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{{ArticleIcons|ssb=y|ssbm=y|ssbb=y}}
{{Infobox Game System
{{Infobox Game System
|title        = Wii
|title        = Wii
|logo        = [[Image:Wii.png|100px|center]]
|logo        = [[File:Wii_logo.svg|100px]]
|image        = [[Image:Wii Wiimotea.png|260px|The Wii with Wii Remote]]
|image        = [[File:Wii Wiimote.jpg|260px]]
|manufacturer = [[Nintendo]]
|manufacturer = [[Nintendo]]
|type        = Video game console
|type        = Video game console
|generation  = [[wikipedia:History of video game consoles (seventh generation)|Seventh generation era]]
|generation  = [[wikipedia:History of video game consoles (seventh generation)|Seventh generation era]]
|lifespan    = November 19, 2006
|lifespan    = {{Flag|NA}} November 19, 2006<br>{{Flag|Japan}} December 2, 2006<br>{{Flag|Australia}} December 7, 2006<br>{{Flag|Europe}} December 8, 2006
|CPU          = [[wikipedia:IBM|IBM]] [[wikipedia:PowerPC|PowerPC]]-based<ref name="Wii: The Total Story">{{cite web |url=http://wii.ign.com/launchguide/hardware1.html |title=Wii: The Total Story |accessdate=2006-11-20 |publisher=IGN}}</ref> [[wikipedia:Broadway (microprocessor)|"Broadway"]]
|CPU          = {{s|wikipedia|IBM}} {{s|wikipedia|PowerPC}}-based<ref name="Wii: The Total Story">{{cite web |url=http://wii.ign.com/launchguide/hardware1.html |title=Wii: The Total Story |accessdate=2006-11-20 |publisher=IGN}}</ref> "{{iw|wikipedia|Broadway|microprocessor}}"
|GPU          = [[wikipedia:ATI Technologies|ATI]] [[wikipedia:Hollywood (graphics chip)|"Hollywood"]]
|GPU          = [[wikipedia:ATI Technologies|ATI]] "{{iw|wikipedia|Hollywood|graphics chip}}"
|media        = 12 cm [[wikipedia:Nintendo optical discs|Wii Optical Disc]]<br/>8 cm [[wikipedia:Nintendo optical discs|Nintendo GameCube Game Disc]]<br />
|media        = 12 cm [[wikipedia:Nintendo optical discs|Wii Optical Disc]]<br>8 cm [[wikipedia:Nintendo optical discs|Nintendo GameCube Game Disc]]<br>
|storage      = 512&nbsp;[[wikipedia:Megabyte|MB]] Internal [[wikipedia:flash memory|flash memory]]<br/>[[wikipedia:Secure Digital card|Secure Digital card]]<br/>[[Nintendo GameCube]] Memory Card
|storage      = 512 [[wikipedia:Megabyte|MB]] Internal {{s|wikipedia|flash memory}}<br>[[SD card]]<br>[[Nintendo GameCube]] [[memory card]]
|controllers  = [[Wii Remote]], [[GameCube controller|Nintendo GameCube controller]]
|controllers  = [[Wii Remote]], [[Nunchuk]], [[Classic Controller]], Nintendo [[GameCube controller]]
|connectivity = [[Wi-Fi Multiplayer|Wi-Fi]]<br />[[wikipedia:Bluetooth|Bluetooth]]<br />[[wikipedia:Universal Serial Bus|USB 2.0]] x2<br />[[wikipedia:Local area network|LAN]] Adapter (via USB)
|connectivity = [[Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection|Wi-Fi]]<br>{{s|wikipedia|Bluetooth}}<br>[[wikipedia:Universal Serial Bus|USB 2.0]] x2<br>[[wikipedia:Local area network|LAN]] Adapter (via USB)
|online_service =[[wikipedia:Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection|Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection]]<br />[[wikipedia:WiiConnect24|WiiConnect24]]<br />[[Virtual Console]]<br />[[wikipedia:Wii Menu|Wii Menu]]
|online_service=[[Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection]]<br>{{s|wikipedia|WiiConnect24}}<br>[[Virtual Console]]<br>{{s|wikipedia|Wii Menu}}
|top game      = ''[[wikipedia:Wii Sports|Wii Sports]]'', 17.85 million <small>(as of December 31, 2007)</small><ref name="080125e">{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2008/080125e.pdf#page=6 |title=Financial Results Briefing for the Nine-Month Period Ended December 2007 |publisher=[[Nintendo]] |date=2008-01-25 |format=PDF |pages=6 |accessdate=2008-01-31}}</ref>
|compatibility  = [[Nintendo GameCube]]
|compatibility  = [[Nintendo GameCube]]
|predecessor    = [[Nintendo GameCube]]
|predecessor    = [[Nintendo GameCube]]
|successor      = [[Wii U]]
|interwiki      = nwiki
|interwikiname  = Nintendo Wiki
|interwikipage  = Wii
}}
}}
The '''Wii''' (pronounced the same as the pronoun "we", IPA: [wiː]) is the fifth home video game console released by [[Nintendo]]. The console is the direct successor to the [[Nintendo GameCube]]. [[Nintendo]] states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3, but it competes with both as part of the seventh generation of video game systems.
The '''Wii''' is the fifth internationally released home video game console released by [[Nintendo]]. The console is the direct successor to the [[Nintendo GameCube]]. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of Microsoft's {{S|wikipedia|Xbox 360}} and Sony's {{S|wikipedia|PlayStation 3}}, but it competes with both as part of the seventh generation of video game systems, despite being noticeably underpowered compared to its rivals.


