WII: Nintendo Wii

[aspher]

I wish Nintendo Australia would hurry up and release Excite Truck. About a month to go...

Anyone picking up Wario Ware Smooth Moves this Thursday?

[MonaroMan]

I wish Nintendo Australia would hurry up and release Excite Truck. About a month to go...

Anyone picking up Wario Ware Smooth Moves this Thursday?

I'm thinking about it.

And yes, doesn't it suck how you can't use the racing wheel with Excite Truck?

[~Wild Child~]

Wii hits Xbox at the tills
Asher Moses
January 18, 2007

It took the Nintendo Wii just three weeks to surpass the Xbox 360's sales in Australia for the entire fourth quarter of 2006, figures from market watcher GfK show.

The quarterly figures, released by games analyst Daniel Morse, show Nintendo sold 51,744 Wiis, whereas Microsoft sold 45,036 Xbox 360s.

However, since the Wii only went on sale from December 8, its figures relate only to the three weeks to December 31, whereas the Xbox 360 numbers pertain to the entire three-month quarter.

But the ageing PlayStation 2, which has been on sale for seven years, remains the console king with 122,639 units sold.

The figures are not surprising when one considers the differing price points. PS2, nearing the end of its life cycle, can be had for $199, while the Xbox 360 and Wii sell for about $600 and $399 respectively.

Microsoft is quick to argue that, despite its lower sales figure, the higher price of the Xbox 360 means that it doesn't have to sell as many units to derive the same revenue.

But most retailers interviewed said the Wii was selling as fast as Nintendo could supply them.

Steve Wilson, managing director of EB Games, said: "Every retailer just sold what they had.

"The Wii was constrained by inventory. We couldn't get all the stock we wanted," he said.

But the Wii's results were not totally unexpected, he said.

"The product only launched on [midnight] December 7, so it's not unusual for there to be quite large demand for a new console at launch, and you add to that that it was Christmas."

A Nintendo spokesman, Vispi Bhopti, said the Wii shortage occurred because Nintendo insisted on a simultaneous global launch, and it produced as many consoles as possible before the launch date.

"We made a commitment to our fans that we would release this within a short, global timeframe," he said.

"Had there been more stock available to us we certainly would have been able to fulfil more of the demand.

"But, regardless, we see this as a long-term product and we don't measure our success entirely on day one, week one, month one."

Sony's next console, the PlayStation 3, has been available overseas for some time, but its Australian launch is scheduled for March.

Recent reports suggest that it could be delayed even further, and its price of close to $1000 - largely the result of the included Blu-ray disc drive - is expected to initially limit its installation base.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/games/...709873467.html

[~Wild Child~]

FROM COUCH POTATO TO Wii Muscleman
Asher Moses
January 17, 2007 - 12:27PM

Video games and weight loss are rarely seen side-by-side - unless you are referring to Nintendo's newest games console, the Wii, which has enticed gamers the world over to get up off the couch.

One Wii owner has reported that, in just six weeks of play, he had dropped 2 per cent of his body fat rating, thanks to the console's motion-sensitive control scheme that rewards active movement when directing in-game characters.

Mickey DeLorenzo, a 25-year-old living in Philadelphia, began his "Wii Sports Experiment" in early December last year, pledging to spend 30 minutes a day over six weeks playing Wii sports.

He would strive to keep his other activities and eating habits constant.

On Monday when the six weeks were over, DeLorenzo updated his website, wiinintendo.net, with a detailed analysis of his results.

"I lost 9lbs! [four kilograms]," he wrote, which he was impressed with because he had not fluctuated from his original weight of 82 kilograms in two years, and made no effort to change his diet.

"Also, this experiment took place during the holiday season, where I ate holiday dinners like I normally would and drank what I would normally would have drank."

DeLorenzo used a digital body fat caliper, recording a drop in his body fat rating of 2 per cent from a starting figure of 19 per cent.

His waist measurement fell from 87.6 centimetres to 78.7 centimetres.

"According to The American Council on Exercise, I went from being in the 'acceptable' category to being in the 'fitness' category," he said.

