The Wii Remote , informally referred to with the portmanteau Wiimote , is the primary game controller for Nintendo 's Wii home video game console . An essential capability of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via motion sensing, gesture recognition , and pointing using an accelerometer and optical sensor technology. It is expandable by adding attachments. The attachment bundled with the Wii console is the Nunchuk , which complements the Wii Remote by providing functions similar to those in gamepad controllers. Some other attachments include the Classic Controller , Wii Zapper , and the Wii Wheel , which was originally released with the racing game, Mario Kart Wii .
88-707: The Wii MotionPlus ( Wiiモーションプラス ) is an expansion device for the Wii Remote , the primary game controller for the Wii . The device allows more complex motion to be interpreted than the Wii Remote can do alone. Both the Wii and its successor, the Wii U , support the Wii MotionPlus accessory in games . The accessory was first released in June 2009. A later hardware revision of the Wii Remote,
176-479: A Princess Peach -themed Wii Remote Plus, on April 24, 2014. A year later, Nintendo also released Wii Remote Plus controllers themed after Bowser , a Toad and Yoshi in the fall of 2015 to accompany the releases of Super Mario Maker and Yoshi's Woolly World , exclusively available at GameStop . The Wii Remote has an expansion port at the bottom which allows various functional attachments to be added. The connector, and any accessories that attach to it, use
264-415: A draw to win a sky blue Wii MotionPlus in one of 5,000 blue controller sets. In November 2009, a black Wii MotionPlus was released to coincide with the release of the black Wii console. Bundles containing a black Wii Remote and MotionPlus attachment were also released. In North America, non-white Wii Remotes are bundled with a MotionPlus of matching color for black Wii Remotes and a white MotionPlus unit with
352-526: A touchscreen , but Nintendo rejected the idea of a touchscreen on the controller, "since the portable console and living-room console would have been exactly the same". Coincidentally, this idea would later be implemented on the Wii U 's GamePad controller, as well as the Nintendo Switch . Sources also indicate that the Wii Remote was originally in development as a controller for the GameCube , rather than
440-516: A 16 KiB EEPROM chip of which a section of 6 kilobytes can be read and written to by the host. Part of this memory is available to store up to ten Mii avatars, which can be transported to use with another Wii console (but it can be used to upload Miis to the Mii Parade and keep it on the console (by copying Mii to remote, moving Mii to parade from console, and then moving from remote to the console)). 4,000 bytes are available for game use before
528-528: A 400 kHz I²C protocol. This expandability is similar to that available with the port on the Nintendo 64 controller. There is a female connector on Wii remotes, to which expansions with a male connector can be connected. The multiple kinds of controllers that can connect to the Wii Remote make it into a more versatile controller, opening up new Wii controller configurations and likewise multiple control schemes. Various racing games such as Mario Kart Wii and
616-402: A Wii Remote, Wii MotionPlus, and Nunchuk, all in a sky blue color referred to as Mizuiro and distinct from other blue Wii Remotes. For North America, Nintendo announced on September 1, 2009, that black versions of the Wii Remote, Wii MotionPlus, and Nunchuk would be released during the holiday season . On November 16, 2009, the black Wii Remote and Wii MotionPlus was released as a bundle, and
704-544: A built-in safety jacket that is unsafe to remove, according to Nintendo. At the E3 2006 trade show, Nintendo displayed white, black, and blue controllers; press images released for the event featured white, red, silver, lime green, and black versions. The Wii console and controllers launched in only white versions, with Shigeru Miyamoto commenting that new hues would be provided when supplies became available. On June 4, 2009, Nintendo revealed that it would release black versions of
792-436: A company that produces wireless motion-sensing computer mice . Gyration had previously pitched their idea and patents of a motion controller to Sony and Microsoft , who both declined. Nintendo then commissioned Gyration to create a one-handed controller for it, which eventually became the "Gyropod", a more traditional gamepad which allowed its right half to break away for motion-control. At this point, Gyration brought in
880-468: A distance of up to 10 metres (30 ft) from the console. The Wii Remote communicates with the Sensor Bar by infrared, providing pointing functionality over a distance of up to five metres (16 ft) from Wii Remote to Sensor Bar. The controller can be used in either hand; it can also be turned horizontally and used like a Famicom/NES controller, or in some cases (including Excite Truck , Sonic and
