Wii Sports Hacks, Tips and Tricks

There are a few tricks that may help when you get near Pro status in Wii Sports.

Tennis

• Keep your wrist relaxed
• Raise the Wii-mote into the air to throw the ball to serve (you don't have to press the A button like the manual says)
• Just before the ball is at it's highest point, flick your wrist forward and you will hit a "smokin' serve"
• Swing soon on volleys and ground strokes to hit the ball cross court
• Swing late on volleys and ground strokes to hit the ball down the line
• Get the computer opponent running back and forth and go for the winner when they start to sweat (this means the computer is getting tired)
• Twist the wii-mote as you are hitting the ball and this will put spin on the ball making it more difficult to hit

Baseball

• Avoid swinging at splitters. You can identify them because the ball does not spin as it moves toward you. Splitters are always a ball.
• If you are a right-handed hitter, the best pitches to hit are a right-handed curve ball or a left-handed screwball (swing at them when you are hitting, but do not throw them when you are pitching)
  
• If you are a left-handed hitter, the best pitches to hit are a left-handed curve ball or a right-handed screwball (swing at them when you are hitting, but do not throw them when you are pitching)
• The computer has trouble hitting slow outside pitches
• When you get past the Pro level, the computer starts really mixing up the pitches. You can hit better if you keep your hands in your normal starting position, but instead of taking a full swing, just flick your wrists at the ball. It will be easier to catch up to the computer's 102 MPH fastball's they throw!

Bowling

• The ball will curve if you twist the Wii-mote as you are bowling the ball before you let go of the B button
• You can over spin the ball so try to find just the right amount of spin. The best seems to be starting with your palm facing the ceiling, then finishing with your palm facing the wall to your left if you are right-handed (i.e. turn your wrist a quarter turn counter clockwise while making your bowling motion)
• If you do the quarter turn with your wrist, aim at the arrow that is furthest to the right (if you are right handed). This will put just the right amount of spin on the ball to get a strike.

Golf

• Pay attention to the wind as it really makes a big difference in the path your ball travels
• When putting, press 1 to see the curvature of the green and line up your shot
• When putting, press 2 to get closer to the ground to examine the green
• When putting, the distance your ball travels is proportional to how high you bring the wii-mote after your back swing. Take a few practice swings to make sure you have the right height.

Boxing

• Turn the nunchuck and the wii-mote slightly toward each other to get your boxing gloves into a defensive blocking position
• Use the nunchuck to throw quick jabs to keep your opponent off balance
• Do not throw jabs too quickly after one another. If you get the right rhythm down, you can throw jab after jab so that it is almost impossible for your opponent to hit you.
  
• After landing a jab, throw a hook with the wii-mote
• To throw a hook, twist the wii-mote or nunchuck one quarter turn to the outside (e.g. if the wii-mote is aimed at the ceiling, twist it quickly so it points directly to your right if you are right-handed).
• To throw an uppercut, point the wii-mote or nunchuck at the screen then flick your wrist upward so the controller points at the ceiling.
• Once you get near and past the Pro level, it is easier to land body shots than punches to the head. Hooks and uppercuts to the body are especially effective when combined with frequent jabs.
  

Top 5 Wii Games For Kids

If you have young kids (mine are 2 and 5), here are what I believe are the top 5 Wii games.

1. Wii Sports - Nothing to buy here as it comes with the Wii. The controls are just like the motions you would make in real life (e.g. swinging a tennis racket), so it is very easy for kids to pick up on and TONS of fun. You and your kids will play this for hours, spending some awesome family time together.

2. Cars: Mater-National - This is a great racing game for kids that is lots of fun and challenging, but not overly complicated for them to learn and succeed in. Plus, it has the Cars Disney characters everybody loves. Get the steering wheel accessoryand you'll be all set for a great time.

3. Super Mario Galaxy - Some of the levels are too advanced for kids under 8 or so, but many of the first levels are great fun for them. The controls are pretty intuitive and the graphics are amazing. My daughter laughs uncontrollably watching my son have Mario jump and fly all over the screen.

4. Fishing Master - This game is great fun. You use the Wii-mote and nunchuck to bait the hook, cast the line, hook the fish and reel it in. It is challenging enough to keep your interest, but basic enough that the kids have an awesome time playing.

5. Excite Truck - Another racing game, but this one has some mild violence. You get rewarded not just for winning races, but also for smashing into other drivers and knocking them off course. Some may not like it, but my son and I have great fun with this one. Use the steering wheel accessoryfor this game, too.

Are Game Rentals A Good Idea?

The games can be quite expensive. You may want to try a service like that allows you to rent games for a monthly fee. They have a free trial and plans that start as low as $8.95 a month (introductory rate), that go up to $15.95 a month after your introductory rate expires. When games cost $50 or more to buy, renting games makes a lot of sense.

Wii Accessories

Once you have your Wii, what accessories will you need? Your Wii comes with 1 "Wii -mote"and 1 "nunchuck." This will allow one person to play at a time right out of the box.

It also comes with one game - Wii Sports - which is actually 5 games on one disk. It has Tennis, Baseball, Golf, Bowling and Boxing. See my review of Wii Sports here for more details.

Extra Controllers For Multi-Player Games

If you want to play with more than one player, you are going to need additional Wii -motesand nunchucks. How many depends on how many players you want to play at one time. Many games allow you up to 4 players at once.

