Japanese Wii Launch Announcement Coverage
Wii Pricing, hardware, games all detailed. Finally.
Following our news from last night detailing the Wii's US launch we've just come off the blower with our colleagues in Japan from DigitalWorldTokyo.com, who've given us the full low-down on all the official announcements that Nintendo has just (finally) made regarding the Wii's Japanese launch. Read on for all the details you need.
Firstly, Nintendo's smiling president Satoru Iwata told the gathered press hordes that the Wii will launch in Japan on December 2 and will cost ¥25,000 (US$212.60/ £113/ EUR 167). Interesting, more than anything, because the Wii (as with the DS) will be launching in the US and (we hope, to be confirmed in London tomorrow) in Europe before Japan.
Here is exactly what Japanese gamers will get in their box on 2 December:
Wii hardware
"Wiimote" controller and wrist strap (1)
Nunchuck controller (1)
Sensor bar
Sensor bar stand
A/V cable (unspecified connection)
AC adaptor
Hardware stand
Hardware support plate (purpose of which remains unknown)
2 AA batteries
Yes, that's right. Only one controller - which SPOnG has to say is fairly disappointing, given the overall tone of the marketing campaign to date. How can Wii play together if Wii have to go out and buy an extra controller to do so?
Approximate costs of the necessary extra controllers will be 3800 yen for a Wiimote, and 1800 yen for a Nunchuck and/or for the "Classic" SNES style controller. Gamers, of course, will not really bat an eyelid at shelling out a little bit for for a couple of extra controllers - and you'll just have to have four for Wii Sports as well as the Classic controller to get the most out of Virtual Console games, more of which anon.
However, Nintendo has continued to stress that it is aggressively chasing the non-traditional gamers (the lapsed, the elderly, the ladies!) These are gamers who, in SPOnG's opinion, should really have been given two controllers in the box, in order for them to experience the joys of multi player Wii Sports Tennis without having to shell out more money, which they will bat their eyelids at. Also, with this in mind, it's slightly strange that Nintendo has chosen to bundle Wii Sports with the console in the US (and, again, we expect to hear on Friday, in Europe) but not in Japan, where it will cost an extra 4800 yen to experience the joys of Baseball, Tennis, Golf, Bowling, and Boxing. (see SPOnG's Wii Sports preview for more info)
That slight moan aside, let's move onto the most important news. The games. Yes, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess will be available at launch, costing 6800 yen. We await confirmation on the launch date of Twilight Princess in the US from our man in New York later today. Should Nintendo of America fail to deliver Twilight Princess this coming Christmas holiday season, there's going to be some very unhappy fanboys hanging out at New York's Chelsea Piers later today. SPOnG only hopes there is a strong NYPD presence in case of fanboy rioting.
More than anything we hope and wish and pray we'll be playing Twilight Princess on Wii on Christmas day. Keep refreshing as we intend to be amongst the first to let you know right here.
Next best thing to Zelda is, of course, Wario 'Odoru Made in Wario' (WarioWare Smooth Moves) which is also in the launch line-up, priced at 5800 yen Again, you can read SPOnG's preview of that title to remind you of how much fun the near future is going to be! Odoru, by the way, means 'dance', which hints at the theme of some of the wonderful micro-games yet to be unveiled.
Here, with no further ado, is the full Japanese launch line-up of Wii titles for December 2nd, 2006:
Choushittou Caduceus NEO (Trauma Center: Second Opinion) (Atlus)
Elebits (Konami)
Necro-Nesia (Spike)
Super Monkey Ball: Uki Uki Party Daishuugou (Sega)
Swing Golf Panya (Tecmo)
Wing Island (Hudson)
Kororinpa (Hudson)
SD Gundam Revolution (Namco Bandai)
Tatsujin Festival (Namco Bandai)
Tamagotchi no Pika Pika Daitouryou! (Namco Bandai)
Red Steel (Ubi)
Wii Sports (Nintendo)
Odoru Made in Wario (WarioWare Smooth Moves) (Nintendo)
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Nintendo)
Hajimete no Wii (Nintendo)
Pokemon Battle Revolution (Nintendo) is down as a 2006 'post-launch' title and, in terms of titles on the Wii release list for 2007 we have (deep breath):
Dragon Quest Swords
Sword of Legendia (potential Tales of Legendia spin-off) (Namco Bandai)
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (Square Enix)
"Gun Shooting" (presumably Virtua Cop) (Sega)
Pac-Man Carnival (Namco Bandai)
Gundam (Namco Bandai)
Bomberman Land (Hudson)
Legend of the River King (Natsume)
Harvest Moon (Natsume)
Rayman (Ubisoft)
Excite Truck (January) (Nintendo
Fire Emblem (February) (Nintendo)
Wii Big Brain Academy (Spring) (Nintendo)
Disaster (Spring) (Nintendo)
Project HAMMER (Nintendo)
Super Paper Mario (former GC title) (Nintendo)
Wii Music 2007 (Nintendo)
Super Mario Galaxy (Nintendo)
Smash Bros X (HAL/Nintendo)
Famicom Wars W (Battalion Wars) (Nintendo)
Donkey Kong Barrel Jet Race (former GC title) (Nintendo)
Forever Blue (Nintendo)
Mario Strikers Charged (Nintendo)
Mario Party 8 (Nintendo)
Metroid Prime 3 Corruption (Nintendo)
Eye Shield 21 (Nintendo)
Animal Crossing (Nintendo)
Kirby (former GC title) (Nintendo)
More Wii news directly from our contacts on the ground in Japan as it breaks.
