Seems to me like EB is making an educated guess with this one. This looks to be one of those fliers that EB emails out every week. It's missing a certain big game for the week of the 27th.

Agies

I wonder when the general public is going to get on Nintendo for nickel and diming people like this. $60 for a full set so you and your friends can all look like idiots flailing your arms around!

mpmaley

@Horseflesh: How long before MadCatz comes out with a 6 pack of these for $4.99?

You know, that's the first thing that came to my mind about this so I did a little bit of research (i.e. a 60 second google and eBay search.)

The cheapest one I can find retail is Gamestop or Intec's own brand for $10. On eBay they have tons of Chinese plastic for as low as $6 shipped.

What Nintendo may forget is that while soccer moms do buy extra garbage like this, they will try to get that crap as cheap as possible. I foresee third parties making a killing on Mario Kart.

Anyone remember that promo video that Nintendo did for Mario Kart where the bland people were all using Wii Wheels to play Mario Kart? Well that host(ess) must've had money to burn to spend an extra $45 on cheap plastic to have their friends come over and play just one game.

But whatever, I shall use the Gamecube controller or Classic controller and whichever works better will be used.

battra92

$15 for the Wii-Wheel? Oh on! How dare Nintendo charge such an exorbant amount of money for a useless shell that has no impact on gameplay and isn't even required in order to play the game in the first place.

Sheer LUNACY I tells ya!

TRT-X

So we can expect down here in old Australia land to pay $25 or so? So much for playing this at my mates place with the proper wheel. Please give me reasons to buy a Wii Nintendo, not shake my head.

el_rezzo

What a rip off! I'm furious!

I'll take 4 please!

IronsUK

I wouldn't spend $5 on that piece

mikeeb13

Amazon are touting them at £9.98 on amazon.co.uk :| thats closer to $20 for us then...bad times.....

Gypsie

The wheel actually costs Nintendo 99 cents to manufacture. The extra 14 dollars is the "Soccer Mom tax."

Funnydale

Okay, can I have the Zapper now for $15 as well, minus the totally superfluous Zelda disc?

I'm aware the Zapper itself is a tad superfluous, but I find it awesome for one thing: its a good, safe place to store my nunchucks for the days and sometimes weeks when I'm not using them as much (even before smash my Classic Controller spent more time in WiiMote #1 than the chuks, why lie?), plus it makes playing a quick game of Ghost Squad/Hot2+3 way more convenient/quick for when people drop by and play.

I need more not-Zombie shooters for the Wii though, my Fiancee' loves arcade light gun style games but is freaked out by zombies. Cmon Sega, you've got another what, 300 light gun games in your genesis+Saturn+DC+arcade catalog? Just write some kind of standard old school lightgun->WiiMote pointing converter and start giving me Light-Gun Pack games now, before my dollars go elsewhere!

Sorry that veered so very far off topic, agreed the wheel is a dodgy accessory at best. But then I got too hyped at launch and bought that totally garbage UbiSoft Racing game that already came with one, so if I get MK:Wii I'm already "set" :P

DaiMacculate

Damn OPEC and their price fixing on Petroleum, and double damn Gamestop for their greed.

xbandaidx

@Horseflesh:
Not sure, but you know after one use they'll fall apart.

DariusEnigma

How long before MadCatz comes out with a 6 pack of these for $4.99?

Horseflesh

No thanks. For $15, I can pitch and roll my controller just fine on my own.

Captain Impulse

You'd be surprised. Having worked at their stores for a while, people love this crap. Those wii sport plastic shells sold a ton, especially the 34.99 NERF sets.

scottyboy218

That's not too bad, I guess, but I'll be playing this game with my Wavebirds, thanks.

btnheazy03

Gamecube controler for me, thank you

Arboris

Are you kidding!! $15 for a piece of plastic to pretend your driving some bizarre hovercar!! BARGAIN!!

excel_excel

In the UK venerable nintendo magazine Ngamer (nee Super Play/N64/NGC) is giving away a free Wii wheel with it's next issue, on sale April 23rd. PAL gamers you know what to do.

