Official Wii Thread Part 5 - The Days of Swine and Roses [Archive]

PixyJunket

11-09-06, 03:50 PM

http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/09/migs06-reggie-fils-aime-keynote-liveblogged-kinda/

On the second day of the 2006 Montreal International Game Summit, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime gave the first keynote of the day. His subject, Nintendo's current business model, is already well-worn territory, but more relevant than ever considering that the launch of the Wii is only a mere ten days away. We'll know soon enough whether Nintendo's latest strategy has what it takes to compete in the market.

8:55 - Wow, they sure brought a lot of Wii promo posters to this keynote. The podium area is flanked by Wii banners, and the podium itself features a poster saying "Oh Wii!" It confuses me.

9:11 - Reggie is introduced. The man is a giant, especially when compared to the diminutive show organizer. "It's nice being in Montreal," he says, "where people can properly pronounce my name." The audience laughs appreciatively, so he milks it a little. "You should hear what they do to it when I go to Mexico."

Reggie begins by talking about Canadian development support for the Wii, for which he is very appreciative. He then shifts gears to Nintendo's master plan: "We are focused on doing everything possible to bring new gamers to the industry ... it's important to us, and it's certainly important for you [the industry]."

It's not unfamiliar territory for Mr. Fils-Aime, as he talks about innovation, doing things differently and "disrupting the marketplace." He says that Nintendo has changed the nature of portable gaming, "and in ten day's time, we plan to do that with the console business."

"Some people," Reggie says, "just can't wait." He cuts to a video clip from a recent South Park episode, with Cartman waiting anxiously for the Wii. It plays out as a major endorsement for the console, and the audience laughs at every line Cartman says. Reggie says that when the creators contacted Nintendo to ask permission, Reggie had simply told them to "be kind," and that Nintendo didn't want to see it before it aired. "That line 'it's like waiting for Christmas, times a thousand' is fantastic," Reggie remarks. Yeah, we liked it so much, we made it our headline.

9:15 - According to Reggie, the Nintendo DS was introduced under the "mantra of innovation." He begins referring to charts, showing year-on-year growth of the DS, as compared with the Xbox 360. Guess which one is winning. According to Reggie, DS sales are up 206% in Canada, having soared particularly after the release of the DS Lite.

Reggie then goes into more numbers, and more charts, this time comparing PSP sales to DS sales. He shows some of the Touch Generation games, and shows a video of a DS commercial that runs on Air Canada flights. More charts illustrate Touch Generation's appeal to an older demographic. "When you deliver something exciting for everyone," Reggie says, "magic happens." In February of this year, 12% of DS software buyers in Japan said they never played video games before. In September, that number rose to 20%.

9:25 - Reggie talks about other companies targeting a very specific demographic: "We believe the narrow path was alienating potential consumers ... We opted for disruption." In typical Reggie cheesiness: "We were committed to moving from a class to the mass in this next generation."

Reggie talks about the importance of the interface for video games, and how Nintendo is moving beyond "pure visual appeal, to what you could do with the interface." He pulls a Wii remote from his coat. It looks tiny in his colossal hands. He calls it "a simple remote, which looks like what you would've used on your TV back in eighties, which was intentional." He says that Nintendo wanted the Wii remote to be friendly and familiar.

He says he hopes that Nintendo will "move the industry from sight to touch ... just with DS, our success will be how we expand the audience." Reggie mention the controversy of the pack-in, and says that businessmen have questioned their decision, saying they would've benefited from higher sales had they not included a game. But Reggie says "the great first experience is more important."

He begins showing the launch titles, mentioning that people often ask him what his favorite launch title is. "It's like asking me to pick my favorite child," hey says. As he cycles through the titles, he mentions off-handedly "If I had to pick a favorite child, it would have to be Trauma Center."

There's a great deal of Wii support on launch coming from Ubisoft. Reggie specifically mentions Far Cry, which was developed at Ubi's Montreal studio. "Thank you," Reggie says to the game's developers, and the audience applauds.

9:33 - Reggie's now talking about the Virtual Console: "If you're casual gamer in your 40s, there was probably a game that you absolutely ruled at." The audience laughs in response, or possibly in agreement. Hard to tell.

He asks about the "non-gamers." "For them, the first attraction won't be a video game." This leads him into Wii Channels. He talks about the various channels, and shows off the menu (which I still think is ugly -ed). Reggie reminds us that Nintendo will ship 4 million units by the end of the year, but suggests that if we want the console, we should buy it soon, as "all indications are that demand will certainly exceed supply."

9:40 - Reggie then moves on to Wii's marketing campaign. He talks about the Wii Believe Tour in Canada, which brings playable demos to a variety of locations, one of which being the Arcadia Festival in Montreal this weekend. As we already know, major retails chain will have playable Wii kiosks as well.

Reggie brings up the "How Wii Play" MySpace page, which he says has had over 1 million discrete visits, and currently has over 10,000 friends. There is also a robust marketing campaign through other online channels, including YouTube and Xanga.

Reggie then shows us a rough cut of the Wii's launch advertising in both Canada and the U.S. Two asian men in suits are driving around in a Smart car. They stop at a house, remove a briefcase from the car, and go to the front door. When the person in the house opens the door, they both bow, saying "Wii would like to play." They then enter the house, and engage the household in a variety of Wii games, which everyone enjoys.

They do this with several households, the most memorable of which is a hillbilly-ish shack. When they bow to leave, one of the hicks hugs them vigorously, and the other enthusiastically offers them a live chicken.

At the end of the ad, the two men drive off to the horizon. The Wii logo appears, with the two 'i's bowing just like the men in suits. I would've gotten a photo of the ad, but I was too much in awe.

Reggie ends his talk by saying "there's no reason why every consumer can't enjoy a videogame like everyone can enjoy a great book." He ends his keynote there, and it is announced that there will be no question period. He did, however, mingle for a short while on the show floor.

UncleGramps

11-09-06, 03:52 PM

C'mon... C'MON!!!
:lol: I'm dealing with it slightly better than Cartman was. I liked the end of last night's episode. It puts the wait in perspective. 9 more days is nothing. :)

Outlaw

11-09-06, 03:53 PM

I am planning on heading down to Best Buy to scope out the situation this weekend and formulate my plan. It looks like a nice location (the one in rockville, feel free to join me for some DS action Josh if you're around but might be out of your way). I have a $25 reward card ready to be use on this baby! Double reward points through November too on video games :).

Josh H

11-09-06, 03:55 PM

Only 10 days I'm really not that excited. Too damn busy and won't have much time to play. :(

Plus I'm so sucked into Okami I want to put my free time into that until it's done, before jumping into Zelda. So my Wii probably won't get much play time until mid-december other than goofing around with Wiisports when I don't have time for a longer session with Okami.

Josh H

11-09-06, 04:07 PM

Monkey Ball review from EGM that was posted on CAG.

ames L: Wrapping your head - or should I say wrists? - around this puzzley game of monkey-stuffed balls takes some getting used to. Holding the Wii-mote horizontally, you carefully maneuver the course to keep your precious ball from rolling off the edge. But since my motor skills are about as skilled as those of a thumb-sucking primate, it was hard to get a grip on all the monkey **** going on. Halfway through the story mode, the stages get insanely difficult, and I had a tough time making myself continue the balancing act with the controller. It doesn't help that when you clear a level, you're awarded with repetitive boss fights. For me, boredom in the story mode set in quicker than my average time of death: about 30 seconds. Thankfully, dozens of minigames keep the arm-flailing party going, covering events like boxing (which has you literally punching the air) and Frisbee golf (be sure to release the A button, not the controller, after making your toss motion - like I nearly did).

Michael: Frustration - that's the feeling that kept me from squealing like a poo-throwing banana eater. Like Jimmy says, Banana Blitz's levels range from somewhat simple to dumbfoundingly difficult. Mastering the tricky Wii controls doesn't help, either - performing simple actions (like turning around) is a chore using the Wii Remote. But while the main stages slipped, the 50 multiplayer minigames held it steady. Not only are the games fun (well, most of them, at least), but they also make good use of the wacky Wii controls. So long as you stick with the multiplayer, this game is a decent monkey-filled ball.

Jeremy: I think young James missed the point. Sure, you've got a single-player mode here (and it's pretty good, if unreasonably hard in the latter half), but the meat of this ballgame is multiplayer. Wii, like the DS before it, will be glutted by minigames until developers come to terms with the unique controller - and Monkey Ball has 50 of the bad boys, making it the Wii's 800-pound minigame gorilla. Sure, they're not all winners, but some of them (like monkey bowling) are addictive, creative, and fun.

The Verdicts (Out of 10)

James L: 6.0

Michael: 6.5

Jeremy: 7.0

The Good: Some innovative mini-games, mostly simple controls

The Bad: Single-player difficulty, not all minigames a ball

The Story: Bizarre but amusing Publisher: Sega Developer: Sega Players: 1-4 ESRB: Everyone

flashburn

11-09-06, 04:35 PM

Hmm, I have Monkey Ball preordered at BestPrices for $43, but I think I might cancel it now. I won't be playing any multiplayer for a while, so that part doesn't really matter to me.

Jeremy517

11-09-06, 04:45 PM

It doesn't sound like those guys liked/played the single player mode in the first two monkey balls either.

IGN's hands-on preview of the single player mode paints a very different picture. http://wii.ign.com/articles/738/738563p1.html

Sominex

11-09-06, 04:46 PM

Can someone sticky this thread?

And also- Is COD3 release date being pushed back?

Outlaw

11-09-06, 04:51 PM

But super Monkey ball is supposed to be a difficult game. Thats the whole point!

ChrisHicks

11-09-06, 06:34 PM

I'm going to try to get one for my wife for our anniversary(guess what? our ann. is Nov. 19th :) ). she loves her DS so this could be a great console for her since she doesn't really care about the PS3 and she only likes the puzzle Live Arcade games on the 360.

porieux

11-09-06, 07:02 PM

Monkey Ball review from EGM that was posted on CAG.

Wow, those 'reviewers' sound like illiterate morons. I couldn't care less what they thought about anything.

Michael Corvin

11-09-06, 07:35 PM

It doesn't sound like those guys liked/played the single player mode in the first two monkey balls either.

That's the vibe I got as well.

Josh H

11-09-06, 07:37 PM

I agree...and will pass as I didn't care for the first since I rarely play multiplayer and found the single player game to just be overly difficult and thus frustrating and annoying for me.

devynal

11-09-06, 09:09 PM

Anyone jump on the EB Games / Gamestop offer? I was just checking for fun:

Visited the page once, said preorders start soon - visited again, preorders are done - all within about an hour.

