Nintendo has finally achieved the 1:1 motion control with the installation of the Wii MotionPlus add-on. Critics of the Wii and its motion controls have claimed that it is more of a shake or waggle than actual true motion controlling device. However with the development of the MotionPlus it truly has the power to change a game and make the experience all the more fun.

Nintendo has had success developing first party games using the Wiimote and its benefits to the fullest. However there had been few major 3rd party successes that could capitalize on the unique offerings that motion control gives. However with the increased precision the MotionPlus provides perhaps we will finally start to see others have the success in implementing new and creative ways to use motion controls. A game that had great potential in Red Steel failed to deliver due to failure to capture the art of motion controls, will the sequel capitalize due to the release of MotionPlus?

Installation:

MotionPlus comes already placed in the jacket so you simply need to slide the WiiMote into the jacket, push the strap through the back of the jacket, then insert the MotionPlus. Turn over to the other side and push the lever up to lock it into place. If you need to attach any accessories to the bottom of your controller such as the nunchuk, there is a cover that is easily taken off covering the plug. Thankfully there is a string attached to the plug so you can't really lose it. That's it, you are ready to play.

To take the MotionPlus out to replace batteries in your Wiimote or for whatever other reason you only need to unlock it in the back, hold the two buttons on the side of the MotionPlus, and gently slide the Wiimote up than out of the jacket. While instillation and detachment is a breeze if you ever needed to get your MotionPlus out of your jacket it doesn't seem like it would be the easiest process. (there are instructions in the manual on how to reinsert it) Thankfully there is no real reason why you would need to and it is probably best to leave it in there is a much greater potential for it to get broken if out of the protective cover.

Ease of Use:

Same as the Wiimote pretty much; however motion can now be more defined. You'll want to make sure you aren't holding it by the MotionPlus as that has the potential to damage it. At times you may have to recalibrate and make sure the MotionPlus is working correctly. In Wii Sports Resort all you need to do is place the MotionPlus down on a flat surface for a few seconds with A facing down. Accessing the pause menu allows you to check the calibration of the Wii MotionPlus. This seems to be available on a game by game basis as Tiger Woods doesn't have this option, although I've never run into any problems with the calibrations in that game either. Sports Resort will have you calibrate the controller prior to playing each time; I've only had my MotionPlus device act up on me once and must admit it is an extremely frustrating experience. Thanks to that I came to appreciate that it works flawlessly for me 99% of the time so far, and have done some research on ways you can go about troubleshooting and attempting to get MotionPlus to work correctly if you are having issues.

Fixing your Wii MotionPlus:

If you're Wii MotionPlus is working perfectly fine feel free to skip this. For the rest of you I imagine you are wondering how you can fix or troubleshoot your Wii MotionPlus? In the event that you are continually having problems with MotionPlus not registering correctly there are a few fixes you can look at to try and get it working properly. First make sure you leave Sensor Bar assist on for games that support it. This allows the Wii to recalibrate the controller when it is pointed at the sensor bar. (so if you are pointing at the tv it should be picking it up) As long as you are regularly pointing at the sensor bar it should be recalibrating often enough that nothing should go wrong. This option can be detrimental in certain situations as well however.

Before getting into what the potential fixes are and how to troubleshoot a bit on how the Wiimote, sensor bar, and Wii MotionPlus works is necessary. The sensor bar is basically just two LED lights which emit infrared light that the Wiimote can pick up on. The trouble lies in other sources emit infrared light as well and can cause MotionPlus to get confused on where the sensor bar actually is. Certain lights, candles, and sunlight among other things can cause the interference. While you may not want to play in the dark your best bet in minimizing this problem is to position your sensor bar away from those light sources, close the blinds, and make sure your lightbulbs aren't causing interference.

By entering the Wii Settings you can change the sensitivity of the Wiimote. Go to sensor bar then sensitivity to locate this. From here you should see two dots on your screen. Point the Wiimote around the room at your light sources. If any of them are producing the dots they could be what is causing the interference. My Wii is in the basement so for the most part everything was fine other than the Orioles Coors Light Clock which caused one dot and could be solved by unplugging it so it no longer lit up. If you are unable to eliminate the light sources causing the interference it would be best if you turned Sensor Bar Assist off which will eliminate it recalibrating automatically but will also stop it from confusing the light sources with the Sensor Bar.

Here are two more problems/solutions I found on the Nintendo website:


Remove the Wii Motion Plus, and insert a Nunchuk accessory into the Wii Remote. Remove and reinsert the Nunchuk into the Wii Remote at least 10 times. After you've inserted the Nunchuk at least 10 times, remove the Nunchuck from the Wii Remote and reinsert the Wii Motion Plus, then test for proper response. Sounds like a pretty crazy "fix" to me. Not sure what doing it 10 times will do. Might as well say jump up and down, do a 360, blow on the connection, and get down on your knees and pray to the gaming gods for the device to work correctly.

