more plastic instruments in my living room doesn’t exactly fly with me.

In the end, the big question will likely be, “Could Rock Band have been written to better take advantage of the Wii?” Right now, it’s pretty much a straight port of the PS2 version, which says something about the Wii’s hardware considering the PS2 is an eight-year old platform. Clearly, a Wii-specific version would have taken much longer to release (the PS2 version itself was released a month later than the PS3/Xbox 360 versions) so perhaps a balance had to be struck. If Harmonix had waited any longer, there might not have been a need for Rock Band on Wii, with Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero IV just around the corner.

Check out more pictures of the Rock Band for Wii unboxing.

I was at EBGames last week and they were having a sale. Many of the titles with the red-discount mark (of shame?) were laughable and typical of the “shovelware” companies throw out just to capitalize on a popular gaming system like the Nintendo Wii. However, one caught my eye: Bully: Scholarship Edition for Wii was only $24.99 CAD. It’s easy to justify an impulse buy like that, especially when I had heard great things about the original, which was released for PS2-only back in 2006. (The “Scholarship Edition” is a re-released version for the Xbox 360 and Wii and contains additional content; it debuted on March 4th, 2008)

Turns out this “bargain-bin” game has been one of my better purchases for Wii. If you like the GTA-style of games, you’ll probably like Bully, as I learned.

Bully is not all about bullying

With a name like Bully you’d expect the game to be all about tormenting the helpless and the weak. However, that’s far from the truth. While the game’s does give you the freedom to be a tyrannical bully, your main objective is to rise in the social hierarchy by gaining the respect of your classmates, and the first group you’ll be courting are the nerds.

Make no mistake: Despite the original PS2 version being released almost two years ago, the Wii-port of Bully is no half-baked attempt to milk revenue from another platform. The control scheme has been completely redesigned to suit the Wii-remote and Nunchuk’s motion sensing capabilities. Find yourself in a fight? Start punching to defend yourself, in almost the same manner as boxing for Wii Sports.

The missions are varied enough to keep you interested; not every one is about transporting item ‘X’ from point A to B. (Though quite a few of them are) You might find yourself providing VIP protection to a member of the nerd clique so that he can safely get to the library. Or, you might find yourself trying to pull off the most ridiculous prank on unsuspecting classmates in the nighttime past curfew. Add in the bevy of classes you are to attend (you are at school, after all), and you’ll almost never find yourself with nothing to do. As is usual with Rockstar games, the game play is well-scripted and the voice acting superb.

An A- for gameplay

Some minor complaints are warranted, though. Firstly, the day-to-day routine of classes and curfew do get tedious at times. After all, it’s supposed to be a sandbox environment, but the rules do make you feel caged in at times. However, the sandbox mode is balanced with realism: You are at a strict preparatory school, after all – and it’s not as if you can’t skip class (truancy) or defy curfew, but such actions won’t go unnoticed by the patrolling prefects of the school – these are the Bully equivalent of the police in the GTA-series of games. Like GTA, you’ll find yourself frequently running from these authority figures.

It’s hard for me to define exactly what makes Bully: Scholarship Edition and other similar Rockstar games so great. Maybe it’s the sandbox-style environment or maybe it’s the right amount of realism coupled with just enough zany characters and over-the-top situations. Or, maybe it’s the attention to detail and great variety of game play offered (from the various mini-games) that make it never seem too boring. But, more than likely, Bully succeeds because it offers the perfect blend of these elements.

Bully has turned out to be one of my favourite games for Wii. While it’s true that Super Mario Galaxy, Mario Kart and Guitar Hero 3 have used up a lot of my time, Bully provides a refreshing break from the norm. If you’re looking to escape from the Mario-esque universe and pick up a more mature title, Bully is up for serious consideration, especially if you can find it at a good price.

Addendum: Memories of Skool Daze, anyone?

