Wii interest wanes

WII SALES are starting to slide in Japan as punters to lose interest. According to computerandvideogames.com, the Wii traded on its full motion control handset, but the first batch of games that came with the machine revealed too many limitations of that method of control.

For example Red Steel was twitchy and occasionally clumsy. Need For Speed: Most Wanted was nearly unplayable. Far Cry couldn't use the motion properly and in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance the motion controller was tacked on to the game and not a part of it.

Now it seems that in "gadget mad Japan", the novelty has worn off and customers are looking for the next new thing.

Most of the feeling is that the Wii needs some new games fast and cannot rely on porting games from other systems. Wii games that did well were Elebits, Wii Sports and Wario Ware: Smooth Moves which are now being used as blueprints for how motion-controlled gaming works when done properly.

The next wave of games, including Metroid, Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and Nintendo big-shot Super Smash Bros. Brawl, are due out later this year. If these do not pick the Wii from out of the slump then the field will be left to the Xbox360 and the PS3. µ