My youngest (3) still found things a little tricky. The uDraw tablet instantly removes any vagueness with its tactile interaction. They have always struggled with the accuracy demanded by Wii-mote and light-gun pointing, often getting frustrated as they try and even get the pointer on the screen. Once they had plugged in the Wii-mote and popped it into the dock my kids took to the drawing mechanic straight away. You have the sort of instant control that made the DS touch screen such a success for all manner of games. Unlike light guns, a computer mouse, or Wii-mote pointing you don't have to transition from one spot to the next, you simply take your pen of the tablet and place it down where you need it next.

This doesn't sounds all that unusual until you see it in the hands of a player - and in my case a six year old family gamer. uDraw provides an electronic pen and pad that is used to control where you are pointing on screen. Like the Wii-mote it isn't the technology that is ground breaking, but its application as a plaything. The uDraw Tablet creates another new way to interact with a videogame. Many of these look ridiculous, but use them in a family and it's quickly obvious how much fun can be had from simply changing what we use to control our games. These are mirrored by third party peripherals that range from simple Wii-mote extensions that give the feel of a bat or racket to more fundamental add-ons like the Chicken Stick that change how the controller is used or even replacement controllers that are replicas of real life Tennis rackets or Table Tennis bats. Nintendo themselves, keen to capitalise on their success, have released a Steering wheel for Mario Kart (Wii), the Balance Board for Wii-Fit (Wii) and of course the MotionPlus block for the unrivaled Wii-Sports Resort (Wii). Since then all manner of add-ons have been selling impressively. The simple TV remote controller used existing technology to create a genuinely new experience. The Wii revolutionised gaming by offering an unusual way to play a game. Simple peripherals can make a big difference to how we interact with games. A clutch of initial games prove the concept, but the real test is how well the peripheral will be supported with more creative uses. UDraw Tablet brings the DS's tactile interface to the Wii.

Instant artist wii review