Here Today... Gone To Hell!

...just for Zelda: The Twilight Princess.

Game looks awesome. The Wii is $299 and the game will be about $50. I'm thinking of just buying it for the game alone and then shelving the thing. Problem is I also want an XBox and I probably wouldn't be able to afford both. But I really want to play the new Zelda. The developers said it is "by far" the best Zelda game ever, and Ocarina of Time is still amazing.

Get it.

Are you not in the US?

If you are...the Wii is 249, not 299.? The game will run 49.99. 

From what I've seen and heard....there WILL be other stuff on the system you'll want to play (Mario Galaxy, Metroid: Corruption, etc) so I'd say go for it.? I'm going to.? I'm still skeptical about the controller, etc, but...I think it's worth the gamble.

And, you could always sell the system on Ebay once you've finished Zelda, if you want, and put the $$ toward that 360.? You might "lose" 50 bucks or so (assuming Nintendo is right and Wii's are plentiful..otherwise you might make money if you keep the original packaging, etc) on the deal, but...that's not TOO bad, all things considered.

I'll prolly buy a wii eventually, but luckily I bought a gamecube just for the last zelda and Twilight Princess is coming out on that too so I'm happy I dont have to buy yet another console for just one game.? :smoking:

WELL... The Wii is only $250.  ;D If you only want it for Zelda... then I'd reccomend buying an Xbox 360 instead because there are a ton of great games on that system(Gears Of War was just released today and I haven't played it but It's one of the reasons i bought the console back in january  :hihi:)


I also want a Wii... mainly for Zelda... but there are so many 360 games I want that I'm not sure which to get.  ???

Got my Wii this morning....

Buy it, beat Zelda and then put it on Ebay


I think the Wii is worth buying just for the NES,SNES,N64 and Sega Genesis downloadable games.

After you've played it awhile, give us your review of the console. Like you, I am really skeptical about that controller. It looks terrible. I cant imagine having to stand in front of the tv waving the controller around to play games.

One thing I hate about Nintendo is how they always cater to little kids. Each time they say theyre not going to, but they do.

My cousin is getting one of these for Christmas, so I guess I'll play it then. I havent been a hardcore gamer since XBOX. I've been considering buying a 360 though, if anything just to play the new Splinter Cell and Hitman.

I would get it. The nintendos have always been worth it for the zelda mario and metroid games alone. I don't like the look of the controller but you can buy a classic controller for it.

Well.....here's the thing.

It's a christmas present, to me, from my wife and kids.  I'm not sure if they are going to (well, if my wife is going to) cave and let me play before X-mas day....and really, that's OK with me.  With young kids and all, X-mas is a huge deal at our house.

That being said, I have played the console.  Our gamestop had one set up with Excite truck.  I found it a pretty quick learning curve to use the controller.  In addition. your movements don't HAVE to be nearly as exagerated as the ones you see on TV.  They can be (it's a blast when playing with a couple of people and you "get into it" pretty quick), but they can also be simple wrist flicks and screen points. 

I'm not sure I would recommend the Wii as your "main" console. It's got some awesome stuff coming up (Metroid, Mario Galaxy, etc), and the ability to buy, on the cheap, old NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, and Turbografx games is, to me, a HUGE plus (those are games I played when I was younger, so....on nostalgia alone).  AND it's 100% compatible with my old Gamecube games.   But I just can't see past the ole' Nintendo curse (where it's primarily few and far between 1st party games that are worth buying).  Add that together with a relatively inexpensive price tag, and it's certainly worht a purchase, IMHO (obviously, because I bought it!).

I have an Xbox 360.  That will be my "main" console, I think.  Most of the games I buy will be for that....but the Wii is a GREAT choice, IMHO, for your "2nd console".  Certainly a better choice than the PS3, for those of us that already own a 360.

Do you know what its gonna cost to play the games from the older systems on this?

Everything, like microsoft, is done via points.  It works out to a penny a point.  I'm going to give you both costs for MOST games (they could choose to charge a premium, I suppose, on certain games...who knows):

$5 (500 points) NES games

$8 (800 points) SNES and Genesis games

$10 (1000 points) N64 games.

