Man, Nintendo don’t tell us anything anymore. They don’t answer our calls, ignore us on Facebook chat – the works. We didn’t even know that the new redesigned Wii was coming to Australia. We only found out when Vooks alerted us to the Nintendo website.
As you may already know, the new Nintendo comes minus a stand and is designed to lay on its back. The new Wii also lacks Gamecube compatibility for both the games and the accessories, meaning you can’t play Smash Bros with the Gamecube controller.
It will be available in Australia mid October packaged with Mario Kart Wii, a Wii Wheel, Nunchuk and Wii Remote Plus. It retails at $199.95.
Chuloopa
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 9:22 AMSooo… the newer version is a much more inferior version at the same price??
On top of that they are snubbing the people that can help them promote such a thing (although why they would want to is beyond me)
Rrrriiighhhttt….
You know, there’s a Nintendo Head Office around the corner from my mum’s place – just give me the word and i’ll go over there and have a “chat” to them for you, Mark.
*Wink*
Ry34
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 9:26 AMI could understand if this was cheaper, but same price with less features? pffft. no thanks
Vergas
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 9:26 AM…Why would someone buy this?
Stevorooni
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 9:28 AMMaybe they will release an upgrade pack to “update” our old Wiis to the new model.
It will consist of a bin to put our vertical stand in, and some superglue to glue the gamecube port cover shut.
RRP: $49
Joshy206
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 9:30 AMWhat are the benefits of this thing? Especially with the Wii U coming soon…
TheLastQuestion
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 9:31 AMI’ll keep my shiny red 25th Mario Anniversary Wii thanks. It gets more playtime from my Gamecube games than my Wii games.
McGarnical
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 9:32 AMIt’s like someone knocked my Wii over and broke it!
Chimpanzee That!
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 5:36 PMMaybe they think that gimping the GameCube support will restrict consumers into purchasing the Wii exclusive shovelware bullshit.
Only on Nintendo.
Lone Wolf
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 9:32 AM…maybe Nintendo didn’t tell the gaming websites because they were trying to sneak a wii which is cheaper to manufacture out the door without anyone noticing.
The price is also a bit iffy. Do standard Wii retail at $200 now? I thought RRP was still $250-$300.
SirSplatterfest
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 10:54 AMYou can pick up wii bundles for $118 easily. Why would anyone pay $200?
thxultra
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 12:05 PMI see’em selling for sub-$150 with a game!
[doa]
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 9:47 AMI’m assuming that there’s still no digital audio out?
And HDMI would just be a joke.
Andrew
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 9:52 AMCalling it now: When the old models are all sold, the “new” Wii will drop to $100-$150.
Craig
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 10:05 AMSince when did Nintendo copy Sony?
bigkid
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 1:12 PMThis is worse than Sony, at least Sony publicly announced it
N0NEoftheAB0VE
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 10:06 AMObviously they’ve not observed the smashing success of the PSPGo.
TSH
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 10:22 AMSo, basically they’re swapping out GCN compatibility (which, let’s be honest, almost nobody who actually owns a Wii really uses) for a better bundled game and Wii-mote housing to suit.
Interesting choice, and clearly one aimed at extra profit margins. I’m not sure I agree with the tactic though. People who buy a Wii are generally still quite happy with Wii Sports / Sports Resort/Plus / whatever. What they *really* want is to play with one another. IMHO the better package would have been “gimped” Wii with 1GB of storage (rather htan 512MB); Wii Sports Plus/Resort; TWO Wiimote Plus; ZERO nunchucks.
People can play straight away with one another, there’s an incentive to buy a nunchuck or two, but more importantly there will be many more Wiimote Plus out there for when Wii U is released.
but that’s my 2c.
Chuloopa
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 10:46 AMI use it rather regularly, actually
weresmurf
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 11:07 AMSame. Mario Kart DD I find majorly fun with my kid. RE remake as well. Many games we have for the GC I still play. Just because you don’t use it Op don’t lump ‘everyone’ in with the generalisation.
