Nintendo email encourages safe Wii-ing

by Christopher Grant { Dec 6th 2006 at 11:21AM }

We know half the fun of playing the Wii is getting into it -- letting that backhand fly in Tennis, rolling that ball in Bowling, swinging that sword in Zelda (okay, maybe not that one). But where's the fun in sitting on the couch and flicking your wrists? Heck, if you mimic Nintendo's promotional materials you'll probably end up with a Wii-mote sticking out of your plasma, a horrible case of Wii elbow, all while hiding behind your chair (what's up with that guy?). So, in the interest of re-education, Nintendo has sent along an email encouraging gamers to play safely with some helpful tips and tricks. For example: "[In] Wii Sports bowling, the ball is thrown by simply releasing the B Button on the remote, not by letting go of the remote!" Great tip! Now let's see if this improves my poor bowling score.

[Thanks everyone!]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Brown @ Dec 6th 2006 12:00PM

Look, flat out, anyone who flings their Wiimote across the room at their TV is an idiot.

SuperStupid @ Dec 6th 2006 12:10PM

Is this not just a nutural selection / survival of the fittest thing ? Anyone who manages to let go of their Wiimote pretty much deserves to have it embedded in their Aunt Mildred's skull.

SuperStupid @ Dec 6th 2006 12:14PM

Daminit Brown, we both post the same thing and yet yours sounds so much more poetic and to the point. Damn my 33 words when 17 will do.

Alex @ Dec 6th 2006 12:16PM

That is nice that they care about safety but what about increase production of WII so we would be able to verify all those claims about how good this thing is?

The ZeroCorpse @ Dec 6th 2006 12:21PM

Translation of Message:

We here at Nintendo hope you big, fat, sweaty Americans are enjoying our product and will continue to give us your money. Unfortunately, we didn't realize just HOW big, fat, and sweaty Americans can really be, and how much greasy food you eat with your hands, and this has resulted in some of you meaty-pawed round-eyes losing the grip on the Wiimote and throwing it a country mile.

We recognize that Americans always do things like they're trying to kill someone, and we apologize for making a device that Americans can easily turn into a deadly weapon due to their clumsiness and proficiency at sweating. We hope that in the future when you use the Wiimote, that you consider not flailing around like a fat American, and instead use small conservative movements like most other people in the world (except the Armenians, those crazy bastards).

Also, would it hurt you sweaty Americans to wipe your damned greasy, sweaty hands off before handling anything (or touching anyone?)

Please don't kill us by throwing a Wiimote through our skulls.

Enjoy your Wii. . . CAREFULLY, you lumbering western freak!

Aleks @ Dec 6th 2006 12:26PM

How about sending to us free WII so we can make sure that it's safe to play?
I ready to buy it but do not know where or when it will be availiable...

Aleks @ Dec 6th 2006 12:26PM

This coment box does not work at all.
I send comments using 3 different email addreses and did not received anything from where I can confirm my comments!

DBX00 @ Dec 6th 2006 12:30PM

Hmm...Wiimotes destroying plasma televisions and causing damage to other household product, but we find some way to still spin it like everything is fine. Can Nintendo just use a stronger wire to connect the Wiimote to the strap and deal with the problem instead of passing the issue to the consumer through email?

luigi193 @ Dec 6th 2006 12:53PM

Looks the the erocorpse is a little racist! Your probley just a north koren or something!

v1cious @ Dec 6th 2006 12:59PM

a lot of good that does you when the wrist strap breaks.

jron @ Dec 6th 2006 1:01PM

Looks the the uigi193 is a little idiot!

billychaos @ Dec 6th 2006 1:01PM

I must admit though ZeroCorpse's satire was quite amusing. I'm sure he's a westerner himself, lol

Marty @ Dec 6th 2006 1:02PM

anyone who wants to sue nintendo because they threw their remote and broke the TV is an idiot.

anyone who's remote slipped is sweaty and needs to get out more!!!

bothee @ Dec 6th 2006 1:10PM

"We know half the fun of playing the Wii is getting into it...swinging that sword in Zelda (okay, maybe not that one)."

Why not that one??? Swinging a wiimote to slash Link's sword has completely changed my life.

and I've been getting damn into my sword swinging.

Agent MOO @ Dec 6th 2006 1:15PM

Remember people, put a rubber on your Wii so no one gets hurt

PokemonGuyX @ Dec 6th 2006 1:22PM

Is it re ally that hard to keep the wii remote in your hands? I swung my TV remote around (With no strap) aimed at my TV practicing for when i get wii, and i never let it go even almost, And the wiimote has better grip than a TV remote... so why are people trying to blame Nintendo?

x876543 @ Dec 6th 2006 1:28PM

http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/wiisafety.jsp

"If you are having so much fun that you start perspiring, take a moment to dry your hands."

LOL, seriously, anyone who things force is what you need when you play is stupid. It's all timing. Doing a stronger throwing/bowling/swinging motion does nothing but allow more of a chance for your Wii remote to do more damage.

I agree though that the strap does need to be reinforced or replaced with something stronger.

Kye @ Dec 6th 2006 1:34PM

This just reminded me -

How the hell are you supposed to communicate when playing online? Xbox Live has a headset which limits the range of profanity being screamed, but what are Nintendo going to do? Tell people not to cuss because everyone within earshot of the tv might be offended?

Are they going to have voices come through the Wiimote speaker? A headset (attached how?) Or not have verbal communication at all!?

I've written to N about this and they still haven't replied. Can anyone shead some light on this please?

Michael @ Dec 6th 2006 1:39PM

@ #8:
Wiimotes aren't destroying anything. People are throwing them through things. Comment #5 is right. People need to not flail like idiots...

Matthew Rader @ Dec 6th 2006 2:46PM

There shouldn't even be a wrist strap. I don't have a strap on my actual tennis racket. Just don't be an idiot.

Aleks @ Dec 6th 2006 2:47PM

1.Your comments box does not work as it should in most of the newest OS (any of 2005 and later releases of widows).
2.Where can you get WII to confirm all those claims about it?
3. SO far I see only one posible injury from WIIMote - you can break your hand by twisting it too much...

mfelps @ Dec 6th 2006 3:43PM

The Ninty fanboys have gone over the edge. We're now required to meet standards of physical fitness to play Nintendo's new console? So much for the "whole family" angle, if the only safe way to play is to be an athletic person who never sweats.

The embarassing thing is that Nintendo themselves acknowledge that it's an issue by putting out these safety statements, and then the Ninty fanboys start shrieking about how Westerners are lazy, fat, sweaty freaks.

The fanboys are so nuts they're attacking Nintendos own announcements. Just crazy.

ackmondual @ Dec 6th 2006 5:44PM

@ #22

There are no standards of fitness req for playing Wii. Those standards are just satired by other posts. If you find your palms moist/sweaty, just wipe them. Simple as that.

As for fast/heavy motions, that shouldn't be needed. The only time I've found where fast motion was required was playing darts in Monkey Ball. You can't just make a slower, fluid motion b/c then the darts don't travel far enough to hit the board. Otherwise, moderate motions and the wrist strap should suffice enough to keep things in line.

herman_munsters_stunt_double @ Dec 6th 2006 7:38PM

I'm just waiting for the first person to knock *themselves* out with a Wiimote. If that ain't a potential candidate for a Darwin Award...

Zack @ Dec 7th 2006 1:23PM

Man, I hadn't realized the wire connecting the strap was that thin. No wonder the things are breaking. Nintendo should ship out complimentary replacement straps that aren't attached with floss.

All jokes about clumsy players aside, you have to admit there's no good reason to have the strap connection that thin.