Not sure on the Turbografx games...I think they're in the $8 range, but not sure as I haven't heard of any up on the Wii shopping channel yet.  I'm looking forward to "Bonks Adventure" so.....

You download the games to either the internal memory card or an inserted SD card...and they are yours forever.

Oh, and it has 100% (it claims) Gamecube compatibility.  Just insert a disk, plug in either the "virtual controller" (extra) or a gamecube controller (slots on the top/side of the Wii) and you're ready to go.

Very reasonable prices for the entire back catalog of nes snes and n64. I don't really care about the turbografx i didn't really like that system. I wonder if they might ever add gamecube games to the channel of those who don't have the physical discs.

yeah dude im a HUGE zelda fan!!  :peace:
but i dont think i will get it just for that game..

I think mario galaxy and the new metroid will also make it worth it.

Ya i agree only because I can buy the new Zelda on gamecube come dec 12th if not sooner.? :smoking:

I just read on another site that the Turbografx games will start at $6 (600 pts)...but that some of the CD titles will be $8 (800 pts).  While the system was not my favorite, either, it did have some worthwhile titles like "Bonks Adventure" and "Y's"....as well as some other hidden gems.

On the Gamecube thing...probably not.  Mostly because the sheer size might not make them really viable for download.  At least not at the Wi-Fi speeds that the Wii is capable of.  Possibly if they could institute some sort of compression or something.

Thats true i didn't think about that.  I'm sure people who don't own a gamecube could probably pick the games up used pretty cheap to play them on the wii.

who cares?

and that adds what to the conversation? if you don't care about it why bother posting in the thread?

I always wanted to play that. I was really into Nintendo back in the old days(and Sega), so I missed out on Turbografx. I never knew anyone that had one, and I wasn't paying that huge deposit to rent one. I also always wanted to play Splatterhouse.

I borrowed a friends Turbografx for a week back in the day.  Both those games were great ( I beat Bonk...but not Splatterhouse)!  I'm HOPING Splatterhouse makes it onto the virtual console...but given Nintendo's penchant for "family friendly", I'm not sure it will be out "soon". :)  Here's hoping.

Nintendo really needs to stop catering to little kids. Gamecube had lots of potential, and they ruined it by all the baby games like Pokemon, some of those mario games,etc. It was terrible. Trying to rent a good game for that system was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Best game they ever released was Resident Evil 4. That game was unlike any other. It was even in letterbox format. Like you were the star of a horror movie. I think this is Nintendo's last chance. If they cant start making more games for adults, they will have lost all credibility. Hard to believe they used to sit on top of the mountain during the console wars. How the mighty have fallen. :hihi:

It looks like its going to have some good titles for adults. Call of duty 3 Far cry vengence Medal of honor airborne tom clancey splinter cell. I like that its geared for younger audiences though. Its nice having games that killing things isn't all you do.

I hope you don't count Zelda as a kids game.

I got the Playstation 3 and my buddy got the Wii.  While I agree with James that Nintendo definitely caters to kids I have to say the Wii is easily worth its price tag.  The graphics aren't on the level of the PS3 but for 250.00 they aren't bad.  I'm real iffy about the controllers.  It was a gutsy move by Nintendo (I'll give them that) but a risky one.  Of course the PS3 was risky for Sony as well due to the 600.00 price tag.  You could get the 500.00 one but you lose 40 gigs.   Also the PS3 cost 840.00 to make so Sony is taking a 240.00 loss per machine, they better know what they are doing.

The controller design does bother me but you can buy classic ones which i would probably do.

No, not really. It may look like one, but the structure and gameplay put Zelda on a high level. Hell, the one on N64 was amazing. Even the original Zelda on Nintendo's first console is considered one of the best games from that era.

True but I'd go further, its my favortie platform RPG of all time.

Dude. You are a kid though, aren't you?

The controller design is part of the system. Its a weird design, but its supose to be innovative. I at least don't want to pay 250 for another gamecube. Which it basically is with a standard controller. But I guess its all in the games you want to play, so it will sell regardless. Its got Mario and Zelda, so it will do at least as good as the game cube did, but they are over-charging for those old games through virtual console, I don't think they will sell as well as nintendo hopes.

