Official Nintendo Wii thread
 

Kaleb G recommended that we have an official thread given that we're rather close to getting official details on the much awaited console. Pricing, launch date, games, peripherals and so on.




Well, here it is folks, the Nintendo Wii. This thing caused a stir when it was first unveiled, with many gamers crying haplessly like colicky babies while developers loved it. Its novel interface allows for an unpredecented amount of interaction in the game you're playing. Apparently saw something that the other two behemoths missed, in the form of a massive number of people alienated by the complexity of modern games.


Whether they succeed in drawing these folks into the fold with their intuitive new controller, quirky games and low price remains to be seen, but no doubt, it'll be fun.

Launch date: Sunday, November 19th (NA)



Price: $250.00, Games - $50.00

# of units at Launch: 4 million

Retail box content:

http://planetgamecube.com/media/2533/4/2.jpg

Virtual Console:
http://gemaga.sbcr.jp/mobimg/06/09/115821159301.jpg
30 games available to download at launch.

• NES - $5 (per game)
• SNES - $7 " "
• N64 - $10 " "

Supported VC consoles:
Gamespot NYT leak article

IGN Price/Launch article

Technical specifications:

• Processor:
• CPU: IBM PowerPC processor codenamed "Broadway"
  
  GPU (video/graphics card):
• ATI "Hollywood"
  
  Memory:
• 1T-SRAM
  
  Ports and Peripherals:
• Up to four Wii Remote controllers (connected wirelessly via Bluetooth)
• One SD memory card slot
• Two USB 2.0 ports
• One Sensor Bar port
• Four Nintendo GameCube controller ports
• Two Nintendo GameCube memory card ports
• Compatible with optional USB 2.0 to Ethernet LAN adaptor
  
  
  Peripheral prices:
  • Wiimote - $40
  • Nunchuck - $20
  
  Storage:
• 512 MB built-in flash memory
• Expansion available via SD card memory and USB mass storage
  
  
  Quote:

  Will Wii users be able to add storage via USB hard drives? No. The Wii's storage will be exclusively via flash memory storage, such as SD memory cards, at least at launch. Kaplan said a hard drive addition could be in the future, but that sounds more like a "Sure, why not?" response than one based in any immediate plans.

• Slot-loading disc drive compatible with DVDs (No Hollywood DVD playback (SL and DL), Gamecube 8cm discs
• Mask ROM
  
  Video:
• Maximum supported resolution of 480p
• Output via either Component, S-video or Composite
• 16:9 Widescreen support
  
  Audio:
• Main: Stereo - Dolby Pro Logic II-capable
• Controller: Built-in speaker

Features:

• Backward compatibility
• Nintendo DS connectivity
• Player characters and profiles
• Parental controls

Here's the times for the conferences being held by Nintendo, in each region:
This site will become active after the conference is over (3AM EST): Here


Confirmed launch titles (source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wii):
Gamespot confirmed launch titles:

Misc Game info:

• Resident Evil Wii
  
  
  Quote:

  RESIDENT EVIL WII IN DEPTH Extensive information on the gameplay and content of RE:Wii has surfaced. -The game consists of 4 "chapters", RE1's mansion, RE2's RPD, RE3's city areas and RE4's village (plus surrounding areas). -Each chapter has 2 characters to choose from. RE1 has Jill and Chris, RE2 has Leon and Claire, RE3 has Jill and Carlos and RE4 has Leon and Ada. -There are several characters that can be unlocked by playing through the game: Rebecca Chambers, Hunk and Albert Wesker. -The gameplay of all chapters is designed around RE4's. Press the B trigger on the wiimote to go into over-the-shoulder view, aim with the pointer and press A to fire. -The game will have QTEs, but rather than push buttons you have to make motions with the wiimote in order to get through them. -All characters will have mêlée attacks, just like RE4. -To encourage replayablility, each character has strengths and weaknesses, similar to how in RE4:Mercenaries Ada had the least health, Krauser was the slowest, etc. -Just like in RE4:Mercenaries each character has a unique set of weapons. What's more players can only carry 2 weapons at any one time. Chris gets a pistol and shotgun whilst Jill gets a pistol and grenade launcher. -You will be able to find several new weapons during each stage. For example, RE1 will have Richard's shotgun, RE2 will have the Desert Eagle, RE4 will have the Chicago Typewriter. There will also be new weapons like Krauser's anti-personnel robots. -Similar to Devil May Cry 3, after each chapter you can save your data and any new weapons picked up will be available for use in Arcade Mode. -Arcade Mode is like a giant Mercenaries minigame, where you pick a character and stage and blast through it. Building on the resounding success of Mercenaries seen when RE4 was released. -Scenario mode will feature a large number of ingame cutscenes. -New content not in the games that the chapters were based on will be added. The primary goal of this will be to link RE4 and Umbrella's status in it more closely with the rest of the series. -Ammo conservation will play a part in the gameplay, so it's not just constant action like RE4. -Trailer coming at TGS.

• Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
  
  
  Quote:

  Apparently, Metroid Prime 3 is now a 2007 title.

