Twilight Princess Wii details

By Ellie Gibson Published 8 May, 2006

Plus: WarioWare Wii confirmed.

New details have been revealed of how the Wii's unique freestyle controller will work with long-awaited GameCube title Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

According to Time magazine's Lev Grossman, the controller is highly impressive - "It's part laser pointer and part motion sensor, so it knows where you're aiming it, when and how fast you move it and how far it is from the TV screen. There's a strong whiff of voodoo about it."

Describing the experience of using the controller to play Twilight Princess, Grossman wrote: "Now I'm Errol Flynn, sword fighting with the controller, then aiming a bow and arrow, then using it as a fishing rod, reeling in a stubborn virtual fish."

Grossman also got the chance to try out the first Wii instalment in the WarioWare series: "In one hot minute, I use the controller to swat a fly, do squat-thrusts as a weightlifter, turn a key in a lock, catch a fish, drive a car, sauté some vegetables, balance a broom on my outstretched hand, colour in a circle and fence with a foil - and yes, dance the hula." Hurrah!

And that's not all - turns out there's also a tennis title in development for the Wii. The name of hte game has yet to be revealed, but according to Grossman, the controller will come into play here too: "The controller becomes a racket, and I'm smacking forehands and stroking backhands. The sensors are fine enough that you can scoop under the ball to lob it, or slice it for spin."

Sounds rather exciting - in fact, Grossman got so excited that he had to have the controller pried from his hands, apparently.

We'll be bringing you all the details live from Nintendo's E3 press conference, so don't forget to tune in at 5.30pm GMT tomorrow.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (48) Latest comment 6 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Boundy #1 6 years ago

    First!

  • Nikanoru #2 6 years ago

    The sensors are fine enough that you can scoop under the ball to lob it, or slice it for spin.

    Nice. That's the kind of sensitivity I was hoping for, really, as opposed to merely pitch, jaw, roll and screen distance.

    Also, I will still play TP on my Cube.

  • DrPhil #3 6 years ago

    Super tennis?

  • asphaltcowboy #4 6 years ago

    Well, it sounds promising at least...

  • Thornhillboy #5 6 years ago

    I am going to look like a berk playing on the Wii...

  • gizmo #6 6 years ago

    Confused. So is Zelda coming out on the cube or the wii?

  • smelly #7 6 years ago

    Confused. So is Zelda coming out on the cube or the wii?

    Both. Its a cube game which will also work on the Wii (with added enhancements)

  • Thornhillboy #8 6 years ago

    Do we know what the added enhancements are yet?

  • coojam #9 6 years ago

    Man, how many people are going to have room to pretend swing a tennis racquet in their home? I smashed a lightbulb just playing EyeToy!

  • smelly #10 6 years ago

    I just hope they're releasing it for Wii as well

    Well (from this article) it works with the controller...

    I'd hazard a guess at improved gfx, but i wont hold my breath for that.
    Edited by smelly at 08/05/06 @ 12:05

  • kebab #11 6 years ago

    weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

  • tomdominer #12 6 years ago

    I'd drink my own wee to get my hands on this stuff....

  • bionutz #13 6 years ago

    ok, but please offer an assortment of "plug-ins" so that the controller gets more adequate about tennis, sword, etc (have a sword, racket, with a cavity to fit in the controller).

  • smelly #14 6 years ago

    bionutz : Ewww!! No thanks!

  • Tonka #15 6 years ago

    Do we know what the added enhancements are yet?

    Some of them are mentioned in the article. Thee are some things they are keeping quiet about. Like the bundling of a wii style controller for the cube etc.

  • myrmican #16 6 years ago

    I'd bet money that Nintendo'll cancel it for the cube and make it a Wii launch title.

  • Kay #17 6 years ago

    To be honest I'm not really interested in the enhancements for TP. I'll just be happy playing it on the GC the old-fashioned way.

    K

  • smelly #18 6 years ago

    Like the bundling of a wii style controller for the cube

    I *REALLY* cant see that happening. I'd bet money on it in fact!



    I'd bet money that Nintendo'll cancel it for the cube and make it a Wii launch title.

