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Wii: The Final Secrets

By Matthew Steele Winters on Friday, September 15, 2006 at 3:00 PM EST  

Wii Secrets
In light of Nintendo FINALLY spilling the beans on the Wii’s release date and price, I feel compelled to dissect each and every announcement, as only a true fan could. Keep in mind that whatever follows, I am still extremely excited about the Wii and I will be leaving EB on Day 1 with a bag full of games and accessories.

Release Date
In a truly second grade move, Nintendo has decided to release their new console within a few days of Sony releasing theirs. So Nanny Nanny Poo Poo Sony! November 19th is the final United States release date for the Wii. After months of agonizing anticipation and hearing rumor after rumor, I can’t help but be slightly disappointed that I have to wait two months. But, since I’ve been waiting my entire life for a system as innovative as this one, what’s another two months?

I am extremely glad that Nintendo decided to release the Wii the week before Thanksgiving instead of the week after. This was obviously a strategic move to capitalize on the biggest shopping day of the year, but I like to think that it was to give me a work-free week to gorge myself on Zelda. Either way, I’m really just glad that we have a solid release date so I can pre-order this bad boy soon. Hopefully, I won’t have to buy an Arctic Purple Bundle for the low low price of $699 and my soul.

Console Price
Speaking of price, the console will run you back $249.99. While I’m sure the entire world, including myself, was hoping for a $199.99 price point, I feel like Nintendo made the right decision. First off, making a profit on a console has become an almost taboo idea. For Nintendo to make a profit starting on Day One means that we don’t have to deal with the post-launch capital deficit which slows innovation and creates that lull where it’s five months post-launch and you have a new system with a handful of launch games and no new games to buy.

And, while many of you are fooled by their funny commercials and racist mascots, Nintendo is still a corporation, and as such, its underlying goal is to make money. Heaven forbid they actually try and reach that goal. There really is no reason not to make the console $249.99. We all know we’re going to pay the extra $50 and it’s still $150 cheaper than an Xbox 360 and an astounding $350 cheaper than the PS3. Yes, you heard me. You can buy approximately 2 ½ Wiis for the price of one PS3. In summary, good for you Nintendo, good for consumers. Not so good for the competition.

Wii Sports
In its most brilliant move, Nintendo has decided to package Wii Sports with the console. Having played Wii Sports at E3, I could tell right away that this game’s overly simplified control scheme would get old in a day. But, it’s a great way to show off the console and its abilities. I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks that even with 5 games in 1, Wii Sports isn’t worth $50. Not only does including a game make the console price that much more appealing, Wii Sports is a great way to get other family members into the Wii. We all know 15 year old Timmy is going to buy a Wii, but when grandpa sees how easy it is to play Tennis, and that poor little Timmy is playing by himself, he won’t be able to help but join in the fun.

Accessory Prices
Here’s where I think Nintendo went overboard. The price point for the Wiimote has been set at $39.99. While slightly more expensive than the already overpriced Gamecube controller, I think that it makes sense, considering the 101 things the controller can do. But, when I heard that if you want a nunchuck, it’s going to cost you an extra $19.99, that’s when it got personal. That’s like going into a deli, ordering a turkey sandwich, getting a plate with nothing but turkey, and having the guy tell you “Oh, you wanted BREAD? Well that’ll cost you an extra $5.”

By packaging the Wiimote and the nunchuck together with the console, they are in effect admitting that both are required to make use of the system. To have to spend $59.99 on each extra controller set is outrageous. Nintendo has been claiming from the very beginning that their strategy is to make this a system for the entire family, but if you want your entire family to play, it’s going to cost you a whopping $180. When buying three controllers is almost as expensive as buying the console, you know something’s not kosher (continuing the deli analogy).

And let’s not forget the classic controller. God forbid you are one of Nintendo’s previously untapped markets that they’re so concerned with targeting (sorry, I went to business school) and you don’t already own a Gamecube. Now you’ll have to spend ANOTHER $19.99 on the classic controller shell. So if you want your entire family to be able to play any Wii game, it’s going to cost you an extra $240! For shame Nintendo….for shame.

Wii Channels
It doesn’t take a Brain Age player to have seen this one coming. “Our controller already looks like a TV remote, why don’t we make our interface look like TV! It’s GENIUS” Very good Nintendo (*pats on head). Each game/web browser/virtual console/anything else Nintendo decides to shove in our faces is displayed as its own channel on the main screen. Simply point at a channel and click, and you are instantly playing a game, surfing the web, watching the news, etc. There really isn’t much else to say other than that this looks like a great interface.

Wii Mii
Someone needs to tell the Nintendo creative team that changing one letter does not constitute a new idea. It’s all fine and good when they come up with Mii, but when they start releasing the Pii, that’s where I draw the line. The Mii is Nintendo’s answer to Microsoft’s gamer card. Each player can customize their profile with a custom 3D character that can even be stored in the Wiimote and taken to friend’s houses. While I’m sure some of you instantly thought that this is a pointless feature, the kid in me was intrigued. That is, of course, until I saw a demonstration of this feature in action. If I wanted to make a character that looks like a Playskool toy, I would have gone to Kids R’ Us. On the other hand, when you combine this feature with Wii Sports, as demonstrated at E3 with the Wii Tennis player that looked like Miyamoto, it does seem slightly more interesting.

Zelda Delay
I just had to say something about the delay of the Gamecube version of Zelda. Come on Nintendo, you’re not fooling anyone. If you think that it’s a coincidence that they delayed Gamecube Zelda, a game that has obviously been in development longer than Wii Zelda and has fewer complications, then you’re probably too slow to even play Wii Golf. While this doesn’t affect me at all, since I was going to buy the Wii version anyway, I’m sure there are many diehard Zelda fans that have been waiting for over 2 years clutching their Gamecube controllers. Unfortunately for them, they’re going to have to buy a Wii, or wait, get this, two weeks! For those non-gamers out there, two weeks to a gamer is like 10 years to a normal human being. Personally, I would rather pay for the game twice or even three times than wait two weeks. While this move is sure to increase Wii sales, I think it’s slightly underhanded. On the other hand, I guess I shouldn’t expect more from the company whose mascot’s arch nemesis’ greatest weapon is his farts.

Misc
Let me end this by discussing the least exciting announcements, Wii Weather and Wii Opera. Now maybe there are some people out there who don’t have a computer or internet access, perish the thought, but that doesn’t mean that including a web browser is going to make Johnny Darkage buy a Wii. I guess it’s a nice feature to have, and it does have potential. It would be cool to be playing a level where you’re totally stuck, and click a button and automatically be transported to the games website with a hint for your specific predicament. And if I’m too lazy to walk the two feet to my computer or change the AV input and switch back to my actual TV, then MAYBE I’ll use Wii Weather. Even so, in light of all the major announcements made this week, these announcements seem dull by comparison.

Final Thoughts
While some of the announcements came as a shock, overall I think Nintendo is still on the right track. They have a release date which will let them capitalize on the holiday season, a console that’s hundreds cheaper than their competitors, a solid launch line up and the ability to actually meet demand. All in all, I finally feel like I can sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride, knowing Nintendo is at the helm. Stay tuned for more Wii news and launch day impressions in the issues to come.

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