Neoseeker : News : Is Wii really GameCube 1.5?

Is Wii really GameCube 1.5?

Leo Chan - Thursday, May 10, 2007 11:37am (PST) Like +my favourites

Fixed function shaders for Wii GPU holds console back in graphics department

When Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division president Robbie Bach deemed Nintendo's Wii to be weaker than the original Xbox, console defense mechanisms everywhere were deployed. Newsweek's N'Gai Croal decided to conduct some outside investigation of his own to determine just where exactly the Wii stands on the console horsepower scale. To do this, he speaks to developers (who asked to remain anonymous) familiar with the Wii internal workings.

Their findings? The Wii is more akin to a "GameCube 1.5" thanks to a lack of flexibility afforded for key graphics operations. For those of you familiar with NVIDIA, the devs compare the Wii's graphical horsepower to the GeForce2 series GPU. That said, the Wii isn't a total slouch; with ingeniuity, it is theoretically possible to reproduce some of the programmable shader effects typical on the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC rigs for the Wii's older, fixed-function graphics hardware... to a certain degree.

So while Microsoft's Bach wasn't totally full of hot air by discounting the graphical performance of the Wii compared to the original Xbox console, that shouldn't stop developers from being able to take advantage of what the Wii can offer. They'll just need the conviction, and know-how, and budget, etc...

"The Wii's GPU has fixed functions for vertex, lighting, and pixel operations," said the source "All 'programmable shaders' means is that the code you write for the shader gets run on the vertex and pixel hardware of the GPU. This is how it works on the high-end ATI and Nvidia GPU parts. The Wii is an older fixed function design where you have lots of operations but the pipelines are not programmable in the sense of downloading shader code to run [on them]."
"A dev support guy from Nintendo said that the Wii chipset is 'Gamecube 1.5 with some added memory,'" our second source told us. "I figure if they say that, it must be true."
"Almost all the shader effects on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 can be reproduced on the Wii by re-implementing them with the fixed function hardware of the Wii's GPU. Most games just port the effect over. A few teams have gone as far as making a shader-to-Wii conversion tool. It reads the shader code and generates the fixed function code necessary to achieve the same result. Keep in mind that the Wii's GPU is not as fast or feature rich as the Xbox 360 or PS3, but that doesn't mean you can't get very close results."

Alternate Source: Level Up

Sections: Console Games, Nintendo Consoles

Related news stories

Nintendo FY 2013 sales summary highlights Wii U's failure to meet targets

April 24, 13
Nintendo forecasts further growth after returning to profitability during FY...

April 24, 13

Sort by date: ascending descending

1 2

0 thumbs! ^

Adam X May 10, 07

Thank god, I hope people stop dissing Wii!

0 thumbs! ^

Guest May 10, 07

Get over the damn Graphics! I have all three consoles XBox360, PS3 and Wii. Since I finally got the Wii three weeks ago I have not touch the ps3 or xbox. Reason, I got tired of playing alone or with one friend. Wii is so much more fun that my friends are always over my apt. Especially girls. After the graphics Xbox and PS3 have absolutely no fun to offer!!! Go Wii!!

0 thumbs! ^

Guest May 10, 07

joe82, I completely agree with you. I've played Xbox 360, and after the initial wow of the graphics wore off, I found many 360 games to be incredibly boring. There all the same games we played on PS2, just with better graphics. BORING!

I do have to give credit to Xbox Live Arcade. Being able to download "retro-style" arcade games is one of the more impressive things about the 360. I hope Nintendo uses their Virtual Console to offer arcade-style games for the Wii.

0 thumbs! ^

Jaw Knee May 10, 07

Goddamn, people have to suck it up and realize the Wii has a chance.

0 thumbs! ^

volacide May 10, 07

I personally find the Wii's visuals to hinder my enjoyment of the gameplay. Especially since it's not even crisp HD resolution.

Just because it recreate these advanced shaders does not mean they can run in real time with good framerates.

0 thumbs! ^

Thomas184 May 10, 07

Nintendo will always be on the map, I haven't even played the wii yet. I have an xbox360 and i got no regret on buying i would say it's the best system out there.

