No Wavebird Wii navigation (Wii annoyance #010)
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Dec 3rd 2006 at 5:00PM }
Wii buyers who skipped getting a Gamecube might have a hankering to play the games they never could before (Super Smash Bros. Melee!). Having a Wavebird controller is probably one of the best accessories to get for the Wii, due to its extreme compatibility with non-Wii games and ridiculously long battery life. For a controller that is a jack-of-all-trades on the Wii, it's kinda sad that you can't navigate the Wii menu with it. Heck, you can't even get past the "WARNING-HEALTH AND SAFETY" screen with the Wavebird. When you put in a Gamecube game, you have to find your Wii-mote to activate the game from the main menu. It's a little thing that would be a nice simple fix in a future update. There is still much Super Smash Bros. Melee to be had and using the Wavebird to navigate and shop on the Wii menu would be nice.[Thanks, Blink]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
JTHomeslice @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:13PM
Wah wah wah. Suck it up.
Jesse Morrison @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:15PM
I don't see what the problem is. The Wii comes with a Wii-mote, so why not just use that? You'll have to turn the Wii on with the Wii-mote anyway, so what's the problem exactly?
Pyronite @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:19PM
#1 and #2. It's an annoyance. Don't be surprised when you hear something that the reviewers find annoying (and in this case, something I can understand.)
Why do every one of these posts start off with some "who cares?" line of reasoning? You get the idea that people are so insecure with their systems they don't like to hear the little things.
Kriskb @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:20PM
Yeah I don't see the problem Joystiq? QQ some more. You guys have had a lot of "whine" posts as of late. Maybe you are trying to save battery life in your Wiimote by navigating with Wavebird cause you are too cheap to buy rechargable batteries. ;)
Jesse Morrison @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:25PM
#3. I wouldn't chalk this up as fanboyism protecting the system from any faults. I just don't see the problem with being unable to use the Wavebird to use the Wii interface.
Sure, I guess that'd be a nice touch, but it's a very very minor issue. The Wii-mote sits on my coffee table along with the other remotes and I pick it up and use it when navigating the Wii. I actually enjoy using the Wii-mote for navigation.
If I was using only my Wavebird controller, I'd have to get up from the couch to turn on the Wii and that's a lot more work than picking up the Wii-mote.
syxed @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:28PM
OK, I definitely see this as a simple problem that would be nice to fix. However, I really don't see how annoying something must be for it to be considered an official Joystiq annoyance.
I mean is this really more annoying than the PS3 Bluetooth resyncing issue? This would be a more convenient way to browse the menu if playing a GC controller compatible game, but that really inhibits gameplay. So ummm, I guess I'm asking, and I really would like a response to this one, why is this an annoyance and that just a quibble?
Inspector71 @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:29PM
"...it's a very minor issue."
That's why it's called a 'Wii Annoyance' and not a 'Wii Deal-breaker'.
Triforceowner @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:29PM
"to find your Wii-mote"
What you lose your Wii-mote regularly? I suppose the "turn-off console" function of the Wiimote may cause it to be left away from the television, but you think you would not misplace the Wii-mote, because the thing costs $40 to replace.
Anyway, I understand that it might be annoying to use one controller to flip through menus and another to play games, but I don't see where you would have to "find your Wii-mote."
Maybe I'm just taking what you said a little to literally...
Whurm @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:29PM
No its annoying. Every time I swtich GC games I have to turn the wiimote back on to just go through the menus. I think this will be patched though. I hope it will anyway :)
vidGuy @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:30PM
Can you use the PS2 controller to navigate the PS3 interface? Why is that not a PS3 annoyance??
I don't see the big deal. Start up a GC game, then use a GC controller. Simple.
Damn @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:36PM
I can't believe people are arguing about an annoyance. You guys are either hardcore nintendo fanboys or just nerds with nothing to argue about
AssemblyLineHuman @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:36PM
Woah, now come on Joystiq. I know the Wii annoyances do a good job of getting the fanboys riled up, and I could see where you were coming from on the previous ones, but this is getting out of hand. First of all, why are you walking over to the console to turn it on in the first place? You do realize the Wii remote's power button does the same thing, right?
So if you're already holding the Wii remote in your hand, is it really that big of a deal that you have to press A once, then point and click on the Disc Channel, then point and click on Start Game? I don't think so, at least not enough to warrant an entire "annoyance" article about it.
If there's anything that bothers me, it's that there's no "Autostart if there is a game is the disc slot" option like the DS has. I would like to have the option. to skip the menu screen unless I specifically want to go to it (via the Home button).
Bober @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:42PM
Gosh if only the Wavebird had motion sensing controls. Give me a break, now you're really stretching to find something wrong with it.
"Man if I could only use my dick to navigate the Wii. definitly Wii Annoyance #11.")