968-474: A few Need for Speed video games, as well as some fighting games like Super Smash Bros. Brawl , Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars and the Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution trilogy take advantage of the versatility the expansion port confers to offer multiple control schemes to suit different kinds of players. The Nunchuk (model number RVL-004) was the first attachment Nintendo revealed for
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#17328592550611056-466: A longer life cycle with the addition of top-secret peripherals that would forever enhance the gameplay experience." He suggested that Nintendo may have wanted to release the Wii Remote with a new system, instead of onto the GameCube, as "[the] Revolution addresses one of the GameCube's biggest drawbacks, which is that it was/is perceived as a toy." Images of the GameCube prototype of the Wii Remote, including
1144-423: A motion sensor, infrared pointer, and the layout of the buttons, and by the end of 2005 the controller was ready for mass production. During development of the Wii Remote, video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto brought in mobile phones and controllers for automotive navigation systems for inspiration, eventually producing a prototype that resembled a cell phone. Another design featured both an analog stick and
1232-494: A movable slide to prevent the strap from working loose during prolonged play; the lock clip strap became the standard form. In 2012 with the launch of the Wii U, the wrist strap was once again updated to allow users to push the sync button through the new jackets and battery covers. Nintendo announced a free accessory for the Wii Remote, the Wii Remote Jacket, on October 1, 2007. The removable silicone sleeve wraps around
1320-412: A pair of flashlights or a pair of candles , as Sensor Bar substitutes. The Wii Remote picks up traces of heat from the sensor, then transmits it to the Wii console to control the pointer on your screen. Such substitutes for the Sensor Bar illustrate the fact that a pair of non-moving lights provide continuous calibration of the direction that the Wii Remote is pointing and its physical location relative to
1408-505: A separate design firm, Bridge Design , to help pitch its concept to Nintendo. Under requirement to "roughly preserve the existing GameCube button layout", it experimented with different forms "through sketches, models and interviewing various hardcore gamers". By "late 2004, early 2005", however, Nintendo had come up with the Wii Remote's less traditional "wand shape", and the design of the Nunchuk attachment. Nintendo had also decided upon using
1496-442: A series of instructional videos created by Nintendo to help players learn how to attach and remove the accessory, recalibrate it, connect external controllers to it or otherwise disconnect them. It can remain attached to the Wii Remote when playing games that do not support it without causing any problems, but it will not enhance gameplay. The add-on version of the device is incompatible with any Wii Remote accessories that snugly encase
1584-417: A single Wii controller, enabling the multiplayer modes of Bash! and SpeedZone to support five to eight players across the maximum four Wii controllers that can be synced to a single console. One Nunchuk comes bundled with the Wii console. Additional Wii Remote units are sold separately without the Nunchuk. The two shoulder buttons, formerly named Z1 and Z2 respectively, have been reshaped and renamed from
1672-407: A speaker was added to the face beneath the center row of buttons. The B button became more curved resembling a trigger. The "Start" and "Select" buttons were changed to plus + and minus – , and the b and a buttons were changed to 1 and 2 to differentiate them from the A and B buttons, while also evoking the keypad of typical television remotes. Also,
1760-576: A translucent jacket for blue and pink Wii Remotes. In a 2010 Nintendo Conference, the Wii Remote Plus was announced, which places the function of the MotionPlus into a regular sized Wii remote. It would be the same as the Wii Remote, but the curved text "Wii MotionPlus INSIDE" is added below the Wii logo. The device incorporates a dual-axis tuning fork gyroscope , and a single-axis gyroscope which can determine rotational motion. The information captured by
1848-603: A white Wii Family Edition console, white Nunchuk, Wii Party and Wii Sports . The third was also released in Europe on November 18, 2011, in blue, along with a blue Wii Family Edition console, blue Nunchuk and Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games . The fourth, which is a revision of the North American bundle was released on October 28, 2012, along with the initial Wii Sports duology. A red Wii Remote Plus and red Nunchuk
