So the conference has been and gone, and the US release information for the Nintendo Wii is now well and truly available.

 

The US version will be released on November 19th, at a cost of $250 (£132), and will include the Wii Sports title as a bundled game. This is a bit strange given that the Japanese machine comes as hardware only, but we won't complain if Europe reflects the US version of events.

 

Here's the full press release from Nintendo...

 

14th September 2006 - Nintendo will reshape the home entertainment and video game landscape with the launch of its heralded Wii™ home video game console. Wii will go on sale in the Americas on November 19th and Japan on December 2nd - European launch date, price and software line up will be announced at a press conference in London tomorrow (Friday 15th).

 

Wii will be sold as an affordable, mass-consumer product at an MSRP in the US of just $249.99. The price includes one wireless Wii Remote controller, one Nunchuk™ controller and the groundbreaking collection of five different Wii Sports games on one disc, which anyone can play using simple physical movements, experienced or not.

 

Every Wii console will include another distinctive feature: a series of on-screen “channels” that make up the Wii Channel Menu, which makes the console approachable and customizable for everyone, from the most avid gamer to people who have never played before. The Wii Channel Menu is the starting point for all of the console’s functions. The “channels” offer a gateway to a rich variety of entertainment options. When connected to a TV, the Wii Channel Menu offers a simple interface letting users pick games to play, get news or weather, upload and send photos or even create playable caricatures of themselves to use in actual games. The variety of options available through the Wii Channel Menu motivates both gamers and non-gamers to turn on Wii’s power every day.

 

Wii is creating worldwide excitement with its unique control system, an inventive, first-of-its-kind controller whose position can be detected in a 3-D space. The new controller allows users pinpoint target in games or move through the Wii Channel Menu with precision and ease. This intuitive control system will be understood immediately by everyone, regardless of their previous experience with video games. With this one small controller, Wii makes games both easier and more intense than anything previously experienced. For example, in the Wii Sports tennis game players swing the Wii Remote like a racket to hit the ball, as in real life. They can add topspin or slice the ball just by angling their hands and wrist like they would in a real match.

 

“Wii reinvents games for the devoted player,” says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “But more importantly, Wii breaks the wall separating players from non-players by delivering the best game experiences for the most affordable price. We believe the next leap is games for the masses – young and old, gamer or non, alone, with a friend or with the whole family.”

 

Fils-Aime made his remarks in New York, shortly after Nintendo executives in Japan announced Wii will launch there on Dec 2nd priced at 25,000 yen. Both announcements come ahead of a European press conference during which Nintendo will unveil specific detail around the console’s launch in Europe.

 

Between launch day and Dec. 31, Wii owners across America will enjoy a robust lineup of 30 software titles, with selections for everyone from video game veterans to newcomers. Some top Nintendo launch titles include Wii Sports, a compilation of tennis, baseball, golf and bowling; The Legend of Zelda®: Twilight Princess; and EXCITE TRUCK™. While publishers are free to set their own prices for games, first-party Nintendo titles will have an MSRP of $49.99. Wii’s self-loading media bay also can play the entire library of more than 530 Nintendo GameCube™ titles from day one.

 

Third-party developers around the world have lined up to provide unprecedented support for Wii, “I believe the Wii will attract new and casual gamers to the world of interactive entertainment,” says Larry Probst, Chairman and CEO, Electronic Arts. “It’s a fun, easy and economical system that will become a bridge to gaming for mainstream audiences. At EA, we are putting more support behind the Wii than any Nintendo hardware launch since the Super NES.”

 

Additional information about the list of Virtual Console games and the pricing structure will be revealed in the coming weeks

 

Im really suprised that the Wii will probably go for £150 because some of the graphics arent too bad, it has a good physics engine(the way characters move) and its got good online service,like you can see news and weather online

 

there are some videos on http://www.wii.com

It will probabaly start at £250 as is usual with Ninty.

It will probabaly start at £250 as is usual with Ninty.

 

I doubt that very much. I really don't think we're be looking at anything more than £170.

 

Wii owners across America will enjoy a robust lineup of 30 software titles

 

30! :eek

 

Man, that's alot of games. I'm guessing we'll see at least 20 of them, which is also a hell of alot for a launch.

 

 

UK, September 14, 2006 - First-party games for Wii will be region-free, according to NoA's vice president of marketing and corporate affairs, Perrin Kaplan.