Come on.
Eaode @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:37PM
I'd like to play the Joystiq staff in SSBM.
Eh, I guess I'll have to wait. Brawl can't come soon enough!
Blink @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:40PM
Ah, I was expecting a few people to nitpick at this idea.
Jesse, imagine bringing Smash Bros Brawl over to a friends house with your Wii, since they've never tried it before but are big fans of Smash Bros or something. What would you need to bring along with you? The Wii, Wavebirds, power cable and TV cable. Oh, wait, but you can't navigate the menu with the Wavebirds, so you need to bring the Wii remote too. Oh, but it's all pointer interface, so you need the sensor bar too. I guess you could use candles, but you better call ahead and make sure your friend has candles he can use. See how it just all builds up? And then you're bringing twice as many accessories for the Wii as you used to be bringing.
Jesse Morrison @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:45PM
Blink, Actually that's a great point. I can see how bringing a Wii-mote and the sensor bar along with you would be annoying if all you wanted to do was play a GC game.
In that context this annoyance makes sense.
John H. @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:47PM
The true problem here is a bit more subtle.
Getting past the opening screen can only be done with a Wii Remote -- its 'A' button is the only one that works, it can't be done with a Gamecube controller.
There are plenty of games that can be played on Wii without a Wii Remote, including the entire Gamecube library and an increasing number of Virtual Console titles. However, because of that screen and the need to get around the menus, access to those games is locked if the Wii Remote is unavailable, or inoperable.
And what could make a remote inoperable? RUNNING OUT OF BATTERY POWER.
It seems weird to make a modern game console, that plugs right into the wall, dependent on a pair of old-fashioned Double-'A's, but that's exactly what Nintendo has done.
My suggestion: get a battery character, pronto. They aren't that expensive and they usually come with a few NiCads included.
Final Boss @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:45PM
These Wii annoyances just keep piling, but for some reason this one just strikes me as slightly frivilous. Are you complaining about the Wavebird just because its wireless? If not why not just say its annoying because GameCube controllers as a whole cant navigate the Wii menu, not just Wavebirds. But then you would still have to control the cursor with a control stick. I hope you dont think theres a motion-sensor in the Wavebird.
Shogan @ Dec 3rd 2006 7:56PM
Well you can use the Classic Controller to navigate the menus, so why not the Wavebird? And I couldn't use the classic controller in SSBM last night, so it's a trade-off I guess.
AssemblyLineHuman @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:47PM
Blink: Ah, I guess I can see where you're coming from, though the chances that you'd bring SSBM and not Wii Sports seem slim to me. Regardless, you make a valid point, and I suppose that justifies this as an annoyance. But Joystiq's article just made it sound like they are too lazy to reach down to switch the Wii remote on the table with the Wavebird.
luigi193 @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:48PM
Why all the little wii annoances and no big ps3 ones!
john @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:51PM
This is just silly, what other next gen console allows you to control it with the previous generations controller? Yeah, that's right, none of them.
On the other hand, if they don't enable this functionality by the time Super Smash Brothers Brawl is released, then I agree. That would be annoying.
DaveKap @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:51PM
Nintendo fanboys can calm down. The more Wii annoyances posted, the better. It just means the editors can't stand to play the PS3 so all they're doing is playing the Wii now. When you play it enough, there's a ton of little things you'll want better about your favorite console! Think of this as a plea out to Nintendo so that our favorite system can get oh-so much better. :)
*goes back to playing GoW*
nick @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:51PM
I'm still surprised there isn't an annoyance article that it's not made of chocolate, even after you complained about the 360 not being made of chocolate.
Guess_Who @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:57PM
@ Blink:
If you just wanted to play a GameCube game without bringing a bunch of accessories... why would you bring a Wii? You'd bring the GameCube.
AssemblyLineHuman @ Dec 3rd 2006 5:56PM
Oh yeah, one more thing. You guyses forgot to put the links to all of the rest of the annoyances/delights articles up here.
Ando @ Dec 3rd 2006 6:06PM
Sure, this might be a problem, but a bigger one is not being able to use the CC to play Cube games.
Regardless, you're stretching on a lot of these "annoyances" you list.
Blink @ Dec 3rd 2006 6:05PM
To expand on john and John H.'s ideas a bit, imagine buying a Wii, not as a next gen console, but as a Gamecube Slim that comes with super-backwards-compatibility. For a while, I've wanted to buy a new game console for my old grammar school's after school center (they're using an SNES right now), and the Wii looked absolutely perfect. I would buy them a Wii, a copy of Melee, four Wavebirds, and a ton of Wii Points (which I would use to buy them the best games I could, all multiplayer though, so that no problems would arise). I could keep the spare Wii remote for myself, as they'd just navigate the Wii menus through the Wavebirds and reset the console by hand, like they always had for the SNES. Then I wouldn't have to warn anybody about how expensive the controller was, or bother with the Wii Sensor bar and it's "range" of however many feet.
