The Wii is 15 years old, words to make this writer feel a little bit old. It was an era when HD was a bold new frontier in gaming, and Nintendo decided 'nah, we'll just do something fun instead'. It's extraordinary to consider that the Wii and DS shared the market, creating a boom for Nintendo that even the current Switch success can't emulate - two systems, both leading the field and reshaping the definition of 'gamer'.
Some choose to set certain criteria and standards to 'gamer', an idea I don't buy into. My Mum is now retired but plays games as much as me, varying from anything in the Dragon Quest series, to Animal Crossing: New Horizons and even Assassin's Creed: Valhalla. She's conquered RPGs that make me sweat and whimper in a corner, and unlike me had the stamina to not only finish Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity but also jump into the DLC. Some games she'll play at 'normal' difficulty, others are put down to lower levels, but fun is had.
My mum has conquered RPGs that make me sweat and whimper in a corner
My Dad is also retired, and doesn't play games much at all, but does own a Switch. For him complex controls or pressurised gameplay tempos aren't welcome, but gets pleasure in titles like The Room or Mars Horizon, or perhaps good 'ol Toki Tori.
My brother and I, well we play lots of stuff, including a lot of recent releases that involve fast cars or shooting stuff. I particularly like action games and platformers, treating lost lives as a personal affront that must be avenged.
We're a family of gamers.
What made the Wii particularly special, and will forever be among many factors that enshrine Satoru Iwata's legacy in the industry, was its way of bringing various people together with easy to grasp and universal play; in the process forging new relationships between players and the pleasures of gaming. Despite our wildly different tastes and styles, my family would routinely gather and fire up the Wii for a bit of Wii Sports, which was a magical thing.
Bowling was the ultimate group exercise, which was funny because we used to actually go 10-pin bowling at the local centre in past years. It was also the only place I could give my brother a contest, as in real bowling he was borderline pro level and my talents were somewhat, well, limited. Humorously our bowling styles translated from real alleys to the Wii equivalent - my brother would use wicked spin, I'd try to use spin but probably get it wrong, and my dad would bowl straight as an arrow at surprising speed. I'm not sure what my mum's style was, I suspect it varied per delivery!
Golf was the funny event, and probably one of the most memorable for me. After the initial buzz and enthusiasm it ended up being something I'd play with my dad in surprisingly competitive rounds. After all, it couldn't be simpler to play, but even in that original guise its motion tracking was pretty decent, and we'd play 'properly' as if it was 1-to-1 accurate. I suspect my dad liked it because it was gimmick free, you could play at your own pace and, actually, it was just a pleasant course to work around.
And strangely, our playstyles were the opposite of what friends and acquaintances would perhaps expect at the time. I became known as Padraig Harrington, at that time a Major winner who was known for being safe and steady. My dad was a young Rory McIlroy, a bit wild and bold with his shot selection. I remember a par 4 with a dogleg and a forest blocking the direct route to the hole. I'd get out the three iron, play an approach and then drop onto the green with a nine. My Dad insisted it was possible to get on the green in one through the trees, and at that age I was playing my 'proper gamer' card and telling him it couldn't be done. Each time we played, though, he'd try it.
Then, one day, probably months after our first round, it worked. I initially rolled my eyes as, predictably, the embodiment of young Rory pointed the shot direction directly at the hole. An almighty swing, that pleasant 'swoosh' sound effect, and the ball... kept going through the trees. It landed on the green.
There was a little whooping, a high five and wide eyed surprise.
It didn't really matter that we were adults swinging a plastic Remote around.
That's just one of many memories of Wii Sports, which was not only a terrific game to enjoy with others but showcased a defining wonder of Wii gaming. Bundling it with the system (though it wasn't bundled in Japan) was an inspired move, an immediate gateway to wary players unsure of how that strange Wii controller was supposed to work.
The Wii celebrates its Birthday and deserves a lot of love, but let's not forget the bundled game that helped to get the party started.
- Further reading: Best Nintendo Wii Games
Comments 48
It wasn't just waggle....
It was a way of life
Motion play from Wii was a gaming revolutionary. The influence of Motion play made PS3 have Move and XBOX 360 have Kinect.
I have very very fond memories of Christmas 2006 with Wii Sports. It was just incredibly accessible so everyone could join in. People might scoff these days but you really had to be there. Can’t believe it’s been 15 years. I mean, sure, the Wii was only bought out of guilt by my philandering dad but I’ll certainly cherish the Wii more than him 😛
I'm not sure many of them moved on to regular games though. I knew so many who only ever considered it a Wii Sports and Wii Fit machine. And still today I know of several people whom the Wii was their only console!