Thats what its all about anyway, games, right? If I was buying a new system right now I would buy a Xbox 360 (which I already have) and/or a Wii because PS3 don't got nothin for games right now. And the graphics dont wow me as much as I thought they would. Sony kind of dropped the ball, they basically rushed the system and seemed to copy everybody else. I might buy a PS3 eventually if they have some exclusives that look appetizing but if i had to buy one now I would buy the Wii for their first party games and an Xbox 360 for all the 3rd party games.

After all is said done though the Wii really looks like it will be fun to play and with Mario and Zelda, how can you go wrong??? :smoking:

Nintendo manage to wreck every console they have released in the last decade through a lack of third party support - my gamecube and n64 gather dust still - waiting - for the list of good games on each console to go above 5 each....

Overcharging? I hardly think $6-$10 for the old games through the virtual console is overcharging.

Nah.

Interesting rumor about the future of the Wii

Wii DVD player planned

Next year, according to rumours

By Nick Farrell: Thursday 23 November 2006, 07:13
NINTENDO HAS plans to release a new version of the Wii next year that will ship with a HD DVD player, according to industry rumours.

Gameinformer.com quotes Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime as saying that Nintendo decided not to ship with high-definition capability when it launched on Sunday because it wanted to keep the cost down.

However, his words indicate that it may have plans to release one in the future. Later next year Nintendo has plans to release a new version of the Wii and Gameinformer is speculating that this will be when the outfit will stick on the new drive.

A spokesNintendo said that the outfit was "absolutely not currently announcing any plans to upgrade the maximum resolution from 480p". But then again everyone knews that.

However, the spokesNintendo admitted it shouldn't be impossible in theory. In fact, said the spokesman, Microsoft was able to patch the Xbox 360 to support 1080p and Nintendo has already released a patch to allow Wii gamers to transfer game saves to SD cards.

From a specs point of view, the hardware is about 2x to 3x more powerful than the gamecube (granted, you're not seeing it's full capabilities at launch, and the "showcase" game IS a ported GC game). Plus wireless controllers and built in wireless interent capabilities.  Plus the interactive control scheme. It's HARDLY $250 for a gamecube.  That's the argument touted, largely, by the PS3 fanbois (and I'm in no way suggesting you are one).  It is NOT a PS3 (or even 360), in terms of hardware capabilities, true.  It's also not a PS3 in terms of pricetag. Given the reviews on the launch titles for the PS3, it's becoming increasingly obvious that specs aren't everything.  I've got nothing against the PS3...but wouldn't pay $600 for it..and wouldn't even buy it with the current crop of lauch titles (Resistance being the only one that looks worthwhile). The NY Times is even panning some of it's capabilities at launch.  Microsoft must be doing happy dances right about now.

You have Mario, and Zelda, and Metroid, and Mario Kart, and Super Smash Bros, and Resident Evil, and...I could go on......it's a pretty expansive list   If nothing BUT the standard franchise games came out for the Wii, it would be worth the $250 (as the gamecube was).  But already at launch you have some 3rd party games (Rayman's Rabbits, for one...Call of Duty for another, Super Monkey Ball for another) that are good games that all use the game mechanic in an interesting way (and with Rayman...in multiple interesting ways) that doesn't feel "gimmicky" (which is what much of the PS3's "sixaxis" gameplay feels like, from many reports).

As for the cost of the virtual console titles...It think they got it just right.   And it seems most Wii owners agree....the title released in the first batch, according to many of the gaming web sites, are selling like hotcakes., with the original Zelda, Mario Bros, and Mario 64 leading the way.  The Wii points cards are also out of stock at most major retailers (wii points buy you wii VC games). 


Exactly.  That's precisely how I feel.  I have a 360.  I have no interest in a PS3 with it's current crop of games.  Perhaps if FFXXIII comes out in a year or two, and the price drops a couple hundred dollars.  But not right now. 

And the Wii positions itself perfectly to be "the secondary console".....no matter which is your primary.  I think Nintendo did a very good job on this one...both in pricing and marketing.