If all went right, it would mean their SNES would be replaced by an NES, SNES, N64, Turbo GFX, Sega Genesis and Gamecube (with the only game anyone would ever play). They wouldn't need to use the home button, as they'd just reset the console whenever they wanted to play something different, and I'd rearrange all the channels so that the Photos, Miis, News and Weather (maybe even Opera if it was included) were moved to the farthest back section of the Channels, and all they'd see would be the dozen or so main games that everybody liked to play (currently they have about 20 SNES games, half never get used).
Sadly, the forced use of the Wii remote means that a sensor bar would have to be set up, and the Wii remote would need to stay behind, probably with a teacher or supervisor so that nobody broke it. It would also mean that any time the console was reset to play another game, the teacher or supervisor would have to show up to select the game for them, and that's really not something they'd want to have to do.
Maybe it is a strange scenario with rare ocurances, but I still find it to be an annoyance none the less.
Shadow @ Dec 3rd 2006 6:16PM
I think this one should go into the same category as your,"Where's my cursor" annoyance. Is it really that much of a hassle to pick up the wii-mote and make a few clicks with it, and then switch over to the GCN controller? It's like complaining that in order to watch a DVD you have to use your TV remote to change the channel to your DVD channel, and then pick up the DVD remote and press play(Although, arguably, you could get a universal remote, but that's beside the point).
If you want to have an annoyance that involves the GCN controller then you can do a lot better than this. Have you even tried playing GCN games on the Wii? It's a pain in the neck if you want to go back to playing Wii games! When you start up a GCN game the Wii-mote becomes automatically functionless. You can't use the wii-mote to turn off the console or navigate back to the Wii menu systems. In fact, the reset button doesn't even work for this function, but rather it just resets the GCN game, not the console itself. So in order to stop playing a GCN game altogether, or play another game, you have to get up and hit the power button, and then turn it back on if you plan on playing another game. If you want a Wii annoyance, then THAT'S a Wii annoyance.
Izzy-B @ Dec 5th 2006 7:44AM
@2
I'm not sure what the problem is either. Maybe buyer just want it to be able to start out with what ever they want. I don't really see a problem, but all the other systems can all types of controller for there system set up, then again all the other systems have one controller. Still a system shouldn't be that complicated
some person @ Dec 3rd 2006 7:06PM
you guys are stupid
Miniboss @ Dec 3rd 2006 6:55PM
This is an annoyance? I haven't even noticed.
MouthlessScreamer @ Dec 3rd 2006 6:57PM
Hey so, when can we start a joystiq.com annoyance? I'll add one to the list - the fact that I can't just have a damn login/password to post, and that it takes forever to have a post show up. Whee!
metayoshi @ Dec 3rd 2006 7:01PM
I love the Wii and all, but this is the one Wii annoyance that I have to agree with. I really think that Nintendo could have given the option to use traditional controls for the main menu of the Wii (just like they did with the DS). Sure, it only takes three A-button presses with the Wiimote (the warning screen, the Disc channel, and the start button), but I'd like the option to just use one controller for the entire time. It's not that big of an annoyance, but I see it as an annoyance nonetheless.
Tamago @ Dec 3rd 2006 7:03PM
No guys, nintendo doesn't make mistakes, their console is virtually flawless. This is perfection.
Christ you fanboys will just tell yourselves that over and over again.
Eusis @ Dec 3rd 2006 7:16PM
This didn't really bug me... Until I noticed you can use the Classic Controller to navigate, but not the GC controller. Now it's just really damn stupid on Nintendo's part. :P
ds @ Dec 3rd 2006 7:20PM
nintendo is still in the gameboy era, welcome to the 21st century nintendo!!!! where rechargeable is standard!!
Andy @ Dec 3rd 2006 7:35PM
Most people seem to be missing a point here. Everyone is assuming that using the remote is the easiest way to turn on the console.
Nonsense. He had to walk up to the machine anyway to put the disk in. Why not just push the button while he's standing there?
metayoshi @ Dec 3rd 2006 7:36PM
Eusis: "Until I noticed you can use the Classic Controller to navigate, but not the GC controller."
Wait... REALLY?! Nintendo... sometimes, you just don't make sense to me...
Eusis: "Now it's just really damn stupid on Nintendo's part."
I highly agree.
Zell @ Dec 3rd 2006 7:47PM
Eusis: "I noticed you can use the Classic Controller to navigate, but not the GC controller."
In all fairness though, the Classic Controller was MADE specifically for the Wii, whereas GameCube controllers were not.