Before and after photographs posted on his website showed a marked reduction in fat around the stomach and chin. The increase in abdomen muscle definition was clear.

Being an avid gamer, DeLorenzo's secondary goal was to determine which of the five Wii Sports games - tennis, boxing, baseball, bowling or golf - helped to burn the most calories. He measured this using a BioTrainer exercise monitor.

Boxing was found to be the most efficient calorie burner: "I burned an average of 125 calories during a 15 minute period," he wrote.

Tennis was second at 92 calories per 15 minutes and bowling was third at 77 calories. DeLorenzo said he didn't "get around to" conducting measurements for the baseball and golf games.

DeLorenzo said that it was important to make an effort to be active while playing the games.

"I moved my feet, I used full body motion, and I swung my arms to mimic the real thing," he said.

"If you just stand there and make small moves or sit on the couch and play, I don't think you'll [see] much if any results regarding exercise."

He planned to continue the experiment, with the goal of trimming a further 3 per cent from his body fat rating.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/games/...709803547.html

[aspher]

I picked up Wario Ware today. So far it's lots of fun. I did say "huh?" at a few of the games; not because they are odd (something I expect from a Wario Ware game), but because I couldn't figure out what movement I needed to make with the Wii-mote. Luckily I caught on quickly. There's quite a few ways to hold the controller, most of which are fun.

You'll breeze through the single player, but you'll definitely want to play the stages a couple times more. It's typical Wario Ware; bizarre mini-games, short, repetitive replay value (playing stages again and again), unlockable stuff.

Worth the $80? Yes. If you can get it cheaper, even better. It's a definite distraction from my other games, and welcomed as my interest in the console was waning.

[DIEHARD]

Thanks aspher, you have certainly sold me on Wario Ware and the $79.95 price point is most welcome!

[DIEHARD]

Mario's last hurrah on GameCube is now coming out in April -- for Wii.

Fans have been rabid for Super Paper Mario ever since it sneaked into Nintendo's press materials at E3 2006. The game is a new Mario platformer with 2.5D gameplay using the same flat paper style as the Paper Mario RPGs.

Though originally planned for GameCube, the title disappeared from release lists toward the end of 2006, and all signs pointed to it being ported over to Wii. Now, the April issue of Nintendo's official magazine, Nintendo Power, says the game will indeed debut on Wii in April 2007.

The magazine mentions that the game is broken into chapters (much like the other Paper Mario games) and that each chapter introduces new platforming elements that revolutionize the genre. They also note that the game's visuals have been dramatically improved since the E3 showing (and, presumably, since the playable demo at last year's World Hobby Fair).

Source: http://www.nintendoworldreport.com

[~Wild Child~]

After watching everyone from gamers to grandmas fall under the spell of ground-breaking Wii games during the holidays, Nintendo fulfills its promise to continue the flow of fun for veteran and new gamers alike. Nintendo's first-quarter lineup is filled with new games that expand the breadth and depth of the Wii library and build on the kind of fun that has made Wii such a smash hit.

The first three months of the year are filled with games for everyone, from sure-fire favorites like Wii Play to SSX Blur and The Godfather Blackhand Edition from EA and a new Prince of Persia Rival Swords game from Ubisoft. Fans can enjoy the classic Nintendo franchises such as The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and the upcoming Mario Kart 64 for the Wii Shop Channel. And on Jan. 27, the News Channel goes live with global coverage provided by the Associated Press.

Casual game players who recently discovered or rediscovered the thrills of video games through games like Wii Sports and WarioWare: Smooth Moves will be glad to know Wii Play, a collection of nine new games in the Wii Sports style, will be available Feb. 14. Wii Play includes games like Billiards, Fishing and Shooting Range, a target-practice game in the style of Nintendo's classic Duck Hunt. Wii Play comes packaged with a Wii Remote to highlight the fun multiplayer aspects of Wii, and to provide an incredible value.

