Nintendo scopes new gyros for Wii

Los Angeles – Nintendo plans to show a new Wii gadget called MotionPlus that will enhance the game platform’s motion sensing capabilities at E3 next month, where competitors Microsoft and Sony are thought to be unveiling their own motion-control technologies for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Gamers consider the Wii’s motion sensing to be its Achilles Heel and the use of gyroscopes should make throwing things, hacking peoples’ heads off and, err, golf more realistic. EA’s Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 will be the first title bundled with the Wii MotionPlus. Other games lined up to use the gyro box include Grand Slam Tennis, Virtua Tennis 2009, Red Steel 2 and Wii Sports Resort.

The device will sit in a separate box attached to the Wii. Analysts reckon the gadget will be priced at around $19.99 and will also be bundled with titles like Wii Sports Resort at just under fifty bucks. Why the Wii didn’t ship with something similar built in remains a marketing mystery.