Nintendo DS Lite Game Reviews
Game reviews - The Nintendo DS Lite - Where to buy online
Where to buy the DS Lite and its games and accessories

The Nintendo Wii Console

Previously known as the Revolution, the Wii is the successor to the Nintendo GameCube. It's not a successor to its handheld DS Lite console. Unique selling points include:

  • a wireless controller, the Wii Remote, a handheld pointing device that can detect motion and rotation through infrared communication with a 'Sensor bar' unit placed in front of the TV display. Data comms with the Wii are also wireless, through Bluetooth
  • an always-on Internet client, WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet
  • a 'Nunchuk' add-on controller to the Wii Remote, which also contains motion detection technology
  • accepts both 12cm and 8cm (GameCube) discs, in addition to extra ports for GameCube controllers and memory cartridges
  • up to 4 Wii Remotes can be wirelessly connected at once
  • an SD card slot

Notable omissions include:

  • No DVD playback facility (initially)

Dimensions are 44 by 157 by 215 mm, not including the bundled vertical stand. The Wii is based on a PowerPC chip running at 730MHz, and has a total of 91MB of RAM (including graphics memory). It has built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi.

Wii console and main Bluetooth controller

DS compatibility

The Wii is supposed to be connectable to the DS and DS Lite through Wi-Fi, to allow the use of the DS as an extra Wii controller, but the software side of this functionality isn't in place yet.