How do you find the Wiimote (aka Wii Remote) as a Gaming Controller?

[Marc_LFD]

I've always liked all Nintendo controllers, and that's mostly true, that's until we arrive at the Wiimote is where things change. The Wiimote as a gaming controller just isn't very comfortable or adequate as it is more or less a TV Remote used as a Nintendo controller and if you want the full controller experience you'll need to plug a controller via the port at the bottom (or the Nunchuk instead for games that exclusively use the Wiimote + Nunchuk).

There's a variety of controllers that connect to that port so if you have a favorite one, it's probably available.

- Wii Classic Controller (analog triggers)
- Wii Classic Controller Pro (no analog triggers)
- Hori Wii Classic Controller (GCN Style with analog triggers)
- Hori Wii Fighting Stick
- Hori Wii U Classic Controller (GCN Style without analog triggers)
- Nintendo NES Controller
- Nintendo SNES Controller
- PDP Classic Controller (GCN Style with analog triggers)

 

[cartergamegeek]

I think it feels fine but I also liked it for AR aiming as that was always really nice. I found it to be fine and still enjoy holding those.

 

[jeffyTheHomebrewer]

I think it's pretty great, same with the gamepad on Wii U.

Good for games with motion control, it's an alright NES controller, and the port on the bottom is good if a game needs more buttons (e.g. classic controller) or a different controller entirely (uDraw tablet, the Cooking Mama Baby, probably other fucked up things I'm forgetting) or if a game needs more controllers than the console can normally play with. (for example, Runbow on Wii U can have a Wiimote + Classic Controller act as two different players)

That, and it also feels like a natural way of navigating interfaces on a TV, but so does the Kinect.

 

[cartergamegeek]

I think it's pretty great, same with the gamepad on Wii U.

Good for games with motion control, it's an alright NES controller, and the port on the bottom is good if a game needs more buttons (e.g. classic controller) or a different controller entirely (uDraw tablet, the Cooking Mama Baby, probably other fucked up things I'm forgetting) or if a game needs more controllers than the console can normally play with. (for example, Runbow on Wii U can have a Wiimote + Classic Controller act as two different players)

That, and it also feels like a natural way of navigating interfaces on a TV, but so does the Kinect.

I like the Classic Controller Pro more. Better shaped in my opinion.

 

[jeffyTheHomebrewer]

I like the Classic Controller Pro more. Better shaped in my opinion.

Yeah, but it's a classic controller either way. Pro or not, they're classic.

 

[cartergamegeek]

Yeah, but it's a classic controller either way. Pro or not, they're classic.

I was saying I like the shape more. That thing feels nice.

 

[jeffyTheHomebrewer]

A little unrelated but honestly, one of my OCs kinda came from the thought "hey wouldnt it be really funny if a rabbit had wiimotes for ears?" so if anything I think that's more proof of how the controller is a good one.

Also unrelated, but even if this is obvious I feel like the joycons are an evolution of the Wiimotes. Simple, easy, have good motion controls, and they're like SNES controllers when sideways instead of NES controllers.

 

[cartergamegeek]

A little unrelated but honestly, one of my OCs kinda came from the thought "hey wouldnt it be really funny if a rabbit had wiimotes for ears?" so if anything I think that's more proof of how the controller is a good one.

Also unrelated, but even if this is obvious I feel like the joycons are an evolution of the Wiimotes. Simple, easy, have good motion controls, and they're like SNES controllers when sideways instead of NES controllers.

I just wish Joy Cons had been built to use an AR camera that is not on the bottom of the right one. That camera annoys me.

 

[jeffyTheHomebrewer]

I just wish Joy Cons had been built to use an AR camera that is not on the bottom of the right one. That camera annoys me.

Bleh, I think the IR cam is neat but I also wish the switch has a regular camera and mic too.. Feels like the USB-C port on it is underutilized in general but a camera accessory for the switch would be cool.

 

[cartergamegeek]

Bleh, I think the IR cam is neat but I also wish the switch has a regular camera and mic too.. Feels like the USB-C port on it is underutilized in general but a camera accessory for the switch would be cool.

A good motion tracking camera can easily work like the Wii so I wanted good AR type aim like the Wii does.

 

[jeffyTheHomebrewer]

A good motion tracking camera can easily work like the Wii so I wanted good AR type aim like the Wii does.

Wait.. Do you mean IR instead of AR?

 

[Blythe93]

Wiimote is pretty good for the games that utilize motion controls... and that's about it. Pointing can be tricky at times, but I love it for what it's worth, but it's not all that great when you do other type of games. At least, not for me.