I'll agree on the lack of 3rd party support (something we've already seen change on the WII, just looking at launch titles)..but less than 5 good games?  I'll stay away from the N64 only because it would take me longer to compile the list due to hazy memory...but I can give you more than 5 good GC games off the top of my head:

Zelda: Wind Waker
Mario Sunshine
Resident Evil 4
Mario Kart: Double Dash
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime 2
Paper Mario
Super Smash Bros Melee
Lego Star Wars
Pikmin
Eternal Darkness
Fire Emblem
Metal Gear Solid:Twin Snakes
Star Fox Adventures
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
Xmen-Legends
Xmen-Legends II


...just off the top of my head.

Some of the games you mentioned aren't exactly GC exclusive.

Unless it's Zelda, Metroid, or a Mario game GC sucked, I bought it and only ever bought 4 games for it.

I didn't say they were...because that's not what he asked for.

Exclusive or not, they were on the 'cube.  He didn't ask for 5 good gamecube exclusive games (I gave that many, anyway, though)...Izzy said there were only 5 good games.  Clearly not true.

You're also clearly  exagerating for effect, because there are a number of good games that were neither Zelda, nor Metroid, nor Mario.  There are more than 5 games on my list that clearly are not Mario/Zelda/Metroid games.....and that list was compiled from my personal library and memory only.  With a bit of research, I'm sure I could come up with a longer one....

Just because you didn't buy them didn't mean they weren't good.  Eternal Darkness is one of the best Horror games I've ever played...second only to Resident Evil 4 (which WAS a GC exclusive when it came out, FYI..and had a relatively long window of exclusivity...about 9 months) and Silent Hill 2 on the PS2.   Pikmin is an awesome, if underappreciated, game (here's hoping for a Wii version) as was Fire Emblem and Star Fox Adventures.  Even the Metal Gear port/expansion was good!

Gamecube's problems were pretty much 3rd party support...and it was a catch 22.  The console was not especially developer friendly, it's hardware was comparitively underpowered (compared to the PS2 and Xbox), and it's game medium wasn't standard so replication was harder to contract out.  Since 3rd party developers didn't support the system well, fewer units sold....and more 3rd party developers dropped out because the installed base wasn't large enough...and so fewere units sold.  On and on.

But there were some stellar efforts (both 1st and 3rd party) on the system...certainly more than 5 of them.  The console was well worth it's cost, but was most useful as a secondary or tertiary console, since the PS2 and Xbox had far more selection of games.

Thats a bold statement. I never heard of Eternal Darkness. I definitely need to check that one out.

Some good points, but I have to point out that me and Izzy are separate entities.

Right, my bad....I'll edit the post accordingly.

That's what happens when you're doing 3 things at once.....reading/skimming is not your friend. :)

Pick it up.  It's worth it. Probably have to get it via ebay or used at a gamestop/eb's.  My brother currently has my copy and I have to wrestle it back from him when he comes up for X-mas (he's had it for a year or so, now).

 It was sort of a sleeper hit, but the game is pretty awesome.  It also likes to fuck with your head (literally).  You have a sanity meter...and when it starts to run low, you see some pretty flipping weird on screen effects...some of which will effect you in "the real world".

If you do some searching on it, you'll find lots about it.  It's one of those games that got awesome reviews (deservedly so) but didn't sell wonderfully.  Part of that was that it came out early on in the console's life cycle and part of it is that it didnt' have a lot of name recognition.

I would be very excited for a good sequel....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_Darkness

First of all, I stated without the inovative controls it would be a $250 gamecube. The innovation is what makes the system. If it had a standard controller with the same system, no innovavtive controls it would be very close to that of a gamecube. And yes even with all the wireless fuctions and everything else. It doesn't play-back dvds, its not hd, the graphics suck compared to the other 2 systems out. I will buy a Wii, but only because I've played it and that control scheme is fun as hell. Without that control scheme, I would stand clear of it until it dropped to the price of a gamecube.

And secondly the first wii owners, like any other system are mostly nintendo nuts. The Wii will sell great in the intro, and vc games will sell good, but I don't think in the long run the Virtual console games will sell all that well. And I think as is the case with all Nintendo Systems since 64, its all about games and 3rd party support has and will continue to kill nintendo even with the control scheme and the Wii will finish a distant third, much like the gamecube has. Though it will still be fun just like the GC was it won't be that big of a difference for Nintendo in the console war.

