Wiimote dangerous in novice hands

by James Ransom-Wiley { Nov 28th 2006 at 7:55AM }

Like so many others this past Thursday, I used Thanksgiving to introduce Wii into the hands of family members. Then my mom introduced her backhand into my 8 year-old cousin's head. BOOM!

Admittedly, I wasn't around to ~~supervise~~ witness the scene, but quickly responded to the explosion of sound. A gasp. A yelp. A thud -- batteries and cover striking the floor. The strap held; and I snatched up the Wiimote, still dangling from my mother's wrist.

After applying an ice pack to my cousin's smarting head, mom recounted the incident: As she stepped into a backhand return, my cousin excitedly bounced forward anticipating the ball, her head just at the height of mom's strike. The collision was enough to snap off the prongs that hold the top of the battery cover, sending the cover and batteries flying, scattering across the hardwood. Thankfully, no long-term damage to report (unless you count mom's abrupt retirement from Wii Sports).

It seems Nintendo has anticipated such misadventure, offering replacement battery covers (currently on back order) for purchase on its online store. Note to self: Mom owes me $1, plus shipping.

See also:
A Wii Thanksgiving test on the family
A Wii Thanksgiving test on the family: Part 2

Tags: battery cover, BatteryCover, Wii Remote, Wii Sports, Wiimote, WiiRemote, WiiSports

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Robert @ Nov 28th 2006 8:04AM

I really hope we don't see lawsuits over Wiinjuries. That would be sad.

NoHitHair @ Nov 28th 2006 8:04AM

My roommate and I were playing Wii Sports Golf and he kept trying this longshot drive that landed him in the water hazard. Eventually, he tried to fling his arm as hard as he could and hit an adjacent chair before watching his strap snap in two from hitting the furniture and the Wiimote flying through the air before exploding batteries and the back cover around the room.

We put it back together and it works the same as when he first got it. Nintendo products are so much more solid than their competitors.

JAC @ Nov 28th 2006 8:07AM

Yes, in a game where people are swinging their arms around you have to watch where you're standing, is that so hard?

btw, you should've been videotaping it man, that would've been hilarious.

Keef @ Nov 28th 2006 8:15AM

accidents happen..........

just like when i dropped my 360 controler in my toilet....

seriously... no joke... i needed a s*it and was talkin to my mate.... and BAM sliped outa my hand.... thank for it was b 4 i dominated that sh*t....

Keef @ Nov 28th 2006 8:17AM

i dont usualy talk on a phone / mic / xbox when im doing my poo poo's but it was funny at the time..... lmao

eSeamus @ Nov 28th 2006 8:25AM

The Wii-teor strikes again! First the Wii-teor storms claim property, but now it's beginning to strike human targets. Will we ever be safe from this wireless menace?

(For all you Nintendo and Wii fanboys, this is a joke.)

Spilt_Milk @ Nov 28th 2006 2:56PM

Perhaps Nintendo should partner with Nerf?

I DO expect a cut of the profit if this happens because it is GENIUS!

STUFF @ Nov 28th 2006 8:52AM

Seriously, every day I keep reading stories of people complaining about the wiimote being dangerous. Yet it's always people doing dumb things. I've had people over to play with it and I have a small room to play in, but we haven't had any incidents.

People need to stop letting go of their wiimotes, stop throwing them so hard and for the love of God have some awareness of your surroundings.

Dirt_Road_Sport @ Nov 28th 2006 8:52AM

#7, You are too late to the party. There are already Nerf Wiimotes in development:

http://www.gamingbits.com/content/view/1193/2/

Josh @ Nov 28th 2006 9:28AM

I almost slapped my hand into a ceiling fan. I really think the Wii remote should have had a better locking system on the battery cover. I've experienced batteries flying through the air as well.

davarino @ Nov 28th 2006 9:08AM

now im starting to wonder what causes more violence, ps3 waiting lines or family sessions of wii sports

bluto @ Nov 28th 2006 9:18AM

Wow anybody need battery covers!Great post...or am I missing the point??

Thomas Trautman @ Nov 28th 2006 9:27AM

When I first saw that stupid remote it looked like trouble; however, Nintendo does a great job showing it in action on the commercials. Maybe it's not so bad.

It time that console gaming got more dangerous and physical.

"..Hey Bob...You've been working out?"
"Yup..bought me a Wii a couple weeks ago. I feel great!"

http://www.parmaonlinesales.com

Oro @ Nov 28th 2006 9:52AM

What did I tell you kids about playing Nintendo indoors?!

DrXym @ Nov 28th 2006 10:19AM

Nintendo only has its self to blame when the lawsuits start flying. All of the issues we're seeing now (injuries, aches & sprains, busted cords, broken TV sets, broken windows etc) are all a direct result of the controller. It may be fun and all, but it is also totally predictable that it would happen. A class action for some or all of the above is almost inevitable.

Jason Nester @ Nov 28th 2006 11:11AM

They should just feel fortunate that they actually managed to find an extra Wiimote to play with. They are nowhere to be found in my neck of the woods. Lemme just say that this lil' console meant for the whole family is flat-out *BORING* if you only have one controller. It's sad when the most played game on my 2 day old Wii is Final Fantasy Crystal Cronicals.