When I first started playing Bully, I was immediately reminded of an old Commodore-64 game I’d played in my younger years called Skool Daze. More than one person has also noticed the similarities. Bully is a modern-day incarnation of Skool Daze and worthy of the title; like the old game it features a good non-linear sandbox-style of gameplay that reveals excellent game design.

Addendum #2: Bully Soundtrack

The music in Bully is really quite great, one of the few soundtracks that’s made me interested, so I did a quick search. Turns out the soundtrack was composed by Shawn Lee and the entire track listing is available for free on eMusic. I do encourage you to download them and give them a listen!

After much anticipation and waiting, Wii Fit has finally arrived! I pre-ordered my copy from EBGames, which was good since it’s apparently sold out in many places. Wii Fit has been hyped up ever since the release day for North America was pushed back in order to increase the strength of the balance board to support more than the 300 lbs of the Japanese version. (The NA version supports 330 lbs) I picked it up on the release day, May 21st and have been using it on-and-off for the past few days.
Here are my initial impressions.

It’s easy to get started

A trademark of Nintendo’s games, being marketed towards a wide audience it’s very easy to get started with Wii Fit. You just have to sync the balance board with your Wii and then you’re ready to go through the first series of “tests” in order to get started with your own personal fitness profile.

Right away, you’re thrust into a series of simple balance tests that, along with your weight/BMI, are used to determine your “Wii Fit age”. This is basically a measure of how “fit” the game thinks you are; when taken into account along with your actual age, it serves as a guide of whether you are as physically fit as you should be for your age. If your “Wii Fit age” is greater than your actual age, this means you should be training/exercising more according to Wii Fit.

A physical version of Brain Age

All of this makes it seem very similar to Brain Age, the puzzle/mental/thinking game series made for Nintendo’s DS hand-held system. If you’ve played Brain Age before, you’ll be very familiar with the routine and format that Wii Fit presents. Instead of Dr. Kawashima’s avatar guiding you, there is an anthropomorphic Wii Fit balance board present to offer you tips and guide you through the game. Other similarities besides the “Wii Fit age” rating include a calendar that you “stamp” every day you’ve trained with Wii Fit to keep track of your progress and a graph to track your history/BMI. (As a side note, Nintendo has branded Brain Age and Wii Fit under the “Touch! Generations” name to indicate their appeal to more general audiences rather than just gamers)

Is it worth it?

With the considerable hype of Wii Fit it’s worthwhile to step back and take a hard look at it. It’s hard to recommend this title to hardcore gamers because the game is clearly not marketed towards them. It’s marketed towards casual gamers who are perhaps the polar opposite of hardcore. Wii Fit is meant to be used during breaks, several minutes at a time and not played for hours on end. This is reflected in the style of mini-games that are included with Wii Fit.

As an exercise device the Wii Fit is great for getting people off the couch and doing at least some sort of physical activity, but I have a hard time believing that it would offer the same benefits as the actual activities that the games are modeled on. This is especially noticeable for “Aerobic” mini-games; they won’t come close to the effectiveness of an actual aerobic workout.

Furthermore, the game only measures progress by calculating your BMI or Body Mass Index. Since BMI only takes into account your height and weight, it’s a vast oversimplification and generalization of “fitness” as this ignores measurements like waist size, body type and blood pressure. (All of which would be complicated to integrate into Wii Fit measurements)

However these criticisms may be unwarranted, as Wii Fit is designed to appeal to as large an audience as possible by getting them interested and started on an exercise routine, something that many people find boring, or worse, intimidating. Wii Fit manages to overcome these problems by offering fun workout routines in the undemanding privacy of your own home. (There’s even an option to password-protect your weight/BMI records on Wii Fit)

Other things to consider

From a pure-gaming standpoint, most of the games tend to be repetitive and lose their appeal quickly. (This is the nature of anything routine-based) However, the “Balance Games” stand out here. In particular, the Ski Jumping, Slalom, Table Tilt and Tightrope walking games are fun, especially in group settings. For families with children it’s an especially nice way to have some fun on a rainy day.

