Topic: PREVIEWS: Wii Zapper

[Jonnyboy117]

Nintendo's Zapper returns...but where are the ducks?
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/previewArt.cfm?artid=13864

 At their E3 2007 press conference, Nintendo showed a greatly revised version of the gun accessory first displayed at least year's E3.  Now officially called the Wii Zapper (aiming for nostalgia of the NES Zapper, of course), this new version holds both the Wii remote and nunchuk and is designed to be supported with both hands, like a Tommy gun.  The remote's infrared sensor is placed in the barrel and provides the actual "light gun" functionality, while the nunchuk fits into the rear handle for easy access to its joystick and buttons.    

Nintendo finally linked this accessory to some real Wii games.  A video was shown of people using the Zapper to play Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles.  See the trailer for yourself right here:    

   

Sega's arcade port of Ghost Squadron will also support it.  EA is publishing a new Medal of Honor game for Wii that supports the Zapper -- thus providing some evidence for Reggie's claim that the device is useful for first-person shooters.    

Nintendo is also developing its own game to support the Zapper, and in fact it will be packaged with the hardware (much like Wii Play) for $19.99 USD.  Could this be the long-awaited return of Duck Hunt?  We'll just have to wait and see, as Nintendo gave no clues whatsoever about their first-party Zapper game.

[Nephilim]

how can u say its the zapper? its clearly the sega menacer

[Kairon]

$19.99 with a game? AWESOME.

[Svevan]

This news is a great balance to Wii Fit. I'm glad Nintendo's willing to release a first party zapper gun (remember when Sega didn't? one of many dumb decisions), and put a game like Resident Evil up front at their conference - violence is a part of modern gaming, even if Nintendo decides not to utilize it.  

[GoldenPhoenix]

I wonder if the thing will be awkward because you can't really "aim" with it.

[Caliban]

I thought Reggie said that it was $19.99 for the zapper, or it comes with the game which usually will be $49.99.

[King of Twitch]

This is like a new golden age

[Mashiro]

From IGN:

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Will package Wii Zapper this year along with a new Nintendo game made for the device. Retail price: $19.99. People applaud, as they damned well should.

[UERD]

Wow, I find the design a lot more appealing than the old light-gun design they had at the other E3, for some reason. I also love the expression on the guy's face as his girlfriend/sister/random stranger blasts zombie head after zombie head with machine-like precision.

[Kairon]

I listened for that, but that's not the impression I got. They were making the point that they were trying to penetrate this into the market place... I'll listen to it again later to make sure though.

[Shecky]

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Originally posted by: GoldenPhoenix
I wonder if the thing will be awkward because you can't really "aim" with it.

I'm waiting for this disjoint sensor "bar" than you can suction or clip to your TV to get close to accurate aiming.  I've done it successfully with my virtual walls that came with the Roomba.

With a little built-in calibration from the game itself on top of this and you could have pretty good aiming support.  (aka: the game makes you aim and shoot some targets from your location in the room.  and if you move drastically during play you can pause and recalibrate.  That would take care of any minor errors.)

[Kairon]

Imagine the superscope for the calibration, I think.

[Ian Sane]

"I also love the expression on the guy's face as his girlfriend/sister/random stranger"

Funny how you mentioned "sister" when the guy's white and the girl's Asian.  Though I guess they could be half-siblings or step-siblings.

I'm sure someone is going to accuse me of racism for pointing that out.

[King of Twitch]

Why would a girl be playing a FPS in the first place

[Kairon]

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Originally posted by: Ian Sane
"I also love the expression on the guy's face as his girlfriend/sister/random stranger"

Funny how you mentioned "sister" when the guy's white and the girl's Asian.  Though I guess they could be half-siblings or step-siblings.

They could both be adopted!

[Mashiro]

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Originally posted by: MJRx9000
Why would a girl be playing a FPS in the first place

Yeah no girl EVER plays FPS's that's just crazy talk!

[UERD]

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guy's white and the girl's Asian.

I was thinking about that, actually. I knew one family where the kids were half-white and half-Chinese, but the girl looked completely white and the guy looked completely Asian.

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With a little built-in calibration from the game itself on top of this and you could have pretty good aiming support.

From the onscreen footage, it seems that the accuracy and general conventions of arcade shooters are observed with the attachment. The cursor was a bit jittery at points, but they even had the 'point away from screen to reload' deal going on.

There don't seem to be any dedicated electronics, though. (Not that that's a bad thing, you couldn't really play a light-gun shooter with the bare Wiimote very well.)