Sonny Corinthos

11-09-06, 09:53 PM

Here's a list of upcoming games that may be headed to the Wii's VC.

Punch-Out
Pro Wrestling
Kirby's Adventure
Kid Icarus
Hogan's Alley
Wild Gunman
Duck Hunt
PilotWings

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6161333.html

AllHallowsEve

11-09-06, 10:12 PM

The EB pre-orders have sold out. Personally didn't want it because the included warranty was much too expensive for an item of minimal value. Didn't want a few of the games either. Would have definately purchased if you could choose the games and weren't shafted into an overpriced warranty.

Artman

11-09-06, 10:54 PM

Punch-Out

I suppose this'll be Tyson-less?

darkside

11-09-06, 11:05 PM

I suppose this'll be Tyson-less?
The version in Animal Crossing was Tyson-less. I can't imagine Nintendo ever wanting to license Tyson again.

NiCK Crush

11-10-06, 12:39 AM

Jeremy517

11-10-06, 02:09 AM

I wonder if the ESRB is why we get fewer games than Japan. All the VC games have to be rated by the ESRB before they can be made available.

NiCK Crush

11-10-06, 03:13 AM

I wonder if the ESRB is why we get fewer games than Japan. All the VC games have to be rated by the ESRB before they can be made available.

Never thought of that. What NES titles could be rated T? Honestly.

-NiCK

Michael Corvin

11-10-06, 06:19 AM

The version in Animal Crossing was Tyson-less. I can't imagine Nintendo ever wanting to license Tyson again.

Everyone keeps mentioning all these games in Animal Crossing. Is there a complete list of titles somewhere that are available in it? AC is NOT my type of game, are there some cheat codes just to unlock all the NES games w/o playing through the actual game? Might be worth it to pick up on the cheap if so.

darkside

11-10-06, 07:33 AM

Everyone keeps mentioning all these games in Animal Crossing. Is there a complete list of titles somewhere that are available in it? AC is NOT my type of game, are there some cheat codes just to unlock all the NES games w/o playing through the actual game? Might be worth it to pick up on the cheap if so.
You can probably pick the game up dirt cheap. However, an Action Replay type device is probably the only way to get all the NES games unlocked. I got most of mine the old fashioned way since I loved this game and played it almost daily for a solid year. I did cheat to get Zelda and SMB since they never gave an e-card or way to get them in the game.

The list of NES games (hopefully I'm not forgetting any):
1. Golf
2. Tennis
3. Pinball
4. Donkey Kong
5. DK Jr. Math
6. Clu Clu Land
7. Excitebike
8. Balloon Fight
9. Wario Woods
10. Baseball
11. Soccer
12. DK Jr.
13. Clu Clu Land D
14. Donkey Kong 3
15. Legend of Zelda
16. Super Mario Bros.
17. Ice Climber
18. Mario Bros
19. Punchout

That's $95 worth of NES games at the VC pricing.

Michael Corvin

11-10-06, 08:40 AM

thanks darkside. Can anyone confirm the Action replay device? I wonder if it will work on the Wii.

gimmepilotwings

11-10-06, 09:29 AM

darkside

11-10-06, 09:39 AM

thanks darkside. Can anyone confirm the Action replay device? I wonder if it will work on the Wii.
That could be the sticking point. Not sure that thing is going to work on the Wii. Not even sure where you could buy one. Do they still sell them at EB?

Suprmallet

11-10-06, 11:51 AM

EB still has Action Replay kits for the Gamecube. They should work on the Wii for Gamecube games. No guarantees, though.

jediwicz

11-10-06, 11:54 AM

Another perk of the Animal Crossing game is that almost all of the NES games can be downloaded to a GBA/SP and taken to go. The only two that cannot are Punch-Out and Zelda.

PixyJunket

11-10-06, 12:27 PM

Another perk of the Animal Crossing game is that almost all of the NES games can be downloaded to a GBA/SP and taken to go. The only two that cannot are Punch-Out and Zelda.I keep thinking that VC games (NES and possibly TG16 at the very least) that you buy for the Wii are going to be able to be shot to your DS for on-the-go play. It'll still carry the downside of being lost once its shut off.. but the screen resolution is higher than the GBA and it has auto sleep-mode when its closed.

Jeremy517

11-10-06, 12:46 PM

thanks darkside. Can anyone confirm the Action replay device? I wonder if it will work on the Wii.

This isn't what you asked but... The only games you need an Action Replay to get are:

Legend of Zelda
Super Mario Bros
Ice Climbers
Mario Bros

The rest can be obtained very quickly with just the Animal Crossing trading system and the trading code generator.

darkside

11-10-06, 01:18 PM

Why? Are these particularly difficult to unlock? Or they're just not unlockable through regular gameplay?
Right, Nintendo did not make them available through either regular gameplay or a Nook code. They did release e-reader cards for Ice Climbers and Mario Bros, but never released anything official to get Super Mario Bros and Zelda.

UncleGramps

11-10-06, 03:25 PM

Gamespot got their Wii today (along with a number of other reviewers and bloggers), and they're doing a live webcast thing. Here's the link:

http://www.gamespot.com/pages/features/onthespot/index.php

Right now they're playing Super Monkey Ball. Looks fun. :D

pinata242

11-10-06, 03:32 PM

What is this, red light, green light? :lol: Looks great for drinking!

UncleGramps

11-10-06, 03:35 PM

What is this, red light, green light? :lol: Looks great for drinking!
:lol: Yeah. Seems pretty sensitive though. And now one of the Wiimotes is acting up. :shrug:

PixyJunket

11-10-06, 03:35 PM

Speaking of drinking, I'm mad that I passed on getting Mario Party shot glasses. :lol:

pinata242

11-10-06, 03:38 PM

OMG. "And boy, are my arms tired!" I don't know how good I'd be at flapping my wings. This is crazy!

msdmoney

11-10-06, 03:46 PM

I keep thinking that VC games (NES and possibly TG16 at the very least) that you buy for the Wii are going to be able to be shot to your DS for on-the-go play. It'll still carry the downside of being lost once its shut off.. but the screen resolution is higher than the GBA and it has auto sleep-mode when its closed.

It would be great if you could throw them on an sd and then use some sort of adapter to play them on the ds maybe in the gba slot.

UncleGramps

11-10-06, 03:47 PM

The number of mini-games is insane.

pinata242

11-10-06, 03:48 PM

The number of mini-games is insane.
Those guys were complete Wiitards at Monkeysmith.

UncleGramps

11-10-06, 03:59 PM

Those guys were complete Wiitards at Monkeysmith.
:lol: In their defense, I think one or two of the remotes had low battery power. Or maybe some of the Gamestop editors are just "special".

Wii Sports baseball is up now. Looks like fun.

PixyJunket

11-10-06, 03:59 PM

It would be great if you could throw them on an sd and then use some sort of adapter to play them on the ds maybe in the gba slot.That'd be a great idea but would they be able to pass the DRM protection thingy over to your DS? Otherwise you could just buy a game and pass it on to several DSes. Hmm.. it's been confirmed they're supposed to being doing this for the PS1 download service between the PS3 and the PSP so I'm sure there's something going on there.

pinata242

11-10-06, 04:02 PM

That'd be a great idea but would they be able to pass the DRM protection thingy over to your DS? Otherwise you could just buy a game and pass it on to several DSes. Hmm.. it's been confirmed they're supposed to being doing this for the PS1 download service between the PS3 and the PSP so I'm sure there's something going on there.
No reason the Wii couldn't d/l a VC game to the DS ala the retail download stations.

I'm still hoping for a DS firmware update to support WPA now that the Wii does. No good having that if the DS limits my security. That update could add some sort of way to tie a DS to a Wii for that sort of DRM security...

pinata242

11-10-06, 04:06 PM

I wonder if you can do multiplayer bowling with only one Wiimote. My daughter is really excited about bowling since Clubhouse Games. That reminds me, my wife & daughter were playing that the other night and after 5 frames the score was 44-1, daughter :lol: Wife started to get the hang of it about then. The Wii version should be leagues better than that and we'll probably only have 2 Wiimotes for a while, at most, but would like to have 3+ player games.

PixyJunket

11-10-06, 04:06 PM

No reason the Wii couldn't d/l a VC game to the DS ala the retail download stations.No, no.. I know the Wii should be able to send stuff to the DS (and they've already said it would.. just not VC games.. yet). I was contemplating about it passing DRM to the DS if they had some kind of storage card so you wouldn't lose your downloads when you shut the DS off.. preventing you from sending dozens of copies of a game to different DSes permanently.

pinata242

11-10-06, 04:08 PM

No, no.. I know the Wii should be able to send stuff to the DS (and they've already said it would.. just not VC games.. yet). I was contemplating about it passing DRM to the DS if they had some kind of storage card so you wouldn't lose your downloads when you shut the DS off.. preventing you from sending dozens of copies of a game to different DSes permanently.
Right, I got ya. Since we haven't heard about any way to tie a DS to a Wii, I imagine there'll have to be some sort of update to a DS for that. I just hope that if that comes, it also includes an update for WPA support.

pinata242

11-10-06, 04:21 PM

I gotta say, watching this Gamespot footage is making me regret not pre-ordering, just in case. Guess I should go get in line now! This looks fun as all hell.

Jeremy517

11-10-06, 04:36 PM

Did he put the Wii Sports disc in the Excite Truck case, or was that a full-sized case for Wii Sports?

pinata242

11-10-06, 04:39 PM

Did he put the Wii Sports disc in the Excite Truck case, or was that a full-sized case for Wii Sports?
I didn't see that, but I did hear them say before they played Wii Sports that it doesn't come in a full case.

Jeremy517

11-10-06, 04:41 PM

Ah OK. It must have just been the Excite Truck case.

PixyJunket

11-10-06, 04:48 PM

Damnation! 9 more days! Well.. 4½ work days (which is what I count as waiting). I leave work next Friday at 10:30 AM.. head to Sam's or Best Buy to (maybe) get my (still undecided) HDTV and then drink myself into sleeping until late Saturday night.

I'm taking my Gamecube to Best Buy on Monday to test it out on a few sets.. it looks like it's going to be a battle between the Westinghouse 1080p LCD and a Samsung 720p plasma or DLP. I'm leaning on the Samsung plasma as I can get it at Sam's and upgrade in a couple of months if I wanted to.

Jeremy517

11-10-06, 04:57 PM

Excite Truck wasn't particularly impressive to me.