Radio frequency interference may cause the Wii Remote to work erratically. Check for wireless devices such as cordless phones, wireless computer keyboards or mice, or other similar devices, and move or turn them off. I must say I haven't had any problems with my wireless mouse or cordless phone causing problems. But another potential source to look to eliminate if you are still having troubles.


What is in the box?

·         Wii MotionPlus

·         Extended Wiimote Jacket intended to be used with MotionPlus attached

·         Operations Manuel/Installation Guide



Verdict and Value:

So you've listened to the hype, and want to know if you should go out and buy this product? There are several factors to consider prior to making this decision. First do you plan on purchasing any of the games that currently support MotionPlus? Look below and you can see what games currently support the add-on and several of the future ones as well. Wii Sports Resort comes with MotionPlus packaged with it however that game is more enjoyable as a multiplayer experience. Some of the most enjoyable modes you will want to have two controllers with the Motionplus add-on as unfortunately the game is unplayable without them.  If you enjoyed the original Wii Sports and have people to play with regularly than definitely pick Resort up. It's a blast as a multiplayer game, playing by yourself however you might find it to be a bit lacking at the 49.99 price tag. For people who are seeing this review about a month or so after it is published Nintendo will be offering a Wii Sports Resort package with two MotionPlus units for $59.99 starting in October and running for a limited amount of time.

The other game that currently can be purchased with MotionPlus is Tiger Woods, if you remotely enjoy golf I recommend you pick this game up as it is one of the more enjoyable experiences on the Wii for me.  Retails at 59.99 with MotionPlus which means you are basically getting the MotionPlus for $10 cheaper than if you purchase it as a standalone product. Obviously if you don't plan on picking up any of the current games that are compatible with the MotionPlus I would advise you to wait. You never know when Nintendo will decide to package MotionPlus with a future game and you can essentially pick it up along with the game for half price. So the second thing for you to consider is the gameplay options of MotionPlus compatible games you own and how many you would need to get the best experience out of the game.

Are you going to be playing this primarily alone or are you looking at challenging another person in your household to a head to head battle? Check out the gameplay modes, some you can share one controller and use it for multiple players others you will be required to have one controller per player. This small little add-on can truly change the experience of a game, some have dubbed it Wii 2 as it changes the experience of motion controls that much. Funny as since writing up the majority of this review it has been announced that Nintendo is working on the Wii 2. At $20 for the product by itself it is a bit on the expensive side and wouldn't recommend buying more than one or two alone. The best value is when you purchase it with the games, and if you are purchasing more than one you'll likely be picking up Sports Resort anyway. Unfortunately there aren't too many games that can capitalize on this revolutionary product as of yet, and the games other than Resort target a rather slim demographic. Hopefully this product will continue to pick up support however and will justify its price tag. I'll leave you with a quote from Nintendo's website on the product:


"Wii MotionPlus elevates Wii gameplay to a level of realism that you never thought imaginable"


Unfortunately MotionPlus is not compatible with games prior to its release. While you can leave it attached to the Wiimote the added 1:1 precision it provides will not take effect unless the game was developed to take advantage of it.


Released Games Compatible with MotionPlus:

*MotionPlus required
Numbers in parentheses recommended number of MotionPlus available controllers

Wii Sports Resort* (2+)
Nintendo's offering to show off the abilities of this add-on is best enjoyed as a multiplayer experience. In the same mold as Wii Sports this game offers 12 Sports including Swordplay, Table Tennis, Frisbee, and more. Click on the link above to learn more...

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 (1+)
A great example of how this add-on can change the experience of a game. Must own for any golf fan, if you didn't like it previously it needs to be at least checked out with the changes MotionPlus brings to the series. Click on the link to learn more...

EA Sports Grand Slam Tennis (1+)
EA's take on tennis, is a solid game. Another showing of how much of difference MotionPlus can make on a game.

Virtua Tennis 2009 (1+)
Sega's take on tennis, pretty good game as well however if you were going to choose between the two I'd recommend EA's offering.


Unreleased games confirmed to be MotionPlus compatible:

Red Steel 2* (1)
A First Person Shooter where you have options of using a gun or a blade. After disappointing in the first offering due to troublesome controls Red Steel looks to show off what it can do with MotionPlus.

Academy of Champions

Gladiator A.D.
Take control of Gladiators and duke it out in the arena in this fighter

The Grinder:
A game in the mold of the L4D series on the PC.

NHL 2K10:
The only hockey series to date on the Wii plans to implement MotionPlus and several other modes in its next release.

Recommended: Yes