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#17328592550611936-459: A wider visible spectrum than the human eye. The Wii Remote provides basic audio and rumble (vibration) functionality, but the Nunchuk does not. At the 2006 E3 press conference, it was revealed that the Wii Remote has its own independent speaker on the face of the unit. This was demonstrated by a developer as he strung and shot a bow in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess . The sound from both
2024-456: Is also included with every Wii Mini unit. At E3 2011 , it was revealed that a gold Wii Remote Plus with the royal Hylian Crest superimposed over its speaker would be released alongside The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword . It was available as part of a bundle with Skyward Sword for a limited time. After the Wii U , the Wii's successor, was launched, Nintendo began releasing Wii Remote Plus controllers that are themed off of characters from
2112-410: Is also unclear whether official accessories operate correctly with counterfeit units due to the differences in internal components. The Wii Remote assumes a one-handed remote control -based design instead of the traditional gamepad controllers of previous gaming consoles. This was done to make motion sensitivity more intuitive, as a remote design is fitted perfectly for pointing, and in part to help
2200-475: Is complete. The Wii MotionPlus features a pass-through External Extension Connector, allowing other expansions such as the Nunchuk or Classic Controller to be used simultaneously with the device. Because the Wii MotionPlus extends the length of the Wii Remote, making it impossible to clip the Nunchuk's connector hook to the wrist strap, the MotionPlus dongle features a tethered socket cap that can be snapped onto
2288-417: Is placed on. The Remote should be pointed approximately towards the Sensor Bar; precise pointing is not necessary so long as it is within the limited viewing angle of the Wii Remote. Use of the Sensor Bar allows the Wii Remote to be used as an accurate pointing device up to 5 meters (approx. 16 ft) away from the bar. The Wii Remote's image sensor is used to locate the Sensor Bar's points of light in
2376-665: The Mario universe, starting with Mario and Luigi on November 1, 2013, to accompany the release of the Wii U Deluxe set. Months later, Nintendo released a Princess Peach -themed Wii Remote Plus, on April 24, 2014. Over a year later, Nintendo also released Wii Remote Plus controllers themed off of Bowser , a Toad and Yoshi in the fall of 2015 to accompany the releases of Super Mario Maker and Yoshi's Woolly World . These three Remotes were exclusively available at GameStop in North America. Before Nintendo eventually released
2464-511: The Game Developers Conference on. The circular top shoulder button, now called C, is much smaller than the lower rectangular shoulder button, now called Z. The body of the Nunchuk is 113 mm (4.4 in) long, 38 mm (1.5 in) wide, and 37 mm (1.5 in) thick. The connection port also has a larger size. The Nunchuk can be connected to any microcontroller capable of I²C (e.g., Arduino 's Atmel AVR ), where
2552-494: The Mario series' 25th anniversary, was included in red Wii bundles released for the occasion along with a matching Nunchuk and console, Wii Sports and New Super Mario Bros. Wii . The red Wii Remote Plus would also be bundled with European copies of Wii Play: Motion , which is replaced with a black one in other regions. A red Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk of matching color is also included with every Wii Mini . At E3 2011 , it
2640-604: The Wii Remote Plus , was later released with the Wii MotionPlus technology built-in. The Wii MotionPlus was announced by Nintendo in a press release on July 14, 2008, and revealed the next day at a press conference at the E3 Media & Business Summit. It was released in June 2009. On May 3, 2010, Nintendo announced that starting May 9, 2010, the company would include its Wii Sports Resort game and MotionPlus controller with new consoles with no price increase. The Wii MotionPlus
2728-406: The Wii U , supports the Wii Remote and its peripherals in games where use of the features of the Wii U GamePad is not mandated. The Wii U's successor, the Nintendo Switch , features a follow-up named Joy-Con . Development of a motion-enabled controller began when development of the Wii console started in 2001. In that year, Nintendo licensed a number of motion-sensing patents from Gyration Inc.,
Wii MotionPlus - Misplaced Pages Continue
2816-399: The Wii U , the Wii's successor. Another sync button on the battery cover was added, allowing users to sync without removing the battery cover. A year later, Nintendo began releasing Wii Remote Plus controllers that are themed after Mario characters, starting with Mario and Luigi on November 1, 2013, to accompany the release of the Wii U Deluxe set. A few months later, Nintendo released
