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The Red & Black | Thursday, June 22, 2006 | 7
New gaming console inexpensive, user-friendly
Wii hopes to be
revolutionary
By MILES MOFFIT
mmoffit@randb.com
Editor’s note: This is the third
article in a three-part series
on the next generation of
video game consoles.
Throughout gaming histo
ry, new systems have always
sought to bring new visual
horsepower to the table, but
when was the last time a
gaming console radically
changed the way you play
your games?
That is the question that
Nintendo asked this year at
E3, the world’s largest video
game trade show, and their
answer is their newest sys
tem — due around October
of this year — code-named
Revolution and now officially
known as “Wii.”
“The next leap is about
playing,” said Nintendo’s Vice
President of Marketing at the
time, Reggie Fils-Aime,
“because playing is believ
ing.”
At Nintendo's press con
ference, Fils-Aime pro
claimed that the next step
forward in gaming will not be
about the looks but about
the feel of the game.
The Wii’s distinct con
troller design is the proposed
means to this end.
Shaped like a thick televi
sion remote instead of a tra
ditional console controller, it
will make use of external sen
sors placed on the corners of
your television screen to
detect motion in three
dimensions.
The technology makes not
only point-and-click action,
reminiscent of Nintendo clas
sic “Duck Hunt,” possible
with the standard controller
but also control via wrist piv
oting and rotation for realis
tic topspin in tennis games,
for example.
The remote has only a few
buttons, which will be easily
accessible to your forefingers
and thumb. Sold separately,
there will be a controller
attachment dubbed the
“nunchuck,” which will con
nect via wire to the original
controller and feature a
thumbstick for fine control
and its own motion sensor.
If all of this sounds
strange, consider that
Nintendo is marketing the
Wii as an inexpensive,
approachable, non-gamer-
friendly system.
Every Nintendo system
ever released has cost $199,
and Nintendo announced
after E3 that the Wii will not
be priced at more than $250.
Such a price tag would
certainly make it more wal
let-friendly than a $300 Xbox
360 Core system or a $500
basic PlayStation 3.
In addition, if the system
is launched before or around
November when PS3 is set to
launch, consumers may do a
double-take.
However, Nintendo seems
to be uninterested in com
paring themselves to their
rivals.
At their press conference,
NINTENDO Wii
Release Date: Q4 2006
Cost: <$250
Online: www.WiiConnect24.com
Control: Freehand
the notion that this is a
“next-generation” system
was deliberately downplayed.
“If all you want is next-
generation, you’re in the
wrong place,” Fils-Aime said.
He went on to say that the
next step in gaming is “not
about what you see, because
what you see is not always
what you get.”
These are not empty
words. The Wii’s hardware
specifications do not place it
much higher than the
Gamecube in terms of graph
ical power.
While it is important to
remember just how powerful
the Gamecube is —
“Resident Evil 4” had to be
graphically downgraded
before it could be ported
from Gamecube to PS2 —
this would indicate that
Nintendo truly has bowed
out of the visual arms race.
“Over the years, our indus
try has come to accept
progress simply by what’s on
the screen,” said Fils-Aime as
he outlined the company’s
vision for Wii.
In his concluding remarks,
he added, “Change is good.”
Just as the Xbox 360 is
banking on new franchise
titles to break the industry
wide trend of rampant
sequels and Sony is relying
on the Playstation’s reputa
tion to sell a $600 system,
Nintendo is counting on the
perception of the Wii as a
simplified yet altogether rev
olutionary sort of gaming-
experience that even grand
parents can enjoy.
“Anyone can instantly
understand Wii,” said
Nintendo president Satoru
Iwata.
A short video montage
played at the conference
demonstrated not only the
various new methods of con
trol but also what to expect
after the system launches.
The reel included
“Metroid Prime 3:
Corruption,” “Dragon Quest:
Swords,” “Fire Emblem,”
“Super Mario Galaxy,” “Tony
Hawk’s Downhill Jam,”
“Rayman 4,” “Sonic: Wild
Fire,” “Final Fantasy: Crystal
Chronicles” and “The
Legend of Zelda: Twilight
Princess.”
Don’t worry, Zelda fans.
Fils-Aime guarantees that it
is “by far the best ‘Zelda’
game we’ve ever made,” and
that there's still a version of
“Twilight Princess” coming
out for Gamecube on the
same day the Wii launches.
A demonstration of
“Twilight Princess” also
revealed that the controller
will feature a small built-in
speaker to add depth to the
system’s audio.
When using the bow, for
instance, you will hear the
arrow leave your hand on the
controller, and then hear the
impact on the TV.
Taking game sound a step
further than surround, this
sort of audio is currently
unavailable on any other
platform.
In response to questions
about the system’s unusual
name, Fils-Aime reassured
the audience by reminding
them that every distinctive
name sounds strange at first
(think “Google”).
