Wii Accessories buying guide

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1 External Links
2 International Resources

Wii Accessories Buying Guide

Nintendo's Wii screams out for accessories with its open-ended design and diminutive size. The Wifi capabilities are ideal for novel accessories that make your gaming that much more fun. As the months roll by, Nintendo and outside developers should fill up the shelves with creative ideas on how to get the most out of your cute little motion sensor-equipped machine. There are a whole host of these already ready, with plenty of designers imaging more. Here is a look at what's on the market for now.

Nuts and Bolts

Wii Memory SD : The Wii comes with 512mb of memory for your game saves, pictures, and messages, but you can nearly triple your space with the purchase of one of these SD flash memory cards, which are the exact same memory devices you use in your digital camera. They are interchangeable! Plus that memory is getting cheaper, go for a 2GB SD Card at least, or higher with a 4GB SD Memory Card or even 8GB!

Wii Component Cable : For those with a HiDef TV, component cables are a must. Replacing the A/V cables that come in the console box, these high-definition cables lift your resolution to 480p, the lowest visual standard of HDTV. If you don't already have an HD TV, make sure you look into it.

Wii Points Card : In order to download the Wii's slew of classic games, you'll need to spend Wii points. To spend Wii points, you'll need a Wii Points Card. A penny translates to a Wii point. For $20, you get 2,000 points, which translates to 5 NES game downloads.

Wii Remote : Your Wii box came with a controller, but you're missing out on the party-riffic capabilities of your machine unless you at least by one extra controller. Heed this advice: buy three. Nothing screams fun like "Wii Sports" tennis doubles, with four players swinging their Wii-motes like maniacs.

If You've Got a Little Extra Cash...

Wii Steering Wheel : Transforming your Wii remote into a wireless steering wheel, this snap-on accessory amps up the feel of racing titles such as "Excite Truck. " Too bad it's not equipped with a horn or wiper fluid.

Wii Wi-Fi Adapter : It's nice and all that the Wii is Wi-Fi compatible out of the box, but that feature won't help you if you don't have a wireless router. Luckily Nintendo's adapter comes to the rescue. Plug it into your computer's USB port, install the software and your can now exchange messages with the rest of the world's ultra-Nintendo geeks.

Wii Game Wallet : For those who like to take their Wii on business trips or to friends' houses in order to show off, this handy, streamlined wallet carries your games without forcing you to lug around the blocky plastic cases they came in.

Wii Sling Bag : The Wii isn't heavy, but it's even less of a burden if your shoulder bears its weight. This stylish carry-all hoists your Wii, games and controllers wherever you want to take them.

Splurges

Wii Storage and Protection Kit : If you're the overprotective type, you may want to spring for this kit, which wraps every square inch of your console and its add-ons in hard plastic. The set tricks out your Wii and saves you money by combining various knick-knacks into a single package.

Wii Console Stand : The Wii is pretty stable, but just to be sure it won't tip over, you might as well slip it into this kiosk, which also has space for controllers. The setup may cancel out the benefits of the Wii's slenderness, but at least it consolidates your stuff into one spot.

Wii Nunchuk : Less necessary than the Wii Remote, the Nunchuk plugs into your controller and allows for precise control for some of the Wii's more complicated titles. You'll need at least one of these, along with an extra Wii Remote, if you want to KO your friends in "Wii Sports" boxing.

Wii Classic Controller : You'll only need this baby if you've downloaded an older game that isn't compatible with the Wii Remote. It snaps into your remote like a Nunchuk and brings back the feel of the old Super Nintendo and N64 controllers.

External Links

GameSpot -- One of the top gaming resources on the net.
IGN -- Covers video games as well as the rest of the entertainment world.
Game Informer -- An excellent video game magazine's home page.
Nintendo.com -- Nintendo's official site.

International Resources

For this resource in your home country, please see:
FR: Accessoires pour Wii

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Nuts and Bolts

Wii Memory SD : The Wii comes with 512mb of memory for your game saves, pictures, and messages, but you can nearly triple your space with the purchase of one of these SD flash memory cards, which are the exact same memory devices you use in your digital camera. They are interchangeable! Plus that memory is getting cheaper, go for a 2GB SD Card at least, or higher with a 4GB SD Memory Card or even 8GB!	Wii Component Cable : For those with a HiDef TV, component cables are a must. Replacing the A/V cables that come in the console box, these high-definition cables lift your resolution to 480p, the lowest visual standard of HDTV. If you don't already have an HD TV, make sure you look into it.	Wii Points Card : In order to download the Wii's slew of classic games, you'll need to spend Wii points. To spend Wii points, you'll need a Wii Points Card. A penny translates to a Wii point. For $20, you get 2,000 points, which translates to 5 NES game downloads.	Wii Remote : Your Wii box came with a controller, but you're missing out on the party-riffic capabilities of your machine unless you at least by one extra controller. Heed this advice: buy three. Nothing screams fun like "Wii Sports" tennis doubles, with four players swinging their Wii-motes like maniacs.

If You've Got a Little Extra Cash...

Wii Steering Wheel : Transforming your Wii remote into a wireless steering wheel, this snap-on accessory amps up the feel of racing titles such as "Excite Truck. " Too bad it's not equipped with a horn or wiper fluid.	Wii Wi-Fi Adapter : It's nice and all that the Wii is Wi-Fi compatible out of the box, but that feature won't help you if you don't have a wireless router. Luckily Nintendo's adapter comes to the rescue. Plug it into your computer's USB port, install the software and your can now exchange messages with the rest of the world's ultra-Nintendo geeks.	Wii Game Wallet : For those who like to take their Wii on business trips or to friends' houses in order to show off, this handy, streamlined wallet carries your games without forcing you to lug around the blocky plastic cases they came in.	Wii Sling Bag : The Wii isn't heavy, but it's even less of a burden if your shoulder bears its weight. This stylish carry-all hoists your Wii, games and controllers wherever you want to take them.

Splurges

Wii Storage and Protection Kit : If you're the overprotective type, you may want to spring for this kit, which wraps every square inch of your console and its add-ons in hard plastic. The set tricks out your Wii and saves you money by combining various knick-knacks into a single package.	Wii Console Stand : The Wii is pretty stable, but just to be sure it won't tip over, you might as well slip it into this kiosk, which also has space for controllers. The setup may cancel out the benefits of the Wii's slenderness, but at least it consolidates your stuff into one spot.	Wii Nunchuk : Less necessary than the Wii Remote, the Nunchuk plugs into your controller and allows for precise control for some of the Wii's more complicated titles. You'll need at least one of these, along with an extra Wii Remote, if you want to KO your friends in "Wii Sports" boxing.	Wii Classic Controller : You'll only need this baby if you've downloaded an older game that isn't compatible with the Wii Remote. It snaps into your remote like a Nunchuk and brings back the feel of the old Super Nintendo and N64 controllers.