Nintendo announces new Wii peripheral

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 15th July 2008

The WiiMotion Plus will clip on to the bottom of the Wii Remote and provide more precise motion control.

E3 2008: Nintendo has unveiled a brand new peripheral for the Nintendo Wii console at the E3 2008 tradeshow this year, titled the WiiMotion Plus.

The WiiMotion Plus is a new plug-in attachment for the existing Wii controller, the Wiimote, and will function as a new and more precise accelerometer.

Nintendo is hoping that the WiiMotion Plus will allow more precise translation of physical movements to actual gameplay thanks to the presence of another accelerometer.

"The Wii MotionPlus accessory attaches to the end of the Wii Remote and, combined with the accelerometer and the sensor bar, allows for more comprehensive tracking of a player’s arm position and orientation, providing players with an unmatched level of precision and immersion," says Nintendo on the launch site for the new device.

"Every slight movement players make with their wrist or arm is rendered identically in real time on the screen, providing a true 1:1 response in their game play."

More information is expected to be revealed over the course of the E3 show, but right now Nintendo has not offered any information about when the WiiMotion Plus will be available or how much it will cost.

The WiiMotion Plus certainly sounds like a good idea to us, though it may be flawed by the fact that games will still have to offer support for those who don't have it. What are your thoughts though? Let us know in the forums.