PS3's lauch is similar to the PS2's, the machine was not all that impressive, the games were not all that impressive and they were harder than hell to find. PS3 will hit its stride just fine after launch and next year they will have some great looking games. I won't buy PS3 because I bought a Xbox 360 and last gen my PS2 became a an expensive paper weight and I ain't spending 600 bucks on what will prolly become a very expensive paper weight. :smoking:

Except, well...it's not.? Look at the hardware specs.? It's not the PS3.? It's not the 360.? It's also not $399 or $599.? But it's not the gamecube, and it's not a $250 version of the gamecube.? It's about 2x to 3x times more powerful than that.? I'm not sure why you continue to assert something that is patently untrue.....just look at the specs.

 On DVD playback...why?? I mean..really?? What's the point?? The installed base on DVD players is insanely high.? Is it a "value added function"? I guess, but at what price is it worth it? I'm certainly not willing to pay any extra for it in my secondary console and, quite frankly, I'd take the reduction in the price of my primary console.? I have a DVD player (and a very good one).? Most other people do too, especially with the advent of $30 progressive scan DVD players.? ?I dont' need my game system to play movies.? Not to mention a DVD capable Wii will ship in '07, and perhaps (and this is the rumor part) existing Wii's will become DVD capable with a "buyable" firmware update.

The graphics certainly do not suck, even when compared with PS3 or 360 graphics.? They're mediocre when compared with those machines WHEN displayed in high def.? You need look no further than Zelda:TWP to see that (which, remember, is a gamecube port and NOT taking full advantage of the hardware).? They are not at the PS3 or 360 level.? They don't carry the same price tag, either.? But they are leaps and bounds better than the 'cubes stuff, for the most part, too...and that's just the launch titles.

On HD...graphics are not the selling point.? Just because the system can't push 720p or 1080p doesn't make it "a gamecube".? It's hardware is plenty capbable of pushing much better graphics than the 'cube...just not at the kinds of resolutions the PS3 or 360 are capable of.? You hit the nail on the head when you talk about the control scheme...it may not have HD, but it has something the other 2 don't have.



Check out the demographics listed in some of the launch article surveys.? They pretty much run the gamut.? That's the beauty of the system....it's accessible (and being marketed) to everyone.? So I'm not sure it's safe to say those that purchase it at launch were nintendo nuts.? I'm certainly not (despite my defense, here).? I'm a gaming nut, true.? I actually prefer my 360...but not by much.? But that's the beauty of the NES system: they're giving you access to not just old Nintendo games, but old Genesis and old T-16 (and, rumors abound, other consoles are coming on board...like the Neo*Geo, Intellivision, and possibly Atari 2600)

3rd party support, so far, looks to be leaps and bounds better than the 'cube, already.? And given the successful launch (so far about 1.2 million units at retail have gone out), and the installed base...that will likely continue.? Hell, right now...the installed base on the Wii's CRUSHES the one on the PS3's, simply because Sony can't crank out enough units.? Add that to the fact that THIS time around the Wii, despite it's innovative interface, has extremely developer friendly dev kits and the PS3 does not.....

As for the VC games...if you look around on line, it's one of THE most mentioned selling points of the Wii, right now.? Take that for what you will....it's a narrow band of the customer set.? Given the success so far, I think Nintendo has a winner on their hands: an instant access to proven successful "budget" titles (the fastest growing segment of the gaming software industry, FYI).? So far, the numbers support that opinion.? We'll have to see if the tide ever changes..

Analysts are predicting the Wii takes 2nd place , right now, this holiday season.? Obviously we won't know what's going on for the long haul for quite some time.? But it will have an effect, of that you can be sure.? Suffice to say the PS3 buzz is not good, and the shortage at retail during launch did them no favors.? Combine that with a set of lackluster launch titles.....and Sony's corporate financial woes...and things do NOT look rosey for the PS3. On the flip side, Nintendo is cash rich, NOT losing $250 a unit on their console (and that's BEFORE cables, controller, power block, and retail profit are figured in the equation), have a pretty solid commitment from a reputable group of 3rd party developers, have a relativley plentiful number of consoles going out to retail, AND have lots of good press and buzz.

