Rumor: More Wiis and PS3s Hitting Retail Sunday?

We got two separate tips today from our retail chain connection, both with info on forthcoming Wii and PlayStation 3 shipments. First, let's check in with our Circuit City pals:

I work at Circuit City and we're supposed to be doing a company wide re-launch of the Wii on Sunday, December 3rd. My store is getting 54 units, which is slightly above the average of 40 or so, and every Circuit is getting between 15 and 132 consoles.

Also, every Circuit will be getting 5-40 PS3's across this week (before 12/1) and next week (between 12/1 and 12/6). My store is getting 26 across both weeks, which is once again above the average. The PS3's will be both 20 and 60 GB models. Mostly 60 GB's at roughly a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio. The PS3's are supposed to be sold upon receipt, so people might want to check their local store's truck schedule.

Sounds dangerously promising! But what about elsewhere?

Our Target retail spy had this to say:

You guys shouldn't have a problem getting a Wii on sunday. Target has gotten about 50 each for Sunday. Most stores have sold them early, but if the stores where you guys are haven't you should be fine.

Since we can't verify this with 100% accuracy (or the blog standard 89% accuracy), we'll call this info "rumor" for now.

Now I'm giving you this information out of the kindness of my heart, dear reader. But if I show up at the Sunset Boulevard Circuit City on Sunday and come out sans Wii or PS3, I'm going to tear every one of you a new one. I'm not sure yet what fresh orifice it is I'll be tearing, but you probably won't like it.

Retrieved from: Kotaku.com

NES and SNES Controller Adapters for Nintendo Wii

Check it out here: http://www.retrousb.com/wii.html

o Authenticity of original controllers with the simpilicity of Wii
o Plugs directly into the GameCube ports
o No drivers to install or update
o Use with any Virtual Console or GameCube game


Shipping Jan 2007: Add a NES port to your Wii! Use your finger memory and your own NES controller to play Virtual Console games. Authentic gameplay unmatched with other controllers. Get 2 or more RetroPorts to play multiplayer games with friends. Plugs directly into the GameCube ports on your Wii.


Shipping Q1 2007: Add a SNES port to your Wii! Use your own SNES controller to play Virtual Console games the way it was originally designed. Authentic gameplay unmatched with other controllers. Get 2 or more RetroPorts to play multiplayer games with friends.

Nintento to sell 4 million Wii units before end of the year

Nintendo Co. Ltd. is on track to meet its target of selling 4 million units of its Wii game console globally by the end of the year, with the potential for exceeding that goal limited only by manufacturing constraints, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said on Wednesday.

"All systems are go for reaching the 4-million target we have in our financials by December 31," he said at the Reuters Media Summit in New York. "We will sell everything we make so now it's simply a manufacturing thing."

Retrieved from: Reuters.com

Nintendo wants GoldenEye back

MTV's Stephen Totilo recently grilled Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime about all things Wii. When questioned, the NoA president didn't hold back his desire to see GoldenEye returned to Nintendo's platform, revealing to Totilo, "Suffice it to say we would love to see [GoldenEye on Virtual Console], so we're exploring all the rights issues."

So how far is Nintendo willing to "explore"? If GoldenEye is to enjoy its homecoming, royalties could certainly be owed to Microsoft, which now owns developer Rare, and Activision, which scooped up the Bond license earlier this year. Judging by Reggie's comments -- "the pain is worth the gain" -- Nintendo may be willing to cut those checks.

Virtual Console Adds Three

November 28, 2006 - Last night, Super Star Soldier, a Hudson Soft Turbografx-16 shooter, was made available for download on the Virtual Console. Two more titles were added this afternoon. Ecco the Dolphin and the original Golden Axe, classic Sega Genesis action games, are now available.

Downloading Super Star Soldier costs 600 Wii Points (US$6). The Genesis titles run a bit higher at 800 Wii Points (US$8) each.

While we love the idea of the Virtual Console, it should be noted that for 20 bucks you can get the Sega Genesis Collection on PS2. The recently released budget title includes 32 Sega games. Of course, you can't play these on your Wii. Therein lies the rub.

New Virtual Console titles are expected each Monday with roughly 30 total titles being made available by the end of this year.

Retrieved from: Wii.ign.com

Wii Skins

To show our love for the Wii, we developed exceptional Wii skins, with maximum coverage and a precision fit to avoid huge gaps between panels. Our premium thin materials cover both sides of the console, so it's gorgeous in or out of the stand.

More Wii Skins found here: www.decalgirl.com

Wii Sells 600,000 in one week!

