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Nintendo Of Japan Prices Wii Accessories
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Accessories, Hardware, Nintendo, Wii,
Nintendo of Japan recently added a list of accessories and prices for the Wii in Japan; this should give US gamers a general idea of what to expect for pricing here. The accessories listed include:
- Replacement Power Adapter: 3,000 Yen ($25)
- Composite Video Cable: 1,000 Yen ($8.40)
- S-Video Cable: 2,500 Yen ($21)
- D-Terminal Cable (Japan-specific video cable): 2,500 Yen ($21)
- Component Video Cable: 2,500 Yen ($21)
- 512 MB SD Memory Card: 3,800 Yen ($32)
- USB LAN Adapter: 2,800 Yen ($23)
If Nintendo prices their accessories in the US at something close to the dollar conversion rate, the cost would seem pretty reasonable. The component video cable is at least less expensive than the Gamecube cable was, assuming that one had a component capable version of the console. The USB LAN adapter is reasonably priced as well, hopefully Nintendo of America will keep this priced at under $25.
Read More 
| Nintendo of Japan
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Wii’s Secret Features Keep on Coming
Posted by Michael Cardiff Categories: Music, Nintendo, Rumors, Wii,
So, you thought you’d heard everything about what the Wii can do? Well, we’ve found some new interesting tidbits, and we’re willing to bet (based on what we’ve found out so far) that there’s still more up Nintendo’s seemingly bottomless sleeves.
The most recent revelation is that the Wii will support mp3 playback (that’s MPEG-3 Audio format, not Metroid Prime 3, of course). While details are of course sketchy, it seems that the playback will at least be enabled during slideshows played through the Photo Channel. Straight from the most recent “Iwata Asks” write-up:
“Another thing which people have really enjoyed is the Slide show function. This allows you to play music as the console automatically displays your pictures in turn. If you put MP3 files in your SD Card, you can have your favourite songs as background music to your Slide show.”
Does this mean that you’ll be able to include your own music during games (much like the Xbox 360’s current capabilities?). It certainly sounds like it. And especially given the fact that the Wii has an upgradeable, possibly Linux-based operating system, there’s definitely the possibility that Nintendo could even implement this feature at a later date.
As usual, we’ll keep you updated with all the latest rumors. But goodness - it’s 5 weeks until launch - shouldn’t we be running out of rumors already??!?
Read More | Iwata Asks @ Nintendo.com
Wii.com Updated With “Wii Experience”
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Culture, Nintendo, Wii,
Nintendo has updated their Wii sites worldwide with a set of eight new videos, titled “Wii Experience.” Nintendo is clearly playing off the double meaning of the title, and the eight videos show people in different countries and of different ages experiencing the Wii. The videos do a really good job of illustrating the wide appeal of the console; the camera hardly ever focuses on the gameplay, but it is clear that all of the people are playing various games from Nintendo’s Wii Sports. One thing that stands out from the videos is the joy that these people are experiencing when they play the games. Some of the players start out with tentative motions, but as they play further, their movements start to become more exaggerated. The site has some empty spots for future videos, so one can expect Nintendo to add more content as the Wii launch date gets closer.
Read More | Wii.com
Nintendo of Japan has started airing the first Wii commercial, and it is a little abstract to say the least. Nintendo is probably intending this to act as a teaser for the upcoming release of the Wii. A loose translation of the commercial would be:
What is this?
This is a new remote.
The Nintendo Wii Remote.
One would expect the US advertising to be different than those in Japan, but since this is clearly just the beginning of a larger advertising campaign, it is hard to tell where Nintendo of Japan is going to go with these ads.
Nintendo Minimizes Wii Sunlight Issues
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Hardware, Nintendo, Wii,
When a gamer reported that the Wii demonstration units at the Nintendo World store were being adversely affected by sunlight, 1up talked to Nintendo to try and clarify the situation. Nintendo’s response didn’t completely address the issue, but they did state that their own testing showed “no great risk of light interference when playing a game that relies on the pointer and sensor bar.” Now, this isn’t a specific denial of the situation at Nintendo World, so gamers may be left hoping that Nintendo’s internal test cases will encompass enough of the home lighting situations that this isn’t a huge issue.