A distinguishing feature of the console is its wireless controller, the Wii Remote, which can be used as a handheld pointing device and can detect acceleration and orientation in three dimensions. Another is WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while in standby mode. The Wii remote and nunchuck combination is playable in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl|SSBB]]'', while the Wii remote (turned on it's side), the [[Classic Controller]] for ''Brawl'', or a [[GameCube controller]] may also be used.
A distinguishing feature of the console is its wireless controller, the [[Wii Remote]], which can be used as a handheld pointing device and can detect acceleration and orientation in three dimensions. Another feature is WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while in standby mode. The Wii remote and Nunchuk combination can be used to play ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', while the Wii Remote (turned on its side), the [[Classic Controller]], or a [[GameCube controller]] may also be used.


Nintendo first spoke of the console at the 2004 E3 press conference and later unveiled the system at the 2005 E3. [[Satoru Iwata]] revealed a prototype of the controller at the September 2005 Tokyo Game Show. At E3 2006, the console won the first of several awards. By December 8, 2006, it had completed its launch in four key markets. The Financial Times reported that as of September 12, 2007, the Wii is the sales leader of its generation, based on sales figures from Enterbrain, NPD Group and GfK.
Nintendo first spoke of the console at the 2004 E3 press conference and later unveiled the system at [[E3 2005]]. [[Satoru Iwata]] revealed a prototype of the controller at the September 2005 Tokyo Game Show. At E3 2006, the console won the first of several awards. By December 8, 2006, it had completed its launch in four key markets. The Financial Times reported that as of September 12, 2007, the Wii is the sales leader of its generation, based on sales figures from Enterbrain, NPD Group and GfK. The Wii sold 101.63 million units worldwide and held the title of being Nintendo's best selling home console up until 2021, where the [[Nintendo Switch]] surpassed it at 103.54 million units. The Wii also beat its contemporaries, Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3, both of which have sold 84 million and 87.4 million worldwide respectively.  


''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' was a recently released game for it, while the original ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' may become available on the Virtual Console in the future. The Wii is backwards-compatible with [[GameCube]] disks, meaning that ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'' is also playable on the Wii.
The '''Wii Family Edition''' was released in October/November 2011. It is a cheaper version of the Wii and functions the same way as the original model, but is designed to sit only horizontally and is incompatible with Nintendo GameCube games and controllers. It was also not released in Japan and Australia. Another edition titled the '''Wii Mini''' was released initially in Canada on December 7th 2012. This versions also lacks GameCube support in addition to lacking online functionality in exchange for an extremely reduced price, meaning it has no access to online features and can only play physical game copies. Though it was only available in Canada at launch, it was later released in Europe on March 22, 2013, and in the United States on November 17, 2013. Like it Family Edition, it was also not released in Japan and Australia.


