In 2006, the Nintendo Wii launched. It was the first system to allow gamers to make extreme use of motion detection of their own bodies while gaming. Before that, gamers would just tilt back and forth with their controllers pretended to shift with the car, character, or whatever we were doing. Of course, the first thing that came to mind for millions upon seeing the Wii was Star Wars; more specifically, the lightsabers seen wielded by the Jedi Knights in the movies.

However, when the Wii first was launched it did not truly offer the capability of “using” a lightsaber (you could say it still doesn’t; Wii Motion Plus doesn’t work, to my knowledge, with the items I am about to discuss). It also was not permitted by Nintendo, for safety reasons, for companies to create lightsaber add-ons for the Wii-mote. Well, time has passed, and an official lightsaber, as well as blaster, add-on are both coming for the Nintendo Wii in November.

Anakin’s Lightsaber & Yoda’s Lightsaber– Now your own!

Created to accompany the release of The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes, these add-ons were created to add a new sense of realism to your gameplay. Now, I have yet to purchase these, but if/when I do, it will not be because I think they can work well. The blaster will probably be decent, as a bowcaster add-on was on of the first Wii-mote  extra feature ever produced. It is the lightsaber that will not work the way we imagine it; the Wii just isn’t there yet, even with the Wii Motion Plus. (Which, again, probably can’t be used with the add-on). Nope, instead I would buy them for the pure fact that, in the future, it could work. If I want to see it expanded, I can’t just waste the first generation. Besides, they are realitivly cheap and, while not too good to look at, a cool discussion piece and thing to have for when your friends come over to play with you.

Basically, I have got to give a lot now to get a lot later…. hopefully. I’m not saying I think it can be what I know we all imagined it to be, but we sent a man to the moon; we should be able to get it somewhat close. But this is not the only Star Wars related item hitting the stores for the Wii next month.

Say hello to the Darth Vader Wii Sensor Bar Holder. It’s only a stand to hold the sensor bar, but man, is it cool. I know for myself it is annoying trying to find a good place to have that bar when I just take the Wii out for a casual play. Now I can have an awesome thing to store it in and be organized. At only 50 bucks, I’m certainly putting it on my Christmas list…

Anyway, I just wanted to let people know that I do feel the Nintendo Wii and Star Wars can work. I haven’t played any Star Wars games on it yet beyond Lightsaber Duels, but I am hoping to get both The Force Unleashed & Republic Heroes for it later this year. Think about what I have said, my friends… To Wii, or not to Wii… That is the question.

- Andrew