Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Nintendo Announces $99 Wii Mini For US Release

Posted by Soulskill on from the if-at-first-you-succeed-try-try-again dept.

Zothecula writes "Nintendo recently announced that it was ceasing all production of its original Wii video game console. It seemed as if it had run its course, and Nintendo was shifting 100 percent of its focus to the floundering Wii U. Turns out, the Japanese company had other plans, announcing that its previously Canada-exclusive $99 Wii Mini is making its way to the U.S. 'The $99 price has been neglected in this product generation, but in the past, it has been a very successful price for game consoles. More than half of the volume of machines in the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 generations sold at the $99 or under price."

107 of 147 comments (clear)

  1. Great! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now I can get a Wii that takes up less room in my closet.

    1. Re:Great! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1
      Why don't you just come out of the closet?

      Then you can stop pretending, buy a Mac and be who you really want to be.

    2. Re:Great! by davidbrit2 · · Score: 1

      This is a great way to make your Wii collect less dust (what with the reduced surface area and all).

  2. What's the point? by mrchaotica · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It's barely smaller than the regular Wii (it can't be, since it has to be big enough to fit a DVD), it does less, and costs pretty much the same. Why not just keep selling the regular Wii?

    --

    "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

    1. Re: What's the point? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Because they can make this one cheaper, duh. Why do companies ever do anything?

    2. Re:What's the point? by Nrrqshrr · · Score: 1

      It's a marketing stunt to spark interest. I don't have one, nor was I ever that interested in it, but when I read the /. headline, the first thought that came to my mind was "I might as well buy one now".

    3. Re:What's the point? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      this one is also lacking the ports needed to softmod the machine.

    4. Re:What's the point? by TWiTfan · · Score: 4, Funny

      I don't have one, nor was I ever that interested in it

      Ironically, that's the marketing slogan of the Wii U.

      --
      The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
    5. Re:What's the point? by alen · · Score: 1

      might buy it for the kids

    6. Re:What's the point? by TWiTfan · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You can buy a used Wii for a lot cheaper, and it doesn't come gimped.

      --
      The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
    7. Re:What's the point? by mwvdlee · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I never quite understood the Wii U.

      The Wii was a cheap console with novel controllers and fun, cartoony games.
      The Wii U is... what? A Wii with the same dated graphics in HD (extra sharp polygon edges?) and a crippled tablet?

      --
      Slashdot social media options: AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, Jabber and Mobile Text. Why no MySpace?
    8. Re:What's the point? by DarKnyht · · Score: 1

      Mostly because they shut all the internet enabled channels with the exception of the Wii Shop Channel. The Wii Mini removes all that from the menu along with the network adapter.

      --
      Voting them all out of office, now that's change I can believe in.
    9. Re:What's the point? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I recently picked up a referb WII and picked it up for less then the "gimped" version.

      Plus as i posted above, its hard to find the "classic" in Canada.

    10. Re:What's the point? by sandytaru · · Score: 1

      That was the same thought I had as well. I decided to hold off on a PS4 because they'll lop off a hundred dollars in a year, but a Wii might actually be a reasonable investment. I blame my parents for starting me on that pattern - I was stuck playing an Atari 7800 until around 1992.

      --
      Occasionally living proof of the Ballmer peak.
    11. Re:What's the point? by Hadlock · · Score: 1

      More importantly, it doesn't have internet access, which blows my mind. Why include Mario Kart Wii when you can't do internet play with it? In 2013? Are they serious?

      --
      moox. for a new generation.
    12. Re:What's the point? by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 1

      I stopped playing online Mario Kart when blatant cheating became the norm.

      Have they fixed it yet?

      --
      I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
    13. Re:What's the point? by blackraven14250 · · Score: 3, Informative

      What? Pokemon saved the N64? What console are you talking about? You know the only Pokemon games for N64 were Pokemon Stadium 1+2, Puzzle League and Pokemon Snap, right? All games that were released well after most of the the N64 killer games, Super Mario 64, Ocarina of Time, Mario Kart, Goldeneye, Smash Bros...hell, the best selling of the Pokemon games, Pokemon Stadium 1, didn't even beat Diddy Kong Racing in sales.

    14. Re:What's the point? by _merlin · · Score: 5, Informative

      Oh come on. N64 had Golden Eye, Turok, various Star Wars games, Mario 64, a decent Star Fox game, some good Zeldas, and even Pokemon Snap was a unique rails shooter.

    15. Re:What's the point? by pr0fessor · · Score: 1

      I thought what limped the N64 along was that the cartridges ran so much smoother than the DVDs... I had PS2 that only worked if you held it at the right angle.

    16. Re:What's the point? by RogueyWon · · Score: 1

      It doesn't even have the usual argument in its favour that stripped-down versions of consoles put out after their successor appear usually have; back compatibility.

