I Really Don't know what to say. I Love Nintendo but Come on already... a Wii Mini? The Wii U sales aren't doing so hot and then this? Nintendo what are you doing?
It Has No Online Capabilities... Let Me Rephrase that You Can't Connect it Online Period, No Expandable Storage, CANNOT play Gamecube Games, and for $100 it comes with a Wii Controller and Mario Kart. which Funny enough the game and controller is about the same price as this bundle alone.
I'd skip it and get a Gamecube-compatible Wii used, pick up a couple of Wavebirds, a couple of Wii-motes/nunchucks, and play that way. There's no reason to buy a Wii Mini if you can't go online or play some older games. Better yet: fire up Dolphin and enjoy.
cutting off the revenue stream from the online store and the virtual console games is a pretty obvious shot in the foot, I don't think anyone can make logic out of that
This has been available in Canada since Dec 2012 and the EU/UK since Mar 2013. Who really cares if it has no online capabilities? The only thing the Wii was useful for (to me personally) in terms of online was Netflix and Virtual Console. This box is designed to play Wii games only. It includes a Wiimote Plus and Mario Kart for what you admit is worth about the same as the bundle itself. They're basically giving the system itself away with the purchase of a game and controller. I'm not really seeing how this is "Slowly Nailing their Coffin."
If you can get a Gamecube compatible Wii, that's obviously the best choice. However, Nintendo started selling the Wii Family Edition in North America in October 2011. It looks largely the same as the original Wii, but The Family Edition strips out Gamecube backwards compatibility.
I Didn't say it IS nailing their Coffin. i Said IS it nailing their Coffin? The Wii U isn't doing well. The Wii U Can Play Wii Games and Wii U Games. the Wii Mini has all the Features Removed which also made the Wii More Attractive Choice as a Console. Everyone that has a console uses it more than to just game. Talk to friends, and as you said watch Netflix. The Wii Mini is just gaming with discs. No netflix, no chatting with friends. So the question is why did Nintendo do it in the first place. The Wii was good enough as it was . If Nintendo wanted to sell more Wiis they could of just lowered the price, not waste money making this mini version of it with all the awesome features removed.
Its funny that the game they include in the bundle (Mariokart) is one of the mot heavily played games online for the Wii.. And you cant even play it online.
I think it will sell alright for a system that has pretty much lived its life. I could see parents with really young kids finding it a attractive purchase.
I don't know if it would even bother me that much. I have a Wii and while it was probably my favorite console of the last gen I never once played anything online on it. I suppose if all I had was a wii it would though.
It is only $30 cheaper as well. What the hell is the point of that?
Nintendo has been nailing in their coffin for quite some time, but now it appears they went out and purchased a nail gun.
Nintendo really needs to do something and fast. They are losing money and the Wii U has seen a luke work reception at best. Been out for over a year and it has only sold about 3.9 million units. The PS4 and the 'Bone have been out for weeks and have already sold over 2 million units. I guess there strategy for releasing a system with no games didn't turn out to be the best strategy. After this cock up and the disaster that was the 3DS, only selling after several price cuts, Nintendo really needs to get their act together.
Stop with the dumb ideas and just release a solid console that lets you play fun games. Stop just remaking your old games, stop beating the dead horses. GIve us some actually new, fun and innovative games. No gimmicks, no bullshit.
Although I already believe this is the last console generation, or at least consoles in the way we know them, this is a sign they are getting desperate. I wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo went the way of Sega and dropped out of the console market altogether.
We live in a world where Nintendo is constantly misstepping yet many don't really seem to notice. I guess because for most people Nintendo was a better parent than their actual parents.
I wouldnt say we need new games. I like the way they renew their old games. The only reason I bought a Wii was for Zelda, mario, and (the one good) sonic. As well as to play Gamecube and whatnot.
They're also the only company that does decent party games. And yes, party games are fun, and important..
You mention Sony and Microsoft, then tell Nintendo to stop beating a dead horse. Lol, CoD anyone?
So yeah, the console ideas are stupid, but most of the games are really great.
When you create a topic with a title like yours, it makes is seem that the question is true, and what you wrote seems to reinforce the idea that you believe the Wii Mini is contributing to the death of Nintendo. Perhaps tone down the hyperbole in the future.
The Wii was released in 2006. The majority of people that would have bought a Wii for the features you list would have done so long before now. The Wii Mini is not for those people. The Wii Mini is not for you. The Wii Mini could, for example, be for grandparents to have so their grandkids have something to do when they visit. They wouldn't drop $300 for a Wii U, but $100 for a Wii Mini is much more sensible and easier to swallow. It's for parents who don't want their children having access to online features for whatever reason. Again, it's not for you, but that doesn't make it worthless.
You state if they wanted to sell more Wiis they could just lower the price. Did you know things cost money to manufacture? The reason they stripped out those features is to reduce the cost of making the Wii Mini. If you reduce the price of something without reducing your manufacturing costs, you lose money. If you see a trend of people not using features, why keep making something that has them when all those features do is keep your costs high?
The last point I'll refute is your claim that everyone that has a console uses it for more than just gaming. You confuse yourself with everyone else. What you do is not necessarily what everyone else does. I have an Xbox 360 that I do not use them for anything but gaming. My PS3 is used only for gaming and very rarely watching Blu-Ray movies. My Wii U is only for gaming. I do not use any of my consoles to chat with friends. I have infinitely better methods of communication for that.
The $130 Wii that is currently sold does not have Gamecube backwards compatibility. The only things you're losing between the current Wii and the Wii Mini are the online capabilities and the Virtual Console.
Yes I like those games too, but sometimes enough is enough. I'm not saying they aren't fun, but really? New Super Mario Brothers Wii, New SUper Mario Brothers Wii U, New Super Mario 3D Land, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Galaxy 2. These are the same games.... Fundamentally the same from the days of the NES complete with chirpy old sound effects.
The Zelda games are all broadly similar. They are even just rereleasing half them now adding shit that no one wanted.
Again, I'm not saying the games aren't fun. Most of them are. But the point is they are really starting to stagnate. The Mario games and even most of the Zelda games aren't exactly what I would catagorize as "great" either.
I was speaking about Sony and Microsoft's sales. I wasn't giving them a free pass. CoD, BF, AssCreed, Dead Rising and countless others, a lot of these games are well past their prime. I just want some new, interesting and fresh titles is all. From every manufacturer and studio.
Yes they do make some of the best party games. Warioware was amazing. Many late nights with that one.
yeah well it looks like the console-model is ending, Nintendo's plastic boxes seam to be the first ones to go. They can still make games for an open platform. I certainly won't shed a single when a walled ecosystem withers. My computer is able & willing, Nintendo is welcome to sell me software as well as exotic controllers...
Very true. I believe they will become like Sega. Nothing wrong with that so long as Mario doesn't become Sonic the Hedgehog... Although the regular bits of Unleashed and Generations weren't that bad...
Maybe you tech-savvy PC gaming master racers are above this, but most people eat this shit up like you wouldn't believe. Something like this would be particularly popular in Japan, Nintendo's back yard, where multiplayer gaming isn't as important to every single person and smaller *everything* is in high demand.
As for Nintendo relying on the 3DS... you do realize they made that, right? That's like saying "Oh, I'd be starving if it wasn't for having an entire cow's worth of grass-fed beef, an award winning vegetable garden, and enough fresh bread to feed a small French village for a month."