HANDS ON GUIDE

Controls

The downside is that the remote isn't as precise as you might think or want; mini-games that require very specific actions can be irritatingly difficult. Also, while third-party publishers are making games that use the Wii Remote, the results are rarely great. NFS: Pro Street lets you use the Wii Remote to steer the car, but the fact that the controller has to be held suspended in mid-air made it feel more like piloting a magic carpet than wrestling with the wheel of a fast-moving racing car.

Despite its physical nature, the Wii Remote isn't realistic. Being good at Wii Sports Tennis requires its own videogame skills more than a talent for tennis, but the tactile controls can make games more immediate and purely fun than those on the 360 and PS3.

The PC's keyboard and mouse combo has its downsides too, but different controllers are available - you can even use a 360 gamepad. The PS3 lets you use a USB keyboard and mouse for some games, such as Unreal Tournament 3, which seems to recognise the fact that a gaming mouse with more sensors than the Mona Lisa's case at the Louvre is the best way to translate the player's arm and hand movements perfectly into on-screen movement. It's the greatest human interface device in history; the unity of man and computer in a way that wins, as it doesn't cause intense irritation. You think it, you move your fingers and hands, and it happens in the game. Perfection.

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