2904-482: The Wii Zapper and Wii Wheel and comfortably use the Wii Remote horizontally without having to remove the Wii MotionPlus attachment from the Wii Remote. Wii Remote Plus competed with Microsoft Corporation 's Kinect and Sony Computer Entertainment 's PlayStation Move with PlayStation Eye motion controllers , respectively. Nintendo later announced that the remote would be available in white, black, blue and pink. It
2992-482: The "Xbox" button), or the PlayStation 3 's mid-game XMB . It may be accessed under most circumstances during Wii operation, which pauses the on-screen action. Otherwise, a "home" symbol with a no symbol on it appears onscreen. It is also inaccessible during Nintendo GameCube play, as the Wii Remote cannot control Nintendo GameCube software. The Wii Remote has the ability to sense acceleration along three axes through
3080-409: The "replacement program". The old 0.6 mm (0.024 in) diameter strap is replaced by a larger, 1.0 mm (0.039 in) diameter version. Nintendo's online "Wrist Strap Replacement Request Form" allows owners to receive up to four free straps when a Wii serial number and shipping details are provided. On August 3, 2007, a new wrist strap was found to be supplied, with a lock clip instead of
3168-594: The Mii data. Pokémon Battle Revolution and Super Swing Golf also use this memory. This function is also used in Super Smash Bros. Brawl , allowing the user to save controller configuration data to the Wii Remote. Monster Hunter Tri also uses this function by allowing players to save their profiles to the Wii Remote. Pokémon Rumble uses this section to store Pokémon. Carnival Games: Mini Golf and Club Penguin: Game Day! as well as other games use this to store
3256-475: The Nunchuk, were found online in October 2018 when one of the prototypes was made available through an online auction. As the Wii gained in popularity, reports surfaced of counterfeit Wii Remotes entering circulation. Although these devices may provide the same functionality as official Wii Remotes, the build quality is typically inferior and components such as the rumble motor and speaker are noticeably different. It
3344-518: The Remote itself, such as the Wii Wheel , the Wii Zapper , guitar controllers for Guitar Hero and Rock Band games and NHL Slapshot ' s hockey stick accessory. In September 2010, rumors were circulating of a Wii Remote with Wii MotionPlus already built in after the upcoming FlingSmash was revealed to be bundled with "Wii Remote Plus". Nintendo initially declined to comment, but later announced
3432-631: The Secret Rings , Mario Kart Wii , and Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing ) as a steering wheel. It is also possible to play a single-player game with a Wii Remote in each hand, as in the Shooting Range game contained in Wii Play . At E3 2006, a few minor changes were made to the controller from the design presented at the Game Developer's Conference. The controller was made slightly longer, and
3520-421: The Sensor Bar using triangulation . Rotation of the Wii Remote with respect to the ground can also be calculated from the relative angle of the two dots of light on the image sensor. Games can be programmed to sense whether the image sensor is covered, which is demonstrated in a microgame featured in launch title WarioWare: Smooth Moves , where if the player does not uncover the sensor the champagne bottle that
3608-593: The Wii MotionPlus sold approximately 650,000 units in its opening week (including units sold as part of a bundle with Wii Sports Resort ), with about 296,000 sold as standalone units. Wii Remote The controller was revealed at the Tokyo Game Show on September 14, 2005, with the name "Wii Remote" announced April 27, 2006. The finalized version of the controller was later shown at E3 2006 . It received much attention due to its unique features, not supported by other gaming controllers. The Wii's successor console,
Wii MotionPlus - Misplaced Pages Continue
3696-444: The Wii Remote Plus in late 2010, which featured built-in Wii MotionPlus technology, it would initially be available in the same four standard Wii Remote colors, plus a special red variant that was included with red Wii consoles manufactured to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Mario series. In the years that followed, Nintendo released more Wii Remote Plus color schemes based on its first-party game franchises. Accessed with
3784-409: The Wii Remote Plus, third-party companies have expressed interest in designing and produced Wii Remotes with the MotionPlus technology integrated into them, eliminating the need for a separate add-on. Developers at Electronic Arts have noted that the fidelity of the device can be too sensitive and at times inaccurate, although technology reviewers have likened the improved accuracy as to the leap from
