The Remote is used primarily as a wireless transmitter for the Controller and where applicable retains its pointing-device functionality. Dozens of Wii titles are also compatible with the controller to allow for a more traditional control scheme.

According to Nintendo, the device "will initially sense the user's pulse and a number of other signals being transmitted by their bodies, and will then provide information to the users about the body's inner world. Some other attachments include the Classic Controller, Wii Zapper, and the Wii Wheel, which has originally been used for the racing game, Mario Kart Wii.A trigger is placed on the back of the wheel so that the player can easily press the B button, which is heavily used in Mario Kart Wii. Race alongside the full complement of 20 drivers as you hug the corners and negotiate the hairpin bends on every faithfully-rendered track from the 2009 season. Initial Wii models included full backward compatibility support for GameCube games and most accessories. As you gain confidence, you'll be able to switch these off until you're as close to the real thing as you can get in the comfort of your own home. As part of its launch campaign, Nintendo promoted the Wii in North America through a series of television advertisements (directed by Academy Award winner Stephen Gaghan); its Internet ads used the slogans "Wii would like to play" and "Experience a new way to play".

Later in its lifecycle, two lower-cost Wii models were produced: a revised model with the same design as the original Wii but removed the GameCube compatibility features and the Wii Mini, a compact, budget redesign of the Wii which further removed features including online connectivity and SD card storage.

On August 3, 2007, a new wrist strap was found to be supplied, with a lock clip instead of a movable slide to prevent the strap from working loose during prolonged play; [30] the lock clip strap became the standard form.