He also jokingly shared his
thanks to everyone who
wrote good things about it
the day they heard it —
“both” of them.
“[Wii] means just what it
sounds like — ‘we.’ It’s the
sound of inclusion, the sound
of every gamer you know and
of every new gamer who is
going to join us,” he said.
Other system features
were detailed during Iwata’s
portion of the presentation.
One of the most intriguing
of these features was
WiiConnect 24, a feature that
will use the power draw
equivalent to that of a night
light to keep the Wii con
stantly connected to the
Internet even when it is
turned off.
This will allow new con
tent as well as game and sys
tem updates to be transmit
ted to consoles “even while
you sleep,” Iwata said.
He highlighted the appeal
of this feature by describing
how friends could leave gifts
for you in online games
overnight.
“Wii will become the sys
tem that never sleeps,” he
said.
Iwata also mentioned the
Wii’s virtual console feature,
which will have its own
Super Nintendo-style con
troller (plus thumbsticks)
and will allow players to play
through a massive back-cat
alog of classic Nintendo
titles for systems from the
original Nintendo to the
Nintendo 64.
Gamecube owners, hang
on to your controllers.
Nintendo has promised
that the Wii will feature four
Gamecube controller ports
and will be fully backwards
compatible with their previ
ous console.
According to Fils-Aime,
Nintendo is aiming for a sys
tem that renovates the con
cept of gaming, making the
experience feel “brand new
all over again.”
All that being said, there
is no question in the gaming
community that Nintendo
stole the show at this year’s
E3.
However, as promising as
the Wii sounds, it will still
have to challenge and sur
pass over a decade of estab
lished tradition in order to
cement itself in history as the
“revolution” its creators hope
it will be.
To that end, if it doesn’t
live up to all its promises, it
will have to stay under
ground until gamers are truly
ready for something so new.
LISTINGS
THURSDAY
>- Flagpole Athens Music Awards
Morton Theatre. 8 p.m.
► CD Release Party: Col Bruce
Hampton and the Codetalkers, CX-1
Georgia Theatre. 10 p.m. $8
► Count Kellam, Electa Villain, Up
Until Now
40 Watt Club. 11 p.m.
► Walcott, The Redbelly Band, Kill
Gordon
Tasty World (downstairs). 10 p.m. $5
>- Another Fiasco
Tasty World (upstairs). 10 p.m. $5
► Guitar Hero
Caledonia Lounge. 10 p.m.
>- Pete McBrayer, Mother Jackson
Flicker. 11 p.m.
► The Jimi Hendrix Inexperience
Wild Wing Cafe. 10 p.m.
► Jared Ashley, Morgan and Bell
Last Call. 9 p.m.
>- Down-tempo DJs: DJ Ganesh, DJ
Dr. Weird
Amici’s. 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY
► Entrop, Bling the Children Back
Home, Elemenop, Classic City
Breaks
Georgia Theatre. 9 p.m. $7
>- Contraband, We Versus The
Shark, Coulier, Col Knowledge and
the Lickety Splits
40 Watt. Doors at 10:15 p.m.
>- Betsy Franck and Kimberly
Morgan, Ken Williams, Andrew
Nelson and the Shotgun Lovers,
Connor Rand and the Red Dirt
Band, Last Picture Show, The
Bearfoot Hookers
Tasty World (downstairs). 8 p.m.
► October Frequency, Burning the
Dying City, Mayhem Hero, Gonzalez,
Sounds of Silence, Dark Horse,
Theocracy
Tasty World (upstairs). 9 p.m.
► Garbage Island, Subversive),
Mother Jackson, Ceramic Dvck,
Music Hates You, Lona
Caledonia Lounge. 8 p.m.
>- Nightingale News, Jesse Flavin,
Ave Nada
Flicker. 9:30 p.m.
>- Squat, Grogus
Farm 255. 10:30 p.m.
>- The Deacon Brandon Reeves,
Don Auber, Christopher Henderson,
Jeff Andrews
Melting Point. 9 p.m.
>- Fester Hagood and Caroline
Monroe, The Tour from Beyond,
Funkle Ester
Wild Wing Cafe. 10 p.m.
► Carla La Fever and The Rays,
Cinjed, Theomataras
DT’s. 10 p.m.
► Brantley Gilbert, Holman Autry
Band, Nelo
Last Call. 10 p.m.
>- Nick Light, Jason Harwell,
Jennifer Daniels, Jay Markwalter,
Sarah Peacock
Hot Corner Coffee. 10 p.m.
>- The Plague, Midnight DJ TBA
Little Kings Club. 11 p.m.
>- Pegasuses, 3 O’clock Sandbox,
Commanche, The Dumps, Hot New
Mexicans
Lunch Paper. 9 p.m.