3872-532: The Wii Remote and television was altered as the bow shot to give the impression of the arrow traveling away from the player. In addition to reproducing certain in-game sound effects that reflect the on-screen action, the Wii Remote speaker can also function as a voice receiver through which non-player characters can speak to the player with long-distance telecommunication , featured in games like Red Steel , Real Heroes: Firefighter and GoldenEye 007 . Some party games and hotseat multiplayer games also utilize
3960-485: The Wii Remote at the 2005 Tokyo Game Show . It connects to the Wii Remote via a cord 1 to 1.2 m (3.5 to 4 feet) long. Its appearance when attached resembles the nunchaku weapon, hence the name. It also resembles the middle handle of the Nintendo 64 controller . Like the controllers of the Wii's two predecessors, the Nunchuk has an analog stick whose movement is restricted by an octagonal area. The Nunchuk also has two trigger buttons (a last-minute modification changed
4048-424: The Wii Remote can also control rotation of a cursor or other objects. The use of an infrared sensor to detect position can cause some detection problems in the presence of other infrared sources, such as incandescent light bulbs or candles. This can be alleviated by using fluorescent or LED lights, which emit little to no infrared light, around the Wii. Innovative users have used other sources of IR light, such as
4136-611: The Wii Remote flying. WarioWare: Smooth Moves also sometimes requires the Wii Remote to be dropped, which would cause problems in the event of a strap failure. In response, Nintendo has posted guidelines on proper use of the strap and the Wii Remote. On December 8, 2006, units with thicker straps began to appear in some areas of the world. On December 15, 2006, Nintendo denied reports of a Wii wrist strap recall. While Nintendo denied claims that three million straps had been recalled, it replaced broken wrist straps free of charge. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission became involved in
4224-622: The Wii Remote in such a way that would be hindered by a wrist strap, such as Let's Tap , most House Party games in Wii Party and the Treasure Twirl game in Wii Play Motion . In such games or game modes, on-screen prompts, as well as instruction booklet text, will specifically state that they must be played without the wrist strap. Video game web site IGN reported that the strap tends to break under heavy use, which would potentially send
4312-419: The Wii Remote to provide a better grip, and cushioning to protect the Wii Remote if dropped. Nintendo started including the jacket with the controller on October 15, 2007. The safety jacket included with every Wii Remote is usually translucent. However, for black Wii Remotes and red Wii Remote Plus controllers, the safety jacket would be of the same color. The original Wii MotionPlus accessory also comes with
4400-481: The Wii Remote's Home button, the Home Menu displays information about the controller(s) currently being used, and allows the user to configure certain options. At the bottom of the menu screen, the battery life of all connected controllers is displayed. Below that is a bar labeled Wii Remote Settings. Selecting it brings users to an options screen where they can control the audio output volume, rumble settings, and reconnect
4488-458: The Wii Remote's field of view. The light emitted from each end of the Sensor Bar is focused onto the image sensor which sees the light as two bright dots separated by a distance "mi" on the image sensor. The second distance "m" between the two clusters of light emitters in the Sensor Bar is a fixed distance. From these two distances m and mi, the Wii CPU calculates the distance between the Wii Remote and
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#17328592550614576-417: The Wii Remote's pointer in-game. Because the Sensor Bar allows the Wii Remote to calculate the distance between the Wii Remote and the Sensor Bar, the Wii Remote can also control slow forward-backward motion of an object in a 3-dimensional game. Rapid forward-backward motion, such as punching in a boxing game, is controlled by the acceleration sensors. Using these acceleration sensors (acting as tilt sensors),
4664-468: The Wii console. The position and motion tracking of the Wii Remote allows the player to mimic actual game actions, such as swinging a sword or aiming a gun, instead of simply pressing buttons. An early marketing video showed actors miming actions such as fishing, cooking, drumming, conducting a musical ensemble, shooting a gun, sword fighting, and performing dental surgery. The LEDs can be seen by some digital cameras, phone cameras, and other devices with
4752-472: The Wii, Wii Remote, Nunchuk, and Classic Controller PRO in Japan on August 1, 2009. Each black Wii Remote includes a matching solid-black Wii Remote Jacket. In addition, Club Nintendo in Japan held a contest between June 25, 2009, and August 31, 2009, wherein members who purchased and registered a copy of Wii Sports Resort would be entered into a draw to win one of 5,000 blue controller sets. Each set included