11redder

Nintendo has got it figured out; with that money you're saving by picking the Wii over the Xbox360 or PS3, can buy accessories that'll only be used for one game.

Heyyou27

@battra92: 6 bucks?! I will have nothing but the finest lead-coated Chinese plastic for MY guests!

Horseflesh

Is this a surprise? I mean the Wii is a rip off, most of it's current games are a rip off. And soon we will have $15 steering wheels and $90 balance boards. Go Nintendo!

xgenius

This works out well for me, because I usually just set my money on fire.

Mr. Fap☆Fap!

@battra92: To be honest I likely will too, but I was still *previously* planning on picking up an extra three wheels for those times when I have a bunch of semi-to-non gamers over that won't be as scared of the big toy-like wheel.

Horseflesh

I think this is more practical than the craptastic iPod cases that sell for $30. The truth on all this crap is that as long as someone pays for it they will keep selling them at this price.

xibis

the most overpriced thing is still the official guitar for the wii. $69.99!!!!!! are you kidding me? It plugs into the remote so it's pretty much a classic controller, yet they think that is worth $69.99 somehow. Tell me how.
People will still buy these like crazy tho, at least until the great wii consumer eye opener of 2010 where the spells placed on the wiis wear off and everyone comes to their senses and notices the terrible graphics and gimmicky gameplay.

Grumps

@Heyyou27: "...money you're saving by picking the Wii over the Xbox360 or PS3, can buy accessories that'll only be used for one game."

Except that the Wheel adds nothing new. So it can be used with any racing game that has the player hold the remote on it's side.

This would be ExciteTruck, NfS, a few of the earlier Wii racers (the ones that came with their own 3rd party wheels), and I would guess most any Wii racer on the market.

@olliverkirby: It's sad how true that is. And people gobble it right up. It's really nothing new or exclusive to Nintendo.

TRT-X

@Horseflesh: I'll be having my guests use Gamecube controllers or naked wiimotes.

battra92

Apple products are worse, $30 for plastic sleeves

olliverkirby

It's enough to make you think that Nintendo doesn't really love you and want you to be happy, sitting on top of a rainbow unicorn in lollipopopolis.

If I didn't know better, I'd say they were almost acting like a giant multinational electronics retailer.

Steel_Pelican

@Fenris Wolf: Bullshit. Excite Truck came with a freaking wheel. Besides, tilting the remote on it's long side works regardless of the orientation of the remote's face. This wheel will work for all other games that let you steer using the remote.

Agies

@Fenris Wolf: you can use the tennis racket if you really wanted, they're just plastic shells.

Grumps

Metriod Prime 3 $30 used that's worth picking up.
If I was Nintendo I'd sell plastic wheels for $15 also. People want to buy them, if Nintendo didn't sell them intec and Madcatz would.

Kinburn

@TRT-X: Excite Truck steers by having the Wiimote back face down, unlike Mario Kart Wii which has the Wiimote back toward the TV. So no, the Wii Wheel would not work with Excite Truck, and maybe not most racers.

Fenris Wolf

@TRT-X:
Upside down worked I tried it before but steering like the mario picture not well. That's the first thing people do when playing excite truck. It worked a bit but you couldn't steer well enough to finish the game. It doesn't offer as fine control as titling on the right Axis.

Kinburn

You guys will love this. This flyer is up in stores now. Ten feet to the left of this flyer, Wii wheels are on the wall for $9.99.

LINK: [www.gamestop.com]

Yagami_Light

I love it. The strategy guide sells for 19.99 and no outrage, but the 14.99 wheel is setting Kotaku's hair on fire.

Don't buy either, obviously. This is pretty much a tax on parents with multiple children.

DrFresh

@excel_excel: Hahaha, I guess that makes the purchase worth it. :P

eskimo-bob

OMG! X Dollars! That's way too much for Y!!!!