Now I'm stopping watching so that nothing in Zelda gets spoiled for me.

pinata242

11-10-06, 05:13 PM

From Joystiq's Wii impressions: http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/10/wii-en-la-casa-de-joystiq/
Update 3: We've got a problem. You see, we've got a fancy HD projector here (Panasonic PTAE 700U). The sensor bar needs to sit under the screen, but the projector sits approximately 145 inches from the projector. The sensor bar has a wire that's only 138 inches long, so we've had to string the sensor bar cable directly across the living room floor in order to get it to the Wii, which sits near the projector. This is not a tenable, long-term setup. This is not a projector-friendly console.
138" = 11.5 feet. That's longer than I was even expecting, but obviously not nearly long enough for some setups. Hopefully they'll release an extension cord for this for those people who want the console back by the projector and/or don't want to run A/V extension cables. I still don't think "only" is a fair assessment of something that is 11.5 feet long.

Anubis2005X

11-10-06, 05:58 PM

There are extension cords for the sensor bar available on Amazon. I already have a really long component cable going from my receiver to my projector, so their "problem" is moot, and unique to their own setup...

mrpayroll

11-10-06, 05:59 PM

http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/home-entertainment/wii-and-ps3-complete-and-synchronized-unboxing-213974.php

Wii and PS3: Complete and Synchronized Unboxing

Chris

The Bus

11-10-06, 06:32 PM

Office Max is selling 1GB Wii memory cards for $20 today. You may need to ask for "1GB SD card" though.

porieux

11-10-06, 06:34 PM

I'm still hoping for a DS firmware update to support WPA now that the Wii does. No good having that if the DS limits my security. That update could add some sort of way to tie a DS to a Wii for that sort of DRM security...

I'm hoping the Wii can at least extend a WPA network to the DS.

Haven't been able to network my DS because I'm not lowering my network security just to play games.

BJacks

11-10-06, 08:17 PM

Nintendo delivered our office's Wii today via a fake NYPD police cruiser with lights flashing. My first impressions...the most fun gameplaying experience I've had in probably 15 years. I was able to bring in Jack Black last week to play a Wii and he said it was the only time he ever sweated playing a game. So everyone agrees...Wii is awesome.

Michael Corvin

11-10-06, 09:09 PM

From Joystiq's Wii impressions: http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/10/wii-en-la-casa-de-joystiq/

138" = 11.5 feet. That's longer than I was even expecting, but obviously not nearly long enough for some setups. Hopefully they'll release an extension cord for this for those people who want the console back by the projector and/or don't want to run A/V extension cables. I still don't think "only" is a fair assessment of something that is 11.5 feet long.

How does wireless sound?
Maxconsole has picked up on a rumor that Nyko is developing a cable-free Wii sensor bar using 2.4GHz wireless technology, with a 30-foot range. The device is expected to retail for $30 and, if it does hit the market, could be the solution to our dilemma (see Update 3). Our bet's on Nintendo snipping the cord for a future sensor bar model too.

Sure it is Nyko and third parties deliver mostly crap, but it may be worth it to some to give it a shot. Doesn't help with release day woes either.

03euroSVT

11-10-06, 09:23 PM

This guy is showing off his wii. Someone tell him that's not a toy. rotfl

http://www.gizmodo.com/assets/images/gallery/4/2006/10/293915305_e50496362a_o.jpg

Outlaw

11-10-06, 10:09 PM

I went to gamestop today to see if they had a playable Kiosk but they didn't even have a setup yet :(. They did have the Wii section ready to go though. I'll have to check the other places tomorrow.

eatntae

11-10-06, 10:29 PM

Is the system only launching in white?

Suprmallet

11-10-06, 11:37 PM

Yes. Only white.

We finally got our in-store demo today, and it confirmed everything I felt the Wii was going to be. Even though the only game was ExciteTruck, we had tons of people coming in, crowding around, watching people play, laughing, joking, and having a great time. It was maybe the most fun I ever had in a video game store.

Anubis2005X

11-11-06, 02:54 AM

There was no controller setup at Best Buy yet...only a video with the system encased in glass. It was nice to finally see the system in person though.

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/306/pantswn9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Ahaha, this guy is awesome...

NiCK Crush

11-11-06, 10:19 AM

What the hell... not a single store in my area has anything set up at all... i need to finally see this thing in action.

-NiCK

Brent L

11-11-06, 04:06 PM

Over at GameRankings, it says that EGM gave Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz a score of 6.5 out of 10.

Jeremy517

11-12-06, 01:09 AM

Over at GameRankings, it says that EGM gave Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz a score of 6.5 out of 10.

It says that over on post #14 too.

Michael Corvin

11-12-06, 02:45 AM

It says that over on post #14 too.

:lol: And I'll state it again for prosperity, it is easy to dismiss the review entirely since the reviewers come off as people that aren't fans of the franchise to begin with. If they hate the first two why would they review the third?

sracer

11-12-06, 09:26 AM

:lol: And I'll state it again for <strike>prosperity</strike> posterity, it is easy to dismiss the review entirely since the reviewers come off as people that aren't fans of the franchise to begin with. If they hate the first two why would they review the third?
fixed. ;) ...and in fixing it, implicitly stating it a 3rd time. (because I agree)

parrotheads4

11-12-06, 12:23 PM

Pre-ordered my Wii today at TRU. I got there at 5:45AM. One family was in front of me. They started camping at 11PM last night. There were 20 units to be had today. They did 20 last week also. The store opened at 10AM, and if you had shown up by 9AM you could have had one. Not the crowd I expected. By 9:45AM there were ~35 people there. Needless to say I am relived, and excited.

pinata242

11-12-06, 01:01 PM

So, Corvin, got some time to kill this week to make a full Wii Sports box? Better than pacing in front of Gamestop. I haven't seen any activity on http://www.thecoverproject.net/ yet for this.

Here's a "template" that sort of looks close. (http://wiistyle.wordpress.com/files/2006/10/wiiboxarttemplate2.jpg)

Goldberg74

11-12-06, 01:40 PM

One wiik left to go... :up:!

dick_grayson

11-12-06, 01:54 PM

isn't it strange that the this is being released on a Sunday?

Brent L

11-12-06, 01:59 PM

I went to a TRU before it opened, but I didn't hang around to pre-order. I only stopped by since I was in the area, and thought I'd check it out. The store is about 30 minutes away from me and I don't want to go that far on release day. I'd rather get to the WalMart that's about 8 minutes away from me a few hours early and get one there. Not only is it closer, but TRU isn't going to open at midnight to let people pick their system up, and WalMart will let you have them at 12am sharp.

There was a woman in her 40's at the TRU I went to, but I have no idea if she was there for the Wii, and then a guy about my age who I'm pretty sure was there for the Wii. I was there around 30 minutes before opening at the latest (it opened at 1:30), so it didn't look to have a line there. I'm pretty sure I could drive right back and pre-order there if I wanted to. I know that the store in Greenville had one pre-order left for anyone as late as two hours after they opened.

pinata242

11-12-06, 02:26 PM

isn't it strange that the this is being released on a Sunday?
Not for Nintendo; all their hardware launches on Sundays.

Outlaw

11-12-06, 04:08 PM

I was at Best Buy this weekend, they have the official countdown display in the Wii section, counting down. Hype is starting to build! Less than a week :)

Icon769

11-12-06, 04:45 PM

I'm going to try to pick this up on launch. Is there a store that has a better deal? Meaning a bundle with a game/games?

parrotheads4

11-12-06, 05:30 PM

"I'd rather get to the WalMart that's about 8 minutes away from me a few hours early and get one there. Not only is it closer, but TRU isn't going to open at midnight to let people pick their system up, and WalMart will let you have them at 12am sharp."

The issue I had with Walmart is it's a lottery system (at the one's near me anyway). In otherwords you wait in line, get handed a number, and if your number comes up you get one. If it doesn't -even if you were 1st in line- you go home empty.

Sonny Corinthos

11-12-06, 08:01 PM

Wii walkthrough and set up video. (http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/11/wii-setup-and-interface-walkthrough-video)

sracer

11-12-06, 08:26 PM

Josh H

11-12-06, 09:25 PM

1 Week out and I'm really not excited anymore. :( I don't know when I'll really have time to sit down and play it as I'm so far behind on work/school after being out of town a week for a conference and having family visit the past few days.

If I had paid for it with cash rather than store credit I'd probably just cancel my preorder and pick one up when I'm not so swamped, but since it's costing me nothing out of pocket, I'll pick it up and play it when I get a chance.

I suppose Wiisports will be good to pick up and play in 15-30 minute bursts when I need a break if nothing else.

Zelda will have to wait until at least late December/January when I've gotten caught up and had time to finish off Okami as well.

steebo777

11-12-06, 10:45 PM

Less than one week out and I am PUMPED. I think this might be the most excited I have ever been for a video game system. My new Sanyo Z5 projector will be in Wednesday along with the Oppo 971, so everything will be calibrated and ready to rock for the Wii Saturday night at midnight.

As for the dudes that were having problems hooking up the Wii to their projector... why would the Wii be next to the projector? I assume if they have one that they're using a receiver to handle all a/v switching, so they should just use the component switching on that with one long component cable to the projector. Seems as if they need to re-think the setup. 138" is more than enough length for the sensor bar for me.

Damn I can't wait to play some Zelda on the Wii... 6 more days... 6 more days...

Goldberg74

11-12-06, 11:19 PM

I've convinced myself to wait until Spring Break to buy my Wii.

Y'all have fun with yours.

My DS will be seeing alot of action in the meantime.

The Bus

11-13-06, 08:41 AM

Can't believe it's only a week away. I may be bringing this down to Thanksgiving to have the extended family have a crack at it.

Michael Corvin

11-13-06, 09:24 AM

Can't believe it's only a week away. I may be bringing this down to Thanksgiving to have the extended family have a crack at it.

A week? My desktop countdown reads 5 days, 14 hours. ;)

SmackDaddy

11-13-06, 09:48 AM

Well, since deciding that if I got any "next-gen" system It would likely be the Wii (still HATE the name)looks like I made the right choice. Got to play with a demo unit at EB Games Saturday. They only had Excite Truck to play with, but it was a pretty good way to get a real idea of how gameplay will feel.

Demo Kiosk is similar to the 360 setup, widescreen LCD monitor, Wii encased inside. No controllers hanging fromt he kiosk though. Had to give the my DL to get on of the controllers.

I forgot you had to hold the controller sideways for the first minute or two (DOH!!!!). Once I got the control down, it was pretty f'n fun. Control was spot on (my big fear about the whole Wii-mote). Graphics=blah, but it was just plain fun.

I've got 3 Wal-Marts, a Best Buy and a Circuit City within 15 minutes of my house...I'm pretty sure I'll be able to swing one on launch day!!

pinata242

11-13-06, 10:31 AM

Pretty good deal on 1GB SD card: http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?t=368182

$30 - $10 Google Checkout = $20 shipped - $15 MIR = $5.