McGarnical
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 11:06 AM“GCN compatibility (which, let’s be honest, almost nobody who actually owns a Wii really uses)”
I think that statement is far more controversial than you realise.
HindenLagen the Undamned
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 11:19 AMMy Wii always has a GCN memory card and GCN controller inserted.
Zingi
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 11:20 AMspeak for yourself! I play more gamecube games than wii games on my wii. I had to retire my gamecube when I got a new TV cabinet and I couldn’t fit the gamecube in it (it would just fit but I couldn’t open the disk tray because of it’s design)
There are still more quality games on the gamecube then there are on the wii sadly.
JK
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 12:27 PM“There are still more quality games on the gamecube then there are on the wii sadly.”
Ain’t that the sad truth :/
WiseHacker
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 12:00 PM“GCN compatibility (which, let’s be honest, almost nobody who actually owns a Wii really uses)”
I think you need to check your facts, clearly they are off. And many people own a Wii – despite your sentence implying otherwise.
Christian
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 12:27 PMI have more gc games. I still buy gc games! Still played!
Unicron
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 12:49 PM(which, let’s be honest, almost nobody who actually owns a Wii really uses)
What a stupid statement.
I play, Eternal Darkness, Wind Waker, RE remakes, Mario Kart and pretty much every GC game i own on it.
Why have 2 consoles with more cords when you can have one that fits better in the entertainment unit.
Sam
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 1:12 PMNot to mention people like me, who never owned a GCN and were gifted a Wii use the GCN’s compatability as a way to explore the back catalogue of great GCN games I missed.
Gladice
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 1:27 PMThis. Also, playing Brawl with a wii controller is awful.
DeeK
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 1:24 PMSpotted a problem with your package suggestion. Sports Resort needs a nunchuk for some sports. Therefore, they’d have to include it in the package.
Astrogirl
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 3:21 PMWe too are regular users of the Gamecube feature. In fact, we play more GC games than wii ones lately. Kiddo has even been asking for some new GC games for his 14th birthday next month! Its been a great way to introduce him to some “older” games. Particularly ones like Mario Sunshine, Wind Waker etc that aren’t available on other platforms. He loves them. Its a shame Nintendo will be getting rid of the feature.
Daniel
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 10:24 AMO yeah, I so want this hahaha
MrBs
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 11:21 AMI’m going to have to pick up a PAL wii at some point for the RPS’s my US model can’t play :(
Hopefully it will go super cheap after christmas.
Batguy
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 11:47 AMYou may want to consider investigating softmods, because you really don’t want to reward them for their jerk move of region protecting all software on the Wii. One of the pieces of non-pirating homebrew software lets you run original disc foreign region Wii and GCN games. It’s how I play my US ‘cube games on my Wii!
doubleDizz
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 11:57 AMin short; DUMB MOVE.
JK
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 12:24 PMDamn it Nintendo have you seriously lost the plot?
Luke
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 1:01 PMNintendo PR in Australia has always sucked.
Aaron
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 1:14 PMSame price, less features.
Stay classy Nintendo.
bc
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 1:34 PMterrible, simply terrible
Kai
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 2:26 PMMy Wii was one of the first to arrive in the country and it’s always been on it’s side in my presence. I don’t know why anyone bothers with the stand; it looks stupid.
meaculpa
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 7:21 PMSome of us actually have to have it standing because of space constraints, dumbdumb.
angelofdev
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 2:38 PMWith something like this I soon expect to see Pizza Hut selling $8 pizza without the pizza, all you get is the box. Bargain.
McGarnical
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 2:40 PMIn my experience, boxes are usually empty, or maybe with a little cheese stuck to the top. And one time, pepperoni. What a day that was!
Jesse
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 10:15 PMNintendo is a joke fullstop.
This does not surprise me in the slightest.
Rilian
Sunday, October 16, 2011 at 7:55 PMA joke who, despite all their ‘bad decisions,’ out sells both xBox and Playstation and has forced both the above companies to alter their view on gaming.