As for the controllers that go into the Wiimote port, I prefer using Wii Classic Pro for now (so far I have black and white editions) as I'm yet to get my hands on a regular Wii Classic controller (purchased Monster Hunter G edition and the regular white one). I would like to see how analog shoulder buttons fare in games that actually support it compared to the Pro one which has digital shoulder buttons.

Runbow on Wii U can have a Wiimote + Classic Controller act as two different players

Why did I ever think that you need an extra pair of hands to play the game that way, I'll never know...
Thanks for the tip. ^^

 

[cartergamegeek]

Wait.. Do you mean IR instead of AR?

Wii had very limited use of both as that camera could track things in a limited rang. It was using IR like a TV remote but using the bar and motion it could track things. Even back then that thing had AR like tracking in how it could kind of understand space. If you saw the bar it always had a focus point and people always called the tracking of the pointer an AR thing as that was a bit more than just an IR bear uses to give inputs. Wii mixed ideas because the controller was motion based. People always called it AR tracking as the camera followed the motions. It was not the AR camera you would see on a 3DS but that motion tracking was always seen as a bit more live than just a normal IR beam. The Joy Coins however do have a bit more of a true limited AR camera on them.

 

[jeffyTheHomebrewer]

Wii had very limited use of both as that camera could track things in a limited rang. It was using IR like a TV remote but using the bar and motion it could track things. Even back then that thing had AR like tracking in how it could kind of understand space. If you saw the bar it always had a focus point and people always called the tracking of the pointer an AR thing as that was a bit more than just an IR bear uses to give inputs. Wii mixed ideas because the controller was motion based. People always called it AR tracking as the camera followed the motions. It was not the AR camera you would see on a 3DS but that motion tracking was always seen as a bit more live than just a normal IR beam. The Joy Coins however do have a bit more of a true limited AR camera on them.

I see. I still just call it IR/point tracking since to me, AR means augmented reality. Closest thing the Wii really ever did to that imp was that rabbids customizer thing in Rabbids Go Home.

 

[gZa]

Love my WiiMote and add-ons only wish they could work with my SteamDeck outside of Dolphin.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

It's alright. It's very comfortable to hold in "TV remote" orientation, but I really don't like using the Wiimote sideways and that is the primary control method for many games.
Wiimote in vertical orientation is probably the most comfortable controller to hold, and pointing with the sensor bar works very well for camera control.
But by itself, the Wiimote is really a subpar experience. It feels like the Atari 2600 controller of the modern times, you really only have 2 main buttons to use (because all the others are hard to reach) and an overly small D-pad (which is also inconvenient to use in vertical orientation). For games that primarily use motion controls, like Wii Sports, this doesn't matter, but also, the motion controls aren't very accurate either and games had a habit of forcing use of motion controls where it didn't make sense which just made the experience of playing those games annoying.
Wiimote+Nunchuck is the way to go, works great for games like Zelda TP, Metroid Prime 3, Resident Evil 4 (or any shooters really). The IR pointer really shines in this configuration. Still doesn't have a lot of buttons, but you can usually make up for that with motion control gestures (like shaking in Super Mario Galaxy to spin), motion control gestures work well in this configuration I feel as it only takes a quick flick to activate a gesture compared to sideways Wiimote where you have to physically shake the controller up and down using both hands.
In a way, Wiimote+Nunchuck can be considered as proto-JoyCons, allowing you to play with both hands in a relaxed position in the same way. But infinitely more comfortable to hold than the latter.

 

[WhileTrueBreak]

_

 

[Marc_LFD]

I miss my Classic Controller Pro. Always liked that thing.

The Wii U Pro Controller was essentially the same. Didn't have analog triggers either.

Wii Classic Controller did have analog triggers.

 

[lwiz]

My fave controller is XBOX one (especially X360), love the thumbstick locations, general feel etc. excepting the bloody horrid d-pad. Some clones come near as well. That said, close second for me is wiimote/nunchuk. Even the much criticized games with motion controls worked for me. Had this "Ringo touch" with loose wrists, not waving them around with full force.

 

[Hanafuda]

I liked the Wiimote, was really unique (at the time, until copied) and in certain games (SMGalaxy games in particular) it actually improved the gameplay experience.

What I did NOT like, however, was all the games on the Wii that forced Wiimote use. Classic Controller and/or Gamecube controller should ALWAYS have been an option unless the game was 100% dedicated, necessary motion control. DKCR on Wii for example is fun, but a standard control option should have been available. I actually prefer the 3DS port because of this.