DRG

11-13-06, 12:11 PM

pinata242

11-13-06, 01:25 PM

I picked up the one-cent Wii trailer DVD at Target last night. I plan on using the white keepcase to house WiiSports once there's a custom cover for it (unless I just do one myself). Of course, assuming I actually get a system on Sunday.
Ditto :thumbsup: I asked someone here earlier if they'd have time to make a cover for Wii Sports, but so far no response. I'd take this opportunity to talk a bunch of shit about said person as he'd probably not read it anyway, but I'm a bigger person than that ;)

Michael Corvin

11-13-06, 01:39 PM

I might knock a cover out for it. Just depends on free time.

pinata242

11-13-06, 01:43 PM

I might knock a cover out for it. Just depends on free time.
Awesome. Do you think you can make a custom cover for each of us with our respective Miis featured on the covers? :p

Michael Corvin

11-13-06, 01:47 PM

:lol: I hadn't thought of that. That sounds pretty funny. Put up your Mii & a mini profile like a baseball card on the back. That even makes it sound more fun for me to do and definitely makes me more interested in making one.

UncleGramps

11-13-06, 01:49 PM

This is going to be a long week, at least while I'm at work. When I'm at home I've got plenty of games to keep me busy, but here at work it's just brutal. I can't focus at all today.

I have to call the two Walmarts near me tonight to confirm their launch plans.

The Bus

11-13-06, 01:52 PM

pinata242

11-13-06, 02:18 PM

We decided to get our 6 year-old daughter an SD-based digital still and video camera for Christmas. I can't wait to see her get some great use out of the Photo Channel with it. Just watched the small feature on Wii.com for it again and I can see her having a great deal of fun with that.

Brent L

11-13-06, 02:47 PM

Forbes reviews the Wii (http://www.forbes.com/technology/2006/11/13/wii-review-ps3-tech-media-cx_de_1113wii.html)

Nintendo's Wii Is A Revolution
David M. Ewalt, 11.13.06, 9:15 AM ET

In 2005, when Nintendo unveiled its next-generation gaming console, the company revealed that the project's internal code name was "Revolution." Now that it's set to hit U.S stores on Nov. 19, the box will sell, oddly, as the Wii--pronounced "we." But Revolution remains a better fit.

To compete with Sony's (nyse: SNE - news - people ) PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) Xbox 360, Nintendo (other-otc: NTDOY - news - people ) has re-invented videogaming, making it more social, more intuitive and surprisingly physically engaging. The Wii is indeed revolutionary, and it's potentially the device that will make videogaming as widely enjoyed as board or card games.

The feature that sets the Wii apart from both its competitors and its ancestors is the Wii remote, the device's control pad. Instead of a bulky, button-studded joystick, Nintendo has produced a slim wand that looks like a television remote control. It's connected to the console wirelessly, and more important, it's equipped with an innovative motion sensor that detects movement and rotation in three dimensions.
Read More From David M. Ewalt's Digital Download

In other words, the Wii remote allows users to get up, move around the room and become part of the game. If you want your character on the screen to swing his sword, you wield the remote and make the thrusts and parries yourself. In a game of baseball, you hold the remote like a bat, and swing for the stands when you want your virtual player to do the same.

By giving players the ability to physically interact with a virtual world, Nintendo has significantly changed the experience of videogaming. It's suddenly more immersive, more compelling and potentially more appealing to consumers who have never considered buying a videogame console before.

Last week, shortly after a Wii review unit arrived at Forbes.com's office, I set it up in a conference room to test it out. A colleague and I booted up Wii Sports, a collection of simple sports games that comes bundled with every console. It wasn't long before we were completely immersed in Wii Tennis. The simple mini-game replicates an actual tennis match as well as any I've ever seen: Since you're actually swinging the remote like you would a racket, you can hit with varying force or apply spin to the ball, depending on how you move your body.

Within minutes, we'd drawn a crowd, and only a short while after that, most of the editorial staff was packed into the conference room, laughing, enjoying the show and pushing for their turn at the remote. It was the first time since the original Nintendo Entertainment System came out in 1985 that videogaming felt like a party experience--not just because it was new, and worth gawking at, but because the experience is so much more physical, like Charades or Twister, and spectators can enjoy as much as the players.

After the hard-core gamers got their turns, less videogame-savvy editors took a shot, too. And it was here where the intuitive motion control system really proved its worth. There's no sequence of arcane button combinations required to throw a baseball: You just wind up and mime an actual throw. Suddenly, videogames are fun for everyone--old or young, male or female, regardless of prior gaming experience. I lost count of how many times I heard non-gamers say, "Wow, I want to get this."

The other phrase I heard a lot was something to the effect of, "There's no way I'm shelling out all that cash for a PlayStation 3." Sony's new game console, which debuts Nov. 17 in the U.S., will retail for $500 or $600, depending on whether you buy a basic setup or the premium version, which comes with a bigger hard drive, built-in Wi-Fi and a flash memory card reader. Similarly, Microsoft's Xbox 360, which debuted in November 2005, now retails at $300 or $400.

Compare that to the Wii's $250 price tag, and Nintendo's already got a leg up in the upcoming console war. By concentrating on innovating through game play, and ignoring its competitors' most high-tech features--super-powered processors, support for high-definition televisions and DVD formats--Nintendo has not only been able to keep its costs down, but it's hit upon the single thing that sets apart an entertainment device most: It's fun.

It's too early in the console war to tell if the Wii's upstart strategy will help Nintendo gain ground against Microsoft and Sony, both 800-pound gorillas of the gaming world. But if my early experience with the console--and the smiles on the faces of friends and colleagues--are any measure, Nintendo's got a huge hit on its hands.

PixyJunket

11-13-06, 03:26 PM

3½ more (work) days.

I have decided that as a trade for getting a new TV, I have to put all of my non-Nintendo old-school gaming on eBay (over time). So that means bye-bye to Sega Master System, Sega Genesis, Turbo Grafx (and PC-Engine). I don't think I'll miss much of it.. but I have to keep my nice NES/SNES collection.. both of those still get use (the NES almost every weekend!).

I really don't look forward to the eBay process though. :(

Michael Corvin

11-13-06, 03:30 PM

Wow. Excellent article.

jeffdsmith

11-13-06, 03:38 PM

That's why I bought nintendo stock several weeks back.

PixyJunket

11-13-06, 03:42 PM

That's why I bought nintendo stock several weeks back.I wish I would've thought of that. :lol:

spainlinx0

11-13-06, 04:39 PM

PixyJunket

11-13-06, 04:45 PM

Is there any official word on when the stores will start selling the accessories such as the controller and games? I purchased some $5 coupon/giftcards from BB, but I plan on waiting outside Target to get mine. I was hoping to maybe pick up the controller and stuff earlier in the week and simply use the coupons for that.Yeah, that's what a few of us would like to know. Apparently.. stores should be allowed to put that stuff out as they get it this week. When is that and will they are the real questions. I was hoping to grab the component cables and a controller set at Best Buy with GGCs myself.. and as I'm getting my system at midnight I'd hope they're available by at least Saturday. At worst I'll take the $5 hit for the cables at Gamestop since some of my crew are going to be trying their hand at Wal*Mart when I pick mine up.. so we should have more than one controller for the midnight party.

Quack

11-13-06, 05:11 PM

I've got the whole Thanksgiving week, so yes, I will be a waste of a human being in front of my Wii the whole week. :clap:

pinata242

11-13-06, 05:16 PM

Please, everyone, listen to this message. This commercial breaks my heart. We need you :(

http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/nintendo/save-the-pinata-play-nintendo-214202.php

lordwow

11-13-06, 05:20 PM

I'd love to pick up a Wiimote and Nunchuck before the chaos on Sunday. But if I'm not able to, I'll definitely be waiting until Tuesday to pick up any accessories (but to be fair, I'm getting my Wii from Amazon so I won't have my hands on it till at least Wed)

Brent L

11-13-06, 05:25 PM

A five year old reviews the Wii remote! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwIIVSJENGQ)

That is awesome. :)

03euroSVT

11-13-06, 06:37 PM

A five year old reviews the Wii remote! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwIIVSJENGQ)

That is awesome. :)

Yes, that was awesome. Great find.

Brent L

11-13-06, 07:32 PM

GameSpy Review - Zelda: TP (http://wii.gamespy.com/wii/legend-of-zelda-wii/745573p1.html)

They gave it a perfect 5 out of 5 score, and the only con that they mention is something that we've known all along, as if they had to put something down as a con. Here are the main highlights of the review, without any spoilers at all:

Pros - Play the game and be glad you did.

Cons - It's essentially a port of a GameCube game.

"While it might not have the graphical grunt behind it offered by the likes of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, there's no doubt in my mind that Nintendo has once again crafted a video game that will be remembered for years to come. Link's back and his adventure on the new shiny Wii hardware is nothing short of an instant classic."

"After running a critical path through the entire game, there's no doubt that this is the longest Zelda game ever made. I can easily see the playtime rising to the 60-hour mark if you try to accomplish everything that the game has to offer -- and trust me, you'll want to."

"Given the epic size of the game, it's important to note that there's very little redundancy. You'll not find yourself being forced to do a lot of unnecessary running or riding (remember sailing around in Wind Waker?) thanks to the excellent warping system."

"I'm happy to report that the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk do an incredibly admirable job of making the game a lot of fun to play. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that this is a preferable method of controlling the game than a regular joypad. Movement, exploration and combat are highly accurate and if you fail or die, it's not the system's fault, but rather your own. I know this has been the biggest concern for many Zelda lovers and gamers in general, but I can't overstate this enough -- the Wii makes for a superb Zelda gaming experience."

"Fans of the series will feel right at home with the combat system (Z-targeting is an absolute must) and the traditional mythology of dungeon crawling, money and item gathering, and item usage. It wouldn't be a true Zelda game without some of the classic themed dungeons, so all those players out there who got stuck in Ocarina's notorious Water Temple should start quaking in their boots!"

"There's essentially an entire full-length game dedicated to catching crazy numbers of different and unique fish. This sometimes comes across as more of a Remote-enabling gimmick than anything else, but completists will love taking some time out for a spot of virtual haddock-reeling."

"In the end, there's no way that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess disappoints. It's an excellent addition (and homage to Ocarina) to the franchise, and you'll have an enormous amount of fun playing it from start to finish. Get over the fact that the Wii's hardware is simply not as powerful as the other next-gen machines and get into the fact that Twilight Princess is one of the best games you'll play this year. If you've been on the fence in any capacity, then please rest assured that you'll not be disappointed."

"It's ultimately fantastic."

