The more I hear about how the Wii remote works, I think it’s not capable of doing a Samba De Amigo-style game, where the positioning of the maracas is a gameplay element. Seems like the Wii remote detects the change in position with accelerometers and detects position with the IR sensors. Can’t detect position whan you’re shaking a “maraca”; can’t shake a “maraca” when you have to keep it pointed directly at the screen.
I’m going to have to partially retract my earlier post. I did find one in Lansing after all today - at Meijer when I was getting groceries. I never think to get games there because it’s freakin impossible to get someone to actually get an employee over there who can unlock the video game cabinets. At least twice I went there for games and got sick of waiting around 15+ minutes and just went over to GameStop.
Well this time, I figure what the hell, I’d check, and they had 6 copies. And then it took 22 minutes to track down an employee who had a key to get it out of the cabinet for me. No wonder they had them in stock, no one else had the patience.
Actually, it does seem to detect position regardless of how it is oriented. And it does not have to pointed directly at the screen unless it is being used to point. The drumming in Raving Rabbids does not require the Wiimote be pointed at the screen nor does the control of cows in Wii Play or the control of vehicles in Excite Truck.
I didn’t mean position as “where it’s pointing to on the screen,” I meant position as to “how high it is off the ground.” For Samba De Amigo, there are three heights at which you can hold the maracas. As far as I can tell, the Wii remotes detect the delta, i.e., the change in position, rather than detecting absolute position. I can’t see how they could, without a reference point (the DC maracas have their own version of a sensor bar on the ground in addition to wires).
I think this is also why I have trouble in certain corners with Excite Truck, I’m not returning the remote to a neutral position to allow for movement.
I wanted Wii Play only because I wanted another controller, and haven’t found one at Target, Sears, Circuit City, Best Buy, Gamestop, Toy’s R Us, or anywhere online in the past two months. I pre-ordered a copy of Wii Play from Best Buy four weeks ago, only to check my order status yesterday and see it’s on back order.
I’m high on the Wii, we play it multiple times a week in my family and I’ve had two other people buy their own after playing, but there are two unforgivable things that will stop me from buying a Nintendo console at launch ever again.
Controllers are impossible to find, which is unforgivable for a console that is specifically advertised as something you should be sharing with groups of family and friends.
Online friend codes, lack of communication when hooking up with people, and an actual point to having these friends is rediculous in 2007. I can add contacts to my PC, phone, Xbox and old-fashion paper address book easier than I can with the Wii.
Screw you Nintendo.
(now I’ll go play my two person Wii tennis, while the other two people watch)
I may have been too harsh on this game in my earlier post. I played with some friends last night and it’s not bad. I think its too easy for me. But my GF who isn’t a gamer really got better at using the remote from this game. Me thinks it’s a good teaching tool for the hand-eye coordination deficient.
I had a good time with the hockey and the ping pong once I got my roommate playing. I feel better about the purchase. I need to try the rest of them multiplayer.
I got my copy last night and after playing all the games I’d have to say for me its worth 10 bucks just for the shooting game. It reminded me a lot of duck hunt which I would assume was their goal.
I’d say if you need another Wiimote I would suggest getting this.