      The Wii-U's back compatibility with Wii games is very good. Not quite perfect (one or two titles are ever so slightly glitchy), but certainly good. On a par with the PS1 back-compatibility on the PS2, certainly. I don't like much about Nintendo (region locking, online restrictions, attitudes to IP that would make Sony blush, game pricing, general arrogance and paternalist ethos), but back-compatibility is one thing they consistently do right.

      One of the reasons the PS2 continued to sell so well after the PS3 release was that unless you moved quickly and got a first-generation Japanese or US model, the PS3 basically didn't do back compatibility. Sure, there have been HD-remasters and the PSN "PS2 Classics" range - but those involve paying again for what you may already own. If you had a large library of PS2 games and your PS2 failed, then having a cheapo-stripped down version of the PS2 available to buy as new was a fairly useful safety valve.

      Similarly when the PSP headed into retirement, though it had generally been forgotten in the West, it retained a big fanbase in Japan. The Vita can run PSP games purchased via the store from memory stick (and no need to re-buy them if you already bought them online from the store for the PSP), but the lack of a UMD drive means that physical copies of PSP games can't be used in its successor. So a cheapo basic PSP model for Japan made a lot of sense (and is precisely what Sony did).

      In this case, I just can't understand the justification for keeping stripped down models of the Wii on sale for so long. Hell, if somebody has a lot of Wii games and their Wii dies at this point, from Nintendo's point of view, that's an opportunity to tempt them into a Wii-U purchase. Maybe Nintendo's internal data on the Wii-U's commercial position is even worse than is commonly suspected and it's preparing to ditch the platform? But that feels "too soon" right now. They've got another roll of the dice with the new Mario and Mario Kart games (although it doesn't help that the PS4 and Xbox One are launching in the same window). A cut-and-run scenario might look more plausible in 6 months if the Wii-U has a bad Christmas.

    17. Re: What's the point? by iamhassi · · Score: 1

      But why remove the Internet? Nintendo receives $10 to download a few megabytes of a game rom? Yes please! Seems allowing people to buy games online is the one thing they should have kept. It's like Apple selling an iPhone that didn't run apps, Nintendo selling a console that doesn't allow customers to buy games online is completely backwards and can only result in less profit for Nintendo.

      --
      my karma will be here long after I'm gone
    18. Re:What's the point? by JonBoy47 · · Score: 5, Informative

      Wii U (and previous Wii) owner here (I know, the lengths we dads go to so our kids can play Super Smash Bros. Brawl...) Anyhow...

      Nintendo is doing a crap-tacular job of marketing the Wii U. The Gamepad isn't so much a tablet as a controller with a screen and camera in it. Thus far it's enabled four different usage modes:

      1. DS-ifiy home console games. Display secondary info on the Gamepad screen, as is common on the DS. Wind Waker HD, for example, allows accessing the map and inventory screen on the Gamepad without pausing the game. Sonic All-Stars Transformed Racing shows a track map in single player. In multi-player, Player 1 plays on the Gamepad
      2. Asymmetrical game play. The player with the Gamepad sees things the players looking at the TV do not. Nintendo Land is perhaps the archetype, with it's Hide and Seek game.
      3. Streaming video to the Gamepad. The Wii U can stream Wii U and Wii game play and streaming video to the Gamepad. Thus freeing up the TV while the Wii U is in use. As I type this, one kid is playing Wind Waker while the others are watching Spongebob on the TV the Wii U is connected to.
      4. TVii. Provides a more slick interface to my cable TV subscription than Comcast's set-top box. The Gamepad's IR blaster lets me turn on the TV and switch the input without finding the TV or cable remote.

    19. Re: What's the point? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Selling ROMs doesn't make your retail partners happy - a $100 console at Christmas time? That's golden.

      Majesco and Sega teamed up to release a $20-$30 Genesis in the late 1990s, which helped retailers clear out a ton of unsold software. It, too, lacked expansion abilities.

      Atari released the 2600 for $40 in the late 1980s. It, too, let stores boast an incredible deal - even if it's not a desirable one - which allowed lower income families access to a massive library of software.

      In the era of digital downloads, you've got to throw your retail partners a bone. While Nintendo rakes in massive profits at incredible margins of that digitally downloaded Pokemon X/Y (that it doesn't have to share with Best Buy), stores don't get a cut. This way, Nintendo can make Walmart happy - and sell those bargain basement bin games, too - bringing the retail circle of life forward once again.

      Don't think about it as maximizing your profit - think about it as making your customers (the buyers at big box stores) happy. A Nintendo impulse buy console? This has a lot of potential to sell to the downtrodden, the uninformed, people who can't read, and your aunt who wants to buy you something from the Nintendos.

    20. Re: What's the point? by Ralph+Wiggam · · Score: 1

      It's like the old men who run Nintendo think that the internet is a fad that's going away soon. I will be shocked if Nintendo releases another console. They need to retreat to the handheld market.

    21. Re:What's the point? by Ralph+Wiggam · · Score: 1

      The Wii U is a stillborn idea of a console that'll be out of style even faster than previous Nintendo flops.