Retrieved from: www.videogamesblogger.com

Nintendo’s new Wii video game system sold through to more than 600,000 consumers in the Americas in just its first eight days of availability. That’s a rate of nearly one per second continuously since the November 19 launch.

Including just first-party software and accessory sales, Wii instantly has become a $190 million business in the Americas.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, a favorite of avid gamers, already has achieved sales of more than 454,000 units in the Americas, representing more than 75 percent of all hardware purchasers.

“Even with sales already in excess of 600,000 units, demand continues to exceed supply, as it’s clear this is one of the ‘gotta-have’ products for the holiday season,” says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “We’ve shipped retailers several times the amount of hardware the other company was able to deliver for its launch around the same time — and we still sold out.

Given the inclusive nature of Wii game play, we’re seeing this new form of video gaming is already a huge hit with gamers and newcomers alike. It continues to be a phenomenal launch.”

During the Thanksgiving holiday shopping weekend, there was plenty of conversation across the nation about the high demand for the Wii system, with the acknowledgment that if you see one, you’d better buy it.

The system also is succeeding in its stated mission of reinvigorating current players, while attracting new ones. Every Wii system includes the five-game Wii Sports software, which is the talk of the Internet, featuring countless reports on how previously devout non-gamers have suddenly been converted via the amazing new way games are experienced using the system’s remarkable controller. At the same time, the masterful

Licensees, pleased not only with the sales performance of the Wii, but also its creative development capabilities, are publicly sharing their comments:

“Madden NFL 07 is a great example of how the Wii gives players a whole new experience on their favorite games,” says EA Studio President Paul Lee. “EA’s creative teams are working to build more Wii features into some of our most popular franchises.”

“The creativity we’ve been able to unleash on the Wii system with our game Red Steel has been eye-opening for our development teams,” explains Ubisoft President Laurent Detoc. “Having the opportunity to design and develop entirely new game-play experiences using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk is both exciting and rewarding.”

Classic games also are proving to be a hit on Wii, which offers downloadable access to 20 years of the best of Nintendo, Sega Genesis and TurboGrafx16 hits via the system’s Virtual Console feature.

Wii Component Cable

Retrieved from Engadget
Those HDTV owners lucky enough to have a Wii may well know the sting of the Wii component cable shortage; with the ~$2 part (cost, not retail) fetching upwards of $100 on eBay, we think Blaze may have just saved the day with its $6.71 3rd party Wii component cables. Unfortunately even those are on backorder until this Thurdsay, the 30th, and even then you have to buy it from the same totally unimpeachable operation that brought you the Wii glove. So either way it looks like your ass is going to be rocking the 480i until further notice.

Wii FAQ

FAQ From: Engadget.com

# How loud is the Wii?

We'd say of the next gen consoles, the order of loudness goes: Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360. Though that's not necessarily fair since the Wii and the PS3 are both pretty much completely silent from more than a foot away. To put it in perspective, the only console we can tell whether it was left on is the Xbox.

# Can you connect and play media from a USB hard drive?

Our USB drive turns on when we plug it in -- it's obviously USB -- but nothing happens. Right now there's no support for USB storage, including playback of photos, music, or movies, nor saving channels or games to the device. Bummer.

# Is it possible to attach an external keyboard, mouse, etc. to the USB ports on the back of the Wii?

Yeah, you can attach them, but they don't actually do anything. Kind of a bummer, too, since using that on-screen keyboard of theirs is kind of a pain -- we often aim off our letter when pressing the A button to type.

# Does the Wii upconvert non-Wii games?

If you've got the component cables you can "upscale" old games to 480p / EDTV. Not that it's going to look any better, but the display doesn't change back 480i or anything.

# Which audio / video / image formats work with the Wii?

The manual states it works only with JPEG images, MP3 audio, and motion JPEG movies. We found it worked with all of the above, and unfortunately nothing but. We tested pretty much everything, including BMP, GIF, TIF, PSD, and PNG images; OGG, AAC, AAC lossless, WMA, WMA lossless, MP3, FLAC, AIF, and WAV audio; and XviD, WMA, H.264, and every other variety of movie could think of to throw at it.

# When you insert an SD card into Wii with photos and videos on, do they need to be converted to display/save onto Wii?

Nope, but it does only read JPEG, MP3, and motion JPEG (MOV) files.

# What are the load times for the games?

Nothing at all unusual for a disc-based console. Considering it's loading less data than the PS3 or Xbox 360, we might've liked to see those load times shaved down a bit. But it's nothing unreasonable, and doesn't clock into the minutes territory.