We bought one extra Wii -moteand nunchuck so that 2 players can play at one time. This is good for when my wife and I have an argument and we want to settle it in the Wii Sports boxing ring :-)

Sports Equipment Accessories Not Worth The Money

There are several sports packs that come with a tennis racket, baseball bat, golf club, etc. In my opinion, these are a waste of money because all they are is a foam replica of the equipment that the Wii -motesnaps into. It does not add any functionality to the game.

Accessories That Add To The Fun

Two accessories I believe are worth it are the Wii Zapperand the steering wheel. The Wii Zapperis great for the shoot 'em up games I like to play after the kids have gone to bed. In addition, it comes with a game that is great fun, too. The game, Link's Crossbow Training, sets you up as Link - the main character from the Legend Of Zelda games - and lets you practice blasting targets, living skeletons and crazy big birds that try to attack you. It is rated T for Teen, so it may be too much for real young ones. The Zapper itself, though, is awesome. Shoot 'em up games are so much more fun using the Zapperthan just the Wii-mote and nunchuck freehand.

The steering wheelis great for the racing games my son likes. You really feel like you are driving instead of just using the Wii-mote as an imaginary steering wheel. You can play games without both of these accessories, but the Zapper and the steering wheel really add to the ease of playing games.

Is The Wii Worth It?

In short - yes. I am not much of a "gamer" but this thing is fun. My kids (ages 2 and 5) love the Wii as well.

One of the great things that makes it fun is you get to create characters called Mii's that look like you. There is a set up screen that allows to to select from some basic facial features, hair styles and hair colors so you can play with a computer generated approximation of yourself.

We created Mii's for the entire family, including grandparents, aunts and uncles. In addition to being fun, the Mii's have a practical application in certain games. It saves your progress, so you can see how good you are getting at a game and once you set it up, it remembers whether you are left-handed or right-handed.

The Wii Sports game which is included with the system is awesome.

Tennis is great and my 5 year old does pretty well. My 2 year old likes to play and does ok, but timing her swing is a bit of a problem.

Baseball is a bit tough for both kids since it requires some fairly precise timing. They love to watch me play because all of the other Mii's we created show up as team members in the batting order and in the field playing defense. They giggle hysterically when they see "Grandpa" make a diving catch.

Golf is really fun and both kids do well with their drives and approaching the green, but putting is a little tough. You cannot take a full swing, which they both have a little trouble comprehending.

Bowling is tough for both of them since it requires pressing a button and holding it down while you make the throwing motion, then releasing the button when you are ready for your guy to release the ball. It's a bit too complicated.

Boxing is downright awesome and tons of fun. Both kids really love it. No buttons to push - just punching until they knock the other guy out or until they pass out from exhaustion. It's a great pre-bedtime activity to wear them down :-)

Every night, both kids want to go downstairs to play the Wii. It's great family time and keeps them very active. I feel a lot better with them playing the Wii than watching cartoons. It's a lot more fun, too.

Where To Find A Wii

If you are like most who have been looking for a Nintendo Wii this Christmas, you have not been having much luck. Nintendo has underestimated demand and has not produced enough Wii's.

Places like Toys R Us, Target, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, GameStop, Amazon, and Circuit City sell out immediately whenever they get the Wii's in. You basically have three choices. You can shop locally, buy one of eBay, or buy a bundle off Wal-Mart or Amazon.

1. Shop Local. If you choose this option, your best bet is to call around to every video game store in the phone book and ask a ton of questions. Make notes of when the stores will be getting shipments in, how many they will get, and when lines usually start forming. Some stores will not be very helpful, but many will. Keep trying until you have a few stores that give you good information. Smaller stores will generally be better for getting a Wii as many people go for the bigger retailers. In addition, video game stores in the mall are good because at least you can line up inside if you live in a cold weather location.

2. Shop on eBay. Winning an auction on eBay means you are guaranteed to get your Wii by Christmas. They go for more than retail value, but in exchange, you do not have to spend time calling around to stores, driving and waiting in line. I waited in line for 4 hours in 20 degree weather, and spent another 2 calling around to get my Wii. In retrospect, I would have gladly paid an extra $100 to win an auction from the comfort of my own home.

3. Buy a bundled system online. Amazon.com and Wal-Mart.com are offering Wii's immediately, but you have to buy a specified number of games with the system. If you are planning to buy the games anyway, this is a great way to ensure you get a Wii by Christmas. When choosing a bundle, make sure you have control over which games come in the bundle. Some retailers do not offer you a choice, which will likely mean you wind up with a bunch of games you or your kids will never play.

Wii Auctions

Below are the auctions on eBay for the Nintendo Wii. Auctions for the standard Wii, not including extra games, typically go for about $425 with $30 charged for shipping.

That's not bad considering the hours you'll save by not waiting in line and calling around to local stores to find out when they'll have the system in stock. I spent 6 hours total - 4 waiting in line in 20 degree weather and 2 calling around to local stores. Paying an extra $175 would have been worth it to avoid all that.

When buying off eBay:

• Make sure the Wii you are getting is new
• If possible, make sure it comes with a receipt so you can get your one year warranty coverage from Nintendo if anything goes wrong with it the first year
  
• Also, make sure you are buying from someone with high positive feedback. If the seller has feedback of less than 10, I would avoid buying from that auction.

Happy bidding!