Hands-on with Wii

Friday 12 May 2006
While Wii games such a Mario and Zelda have attracted most of the interest of those attending this year's E3, it's a small collection of tech demos that best displays the potential of the Wii controller.

We managed to get access to the VIP area of the Nintendo stand first thing this morning and so were able to spend some quality time with the Wii remote in hand to begin to learn how to manipulate the controller for the best results.

Available to play were three tech demos that are unlikely to be released as games but offered some interesting gameplay experiences. First off was the obstacle course demo, which has similarities with the GBA game Kuru Kuru Kururin but, instead of guiding a spinning stick through a level, here you guide a sleeping man. No really.

Above: It was time to get our hands on the Wii-mote for a serious test drive

The napping chap always stay flat out but twisting the remote causes him to spin round on an axis. The challenge is to guide him through the level collecting floating coins, without letting him hit the walls; if you fail he wakes up and starts flailing around making him far harder to control. If this happens a potion has to be found to put him back to sleep.

Making the challenge even harder is a number of different hazards such as a sliced up pizza, octopuses that spring from the walls and tiny planes that buzz about the place.

The game was as difficult as it sounds, mainly as many of the gaps you have to guide the man through are little bigger than he is. Consequently, only miniscule movements can be made with the remote - even breathing affects the control. It's a real test of concentration and control.

Above: It was time to get our hands on the Wii-mote for a serious test drive

The napping chap always stay flat out but twisting the remote causes him to spin round on an axis. The challenge is to guide him through the level collecting floating coins, without letting him hit the walls; if you fail he wakes up and starts flailing around making him far harder to control. If this happens a potion has to be found to put him back to sleep.

Making the challenge even harder is a number of different hazards such as a sliced up pizza, octopuses that spring from the walls and tiny planes that buzz about the place.

The game was as difficult as it sounds, mainly as many of the gaps you have to guide the man through are little bigger than he is. Consequently, only miniscule movements can be made with the remote - even breathing affects the control. It's a real test of concentration and control.