# Is the sensor bar setup tough (does it require a level or anything like that)?

Not at all. Just rest it on top of or below your TV. If it keeps falling off (like ours did) you can use the double-sided tape on the bottom and stick it into place.

# How does the Wii work on a smaller TV?

Very well; we hooked it up to the smallest TV we could possibly find, a 13-incher, and even put the sensor bar way off to the side and it worked beautifully.

# Is it hard to aim on the smaller TV?

Not at all. It's like playing any games on a smaller screen: you're never going to be able to pick up the same level of detail and accuracy as on a larger display, but it still works great.

# How decent is the callibration for the Wii?

Very decent, and extremely easy. In fact, there's no calibration at all, just put the sensor bar on or below your TV, set the option for its location, and you're off.

# Is the sensor bar really that distracting?

Huh? Not really, it's pretty benign; we didn't even notice it. You might pay more attention to it if it's mounted on a wall (if you're using a projector), but it's very low profile and unobtrusive.

# What happens if you put a disc in upside down?

Nothing in the channel page; in the Disc channel, however, you get a simple cannot read disc error message. Our discs came out fine and unscratched.

# In the unboxing video, what were those "decals" plastic things?

That's actually a sensor bar stand and a clear Wii stand support.

# How long do the Wii batteries last? Are they rechargeable? Nunchuck change the battery life much?

They just take AA batteries, so your mileage may vary. They're not rechargeable out of the box, and the nunchuck feeds off the Wiimote's power. We've been playing for a week or more now on the stock batteries with no problems, but who knows if they'll die today, tomorrow, or two months from now.

# What does the Sync button do?

It allows you to sync wireless peripherals (Wiimote, etc.) to your system, like an Xbox 360. Nothing more or less.

# Is the Wii controller REALLY Bluetooth-compliant, or is it simply RF? What happens if you try to pair it with a Bluetooth 2.0EDR capable PC?

It is indeed. And unlike the PS3, since it has that sync button you can make it go into discoverable mode. We tried and found the Wiimote, but we were unable to pair with the device. For those curious, its Bluetooth device name was Nintendo RVL-CNT-01 -- different from its official model number RVL-003.

Wii Launch Party Pics for NY Times Square

From: Engadget.com

Wii Virtual Console Video

Wii Launch NYC: 5,000 Wiis in Times Square

From: Gizmodo

We're here in either one of the best or one of the worst places on the planet, depending on your perspective—Times Square in NYC. The Wii launch party is set to start in about 3 hours, and by my estimation there are at least 1,000 people lined up. Word on the line is that there are 5,000 Wiis inside the store waiting to be snatched up, so there should be a lot less violence and bloodshed come midnight compared to what we saw earlier this week with the PS3 frenzy. Check
back for more reports from this agoraphobics nightmare throughout the
evening.

More NYC mayhem after the jump.

Wii Component Cable Info

The Wii Component Video Cable allows you to hook your Wii console system to a high-definition TV (HDTV) or enhanced-definition TV (EDTV) to view 480p progressive output. 480p progressive output displays at a higher resolution than standard 480i resolution. Please check Wii software packaging to see if the game can be viewed with 480p progressive output.

Please note that your TV must be a high-definition TV (HDTV) or enhanced-definition TV (EDTV) to view 480p output. You will also be required to change your Wii settings from Standard TV (480i) to EDTV/HDTV to view 480p. Check page 44 in your Wii console system 'Channels & Settings' manual.

You cannot see Wii progressive display output when the Wii console system is hooked to a TV using any other kind of cable.

Retrieved from: http://store.nintendo.com

WIISEEKER finds Stores and release numbers

So you want to find the best store around you to pick up a Nintendo Wii this weekend? Well with this website you don't need to go from Wal-mart to Target to Best Buy to others stores frantically in search of the smallest lines - all you need to do is type in your zip code, and it pulls up all the stores in your area, and the exact number of Wiis they have in inventory. I've already mapped out my Saturday night, Sunday morning of line waiting for Wii, hurry up and make your plans.

Wii: The Total Story

Full article at: Wii.ign.com

Full technical specifications, price, release date, and much more.

Introducing Nintendo Wii...
Nintendo's new generation console, which was formerly codenamed Revolution, is now simply named Wii. For the record, it's pronounced like "we," despite the different and deliberately odd spelling. Nintendo announced the official name of Wii on April 27, 2006. The announcement can be read by clicking right here. The official Wii announcement trailer can be downloaded right here.