 I wouldn't bank on Sony finishing 2nd this time, and I certianly wouldn't bank on the Wii being a distant third.? If you make that bet, from all analyst accounts, you'd be setting yourself up to lose some money.?


Were you there for the PS2 launch?? The machine was very impressive!? The hardware got great reviews, especially the DVD playback.? All it's built in functionality was lauded by the gaming press (unlike what's happened with the PS3).? The games were a mixed bag, but certainly better the the PS3 bag (where only ONE title is really worthwhile, by all accounts).?

The PS2 was in short supply, but not this short supply (you can look at the historical numbers).? In addition, it was nowhere nears as buggy, and it didn't have completely absent feature sets that could be readily found in it's competitors systems.? It also had a good sized head start, and the name recognition of the PS1 going for it (over the Xbox).? It has NONE of those advantages this time.

As for what the future holds...we'll have to wait and see.? There may be some great LOOKING games...but I don't care what they look like.? Until there are some compelling, great PLAYING games....I wouldn't buy it if it were the same price as the Wii.? The Wii already has a few games that are great playing, with at least 5 or 6 more slated before the spring of next year.? The PS3 has one game that looks fun, and maybe 2 more coming that look interesting to me.

Wii is designed mostly for little kids, although i wouldnt mind playing thAT new Zelda game

Wii is actually designed for everyone.

Nintendo says sells 600,000 consoles in 8 days
Tue Nov 28, 2006 4:13 PM ET

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Nintendo Co. Ltd. <7974.OS> sold 600,000 units of its new Wii video game console in the first eight days after its release in the Americas, as the company vies with rivals Sony Corp. <6758.T> and Microsoft Corp. <MSFT.O> for gamers' hearts and wallets.

Including sales of accessories and games, Nintendo's Wii-related revenue had hit $190 million since the machine's November 19 release, the company said.

At $250, the Wii costs half as much as the cheapest version of Sony's <SNE.N> PlayStation 3 console, which went on sale in the United States two days before the Wii hit the market.

Many fans of both systems lined up at retailers hours or even days in advance of the launches to guarantee they were among the first to claim ownership of the highly anticipated machines.

The consoles are also being hawked on Internet auction sites such as eBay <EBAY.O> for several times their retail price tag.

"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," Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said in a statement.

Sony has not revealed how many PlayStation 3 consoles it has sold in North America so far, but has said it aims to have shipped 1 million units by the end of the year.

Microsoft has shipped more than 6 million of its Xbox 360 since launching it in November 2005.

Looks like the Wii is selling quite well.

It has seemed to me that Nintendo games are by and large geared towards younger players.   That said, I've enjoyed plenty of Nintendo games (now in my 30s), and I'm really looking forward to trying the Wii out...I agree, it's the gameplay and new level of interactivity that's the strong selling point.

Until I get my hands on one, however, I'm pretty content to have Gears of War on my 360...

has anyone heard of the complains made about it on the news? It picks up the wrong radio waves and fucks up

I've been playing on it since release date and my view is this:

The best multi-player console on the market.

not sure its got as many games to compete with PS2/3 or XBOX 360.

Zelda is excellent, Red steel is fun and Wii Sports is probally the funist thing since MarioKart on the N64.

Its definatly the best value console out there. But i'd wait 2 or 3 months untill there is more of a games choice

I picked one up yesterday, but am not sure if I'll keep it - I know several people who have kids who want one for Xmas, and might pass it on to them.  I have a 360 that I really enjoy already...those of you who have a Wii - what do you think?  Worth owning?

Yeah if you have friends to play it with.

No if you play computer mostly on your own.

It is as fun as hell tho

Good to know...thanks.  I just handed off the one I had to a local family who really want one under the tree for their kids.  If I run across another one, I'll pick it up for myself.    :beer:

Fun as hell is right. Posting this from my wii, actually.

That's right...rub it in.        :peace:

I think Zelda, alone, makes it almost worth owning.  The game is that good.

But Wii Sports, alone or with friends (admittedly, more fun the more people you have playing) seals the deal.  And Elebits, Trauma Surgeon, and Rayman put it over the top.