4840-420: The Wii. Video game developer Factor 5 stated that during development of launch title Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader , it had an early prototype of a motion-sensing controller. Video game journalist Matt Casamassina , from gaming website IGN , stated that he believed that Nintendo had planned to release the Wii Remote for the GameCube, noting that "Nintendo said that it hoped that GCN could enjoy
4928-408: The added length, and according to Nintendo, the Wii MotionPlus is unsafe to use without it. However, the newer Wii Remote Plus eliminates the need for such elongated jackets by integrating the MotionPlus technology into the Remote itself. The device is only used by games that have been specifically developed to use its functionality . The title screens of these games also provide an option to access
5016-499: The angular rate sensor can then be used to distinguish true linear motion from the accelerometer readings. This allows for the capture of more complex movements than possible with the Wii Remote alone. To ensure that it functions properly, the MotionPlus can be calibrated before or during gameplay by placing the Wii Remote facedown (so that the B Button is facing up) on a flat surface and keeping it motionless for at most 10 seconds until an on-screen notification indicates that calibration
5104-459: The bar. The LEDs farthest from the center are pointed slightly outwards, the LEDs closest to the center are pointed slightly inwards, while the rest are pointed straight forward. The Sensor Bar's cable is 353 cm (11 ft 7 in) in length. The bar may be placed above or below the television, centered horizontally, in line with the front of the television or the front of the surface the television
5192-455: The batteries may be temporarily interrupted. If the Wii Remote is not used for more than 5 minutes, such as when the player is using a GameCube controller, it will shut off, and can be re-activated by pressing any button (this was also the case when using a now discontinued video-on-demand service). Games are able to determine and react to the current battery life of Wii Remotes, with certain games using unique, extra- diegetic methods of alerting
5280-506: The beginning of its instruction booklet (even if the game does not use motion controls). The latter is a word-for-word reproduction of a standard wrist strap warning notice established by Nintendo. The wrist strap is also used to restrain the Nunchuk's connector by its hook, safely slowing any sudden movement of the Nunchuk's cord if the connector is forcibly disconnected. In spite of widespread wrist strap safety notices, there are certain Wii games, in whole or part, that are played by moving
5368-543: The black Nunchuk was released as a standalone purchase. Blue and pink Wii Remotes were released in Japan on December 3, 2009. In North America, the blue and pink Wii Remotes were released February 14, 2010, in a bundle with a standard white Wii MotionPlus. In Australia, the black, blue and pink versions of the Wii Remotes were released on February 25, 2010. In addition, the black Nunchuk and black Wii MotionPlus were also released on that day as well. When Nintendo released
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#17328592550615456-422: The connector hook to secure it from abrupt movement should it be forcibly disconnected. The attachment has a color-coded mechanical slide switch for locking the clip release. When attached to the (original, non-MotionPlus) Wii Remote, the add-on unit extends the length of the controller body by approximately 1.5 in (4 cm). Each Wii MotionPlus includes a longer version of the Wii Remote Jacket to accommodate
5544-446: The console appeal to a broader audience that includes non-gamers. The body of the Wii Remote is 148 mm (5.8 in) long, 36.2 mm (1.43 in) wide, and 30.8 mm (1.21 in) thick. The Wii Remote model number is RVL-003, a reference to the project code-name "Revolution". The controller communicates wirelessly with the console via short-range Bluetooth radio, with which it is possible to operate up to four controllers at
5632-659: The console's physical reset button . Operations Guide : On Wii Menu channels, including the News Channel, Forecast Channel , Internet Channel , Everybody Votes Channel , certain WiiWare titles and Virtual Console titles, the Operations Guide button appeared on the Home Menu. The guide accessed acts as an instruction manual for the game being played. The Home Menu can be compared to the Xbox 360 's in-game menu (accessed by pressing
5720-402: The controller (see Wii Remote Chargers ). Nintendo's industrial designer Lance Barr said that the Wii Remote's expansion port is unsuitable for internal battery charging. The only type of (externally charged) rechargeable battery supported is nickel-metal hydride (NiMH). A 3300 μF capacitor provides a temporary source of power during quick movements of the Wii Remote when connection to