>- Beyond Tomorrow, The Empties,
Second Shift, Hey Revolution!
The Ritz. 10 p.m.
► Mark Wenthe
Amici. 10:30 p.m.
► Honey, The Vinyl Strangers,
Timber, Zumm Zumm
Transmetropolitan (upstairs). 10 p.m.
SATURDAY
► Packway Handle Band, Hope for
Agoldensummer, Panda, Love
Tractor
Georgia Theatre. 9 p.m. $7
>- Casper and The Cookies,
Cinemechanica, Iron Hero, The
Whigs
40 Watt. 10:15 p.m.
► Misfortune 500, Some Animal,
League of Evil, Parade, The
Pendletons, Heros Severum
Tasty World (downstairs). 8:35 p.m.
► Vicariously Through Cats, Lake
City, Ginger Envelope, Venice Is
Sinking, Dark Meat
Tasty World (upstairs). 9 p.m.
► Peter Alvanos, Murder Beach,
Engineering, Jackpot City, Nutria,
Producto, Psychic Hearts
Caledonia Lounge. 7:30 p.m.
► Diet Rockstar, Magic Missile,
Ham1
Flicker. 9:30 p.m.
► Scott Leon O’Day Quartet,
Classic City Breaks
Farm 255.10:30 p.m.
► The Solstice Sisters, Bob Hay
and The Jolly Beggars, Banish
Misfortune, Duke and Dawn
Melting Point. 9 p.m.
>- The Movement, Passafire, Wrong
Way
Wild Wing Cafe. 10 p.m.
>- BRGR TRSH, Liquid Sundrop,
Holman Autry Band
DT’s. 10 p.m.
>- 23jinx, Hybrid L, Suburban
Camoflague, Renegade Sound
System
Last Call. 10 p.m.
>- Poncho Magic, Bellah Sparxxx,
Athens Boys Choir, Effie’s Club
Follies
Hot Corner Coffee. 10 p.m.
>- Mandy Jane and The Jaws of
Life, Babies Who Hurt People
Little Kings Club. 11 p.m.
>- The High Caliber, Last, Geoff
Reacher, Sleepy Horses, The Savoir
Faire
Lunch Paper. 9 p.m.
>- Bo Bedingfield, Kimberly
Morgan, Adam Klein
Nuci’s Space. 9:30 p.m.
>- Revival, Countdown to Ecstasy
The Ritz. 10 p.m.
► Dim Lit Daylight
Amici. 9 p.m.
>- Mikey Dwyer, Still Small Voices
and the Joyful Noise, Tony Tidwell
and Scalded Dogs, The Winter
Sounds
Transmetropolitan (upstairs). 10 p.m.
>- Salsa Night
Tasty World (upstairs)
► Contra Dance
Memorial Hall Ballroom. 7:30 p.m.
SUNDAY
>- Team Trivia
Wild Wing Cafe. 8 p.m.
>- Team Trivia
Amici. 9 p.m.
MONDAY
>- Moses Mayfield, The Morning
After
Tasty World (downstairs). 10 p.m. $5
>- Brown Frown, Pearls and Brass
Caledonia Lounge. 10 p.m. $5
► Sherm’s Wings and Sings
Tasty World (upstairs). 10 p.m. $5
>- Team Trivia
Taco Stand. 9 p.m.
► Bingo
Broad St. Bar and Grill. 8 p.m.
►Texas Hold ‘Em
DT’s Down Under. 10 p.m.
► Texas Hold ‘Em
Red Rooster. 6 and 8 p.m.
► National Pub Poker Night
Wild Wing Cafe. 7 and 10 p.m.
TUESDAY
► Commander Chameleon, Purple
of Cassius, Celerity
Tasty World (downstairs). 10 p.m. $5
► Open Mic Night
DT’s Down Under. Call 706-543-9276
to sign up.
► Extreme Entertainment Karaoke
Wild Wing Cafe. 10 p.m.
► Karaoke
Walker’s Pub (downstairs). 10 p.m.
► Trivia with Trivia Joe
Locos on Harris St. 8:30 p.m.
► Texas Hold Em
Jigsy’s. 8 p.m.
► Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament
Flicker. 8 p.m.
► Swing Dancing and Lessons
The Ritz. 8:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
► Scarlett Undercover, Blueline,
Cadens of Sorts
Tasty World (downstairs). 10 p.m. $5
► Robin Dean Salmon, Nic
Goodson
Flicker. 8:30 p.m.
► Milligan Acoustic
Wild Wing Cafe. 9 p.m.
► Open Jam/Drum Circle
DTs Down Under. BYO[instrument],
► Gaelic Storm
Melting Point. 8 p.m. $15
► Texas Hold Em
Red Rooster. 6 and 8 p.m.