      There's no need to use the future tense on it going out of style. "Stillborn" was a good choice. There might have been a window for it, if Super Mario 3D World, Mario Kart 8, and Smash Bros, had come out a long time ago and were all excellent- it had a chance. After the new consoles come out this month, I don't expect to even hear about the Wii U again.

    22. Re: What's the point? by JohnStock · · Score: 1

      The correct analogy would be an iPhone that runs apps but has no 3G. It's called the iPad touch.

    23. Re:What's the point? by grumbel · · Score: 1

      The gimping is a feature, it means parents don't have to worry about the kid gaining access to the Internet, buying stuff on their credit card or all the other things that can go wrong with an Internet enabled console. This thing plays the games grandma buys them for Christmas and nothing else. For everybody else the Wii Mini might not be a good buy, but they are not the target audience, this thing is made as Christmas present for 6 year olds.

    24. Re:What's the point? by N1AK · · Score: 1

      didn't even beat Diddy Kong Racing in sales.

      Such. A. Good. Game. Shame Rare spends most of their time building avatar clothes for Xbox rather than producing awesome games now.

    25. Re:What's the point? by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      One of the reasons the PS2 continued to sell so well after the PS3 release was that unless you moved quickly and got a first-generation Japanese or US model, the PS3 basically didn't do back compatibility.

      CECHE models were still available in 2008, so you didn't have to move too quickly. Mine is the CECHE01 MGS4 model, the last of the Deluxe model "fat PS3's", with backwards compatibility, 4 USB ports, chrome trim, built in card reader and the first with the Dual Shock 3 bundled.

    26. Re:What's the point? by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      /me Grumbles about early PS2's.

      The 50001 models, however, are built like tanks. That's the one with the built in IR receiver. I have one that is still functional... I don't actually use it (I have a CECHE PS3 so I can play PS2 games if I want,on it) but it does work.

    27. Re: What's the point? by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      Atari released the 2600 for $40 in the late 1980s. It, too, let stores boast an incredible deal - even if it's not a desirable one - which allowed lower income families access to a massive library of software.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=913xrM9FYpI

      yep, standard tactic, make the older console the budget offering.

    28. Re:What's the point? by RogueyWon · · Score: 1

      Although of course in Europe, unless you imported from the US (as I did) you never even got the choice of a back-compatible machine to begin with.

      There were a lot of mistakes made with the PS3 (as I think even Sony would acknowledge). The fact that it's probably the only console in history to have lost features consistently over the course of its life-span is among the worst.

    29. Re: What's the point? by mattack2 · · Score: 1

      But why remove the Internet?

      Wow, yeah. I RTFA-ed, because I had thought they were only removing WiFi (I may be wrong, maybe none of the other Wiis have WiFi)..

      I've never had a Wii, but have thought about getting one someday mostly *for* the Virtual Console ("cheap old games"). I'm generally more of a physical media person too, but IIRC, the Virtual Console games are cheap enough for me not to care..

      So this $99 Wii is mostly worthless to me. Guess I'll pick up someone's used one some eon. (I already have a zillion PS3 games I haven't started, much less finished, but still like playing the old 2D games a lot too.)

  3. OK, so what's new in it? by intermodal · · Score: 1

    It doesn't really seem like a very traditional Nintendo move. The top-loader NES did away with the click-down cartridge, the Advance SP offered a backlight and rechargable battery. Gameboy Color brought color into the games. The DS Lite offered several advantages over the original DS.

    What does the Wii Mini do that brings something new to the table?

    --
    In SOVIET RUSSIA... erm...NSA AMERICA, the Internet logs onto YOU!
    1. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by gstoddart · · Score: 2

      What does the Wii Mini do that brings something new to the table?

      A $99 price tag, I believe.

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    2. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by intermodal · · Score: 1

      The least important feature of this particular console. They strip out the Internet capability, which is an utterly stupid move when they don't have a counterpart with that connectivity. Especially when bundling this console with a game that is a lot of fun online with basically no interaction other than actual gameplay with other players. You don't get to spin that as "safer".

      --
      In SOVIET RUSSIA... erm...NSA AMERICA, the Internet logs onto YOU!
    3. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by gstoddart · · Score: 5, Insightful

      They strip out the Internet capability

      Or, Nintendo has enough data to suggest there is room for a budget console with no internet capability.

      If you have a large segment of your market which never uses the internet for gaming, they don't need internet capability.

      If you want the big shiny one with an internet connection, you probably already own it. But if you have a 5 year old who just wants to play a Mario game, you may not even want internet connectivity.

      Not everyone plays games on-line. I know I don't, so surely in the demographic for a Wii there's plenty of people who don't either.

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    4. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by TWiTfan · · Score: 4, Funny

      What does the Wii Mini do that brings something new to the table?

      It frees you from Nintendo's awful online experience.

      --
      The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
    5. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by Antipater · · Score: 1

      You're forgetting the Game Boy Pocket, though.

      --
      Everything is better with chainsaws.
    6. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by Anubis+IV · · Score: 2

      A sub-$100 price is about it, since they took out Gamecube backwards compatibility and Internet connectivity. It's really just aimed at the people buying Wii Fit and Wii Sports, not at anyone who's even mildly serious about gaming.

