Wii Music

Infobox VG
title = Wii Music


developer = Nintendo
publisher = Nintendo
distributor =
designer =
engine =
version =
released =
genre = Music
modes = Single player, Multi-player
ratings = vgratings|OFLCA=G|ESRB=E
platforms = Wii
media =
requirements =
input =Wii Remote, Nunchuk, Wii Balance Board

"Wii Music" is an upcoming music video game for the Wii that simulates playing musical instruments using the Wii Remote and the Wii Balance Board. The game is part of Nintendo's Wii Series and Touch! Generations series of games.

"Wii Music" was originally suggested as a Wii launch title, but was not released at launch and received little coverage from the company over the next several months. However, in 2008 Nintendo explained more about the game in preparation for its release scheduled for later that year.

Wii Music was directed by Kazumi Totaka, [cite web | url=http://wii.com/jp/wii-music/crv/vol2/index.html | title = 社長が訊く『Wii Music』 | date=2008-09-30 | language = Japanese | accessdate=2008-10-01] while famed Nintendo composer Kōji Kondō was one of the people who oversaw the project.cite web | url=http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/03/vgl_koji_kondo_.html | title=VGL: Koji Kondo Interview | last=Kohler | first=Chris | authorlink=Chris Kohler | date=2007-03-11 | accessdate=2007-03-13]

Gameplay

In "Wii Music", the player uses both motions and button presses on the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to control a six-member Mii band. Unlike other music games, "Wii Music" does not require the player to press certain buttons at certain times but only requires the player to move the Wii Remote and Nunchuk like they were playing the instruments. Solo players can either control four band members simultaneously or relegate the computer to the other musicians. [ [http://www.thewiire.com/news/1005/1/New_Wii_Music_Details_Revealed The Wiire - New Wii Music Details Revealed ] ] [ [http://n-europe.com/news.php?nid=11879 N-Europe: News: Wii Music Details Revealed ] ]

Forty instruments will be available in the single and multiplayer modes, including the violin, cowbell, piano, guitar, trumpet, dogs, bongo drums, maracas, sitar, and the marimba. In addition, the Wii Balance Board can be utilized to play the drums. [Wii Balanced Board Used For Wii Music | url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3168728]

The game will also use the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to some capacity.

Minigames

The demo of "Wii Music" featured at the 2005 Tokyo Game Show conference and E3 2006 included two minigames:

*Drums uses the Wii Remote and Nunchuk together to simulate drum sticks, while the Wii Balance Board can be used for the pedals. The player moves the "drumsticks" up and down to hit the drums, while players stamp with their feet on the Balance Board to hit the pedals. The game supports split-screen multiplayer. [cite web | url=http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/wii/wiis-banging-drum-demo-174868.php | title=Wii's Banging Drum Demo | publisher=Kotaku | date=2006-05-18 | accessdate=2007-03-03]

*Orchestra uses the Wii Remote to conduct an orchestra. The player swings the Wii Remote up and down to a certain tempo. Moving the Wii Remote quickly with no real rhythm will make the Mii orchestra play frantically, while slow, more graceful movements will create dragging notes and longer tones. There are no indicators of any kind to show how well the player is performing, forcing the player to try to match the original music from memory, and experiment to find which movements give better results. At the song's conclusion, a round of applause emanates from the TV and a numerical score is shown, along with the player's rank as a conductor. The classifications include Passionate, Graceful, and Methodical.cite web | url=http://wii.ign.com/articles/707/707286p1.html | title=E3 2006: Wii Music: Orchestra | author=JKR | date=2006-05-10 | accessdate=2007-03-03]

Six characters take part in a performance, although the game only supports up to four human players, the CPU takes care of the remaining parts. The gameplay itself is timing based. Players have to time button presses with notes. The controls vary depending on the instrument. [http://wii.ign.com/articles/826/826640p1.html IGN: Second Hand Hands On from Japan ] ]

Some instruments also have extra playing options. With the trumpet, the player can aim the Wii remote up and down to simulate an increase in blowing strength. With the guitar, the player can hold down the C button to get single notes instead of chords.

Music

The following two songs appeared in the game at E3 2006:
*"Legend of Zelda" Overworld Theme
*The Overture from the opera CarmenNew footage released in October 2007 featured the additional songs:
*"Super Mario Bros." Theme
*"F-Zero" Mute CityE3 2008 revealed the following songs:
*"Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" [http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36451.html Gametrailers - Wii Music Trailer ] ]
*"Yankee Doodle"Nintendo's October 2008 press summit revealed a number of other songs, including:
*Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 ("Ode to Joy") [http://www.destructoid.com/wii-music-s-song-list-will-include-everything-from-beethoven-to-madonna-106047.phtml Wii Music's song list will include everything from Beethoven to Madonna] ]
*"Material Girl" by Madonna
*"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham!

Development

"Wii Music" was first shown, along with the Wii Remote, at the Nintendo press conference at the 2005 Tokyo Game Show. The two minigames briefly featured were "Drums" and "Orchestra". The game was also the first Wii game ever to be demonstrated during Nintendo's E3 2006 press conference, where Shigeru Miyamoto came up to the stage to perform the "The Legend of Zelda" Overworld Theme for the audience using the "Orchestra" game. Both "Drums" and "Orchestra" were also made playable to attendees. Additional details of the game were released in conjunction with a Nintendo press conference held on October 11, 2007.

"Wii Music" was showcased during Nintendo's press conference for E3 2008, revealing much more information, including support for the Wii Balance Board to play the drums. It was revealed later on that the game has lessons for the drums programmed in. Miyamoto later announced that over 60 instruments will be playable in the game, and explained the control scheme that uses the Wii Remote's buttons to play notes on various instrument while holding the Wii Remote in a similar fashion to the actual instrument.

ee also

* "Mad Maestro!"
* "Drummania"
* "Daigasso! Band Brothers"
* List of Wii games

References

External links

* [http://e3.nintendo.com/wii/wiimusic/index.html E3 2008 page]
* [http://us.wii.com/soft_wiimusic.jsp Wii Music at Wii.com]
* [http://www.wiimusic.com Wii Music at Nintendo.com]