The Wii brand is designed to accentuate the console's unique controller (as represented by the 'ii' in the title) and its ability to bring gamers of all types together, hence the name "we."

The Wii system is the fruit of a new Nintendo philosophy that is determined to emphasize original and fresh gameplay endeavors over dramatically enhanced graphic presentations. Whereas both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are designed from the ground up to deliver more detailed, high-definition graphics, Wii's biggest innovation lies with a potentially revolutionary new controller and not raw horsepower. It is this controller, dubbed the Wii remote (or Wii-mote for short), which truly distinguishes the Big N's new platform from its competitors.

Technical Breakdown
The Wii system has been designed to be "small, quiet and affordable," according to Nintendo. The machine, available at launch in glossy white, is just 8.5 inches long, 6 inches wide and less than two inches thick (the exact dimensions are 157mm x 215.4mm x 44mm.) The Big N is fond of comparing the system to the size of roughly three stacked DVDs. Wii can be placed horizontally or vertically. The console is roughly twice as powerful as a GameCube, putting it in horsepower territory beyond Xbox, but well shy of Xbox 360. Tech specs do not tell the whole story, which is probably why Nintendo itself has chosen not to provide intricate breakdowns for Wii's CPU and GPU. Bearing that in mind, here's everything we know about the console's internal makeup:

-729 MHz IBM PowerPC "Broadway" CPU
-243 MHz ATI "Hollywood" GPU
-24MBs "main" 1T-SRAM
-64MBs other 1T-SRAM
-512MBs internal flash memory
-3MBs texture memory on GPU
-Built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi capability
-One SD memory card bay
-AV multi-port: S-video, composite, component
-Analog (left/right) audio / DPLII
-Four GameCube controller ports
-Two GameCube Memory Pak slots
-Two USB 2.0 ports
-Compatible with up to four wireless Wii-motes
-Self-loading media drive
-Accepts 12cm Wii and 8cm GCN discs; no DVD movies

The specs are good and fine, but they do little to paint Nintendo's full plan for Wii. The Big N hopes its new platform will captivate the elusive non-gamer market. To do this, Wii will come packed with a number of extra features - some of which branch out of games-only territory.




The specs are good and fine, but they do little to paint Nintendo's full plan for Wii. The Big N hopes its new platform will captivate the elusive non-gamer market. To do this, Wii will come packed with a number of extra features - some of which branch out of games-only territory.


Back of the Wii console: Two USB 2.0 ports, a sensor bar slot, multi-AV port and a power plug

The machine utilizes an always-on standard known as WiiConnect24. The service keeps the system in awake mode even as gamers sleep through the night. WiiConnect24 works hand-in-hand with the Wii Channel system to deliver users up-to-date news reports and weather forecasts, as well as new game downloads and other data.

In addition, using Wii's Virtual Console, users can download classic games to their system. Players will have access to more than 20 years of classic games on beloved platforms including NES, SNES, N64, TurboGrafx 16 and Sega Genesis, among others. Virtual Console games will cost between $5 and $10 depending on the title.

Wii will be able to wirelessly connect to Nintendo's popular DS handheld.

Although Nintendo is focused on Wii's Wi-Fi Connection, which delivers wireless access to online games and Web browsing, among other things, users who do not own a wireless router will be able to connect a separately sold USB 2.0 LAN adapter to the machine, at which point they can plug in a network Ethernet cable and gain online access.

Click here to learn all about the Wii-mote and attachmentsNintendo's new generation console has been designed from the beginning to be affordable and so as a result it will be cheaper than any competitor. Unlike either Microsoft's Xbox 360 or Sony's PlayStation 3, Wii will also come packed with a game - or, depending upon how you view it, multiple games. Wondering what we're talking about? Let's get down to the nitty-gritty.

What's in the Box?
The Wii system comes packaged with one Wii-mote, one nunchuk attachment, a Wii stand (which supports the system in its vertical position), an AC adaptor, a composite audio/video cable, a sensor bar, a sensor bar stand, and two AA batteries for the controller. In the US and Europe, Wii will also come bundled with a copy of Wii Sports, a five-game compilation (on one disc) that features such titles as Wii Sports Tennis, Baseball, Bowling, Golf and Boxing. In Japan, however, Wii Sports will be sold separately for approximately 4800 yen.



The Price
Wii will retail for $249.99 in the US, £179 in the Europe and 25,000 yen in Japan.

