Wii Remote

Lore & Background

Development of a motion-enabled controller began when development of the Wii console started in 2001. Nintendo licensed motion-sensing patents from Gyration Inc., which had previously pitched their idea to Sony and Microsoft, who both declined. Nintendo commissioned Gyration to create a one-handed controller, which became the 'Gyropod', a more traditional gamepad allowing its right half to break away for motion control. By late 2004 or early 2005, Nintendo had developed the Wii Remote's less traditional 'wand shape' and the Nunchuk attachment, deciding on a motion sensor, infrared pointer, and button layout; by the end of 2005 the controller was ready for mass production.

During development, Shigeru Miyamoto brought in mobile phones and controllers for automotive navigation systems for inspiration, producing a prototype resembling a cell phone. Another design featured an analog stick and a touchscreen, but Nintendo rejected the touchscreen idea. Sources indicate the Wii Remote was originally in development as a controller for the GameCube; images of a GameCube prototype, including the Nunchuk, were found online in October 2018 when one prototype was made available through an online auction.

At E3 2006, minor changes were made from the design presented at the Game Developer's Conference: the controller was made slightly longer, a speaker was added, the B button became more curved, 'Start' and 'Select' were changed to plus and minus, and the A and B buttons were changed to A and B to differentiate them. The symbol on the Home button was changed from a blue dot to a house shape, the shape of D-pad was made circular, and blue LEDs indicating player number were labeled using small raised dots instead of numbers. The Nintendo logo was replaced with the Wii logo, and the expansion port was redesigned with a smaller snap-on design.

Reader's Guide

The Wii Remote received much attention due to its unique features, supported by other gaming controllers. Its one-handed remote control-based design was intended to make motion sensitivity more intuitive and to help the console appeal to a broader audience including non-gamers. The controller communicates wirelessly via short-range Bluetooth and uses infrared with the Sensor Bar for pointing. It can be used in either hand, turned horizontally like a Nintendo Entertainment System controller, or used as a steering wheel in certain games.

The wrist strap attached to the bottom prevents it from flying away during game action; every Wii game contains safety warnings concerning wrist strap use. As the Wii gained popularity, counterfeit Wii Remotes entered circulation, with inferior build quality and differences in components such as the rumble motor and speaker. The Wii's successor console, the Wii U, supports the Wii Remote and its peripherals in games where use of the Wii U GamePad is not mandated. The Wii U's successor, the Nintendo Switch, features a follow-up named Joy-Con.

Did You Know?

• The wrist strap is tied with a cow hitch knot.
• The blue LEDs indicate battery state: four LEDs flash for full battery, three for 75%, two for 50%, and one for 25%.