The Bus

11-13-06, 08:26 PM

A five year old reviews the Wii remote! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwIIVSJENGQ)

That is awesome. :)

That's Crescente's son (of Kotaku fame).

shaggy

11-13-06, 08:54 PM

Yeah, that's what a few of us would like to know. Apparently.. stores should be allowed to put that stuff out as they get it this week. When is that and will they are the real questions. I was hoping to grab the component cables and a controller set at Best Buy with GGCs myself.. and as I'm getting my system at midnight I'd hope they're available by at least Saturday. At worst I'll take the $5 hit for the cables at Gamestop since some of my crew are going to be trying their hand at Wal*Mart when I pick mine up.. so we should have more than one controller for the midnight party.

If anyone has any luck with games or accessories early, please post here for the rest of us. I live on the border of U.S and Canada and my closest EBs in both countries said they won't be putting out anything early. Blockbuster Canada, told me they already have some games and accessories in but they weren't for sale or rent until the 19th. I think a lot of stores make the mistake of thinking that just because the system has a strict release date that everything else does.

I'm still hoping some store breaks the street date and it causes a chain reaction like it did with the gamecube.

spainlinx0

11-13-06, 09:16 PM

I am so excited about playing Twilight Princess. My only gripe is that my girlfriend is not a fan of Zelda. :( On more than one occasion it has caused me to question my selection. :) However I bet if I FORCE her to play then she will fall in love like any normal person would.

JChaos

11-13-06, 10:31 PM

I apologize if this has been covered already, I haven't seen it mentioned anywere. Has Nintendo said if the Virtual Console games will be playable online, or just offline?

jeffdsmith

11-13-06, 10:45 PM

I wish I would've thought of that. :lol:

I let my games pay for my games. :) My goal was to be up over $300 before launch to pay for the Wii system + game, but I'm only up $220 currently, lets hope for a strong week.

Suprmallet

11-13-06, 10:55 PM

I was rolling with this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGCJ3fZuL5o&NR

And AFAIK, the first-party Wii accessories are all street dated for the 19th.

AndyCleveland

11-13-06, 11:25 PM

first IGN reviews in...

wii sports 7.5
trauma ctr 8.0

Brent L

11-13-06, 11:34 PM

Looks like I'll be skipping Wii Sports...

Goldberg74

11-13-06, 11:56 PM

A DVD-compitable Wii in 2007?

http://www.electronista.com/articles/06/11/13/dvd.capable.wii.for.2007/

Nintendo plans to ship a version of its forthcoming Wii console with DVD movie playback later in 2007, according to an announcement today by software developer Sonic. Although Nintendo has previously confirmed that it intends to produce a DVD-capable console for the Japanese market, the company has until now declined to commit to any particular timeframe. The move further reinforces Nintendo's narrow focus on gaming, as the company's revelation of the late addition of DVD playback accompanies the imminent release of next-generation movie disc players such as Microsoft's Xbox 360 HD DVD player as well as the PlayStation 3.

dick_grayson

11-13-06, 11:58 PM

do you think Oblivion will ever be available on the Wii?

Suprmallet

11-14-06, 12:01 AM

I highly, highly doubt it.

mdc3000

11-14-06, 12:23 AM

Tomorrow I'll get my first hand on Wii experience...they're having a private playing party thing...should be awesome.

shaggy

11-14-06, 12:49 AM

Couple of interesting things for those of us looking to score some early games and accessories. I have been checking EB's site and there have been some changes. There is a bunch of games shipping today (the 14th ), so far none have changed to now shipping, so we should find out about those games later today. The bad news is they changed the release date for the component cables to December 15th. Best Buy U.S or Canada don't even list them. So it might be a no go for component cables.

tomwaits

11-14-06, 01:33 AM

Looks like CC may be offering $5 off on all wii controllers and accessories on launch day ($19.99 and up). If you aren't looking to pick them up early, it's an easier alternative to the BB gift cards...

Michael Corvin

11-14-06, 05:44 AM

I apologize if this has been covered already, I haven't seen it mentioned anywere. Has Nintendo said if the Virtual Console games will be playable online, or just offline?

VC games will be the original unaltered versions. No new features whatsoever.

PixyJunket

11-14-06, 08:27 AM

Oh boy, I can't wait for every single Wii game review to point out how each game doesn't look as good as an Xbox 360 or PS3 game!

lopper

11-14-06, 08:28 AM

Sominex

11-14-06, 08:45 AM

VC games will be the original unaltered versions. No new features whatsoever.

I read somewhere that the graphics/textures for some games will be enhanced (N64 games)

Sominex

11-14-06, 08:47 AM

I apologize if this has been covered already, but does anyone know how Walmart and Target are handling the Wii launch?

Are the 24 hour stores putting them out at midnight? Is it going to be a lottery or first come first serve? I'm thinking of trying a 24 hour Walmart first, but I don't know if I need to line up at 10 or be there early for a ticket or if I should just walk in, etc.

I absolutely dread calling these stores for any reason so I figure I'll keep my blood pressure down and aggravation levels low by asking here instead.

Thanks.

I don't blame you. Half the time the people working there have no clue there is even a new system coming out. When I got my gamecube, it was a first come first serve, line up and cross your fingers. I got there around 9:30 or so and saw the line forming in the electronics department. It was kinda cool because we could just grab some lawn chairs from the gardening/plant department, and some magazines from the checkout area and then just pas the time as best we could :)

Some stores may be doing a lottery system, but I think with the amount of Wii's coming out launch day, they may just have people line up

Good luck!

spainlinx0

11-14-06, 08:49 AM

What kind of battery does the Wii controller use? AA? AAA?

tpc

11-14-06, 08:53 AM

What kind of battery does the Wii controller use? AA? AAA?

I believe it's been confirmed to be AA.

PixyJunket

11-14-06, 09:01 AM

I apologize if this has been covered already, but does anyone know how Walmart and Target are handling the Wii launch?Even if they had something in print you know damn well not every store is going to follow that. Anyway, here's what I would suggest.. go to the Wal*Mart midday or early evening and speak to a manager to ask how they're handling it. Then I'd probably get back up there at about 10 (bring your DS or a book!) for the wait. If it's all messed up just go to sleep and try a line at Targét, again.. two hours prior to opening seems like a safe bet.

Michael Corvin

11-14-06, 09:06 AM

I read somewhere that the graphics/textures for some games will be enhanced (N64 games)

The answer you see is here. (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=149023)

Multiplayer games - will these now incorporate an option to allow the second/third/fourth player to connect over the internet to play, as some PC emulators have made possible?

Nintendo: All games will be faithful recreations of the original versions so they will not feature new functions like multiplayer or internet play if the original title did not.

Will the Wii iron out all slow-down that existed in old games, including the 2D formats? It would be great to play all the old games at a silky-smooth framerate, but some retro gamers, for some reason, consider the slowdown to a part of the game's old-school appeal.

Nintendo: The Virtual Console games faithfully reproduces the original game in all areas, including content, movement and expressions. Principle programming, characters, sound etc. have not been changed.

chrisih8u

11-14-06, 09:08 AM

Even if they had something in print you know damn well not every store is going to follow that. Anyway, here's what I would suggest.. go to the Wal*Mart midday or early evening and speak to a manager to ask how they're handling it. Then I'd probably get back up there at about 10 (bring your DS or a book!) for the wait. If it's all messed up just go to sleep and try a line at Targét, again.. two hours prior to opening seems like a safe bet.

Good advice. I was planning on going to Walmart sometime in the middle of the day. Hopefully, they will have it planned out by then. But I will still half expect to get a clueless response. :lol:

tpc

11-14-06, 09:10 AM

A DVD-compitable Wii in 2007?

http://www.electronista.com/articles/06/11/13/dvd.capable.wii.for.2007/

At first, this kind of annoyed me, but don't we all have standalone DVD players by this point? It's not really even an issue, imo.

darkside

11-14-06, 09:17 AM

I read somewhere that the graphics/textures for some games will be enhanced (N64 games)
Nintendo seems to be putting zero effort into the old games. Its a straight emulator and Rom situation. I had hoped they would try and enhance these a bit for the prices they are charging.

IIG

11-14-06, 12:01 PM

What are Circuit City's launch plans, people? Help!

SmackDaddy

11-14-06, 12:26 PM

Does anyone know if Nintendo intends to stick to their,IMO, way too restricting "friend codes" for all Wii online multiplayer games. I really hope that's not the case, as half the fun of online play is being able to just jump into a game quickly and easily. Friend codes are the reason I've never actually played any DS games online.

Although this isn't a dealbreaker for me, it may cause me to wait a bit to see how it pans out.

pinata242

11-14-06, 12:29 PM

CreatureX

11-14-06, 12:47 PM

CreatureX

11-14-06, 12:53 PM

Looks like I'll be skipping Wii Sports... TIME (http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1558498,00.html) says that Wii Sports may be "the greatest videogame ever made". :D

tpc

11-14-06, 12:53 PM

I can see the benefit of friend codes for something like the 360, with voice chat enabled, but not so much on the wii, which at this point has nothing of the like. Who knows, down the road.

In the meantime, I doubt any eight year olds are going to get seduced by creepy old men while they're playing Mario Kart.

in an almost totally unrelated note: Here's a good deal on a 2 gb SD card, and a USB reader/adapter. it's 30 bucks at buy.com, and you can get 10 off for using google checkout, plus free shipping, so that's 20 bucks shipped for 2 gigs of Wii memory, plus the adapter. Since the adapter is USB, maybe there's an outside chance it would work on the 360? Unlikely, but possible added bonus.

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=202493897&adid=17662

Sominex

11-14-06, 01:04 PM

I can see the benefit of friend codes for something like the 360, with voice chat enabled, but not so much on the wii, which at this point has nothing of the like. Who knows, down the road.

In the meantime, I doubt any eight year olds are going to get seduced by creepy old men while they're playing Mario Kart.

in an almost totally unrelated note: Here's a good deal on a 2 gb SD card, and a USB reader/adapter. it's 30 bucks at buy.com, and you can get 10 off for using google checkout, plus free shipping, so that's 20 bucks shipped for 2 gigs of Wii memory, plus the adapter. Since the adapter is USB, maybe there's an outside chance it would work on the 360? Unlikely, but possible added bonus.

http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-280928-10391416?&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ebuy%2Ecom%2Fretail%2Fproduct%2Easp%3Fsku%3D202493897&adid=17662

Good find TPC!

I head about all the "Google Checkout" hype, and glad I got to check it out. I got in on this deal. Although I got one email from Google telling me the price was indeed $20, and an email from Buy.com saying it's $30.

Hmmmmmmmm

tpc

11-14-06, 01:07 PM

Good find TPC!