It seems especially ironic to complain since most of you have already written off the wheel for MK, despite good reviews and the approval of people who have actually tried it out?

Even if it is 10 bucks, it doesn't seem like they are getting your money....

tincow

@Kinburn: "You have to tilt the controller side to side to steer in excite truck with the buttons facing up."

Would the orientation of the buttons actually matter? One would think that whatever registers the tilt is based on the front of the remote's position in relation to the back.

Try this experiment. Flip the wiimote upside down (buttons facing floor) and try to steer. I bet it'll work with no problem.

And heck, I recall playing ExciteTruck and holding the wiimote with a slight tilt (similiar to how Mario and company hold the wheel in pictures) and it worked just fine.

TRT-X

Well if this little piece of plastic costs $15, then hows about Nintendo offers the game-only for $35?

JasonSuave

@Agies: No it didn't.Monster 4x4: World Circuit did.

KM91

Agies-Excite Truck didn't come with a wheel. The Ubisoft Monster 4X4: World Circut game did. You have to tilt the controller side to side to steer in excite truck with the buttons facing up. The steering wheel will not work with it.

Kinburn

Having played the game with the wheel, I'm kind of appalled by all the haterade spewing from people who haven't so much as touched it. The extremely picky reviewers at Eurogamer claim that it really adds to the gameplay experience, and their word ought to be enough for anybody. That said, $9.99 would be a better price than $14.99...but still, it's insane that people are freaking out as if Nintendo was forcing them to buy (and use) an inflatable sex doll shaped like their mom or sister...

Johnny_Clueless

i think the bigger issue here is that the price for kart wii has been revealed, and its a standard wii game price. nintendo could have easily charged $59.99 for the game, in fact i was expecting something like that. the shipping costs must be higher since they have to ship millions of boxes, not just cases.

sitsalot

@Agies:

Actually you're thinking of some other launch game that was incredibly crappy. So crappy I can't remember it's name.

I think it was a Burnout game?

Mr. Fap☆Fap!

@TRT-X:
You tilt towards you only when you land to get a boost/turbo landing. The tutorials is really en depth in teaching all the extra moves in the game. Try the extra tutorials to learn all of them.

Kinburn

@snowlock: You forget to mention which gaming shorthand governing body you represent there...oh thats right, no such organization exists or would matter if it did exist ;)

DaiMacculate

Snowlock, you're not the boss of acronyms.

poopyloopy

sorry for the double post, but kill the mk:wii chatter.
this post is about mario kart for the wii, not mortal kombat.

the latter series is abbreviated with the acronym mk, the previous is not.

snowlock

of course that's too much money, but it doesn't really matter.
there's no way i'd buy the thing if it didn't come with the game anyway.
it adds no functionality and, to me, looks pretty goofy.

snowlock

@Kinburn: Interesting. At least now I have an excuse for why I was having troubles.

Is there a function assigned to tilting the remote towards you (as MK has you hold it)? That might explain it.

TRT-X

The Wii Wheel on its own is selling for £6.99 in the UK according to Gameplay.co.uk
Link: [shop.gameplay.co.uk]

Travezy

Meh meh meh meh meh.

Is the Wii Wheel going to make playing Mario Kart $15 dollars more enjoyable? I can't see me really feeling that much different, plastic attachment or not. I don't know how there's even a market for some of this stuff, seriously.

@snowlock: I think it's pretty easy to figure out which game is being discussed based on context. Pre-lawsuit, if you mentioned Rowdy Roddy Piper or the Undertaker, chances are you weren't talking about the World Wildlife Fund.

MarquisMark

@Kinburn: Thanks for the tip. But I'll admit I have only played it a few times in passing and none to recently. That's why I wasn't certain on the controls.

