Wii Sports (electronic game)
Wii Sports is a video game developed by Nintendo for the Wii console, released in 2006. It features five sports: baseball, bowling, boxing, golf, and tennis, designed to attract players who may not typically engage with video games. The game emphasizes simple controls based on motion-sensing technology, allowing players to mimic real-life movements, making it accessible to both novices and experienced gamers. This accessibility facilitates participation in group settings, such as family gatherings or parties, and promotes multi-generational gameplay due to its non-violent nature. The characters in the game are customizable avatars known as Miis, which enhance personal engagement and social interaction.
Nintendo aimed to create a gaming experience that was easy to learn and enjoyable, leading to the development of subsequent games and the introduction of the Wii MotionPlus adapter for enhanced play accuracy. Wii Sports has found diverse applications, including use in physical therapy and rehabilitation, where its engaging gameplay can motivate patients to move and recover. The game has become a cultural phenomenon, contributing to the popularity of the Wii console, which sold over 100 million units. As a result, it has played a significant role in broadening the appeal of video gaming across various demographics.
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Wii Sports (electronic game)
Wii Sports is a video game developed and published by Nintendo for its Wii video game console. It was released in 2006 and includes five sports: baseball, bowling, boxing, golf, and tennis.
Wii Sports was meant to draw players who were not generally interested in playing video games and allow them to play on a relatively equal footing with experienced gamers. The controls are relatively simple, allowing novices to play with little preparation or practice. Movement rather than a series of button punches determines a player’s actions. The game encourages group involvement, such as family game night or party play. The lack of violence, as is commonplace in many popular first-person-shooter games, invites multi-generation play.
Background
Nintendo gave a series of new controller prototypes to designers and asked them to come up with some ideas. The video game system company was trying to expand the appeal of gaming, drawing in adults and people who previously had no interest in playing. One designer, Keizo Ota, realized that the controller was useful for playing tennis. This proved to be a popular idea, in particular because tennis is widely recognized and understood. From there, Nintendo went on to develop several sports games.
Japanese designer Katsuya Eguchi created Wii Sports with the intention of providing novice and experienced gamers with equal access to the video games. Eguchi was known for his work on Super Mario and other games during his two decades with Nintendo. He also was the producer of the Animal Crossing series, which was the bestselling Nintendo DS game in Japan.
The Wii system Nintendo developed includes motion-sensitive controllers. Rather than having to learn to use a series of button presses to create action in the game, the player holds the remote and moves as if performing the action. For example, when playing tennis, the player swings his or her arm while holding the remote. The console recognizes the movement and translates it into avatar movement in the game, with the results determined by the action. A hard and fast swing, for example, results in the tennis ball flying far and fast. To keep the game simple, the creators eliminated actions such as controlling the avatars as they run for the tennis ball. At the same time, they created some button combinations that could be used in certain games, such as baseball. Pitchers, for example, could use a combination of arm movements and button selections to throw curve balls, sliders, and other pitches.
Nintendo wanted Wii games to be easy for everyone and accessible as well. For this reason, the game includes avatars created by the players, rather than pro athletes or familiar Nintendo characters, such as Mario. The graphics remained cartoon-like, to enhance the fun feeling of Wii Sports.
Nintendo released the Wii MotionPlus peripheral adapter in 2009, which allows for more accurate remote position and orientation tracking. The new adapter was sold individually and included in the Wii Sports Resort game collection, which offered many additional sports including golf, Frisbee, and skydiving.
Nintendo continued to develop and publish new Wii games. By 2013, when Nintendo stopped producing them, the Wii was the company’s most popular home console, with more than 100 million sold. About 82 million of those consoles were equipped with the Wii Sports bundle.
Overview
Nintendo was determined to make playing its games easy and transportable, meaning players could easily pick up the game in their own homes or elsewhere. The Wii console has wifi connectivity, which allows players to access a number of channels, connecting with other players and gaining access to classic Nintendo games. Players can make and store custom avatars online. They can then access the avatars anywhere with wifi access, such as at a friend’s house.
An important aspect of Wii that has proven popular is the Mii character creation system. Individuals create avatars, or cartoon-like characters that represent them in play, using a variety of facial features, hair, body types, and clothing. The system also allows importation of avatars from other consoles, meaning players can carry their avatars to others’ homes, for example, by taking their own remote.
The controllers are integral to making Wii games accessible. The Wii system’s controller is motion-sensitive, meaning that the user’s movements are translated into the avatar’s movements. Players of any skill level can immediately begin a Wii Sport game with no training or practice. Other types of controllers for Wii include a floor mat for dance games, a racing wheel to steer vehicles such as cars and boats, and a balance board that is used for Wii Fit games.
Some players have taken Wii Sports to new levels. For example, many compete to see who can complete a round of golf the most quickly. They refer to this level of competition as speedrunning. Some players compete for the world record in specific sports or select portions of the game, such as a specific hole or combination of holes in golf. Others race to finish every game in Wii Sports as quickly as they can. Part of the strategy is using shortcuts to shave off seconds, such as taking no backswing in golf and skipping animations. Speedrunning is a niche video game activity that often peters out once challengers deduce no further time can be cut in the category.
Several Wii games have found favor with physical therapists and their clients. Wii Sports and Wii Fit as well as some other dance and fitness games, have been incorporated into physical therapy for patients of all ages. The simplicity of play, as well as the need to move, provide benefits to patients and may offer a break from what they might see as difficult sessions. Playing gets them moving without thinking about what they are accomplishing in terms of flexibility. Games that use the balance board can be particularly beneficial for some, especially because it offers the opportunity to track users’ progress.
Some nursing homes offer Wii Sports to guests. This enables people with mobility issues to compete and get exercise in a way that is not too taxing. For example, Wii Bowling is easier because the console weighs just ounces, while bowling balls weigh several pounds.
Bibliography
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