Wii sensor to enhance controls

LOS ANGELES -- The latest gadget from Nintendo isn't all that charming.

It isn't as zany as a zapper or as sexy as a steering wheel.

It doesn't even tell whether someone is losing weight.

Yet the game maker hopes that the cube-shaped device, called the Wii MotionPlus, will take the Wii motion-sensing controls to a new level of precision.

As many folks know, the lack of accuracy with the wrist-flicking Wii Remote has long stood out as a downside.

The Wii MotionPlus, to be released June 8, overcomes the obstacle by using gyroscopic sensors to mimic hand movements exactly -- for on-screen seamlessness with activities such as golfing and sword fighting.

A new take on a new favorite.

"The great thing about this particular new technology -- which isn't always true for other new technologies -- is that we immediately saw the benefits of it," said Jason Shenkman, senior producer of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10.

"Before I even touched it or got my hands on it, I knew exactly what having a gyroscope in our possession would do."

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10, from Electronic Arts, will mark the first game bundled with the Wii MotionPlus.

The increased sensitivity, Shenkman said, won't increase the difficulty of play, thanks to instant feedback.

Nintendo has paired games with peripheral Wii gadgets -- such as the Wii Wheel, Wii Zapper and Wii Balance Board (with Wii Fit) -- from the start.

Just how Nintendo plans to market Wii MotionPlus -- or explain why such technology wasn't originally included in the controller -- is unclear.

"We are always looking at ways to enhance the gaming experience for consumers," said Denise Kaigler, Nintendo vice president of corporate affairs. "This was another way of enhancing the gaming experience, and consumers will hopefully choose to experience that more immersive type of game play and enjoy it."

Grand Slam with better accuracy.

Only five games, so far, have been confirmed to employ the new functionality: Tiger Woods, Wii Sports Resort from Nintendo, Grand Slam Tennis from Electronic Arts; Virtua Tennis 2009 from Sega, and Red Steel 2 from Ubisoft.

Although the original Red Steel was one of the most anticipated games for the Wii in 2006, the first-person samurai shooter left many gamers feeling let down.

Creative director Jason Vandenberghe promises that Wii MotionPlus technology will remedy that in Red Steel 2.

"One of the cool things is that with Wii MotionPlus, we know how hard you have swung the remote," Vandenberghe said. "That means we can ask the player to have a more physical experience, like having enemies who are wearing armor that players will have to hit harder with their sword."

If the blockbuster sales of the Wii Balance Board with Wii Fit are any indication, gamers want the new device even if it isn't compatible with old titles.

Michael Pachter, a game analyst for Wedbush Morgan, thinks the price of the Wii MotionPlus ($19.99 for one, $49.99 if bundled with Wii Sports Resort) is right for cash-strapped consumers. He foresees sales exceeding 30 million in the first year.

"Some people will find Wii MotionPlus really appealing," he said, "and some people won't understand it and will wait until they're told by their friends they need it."

Nintendo is likely to promote Wii MotionPlus and announce new games that use the technology next month at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, where the gadget was unveiled last year.

Rumors have been circulating that Microsoft and Sony might announce their own motion-control technologies for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

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