Not to mention...having the net browser is very handy.

Wow.  Thanks for the added info.  It makes not having one yet so much easier...    :hihi:

My debate is now over, and I haven't even opened Zelda yet because I can't stop playing Wii Sports.  And, for the first time ever, my wife is playing - and enjoying - a video game.

So very worth it.    :hihi:

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2007-02-22-wii-sales_x.htm
 
Nintendo's Wii top U.S. console in January
Posted 2/22/2007 10:44 AM ET   E-mail | Save | Print | Subscribe to stories like this

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) ? Nintendo's Wii was the best-selling video game console in the United States in January, and the Japanese company also boasted four of the top 10 games, data released Wednesday showed.
U.S. shoppers snapped up 436,000 Wii units in January, according to figures from market research firm NPD. The console debuted in November for $250 and features a motion-sensing controller that has helped build buzz for the machine.

The second-best-selling console was Sony's 7-year-old PlayStation 2, which moved 299,000 units and outsold Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's newer but more expensive PlayStation 3, the data showed.

Xbox 360 sales were 294,000 while those for the PS3 were 244,000. High-end versions of those machines retail for $400 and $600, respectively.

"Following seasonally stronger sales in December, unit sales remained solid in January across most hardware platforms," Lazard Capital Markets analyst Colin Sebastian wrote in a research note.

In December, the biggest month for video game sales due to the holiday shopping season, Microsoft sold 1.1 million Xbox units, while Nintendo sold 604,000 Wii consoles and Sony sold 490,700 PS3s.

NPD receives data representing about two-thirds of U.S. retail sales and makes projections for the remainder of the market based on a sampling of consumers. The figures do not include those from Wal-Mart, the largest U.S. retailer, or "mom and pop" stores.

Total sales of video game hardware and software hit $1.3 billion in January, with game sales jumping more than 50% to $549 million, though NPD added that was somewhat inflated due to its January 2007 data covering 5 weeks instead of the 4 weeks in its January 2006 report.

"We believe the fundamental underpinnings for healthy (more than) 15% industry growth in 2007 remain intact," Sebastian wrote.

U.S. game sales charts were topped by Lost Planet: Extreme Condition, a game from Japanese publisher Capcom in which players fight aliens across an icy world. The game sold 329,000 copies.

Lost Planet was one of three games for the Xbox 360 that made the top 10, the other two being Microsoft's Gears of War at No. 3 and French publisher Ubisoft's Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas at No. 9.

Nintendo had four games in the top 10: two for the Wii, one for its DS handheld and one for its last-generation console, the Gamecube.

The PS3 had one game, Resistance: Fall of Man, at No. 8, and PlayStation 2 placed two titles, a guitar simulator and a football game, at No. 3 and No. 6.

NPD did not provide further details about unit shipments or dollar sales of the top January games.

January's top games:

1. Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Xbox 360 Capcom

2. Guitar Hero 2 PlayStation 2 Activision

3. Gears of War Xbox 360 Microsoft

4. WarioWare: Smooth Moves Wii Nintendo

5. Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Wii Nintendo

6. Madden NFL 07 PlayStation 2 Electronic Arts

7. Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Gamecube Nintendo

8. Resistance: Fall of Man PlayStation 3 Sony

9. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas Xbox 360 Ubisoft

10. New Super Mario Brothers Nintendo DS Nintendo

Copyright 2007 Reuters Limited. Click for Restrictions.

Nintendo Wii remains the top selling console in February
By Frederick Roberts
Published Friday 16th March 2007 11:27 GMT

The Nintendo Wii has continued to outsell its rivals the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 during the usually quite lean month of February according to data released by the NPD group. The Wii sold 335,000 units in February, the Xbox 360 came in a full 100,000 units below with 228,000 units sold; and the PlayStation 3 came in last with 127,000 consoles sold.

February is a slow month for video games and consoles, and that was reflected in the sales, with the Wii down 23% on January, the Xbox 360 down 22% and the PlayStation 3 down a substantial 49%, with Sony marketing people now attempting to quash rumors that consumers simply prefer to buy the cheaper Wii or Xbox 360 instead of the PS3.

I recommend The Godfather for Wii, it's so cool  8)