5808-422: The controller face was replaced with the Wii logo. Also, the expansion port was redesigned, with expansion plugs featuring a smaller snap-on design. The Wii Remote had the capability of turning the main console's power on or off remotely with a power button, further reinforcing the impression that it looks like a television remote. The blue LEDs also indicate the battery's state: on pressing any button (other than
5896-614: The controllers, for example to connect Wii Remotes through one-time synchronization. Depending on when the Home Menu is accessed, a different number of buttons are displayed. Wii Menu : No matter when the menu is accessed, the Wii Menu button will always be present. Selecting this will exit a game or a Wii Menu channel and return the player to the Wii Menu, where users can choose another channel. When playing certain Virtual Console titles, with
5984-536: The device on September 29, 2010, confirming it to be a Wii Remote with MotionPlus built in, allowing players to use peripherals like the Wii Zapper and Wii Wheel without having to remove Wii MotionPlus from the Wii Remote. It competes with the Kinect and the PlayStation Move with PlayStation Eye motion controllers for the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 home consoles, respectively. Nintendo later announced that
6072-447: The exception of the Nintendo 64 and Neo Geo , this will also create a suspend point. Reset : In applications and games (both retail and downloadable), the Reset button is available. This performs a soft reset of that particular application, for example returning a game to its title screen or the loading screen of a Wii Menu channel, the same as what would happen if the player were to press
6160-461: The fidelity of VHS to that of Blu-ray . Game reviewers at Official Nintendo Magazine have called the device "100% accurate" and stated that movements are "captured extremely accurately". In North America, approximately 374,000 Wii MotionPlus units were sold in June 2009 (including nearly 205,000 units sold as part of a bundle with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 ), according to the NPD Group . In Japan,
6248-405: The initial Wii Remote design, to address developer demand for more capable motion sensing, but was only announced after the sensors could be purchased in sufficient volume at a reasonable price. During a developer round table discussion at E3 2008, Wii Sports Resort producer Katsuya Eguchi discussed the potential influence of the Wii MotionPlus on the Wii's existing market, stating that Nintendo
6336-419: The initial teaser video that revealed the controller at Tokyo Game Show 2005, the 1 and 2 buttons were labeled X and Y. The Wii Remote has a wrist strap attached to the bottom to prevent it from flying away during game action if not held securely. The wrist strap is tied with a cow hitch knot . Every Wii game contains safety warnings concerning wrist strap use during its startup sequence and also at or near
6424-410: The light sources. There is no way to calibrate the position of the cursor relative to where the user is pointing the controller without the two stable reference sources of light provided by the Sensor Bar or substitutes. Third-party wireless sensor bars have also been released, which have been popular with users of Wii emulators since the official Sensor Bar utilizes a proprietary connector to connect to
6512-424: The player to low battery life. In September 2010, rumors were circulating of a Wii Remote with Wii MotionPlus already built in after the box art for the upcoming FlingSmash revealed it to be bundled with "Wii Remote Plus". Nintendo initially declined to comment, but later announced the device on September 29, 2010, confirming it to be a Wii Remote with MotionPlus built in, allowing players to use peripherals like
6600-412: The player's hands independently, a feature that is leveraged to implement boxing controls for Wii Sports or dual wield combat in some hack and slash games, such as Prince of Persia: Rival Swords . Despite having fewer buttons, the Nunchuk can also be used as a controller itself, a feature that is leveraged by Opoona , Bust-A-Move Bash! and SpeedZone . This allows two players to share
6688-501: The player's in game avatars. The game Petz: Monkey Madness allows players to transport their monkey between copies of the game. The Wii Remote uses two AA size alkaline batteries as a power source, which can power a Wii Remote for 60 hours using only the accelerometer functionality and 25 hours using both accelerometer and pointer functionality. In May 2013, Nintendo announced a rechargeable battery and dock accessory, and various third-party manufacturers market charging solutions for
6776-501: The power button) while the controller is not being used to play games, four LEDs flash to indicate full battery, three for 75%, two for 50%, and one for 25% life remaining. Similarities have been noted between the Wii Remote and an early Dreamcast controller prototype. In the Red Steel trailer shown at E3 2006, the Wii Remote had a smaller circular shaped image sensor instead of the larger opaque IR filters shown on other versions. In