I agree with Shadow about having to turn off the console by hand when you're done with a GameCube game because the Wii remote is rendered useless. It is annoying, but the fact that I can actually PLAY my GameCube games on it is great. Especially considering this is the first Nintendo console to offer backwards compatibility.
And, really, as someone pointed out... how do you log in to Joystiq to post? Every time I get the email with my user name and password I see no where to log in. Is it my browser (Safari), or am I complete moron... or both?
Blink @ Dec 3rd 2006 8:22PM
Yeah, lack of Wavebird on some VC games and lack of Classic on Gamecube games is just awful. That's really weird though that the classic controller can navigate menus like that.
Oh, and the sign in thing is for Engadget guys.
John H. @ Dec 3rd 2006 8:40PM
I can't believe I said battery CHARACTER. CHARGER, I meant to say. Gad.
matt @ Dec 3rd 2006 9:47PM
i could see the problem. i agree with it actually. i was going to use my cube controller that i borrowed from a friend to play bomberman, so i turned on the console, walked away with the controller, and sat down, not even thinking about the wiimote. honestly, no it's not 100% necessary, or anything like that. but it'd be a nice, easy-to-implement touch. there's no reason why it shouldn't be there, so why not ask for it? it should, by all means be there. no it's not going to kill me to walk over to my drawer, pick out the wiimote, and click twice before i start. but there are better ways of doing that. and after buying a product (don't give me "it's so cheap" because that's no good excuse) i want most things to be satisfying. it would satisfy me to be able to play a game even if my little brother (i don't have one, it's just an example) put the remote somewhere and forgot where it is. any number of things could cause problems, so it should be addressed, and thanks to joystiq, it has been.
Kai Cherry @ Dec 3rd 2006 9:04PM
OK people...I think I can just jump in here and help out a bit:
The Wii is NOT a Gamecube Plus, anymore than the PS2 was or is a PS1 plus. I mean, could ya save PS1 games on a PS2 memory card?
The controller worked"...at teast the parts that were "the same"...but um, where does the Gamecube have a bluetooth chip for wireless controllers again?
Yeah.
I really, really think this little "meme" is what is leading to this particular piece of moron-ness.
To put it another way, the NeXT Turbostation, was not a Mac Plus. Just because they had similar cpus...
The point being, its a different system. I'm sorry, but it really, really is. This expectation that its a gamecube with a new ui leads to this belief that gamecube stuff should just "pass thru" or something. I mean it should be PAINFULLY OBVIOUS at this point...especially since once it switches to Gamecube Mode, its a "gamecube" until you turn it off.
Its a different system with backwards compatibility.
This is also (again obviously) why the classic controller doesn't work via the Wii remote with Gamecube...the gamecube doesn't have Bluetooth. Its for want of a better phrase, "hard switch" more so than a "software emulation"...such as the VC stuff.
Its just a really, really long "reach" I feel. The gamecube controller can't control the Wii. Just one great big "um, DUH!" to me.
-K
megamanfuzion @ Dec 3rd 2006 9:30PM
@Guess_who:You wouldn't bring a gamecube because not everyone who has a wii has a gc.What if you bought the game just because it looked fun?
P.S.:That's not called an annoyance,that's called laziness
Malek @ Dec 3rd 2006 9:40PM
Yes, there are little wii annoances, and they are small and with a really big "WHO CARES", whym you just don't talk about the BIG problems of the PS3, just go around some forums, and even IGN.com ... Come on "JOYSTIQ PS3 lovers"... really, cut the crap... With is a great system and sorry for you, but... is a lot more fun inside of that little white tings than what is inside that black, big and ugly PS3... and a console is for that, to have FUN!!
chenry @ Dec 3rd 2006 10:46PM
wow, a gamecube controller that can't navigate the wii-menu.
RUSKULL @ Dec 3rd 2006 9:57PM
What? That's like saying it such you can't use the original NES controller to navigate the Wii interface. There's a snazzy new remote pacjked in with the system. Man, you people make me wonder sometimes... 8|
Alex @ Dec 3rd 2006 10:28PM
RUSKULL, that would be a valid statment if the wii had some NES controller ports on the top.
MikeG @ Dec 4th 2006 12:04AM
@49 (Justin)
I don't agree with the two separate technologies argument. I've found it equally annoying that I have to pick up my Wiimote to navigate when I'm sitting there with my GameCube controller, ready to go.
Being two different technologies has nothing to do with it. The Wii system should recognize input from whatever controller is being used. If there is a GameCube controller plugged in, then the system should recognize that it's there and allow me to navigate using it.
Just because I have a wireless mouse hooked to my computer doesn't mean that I can't navigate through Windows with either my keyboard or my mouse (or both). After all they *are* two different technologies.