WTF: Nintendo "Wiiwaa"

And you thought the Wii Vitality Sensor was the dumbest thing that could come out of Nintendo's camp. Enter: Wiiwaa (yes, we know Wiiwaa isn't an official Nintendo product. But you get the idea, right).

Developed by Zoink Games, Wiiwaa — which is a working title — utilizes a special plush toy puppet. The puppet has a special slot specifically for the Wii Remote to fit in. I'm not making this up.



According to today's press release, players will then play the game "simply by moving the puppet," which will then translate to the on-screen movements of a cute little Wiiwaa creature.

WTF Nintendo?



“Use your Wiiwaa puppet to control this little fellow just like a puppeteer would do," the release said. "Walk, jump, dance, do crazy somersaults — whatever you do with your Wiiwaa puppet directly affects the Wiiwaa in the game. This innovative control system makes it super intuitive to tell the creature where to go and what to do. I don't think there has ever been a simpler and more natural way to play a videogame."
Read that last sentence again. Isn't that the catch phrase for every peripheral that has ever been made? U-Force, anyone?

"Just pop in your controller and your Wiiwaa comes to life on the screen,” said Klaus Lyngeled, Creative Director at Zoink Entertainment and originator of the concept. “The Wiiwaa plush toy expands the game from the screen and into the living room. Your hero and friend is right there with you, and you can continue playing with him even after the game console has been switched off.”

Gameplay is defined by movement and rhythm and focuses on exploration and mini-games. And just like any modern digital pet, players will need to make sure their Wiiwaa is fed and is getting enough sleep.

“Wiiwaa is a game that transcends gender and age," said Lyngeled. "Kids will appreciate the simplicity of it and how natural it feels to play. With this game, parents provide non-violent, intelligent entertainment for their kids that even motivates them to exercise their physique and train their coordination skills. Grown-up gamers, too, will enjoy the action, the humor and the freshness of the experience."

A release date has yet to be announced, but I'm sure once Wiiwaa is out, we can find hours of endless entertainment with the deluge of YouTube videos poking fun at the idea.