    7. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by tepples · · Score: 1

      They strip out the Internet capability, which is an utterly stupid move when they don't have a counterpart with that connectivity

      Is the Wii U incapable of going online in Wii mode?

      Especially when bundling this console with a game that is a lot of fun online

      What's the practical difference between racing against anonymous online players (no interaction with others without exchanging friend codes out of band) and racing against the CPU?

    8. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by Megane · · Score: 1

      But did they really strip out the "internet capability", or just the wifi chips? In other words, will it still support a USB Ethernet dongle? (Not that I care, I already have an old one that can play Gamecube games.)

      --
      #naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
    9. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by intermodal · · Score: 1

      Be that as it may, the kids who want to solo game would probably enjoy a lot of the downloadable classics which are unavailable to this Wii.

      --
      In SOVIET RUSSIA... erm...NSA AMERICA, the Internet logs onto YOU!
    10. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by intermodal · · Score: 1

      Well, I never intended it as an exhaustive list. Even the Gameboy Pocket brought a larger and arguably more advanced screen.

      --
      In SOVIET RUSSIA... erm...NSA AMERICA, the Internet logs onto YOU!
    11. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by intermodal · · Score: 1

      It's a good question. I've got a regular Wii and two Gamecubes, so the answer doesn't bother me as much as the strategy.

      --
      In SOVIET RUSSIA... erm...NSA AMERICA, the Internet logs onto YOU!
    12. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by intermodal · · Score: 1

      First, the Wii U costs too bloody much, while the cost savings of removing the Wireless capability is negligible. Even an old G-chipset would do fine here.

      Second, the practical difference is quality. AI becomes predictable, while a long string of new opponents keeps it fresh.

      --
      In SOVIET RUSSIA... erm...NSA AMERICA, the Internet logs onto YOU!
    13. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by vux984 · · Score: 1

      They strip out the Internet capability, which is an utterly stupid move when they don't have a counterpart with that connectivity

      The counterpart is the wii-u.

    14. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by vux984 · · Score: 1

      not at anyone who's even mildly serious about gaming.

      Agreed.

      since they took out Gamecube backwards compatibility

      Anyone serious about gaming, wouldn't have waited SEVEN YEARS to buy one.

      At this stage, backwards compatibility concerns of anyone serious would be whether the Wii-U is back compatible with with the Wii. (it is). I doubt anyone cares about backwards compatiblity with gamecube titles now. Several of the key titles were rereleased for the Wii anyway, and gamecube is a pretty distant memory for most people.

      and Internet connectivity

      Yep; I honestly really can't see why they pulled that. It can't be more than a couple bucks worth of parts. But still, anyone buying a wii now instead of a wii-u is doing it for a cheap console, probably for young kids (and that's fine).

      For anyone 'serious' looking at a wii, the wii-u has all the bells and whistles, and full backwards compatibility with the wii.

    15. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by Kjella · · Score: 1

      A sub-$100 price is about it, since they took out Gamecube backwards compatibility and Internet connectivity. It's really just aimed at the people buying Wii Fit and Wii Sports, not at anyone who's even mildly serious about gaming.

      Well duh, it's a mini version of a last-gen console released in 2006 so that's the only people who you could sell it to. Even if anyone needed Gamecube compatibility there's now 100 million regular Wiis on the market to 20 million Gamecubes sold. And Nintendo probably looked at the stats and found extremely many Wiis are never online, the only system updates they get are through game discs. Add in a few clueless parents who think anything involving the Internet is a scary place and you got a $99 guaranteed safe kids/family console. No matter how old and boring you think it is, it's always new to some new kids.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    16. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by master5o1 · · Score: 1

      Possibly because they've already discontinued most of the online features.

      http://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/tiQImp7Oi97LiEyVqwDqL-eDnX6u9qjk

      --
      signature is pants
    17. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by assassinator42 · · Score: 1

      A Gamecube controller is still the best way to play Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Mario Kart Wii, IMO. But they can't be used on the newer Wii consoles and the Wii U.
      (Of course I still have a Wii with Gamecube support.)

    18. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by JonBoy47 · · Score: 1

      At least for the Canadian version of this thing, it doesn't recognize the USB-Ethernet dongle.

      http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/nintendo-wii-mini-hands-on/

    19. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by JonBoy47 · · Score: 1

      For the record, the lack of Gamecube backwards compatibility isn't really a "new feature". Nintendo released a cost-reduced version of the Wii back in 2011 that, while cosmetically similar, omitted the hardware for Gamecube backwards compatibility. I imagine their market research indicated that anyone who gave a rat about GC capability had already bought within the first five years.

      I also imagine the lack of internet capability is a play to avoid cannibalizing Wii U sales.

    20. Re:OK, so what's new in it? by Golddess · · Score: 1

      It also went from 4 AA to 2 AAA batteries, but got better battery life (iirc).