MrJeykel @ Nov 28th 2006 10:43AM

Class action suit? You can't be serious... I am not a lawyer, but I would imagine any damage from the Wiimote would have to be proven. I truly doubt a pic of a busted TV will prove anything. A video, yes.
Although any judge in his/her right mind will tell them to f*** off and learn to take care of their items. How is it Nintendo's fault that YOU can't hold on to the controller? How is it Nintendo's fault that YOU swing the Wiimote so hard that the strap breaks AFTER YOU let go of the controller? That's like trying to sue an alcohol company because you got drunk and wrecked your car. Just because you can drive drunk, doesn't make it a good idea. Just like you can swing your Wiimote at full speed, but that doesn't make it a good idea. I have never had a problem with the strap or wiimote, but then again I don't get crazy with it. I learned that lesson from hitting a SNES controller buttons a little too hard and it broke. Nintendo's fault? Nope, my dumbass fault for jamming on the buttons so hard. I have been taking care of my consoles better since then.

OniNeko @ Nov 28th 2006 12:40PM

@15 I don't think it's as easy to sue for being an idiot anymore.

Give me a break. The Wii itself reminds you -repeatedly- to make sure there is nothing to bump into. When my best friend and I play tennis (he's a lefty, I'm right-handed), we stand back-to-back. We also have a -really- small room to play in, and when there are people crowded around, it's easy to control the game with the flick of a wrist.

Don't use the wiimote as an excuse for beating your children and family members. Maybe you're just stupid.

chenry @ Nov 28th 2006 10:48AM

Here's hoping America doesn't live up to it's litigious reputation. If the first thing you think after hitting someone while playing a video game is "i'm gonna sue someone", you're an idiot. It's your fault. If I fall off a ladder, I'm not going to sue Ladder Co. I'm not going to sue the estate of Issac Newton for this whole gravity thing.

OniNeko @ Nov 28th 2006 10:50AM

@16 Or kind of like spilling hot coffee on yourself and suing McDonalds because it was hot, and they didn't warn you or have it printed on the cup.

Yes, everyone, I KNOW this already happened.

chenry @ Nov 28th 2006 12:27PM

Re: 15
No, they're the direct result of morons. Nintendo didn't break the TV, morons did. Morons. MORONS.

gman @ Nov 28th 2006 11:28AM

the thing is, though, there are at least 40 or 50...THOUSAND warning messages telling you to swing GENTLY and that full force is necessary. There can't be this many illiterate americans can there?

DrXym @ Nov 28th 2006 11:59AM

@16, whether you think it is the user's fault or not, or whether the class action is meritless or not, I think it will happen. The strap is extremely flimsy - my camera has something similar but I'm not in the habit of hurling it around. People's TVs have been smashed, people have been injured (as in this thread). It only takes a few and the lawyers will start circling.

Moogle @ Nov 28th 2006 11:24AM

OniNeko, whether you know it or not, you're asking for a flaming.

The McD's coffee suit was entirely legitimate and reasonable. http://www.lectlaw.com/files/cur78.htm has good details, but the gist of it was there were 700 previous claims of severe, sometimes life-threatening burns from excessively hot McD's coffee. They admitted to NOT doing any examination of the safety of their coffee temperature, and made claims counter to their own research. The large award (which was later reduced) was not to reward the burnee (who *was* judged to be partially at fault), but to punish McD's enough to get them to change instead of letting hundreds more people be injured because many small lawsuits would be cheaper than changing corporate policy.

crono141 @ Nov 28th 2006 11:43AM

Why do you think there are warning messages all over EVERY game about putting the wrist strap on and making sure there isn't anyone close enough to get beaned by the thing. Nintendo has covered their ass (legally). If you bust your cousins head open because you wanted to swing it like a real baseball bat, thats your problem.

gman @ Nov 28th 2006 11:49AM

sorry, *ISN'T*

Pikachelsea @ Nov 28th 2006 11:40AM

Oh yeah... the Wiimote is so dangerous... o wait, no it's not, the people who ignore the countless warning screens explicitly telling you not to swing it around within range of objects or people are dangerous.

gman @ Nov 28th 2006 12:15PM

Jason, that is sad. Maybe you should play Rayman, Zelda, NFS Carbon, or one of the other hillariously fun games out for the Wii...and if all else fails, use drugs :)

OniNeko @ Nov 28th 2006 12:42PM

@20 Whether you know it or not, I was fishing for a moron like you to bite.

Congratulations, you walked right into it.

Saxon @ Nov 28th 2006 1:19PM

is it wiinjuries or injurwiis?

Aex @ Nov 28th 2006 1:13PM

I can't believe no one has linked this site yet...

http://www.wiihaveaproblem.com

Embassy @ Nov 28th 2006 1:34PM

this will only get worse...cuz this IS a video game system..meaning lots of KIDS will be playing this..and we all know how well kids read/follow warning lables on video games ( or anything for that matter)...so i cud easily see a group of 10 yr olds bouncing around playing wii boxing and smashing someone in the face with that controller.

its dam near inevitable.

but i dont think we'll see rampant wii lawsuites everywhere..but they WILL happen.

pacmanfever @ Nov 28th 2006 1:54PM

Guess what? Accidents happen, no matter what you are doing. Kids playing baseball sometimes break windows. Kids riding bicycles sometimes fall and hurt themselves. That doesn't mean you can sue baseball and bicycle manufacturers.

If you are being careless, it is YOUR fault.