TRT-X

You people forget about the fact that the US Dollar is hardly worth the paper it's printed on these days. 2 years ago the Wheel would have cost $1.99. A dropping dollar is not good for imported products made with child-slave labor.

cowboyshootist

Uhhh ... I don't think this is even worth a dollar. If you have proof that you bought the game, they should just hand these out.

kupoporo

I'm skipping MarioKart, looks more like an expansion pack to the Gamecube game. The plastic wheel is just ridiculous.

jacksons98

Couldn't I just imagine a wheel instead? Saves myself a bundle and at least gives my mind something to do besides focus on the race.

Umandsf

@Omnimon: is NOT, even. :)

Omnimon

Big deal. Overpriced plastic is a new story.

Omnimon

They're only charging that much because they know people are stupid enough to pay that much. If no one buys it for $15, the price will drop fast. That won't happen though. I'm sure there will be plenty of idiots who run out and buy 3 of them at $15 each.

I don't really care what it costs though, because I'll be using a Gamecube controllers. If I have more then one friend who actually wants to use that stupid wheel, they can buy their own.

mrplow8

I agree with toyrobo, this seems right in line with the rest of nintendo's first party accessories. I am surprised that people are complaining this much about a 15 dollar wheel when Nintendo has been screwing us over on game boy redesigns and accessories for years. It also doesn't seem like a bad idea to have friends chip in for it...you know, buying 4 of these wheels separately costs as much as only one extra 360 controller...

jimmy5150

@Grumps:

Grumps my man, words truer have never been spoken here. $70 for a guitar hero controller that has been severely stripped of it's insides since the Wiimote you plug it into does most of the work is just ludicrous. Activision can rot in hell for their over-priced plastic piece of garbage.

Back on topic. I figured the Wii Wheel wouldn't be cheap. But I didn't think the people that would be smart enough to not buy it (people on this forum) would want one anyways. I liked using my bare wiimote for Excite truck and I'm not sure how much of an extra experience the Wii Wheel gives anyways. But who knows, maybe it'll become cheaper a year from now and then I'll buy 3 extra pairs

NeoAkira

@Arboris: I really want to use the motion controls, since it is specifically designed for that. However, for 15 bucks, I might let my wife use the wheel, and I'll just stick with a Wiimote on its side.

Benjo

It'll, compared to the nunchuck and classic controller the price seems right in line. Even though it is just a chunk of plastic. Anyone with sense will buy a 2rd party one off ebay for $2 though.

t0yrobo

Hahahahah, I thought the piece of trash $9 wheel I bought was a gigantic ripoff, based on the fact the wheel concept sucks anyways. I can't even play Excite Truck in the wii condom.

dynendal

The thing is, is that this is still far less than going out and finding a new Wavebird controller (which if you havn't noticed are getting more and more expensive) for those of us who never bothered with the Gamecube and thus do not have GC Controls, but do have the requisite 4 Wii controls for parties.

I agree, the game will probably be better played on a GC controller, but when the Wii controls are all you have...

darthfergie

How much does it cost to just look at the flyer? :S

f0cus

@TRT-X: I don't think it can be used with Excite Truck (that's the only racing game I have ... came with the Costco Wii bundle ... ), since the steering is in a different axis. You know, the one that actually makes sense if you don't have a wheel shell to strap the controller into. Well. You could use the wheel, but steering would be a bit unnatural.

shimage

Nintendo is really never going to make the 'best-of' version of any game using a controller again -- they haven't done it that way in over a decade. They make a living off of trying new things and competing on novelty and innovation.

So go buy one of the numerous, cool racing games that use a regular controller if that's what you want. That's where you'll get the best version of that experience anyway. I don't really understand people who say the wheel is trash -- it's the defining feature!

A company finally tries something new, like everyone pretends is what they want, and then there's bitching aplenty. Classic example of why forumers don't really represent the actual market very well.

DrFresh

My solution,

Step one : Go to brothers house.

Step two : Rip steering wheel off my nieces electric "Barbie Jeep".

Step three : Go home and duct-tape Wii controller to wheel.

PROBLEM SOLVED!