Technically, the Wii Fit’s balance board is quite accurate and straightforward to use. It basically serves as a precise measurement of your center of gravity; that is, how much to the left/right and front/back you are leaning. These measurements are used as the inputs to all of the mini games in a very seamless and intuitive fashion. The balance board has clearly been designed very well, which was expected since it’s apparently been worked on for close to two years. (And been through a slight redesign to support the extra weight of the North American Market) The balance board is wireless and uses four AA batteries (incl.) but this also means you’ll be buying even more batteries to satiate its energy appetite.

Wii Fit also allows you to install a slimmed-down version as the Wii Fit Channel. This allows you to do basic Wii Fitness tests without having the main game disc inserted so that you can quickly test your weight/BMI and balance skills every day. This is a nice feature which really allows the Wii to function as more than just a simple gaming system.

Conclusion

So, is it worth it? Well, I’m a hardcore Nintendo fan, so the answer from me is a resounding “Yes!” The games may be simple and repetitive, but the innovative style of play that is inline with the overall Wii-philosophy has me hooked and I can only hope that developers make more games based the balance board’s input.

Aside from Wii Sports, the first “killer title” for Wii may be Super Mario Galaxy – it’s definitely the title to have for Wii this holiday season, and is sold out at many stores. I managed to snag a copy off eBay, and it finally arrived today!

I hadn’t updated the firmware on my Wii in a while, so that was required before I could play the game. The update went off without a hitch, and I was soon engrossed in the latest adventure of Mario. The game is very easy to get into, even for newcomers, but there is much familiarity for veterans of previous SMB games. Right from the beginning, the familiar sights and sounds – in particular the menacing Bowser airship track from SMB3 – will bring back the good old memories from your childhood.

It’s definitely a lasting franchise, and I’m looking forward to getting into this latest installation. Arstechnica has a great review of the game, if you’re interested.

Back in 1999/2000, I was still in high school, and thus had lots of free time for gaming. One of the biggest time wasters for me was Team Fortress Classic, better known as TFC. It was the first “true” online team game I played (besides CTF for Quake 2), and one of the first online games I got into after getting a high-speed Internet connection. It was simply loads of fun, and a testament to the power of the SDK for the original Half-Life.

Fast forward some six years. Team Fortress 2, the much-awaited successor to the original TFC, has gone through multiple development cycles and countless redesigns. Some believed it was pure vapourware, and that it would never see the light of day. Much to everyone’s surprise, we recently learned that TF2 was alive and kicking, and scheduled for an October release. Meanwhile, an ambitious but much lower-key project had been in the works for many years as well – it was Fortress Forever, a mod for Half-Life 2 that aimed to bring the glory of TFC to the Source Engine.

Nothing like retro gaming

According to the developers, Fortress Forever (FF) was in the planning stage of development even before the Half-Life 2 SDK was made available. That shows dedication – and the end result does to. Fortress Forever comes across as being very well-done, and a faithful recreation of the experience that TFC provided. If you enjoyed the original, you should definitely check out FF – especially since it’s being made available for free to anyone who has purchased Half-Life 2. Even if you never played TFC before, FF will still provide a nice experience.

FF continues the tradition of TFC by offering nine different classes, each with its own strength, weaknesses, and ideal style of play. If you like to just go out and shoot everything up, the Soldier or the Heavy Weapons Guy is for you. If you’re more into running the flag, Scout or Medic is a good option. Then there are special classes like Demoman and Pyro, which are good for causing chaos and confusion, respectively. The Engineer, able to build automatic sentry guns, is a staple of base defense, and the Spy is good when you need to infiltrate or take out an entrenched foe. And lastly, there’s always the Sniper for those large and open maps.