==History==
==In the [[Super Smash Bros. (series)|''Super Smash Bros.'' series]]==
The console was conceived in 2001, as the Nintendo GameCube was first seeing release. According to an interview with [[Shigeru Miyamoto]], the concept involved focusing on a new form of player interaction. "The consensus was that power isn't everything for a console. Too many powerful consoles can't coexist. It's like having only ferocious dinosaurs. They might fight and hasten their own extinction."
''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' is a ''Super Smash Bros.'' game released game for the Wii in 2008. Backwards compatibility allows for ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'' to be played on the Wii, but with GameCube controllers only. Also, ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' for the [[Nintendo 64]] has been released on the [[Virtual Console]] in Japan, Europe, America and Australia for 1000 Wii Points. The Wii makes it possible, for the first time, to play all previous ''Smash Bros.'' games on the newest game's home console, as well as the first time any past ''Smash'' game has been playable on a newer console.


Two years later, engineers and designers were brought together to further develop the concept. By 2005, the controller interface had taken form, but a public showing at that year's E3 was withdrawn. Miyamoto stated that "we had some troubleshooting to do. So we decided not to reveal the controller and instead we displayed just the console." Satoru Iwata later unveiled and demonstrated the Wii Remote at the September Tokyo Game Show.
Some characters that debuted in games originally released for the Wii became playable fighters in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, all of which debuted in ''[[SSB4]]'': [[Wii Fit Trainer]], [[Rosalina]] & [[Luma]], [[Shulk]] and the [[Mii]]s.


The Nintendo DS is stated to have influenced the Wii design. Designer Ken'ichiro Ashida noted "We had the DS on our minds as we worked on the Wii. We thought about copying the DS's touch-panel interface and even came up with a prototype." The idea was eventually rejected, with the notion that the two gaming systems would be identical. Miyamoto also expressed that "if the DS had flopped, we might have taken the Wii back to the drawing board."
==In competitive play==
Due to being the original hardware the game was designed for, the Wii is the preferred system to play ''Brawl'', especially in tournaments. The game has never been re-released on another system, forcing players with physical copies to only use Wii compatible systems. While the Wii U can play Wii games by being compatible with its discs and controllers, the unintuitive nature of accessing the console's Wii mode, the native incompatibility with GameCube controllers, and the very poor sales of the console limiting its availability, makes it an unappealing option for competitive ''Brawl''. Emulators like Dolphin also exist, but they sometimes possess bugs and performance issues not present on Wii. However, the aging hardware that is becoming progressively less reliable have forced the competitive scene to consider and experiment with these alternatives before the game becomes unplayable, and emulation developers have made great strides in making a nearly identical experience, though this niche is not quite as developed as efforts for GameCube yet.


===Name===
The Wii is also commonly used to play ''Melee'', due to its backwards compatibility with the GameCube. GameCube games played on the Wii are functionally nearly identical to those played on the original hardware, and the Wii's much greater sales compared to the GameCube make it a more readily available option for tournament setups. Later Wii models removed backwards GameCube compatibility, but these constitute a minority of Wiis in circulation, and they are rarely if ever used to play ''Brawl'' as well due to their lack of GameCube controller ports. It is additionally possible to solder GameCube controller ports onto a Wii Family Edition through hardware modding.
The console was known by the code name of "Revolution" until April 27, 2006, immediately prior to E3. According to the Nintendo Style Guide, the name "is simply Wii, not Nintendo Wii." This means it is the first home console Nintendo has marketed outside of Japan without the company name featured in its trademark. While "Wiis" is a commonly used pluralization of the console, Nintendo has stated that the official plural form is "Wii systems" or "Wii consoles." Nintendo spells "Wii" with two lower-case "i" characters meant to resemble two people standing side by side, representing players gathering together, as well as to represent the console's controllers. The company has given many reasons for this choice of name since the announcement; however, the most well known is:<blockquote>"Wii sounds like 'we', which emphasizes that the console is for everyone. Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak. No confusion. No need to abbreviate. Just Wii."</blockquote>


