The Wii forever changed the gaming world with its intuitive and unique motion sensing controls allowing gamers a new level of immersion to their favorite franchises.‚  ‚ The motion controls have succeeded on many fronts, from aiming weapons in the Call of Duty series to simulating the elegant forehand winner of Roger Federer.‚  I have never felt more involved with the games I play until the Wii came along and subsequently showed the world the pure potential of the future.

After the initial shock of the ingenuity of the motion controls wore off, my thoughts wandered to “I wonder what Gamcube games could be effectively enhanced with the Wii-mote and nunchuck?”

Nintendo finally has the answer to my question in their NEW PLAY CONTROL! series of titles to be released on the Wii in the near future.‚  Nintendo will be releasing popular Gamecube titles with a new wireless, active control scheme coupled with widescreen presentation beginning with Pikmin and Mario Power Tennis available today and Donkey Konga Jungle Beat on May 4th.

“On all of its platforms, Nintendo has consistently delivered irresistible games that fans can enjoy for years on end,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “With the New Play Control! series, we’re giving Wii users new ways to tap into some great titles using the latest and greatest controls.”

The newly enhanced Pikmin, officially titled in an excessively long manner, features the same famed and memorable Captain Olimar on the strange alien planet but with the new ability to control up to 100 Pikmin with the mere flick of the Wii-mote.

New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis is everything you remembered on the Gamecube with the addition of motion controls putting the racket in your hand in the form of Wii-mote, and for the seasoned pros ready to notch the difficulty up a level, the Nunchuck can be used for greater control.

Finally, the New Play Control! Version of Jungle Beat will remove those large and clunky bongos and instead utilize the Wii-mote to complete the various rhythm challenges.‚  If I were a parent with excited children banging away all day this news might intrigue me, but I had so much fun sitting cross legged in front of the TV clamoring away on those bongos I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Marc is currently reviewing both titles and wants everyone to know that the game covers are reversible, meaning that if you flip the cover over, you get one that looks like a regular Wii game instead of the white box with the inset picture.‚  Phew.

Nintendo surely knows how to revisit old titles and continue to make bank on them.‚  Weekly updates to the Wii Shop channel and now New Play Control titles, what will the Japanese video game maker think of next to have us pay for the same game twice?

What classic Nintendo games do you think should be updated employing the new motion controls? Let us know in the comments!

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About The Author

Eddie Makuch is a Blast staff writer. Reach him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @EddieMakuch.

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