To this day I still like to play some Wii Sports Bowling once in a while (although I do it on the Wii Sports Club release they had on the Wii U). There is just something uniquely fun and relaxing about it, such a simple game in many senses but the motion controls were always satisfying, and I could never get tired of that classic background music. One of those games that never seems to get old, that anyone can pick up and play.
I just miss when they let you play it online, it was really fun.
My question is why did Nintendo go from having a really good motion control-based console to the Switch with lack luster motion control? It makes no sense. Motion controls on the Switch is horrible compared to Wii.
Nice Read 💯
Wii Sports had the same impact on my family and friends. Bowling and Golf were our favorites. It brought so much joy to my heart watching "non-gamers" show their competitive sides.
I would love a port of either Wii Sports Resort or the original... with the controller included, of course.
The Wii really feels ahead of its time, motion control gaming does offer new possibilities for gaming, but the motion controls were not and still are not accurate enough for it to work. I do want to see them revisit and expand on motion controls because VR really isn't much of an innovation without it (it's just gaming with a screen shoved in your face, the realistic motion controls that offer a much wider range of actions than what 10 buttons on a controller can offer you is what really makes VR a game changer).
Still play wii bowling with the grandparents. They play it every other weekend for years. It was a very clever way to intrigue every age group. My grandma has asked me if they have a “new wii bowling game” they can buy. I showed them my switch and didn’t Iike the joycons at all. Smart people.
I’m not sure why this one hasn’t been updated. It was incredibly popular. I keep expecting every Direct to end with this one as a surprise release.
Playing Wii Sports with my family and my mother-in-law is one of the great gaming experiences of my life.
I just love how wii sports was enjoyed by people who never played video games. There are still people who play it on there old wii to this day.
Nice read brings back fond memories.
I picked up my Wii on the day it launched but didn't actually open it or play it till Christmas day as it was a present off my girlfriend (who is now my wife)
I'll never forget that Wow factor of the first time I played Wii sports Bowling, how simple but effective it was.
At first the Wii was pretty hard to come by so not many other people I knew had one so we had lots of friends around to play it and they were all equally impressed by it.
Even to this day we still fire up Wii Sports via backwards compatibility on the Wii U for a bit of retro fun
My dad never played video games and never showed any interest in my passion. But one day he played Wii Bowling with my wife and me. He won. I'll never forget how proud he was of himself.
And I'm grateful to Wii Sports for that awesome moment of connection.
My dad and I were just talking about this yesterday. I remember several of my non-gamer cousins had the Wii, so I finally had a reason to go to family reunions. Also I can't believe how many hours I spent trying to break my own records in the training mini games.
The Wii Sports music is probably the single most nostalgic sensation I can think of when it comes to gaming.
Well said. A modern classic, that generation's equivalent of Super Mario Bros. Not necessarily the greatest game on the system, but something that still holds up decades later and brought millions of people into gaming.
Wii Sports is still a blast to play, having aged very well. Wii Sports Resorts on the other hand is a improved cohesive version, too bad lacking Tennis and Baseball (and Boxing, but Sword Fighting is better). Recently I purchased additional copies of both game and funny they arrived on the mail today, on Wii's and Wii Sports' anniversary.
Waggle ment that you played it wrong. This is what happened with most of the Wii titles and what happen still.
The bowling game on 51 club house games, reminds me of wii bowling. It is the closest thing to it. And I enjoy it very much.
It brought the bowling alley home, but I wonder how much of a gateway it was for many people to genres inherently found in video games? Are many people playing strategy games or platformers now because of Wii sports?
Wii Sports was to Wii what Tetris was to the Game Boy. It was the game that showcase what the Wii could do in the living room just like how Tetris showcase what the Game Boy could do on the go.
The gimmick that launched a console into the stratosphere. You love to see it.
I had such great time with this with my Nan and Grandad who got a Wii before even i did, me and my Sis would visit weekends and we would all spend hours just bowling and such. Really one of those games what transcended its medium and a great way of bringing the family together.
The Wii days truly were golden, right up there with the N64 days.
I wouldn't mind if they packaged all their Wii-era titles like Wii Sports, Sports Resort, Play, Play Motion, Party, Fit, Fit Plus etc and put them into one Switch cart. 51 Clubhouse Games was a step in the right direction.