      --
      "I'm not sure I like the fugnutish tone you used in your post!" -RogL (608926)-
  4. Re:price. by Russ1642 · · Score: 1

    Mini wiis aren't hardcore.

  5. Wii Mini isn't worth $99 by Bacon+Bits · · Score: 3, Funny

    The Wii Mini doesn't have GameCube support and doesn't have Wi-Fi. Thus far, that's mainly what my Wii has been: a GameCube that streams NetFlix.

    --
    The road to tyranny has always been paved with claims of necessity.
    1. Re:Wii Mini isn't worth $99 by AvitarX · · Score: 1

      I'm contemplating buying another Wii (Mine got lost in a move) for the original Zelda without needing to emulate, Ikaruga (GC) and F-Zero (GC). Unfortunately, without internet or GC compat, it's not going to work.

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
    2. Re:Wii Mini isn't worth $99 by Guspaz · · Score: 1

      It has no network ports, and the Nintendo USB ethernet adapter doesn't work on it, even if it does have a USB port.

      Even if it COULD get connected to a network, $99 to stream 480i Netflix is silly when you can buy devices that will stream 1080p Netflix to your TV for less than half that price.

    3. Re:Wii Mini isn't worth $99 by vux984 · · Score: 1

      for the original Zelda without needing to emulate

      The virtual console on the wii-u has it. Although its probably emulated still. But at least its official, sanctioned emulation, with a controller that works properly with no hassle. (And as someone who played the original SMB through to the end on VC, the timing is really good... I always had major issues playing SMB in emulation, but I can play SMB on the virtual console with muscle-memory learned at childhood, lol.

      Ikaruga -- great game -- you may be interested in:
      http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=183195387

      F-Zero GC -- there were rumours GC titles will show up on the Wii-U virtual console, but i dont' think it's happened yet. I wouldn't hold my breath.

      Your best bet for Ikaruga and F-Zero right now are probably a used Wii... or even a used GC.

    4. Re:Wii Mini isn't worth $99 by AvitarX · · Score: 1

      I have purchased the original zelda many.

      The ability to push a button from the couch and be playing in a couple seconds was well worth it for me, even though I owned it (twice) for the game cube (the black gamecube bundled one, and the wind waker pre order one), and the NES already (thought the NES was getting shaky on actually booting by that point)..

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
    5. Re:Wii Mini isn't worth $99 by rjejr · · Score: 1

      It's not funny (score 4, funny), it's sad. First Nintendo removes Gamecube support under cover of darkness - no Gamecube games, but more importantly for us no Wavebirds for Kart and SSB - and then they remove Netflix after promoting it all over their website. Sure the Wii had a few good games, very few in the past 2 years though, and while the oringal poster was probably trying to be funny I bet most Wiis these days are just used for Netflix/HuluPlus.

    6. Re:Wii Mini isn't worth $99 by Osgeld · · Score: 1

      they removed GC support a couple years ago with that redesign

      anyway I see this working well in "poorer" countries, look how long SEGA sold game gears, master systems and genesis-es to places like Brazil, same with playstation ... but here it not uncommon to see a smaller cost reduced version, but wow, 3 versions of the same console, 2 versions of their handhelds AND a failing next gen console all at the same time.

      they just need to add a shitty adapter that makes the wii work with a tablet and take all new software to pull a sega (or atari) here

  6. Here is an idea you maker of wii by ralphaostrander · · Score: 1

    Take the software we use to crack your devices and make it that way from the gate.

  7. Re:price. by P-niiice · · Score: 1

    I think they got all of them with the main console. I'm not sure who they want to catch with this one. I'm sure it will sell a lot though.

  8. Re:Cheap netflix box? by TWiTfan · · Score: 1

    Just buy a Roku, and get a bunch of other channels and HD too.

    --
    The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
  9. Re:Cheap netflix box? by Guspaz · · Score: 1

    It also lacks networking support. How exactly will it stream Netflix without a network connection?

    Even if it did have a network connection, it's $99 for a box limited to 480p, when there are boxes that will stream 1080p that cost $39...

  10. Just remember: No Transfers! by Ransak · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Any content you've purchased on one Wii is stuck there forever in most cases. Nintendo won't transfer digital purchases unless you have documentation showing your original Wii was stolen, and that's iffy. Why people keep paying for the same, tired rehash of their game catalog and obvious abuse of the platform is beyond me.

    --
    "Powers. I have them."
    1. Re:Just remember: No Transfers! by interkin3tic · · Score: 2

      People will accept more abuse the lower the price. If I'm buying an overpriced italian car for like $300k, the dealership had better treat me like royalty, offer free oil changes etc. If I'm getting a decent german car for free, the dealership could have an overweight hairy man moon me and fart at me the whole time I'm there, tell me I'm fucking scum, and have a witch curse me to get warts or something. I'd still take it.

      The Wii was always cheaper than the other consoles and broke less often than at least the 360 in most cases. I'm guessing that buying an original wii after launch and then the wii mini would still be cheaper than a single 360 for much of the 360's life. And that's assuming you only had to buy one.