Read More | 1up
CVG Gets Hands On With the Wii Controller
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Hardware, Nintendo, Wii,
The guys at Computer and Video Games have put together an in-depth preview of the Wii controller, and so far all indications seem to be positive for the new technology. CVG wasn’t able to get their hands on a truly final controller; their version was will wired to the console, but CVG had Nintendo’s assurances that the new controllers would be close to their retail counterparts.
CVG found the controllers to be well designed, and comfortable to hold, much like most of other feedback from people lucky enough to play with the controller. They claim the controller is more weighty and solid than the E3 demo units.
In terms of response time and accuracy, CVG found that controller motion was detected nearly instantaneously; lag reported in games from others may be related to earlier versions of the controller, early versions of the games, or the environment. Accuracy of the pointer was compared to a mouse, and not as much as a light gun. Sensitivity of the controller seemed to vary with the user’s distance from the screen. CVG also gives feedback on the speaker functionality and the nunchuck controller as well. Overall, the CVG’s experience what seems to be the majority opinion on the internet; the controller works well and the games are fun.
Read More | Computer And Videogames
Wild Wii Weekend Rumors in Review
Posted by Michael Cardiff Categories: Accessories, Corporate News, Nintendo, Release Dates, Rumors, Wii,
It seems the internets just can’t get enough Wii information - and with the launch a little over a month away, tasty pics and rumomrs are springing up all over the place. Just so you don’t have to go anywhere else, we’ve compiled all of this week’s major Wii stories into one meaty, juicy post.
See more after the jump, including pics of the first Wii accessories, launch date rumors, and other tidbits.
Click to continue reading Wild Wii Weekend Rumors in Review
Nintendo Wii Hits “Hot Dozen” Toy List
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Culture, Nintendo, Wii,
Toy Wishes magazine unveiled its list of the “Hot Dozen” toys for the 2006 holiday season, and this year’s list featured Nintendo’s Wii console. The Toy Wishes annual event helps launch the holiday season for toy makers and retailers, and being selected for the list can help smaller toys get a foothold in the market. Now, the Wii probably won’t need any help selling all of the consoles that Nintendo ships this holiday, but it is a testament to the broad appeal of the console that members of the toy industry feel confident in adding the console to the list.
Read More | MarketWatch
DS Sales Lead Nintendo To Higher Profit Forecast
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Corporate News, Nintendo, Nintendo DS,
Nintendo raised their profit forecast for the fiscal year by 20 percent, based on rising sales of its Nintendo DS console and a weakening yen. For their fiscal year ending March 31, Nintendo now believes that net income will be approximately 100 billion yen, roughly $851 million US. Nintendo has typically adjusted profit forecasts based on currency exchange fluctuations in the past, but this announcement is the first time in a long while that Nintendo’s estimates have changed based on stronger than predicted sales of a video game console. Nintendo of Japan has been delivering roughly 100,000 to 150,000 DS consoles to store in Japan each week, and the consoles sell out nearly as quickly as they arrive.
Read More | Bloomberg
Commodore 64 Games Could Appear In Virtual Console
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Nintendo, Wii,
Gamasutra reports that the latest issue of Nintendo Power indicates that gamers could possibly see Commodore 64 games appearing in Nintendo’s Virtual Console. Specifically, titles from extinct game developer Epyx were mentioned. Epyx had a decent line-up of games for the Commodore 64, including games like Summer Games, California Games, and Impossible Mission. And since the games would be based around their Commodore 64 versions, gamers should actually be able to complete Impossible Mission. Hopefully the emulation isn’t so precise that the FastLoad cartridge will be required.
Read More | Gamasutra
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