    Cant see that happening either. The graphics will be from the cube version, and so wont be indicative of the Wii's power.

    So okay, I'll take you on yer bet. 10 quid?

  • sir_tripod #19 6 years ago

    Here's an excerpt from the article:

    ---

    "The first game I try...is a Warioware title. It consists of dozens of manic five-second mini games in a row. They’re geared to the Japanese gaming sensibility, which has a zany, cartoonish, game-show bent. In one hot minute, I use the controller to swat a fly, do squat-thrusts as a weight lifter, turn a key in a lock, catch a fish, drive a car, sauté some vegetables, balance a broom on my outstretched hand, color in a circle and fence with a foil. And yes, dance the hula."

    "It’s a remarkable experience. Instead of passively playing the games, with the new controller you physically perform them. You act them out. It’s almost like theater: the fourth wall between game and player dissolves. The sense of immersion–the illusion that you, personally, are projected into the game world–is powerful. And there’s an instant party atmosphere in the room. One advantage of the new controller is that it not only is fun, it looks fun. When you play with an old-style controller, you look like a loser, a blank-eyed joystick fondler. But when you’re jumping around and shaking your hulamaker, everybody’s having a good time."

    "After Warioware, we play scenes from the upcoming Legend of Zelda title, Twilight Princess, a moody, dark (by Nintendo’s Disneyesque standards) fantasy adventure. Now I’m... sword fighting with the controller, then aiming a bow and arrow, then using it as a fishing rod, reeling in a stubborn virtual fish. The third game, and probably the most fun, is also the simplest: tennis. The controller becomes a racket, and I’m smacking forehands and stroking backhands. The sensors are fine enough that you can scoop under the ball to lob it, or slice it for spin. At the end, I don’t so much put the controller down as have it pried from my hands."

    ---

    All very promising from a non-gamer.

  • kangarootoo #20 6 years ago

    "balance a broom on my outstretched hand"

    For some reason, that one seemed the most entertaining, or is it just me.....

    /grim up north, made our own fun when growing up, etc

  • JetSetWilly #21 6 years ago

    If Nintendo could do only one thing at E3 I would want it to be TP exclusive to Wii as a launch title. Forget the Cube, it's dead.

  • malteaserhead #22 6 years ago

    @Sir tripod : cheers

    I like this bit
    "the fourth wall between game and player dissolves. The sense of immersion–the illusion that you, personally, are projected into the game world–is powerful"
    a bit OTT but sounds interesting.

  • JonFE #23 6 years ago

    What ?!? No piss-poor jokes in 25 (and counting :) comments !?!

    They told you that it would eventually settle in, but nooo, you had to make a 600-comment beast of a thread about it ;)

    On topic, it does sound very exciting; the Real Gaming Revolution (TM) anyone ???
    Edited by JonFE at 08/05/06 @ 12:53

  • Tonka #24 6 years ago

    Like the bundling of a wii style controller for the cube

    I *REALLY* cant see that happening. I'd bet money on it in fact!

    There will also be a bongo controlled minigame whre you join a Goron drum circle around a lava pit.

  • smelly #25 6 years ago

    Wii Will Make A Difference
    Wii Will Be Revolutionary
    Wii Will Rock You

    etc etc etc..

    Quite a good name for marketting when ya think aboot it.

  • smelly #26 6 years ago

    There will also be a bongo controlled minigame whre you join a Goron drum circle around a lava pit.

    How about some maracas too?

  • sir_tripod #27 6 years ago

    It's all about Wario Ware. d:-) Thinking back to the concept video from E3 2005 which "announced" the controller to the world, the games on there are represented by the ones mentioned in the article; tennis, fishing, frying food and swatting flies. To me this means there'll most likely be 4-player-Wario-Ware-mayhem!

    The ones that were shown but nothing's been mentioned (so far) is the drumming, baseball, conducting and the one where the (fit) girl flicks the controller and you hear the Mario jumping sound effect.