It was only 3rd party games that shoved the waggle in. You can't bowl well in Wii Sports blindly waggling the remote. Resort too it one step further. Some of those later Table Tennis CPU opponents are nearly unbeatable if you're not on top of things.
@PharoneTheGnome What? The Switch's motion controlls are several times more accurate than the Wii's.
It made the controls a must have. I’m not sure Nintendo has justified any of their other recent experiments as must haves. They complained other companies didn’t use the WiiU pad, but they barely used it themselves. They never showed why We had to have it. These expensive Switch controllers are the same. All this technology for a couple of gimmick gameplays. Nintendo has yet to show the general public why the extra cost of the tech is warranted.
@BTB20 absolutely. Yet there’s no must haves that require it.
@TimGibsonPBS Same! That’d be great! Nintendo still seems to be willing to use the Mii brand as evident in things like the Miitopia port. So maybe they’ll update it soon. Fingers crossed!
The bowling was super fun and great with a few friends or family members. One of my favorite games tho has to be Tiger Woods with the motion plus. Amazing game with a real sense of control.
It's funny seeing this article, because last weekend I dug up the old Wii after 10 years of inactivity, and hooked it up to my tv in my basement arcade so we could play Wii Bowling. My daughter loves it, and I'm super glad that I didnt cave in and buy a Simpsons Arcade 1up for Simpsons Bowling.
We still dig out the Wii U to play some sports every couple months. I enjoy the upgraded version more then the original, but it’s all fun. I remember thinking that all Nintendo did was take pong and update it with motion controls, and it sold millions.
I remember playing Wii bowling from across the street with the censor bar in the window at parties. Also me and a friend had played it so much we could play in a completely different room than the TV and get 200s just from knowing the wiimote sounds and where to place ourselves.
Good times.
Nintendo needs to somehow pull this off again...wait, they already did. Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Designed to be a much smaller game, but has gathered a playerbase on all ends of the spectrum.
Nintendo should make switch sports
I'm still baffled that Wii [U/Switch] Sports hasn't become a household thing by now. Bowling, Boxing and Tennis have been excellent family games, heck, i still know people who have hooked up a Wii for bowling alone.
Wii Sports and Nintendo Land are imho still THE killer launch apps for their respective platforms.
Not only did they show the systems capabilities beautifully, they were games with quite some substance to it, instead of whatever 1.2.Switch was supposed to be.
Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort were all time great video games.
@PharoneTheGnome The gyro control is not worse on the Switch, unless you count in the fact that it is sometimes more suitable for the longer Wiimote. The lack of IR controls is a bummer for shooters though. What games are you referring to?
Edit: The motion controls in Skyward sword are worse on Switch, but I suspect they didn't take the time to recalibrate them from the original properly.
Great article. Reading the comments has brought back lots of memories: wii sports was the only game I played with my parents. Before that it was taking me to Toys R Us to buy Super Mario 3, or paying £60 for Streetfighter 2 on the SNES, because Christmas would be ruined without it, and setting up my N64. But they bought their own Wii and beat me on golf and bowling! Never owned a console before or after, but good times.
Smartphone is the gateway to gaming. Gaming is now mainstream because of the smartphone, it introduced non-gamers to video games and opened them to hardcore games on consoles and PC. The Pokemon Go mania from 5 years ago cemented gaming as a global activity,
Glad so many people liked it. Wii was my least played console of the 3 that i had. Many say it sent the gaming industry in the wrong direction, & focused way too much on casual gamers. There's no way to know where it'd be without the Wii, so I can't say, myself.
@NoTinderLife thanks, smartphones, for making me weed through thousands of crap games to find 1 decent game.
Put…it…on…the…switch
It is really too bad that Wii Sports Club did not get more traction. It was pretty good. Best versions of all of the games.
Just the other day we couldn't take our human larvae outside to play because it gets dark at like 3pm in Japan, and my wife was like "we need him to exercise so he'll get hungry and eat his dinner so let's play Wii Sports!" Nice idea, but too bad the laser on my Wii is broken. Also too bad my Japanese Wii U can't play my American Wii Sports. Also also too too bad this game isn't on Switch.
Still curoious why there is no switch sports.. how hard can it be...
Maybe the weird subscription model of wii U sport club sort of destroyed it... i just wanted to buy wii u tennis...
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