0 thumbs! ^

Guest May 11, 07

wow, i have never expected to see trash like this about the wii, why do they only care about graphics? hey everyone, if you want a graphics machine, dont but anything, just look outside. REAL LIFE is the best graphics you can get. video game systems are meant for fun and enjoyment. calling the wii gamecube 1.5 is like saying the only difference the wii offers is better graphics, which is total bull****

0 thumbs! ^

Guest May 11, 07

SCREW THEM- i my self like good graphics in a game- but the gameplay is MOST important that were xbox 360 loses- i meen they call it next gen but really come on ps3 has SUPer graphics and sixaxis? and the wii is just super gameplay in my opinion xbox 360 is just a SORE LOSER!!!!!

0 thumbs! ^

iamjoe56 May 11, 07

Talk about the Fan boys forum...god! My opinion of all this is that 1) Nintendo has always slouched a little when it comes to hardware on their systems( I.E. Gamecube wii) but in no way does it mean these systems suck or do not have a chance( Except for Cube, it is kinda on the way out). I have played around with a wii, and it was fun but honestly I prefer( Call me idiotic or whatever) Better graphics performance. 2) The PS3 is just a pile of expensive crap( This is my personel opinion). 3) THe Xbox360 is the best system out. (Again in my opinion) and the fact that people think the games on their are boring. I am not sure what you mean. Yes every console has those few games that just suck so BADLY that you never want to play them again. but how is Gears of War a boring game?

Ok that is my rant but I have to say this, the wii is a great system but for gods sake it has almost no chance against anything else when it comes to graphics, or games even, nothing yet has come out to draw anyone to it( aside from Twilight princess). The wii is a victim of sircumstance, it is having some supply issues, nintendo has not realesed anything for it(yet) that is even remotly worth $250.00 to play it( if you do not own the wii yet). The fact of the matter is this nation ( it can be good or bad how ever you see it) is addicted to action games, shooting runing, jumping peoples heads being turned to paste that sort of thing. Call me a sinic but I will not buy a wii untill one game comes out that is actually worth my time( I.E. no 2d fish, no *bleep*ed boxing and no Zelda). One last point has no one noticed that almost everygame out their has HD resolution? it is becoming standerd and a *Next Generation* system that does not support that( or has no games that use it yet) is not going to score well on the world scene, nintendo will always be aroun but not for anyone who likes a fun game and good visuals.

0 thumbs! ^

Shen_Ikuso May 11, 07

Ya right the wii can do what a PS3 or a 360 can ( almost lol ), to me games make a console succesful, I particulary don't care what other said when it comes to likes ( I got my own likes,so I chose what games I want to play ).From what I have seen out for Wii ( and not only that , what I have seen that is comming too ) doesn't appeal my likes at all, but when I see games like Halo 3-Lost Odyssey-Too Human-Lair-Metal Gear 4-RE5, some on 360 some on PS3 or both, that's what I like ( that's what I am looking for ) not party games using the gimmick mote ( I know not all wii games are like that but a great part of it ) that's why I would never buy a wii.
Despite that I don't really care what happens with wii or wii games.

0 thumbs! ^

Adam X May 12, 07

I have been thinking about getting a 360 latley, but I decided I don;t want one. I'm happy enough with my Wii and don't need any other new game systems.

Screw Sony, I got me some Ds and Wii action!

0 thumbs! ^

The Video Game Geek Jun 1, 07

I know this is a somewhat old article, but I just wanted to say this: Why do we have to bash other consoles like this. I know that we like to choose, a favorite, and say we are right in our choice, but in a situation like this the competition doesn't hurt.

If Sony hadn't adopted the disk format with the PS1 games wouldn't be as big as they are now. If Nintendo didn't come on to the scene and start making video games we may not be playing video games, or even games of the quality we have now. If Microsoft didn't come into the market last generation, and make X360 then Sony wouldn't have had as much pressure to make as powerful of a console as the PS3 is. If MS didn't give as much popularity to shooter games, we probably would have seen worse shooters, and also less shooter games. Also MS, and Sony both pushed eachother to make their online gaming experinces way better. If Nintendo didn't make the wiimote, Miis, and Virtual console, PS3 wouldn't have in respective order Sixais, home, or the old game downloadables. Also because of MS and Sony, Nintendo is starting to do more with online gameplay.

See competition makes everyone better, and benifits all.

0 thumbs! ^

iamjoe56 Jun 1, 07

Yes but why brong a knife to a gun fight? That is what Nintendo did, they made a system that will never be able to support the kind of graphics people are coming to expect. Nintendo made a grea tsystem, with almost no potential to support any of the big titles gamers are clammering for.