I head about all the "Google Checkout" hype, and glad I got to check it out. I got in on this deal. Although I got one email from Google telling me the price was indeed $20, and an email from Buy.com saying it's $30.

Hmmmmmmmm

On the google checkout site, they said that the discount may not reflect on the reciept you recieve from buy.com. i imagine it's something they're doing internally to promote their new service?

Sominex

11-14-06, 01:21 PM

On the google checkout site, they said that the discount may not reflect on the reciept you recieve from buy.com. i imagine it's something they're doing internally to promote their new service?

Yeah, I am sure it'll sorts itself out.

I think that's a great deal. Thanks for posting it! The adapater is a nice touch so I can transfer info from the card, to PC, to Phone and to Wii very easily now. I opted for the free shipping though, so I probably won't get the card before I get the Wii Saturday night, but I'd rather save the $6 ;)

spainlinx0

11-14-06, 01:23 PM

What I find interesting on the Target site is that some games show a release date of tomorrow or the 17th, but the controller is listed as the 19th with the system. I wonder if maybe the stuff will start to trickle in as the week goes on. And who's to say that a worker may not mistakenly put out the controllers as he sees the games going out.

SmackDaddy

11-14-06, 01:48 PM

There's now a Wii Code that a single code for your system. I think it is a 16-digit code. You and your friend will have to add each other, but it appears it'll apply to all games. Of course, we won't know for sure until there's an online game actually released.

See, that's the thing I don't like about these codes. I'm used to playing online on the PC and at one time, my PSP. I could easily jump into a game without wondering if any "friends" were online. If they do restrict it to just friends, that's a big mark against it for me.

Most DS wifi games allow you to play online quickly and easily without using any friend codes

Does Mario Kart allow this? I've never been able to find any games, friends or not via Wi-Fi.

Brent L

11-14-06, 01:52 PM

TIME (http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1558498,00.html) says that Wii Sports may be "the greatest videogame ever made". :D

Trust me, I was just joking, seeing how Wii Sports comes with the system. :p

I can't wait to play it.

PixyJunket

11-14-06, 01:56 PM

pinata242

11-14-06, 01:57 PM

See, that's the thing I don't like about these codes. I'm used to playing online on the PC and at one time, my PSP. I could easily jump into a game without wondering if any "friends" were online. If they do restrict it to just friends, that's a big mark against it for me.

Does Mario Kart allow this? I've never been able to find any games, friends or not via Wi-Fi.
The Friend Codes are only to let you see when a specific person is online (and similarly, to let another see when you are online). There is no restriction saying you need to swap Friend Codes just to play.

Hell, I have 8 WiFi DS games, with several FCs added on each and I've only ever played against my brother since arranging games otherwise is too difficult for my available free time at home.

I would hope that once the FCs are exchanged, it would be no different than how XBL works. That you could see what your friends are doing. But, there's no way to know that yet.

Michael Corvin

11-14-06, 02:09 PM

The Friend Codes are only to let you see when a specific person is online (and similarly, to let another see when you are online). There is no restriction saying you need to swap Friend Codes just to play.

Exactly. I currently have 0 friend codes. :( ...but I've played probably 75 matches of Tetris online against random people(usually someone from Japan).

I don't have a problem with the Wii working the same way.

spainlinx0

11-14-06, 02:48 PM

I don't know about the other DS games, but you definitely have to have someone on your friend list for Animal Crossing. However that is probably unique to that game, and it is with good reason so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

pinata242

11-14-06, 03:30 PM

UPS is delivering the first Wii shipments to BB in Atlanta tomorrow: http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20061114006147&newsLang=en
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--One of the most anticipated video game systems of the 2006 holiday season will be delivered across the nation this week in advance of sales that begin on Sunday, Nov. 19. But the Nintendo Wii units won’t be delivered by the man in the red suit. Instead, they will be delivered this week by the men and women in UPS brown suits.

Nintendo is mobilizing the largest worldwide video game console launch in at least a decade, with approximately 4 million Wii systems available globally during the six weeks between Wii's Nov. 19 launch in the Americas and the end of 2006.

UPS has worked long and hard with Nintendo to manage a supply chain that requires the units to be “positioned” at retailers this week in advance of the sales start date.

Media are invited to an Atlanta-area retailer on Wednesday, Nov. 15, to capture the delivery of the units. Spokespeople from UPS and Best Buy will be available for comment, and there will be great visuals as a UPS driver unloads the Wii units from the familiar brown package car.
So, if the above holds true across the nation, we should be able to find out from the local BBs the actual numbers and if there's any chance of accessories or games being out a day or two early.

jeffdsmith

11-14-06, 05:21 PM

Who wants to intercept a truck with me?

Demontooth

11-14-06, 06:54 PM

My wife works at UPS, maybe we can track one down and hijack it.

The Bus

11-14-06, 07:14 PM

shaggy

11-14-06, 07:28 PM

I got a call from Gamestop saying I could pick up Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam tomorrow. I'm still not sure I'll be getting that title, but there's a good chance games might be available early.

I'm sure that some store, somewhere, will break street date on the Wii.

You should be able to get a bunch of games tomorrow. EBgames.com just moved a bunch of games and accessories to the new release/now shipping page.

I hope someone breaks the street date, it will put pressure on Nintendo and the other stores to allow it. The same thing happened with the gamecube.

Bad news is the component cables still say December 15th on EB's site and aren't listed anywhere else.

pinata242

11-14-06, 07:31 PM

There already are reports of games being available. Someone at GoNintendo showed a copy of Trauma Center he got at EB.

Went by my BB tonight for my bi-daily harrassment seminar. The managers in the game section said they won't know how many units they get until release day :rolleyes: Yeah, I'm sure the truck is going to pull up and we'll just do our business out of the back of it at 9am.

Still no go there for early accessories or even 3rd party games :(

dick_grayson

11-14-06, 07:46 PM

what's the problem with the component cables? can't we just use a monoprice one? or does it have some special connection on the wii end?

dvd182

11-14-06, 08:20 PM

or does it have some special connection on the wii end?
you got it.

03euroSVT

11-14-06, 08:43 PM

Who wants to intercept a truck with me?

You can coun't on me :thumbsup:

lordwow

11-14-06, 09:10 PM

Just got an email from BestBuy.com telling me that Zelda is backordered :( That's ok though, I really don't have time to play it until I finish finals anyway.

But, Trauma Center is still on for tomorrow shipping apparently... we'll see if that happens.

Outlaw

11-14-06, 09:21 PM

Who wants to intercept a truck with me?

I'm with you! :)

Just kidding, I was finally found an EB with a playable Wii. It was really cool and there was a crowd of 4 or 5 people watching. One of the guys playing Excite truck got his very reluctant friend to play it and he was hooked! I couldn't believe it. He was like "This is a lot of fun!" but before he had played it he was saying "come'on, lets go." Plus he had never played it before but was having a lot of fun. Everyone was laughing and having a good time :).

Can't wait until sunday!

Suprmallet

11-14-06, 10:40 PM

Trauma Center came out today!!! *faints*

We put it on in the store. Looks great. Sadly, it requires a nunchuck for play, and Nintendo hasn't given us any of those for the demo units. Since we had the demo unit open, we put in Happy Feet, which was awful.

Jeremy517

11-15-06, 12:21 AM

According to an email that someone on another board received, component cables will not be available in-store until December.

Hello,

Thank you for contacting Nintendo regarding your desire to purchase the Wii Component Video Cable. As you inquired about having the Component Video Cable available when the Wii launches, we are extending to you an exclusive offer. We have made a limited number of the cables available for purchase prior to the launch. The cable will cost $29.95 USD and $35.95 CDN. Expedited shipping is available for an additional fee. There is a limit of one Component Video Cable per customer.

To order by phone using your credit card (Visa or MasterCard), please call our Consumer Service line at 1-800-255-3700. Representatives are available to take your order between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Pacific Time, seven days a week. Our representatives can also provide mail-order instructions if you would rather pay by check.

Please note, if you would rather not order at this time, additional cables will be made available to the general public via our online store on November 19th ( http://store.nintendo.com ), <b>and they will also be available through selected retailers in early-mid December.</b>

Nintendo of America Inc.
Consumer Service Department

:johnwoo:

eatntae

11-15-06, 12:48 AM

According to an email that someone on another board received, component cables will not be available in-store until December.

:johnwoo:
I just saw this too. This sucks, because my my receiver won't send a composite video signal to my TV since its hooked up with component cables. And since my TV is mounted on the wall, I don't want to have to take it down just to hook up the Wii. Didn't Perrin Kaplan (or whatever her name is) say that the cables would be available in stores at launch? Damnit!

tanman

11-15-06, 03:22 AM

It seems like Walmart will be a popular choice. I hope to have sucess at a Walmart in the middle of nowhere.

What about the Target %10 off when you open an account deal? I was thinking that %10 off a Wii and three games would be enough for me to bite. Plus Target is doing that buy three games get a twenty dollar gift card deal. Could be a decent deal for a brand new system and three games. For the controllers the BB GGC would still be a better deal.

PixyJunket

11-15-06, 08:09 AM

Sigh. I guess I'll attempt to order cables when they open.

I guess it won't be too bad.. third party cables that MIGHT be in stores on launch are being listed online at $60 (!?).. so $30 plus 2nd Day UPS isn't that bad.. right.. right? Dammit, this sucks.

jeffdsmith

11-15-06, 09:02 AM

If you are going to order them by phone, better do it today if hope to get them in time. Otherwise you'll have to wait until Monday.
1-800-255-3700. Representatives are available to take your order between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Pacific Time

PixyJunket

11-15-06, 09:05 AM

Fucking W! Their phone lines are already jammed. :( :mad: :mad:

mdc3000

11-15-06, 09:14 AM

Played Wii yesterday. Had a great time.

Zelda was great. The controls are really fluid, the graphics impressive and it did not disappoint (only allowed to play for 5 min though).

Monkey Ball is going to make fans of the series pretty happy. It took a few minutes to adjust to playing with the wii remote, but once you get a feel for it, it's very responsive... the addition of jumping and fighting bosses was a nice twist. Being a huge fan of SMB, if I get a Wii, I'm definitely getting this.

Rampage - didn't really like it. Decent graphics but not a lot to it, doesn't take advantage of the wii control system. Fans of Rampage might like to see the monsters destroying stuff in a semi 3-d space, but I wasn't thrilled.

Wii sports totally kicked ass. The graphics aren't anything to write home about, but the gameplay is really good and playing games like Baseball and Tennis, you really get into it...lots of people are going to have a great time with 4 friends, a case of beer and Wii sports. I didn't get to try Boxing, but all the others were good.