The Release Date
Wii is scheduled to release first in America in order make the Thanksgiving time frame, which Nintendo considers critical for the US market. The console will go on sale in the US on November 19 - two days after Sony releases PlayStation 3.

Wii will release in Japan on December 2.

The console will go on sale in Europe on December 9.

Finally, Wii will launch in Australia on December 7 for $399.95.

Wii Console Numbers
Although Nintendo is releasing Wii after PlayStation 3, the company is not worried about the competition. When quizzed on the subject, company executives dismissed PS3, saying that not only was it an altogether different videogame console, but that Sony wouldn't have enough units ready this holiday to provide a worthy challenge. Whereas around 400,000 PlayStation 3s are expected to hit in America this November, NOA president Reggie Fils-Aime recently confirmed that it would "absolutely" have more Wii systems ready from day one.

Nintendo expects to ship 4 million Wii units globally by the end of the year, with North American territories (America, Canada and Mexico) getting the largest chunk.

Games and Controllers
Nintendo will be pricing its Wii games at $49.99 and is recommending that its third party contributors do the same. This is $10 cheaper than many games for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Players will be able to separately buy additional Wii-mote and nunchuk controllers, as well as the classic controller, as soon as the system launches. The Wii-mote will cost $39.99. The nunchuk unit will cost $19.99. And the classic controller will cost $19.99.

What do Wii game boxes look like?
Click here to see the official Wii box art for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii)

Retrieved from: GameSpy Zelda Review


After 35 hours or so of caffeine-fueled anarchy, I'm finally ready to write my review. I've had the pleasure of reviewing the last three Zelda titles over the past eight or so years, and even though my favorite incarnation remains A Link to the Past on the SNES, I'm thoroughly satisfied with what The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess has managed to achieve. We all know that the game started out life as a GameCube project, and this much is still evident in the final Wii product. While it might not have the graphical grunt behind it offered by the likes of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, there's no doubt in my mind that Nintendo has once again crafted a video game that will be remembered for years to come. Link's back and his adventure on the new shiny Wii hardware is nothing short of an instant classic.

There will be no spoilers written here, but if you truly only need to know whether the game rocks hard, just take a look at the score and be safe in the knowledge that it does. Up until now, I had previously only played through until the end of the second dungeon. But after running a critical path through the entire game, there's no doubt that this is the longest Zelda game ever made. I can easily see the playtime rising to the 60-hour mark if you try to accomplish everything that the game has to offer -- and trust me, you'll want to. Given the epic size of the game, it's important to note that there's very little redundancy. You'll not find yourself being forced to do a lot of unnecessary running or riding (remember sailing around in Wind Waker?) thanks to the excellent warping system, and on the whole, the game feels very refined.

Life for Link begins in his small rural hometown of Ordon. Spending his days as a ram wrangler, things begin to get a little weird when strange monsters are spotted on the borders of the village. Link is tasked with taking a journey to the main city in Hyrule to consult with the folks there about the recent troubles. As you'd expect, a series of events begin to unfold that lead Link on a fantastical journey as he starts to uncover a sinister plot taking place in an alternate Twilight dimension. Will Princess Zelda know what to do? Who is the evil King of the Twilight and what does he want? And is Link destined to become the savior of the free peoples of Hyrule? It's up to you to take control and find the answers to these questions in your own sweet time.



So essentially, what you're playing is a port of the GameCube version of Twilight Princess that's been retooled for the Wii. The biggest difference is of course the addition of the new motion-sensitive control scheme. I'm happy to report that the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk do an incredibly admirable job of making the game a lot of fun to play. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that this is a preferable method of controlling the game than a regular joypad. Movement, exploration and combat are highly accurate and if you fail or die, it's not the system's fault, but rather your own. I know this has been the biggest concern for many Zelda lovers and gamers in general, but I can't overstate this enough -- the Wii makes for a superb Zelda gaming experience.

The lands of Hyrule are split up into a number of different provinces. Each province gradually becomes unlocked after you hit certain milestones in the game. It might be by the completion of one of the nine dungeons, and there's always a ton of stuff to see and do. There are lots and lots of NPCs to interact with -- some will give out much-needed hints, and others might open up new mini-game challenges. The Twilight dynamic of the game is a nice twist on the proceedings, too. When sent into the Twilight zones, Link transforms into wolf form and this in itself opens up new abilities, combat moves and methods of progression. For example, Link can talk to animals while in wolf form, whereas before he could not.