  • Psi #28 6 years ago

    i read articles like this and it makes me do a sex wii

  • smelly #29 6 years ago

    If I dont see mario at E3 this year. Then I'll enter a huge sulk and wont buy a wii until it is announced. :-)

  • Tonka #30 6 years ago

    How about some maracas too?
    Nope, but there are some rumours of a microphone sing-a-long with Saria over at Lon Lon Ranch.

  • smelly #31 6 years ago

    hahahaha

    Maybe a coconut controller so your horse matches your hoove sounds?

  • Tonka #32 6 years ago

    Maybe a coconut controller so your horse matches your hoove sounds?

    Nice idea. Could work on the DS as well.


    omg I just said ass


  • Rambaldi #33 6 years ago

    So it can detect how far you are from the TV?

    Anyone else totally put off by the fact that playing games might actually involve getting off the couch and moving too and from a screen no more than 2.5 feet off the floor?
    Edited by Rambaldi at 08/05/06 @ 13:45

  • Teeth #34 6 years ago

    What it means rambaldi is that it will detect when you moveit forwards and backwards. I highly doubt they will make games that require to to stand a regulation 3 metres from the set. Don't be pathetic.

  • smelly #35 6 years ago

    So it can detect how far you are from the TV?

    Geesus, dont people pay attention?

    Yes, it can detect where you are in 3d space. So it knows where you are in relationship to the censor on your tv (forward/backwards/left/right).

    If that causes a problem, im sure you can place the censor in a different place.

  • smelly #36 6 years ago

    Lets wait until we see some games tommorow first before slagging it off/praising it?

    Only 15 hours wait to go.

  • nickthegun #37 6 years ago

    @Rambaldi - Yeah, Ive thought that. If i wanted to stand around swinging like a hopeless arse, I would actually go and play tennis.

    Bart: I want to go to the Yard Work Simulator.
    Marge: But when I ask you to do yard work... *sigh*

  • Carrybagma #38 6 years ago

    sauté some vegetables

    Someone thought of that in Razz's rev-games thread! An Ainsley Harriot cooking game. Well done that poster.

    /hurrahs

  • Rambaldi #39 6 years ago

    What is it with numbnuts not being able to read anymore?

    @teeth
    "I highly doubt they will make games that require to to stand a regulation 3 metres from the set. Don't be pathetic."

    I said move too and fro, as in about, not as in stood still. Dick.

    @smelly
    quoting me: So it can detect how far you are from the TV?
    "Geesus, dont people pay attention?"

    As I had read the article (what fool wouldn't without posting?) it was a rhetorical question...but I guess anyone but a possesed Nintyboy would've noticed that.

  • Psi #40 6 years ago

    a controller in each hand and superpunchout would rock.

    however 3min rounds as unfit as i am wouldn't get past the 2nd round.

    donky kong bongos showed me that...

  • dk_rare #41 6 years ago

    Wiiiiii! I want it now!

  • gallow #42 6 years ago

    You can tell the X-Box fanboys in this thread.

  • Teeth #43 6 years ago

    @Rambaldi:

    Right, with you. Apologies, as I totally misread your post to mean "we might have to stand a certain distance from the TV".

    My thinking is that as the remote is reportedly very sensitive, I'm sure any to-and-fro motion between player and sensor can be made small enough no to require actually getting up :)

    I would certainly never design a game that required the player to take steps toward or away from the TV, unless that game were a rhythm-action game.

  • muck_savage #44 6 years ago

    This machine sounds delightful and you know....'fun' :)

  • Rambaldi #45 6 years ago

    @Teeth

    Accepted old bean:)

  • sir_tripod #46 6 years ago

    For years, computer gaming kids have had the stigma of being overweight and never doing exercise. The Wii's controller will actually be getting people to exercise and, like in the case of a tennis game, maybe even get them to try the real thing?

    If a dual-controller boxing game comes out, I can guarantee to play it as you'd imagine it to play (1 Wiimote per hand = fist) then that will be a very tiring game.

    Also, will there be any kind of wrist straps for safety? I envisage grip being lost at vital moments and TVs, consoles, ornaments, pets and people being struck by flying controllers.

  • Flagship #47 6 years ago

    *the

    'corr spelling mate

  • Razz #48 6 years ago

    Twilight Princess Wee :D