I didn't think I NEEDED a Wii before yesterday...I knew I WANTED one...but now I'm going to have to dig up some cash soon!

PixyJunket

11-15-06, 09:16 AM

For the fucking fuck's sake of fucking fuckity fuck!!

If I buy a $1500 HDFTV this week and can't show it off for my Super Sweet 16 this Saturday night, I'm going to throw a fit.

UncleGramps

11-15-06, 09:58 AM

As posted in CAG:

http://store.nintendo.com/componentvideocable/

Edit: I'm up to the payment step and the site is getting hammered. Hope I can get the order through...

Edit 2: Made it!

Mazje

11-15-06, 10:09 AM

Thanks for the link, but you're right, it's getting hammered, and I don't know if I'm going to be able to get this through or not.

EDIT: Woo hoo! Took damn near forever, but I just got it through! Thanks for the link!

Ghym

11-15-06, 10:28 AM

Thanks for the link! I got mine ordered.

Sominex

11-15-06, 10:32 AM

Hey all-

EBgames.com and their affiliate Gamestop have the following note on their websites:

LEGEND OF ZELDA: TWIGHLIGHT PRINCESS FOR WII

DUE TO LIMITED PRODUCTION BY NINTENDO WE ARE NOT TAKING ADDITIONAL PREORDERS AT THIS TIME

Interesting! The game itself won't come in a site search either.

PixyJunket

11-15-06, 10:35 AM

Mine's in.. $45.63 for fucking cables. I guess it's still better than $60 for inferior cables. They had BETTER ship these out today or else even UPS RED orders might not make it for Friday and UPS in all their awesome shittiness doesn't operate on Saturday like the much cheaper, faster and more efficient USPS.

lopper

11-15-06, 11:16 AM

Ugh, 42.95 here for the cables and UPS RED shipping method. I have little to no faith that these will arrive in time for Sunday, but I'll keep my fingers crossed nonetheless.

Still, 42.95...

PixyJunket

11-15-06, 11:19 AM

UPS Red is listed as One Day. Which means that if they package and ship by tomorrow.. you should get them on Friday. The shipping sucks.. but as I pointed out.. the cables that MIGHT be in stores are listed for $60 and are probably highly inferior to the official cables.. I only wish they had taken care of this last week so that it wouldn't have turned up as a "last minute" chance of receipt. Still.. it's better than NOT getting them.

Jeremy517

11-15-06, 11:31 AM

I placed my order. The other two times I ordered from their store, they shipped fast, and I had my package two days later with standard shipping. Being only 200 miles from their distribution center gives me an obvious advantage though.

I seriously hope they have enough stock on hand for all orders. If these go backordered, I'm going to be slightly annoyed.

flashburn

11-15-06, 11:40 AM

You can buy them from their site now too..
http://store.nintendo.com/componentvideocable/

F'ing $40 after UPS Blue + Tax....oh well.

Michael Corvin

11-15-06, 11:43 AM

I think you will be lucky if you see them on Friday. I bet the majority get them Monday.
What if you don't end up getting a Wii? You paid all that extra shipping for nothing. :)

I guess I will give it a shot anyway. At least I know I should have it before Thanksgiving when my vacation starts.

Jeremy517

11-15-06, 11:43 AM

You can buy them from their site now too..
http://store.nintendo.com/componentvideocable/

F'ing $40 after UPS Blue + Tax....oh well.

Post #188, meet post #180 (http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showpost.php?p=7438572&postcount=180)

pinata242

11-15-06, 11:47 AM

Man, I'm glad I'll be playing this on a 27" CRT so I don't have to worry about all this yet. It'll be a while before I get an HDTV in the living room anyway. Good luck to those of you in need.

Michael Corvin

11-15-06, 11:48 AM

Oh yeah, $43 shipped on top of the $250 pushes the Wii over the $300 low end 360. :(

PixyJunket

11-15-06, 11:50 AM

What if you don't end up getting a Wii? You paid all that extra shipping for nothing. :)My Wii is guaranteed and I pick up my HDTV Friday.. so yeah, for me.. it was probably worth a little extra to make sure I've got them in my hands as I rip the system open and show off my new TV to all my friends. Plus, I'm pretty sure they know people are hammering them because they want the cables before Sunday.. so hopefully they're getting them out to meet that demand.

But.. until I pick up mine at midnight, it's going to be drunken F-Zero GX and Mario Strikers in widescreen!

PixyJunket

11-15-06, 11:53 AM

Oh yeah, $43 shipped on top of the $250 pushes the Wii over the $300 low end 360. :(Try $340 plus tax.. if you're going to count the Wii cables, you've got to count the Xbox ones too since they don't come with the $300 model. Oh, and I guess you'll need a game and some kind of memory storage with that Xbox too.

dick_grayson

11-15-06, 11:57 AM

ordered my cables as well. looks like I will be getting a Wii, at some point. I was on the fence about what to get and when......

Michael Corvin

11-15-06, 12:00 PM

Try $340 plus tax.. if you're going to count the Wii cables, you've got to count the Xbox ones too since they don't come with the $300 model. Oh, and I guess you'll need a game and some kind of memory storage with that Xbox too.

D'oh. I forgot about that. :lol:

PixyJunket

11-15-06, 12:04 PM

D'oh. I forgot about that. :lol:See, that's why the Core 360 has got to be the dumbest thing ever.. $40 for a memory card and $40 for component cables puts you at a $20 savings with no hard drive which is pretty much needed anyway (I think it's fair to consider Live a requirement to enjoy the Xbox).

slop101

11-15-06, 12:05 PM

LEGEND OF ZELDA: TWIGHLIGHT PRINCESS FOR WII

DUE TO LIMITED PRODUCTION BY NINTENDO WE ARE NOT TAKING ADDITIONAL PREORDERS AT THIS TIME
:hscratch:
This makes absolutely no sense to me. This is a disc-based media - it's not like a cartridge where you need chips and stuff, if need be, millions of discs can be pressed in just days. I mean, they press millions of dvds and cds in time for release dates - why not Zelda?

Jeremy517

11-15-06, 12:07 PM

:hscratch:
This makes absolutely no sense to me. This is a disc-based media - it's not like a cartridge where you need chips and stuff, if need be, millions of discs can be pressed in just days. I mean, they press millions of dvds and cds in time for release dates - why not Zelda?

Gamestop is probably just passing the buck. They probably just didn't order enough. I'm sure you'll have no problem finding Zelda on launch day.

Jeremy517

11-15-06, 12:07 PM

Ship Via: UPS
Tracking #: Not Available
Shipment Date:
Status: <b>Backordered</b>

Wheee!

Josh H

11-15-06, 12:10 PM

Damn, I really need an S-video cable and they don't have one up. :mad:

Hopefully there will be one in stores this weekend, even if it's third party.

UncleGramps

11-15-06, 12:12 PM

So I called the local Walmart (not a 24 hour store), and they're not opening at midnight, despite the Walmart ad that came in the paper last week that said otherwise. Then I called the closest 24 hour Walmart, and the woman who answered said that they would start letting people line up in the Layaway Area at 7 AM on Saturday. They couldn't tell me how many systems they would be getting in, so I don't think I'll end up waiting there after all. Luckily I live 15 minutes from one of the few Toys R Us stores that is doing a midnight launch, so that's where I'm going to camp. They said they'd be gettin 100 systems, but I don't know when I should show up. Since it's so close by, I guess I'll start checking it out in the early afternoon and just hop in line whenever one forms. I've never done at outdoor camp-out for a game system before. The closest I came was waiting indoors at a 24 hour Walmart a few hours before midnight at the Gamecube launch. I'm prepared though - I've got a comfy folding chair, a blanket, a DS and a PSP, an iPod, a big Thermos to fill with coffee, and some sammiches. It should be a fun time - depending on your definition of "fun". :)

Edit: One other funny thing - when I called the 24 hour Walmart and asked about the Wii, the woman started talking about lining up on the morning of the 16th and she warned me that it costs $600. She wouldn't let me a get a word in, but I finally got her to realize that I was asking about the Nintendo Wii, not the PS3. :lol: I assume that they were just getting tons of calls about the PS3 and she just started talking about the PS3 out of force of habit.

jeffdsmith

11-15-06, 12:12 PM

:hscratch:
This makes absolutely no sense to me. This is a disc-based media - it's not like a cartridge where you need chips and stuff, if need be, millions of discs can be pressed in just days. I mean, they press millions of dvds and cds in time for release dates - why not Zelda?

Eh. There are like 30 launch games, expected units of 4 million hardware by years end. Thats a lot software to make.

Anyway, I'm sure there will be plenty of copies around.

Michael Corvin

11-15-06, 12:18 PM

So I called the local Walmart (not a 24 hour store), and they're not opening at midnight, despite the Walmart ad that came in the paper last week that said otherwise. Then I called the closest 24 hour Walmart, and the woman who answered said that they would start letting people line up in the Layaway Area at 7 AM on Saturday. They couldn't tell me how many systems they would be getting in, so I don't think I'll end up waiting there after all. Luckily I live 15 minutes from one of the few Toys R Us stores that is doing a midnight launch, so that's where I'm going to camp. They said they'd be gettin 100 systems, but I don't know when I should show up. Since it's so close by, I guess I'll start checking it out in the early afternoon and just hop in line whenever one forms. I've never done at outdoor camp-out for a game system before. The closest I came was waiting indoors at a 24 hour Walmart a few hours before midnight at the Gamecube launch. I'm prepared though - I've got a comfy folding chair, a blanket, a DS and a PSP, an iPod, and a big Thermos to fill with coffee. It should be a fun time - depending on your definition of "fun". :)

:hscratch: There are Wal-Marts that aren't open 24 hours? Wow.

UncleGramps

11-15-06, 12:20 PM

:hscratch: There are Wal-Marts that aren't open 24 hours? Wow.
I guess it varies from region to region, but around here most Walmarts are not open 24 hours. There are only 2 of those within 30 miles of my house.

lordwow

11-15-06, 12:24 PM

*sigh* now my Trauma Center is backordered from bestbuy.com too. Makes me sad.

Josh H

11-15-06, 12:27 PM

Excitetruck got a 6.8 from Gamespot.

http://www.gamespot.com/events/wiilaunch/story.html?sid=6161717&pid=933000&tag=topslot;action;1&om_act=convert&click=topslot

Jeremy517

11-15-06, 12:52 PM

People are reporting that they're being told that the component cables won't ship until the 25th at the earliest.

PixyJunket

11-15-06, 12:57 PM

People are reporting that they're being told that the component cables won't ship until the 25th at the earliest.Fantastic. :(

Wait, the 25th is a Saturday. No makey sense.