      (Disclaimer: I rarely used my wii, bought a second 360 after my first one broke, and only switched to PC gaming recently, so I'm a big idiot. Also if a dealership actually had an obese man fart at me, I'd probably get creeped out and leave.)

    2. Re:Just remember: No Transfers! by Brulath · · Score: 1

      And if you do transfer them to the WiiU, there's no way to get them off the WiiU or return them to the original Wii; they're stuck there permanently, or until you erase the device. The console manufacturers really need to take a page out of Steam's book and tie the purchases to an account, not a console; I'm guessing the only reason they haven't is because any solution for multiple accounts on the same console could potentially allow sharing games with friends, which would potentially reduce sales. And we can't have that.

    3. Re:Just remember: No Transfers! by salahx · · Score: 1

      I do admit it sucks that purchases are bound to the system and not to an account, leaving you at Nintendo's whim in a catastrophe, but that having been said I've been one of the lucky ones to get Nintendo's assistance in having my purchases moved to a new system after mine was stolen. The rep was very helpful, and although it was far from trivial (they required a letter, including documentation of the theft, they needed the old and new serial numbers) and good circumstance (My Nintendo account was linked to my Wii, and it apparently it was important that I NOT run the Wii Store app, something i could have not of known in advance; it was fortunate I called Nintendo early in the system setup process) I am very grateful for Nintendo's help in this.

    4. Re:Just remember: No Transfers! by JonBoy47 · · Score: 1

      The original Wii implementation was botched, with Nintendo really miscalculating how to handle the digital distribution. Apple's App Store, Google Play and Steam have all provided instructive models of how to do it properly, but they all require creation of user accounts, which requires the user divulge personally identifying information. For those under 13, this is strictly verboten, thanks to the Child Online Protection Act. In Nintendo's defense, they do recognize the demographic that actually uses their product, and did the best they could.

    5. Re:Just remember: No Transfers! by JonBoy47 · · Score: 1

      They seem to have learned from their mistakes with the Wii U and 3DS platforms, which use the "e-Shop" account system, but even then the purchases are still tied to the original hardware, so my above justification holds water only for the Wii, which solved the user account conundrum by associating the payment method and purchase to the console itself.

    6. Re:Just remember: No Transfers! by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      The console manufacturers really need to take a page out of Steam's book and tie the purchases to an account,

      That's how PSN works. Buy a game, and you can have it on multiple devices.

    7. Re:Just remember: No Transfers! by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      And that's exclusive to Nintendo. Try to transfer your digital purchases to PS4

      Perhaps you don't know about "cross-buy", or that PSN purchases are tied to account, not machine so if a title is supported on multiple hardware devices, you can have it on them all after buying it once. A good example are the PSone classics, or the following:

      http://blog.us.playstation.com/2013/10/16/flower-flow-sound-shapes-escape-plan-coming-to-ps4/

      Also applies to DCUO.

  11. Re:price. by bobbied · · Score: 2

    Wii's where not hard core... Even when they first came out.

    --
    "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
  12. Re:price. by Chameleon+Man · · Score: 1

    If you're enticed by price, go on Craigslist and search for a normal used Wii. You will pay half of that and probably receive additional controllers and games as a bonus. This move by Nintendo doesn't really make a lot of sense to me...but then again many of their moves lately haven't.

  13. PS3 by asmkm22 · · Score: 1

    I'm just waiting for the PS3 and maybe XBox to drop to the $99 price point. I couldn't care less about the a smaller Wii.

  14. No Internet is a Plus for Parents by KalvinB · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The fact it doesn't have internet is going to be a plus for parents. Now they can let their kids play games without having to worry about listening to a tirade of profanity from half way around the world. The older people that play this, probably aren't getting on-line either.

    It's also about $50 cheaper than the full size Wii which is the price of a Mario game.

    For cost conscious parents whose kids don't have a modern video game system yet, this is a solid option for Christmas. There is a huge library of excellent titles for the Wii. The LEGO games are all about $20 now, there are plenty of very popular Wii games that are $20 now.

    If I didn't already have a Wii, I'd buy it. While I use the Virtual Console, I could live without it. It's not an essential feature for the system. I just buy the old classics, Something that most kids don't care about.

    --
    Work Safe Porn
    1. Re:No Internet is a Plus for Parents by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 2

      >The fact it doesn't have internet is going to be a plus for parents. Now they can let their kids play games without having to worry about listening to a tirade of profanity from half way around the world. The older people that play this, probably aren't getting on-line either.

      I'm a parent and I want my child to have the skills to cope with profanity and the internet and the intersection of the two. I don't see a Wii of any form having much relevance to that.

      --
      I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
    2. Re:No Internet is a Plus for Parents by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      No wii games let players communicate in a freely typed or spoken fashion. I'm pretty sure that was intentional to mitigate what you describe.

      There is either no communication or a predefined set of statements that the player can pick from.