Veteran gamers who spent countless hours playing through The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess will find new challenges by entering worlds populated by everyone from Tiger Woods to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, thanks to a deep list of new offerings from third-party publishers.
Beyond the current library of 34 new Wii titles, the schedule for upcoming Wii releases includes:

Feb. 14 Wii Play with Wii Remote Nintendo
March 27 Disney's Meet the Robinsons Buena Vista
March Bust-A-Move Bash Majesco
March Prince of Persia Rival Swords Ubisoft
March TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) Ubisoft
March Bionicle Heroes Eidos
March Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII Ubisoft
Q1 Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 EA
Q1 SSX Blur EA
Q1 The Godfather Blackhand Edition EA
Q1 Medal of Honor Vanguard EA
Q1 Sonic and the Secret Rings Sega
http://www.playfuls.com/news_05948_W...rter_2007.html

[Poida]

After watching everyone from gamers to grandmas fall under the spell of ground-breaking Wii games during the holidays, Nintendo fulfills its promise to continue the flow of fun for veteran and new gamers alike. Nintendo's first-quarter lineup is filled with new games that expand the breadth and depth of the Wii library and build on the kind of fun that has made Wii such a smash hit.

The first three months of the year are filled with games for everyone, from sure-fire favorites like Wii Play to SSX Blur and The Godfather Blackhand Edition from EA and a new Prince of Persia Rival Swords game from Ubisoft. Fans can enjoy the classic Nintendo franchises such as The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and the upcoming Mario Kart 64 for the Wii Shop Channel. And on Jan. 27, the News Channel goes live with global coverage provided by the Associated Press.

Casual game players who recently discovered or rediscovered the thrills of video games through games like Wii Sports and WarioWare: Smooth Moves will be glad to know Wii Play, a collection of nine new games in the Wii Sports style, will be available Feb. 14. Wii Play includes games like Billiards, Fishing and Shooting Range, a target-practice game in the style of Nintendo's classic Duck Hunt. Wii Play comes packaged with a Wii Remote to highlight the fun multiplayer aspects of Wii, and to provide an incredible value.

Veteran gamers who spent countless hours playing through The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess will find new challenges by entering worlds populated by everyone from Tiger Woods to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, thanks to a deep list of new offerings from third-party publishers.
Beyond the current library of 34 new Wii titles, the schedule for upcoming Wii releases includes:

Feb. 14 Wii Play with Wii Remote Nintendo
March 27 Disney's Meet the Robinsons Buena Vista
March Bust-A-Move Bash Majesco
March Prince of Persia Rival Swords Ubisoft
March TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) Ubisoft
March Bionicle Heroes Eidos
March Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII Ubisoft
Q1 Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 EA
Q1 SSX Blur EA
Q1 The Godfather Blackhand Edition EA
Q1 Medal of Honor Vanguard EA
Q1 Sonic and the Secret Rings Sega
http://www.playfuls.com/news_05948_W...rter_2007.html

Theres no turning me away from Nintendo Wii now

[DIEHARD]

Blazing Angels

I want that game bad.

[aspher]

Mario's last hurrah on GameCube is now coming out in April -- for Wii.

Fans have been rabid for Super Paper Mario ever since it sneaked into Nintendo's press materials at E3 2006. The game is a new Mario platformer with 2.5D gameplay using the same flat paper style as the Paper Mario RPGs.

Though originally planned for GameCube, the title disappeared from release lists toward the end of 2006, and all signs pointed to it being ported over to Wii. Now, the April issue of Nintendo's official magazine, Nintendo Power, says the game will indeed debut on Wii in April 2007.

The magazine mentions that the game is broken into chapters (much like the other Paper Mario games) and that each chapter introduces new platforming elements that revolutionize the genre. They also note that the game's visuals have been dramatically improved since the E3 showing (and, presumably, since the playable demo at last year's World Hobby Fair).

Source: http://www.nintendoworldreport.com

Excellent! It's one game that I greatly crave. It looks absolutely incredible stylistically and the game play sounds very interesting as well.

~Michel~ - That list you posted is the American release schedule.

[Poida]

I think I got enough for Wii
I was told its like 200 bucks

[aspher]

It's $400.

[Poida]

It's $400.

Dang what a rip off

[Capital_Shark]

Theres no turning me away from Wii now

This is funny.