Present situation of "Game Wars" in Japanese market: Xbox3 trying hard to run ahead, but losing as usual. PS3 chasing hot, but its rotten logistics lingers on. Undisputed victor: Nintendo Wii, though it's totally feeble and powerless compared to its two rivals. Now, Wii's sales record in Japanese market surpassed the magic one-million-sets-a-month threshold, and still increasing strongly.

2006 was clearly the year of Nintendo DS. 2007 will be the year of its sibling, Nintendo Wii with its clever remote controller. These days, you see everywhere in Japan those strange people, male and female, young and not-so-young, even seniors, who are swinging their empty arms as if they were playing tennis. In commuter trains of off-rush-hour, in smoker's corner of railway station, in Akihabara back alley, everywhere.

Brando's Wii Sports Pack. Clever and practical idea, but looks so cheap and flimsy. Maybe you need an extra tether, lest racket head should fly away from the controller.

Oh no, they are not Sunday tennis players practising for their weekend match. They are virtual athletes, shadow training to get the upper hand in the nightly session of Wii Sports Tennis.

"Why should I stomp around and chase the damn ball on a hot tennis court? While I can do it comfortably in my room, in front of my Wii display. Would be far healthier!", they declare unanimously.

To play popular Wii Sports, you have to go through an important ritual. Replace the original strap of remote controller with an indestructible harness, preferably with the one made of stainless steel wire rope, diameter no less than 15mm. The Wii controller had a nasty tendency to fly away from your grip, when you got much excited, and jump straight into the TV screen. Shattered CRT or permanently scarred LCD ensued. The original strap was too weak to restrain your passion, I guess. Nintendo actually recalled the strap.

Also, there is another problem. Since the controller is a virtual racket, you can't see and feel the actual gut surface. How can you constantly adjust the racket angle and sweet spot? The same goes with Wii Sports' other games, too. Baseball bat and golf putter.

One easy and cheap solution: a Hong Kong after-market accessory merchant, Brando WorkShop sells an extremely low-tech (no chips, no CPU, even no battery!) attachment, called Wii Sports Pack. The Pack consists of three extension attachments of cheap-looking white plastic, all of them being of diminutive sizes. The golf club causes a bit of problem. When you putt an invisible ball on the floor, you have to bend down deep like a contortionist does. Maybe you can add a length of broom stick or things like that, and make it a bit longer to be more comfortable. No sweat.

Let's play tennis. Can be doubled as table tennis paddle, too.

Wii Sports Pack is, definitely, the direct descendant of legendary Hong Kong flower, inheriting its virtues: clever idea, cheap beauty and plastic versatility. Anyway, Hong Kong flower singlehandedly founded the base of present prosperity in Hong Kong. But, who remember Hong Kong flower now?

Price of Wii Sports Pack: US$22. Bargain or rip-off? Two incompatible opinions.

 

cheewee
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kaisei1
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