Jeremy517

11-15-06, 01:00 PM

Yeah that date doesn't make sense. Orders are showing up as backordered though.

One guy said "All orders past #900 or so are backordered until the 25th", so maybe some of you will get lucky. After the GC component mess, you'd think they would have figured out that the demand would be big. Ugh.

Jeremy517

11-15-06, 01:14 PM

Some people with order numbers in the 900s say that their order shows up as processing. Mine shows up as backordered, so I guess I was late.

PixyJunket

11-15-06, 01:16 PM

What do you mean in the 900s? My order is in the 3000000s. -eek-

Jeremy517

11-15-06, 01:18 PM

I assume they mean either 3450900 or 3451900. Either way, I'm screwed, since I'm over 3452000. The order status seems like it is probably accurate, so check that.

dick_grayson

11-15-06, 01:20 PM

what kind of launch doesn't include component (or anything other than composite) with it? Nintendo should know better than this. $42 bones for a cable that should be included to begin with and now it won't be shipped any time soon? This is retarded.

PixyJunket

11-15-06, 01:26 PM

I'm at 34513xx. The order status isn't working for me at the moment.

PixyJunket

11-15-06, 01:27 PM

Joystiq posted some lame rant about how poorly the Wii handles mp3 playing..

I love the comments, they're all: "Who the fuck cares?" Word. :lol:

Ghym

11-15-06, 01:31 PM

My order says "preparing order". My order number started with 34513xx. So I'd guess maybe the "900's" mean the last 3 digits?

Jeremy517

11-15-06, 01:33 PM

My order says "preparing order". My order number started with 34513xx. So I'd guess maybe the "900's" mean the last 3 digits?

Ugh, that means I missed it by like 50. Here's hoping they underestimated their supply and have more than they thought.

Jeremy517

11-15-06, 01:36 PM

Joystiq posted some lame rant about how poorly the Wii handles mp3 playing..

I love the comments, they're all: "Who the fuck cares?" Word. :lol:

That is a slightly better than the reviews that complain about the lack of DVD playback (but both are complaints stupid). I've got like ten things in my house that play DVDs. I don't need an eleventh. Does anyone in the market for a Wii seriously not have a DVD player?

pinata242

11-15-06, 01:40 PM

Ugh, that means I missed it by like 50. Here's hoping they underestimated their supply and have more than they thought.
Or some credit cards get denied ahead of you :fc:

KurrptSenate

11-15-06, 01:45 PM

im sure this might interest some of you

here is the scanned booklet for Zelda : Twilight Princess. The quality is very good, actually

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v325/bigopinion/TPManual/?

UncleGramps

11-15-06, 01:45 PM

Just to provide another data point for this component cable situation, my order number is 34510xx and my status is currently "Preparing Order". I can live with composite for a little while if need be, but hopefully this order will go through.

PixyJunket

11-15-06, 01:51 PM

My order says "preparing order". My order number started with 34513xx. So I'd guess maybe the "900's" mean the last 3 digits?I'm in the middle of the 1300s so PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE let it ship today or tomorrow! :)

GoVegan

11-15-06, 02:07 PM

"Let's see. We sold 4,000,000 consoles and only 1,000 component cables. According to my preliminary research here, even less people are using component this generation than last. It's gone from 1% to .025%."

PixyJunket

11-15-06, 02:11 PM

Are people getting confirmation emails of their orders or are they just going by the online status?

Michael Corvin

11-15-06, 02:11 PM

Wow. This sucks. Mine says backordered as well. 34521xx here. Definitely cancelling if they don't ship this week.

I hope this shows nintendo what a demand there is for the friggin things. The system isn't even out and they are sold out?

eatntae

11-15-06, 02:12 PM

Wow, I guess I shouldn't have slept in. I just got my order in like 15 minutes ago with an order number of 34530xx. CSR said they had a lot of cables, but also a lot of orders, so he said that I'll most likely be in the second shipment. Oh well, it's still better than waiting for the cables to show up in store mid-December. Stupid Nintendo. Did they not realize people would want to play in 480p and 16:9 when they picked up their system?

Jeremy517

11-15-06, 02:13 PM

Are people getting confirmation emails of their orders or are they just going by the online status?

Your email should have an order number on it. Then go to the web site and view the order status. If you are lucky, you'll see "Processing". If you are unlucky, you'll see "Backordered".

Ghym

11-15-06, 02:16 PM

Are people getting confirmation emails of their orders or are they just going by the online status?

I haven't recieved an email since the initial one that confirmed I had placed on order. It said I would get another email once my order was processed, but I haven't recieve that one. I just looked online and that's where I got my status.

PixyJunket

11-15-06, 02:29 PM

Your email should have an order number on it. Then go to the web site and view the order status. If you are lucky, you'll see "Processing". If you are unlucky, you'll see "Backordered".I already said I couldn't access the order status. :(

I haven't recieved an email since the initial one that confirmed I had placed on order. It said I would get another email once my order was processed, but I haven't recieve that one. I just looked online and that's where I got my status.Cool. So I guess I just have to wait until I get home with decent internet to check.

So has anybody at or above 345135x gotten a good status? ;)

Jeremy517

11-15-06, 02:36 PM

So has anybody at or above 345135x gotten a good status? ;)

Ghym is in the 34513xxs and says his is processing. You'll probably be fine.

tpc

11-15-06, 03:21 PM

lopper

11-15-06, 03:28 PM

34517xx - Backordered

eatntae

11-15-06, 03:30 PM

Alright. So I called my local walmart about the Wii. Mine's only getting 30 units (possibly 33) That's a significant drop from the 53 I'd heard previously using that WiiSeeker thing. They're doing them on a first come, first serve wait in line basis.

For kicks and giggles, I asked about the PS3. The employee said that they are only getting 10 units (6 and 4) and that there are already 13 people lined up to get them.

"I tried to reason with them, but they wouldn't listen. Oh well, it's their time"
Yeah, that WiiSeeker listed every Walmart in my area as having exactly 53, and that just doesn't sound right. Although, the WiiSeeker does say that those are unconfirmed numbers. I really wonder about the Target numbers. Those were released a couple of weeks ago, and I'd like to kinow how reliable that information is.

steebo777

11-15-06, 03:31 PM

I just got off the phone with a Nintendo CSR, and asked about the backorder situation. He said earlier that the computers were stating 'Backordered', which was incorrect. He said that if I ordered by UPS Red I would have it this weekend, and if I ordered it Blue that it would probably arrive Monday. I know you can't always believe what everyone tells you, but I went ahead with it. Worst comes to worst and it is delayed more than a week, I'll just cancel.

This is such a bummer for me as I'm putting the Wii in my Home Theatre and I don't want to have to show it using a composite cable.

Order#3454xxx

Ghym

11-15-06, 03:44 PM

Well, my status still says "preparing order", but now it lists a UPS tracking number!

Binger

11-15-06, 03:48 PM

Mine say preparing order, but no tracking number. I'm in the 200s. We'll see.

Jeremy517

11-15-06, 03:59 PM

My order status has changed to Preparing Order, thank goodness. I don't want to get my hopes up, but I'm not as down (or annoyed) as before.

PixyJunket

11-15-06, 04:06 PM

Well, my status still says "preparing order", but now it lists a UPS tracking number!Sweet!! I can't wait to get home to check mine.

lopper

11-15-06, 04:14 PM

Mine's been changed to preparing order as well.

I just realized how pathetic I'm going to feel if come Sunday afternoon I'm sitting on my couch with the Wii component cables, an extra Wii controller, two Wii games, and no damn Wii console.

I'd convinced my girlfriend to wait in line with me either Saturday night or Sunday morning, but we may have to split up to maximize my potential for scoring one of these things.

Michael Corvin

11-15-06, 04:18 PM

but we may have to split up to maximize my potential for scoring one of these things.

That's obviously your best bet. Just promise her a special night out for helping you out.

Ghym

11-15-06, 04:20 PM

Well, my status still says "preparing order", but now it lists a UPS tracking number!

I just got the email from Nintendo that it's shipping.

Michael Corvin

11-15-06, 04:24 PM

Jeremy517

11-15-06, 04:26 PM

Incorrect order status on Nintendo's website + bad information from Nintendo CSRs + general nature of message boards == Mass hysteria that turns out to be unwarranted. Stupid sexy internet.

GoVegan

11-15-06, 04:43 PM

we may have to split up to maximize my potential for scoring one of these things.Good idea. I'm going to call off my engagement as long as you think that'll help me get a Wii on Sunday.

lordwow

11-15-06, 04:48 PM

grr. I ordered the DS/Wii Wifi thing which shipped on the 6th, but it still hasn't shown up.

Howiefan

11-15-06, 05:12 PM

Sweet! I just won a Wii pre-order with Rayman and Excite Trucks on Ebay. I'll get it the day after the launch and I only had to pay 100$ more than retail. Not too bad.

parrotheads4

11-15-06, 05:12 PM

Hello MICHAEL,

Thank you for shopping with Nintendo! We wanted to let you know that your
order has been shipped.

Online Status Tracking:

If you'd like, you may track your order online via Nintendo's on-line
membership program, My Nintendo.

To sign up for My Nintendo, please go to http://www.nintendo.com and
locate the log in fields in the upper left area of the web site. Enter
the temporary username and password provided in an earlier e-mail from
Nintendo, then click on "Log In". If you no longer have that e-mail, you
may retrieve your temporary username and password by using the Forgot
Password feature on My Nintendo.

Once you log in at the above web site, it will be necessary to select a new
username and password. You can write these down below in the space
provided. (Be sure to keep these in a safe place so no one else will know
your password!) Once you've updated your username and password, you can
then view all your order and subscription information online.

Your new username:
Your new password:

If you are not interested in creating a My Nintendo membership at this
time, you can still track the status of your order. Please visit
http://www.nintendo.com/cpp/orders/getOrders.do. You will need to enter
your order number and your zip/postal code. Your order number is provided
in the subject line of this e-mail. Please note that your tracking
information will not be available until your package has been received
and scanned by the carrier (UPS, FedEx, Purolator, etc).

If you have any questions or need to modify your order, please e-mail us at
noaorders@noa.nintendo.com. Please include your phone number in your
message in case our representative needs to contact you by phone.

If you'd like to reach us by phone, you may call our Consumer Service
Department at 1-800-255-3700. Representatives are available every day
between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. Pacific time. Our representatives can answer any
questions you have about products or shipping time. As this line can get
very busy, we recommend contacting us by e-mail first.

To view Nintendo's Return Policy or get answers to other order and shipping
questions, please visit http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/orders.jsp.

Thanks again for your order!

Sincerely,

Nintendo of America Inc.
Consumer Service Department

Yay me!


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