Despite Nintendo's justification for the name, some game developers and members of the press initially reacted negatively towards the change. They preferred "Revolution" over "Wii" and expressed fear "that the name would convey a continued sense of 'kidiness'[sic] to the console." The BBC reported the day after the name was announced that "a long list of puerile jokes, based on the name," had appeared on the Internet. Reggie Fils-Aime acknowledged the initial reaction and further explained the change:
By contrast, the Wii is almost never used to play ''Smash 64'', despite its availability on the Virtual Console, due to numerous emulator bugs affecting this version; as such, the competitive community always prefers playing on an original N64 console or emulators for PC, which are more reliable. As of 2019, with the closure of the Wii Shop, it is also no longer possible to legally acquire the Virtual Console version of Smash 64.
<blockquote>"Revolution as a name is not ideal; it's long, and in some cultures, it's hard to pronounce. So we wanted something that was short, to the point, easy to pronounce, and distinctive. That's how 'Wii,' as a console name, was created."</blockquote>


Nintendo defended its choice of "Wii" over "Revolution" and responded to critics of the name by stating: "live with it, sleep with it, eat with it, move along with it."
Just like how it is possible to dump Wii disc and SD card data onto other systems, some have found ways to make their own discs compatible with the Wii and download data onto SD cards. This allows pirated games, mods, and fan-games to be played on original hardware, including the many based on ''Brawl'' and ''Melee''. In this area, the Wii has the biggest scene of any ''Smash'' game due to possessing more industry standard hardware compared to its predecessors, and the ease of defeating the console's copy protection and anti-piracy firmware to allow mods. The best known example is ''[[Project M]]'', which would go on to have its own competitive scene that overshadowed ''Brawl'' itself before development suddenly ceased over fear of legal ramifications.
 
==Gallery==
<gallery>
WiiFamilyEdition.PNG|The Wii Family Edition.
Nintendo Wii Mini.jpg|The Wii Mini, depicted with a red Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk.
WiiMote.jpg|The Wii Remote.
Nunchuk.jpg|The Nunchuk.
Wiimote Nunchuk.jpg|A Wii Remote connected with a Nunchuk.
Classic Controller.jpg|The Classic Controller.
Classic-Controller-Pro.jpg|The Classic Controller Pro.
Wii Balance Board.png|The Wii Balance Board.
CrystalIcingWii1.jpg|A crystal icing Wii given out as a prize
</gallery>


==References==
==References==
{{FA-wikipedia|Wii}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
*[http://www.youtube.com/user/Wii Official channel] on [[YouTube]]
{{Art-wikipedia|Wii}}
{{Consoles}}
[[Category:Consoles]]
[[Category:Consoles]]
[[Category:Wii| ]]

Latest revision as of 15:31, June 16, 2024

Wii
Wii Wiimote.jpg
Wii logo.svg
Manufacturer Nintendo
Type Video game console
Generation Seventh generation era
First available NA November 19, 2006
Japan December 2, 2006
Australia December 7, 2006
Europe December 8, 2006
CPU IBM PowerPC-based[1] "Broadway"
GPU ATI "Hollywood"
Media 12 cm Wii Optical Disc
8 cm Nintendo GameCube Game Disc
System storage 512 MB Internal flash memory
SD card
Nintendo GameCube memory card
Controller input Wii Remote, Nunchuk, Classic Controller, Nintendo GameCube controller
Connectivity Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
USB 2.0 x2
LAN Adapter (via USB)
Online service Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
WiiConnect24
Virtual Console
Wii Menu
Backward compatibility Nintendo GameCube
Predecessor Nintendo GameCube
Successor Wii U
Article on Nintendo Wiki Wii

The Wii is the fifth internationally released home video game console released by Nintendo. The console is the direct successor to the Nintendo GameCube. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3, but it competes with both as part of the seventh generation of video game systems, despite being noticeably underpowered compared to its rivals.

A distinguishing feature of the console is its wireless controller, the Wii Remote, which can be used as a handheld pointing device and can detect acceleration and orientation in three dimensions. Another feature is WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while in standby mode. The Wii remote and Nunchuk combination can be used to play Super Smash Bros. Brawl, while the Wii Remote (turned on its side), the Classic Controller, or a GameCube controller may also be used.