There are many memorable characters in the game, but easily the best of these is the spooky little imp-like individual, Midna. Her story is a mystery initially, but she proves to be an invaluable helper and hint-giver throughout the game, making for a new dynamic over and beyond the previous games in the series. There are a lot of series' staples found in Twilight Princess as well as some great new additions. Fans of the series will feel right at home with the combat system (Z-targeting is an absolute must) and the traditional mythology of dungeon crawling, money and item gathering, and item usage. It wouldn't be a true Zelda game without some of the classic themed dungeons, so all those players out there who got stuck in Ocarina's notorious Water Temple should start quaking in their boots!

The item and inventory system is well-executed, as is the in-game map system. Up to four items can be selected and mapped to the Wii Remote's B-button and D-pad at any one time, while the up direction on the D-pad is reserved for communication with Midna only. Link starts out with very little in terms of items and weapons, but it won't be long before sword and shield are at your command, along with some decent stop-gap secondary weapons like the slingshot, Gale Boomerang and the Hero's Bow. The game eases you into combat slowly, and makes sure you have a firm grasp of the Z-targeting system along with dodging, back-flipping and rolling around. Later in the game, you'll be facing off against some pretty hardcore mid-bosses and big bosses, but you'll never be put in the position of not being able to beat them -- it just might take a little time to figure out the best course of attack.

Horse riding plays a greater role in Twilight Princess than previous games, and Epona's representation is handled well. The controls are decent and fighting and maneuvering are well-implemented. There's never a shortage of areas to explore, and questing to find every single collectable item or power-up is a huge undertaking. You'll be able to collect fragmented heart containers (you'll need five pieces to form one full heart container this time) along with special hidden glowing bugs, fish and all manner of other stuff, too. The scope is truly magnificent. Speaking of fish, there's essentially an entire full-length game dedicated to catching crazy numbers of different and unique fish. This sometimes comes across as more of a Remote-enabling gimmick than anything else, but completists will love taking some time out for a spot of virtual haddock-reeling. You might even get a surprise reward or two for your piscine-based tomfoolery.



Twilight Princess is a great-looking game. On one hand, it has its graphical problems stemming from the GameCube development cycle (blurry textures, comparatively low-res characters, etc.), but the artistic direction more than makes up for these issues. I ended up playing through about 75 percent of the game using the standard composite cables that ship with the Wii, until I managed to snag some component cables towards the end. The difference in quality, clarity and imagery between the quite frankly subpar composite signal and the sexy 480p component signal was night and day. A sharper, more vibrant image enhanced the game experience significantly, so if you have the means, I highly recommend using component input.

I was delighted to hear that the musical score and sound effects were of the same high standard as Wind Waker, with new implementations on classic Zelda themes adding greatly to the nostalgia factor. The sound is pumped out in sweet Pro Logic II via the stereo cables and again, if you've got the means, it'll sound much better than just regular stereo.

In the end, there's no way that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess disappoints. It's an excellent addition (and homage to Ocarina) to the franchise, and you'll have an enormous amount of fun playing it from start to finish. Get over the fact that the Wii's hardware is simply not as powerful as the other next-gen machines and get into the fact that Twilight Princess is one of the best games you'll play this year. If you've been on the fence in any capacity, then please rest assured that you'll not be disappointed. I'm looking forward to checking out the GameCube version later next month, but I'm having a hard time imagining it being any better than the Wii interpretation. Nintendo's flagship game has finally arrived and you better damned well appreciate it. It's ultimately fantastic.

Wii Component Cables Update

From: Wii Component Cables Update by: Matt Casamassina

November 8, 2006 - We recently caught up with Nintendo of America's vice president of marketing and corporate affairs, Perrin Kaplan, to chat about all things Wii. Our first question was naturally related to how we might come by the hotly sought after component cables for the console - a hurdle that haunts our dreams. Nintendo previously announced that the cables would be able to purchase online, but now we have further clarification. This is a snippet from the conversation:

IGN Wii: What's up with Wii component cables? When can we get them, and how?

Perrin Kaplan: The component cable is going to be sold online and it's also going to be at three retailers. So Circuit City, GameStop and Best Buy. They'll have it online and they'll have it at retailers.

IGN Wii: Oh great, so you'll be able to walk in and buy them at those retailers? Fantastic.

Perrin Kaplan: Yeah. And we did that just because we knew that you were being really grumpy about it. Just kidding! But we knew you were really worried about it.

Nintendo answers Virtual Console questions

Retrieved from: CVG Website

So without further ado, check out the Q&A, then sit tight and do your best not to go insane in the wait for the Wii launch on December 8.

Do N64 games on Virtual Console have the rumble feedback compatibility?

