Nintendo Wii Remote (Wii)

Nintendo Wii Remote (Wii / Wii U)

The controller that defined a console generation. The Wii Remote — or Wiimote, as almost everyone calls it — ditched the two-handed gamepad convention entirely for something you hold like a TV remote and point at the screen.

Motion sensing is the whole idea. A built-in accelerometer reads tilt, rotation and acceleration, while an infrared sensor in the tip works with the console’s Sensor Bar to track exactly where you’re pointing. That combination is what makes swinging a tennis racket, steering a kart, or aiming a cursor in a menu feel direct rather than abstract. A small speaker in the Remote itself adds sound effects that come from your hand rather than the TV, and rumble handles vibration feedback.

The expansion port on the base takes accessories: the Nunchuk for an analogue stick and extra triggers in your other hand, the Classic Controller for traditional games, and the Wii MotionPlus adapter, which adds a gyroscope for more precise one-to-one motion tracking in supported titles.

Power comes from 2 x AA batteries, and a wrist strap is included — worth using, as enthusiastic swinging and television screens have a long and unhappy history together.

Key features

• Official Nintendo Wii Remote
• Motion sensing via built-in accelerometer
• Infrared pointing (requires the Wii Sensor Bar)
• Built-in speaker and rumble
• Expansion port for Nunchuk, Classic Controller and MotionPlus
• Powered by 2 x AA batteries
• Wrist strap included
• Compatible with Nintendo Wii and Wii U