 

 

 

Speaking to Wired News' Joel Johnson, Kaplan confirmed that, like the DS, Wii gamers will be able to play titles from different territories without restriction. Traditionally, games purchased in regions such as Japan, US and Europe have only been playable on native home consoles. The news is likely to be welcomed by import fans, eager to get their hands on games as close to initial release as possible - however, Kaplan also suggested that region-locking on third-party games would be left up to individual publishers. Currently, it's unclear how Nintendo's region-free policy will affect the playback of existing GameCube titles, which are fully compatible with the Wii.

 

In the same report, Kaplan revealed that downloaded Virtual Console games would be tied to an individual user's account. However, the system is structured in such a way that, in the event of, say, a meteor crashing through the window and pile-driving your Wii to a pulp, you'll still be able to play your previously purchased games on a brand new Wii console.

 

ign.com

 

MEGA!

Edited September 14, 200618 yr by wyndorf

Have they manage to sort out a decent control pad yet or is it still that Remote control looking thing?:lol

 

In my opinion ever since the 64 Nintendo has really gone down hill.

that's because SONY came along and spent loads on marketing to the casual gamer and chose quantity over quality

Have they manage to sort out a decent control pad yet or is it still that Remote control looking thing?:lol

Yeah, there's a proper control pad. I hated the idea of waving that thing around - It may be innovative, but it sounds horrible. I was reading about it, and a baseball game, and you actually swing the "controller". What kind of knobhead would people think you are, who saw you doing that?

Yeah, there's a proper control pad. I hated the idea of waving that thing around - It may be innovative, but it sounds horrible. I was reading about it, and a baseball game, and you actually swing the "controller". What kind of knobhead would people think you are, who saw you doing that?

 

Not to mention fatigue. Remember your longest gaming session, what about 10+ hours, now imagine playing a game for 5 hours with your hands at a 90degree angle

Yeah, there's a proper control pad. I hated the idea of waving that thing around - It may be innovative, but it sounds horrible. I was reading about it, and a baseball game, and you actually swing the "controller". What kind of knobhead would people think you are, who saw you doing that?

 

If you got into gaming to look cool I fear it's a poor choice of hobby :D

 

I expect most games will have some 'wave the controller around like a knobhead' section in much the same way as touchpad functionality is crowbarred into some DS games. Maybe you'd prefer one of those 360 doohickeys :xyx

Yeah, there's a proper control pad. I hated the idea of waving that thing around - It may be innovative, but it sounds horrible. I was reading about it, and a baseball game, and you actually swing the "controller". What kind of knobhead would people think you are, who saw you doing that?

 

Just a note: The slightest movement will achieve the same results as a huge movement.

I've been following the Nintendo UK Conference live feed, and after dragging on and on they've finally got to the crux of the matter and released the details of the UK prices and release dates.

 

WarioWare: Smooth Moves is being released just after launch, and there will be around 15-20 third party games from launch including Red Steel, Rayman, Need for Speed Carbon, Tony Hawk and Super Monkey Ball.

 

The Wii will be released in the UK and Europe on the 8th December 2006, priced at 249 Euro's and here £179.

 

The standard bundle is the white console, one Wii remote, one Nunchuck, and Wii Sports.

 

Games will cost between 49 and 59 Euros for software/34 and 39 pounds.

 

15 games will be available on the Virtual Console in launch period in Europe, with 5-10 titles coming a month.

At that price, I may give this a go.

Fantastic news! Cheers for keeping an eye on that for us Clarkey! :)

Marvelous! How convenient for it to come out just as I get my Christmas savings, and at that price, I'll still have about £450 change! :D

At that price, I may give this a go.

 

Damn straight...

Yehaw I'm queueing now.

 

I actually like the look of the new controller plus my WaveBird will work with it too, double yehaw.

So What will it be in Euros?

249 euros.

I have a bunch of money on a game gift card from when I traded in my PS2 so I will be able to get quite a few extras with mine if my folks don't get it for me for christmas.

Definitely getting it. Its both exciting, and RELATIVELY (read please, anal retentives!) cheap, and it offers something completely different to the other two contenders. I like that fact. Im now bored of endless GTA clones. I want Smooth Moves, Warioware, and Wii Sports....i want to look like a bellend "swordfighting" my mates. Ahh.

It looks alright the Wii, that remote is going to be more awkward than you think though. Not only that, it doesn't actually work on LCD TV's, but Nintendo do have a solution for that, that's for the remote to pick up on these sensor things you stick on your TV, I can imagine it not to work as accurate on that though.

Edited September 19, 200618 yr by rawiswar

The same can be said for ALL light guns, they're all not that "accurate".