Improve your swing with this new Wii widget
If you own a Nintendo Wii, then the new Motionplus official add-on claims to make all the console's motion-sensing capabilities even more accurate.
The small device clips onto the bottom of the existing Wii Remote and comes with a rubber housing that fits over the entire controller (presumably to help reduce Wii-based accidents and injuries).
Unfortunately, you won't notice any benefits when playing old games. Instead, games have to be specifically designed to take advantage of Motionplus. We tried the unit out with Grand Slam Tennis, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 and Wii Sports Resort, all of which can be purchased with a single Motionplus unit included in the box for around £45-£50.
We were quite surprised by the difference the device made. In Grand Slam Tennis, for example, it's possible to completely alter your shot type, adding topspin or slice, depending on how you hold or swing the remote.
In Tiger Woods, the Motionplus offers particularly accurate mapping of controller movement to your on-screen golf club, which is very effective when it comes to putting.
The best showcase for the Motionplus, however, is Nintendo's own Wii Sports Resort, a collection of mini-games similar to the original Wii Sports but specifically designed for use with Motionplus. Activities such as archery, table tennis, sword fighting and even skydiving join improved versions of old favourites, such as golf and bowling.
It's an impressive advertisement for the Motionplus' talents, with archery in particular demonstrating just how much extra sensitivity and accuracy the device brings into play.