The team did great job of porting most of the original TFC maps over, as well as adding a few of their own. Not everything is perfect – some weapons animations look funky, but overall the experience is fun, fast and frenetic. If you’re tired of the seemingly omnipresent CS:S games, take Fortress Forever for a spin. If anything, it sets the bar higher for TF2.

Community support

Mods like FF demonstrate the professional quality that the community can produce, given the proper support from the game developers. Valve’s commitment to producing a high-quality SDK for HL2 (as was the case for the original Half-Life) has consistently given new life to the Source Engine, and has most definitely increased sales of HL2. The return from the SDK more than justified the time taken to develop it. This trend, which started back during the days of the original TFC, is one the best reasons for gaming on the PC, and has been beneficial to all involved.

Addendum

I just bought The Orange Box, Valve’s latest compilation containing not only TF2, but Episode 1/2, Portal and Half-Life 2. (Which I already have) Though I have been playing Fortress Forever for almost a month, I think it’s time to try out TF2, the game everyone’s been talking about. We’ll see how it stacks up, but based on my preliminary experiences, it’s looking to be very good, and well-worth the $45 I spent on the pre-order version.

On a side note, this was the first game I’ve bought through a digital distribution system like Steam. The process was easy, streamlined and cost-effective considering the favourable US-Canadian currency conversion rates. Though I thought I’d miss getting an actual physical disc, game box and manuals, I recently looked over at my pile of games and realized I’d never actually read a game manual in years…

Perhaps that played a small part in my decision to pick one off the shelves at Wal-mart this week. Or, perhaps I was just tired of debating on whether or not I should get one. Thankfully, however, by buying during this summer season, I avoided the craziness during the Wii launch.

Revolution and not evolution

The Wii’s code-name was ‘Revolution’, and for good reason – instead of just making another console with more powerful graphics, Nintendo decided to put all aspects of the console onto the drawing board for redesign. The end result is the innovative Wii remote, which uses a combination of accelerometers and an IR sensor to determine position and orientation. This allows for game play that comes closer to imitating what you’re actually doing than any other console currently out there.

For me, there wasn’t too much that the Xbox 360 and PS3 were offering. Most of the types of games that are available for these consoles are also available for PC – and I’ve already invested heavily in that, so why bother shelling out for another system that offers the same sort of game play? The Nintendo Wii was different, since it promised to offer a completely new style of play, so that struck me as being worthwhile. Additionally, it’s the cheapest of the three console systems right now, being priced at only ~$280 CAD, while the Xbox 360 is still $500 CAD the PS3 was recently reduced to “only” $550 CAD.

It’s not perfect, but it’s fun!

There are a few drawbacks. As pointed out in the Ars Technica review, the Wii possesses outdated, last-gen graphics. A Microsoft V.P even stated that the Wii doesn’t have the graphical horsepower of the original Xbox. Additionally, the Wii can’t output HDTV-quality resolutions, meaning that nice, new 1080p or 720p TV you bought won’t be used to full-effect with the Wii.

However, these are minor drawbacks, in my opinion. If game play is fun and fast-paced, graphics will not play a big part. Graphics in games have improved by an immense amount in the past ten years, but have games really become that much more enjoyable? By focusing on game play, Nintendo has gone “back to the basics”, spending time and money on improving the way we game rather than just improving how the games look.

Also, about the only non-graceful aspect of the Wii is its sensor bar, which is basically just a bar with IR-emitting LEDs used to provide orientation information for the Wii-motes, so they know where and when they’re being pointed at the screen. It’s a thin bar that has to be placed either on top or below the TV, and adds another wire that must be plugged into the Wii. However, since all that’s needed is two sources of IR, some enterprising people have found replacements for this.