Media (comments by Infernal Monkey):
http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/200...iimenu.jpg.jpg
Stuff/Game/Virtual Console selection.

http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/200...otenki.jpg.jpg
Weather Channel. If only the sun was replaced with ANGRY SUN from Mario 3.

http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/200...hashin.jpg.jpg
Photo.. viewer.. thingy.

http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/200...ashin2.jpg.jpg
And you can mess around with them! COOL DOG.

http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/200...0_dick.jpg.jpg
I believe this game is Donkey Kong.

http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/200...0_edit.jpg.jpg
Custom character creator, used for WiiSports, WiiMusic, WiiPlay, Wii Motor Sports and whatever other games will support them in the future.

http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/200...nigaoe.jpg.jpg
Not sure. Looks like it may be an online friendzzzz lobby type thing?

http://gemaga.sbcr.jp/mobimg/06/09/115822581000.jpg
Sex.

http://www.famitsu.com/blog/express/...2464f5dc22.jpg
Fire Emblem gooooo.

http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/4016/boxartgowz0.jpg
Wii boxart revealed!

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/8...409065dpn7.jpg
Wii version. GameCube version pushed back to December 11th just because Nintendo wants to keep striking those low blows! ='D



Movies:
Link to dashboard in sweaty action

Wii Main Menu Navigation

Mii Channel: Creating your avatar

News Channel

World Forecast Channel

The Japan conference start time has apparently been changed to 1 AM EDT.

Err, I think I fixed it, though I may be wrong. Is it for the first date in Japan?

Edit: Eh, nvm, I understand.

Subscribed, checking back at 1:00am.

I'll just start by saying I'll be very disappointed if Resident Evil Wii is yet another remake of the first game (which looks that way from the mansion shot).

It will be interesting to see how the release of solid info (finally) affects people's perceptions of which console they will be picking up.

Also, I would like to see some info on the Virtual Console. Even if it was only a handful of confirmed games. This could greatly broaden Wii's appeal at launch.

Well done Metal Sphere. Will be checknig back later tonight. Hopefully some fit hits the shan before the night is over.

Thanks. Yeah, I'll be adding/removing stuff as this goes on. Anyone know of a reliable stream website so I can include it in the OP?

I believe it's going to be streamed at this address once the conference starts:

http://www.irwebcasting.com/060914/01/

Correct me if I'm wrong. Got it from the other Wii thread.

Why would they even want to do that, considering they were all remade for gamecube and Wii is backwards compatible. I wouldn't like it either, but it just doesn't make any sense to even consider that.

Thanks, Cobalt. I'll put it up just above the conference dates.

Price and launch date announced due to a premature release of an article about the press conferences by the New York Times.

$250.

November 19th.

WiiSports to be packed in.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/busine...intendo14.html

NY Times may have broke the news before it even hits Japan. We'll see what's unveiled at the keynote though.

50 dollars for games. Not too bad.

30 games available for download through the virtual console seems kind of weak. I hope that goes up alot after launch or else it seems like a waste.

I don't think that's a live stream, that will just show the conference once it's over.

Thanks Mo0 and Cobalt, updating now. Looks like NDAs or what not expired at midnight or something.

Note the "at launch" at the end of that figure. It's going to be just like the XBox Live Arcade, they'll be adding plenty more later.

Let's wait for Nintendo to state it. You're just hours away. Stop with the "reported" this and that. FFS, the official word is coming.

I highly doubt they're going to say anything different at the conference. The newsmedia has these stories written days in advance, so unless Nintendo changed its mind in the past few days (highly unlikely), I see no reason to doubt the veracity of the report.

I'd be excited in the pants region about WiiSports being tossed in there, but I don't think it includes the plane game anymore, so I will shrug my shoulders and post this post while waiting for official news. About Dreamcast relaunching in 2009 by that UK2 guy that used to post here. He claimed Bad Boys 2 was the greatest game ever. What a legend.

It's nowhere to be found on New York Times' site, for one.

Have a look. It's a scavenger hunt: find the non-existant article!

Edit: Hah, IGN's "proof" link (this used to work) is now mysteriously gone. Wait a few hours, people.

Hmm I'm gonnna be slightly dissapointed if $250 is indeed the price for the U.S. It's a very reasonable price but meh... I guess I got too caught up with the $170 rumor. Besides, I'm sure that 360's gonna have a price cut for the holidays so the $200 mark would have probebly been a better route for Nintendo. Oh well.

If I had one wish it would be that it launches sooner than 2 days after the PS3. If it really had an October release, that would be incredible.

This thing better come with 2 sets of full controller gear (remote, nunchuck, and classic) and 5 free Virtual Console downloads or this price is awful. Fuck Wii Sports. If that's the reason for this price and we don't get 2 sets of controllers then I'll be pissed. It's 4 mini games and is worth no more than perhaps a 5 dollar download via the virtual console. The date alone makes me shake my head. I figured they'd be smart and release this before the PS3. The 360 Core Pack is only 50 bucks more. Yeah I know only stupid people buy the Core Pack but there are a lot of fucking stupid people and that 50 bucks is a visible difference.

I'll be buying Wii no matter what but this news dissappoints me. I'm hoping this is really premature and Nintendo's official news will be better.

What that says to me is that they removed it after realizing they were violating an embargo. Because I went to both of those sites not 10 minutes ago and the articles were there in their entirety.

Acer, Skills had a good point about the release date. After the PS3 sells out on Day 1, what are thousands of flustered shoppers going to do? Buy the Wii, which by all accounts won't be nearly as hard to find and a lot less expensive.

http://wii.ign.com/articles/732/732669p1.html

On the contrary.