    3. Re:No Internet is a Plus for Parents by vux984 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I'm a parent and I want my child to have the skills to cope with profanity and the internet and the intersection of the two. I don't see a Wii of any form having much relevance to that.

      Is your child 5 or 15 ? There is a difference.

      That said even the Wii classic presented a very safe environment vs xbox and ps3.

      I don't see a Wii of any form having much relevance to that.

      The main reason to buy a wii, wii mini, or wii-u is, was, and will remain the games. Despite all the shovelware that got released for it, there is quite a solid games library for the Wii.

      Many of the must-have gamecube classics were re-released for the wii so the lack of back-compat in the latest mini isn't as big of a deal.

      Meanwhile the value proposition for the U is perhaps harder to make, the core library is still a bit weak, although there's some good exclusives. The back-compat with Wii however means that if you skipped the wii, there's actually quite a lot of great stuff to play alongside the wii-u titles. The real support for HD is nice, and its Yet-another-way-to-do-netflix on your TV although its one of the better ones due to the tablet support.

      The tablet controller is more comfortable than most people would expect, and its not heavy or awkward even for extended sessions. Hitting its battery life limit is a bigger problem than anything ergonomic complaints, although you can plug it in and keep playing if you want.

      I do most of my gaming on the PC, and there aren't enough unique compelling exlcusives to overcome my distaste for Sony or Microsoft to buy their consoles, but for me the WiiU has been good value. But I have kids, and local multiplayer / party games are a very regular occurence.

      But its certainly not the best console for everyone.

      FWIW I'm very curious how the steambox turns out.

    4. Re:No Internet is a Plus for Parents by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 1

      >Is your child 5 or 15 ? There is a difference.
      In between. Very active on the interwebs. I check in every now and then because that's my job.

      >I do most of my gaming on the PC
      Ditto. Steam. Big Nvidia card. The Wii is in my kid's room. I'll finish Okami one of these years.

      --
      I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
    5. Re:No Internet is a Plus for Parents by mick129 · · Score: 1

      Mod this +1 True. The grand parent is thinking of other consoles.

      --
      Move along, no sig to see here.
    6. Re:No Internet is a Plus for Parents by quenda · · Score: 1

      For cost conscious parents whose kids don't have a modern video game system yet, this is a solid option for Christmas. There is a huge library of excellent titles for the Wii.

      Cost-conscious parents will borrow their friends' (with older kids who got a wii years ago) games, and build a library in a hard-drive hanging off the back.

    7. Re:No Internet is a Plus for Parents by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      Get the Okami HD remaster for the PS3.

  15. Like the 2DS, the Wii Mini has a purpose by sottitron · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Before you complain about the Mini being a butchered Wii, just realize that Nintendo are not going after serious console buyers here or people flush with cash. Those people might have bought a Wii U or are waiting for the XBox One or PS 4. Nintendo is going after people looking for a bargain but who don't want a used machine (these people do exist). They are serving people who don't demand the latest and greatest from a console and who will pay $99 to play the awesome games you could get on Nintendo's old system. The thing Nintendo knows is that when it sells a console, it will sell games for that console. So a Wii Mini probably represents four or five games going out the door as first sales in the next year as well. And I am pretty sure nobody sells more titles for Nintendo consoles than Nintendo itself. This is a play to make some more money on the backend of the Wii's life. Its a smart move to trim the cost of the Wii and keep selling machines and the games that play on them. And some of these people might turn into Wii U buyers when they have more money.

    1. Re:Like the 2DS, the Wii Mini has a purpose by Osgeld · · Score: 1

      they already did this 2 years ago and it didnt really do anything

    2. Re:Like the 2DS, the Wii Mini has a purpose by Maudib · · Score: 1

      Lets be clear, they are not serving people, they are serving Canadians. Its pretty clear that Nintendo thinks they are the only people in the world foolish enough to buy this turd.

  16. Online Mario game by tepples · · Score: 1

    But if you have a 5 year old who just wants to play a Mario game, you may not even want internet connectivity.

    I was under the impression that Dr. Mario Online Rx was available only through the online Wii Shop.

    1. Re:Online Mario game by khellendros1984 · · Score: 1

      True, but there are more than a few Mario games for the Wii that are available as disks.

      --
      It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
  17. Used consoles can still get on Wii Shop by tepples · · Score: 1

    People are born every day, teenagers become adults every day

    Used full-feature Wii consoles that support buying games from Wii Shop Channel are removed from closet storage and sold on eBay every day.

  18. Re:Just Get a PSP by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 1

    Used Wii bundle. $79 at Gamestop.

    http://www.gamestop.com/wii

    --
    I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
  19. The Legend of Zelda without emulation by tepples · · Score: 2

    The only way to play The Legend of Zelda "without needing to emulate" is by owning an NES. Any NES game stored on a GameCube Game Disc is running in acNES, the emulator that Nintendo developed for the NES games buried in Animal Crossing. I don't know whether the Virtual Console emulator is descended from acNES, but I can identify acNES by the muffled electrocution sound in Balloon Fight.