Acute Gamer

For 15 bucks you could probably purchase that UbiSoft monster trucks game, and not only have a perfectly good wheel (if its the same as the on in GT pro series, which it should be) but also a pretty decent (from what I heard, mind you) game.

Steer the eff away from GT Pro Series though. I have no idea why it entered my house but its there on my game shelf. The game isn't bad but the 10 minutes it takes to find the only control setting that isn't wonky and the 20 minutes it takes to become completely used to said control setting isn't worth it. The wheel is awesome tho, I use it all the time in the WarioWare driving microgames and the Starfox one =D

Lijik

I hope it is at least branded with Nintendo's "SEAL OF GIMMICK".

risingphoenix

@Horseflesh: I was at $5 Below the other day and they had tons of Wii peripherals there, including wheels, for $5/each. SLIGHTLY better deal, I suppose.

razorangelwings

for $15 i can see boobies and then some... ¬.¬

King Seafoam

Hasn't this been available for some time now? I could've sworn I saw it at Wal Mart a couple months ago. The wheel, that is.

Peronthious

Can we PLEASE buy the game separate?

I'm hating Nintendo more by the day. Friend codes, letting in a ton of "casual" gamers who aren't quite real gamers, screwing people over with the Wii Wheel, inserting those warnings into EVERY GAME about putting the strap on, even games where there's no motion control. And people will still buy their stuff, and they know that.

We might as well all just boycott the game until they make the Wii less gimmicky. There's still Double Dash, and it's not like Bikes are going to revolutionize the game the same way Double Dash did, and the graphics aren't terrible.

Codexx

I was at Meijer (regional chain store) today, and gfm (the generic electronic brand) has one for $9.99, which is still an exorbitant amount. But demographics of a Wii family include whiny kids and parents with disposable income, so hey, why not?

Marion517

Who cares? If you don't want to buy the wheel, then don't buy it. Quite frankly, I'm sick of every Kotaku post about Mario Kart Wii bitching about the wheel that's ENTIRELY OPTIONAL. The game comes with the wheel, use it if you want to, chuck it if you don't.

OMGitsDarkMatter

A "shortage" that has lasted 1.5 years and now junk accessories that cost more than 10 times their worth.

I can say is that this is just plain greedy and unacceptable.

fenderfuel08

The "sold seperately" in that ad must mean to imply that the wheel *and* the remote are $15.00. It's confusing. I bet that's why it was pulled.

mechawatts

@DrFresh:

yeah, and your post proves that nintendo fanboys don't represent it either, considering that it seems like no one agrees with you.

SoulPunch

And people were largely suggesting $5 for Prey on Steam was too much. Are any of you really that surprised with this info?

Replica23

There are more than enough people who are happily willing to pay $15 for that wheel, and Nintendo knows it.

PlaidNinja

@darthfergie: The thing is, is that this is still far less than going out and finding a new Wavebird controller (which if you havn't noticed are getting more and more expensive)

Yeah, I actually let Nintendo (or at least the CS person) know that I would like to see the Wavebird rereleased (or a newer "Wii version" or whatever.

Though, there's always the Thrustmaster T-Wireless which I am looking at as a Wavebird alternative and because when playing Nights last night I got a little frustrated with my Gamecube controller's 8 way panel.

battra92

I'm surprised at all the outrage over $15 measly dollars. I'm sure each of your friends can afford to cough up $15 bucks. Eating out today costs way more than that and imagine all the fun you would have with this (not to mention the time spent at it if it is done right). I make more than $15 bucks in the time it takes me to take a dump, give me a break.

NeVeRMoRe666

I'm sure my mom will use the Wii Wheel when she plays with me but you don't need it to do the motion control version anyway. All it is, is a plastic shell =s

MidnightScott17

haha im just gonna use the second wii wheel that come bundled with forza motorsport and my wii, traded it in and they didn't even ask for the wheel back :P but 15$? thats ridiculous, you could get someone to fabricate you one for cheaper than that.

Tycus