Firstly, Nintendo's smiling president Satoru Iwata told the gathered press hordes that the Wii will launch in Japan on December 2 and will cost ¥25,000 (US$212.60/ £113/ EUR 167). Interesting, more than anything, because the Wii (as with the DS) will be launching in the US and (we hope, to be confirmed in London tomorrow) in Europe before Japan.
Here is exactly what Japanese gamers will get in their box on 2 December:
Wii hardware
"Wiimote" controller and wrist strap (1)
Nunchuck controller (1)
Sensor bar
Sensor bar stand
A/V cable (unspecified connection)
AC adaptor
Hardware stand
Hardware support plate (purpose of which remains unknown)
2 AA batteries
Yes, that's right. Only one controller - which SPOnG has to say is fairly disappointing, given the overall tone of the marketing campaign to date. How can Wii play together if Wii have to go out and buy an extra controller to do so?
Approximate costs of the necessary extra controllers will be 3800 yen for a Wiimote, and 1800 yen for a Nunchuck and/or for the "Classic" SNES style controller. Gamers, of course, will not really bat an eyelid at shelling out a little bit for for a couple of extra controllers - and you'll just have to have four for Wii Sports as well as the Classic controller to get the most out of Virtual Console games, more of which anon.
However, Nintendo has continued to stress that it is aggressively chasing the non-traditional gamers (the lapsed, the elderly, the ladies!) These are gamers who, in SPOnG's opinion, should really have been given two controllers in the box, in order for them to experience the joys of multi player Wii Sports Tennis without having to shell out more money, which they will bat their eyelids at. Also, with this in mind, it's slightly strange that Nintendo has chosen to bundle Wii Sports with the console in the US (and, again, we expect to hear on Friday, in Europe) but not in Japan, where it will cost an extra 4800 yen to experience the joys of Baseball, Tennis, Golf, Bowling, and Boxing. (see SPOnG's Wii Sports preview for more info)
That slight moan aside, let's move onto the most important news. The games. Yes, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess will be available at launch, costing 6800 yen. We await confirmation on the launch date of Twilight Princess in the US from our man in New York later today. Should Nintendo of America fail to deliver Twilight Princess this coming Christmas holiday season, there's going to be some very unhappy fanboys hanging out at New York's Chelsea Piers later today. SPOnG only hopes there is a strong NYPD presence in case of fanboy rioting.
More than anything we hope and wish and pray we'll be playing Twilight Princess on Wii on Christmas day. Keep refreshing as we intend to be amongst the first to let you know right here.
Next best thing to Zelda is, of course, Wario 'Odoru Made in Wario' (WarioWare Smooth Moves) which is also in the launch line-up, priced at 5800 yen Again, you can read SPOnG's preview of that title to remind you of how much fun the near future is going to be! Odoru, by the way, means 'dance', which hints at the theme of some of the wonderful micro-games yet to be unveiled.
