# So I got a Wii! Uh... now what? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [December 27, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550 "2010-12-27T21:47:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/1 "2010-12-27T21:47:49Z")
I would have searched previous threads, because I’m sure we’ve done this before, but the name of the console is too damn short. After many years of never quite getting a Wii, my best friend got me one for Christmas. To go with the new TV my wife got me. I’ve been a _very_ good boy. Anyway, what do I _do_ with it? There aren’t nearly as many games on Virtual Console as I thought there would be by now, although since I can probably pick up armloads of used games that probably won’t matter. I never had a GameCube, although I did rent one to play the first _Metroid Prime_. It looks like the Wii is backwards compatible with GC games. True? Or just some of them, _a la_ PS1/2? Do I even care? I mean, the GameCube didn’t do so well, so I’m assuming it didn’t have that many great games. I looked at the WiiWare stuff but couldn’t make heads or tails of half of it, and the details aren’t particularly helpful. I don’t have a Classic Controller or a GC controller yet, which appears to be limiting my options. I do have a WiiMotion Plus controller and nunchuk, which… well, are handy for Wii Sports Resort. I’ll take it as read that you need an old school controller to play SNES through GameCube games, and go get one. In the meantime, what games should be on my must play list? VC included. Here’s my top ten games of all time list, which might help: 1. Goldeneye 2. Half Life 2 3. F-Zero (the original one) 4. GTA: San Andreas 5. Metroid Prime 6. Fallout 2 7. Baldur’s Gate 2 8. Super Mario 64 9. WCW vs. NWO World Tour 10. The Witcher I have a perfectly good console to play RPGs and FPSs on, so I’m not too worried about those. ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/2 "2010-12-27T22:22:01Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > 1. Goldeneye Goldeneye :). They just released a Wii version. > [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > 1. Metroid Prime Metroid Prime Trilogy > [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > 1. Super Mario 64 Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 Otherwise, you can probably just start somewhere like [here](http://www.ign.com/index/reviews.html) and sort by rating, and then ask here about anything that looks interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Wolverine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba9def/32.png) [@Wolverine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolverine)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/3 "2010-12-28T06:33:58Z")
I second borchevsky’s suggestions. The Wii is 100% compatible with all GameCube games. You do need the Classic Controller or GameCube controller to play them (and maybe a GC memory card too). There are a bunch of good GC games, but several of them have Wii equivalents (Resident Evil 4, Zelda: Twilight Princess, and Metroid Prime 1 & 2 are included in Metroid Prime Trilogy). Exclusive games only on the GC that you can’t find anywhere else include Zelda: Wind Waker, Eternal Darkness, Fire Emblem (with a Wii sequel), Tales of Symphonia (also has a Wii sequel), and Killer 7. Here are a few previous threads: [Pimp my Wii](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=587414) [Upcoming Wii games](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=568663) [My Husband Got a Wii for Christmas](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=545438) You might also enjoy No More Heroes and No More Heroes 2. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/4 "2010-12-28T14:01:30Z")
Thanks for the links and suggestions. I’m seriously considering faking sick so I can leave work and go pick up Wii Goldeneye. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/5 "2010-12-28T14:11:15Z")
Metroid Prime Trilogy has been discontinued or something, and goes for $80+ on eBay. Anyone want to sell me their copy? ☹ ---
**Author:** ![SpartanDC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@SpartanDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpartanDC)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/6 "2010-12-29T14:38:37Z")
New Super Mario Bros. is as much fun as I’ve had playing a video game in a long time, and it’s INSANELY fun when you’re playing in 2-, 3- or 4-player cooperative mode (I haven’t done 4-player, but I imagine it’s just ridiculously fun chaos). I’m also really enjoying Donkey Kong Country Returns right now, though it’s much more difficult than I expected. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/7 "2010-12-29T14:52:10Z")
I picked up _Metroid Prime 2 (GC)_ and _Zelda: Twilight Princess_ yesterday, along with a GameCube controller. Irritatingly, it looks like the GC controller isn’t compatible with SNES VC games. Well, it is, but you can’t switch the button assignments. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/8 "2010-12-29T15:08:56Z")
The only thing I like to play is Tiger Woods Golf. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/9 "2010-12-29T16:31:20Z")
Handy tip: You can use Google to do those annoying searches; just use the advanced search feature, type in those too-short words, and search only on the straightdope domain. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/10 "2010-12-29T17:36:42Z")
How do I restrict by domain? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/11 "2010-12-29T17:45:25Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > How do I restrict by domain? To the side of the usual Google search box, click “Advanced Search.” Fill in the words you want to search on, and at the bottom of the search options, there’s “Search within a site or domain.” Try “[straightdope.com](http://straightdope.com)” or “[boards.straightdope.com](http://boards.straightdope.com).” ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/12 "2010-12-29T17:47:19Z")
I heart you. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/13 "2010-12-29T17:55:35Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I heart you. 😃 Mind you, knowing this doesn’t help me when I’m cursing the short-word restriction or long timeout between searches, as I rarely actually remember to do it then. But perhaps you will! ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/14 "2010-12-29T18:15:13Z")
You can do a search like this from the main google box too, using “site:”, as in: **Wii site:straightdope.com** ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/15 "2010-12-29T19:03:58Z")
Just my experience but if you can run the wire, I’d invest in a LAN adapter for the Wii. Connecting my Wii directly to the router made a big difference for me when streaming Netflix through the Wii or other internet applications. I use the one by Rocketfish and it worked without a hitch but there’s others out there as well. Obviously if your Wii is across the house from your router, this may not be an option. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/16 "2010-12-29T19:39:31Z")
It’s not really an option. The cable modem is on the other side of a concrete wall, and my wife would never ever ever let me run a cable around the door. I just went out and got a wireless router. ETA: I saw a Rocketfish adapter at Best Buy which supposedly uses power outlets to share a LAN. No idea how that works, but it sounds cool. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/17 "2010-12-29T19:52:34Z")
I can’t speak for that one. I just have an ethernet cable running to mine. ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/18 "2010-12-30T13:11:09Z")
I’m a middle-aged white banker. And [Just Dance](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_Dance_(video_game))is \*insanely \*fun. Might be even more fun that get to watch my wife and I bustin’ a move on the living room carpet. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/19 "2010-12-30T16:54:43Z")
Not quite as fun as seeing a middle-aged white banker say “bust a move”. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550/20 "2010-12-30T18:41:56Z")
I’ve been having fun with [Epic Mickey](http://www.amazon.com/Disney-Epic-Mickey-Nintendo-Wii/dp/B002I0GEXM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293733920&sr=8-1) and I’ve just barely scratched the surface. I still haven’t gotten tired of [Mario Kart](http://www.amazon.com/Mario-Kart-Wii-Wheel-Nintendo/dp/B000XJNTNS/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1293734071&sr=1-1) after a couple of years, and I enjoy my [Tiger Woods](http://www.amazon.com/Tiger-Woods-PGA-Tour-Nintendo-Wii/dp/B001U2BMF4/ref=sr_1_6?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1293734141&sr=1-6) and [MLB](http://www.amazon.com/MLB-2K10-Nintendo-Wii/dp/B002VB0XCQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1293734217&sr=1-1) games. I’m not much of an FPS guy, though, so your tastes may be different than mine. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-a-wii-uh-now-what/565550.md?page=2)