► Trivia with Flood City Joe
Jigsy’s. 8 p.m.
►Trivia
Blind Pig Tavern. 9 p.m.
► Salsa Dancing and Lessons
The Ritz. 8:30 p.m.
UPCOMING
► 6/29: Zoso. Georgia Theatre
► 6/29: Buzzcocks. 40 Watt
►6/30: Krush Girls. 40 Watt
► 6/30: Saliva. Last Call
MOVIES
(for 6/23-6/29)
►GTC BEECHWOOD 11
An Inconvenient Truth (PG) 1:15,
4:00, 7:05, 9:30
The Break Up (PG-13) 1:45,4:30,
7:25, 9:50
Cars (G) 12:00,1:30,2:45,4:15,
5:30, 7:00,8:15,9:45
Click (PG-13) 12:10, 2:35, 5:00, 7:30,
9:55
Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift (PG-13)
1:40, 4:40,7:10,9:35
Garfield 2: A Tale of Two Kitties (PG)
1:00,3:10,5:15,7:20,9:20
Lake House (PG) 1:50, 4:25, 7:05,
9:25
Nacho Libre (PG) 2:00, 4:45, 7:15,
9:40
Prairie Home Companion (PG-13)
2:10, 4:35, 7:15,10:00
X-Men: The Last Stand (PG-13)
1:30, 4:15,7:10,9:45
► CARMIKE 12 CINEMAS ***NEEDS
TO BE UPDATED***
Breakup,The (PG-13) 1:10,4:10,
7:10,9:30
Cars (G) 12:25, 2:50, 5:15, 7:40,10:00
Da Vinci Code, The (PG-13) 1:00,
4:15, 7:30
The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo
Drift (PG-13) 12:30, 2:55, 5:20, 7:45,
10:10
Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties (PG)
12:35,2:40,4:45,7:00,9:20
Lake House (PG) 12:40, 3:00, 5:15,
7:30, 9:50
Nacho Libre (PG) 12:50, 3:10, 5:20,
7:40, 10:00
Omen, The (R) 1:00,4:00,7:00,9:40
Superman Returns (PG-13) 10:00
(Sneak Preview Tu. 6/27)
Waist Deep (R) 1:10, 3:20, 5:30, 7:45,
10:00 (opens Fri. 6/23)
X-Men: The Last Stand (PG-13)
1:15, 4:15,7:15,9:40
►GEORGIA SQUARE 5 CINEMAS
American Haunting (PG-13) 1:00,
3:10,5:20,7:30,9:40
Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (PG) 12:45,
2:15,3:00,4:30,5:15,6:45,7:30,9:00,
9:45
Scary Movie 4 (PG-13) 1:05, 3:15,
5:25, 7:35, 9:45
United 93 (R) 1:05, 4:05, 7:05, 9:35
► HIGHWAY 17 THEATRES
Open at 8 p.m., shows start at dark
around 8:30 p.m.
Screen 1: Over the Hedge
Screen 2: Click
Screen 3: Garfield
ATLANTA
► Center Stage
6/23: ABC. 8 p.m. $25
6/25: Brand New. 6 p.m. SOLD OUT
► The Fox Theatre
6/27: Sheryl Crow. 7 p.m. $38+
► Vinyl
6/23: Legendary Pink Dots. 8 p.m. $15
► The Loft
6/23: Flyleaf. 8 p.m. SOLD OUT
6/26: The Futureheads. 8 p.m. $12
► Chastain Park Amphitheatre
6/23: Toni Braxton. 8 p.m. $34.32+
6/24: Doobie Brothers. 8:30 p.m.
$27.84+
► Variety Playhouse
6/23: Sun Domingo. 8:30 p.m. $12
6/24: Tommy Emmanuel. 7 and 10
p.m. $25
► Roxy Theatre
6/24: Sister Hazel. 8 p.m. $22.50
► The Masquerade
(door times and advance prices listed)
6/22: Summer Battle of the Bands.
Heaven. 7 p.m. $6
6/23: Stand Alone, Object, theEnders,
Terranigma. Heaven. 7 p.m. $6
6/23: RX Bandits, The Exit, Men
Women and Children. Hell. 7 p.m. $10
6/24: Demon Hunter, Zao, Spoken,
August Burns Red, Becoming the
Archetype. Heaven. 7 p.m. $15
6/24: So They Say, Race The Sun,
Medina Lake, Damone, One Way
Letter. Hell. 6:30 p.m. $8
6/28: Summer Battle of the Bands.
Heaven. 7 p.m. $6
All listings subject to change.
Got a listing you’d like to see in the
paper? Contact PT at
pumphress@randb.com by Tuesday
and provide the following information:
name of the act, venue name, starting
time and date, admission price and a
short event synopsis.
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www.myspace.com/thewinery
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