Hobbies And Interests
Sensor Bar
The Nintendo Wii operates using the function sensor bar. This bar reads players' actions through the Wii remote and Nunchuk controllers. The sensor bar is a little more than 1 foot long and must be placed on top or on bottom of a television to work properly. Using real-time readings, the bar captures movements and actions and sends them to the Wii's game. A calibration function makes the sensor bar more accurate for each Wii console.
Games
Wii games are played by using DVD optical discs. The Wii disc loader "sucks" the discs in using mechanical gears. The laser for the system is made specifically for Wii games and cannot read DVD movies, or other media discs. Wii games can also be downloaded directly to the system. The games are stored on 512 flash memory drive, but games can also be stored on a SD card to save space on the system.
Memory
The flash memory is also used to store saved game data so that users do not need to purchase an external memory card. The game files are automatically loaded and can be organized through the Wii System Menu. Additional memory slots are available on the exterior of the system for Nintendo Gamecube game saves.
Gamecube
The Nintendo Wii is backwards compatible with every Nintendo Gamecube game. The discs are loaded the same way that Wi discs are, and a Gamecube controller is inserted through one of four slots on the Wii's top panel. The Wii "Classic Controller" can also be used to play some Gamecube games.
Internet
The Nintendo Wii features a Mitsumi wireless Internet adapter that automatically connects to nearby wireless Internet connections. These connections are created for Wii System updates, playing multi-player games over a network, and accessing the Wii Shop Channel. The Shop Channel features a free Internet channel that is powered by the Opera Internet Browser. Using the channel, users can browse the web right from their television and even plug in a USB keyboard to the front of the console.