Here, with no further ado, is the full Japanese launch line-up of Wii titles for December 2nd, 2006:
Choushittou Caduceus NEO (Trauma Center: Second Opinion) (Atlus)
Elebits (Konami)
Necro-Nesia (Spike)
Super Monkey Ball: Uki Uki Party Daishuugou (Sega)
Swing Golf Panya (Tecmo)
Wing Island (Hudson)
Kororinpa (Hudson)
SD Gundam Revolution (Namco Bandai)
Tatsujin Festival (Namco Bandai)
Tamagotchi no Pika Pika Daitouryou! (Namco Bandai)
Red Steel (Ubi)
Wii Sports (Nintendo)
Odoru Made in Wario (WarioWare Smooth Moves) (Nintendo)
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Nintendo)
Hajimete no Wii (Nintendo)
Pokemon Battle Revolution (Nintendo) is down as a 2006 'post-launch' title and, in terms of titles on the Wii release list for 2007 we have (deep breath):
Dragon Quest Swords
Sword of Legendia (potential Tales of Legendia spin-off) (Namco Bandai)
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (Square Enix)
"Gun Shooting" (presumably Virtua Cop) (Sega)
Pac-Man Carnival (Namco Bandai)
Gundam (Namco Bandai)
Bomberman Land (Hudson)
Legend of the River King (Natsume)
Harvest Moon (Natsume)
Rayman (Ubisoft)
Excite Truck (January) (Nintendo
Fire Emblem (February) (Nintendo)
Wii Big Brain Academy (Spring) (Nintendo)
Disaster (Spring) (Nintendo)
Project HAMMER (Nintendo)
Super Paper Mario (former GC title) (Nintendo)
Wii Music 2007 (Nintendo)
Super Mario Galaxy (Nintendo)
Smash Bros X (HAL/Nintendo)
Famicom Wars W (Battalion Wars) (Nintendo)
Donkey Kong Barrel Jet Race (former GC title) (Nintendo)
Forever Blue (Nintendo)
Mario Strikers Charged (Nintendo)
Mario Party 8 (Nintendo)
Metroid Prime 3 Corruption (Nintendo)
Eye Shield 21 (Nintendo)
Animal Crossing (Nintendo)
Kirby (former GC title) (Nintendo)
More Wii news directly from our contacts on the ground in Japan as it breaks.
Companies:
Nintendo
People: Satoru Iwata
Games: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess WarioWare: Smooth Moves Wii Sports
People: Satoru Iwata
Games: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess WarioWare: Smooth Moves Wii Sports
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Comments
Ditto 14 Sep 2006 11:52
1/3
Super Paper Mario (former GC title) (Nintendo)
I was looking forward to playing this on Gamecube :(.
Joji 14 Sep 2006 12:21
2/3
A lot on that list I want. Eyeshield 21 should prove interesting, this game will be based off the american football japanese manga of the same name.
I purchased the DS version of E21 on import so it should be intersting to see if we get this. The Wii title might have you diving everywhere as well as throwing and running everywhere. I wonder if EA have similar stuff planned on Wii for Madden?
One game I don't see on that list is Biohazard Umbrella Chronicles. I think there might have been footage in the video of it. I'm so damn happy Capcom are doing this.
I purchased the DS version of E21 on import so it should be intersting to see if we get this. The Wii title might have you diving everywhere as well as throwing and running everywhere. I wonder if EA have similar stuff planned on Wii for Madden?
One game I don't see on that list is Biohazard Umbrella Chronicles. I think there might have been footage in the video of it. I'm so damn happy Capcom are doing this.
realvictory 14 Sep 2006 12:32
3/3
Well, there's a good number of games - but I was hoping to see Money Ball at launch, and Mario, obviously.
Not having two controllers is pretty thick, when you think about it - hardly very helpful as to what they're trying to achieve. I would have said, call it £200 and put 4 controllers in - why not! (Money ;))
The other thing is, if Zelda is delayed one second longer, they won't only be making lots of people angry, they'll also be taking the piss. This game was meant to be released ages ago (it feels like, anyway), so it had better be friggin' sweet!
I hope they realise that if the Wii isn't/doesn't seem better than current consoles, people don't have to buy one just because it's new. I've already got loads of "old" consoles that they're still making perfectly good games for...
Nintendo had better either know what they're doing or improve their approach, or it's going to be a disaster for them. I'll trust them for now.
Of course, I care about the UK release, so tomorrow had better be good!
Not having two controllers is pretty thick, when you think about it - hardly very helpful as to what they're trying to achieve. I would have said, call it £200 and put 4 controllers in - why not! (Money ;))
The other thing is, if Zelda is delayed one second longer, they won't only be making lots of people angry, they'll also be taking the piss. This game was meant to be released ages ago (it feels like, anyway), so it had better be friggin' sweet!
I hope they realise that if the Wii isn't/doesn't seem better than current consoles, people don't have to buy one just because it's new. I've already got loads of "old" consoles that they're still making perfectly good games for...
Nintendo had better either know what they're doing or improve their approach, or it's going to be a disaster for them. I'll trust them for now.
Of course, I care about the UK release, so tomorrow had better be good!