Nintendo gets its strap on

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[Wii] Thicker strap unveiled as 300,000 Wiis are sold

Friday 15 December 2006
Nintendo has now shifted an impressive haul of Wii consoles since its launch last Friday, with an astonishing 325,000 sold in the first two days, making Wii the most popular console ever released in the UK. But at the same time, reports of over-enthusiastic gamers breaking the Wii-mote wrist strap has seen Nintendo respond by offering a new, stronger strap in a free exchange.

But this is not a recall: "Nintendo is not recalling any of the Wii wrist straps for its motion sensitive Wii Remote," a Nintendo contact informed us, adding that "there is no problem with the existing wrist strap as long as the Wii Remote is used sensibly and properly in accordance with the guidelines provided. All parts of the wrist strap have passed product testing and quality control".

It seems some gamers have got rather carried away with Wii's gesture technology. And if you can't quite visualise the damage a loosed Wiimote can do, check out Wiihaveaproblem.com. Fortunately, Nintendo has provided the following tips for making sure your eye-wateringly expensive plasma telly doesn't become a useless slab of cracked plastic:

• Always wear the wrist strap while playing
• Keep a firm grip on the Wii Remote at all times
• Make sure people and objects are out of range of your movement
• Players should keep at least three feet from the TV
• Dry hands if they become sweaty or wet

In addition to these idiot-proof commands, Nintendo stresses that "the Wii Remote is responsive enough to detect minor movements - so excessive and forceful actions are not necessary. We recommend not to use excessively rapid, violent or wide swinging motions while using the Wii Remote". In other words, calm down, chaps.

If you do end up breaking your wrist strap through "excess usage" or feel unsure of the strength of your current strap, Nintendo is offering to swap existing cords for a new, thicker model. Simply call 0870 60 60 247 (National Rate charge) or contact your nearest Nintendo Service Center for your free replacement. Play easy now, okay?

Ben_Richardson

Ben Richardson is a former Staff Writer for Official PlayStation 2 magazine and a former Content Editor of GamesRadar+. In the years since Ben left GR, he has worked as a columnist, communications officer, charity coach, and podcast host – but we still look back to his news stories from time to time, they are a window into a different era of video games.