The included Wii Sports title does a good job of emphasizing the Wii’s strengths and is a perfect match for the system. However, the graphics are decidedly low-quality, even for Wii standards. Though the models have the same level of detail as you’d expect from a Nintendo 64 game, game play is very fun and addictive. In particular, I am addicted to Wii Tennis – I have to stop myself from playing too much every day, lest I get a nasty case of Wii elbow. While I don’t think I’ll get the more severe problems some have been experiencing, it’s worthwhile to ease into any new activity to prevent soreness or risk of RSI. (Those who’ve gotten sore thumbs from playing the original Nintendo will know what I mean.)

In many respects, the inclusion of Wii Sports (at least for the North American versions) was a very good decision on Nintendo’s part, and is reminiscent of Nintendo’s earlier bundles of Super Mario Bros with the original NES and Super Mario World with the SNES.

Hidden costs

Since the Wii is inherently a social system, you have to get at least two controllers for it. The system comes with only one Wii-mote and one Nunchuck attachment, forcing you to buy a second one of each of these. A separate Wii-mote costs $45 CAD and the Nunchuck $25 CAD! This automatically adds an additional cost of $70 CAD to the base system price, and you can now see where Nintendo is bringing in the big bucks. Couple this with the lost cost of manufacturing the system thanks to its low-specs, and you have a cash cow for Nintendo. I ended up buying the Wii Play game along with the system as well, since it came with another Wii remote and was only about $60 CAD.

I have yet to see third-party replacement for the Wii remotes, perhaps because the motion/axis sensor are hard to engineer into a device, or perhaps because of some proprietary communication being used by the Wii-motes. The end result is that there are no cheap or low-cost replacements, though apparently there are third-party Nunchucks available.

Availability of good games

It’s been 8 months since the Wii came out, yet there don’t appear to be any real “killer titles” out there. Indeed, on GameSpot’s Wii section, four of the 10 highest-rated games are Virtual-Console games, dating back to the N64, SNES and even NES era! This says something about the quality of games nowadays – or maybe is a testament to the lasting quality of these legendary Nintendo games!

Lastly, check out my Zooomr photostream for more pics of the Wii unboxing.

If you’re looking for an easy-to-use, well-designed and functional PC gamepad that works well across many games, the Xbox 360 Controller is a good choice. Besides fitting well in your hands, and offering the standard feature set, it’s got the backing of Microsoft, ensuring that it’ll work well in all of the games that come out with the new Games for Windows branding. Quality is top-notch, (as expected, since the controller is in wide use with the Xbox 360 system), and it’s available in both a wireless and wired version. I decided to buy the wired version over Christmas, and here’s my quick review on how it’s been since then.

Introduction

Let’s face it – not all PC games work well with just the defacto keyboard and mouse combination. Don’t get me wrong – the vast majority do, and for these, the keyboard and mouse is more than enough. In fact, PC gamers have always looked at consoles with disdain because of a lack of control options. Many of us (myself included) could not imagine playing an FPS on a console because of the lack of keyboard and mouse control. However, there are certain game types that do work better with a gamepad, and when a good one comes along, you don’t want to be stuck fiddling with your mouse and keyboard in a vain attempt to enjoy the game.

For me, this moment came when I got Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy. Admittedly, this game could’ve been designed to work better with a keyboard and mouse, but the way it was made just made it damn near impossible to play without a gamepad. So, I decided to get an Xbox 360 Wired Controller to improve the experience.

But why wired? Clearly wireless is better, is it not? Well it depends on your needs. I knew I wouldn’t be using the gamepad all the time, but only occasionally. Thus, the benefit of going wireless for me didn’t outweigh the additional cost, and additional trouble of having to use batteries. Also, to use the wireless Xbox 360 controller with a PC, you must buy a separate wireless receiver that plugs into your PC – adding another dongle to the mix. For me, it didn’t make sense for something that wouldn’t be used that often – however, if you are going to be using it constantly, wireless is definitely the way to go. And, of course, if you have an Xbox 360, either one of these controllers will also work with it – consider it an added bonus.