6864-460: The red Wii Remote Plus, while the black Wii Remote Plus is also included with other versions of the game. All Wii Family Edition units contain a Wii Remote Plus. The first was released in North America on October 23, 2011, in black, along with a black Wii Family Edition console, black Nunchuk, New Super Mario Bros. Wii and a limited edition soundtrack for Super Mario Galaxy . The second was released in Europe on November 4, 2011, in white, along with
6952-492: The remote represents will not open. The Sensor Bar is required when the Wii Remote is controlling up-down, left-right motion of a cursor or reticle on the TV screen to point to menu options or objects such as enemies in first-person shooters . Some Wii games that depend on infrared pointing, such as The Conduit and The House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return , allow the player to calibrate
7040-551: The remote would be available in white, black, blue and pink. It was released in Australia on October 28, 2010, in Europe on November 5, 2010, in North America on November 7, 2010, and in Japan on November 11, 2010. It was also released in red as part of a bundle containing Wii Sports , New Super Mario Bros. Wii , a red Wii console, and red Nunchuk. It has been announced that the European version of Wii Play: Motion will be bundled with
7128-410: The speaker to indicate changes between player turns. The volume can be changed or muted with the "Home" button and selecting the corresponding controller icon at the bottom of the screen; if the speaker is muted, any sounds intended to be emitted from the speaker will come from the television in most cases. The rumble feature can also be switched on or off using the Home Menu. The Wii Remote contains
7216-445: The symbol on the Home button was changed from a blue dot to a shape resembling a home/house, the shape of Power was made circular rather than rectangular, and the blue LEDs indicating player number are now labeled using 1 to 4 small raised dots instead of numbers 1 to 4, resembling the dots used to mark the four controller ports of the GameCube console. The Nintendo logo at the bottom of
7304-407: The two triggers to one trigger and a C button, as described below). It works in tandem with the main controller in many games. Like the Wii Remote, the Nunchuk also provides a three-axis accelerometer from STMicroelectronics for motion-sensing and tilting, but lacks any feedback features. The presence of a motion sensor in the Nunchuk allows the Wii controller to recognize gestures from both of
7392-483: The use of Analog Devices MEMS -based three-dimensional accelerometers . The Wii Remote also has a PixArt optical sensor that allows it to determine where it is pointing. Unlike a light gun that senses light from a television screen, the Wii Remote senses light from the console's Sensor Bar (RVL-014), which allows consistent usage not influenced by the screen used. The Sensor Bar is about 24 cm (9.4 in) long and has ten infrared LEDs , five at each end of
7480-408: Was developed by Nintendo in collaboration with game development tool company AiLive . The sensor used is an InvenSense IDG-600 or IDG-650 in later units, designed in accordance to Nintendo's specification; with a high dynamic range , high mechanical shock tolerance, high temperature and humidity resistance, and small physical size. The Wii MotionPlus was conceived soon after the completion of
7568-408: Was looking at whether the MotionPlus capability will be built into the Wii Remote in the future, or kept "as an attachment we only use for certain software." Nintendo ultimately chose the former by releasing the Wii Remote Plus in late 2010. From June to August 2009, Club Nintendo in Japan held a contest wherein members who purchased and registered a copy of Wii Sports Resort would be entered into
7656-531: Was released in Australia on October 28, 2010, in Europe on November 5, 2010, in North America on November 7, 2010, and in Japan on November 11, 2010. In addition to being available in the four standard Wii Remote colors, specially colored Wii Remote Plus controllers themed after Nintendo's first-party video game franchises were also released in the years that followed, with one golden Legend of Zelda Wii Remote Plus and several others based on Mario characters . A red Wii Remote Plus, initially designed to celebrate
7744-458: Was revealed that a gold Wii Remote Plus with the Hylian Crest superimposed over its speaker would be released alongside The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword . It was available as part of a bundle with Skyward Sword for a limited time. A matching gold Nunchuk was also available to earn for Club Nintendo members for a limited time. In 2012, the Wii Remote Plus was reissued, and branded for
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