Nintendo first spoke of the console at the 2004 E3 press conference and later unveiled the system at E3 2005. Satoru Iwata revealed a prototype of the controller at the September 2005 Tokyo Game Show. At E3 2006, the console won the first of several awards. By December 8, 2006, it had completed its launch in four key markets. The Financial Times reported that as of September 12, 2007, the Wii is the sales leader of its generation, based on sales figures from Enterbrain, NPD Group and GfK. The Wii sold 101.63 million units worldwide and held the title of being Nintendo's best selling home console up until 2021, where the Nintendo Switch surpassed it at 103.54 million units. The Wii also beat its contemporaries, Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3, both of which have sold 84 million and 87.4 million worldwide respectively.

The Wii Family Edition was released in October/November 2011. It is a cheaper version of the Wii and functions the same way as the original model, but is designed to sit only horizontally and is incompatible with Nintendo GameCube games and controllers. It was also not released in Japan and Australia. Another edition titled the Wii Mini was released initially in Canada on December 7th 2012. This versions also lacks GameCube support in addition to lacking online functionality in exchange for an extremely reduced price, meaning it has no access to online features and can only play physical game copies. Though it was only available in Canada at launch, it was later released in Europe on March 22, 2013, and in the United States on November 17, 2013. Like it Family Edition, it was also not released in Japan and Australia.

In the Super Smash Bros. series[edit]

Super Smash Bros. Brawl is a Super Smash Bros. game released game for the Wii in 2008. Backwards compatibility allows for Super Smash Bros. Melee to be played on the Wii, but with GameCube controllers only. Also, Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 64 has been released on the Virtual Console in Japan, Europe, America and Australia for 1000 Wii Points. The Wii makes it possible, for the first time, to play all previous Smash Bros. games on the newest game's home console, as well as the first time any past Smash game has been playable on a newer console.

Some characters that debuted in games originally released for the Wii became playable fighters in the Super Smash Bros. series, all of which debuted in SSB4: Wii Fit Trainer, Rosalina & Luma, Shulk and the Miis.

In competitive play[edit]

Due to being the original hardware the game was designed for, the Wii is the preferred system to play Brawl, especially in tournaments. The game has never been re-released on another system, forcing players with physical copies to only use Wii compatible systems. While the Wii U can play Wii games by being compatible with its discs and controllers, the unintuitive nature of accessing the console's Wii mode, the native incompatibility with GameCube controllers, and the very poor sales of the console limiting its availability, makes it an unappealing option for competitive Brawl. Emulators like Dolphin also exist, but they sometimes possess bugs and performance issues not present on Wii. However, the aging hardware that is becoming progressively less reliable have forced the competitive scene to consider and experiment with these alternatives before the game becomes unplayable, and emulation developers have made great strides in making a nearly identical experience, though this niche is not quite as developed as efforts for GameCube yet.

The Wii is also commonly used to play Melee, due to its backwards compatibility with the GameCube. GameCube games played on the Wii are functionally nearly identical to those played on the original hardware, and the Wii's much greater sales compared to the GameCube make it a more readily available option for tournament setups. Later Wii models removed backwards GameCube compatibility, but these constitute a minority of Wiis in circulation, and they are rarely if ever used to play Brawl as well due to their lack of GameCube controller ports. It is additionally possible to solder GameCube controller ports onto a Wii Family Edition through hardware modding.

By contrast, the Wii is almost never used to play Smash 64, despite its availability on the Virtual Console, due to numerous emulator bugs affecting this version; as such, the competitive community always prefers playing on an original N64 console or emulators for PC, which are more reliable. As of 2019, with the closure of the Wii Shop, it is also no longer possible to legally acquire the Virtual Console version of Smash 64.

Just like how it is possible to dump Wii disc and SD card data onto other systems, some have found ways to make their own discs compatible with the Wii and download data onto SD cards. This allows pirated games, mods, and fan-games to be played on original hardware, including the many based on Brawl and Melee. In this area, the Wii has the biggest scene of any Smash game due to possessing more industry standard hardware compared to its predecessors, and the ease of defeating the console's copy protection and anti-piracy firmware to allow mods. The best known example is Project M, which would go on to have its own competitive scene that overshadowed Brawl itself before development suddenly ceased over fear of legal ramifications.

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Wii: The Total Story. IGN. Retrieved on 2006-11-20.

External links[edit]