The gamepad itself is pretty much standard as far as PC gamepads go. There are two analog sticks, one in the top left corner and the other just right of the bottom center. Both can also be pressed/clicked for another button function. The standard four-button group of thumb-buttons is unchanged from the original Xbox controller. However, the black/white buttons have been redesigned as left/right buttons above the front analog triggers, so your index fingers have a little more work to do. This is a better setup, as it reduces the number of buttons your thumb has to work. Lastly, there’s also the start and select buttons, which are in the top center, just around the Xbox “ring of light”. While the “ring of light” button is useful when used with an Xbox 360, it’s less so on the PC, unless used with titles with the Games for Windows branding.

How it plays

I have been using this gamepad for several weeks now, mostly with the previously mentioned Lego Star Wars II, and with Need for Speed: Most Wanted. These are ideal games for gamepads. I’ve also tried in a little bit of Flight Simulator X, but that’s more of a joystick game and it wouldn’t go well with any gamepad.

Installation is easy, as it just connects to any USB port. You will, however, need to download the drivers for it, which are available at Microsoft’s site. (I’m not sure if you need this if you’re already running Windows Vista)

The first thing you notice is how comfortable the controller feels in your hands. The shape and fit are definitely top-notch. My hands aren’t that big, but I had no problem reaching any of the buttons or triggers. If you have huge hands, it might feel a little small. Microsoft has sure learned a lesson or two about design and functionality, when you compare this controller to the original gigantic Xbox controller that many people did not like.

In games, all of the buttons and analog controls worked well and were responsive. About the only complaints I had was that the D-pad could be a little to control. For example, when pushing left or right, it’s easy to accidentally activate one of the adjacent diagonal directions. This isn’t a problem most of the time, but if you’re using the gamepad for retro gaming, say in an emulator for an old console system, this could be a problem. Many of those older games require precise D-pad control. However, this is a problem I have noticed with many PC gamepads, and the 360 controller is actually not as bad as some of them. My second (minor) complaint was that the buttons can feel squishy. Though they provide good tactile feedback when they’re pressed, if you push too hard you can feel them squish down more. This, however, is inevitable with type of contacts used, which I assume are the rubber push-button type.

Other observations

Another good reason to get the 360 controller may be due to Microsoft’s weight in the PC arena – they have the ability to effect changes in the market. Something that is sorely needed for PC gaming is some sort of standard controller. This will help game developers to make interfaces that they are sure will work across a wide variety of systems.

Since Microsoft has a near-monopoly on the PC market (at least those used for gaming), they are best poised to introduce something like this. While the standard DirectX inputs for controllers have worked well for games, (thus removing us from the ancient days where controller support had to be specifically built into the game, much like soundcard support back then), it still leaves many unknown variables to the game designer.

Default controls don’t work well across a wide variety of game controllers, forcing designers to include customization options. While this isn’t bad per se, it adds an extra level of complexity – something that shouldn’t be required for playing games. Complicating the situation further is the fact that many companies provide configuration software for the game controllers they make – adding yet another level of configuration.

Conclusion

One thing that consoles have had that PC games were sorely lacking was a unified, default controller that game designers could count on. This seems like something simple, but it goes a far way to making games easier to play. While I used to decry the lack of control customization in consoles (the “if it’s not complicated, it’s not worth it” argument), I’m leaning the other way right now. The Xbox 360 controller could be the thing that brings a default controller to the PC finally, since it has the weight of Microsoft behind it.

Furthermore, most gamepads for the PC generally offer the same features nowadays. The Xbox 360 controller takes these features, and puts them in a standard package that is, most importantly, comfortable, easy-to-use and quality-made.

Lastly, when you go to the store, you may notice that they are selling an Xbox 360 controller “designed for Windows”, or something to that effect. It may even cost more than the “standard” 360 controller. Don’t worry about this – get whichever one is available and cheaper. There is no difference between the two. The only thing to keep in mind is that with the wireless controller, you will need the receiver as well.