Advertisement:
Nintendo: The rumble feature is not supported on N64 games downloaded to the Virtual Console.

Multiplayer games - will these now incorporate an option to allow the second/third/fourth player to connect over the internet to play, as some PC emulators have made possible?

Nintendo: All games will be faithful recreations of the original versions so they will not feature new functions like multiplayer or internet play if the original title did not.

Will the Wii iron out all slow-down that existed in old games, including the 2D formats? It would be great to play all the old games at a silky-smooth framerate, but some retro gamers, for some reason, consider the slowdown to a part of the game's old-school appeal.

Nintendo: The Virtual Console games faithfully reproduces the original game in all areas, including content, movement and expressions. Principle programming, characters, sound etc. have not been changed.

Being as the Wii classic controller cannot be used to play GameCube games, will Nintendo continue to produce and sell GameCube controllers?

Nintendo: No plans have been announced to date. But Nintendo GameCube accessories are still available from all good retailers.

How configurable will controls be? The N64, with its C-buttons, effectively had six face buttons. The VC controller only has 4. How will this mapping work?

Nintendo: Controller layouts will be determined on a game-by-game basis and detailed in the electronic manual.

Will their be any price difference between buying Wii Points through the online Wii Shop Channel and via retail stores?

Nintendo: Wii points will cost the same online as they do in retail. They can be purchased on the Wii Shop Channel using all major credit cards. 2000 points cards will cost €20 (£14) both online and in shops.

Will there be a published release schedule of VC games or will they just come out as and when?

Nintendo: More Virtual console games will be announced at a later date. New Virtual Console titles will be added in 2007 and beyond creating a constantly growing library of games.

How large (in storage terms) will VC games be? At present what is the average size for games on each of the formats?

Nintendo: Games vary in size but approximately NES games will be 1MB, SNES 5MB and N64 32MB.

How will VC games be organised on the channels page? Will each game be an individual channel or can users group say all the titles of one format (SNES) or all the titles of one series (Zelda)?

Nintendo: Each VC title downloaded will be displayed as an individual channel. Users may move these channels around to suit them.

Guide to finding a Nintendo Wii at Launch

Article from: Wiiloaded.com Website

Read This Before You Line Up

Missed the EB Games/Gamestop and Toys R Us preorders? Do not worry, this guide will help you find that Nintendo Wii that you're searching for on November 19th, aka launch day.

With the Wii's Preorder demand much higher than original expected and the hype surrounding the Wii (not to mention eBay resellers), the Wii may be harder to find than originally expected, in spite of the record 1 million consoles available at launch.

With all of this demand, and long lines for preorders, how could you possibly expect to find a Wii on launch? Without just a little effort, you probably cannot. However, this guide will give you a way to play Wii sports that Sunday with the least inconvenience.

First of all, don't bother calling EB Games or Gamestop. They are sold out. According to reports, these companies (which have merged into one) waited until they received the initial delivery numbers before preordering, and reserved exactly that many. They do not expect to have extra units after their reserves are picked up. Gamestop and EB are thus ranked "No Chance".

Toys R Us generally does not sell it's entire cache of consoles through preorders. Most people will assume they did, or even forget that Toys R Us carries video games, and thus the line can be very thin. Do remember, though, that they have already preordered a significant number of consoles, and may not have many available for sale. Depending on your area, though, you may want to save this one as a last resort if you miss the midnight releases at other retailers, as after those midnight consoles are sold out, a line will form at any retailer that will be selling them in the morning. Toys R Us generally opens at 10am or Noon on Sunday, depending on your area, so Toys R Us earns the "Last Chance" ranking. UPDATE: If the rumors hold any truth, TRU may have only reserved 20% of their stockpile and may still have more units per store than ANY other retailer. If true, this would upgrade the Toys R Us ranking from "Last Chance" to "Best Chance"!

Wal-Mart, if you have one in your area, may not be a bad choice. They receive a large number of consoles, and are usually open 24 hours a day, thus you do not have to sit outside in the freezing cold. Many will even hand out tickets early and allow you to shop around until midnight. Due to this reason, though, you may have to show up during the early afternoon to claim your spot. To avoid cold overnight queues, this may be worth it. Wal-Mart is ranked as the "Stay Warm" headquarters.

Target, the retailer that jumped the gun and began offering accessories before everyone else, they may be building hype for the release. Or, since they are not opening early for the release, could be the best place to line up after missing the midnight lines. Target, then, receives the "Second Chance" ranking.