  20. No SD slot means no homebrew by tepples · · Score: 1

    So there's only two groups who will be interested in the Wii Mini. Those who don't use the internet, and those who do but were planning on hacking the console (possibly for piracy).

    Since Wii Menu 3.3 fixed the strncmp bug in Disc Channel, all exploits that I know of to get the installer for the Homebrew Channel running use SD cards. No SD slot means no homebrew.

  21. The real reason for no wireless is legacy issues. by Nick_Lowe712 · · Score: 1

    I suspect that the real reason that they have dropped wireless networking support is that Nintendo screwed up, royally, with the original design. The present Wii has an 802.11b/g wireless adapter built-in. Due to flaws in its software implementation, however, it is only capable of working when the 802.11 (legacy mode) basic rates of 1 Mb/s and 2 Mb/s are advertised by an access point. This means that 802.11b support, an additive amendment to the 802.11 standard, must be enabled on an access point for a Wii to be able to connect to it. As a cost cutting measure, the drivers were embedded in to the games themselves making this largely unfixable without some incredibly ugly engineering hacks. They have obviously decided not to bother. See: http://nostringsattachedshow.com/2012/01/18/nintendo-vs-cisco/

  22. So don't hook up the wi-fi! by mrchaotica · · Score: 3, Informative

    Just because a regular Wii has the ability to connect to the Internet, doesn't mean you have to use that ability.

    It's also about $50 cheaper than the full size Wii which is the price of a Mario game.

    I have a very hard time believing that the wi-fi chip is so expensive that by removing it Nintendo can charge $50 less and maintain a similar profit margin. They might as well have just left it in and priced it at $109 or something.

    --

    "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

  23. Better name suggestion: The Wee Wii by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    just a thought.

  24. Re:Cheap netflix box? by dk20 · · Score: 1

    it seems to come with composite, but you can buy component cables.

  25. Re:Cheap netflix box? by Qzukk · · Score: 1

    Nope. Component Cables will not work with the Wii Mini.

    --
    If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
  26. Re:Just Get a PSP by GrumblyStuff · · Score: 1

    Do I have to pre-order?

  27. Costs more than a regular Wii, does less by RubberDogBone · · Score: 1

    Regular, barely-used Wii are like $40 tops at yard sales, flea markets, etc. They work fine and normally have all the stuff this Mini lacks. Like, I dunno, what the hell does a Wii DO again? That Mii thing?

    Well, OK old Wii aren't red. Boo hoo. $3 worth of spray paint will fix that up.

    Still leaves $57 for pizza and drinks to entice your friends to come over and get bored quick playing some group game that is not actually fun.

    --
    Sig for hire.
  28. This is a final play to milk the Wii for some cash by JonBoy47 · · Score: 1

    This is probably the Wii's last Christmas before Nintendo rides it off into the sunset. In a way, this bundle is priced very aggressively, as the combined retail cost of the pack-ins is equal to the cost of the total system. If you wanted to add a Wii Remote and Nunchuk to your existing Wii or Wii U, you're already over half way to the Wii Mini. Add in Mario Kart (if you don't already have it) and the console is free. You're breaking even, even if you stash it in your closet Christmas night. At any rate, by the time the Holiday shopping season really gets into swing after Black Friday, the Wii Mini will be it, particularly at Big Box stores that turn their inventory quickly. This thing will ring up some sales this Christmas, as it's under $100 for a turn-key video-game system, and the economy is still shit. After Christmas, it's gimped-ness, combined with unavailability of the "legacy" Wii, will serve to up-sell folks to Wii U. Of course, Nintendo could help themselves out in that regard by lopping some more cost off the Wii U.

  29. Re:Nintendo is missing and opportunity here by JonBoy47 · · Score: 1

    And cannibalize sales of the Wii U?

  30. Re:Nintendo is missing and opportunity here by captjc · · Score: 1

    Better yet, enable 1080p on the machine and a second screen, maybe Netflix, Youtube, Hulu, and Amazon Video and sell that. Maybe it could have some weird TV integration that shows you whats on with descriptions pulled from Wikipedia and IMDB but nobody will ever actually use it. Release that machine and I'm sure people will buy that in droves. Oh, Wait....

    --
    Slow Down Cowboy! It's been 1 hour, 47 minutes since you last successfully posted a comment
  31. Attack on the Ouya? by Deliveranc3 · · Score: 1

    I bet the Ouya is doing very well in Japan.

    Home of development, keen on lots of games, and several of it's launch titles have an anime styling.

  32. Lack of Internet by rivercityrandom · · Score: 1

    No problem! All they need to do is release some of their Virtual Console NES games onto the Wii disk format, and then the retro nerds will buy them all over again! It has so far worked for Sega, who I think has now put their Genesis back catalog on every device known to existence.

  33. Snakes in a Kart by tepples · · Score: 1

    The other players play like humans. Computer controlled players don't.

    Computers drive like computers. Humans drive like motherfscking snakes in a motherfscking kart.