The so-called "flying Wii's" have led Nintendo to launch an investigation after receiving reports of problems with the strap that secures the machine's wand-like remote controller to the player's wrist, according to the company.

The Wii's unique remote is designed to mimic natural motions like swinging a tennis racket, a golf club or even a sword. However, it appears that some overzealous gameplay is causing the wireless remotes to launch into the air after the thin wrist strap snaps and slips off a user's wrist.

Making a Splash, and a Crack

Videos of flying controls smashing living room windows and cracking television screens are popping up on Web sites like YouTube and MySpace.com. Now, Nintendo is looking to stem the tide of publicity before it gets out of hand -- so to speak.

"Some people are getting a lot more excited than we'd expected," Nintendo President Satoru Iwata said in a statement. "We need to better communicate to people how to deal with Wii as a new form of entertainment."

Those communications so far has been limited to a section on Nintendo's home page titled "Safety Information for Playing Wii." Among other instructions, it suggests users stand three to ten feet from the television while using the controls and making sure their palms are dry.

However, the company did send e-mails to Wii customers this week, warning that extreme motion could snap the strap or cause players to lose their grip on the remote.

"Hold the remote securely and avoid excessive motion during game play. If your hands become moist, stop and dry your hands," the company recommended.

Don't Forget To Duck

The web site Wiihaveaproblem.com, no affiliation with Nintendo, is keeping a running tally of Wii control damages, complete with photographs and videos of smashed televisions, windows and even dishes.

At issue is the aggressive nature in which gamers are using the controls, says Nintendo. It appears that the damage being caused occurs as a result of the strap coming off players wrists' as they swing the remotes around to simulate motion.

Nintendo has not yet said it will make any moves to change the strap.

Wobbly Wii Strap Not Affecting Sales

Sales of the popular game console continue to move at a brisk pace. The company said it may even raise its sales target for the Wii, which has been selling out at retailers since it went on sale recently in the U.S. and Japan.

Nintendo has shipped about 400,000 Wii machines in Japan and more than 600,000 in North America.

Although the company was still saying yesterday that "more than one million Wii systems will be available in the United States by the end of the year," it retracted that statement today. No further information was given.