Best Buy is also offering midnight releases (UPDATE: Apparently they are only opening one hour early), but be warned; this is a popular place to camp out for consoles. This will be the first place most people go to line up, and you will likely see a line formed by 2pm on Saturday, if not sooner. However, you'll find a lot of video game fans here, so if you have a DS and a lawn chair, this may be the place to be. If you're reading this, you probably do not have anything better to do on a Saturday night than take on strangers at Mario Kart and Metroid Prime: Hunters. Thus Best Buy gets the "Most Fun" rank.

Circuit City is joining the lineup as a midnight releaser as well. Depending on how prominent the store is in your area, this line could fill up fast or could be easily overlooked. Take a look at how popular the Circuit City is in your area for video games, and make a decision based on that. Circuit City gets the "Wildcard".

Sam's Club and Costco are generally not known for video games, but they do offer them! As you must have a membership to purchase anything, the expense is greater, but this greatly reduces the number of people to compete against. Also note that they generally only offer bundles, but the bundles may be a good deal. Do not be surprised if one retailer offers a Wii with a spare controller and nunchuk for $299, a savings of $10 over purchasing separately. They do not open until morning, but a wait of less than two hours is possible due to these two being overlooked. Expect the line to be made of an older crowd, usually resellers and parents. Also note that if you're looking for a PlayStation 3, "business" members are allowed to shop earlier than other members on weekdays (such as November 17th), so investing in a business membership may be worth it. Sam's Club and Costco get the "Most Overlooked" rank.

A few points to consider, which might make a few lines a deal maker or deal breaker. If you're going to be outside, bring a chair, blanket, warm clothing, cooler with food/water, and something to occupy yourself, such as a DS or a good book (yeah right!). A cell phone can keep you in contact with others. Plot out how far it is to a bathroom. You don't want to walk two miles just for that. A close by fast food restaurant might be a huge bonus, as you can send one person to pick up warm food for everyone in the line.

Look around your area. Do some retailers have locations off the beaten path? Those may be the best place to wait. Sure, the more popular a store is, the more consoles it will get, but that also means the more people will be waiting there. One thing is for sure. Do not wait for November 18th to plan everything out. Get a group of friends that can call each other and give status reports of lines forming around town. Nobody wants to wait a long time, but you don't want to show up to late either, do you?

If you do miss the launch, do not worry. Nintendo is expected to deliver 4 million before Christmas, though if demand increase, Nintendo may be able to answer with more units. Thus, even with the Wii becomes the hottest selling video game system ever (and we expect it to), you should be able to find one with minimal effort to place under your tree.

Wii hands-on, unboxing!

From: Wii Unboxing Pics from Engadget.com

Size Comparison: Wii vs Playstation 3 vs Xbox 360

From: Endgadget Pic Post

Size Comparison: Wii vs Playstation 3 vs Xbox 360

From: Endgadget Pic Post

Wii Comparison Pics

Comparison pics of the we againts 3 DVD cases.

Retrieved from: http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/make-a-wish/three-dvd-cases-next-to-a-wii-214117.php

Wii Starting up (Gizmodo Vid)

Thanks to Gizmodo for posting this Wii Startup video.

Wii Setup

With the exception of one bit of stupidity on my part, setting the Wii up on my television was relatively easy.

The console comes with that odd grey stand that slants it upward, a little clear plastic thingie you snap on the bottom to make it more stable, the power and AV cables and a Sensor bar.

I was most worried about the sensor bar. Fortunately the thin wire it uses to hook up to the back of the console is fairly long. I decided to hook the thing up to the top of my television and it pretty much blends right in with the TV itself. I'm not a huge fan of applying anything to a $3,000 television with double-sided tape, but at least once it's there it's not obtrusive.

Once I hooked everything up I turned on the Wii for the first time.. and it didn't work. I played around with the remote, I checked the VGA plugs, I tried re-syncing the controller but it just wouldn't let me get past the first screen. Then I realized I had forgotten to plug the sensor bar into the back of the Wii. Doh!

Once the system boots up you have to enter a little bit of info, much like with the DS, but thanks to the Remote, it's pretty quick.

I can't check out the new, weather or store yet, but the rest of the interface feels fairly slick. Moving back and forth between things does have a bit of a learning curve, mostly because there's no routine to fall back on. So often you have to click on an onscreen icon. But I'm sure that's will be easy to adjust to.

I'll be posting plenty more impression, videos and pictures throughout the day, so make sure to keep checking back. Brian Crecente
http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/wii/wii-setup-impressions-213988.php