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NEWS: Wii Mini to Be Offered While Wii U Sells 400,000 in U.S.




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enurtsol



Joined: 01 May 2007
Posts: 14893
PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:37 am Reply with quote
IIRC, Nintendo sold 475,000 Wii in the same timeframe 6 years ago, though then it wasn't selling 300,000 of its previous console along with it. But there's definitely not that "customer waiting list" phenomenon in retail stores this time around.
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Son-kun



Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 345
PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2012 4:41 am Reply with quote
The Wii U is a neat system with some unique features and interface, but once the novelty gets sinked into place, you're really left with the feeling that is what Nintendo should've released 6 years ago. The tablet controller, in my opinion, is a much far more interesting concept than motion technology. It works well with the portable consoles and it's no different here. The weight isn't bad at all either. The only three problems I have with the system so far is that it might be highly likely that the tablet controller will be underutilized. Most third party games (as of the moment) are ports of existing games on much cheaper consoles that, as expected, don't really use the tablet controller in any unique ways to enhance gameplay experience. A lack of a party chat option that I think should be the standard for the online console gaming community in any platform.

Overall, I had more fun with the Miiverse app than I did playing through Mario Bros. U. The community is great and the vileness that the internet is known is practically nonexistent, at least from my hands-on with it. Nintendo's got a lot to work on if they expect the console to succeed. They really need to push their internal development teams to produce games at a slightly faster rate with both new IPs and returns to forgotten franchises (F-Zero and Starfox primarily come to mind, but there's likely more) being the priority. Continue to invest in third party developers like they did with Monolithsoft, Mistwalker, and Ganbarion. Getting Platinum Games on board is the smartest thing I've seen them do.
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Danette-Anime-Otaku



Joined: 09 Feb 2011
Posts: 115
PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2012 9:33 am Reply with quote
Wait, the system hasn't even been released in Japan yet!? Why would NA and Europe get the system before Japan, the home of Nintendo?
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Polycell



Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Posts: 4623
PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2012 10:37 am Reply with quote
Given that the NA release needs a multi-hour update that can easily brick your system, I'd say it's that they were trying to make sure the home market got the most polished version possible.
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zensunni



Joined: 05 Mar 2010
Posts: 1294
PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2012 11:07 am Reply with quote
Danette-Anime-Otaku wrote:
Wait, the system hasn't even been released in Japan yet!? Why would NA and Europe get the system before Japan, the home of Nintendo?

Two words:

Black Friday
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walw6pK4Alo



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 9322
PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2012 11:37 am Reply with quote
It still can't play DVDs, let alone BDs, right? Adding that capability in might have seen a big increase in sales. Hell, the Wii didn't even play CDs. I know that it was for vidya gaems, but multifuctionality and possibly limiting how many devices you have/need is a way to sell a console. It worked well for the PS2.
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Mesonoxian Eve



Joined: 10 Jan 2012
Posts: 1858
PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:24 pm Reply with quote
walw6pK4Alo wrote:
It still can't play DVDs, let alone BDs, right?

Right. It's still using its own proprietary drive.
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kakoishii



Joined: 16 Jul 2008
Posts: 741
PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:48 pm Reply with quote
walw6pK4Alo wrote:
It still can't play DVDs, let alone BDs, right? Adding that capability in might have seen a big increase in sales. Hell, the Wii didn't even play CDs. I know that it was for vidya gaems, but multifuctionality and possibly limiting how many devices you have/need is a way to sell a console. It worked well for the PS2.

Well, you couldn't really have expected it to play BDs could you? Why would they pay their competitor (sony) just for the option to use their technology? Though the no dvd is kind of ridiculous considering every other console since 2000 has had the dvd player option on their system.
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R315r4z0r



Joined: 30 Aug 2007
Posts: 717
PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2012 1:05 pm Reply with quote
This Wii Mini thing is really stupid imo. I bought a Wii U and it's really awesome.

But this Wii Mini is dumb since it is a scaled back version of the original Wii. Wii was already weak to begin with... now it doesn't play GCN games or have internet?

The system still requires a sensor bar, which is something that makes moving the console around slightly more difficult. So making a small version of this really doesn't make any sense to me...

Honestly, this is probably not one of the smartest things Nintendo has done.


As for the Wii U, it uses its own Nintendisc drive. Their discs are apparently able to hold up to about 25GB. I do agree that it is dumb to not be able to play DVDs, since I actually use my Xbox as my primary DVD player in my room.
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ShindoW



Joined: 21 May 2009
Posts: 88
Location: TX
PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2012 3:06 pm Reply with quote
I would've considered a purchase if it had internet, at least then you could play mutilplayer (online) like MK and AC.
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potatochobit



Joined: 26 Aug 2009
Posts: 1373
Location: TEXAS
PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2012 5:28 pm Reply with quote
this is a joke, but they could have got rid of wifi but still kept an ethernet port which would have cost them pennies
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Mesonoxian Eve



Joined: 10 Jan 2012
Posts: 1858
PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2012 5:56 pm Reply with quote
R315r4z0r wrote:
... now it doesn't play GCN games or have internet?

I laughed when I read this. The Wii without internet is still the Wii with internet. Aside from bilking customers by selling "classic" games at ridiculous prices, internet connectivity was pointless.

In short: no loss without it.

Once more details starting coming out for the Wii U, I've pretty much had no choice but to say "goodbye" to Nintendo. We've grown apart. I don't begrudge them (much) of their decision to chase after a new audience, but it really steams me they've pretty much allowed themselves the opportunity to alienate those who helped put the brand on the map with the first two versions.

Even with my new console of choice, the 360, it's absolutely evident my role as a "gamer only" is going to be put to the test with the next gen Xbox.

If I'm not prepared to open my wallet and spill out its contents for overpriced songs, movies, and games, Microsoft looks to dismiss me with the wave of their virtual hand in exchange for those who gleefully pay those prices.

Anyone up for a game of Chess? Wink
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partially



Joined: 14 Oct 2007
Posts: 702
Location: Oz
PostPosted: Thu Nov 29, 2012 1:41 am Reply with quote
zensunni wrote:

Two words:

Black Friday


And those two little words also say that the 400k sales aren't really that good. Given that it is released just before a huge shopping event; it is based on a pedigree that is part of the vast majority of US households; and yet it still didn't do as well as its predecessor, obviously the confidence isn't with this one. Will be interesting to see whether it picks up significantly.
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