If you're reading Gaming Nexus, odds are you know exactly when the Wii is coming out, but just to make sure, Nintendo is reminding us all with a press release. Hit the jump for the full release, which, while lengthy, hits all the important points. This Sunday, the agonizing wait will finally be over...and yours truly will be covering as much as possible, between long sessions of Zelda.
reinvigorated television and now Wii(TM) transforms video games forever.
History's most interactive home video game system launches Nov. 19 in the
Americas with 20 new games that reinvent and reshape the gaming experience.
Wii Sports(TM), a collection of five sports games, comes with the system. A
total of 33 new Wii games will be available before the end of the year, along
with downloadable access to another 30 Virtual Console(TM) classics.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin
Pop-culture authorities already are singling out Wii as a "must-have" gift
of the holiday shopping season, and Nintendo is mobilizing to meet the huge
demand. At an MSRP of just $249.99, it's priced affordably, and its focus on
fun brings gaming to the masses.
"The most important advance for video games in the last 10 years was the
introduction of Super Mario 64, which ushered in the era of true 3-D gaming,"
says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "Wii will have the same
effect on how players connect to their games, and it is made for everyone.
Simply said, games have never felt like this before."
Wii makes use of a remarkable motion-sensitive controller called the Wii
Remote(TM), which resembles a TV remote control. It's designed to be more
inviting and comfortable for non-gamers to use, unlike button-heavy
controllers. It contains a speaker, which makes the experience all the more
real. The Wii Remote can be swung like a racket in a tennis game or like a
sword in an adventure game. One launch-day game, EXCITE TRUCK(TM), will have
players using the Wii Remote like a steering wheel. The Wii package comes
with a Wii Remote, a Nunchuk(TM) controller, an AC adapter, a sensor bar, a
Wii AV (standard composite) cable and Wii Sports(TM), a collection of five
sports games players can understand how to play instantly, even if they've
never played a video game.
For longtime gamers, The Legend of Zelda(R): Twilight Princess delivers an
unprecedented experience. It's the first time a new game from this storied
Nintendo franchise has been available on launch day. Early reviews herald
this epic adventure as one of the greatest games of all time. Bryn Williams
of GameSpy writes that: "Nintendo has once again crafted a video game that
will be remembered for years to come. ... an instant classic," while Ryan
Jones of GamePro says simply: "Zelda is freaking awesome."
Third-party publishers have announced strong support for Wii on launch day
and beyond. The upcoming torrent of games represents a diverse lineup, with
all the classic genres -- and more than a few new ones -- represented. In
addition to the three Nintendo titles, the 17 third-party games available on
Nov. 19 include Call of Duty(R) 3, Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam(TM) and Marvel(TM)
Ultimate Alliance from Activision; Dragon Ball Z(R): Budokai Tenkaichi(TM) 2
from Atari; Trauma Center(TM): Second Opinion from Atlus; Madden NFL '07 from
Electronic Arts; Rampage(R): Total Destruction(TM), Happy Feet(TM) and The
Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy(TM) from Midway; Avatar: The Last Airbender,
Cars and SpongeBob SquarePants(TM): The Creature from the Krusty Krab from
THQ; Super Monkey Ball(TM): Banana Blitz from Sega; and GT Pro Series, Monster
4X4 World Circuit, Rayman Raving Rabbids(TM) and Red Steel(TM) from Ubisoft.
Additional Wii games available during the five weeks after launch include
Rapala(R) Tournament Fishing and World Series of Poker(R): Tournament of
Champions from Activision; Chicken Little: Ace in Action from Buena Vista
Games; Need for Speed(TM): Carbon from Electronic Arts; Elebits(TM) from
Konami; The Ant Bully from Midway; Metal Slug(TM) Anthology from SNK; Super
Swing Golf from Tecmo; Barnyard(R) from THQ; Far Cry(R): Vengeance, Open
Season(TM) and Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent(TM) from Ubisoft; and
Ice Age 2(TM): The Meltdown from Vivendi.
The main Wii Menu interface contains a variety of interactive and
informational channels that serve as a convenient gateway to entertainment and
information. They appeal to a broad range of consumers and enhance game play.
Users can come here to create a Mii(TM) caricature of themselves to use in
games, to download classic games from the Wii Shop Channel or to develop a
photo slide show.
Nintendo is shipping 4 million Wii systems globally through the end of
2006. While shipments will be sent to retailers continuously, Nintendo
cautions shoppers to act early because demand is so high. As previously
announced, Wii contains built-in parental controls that let adults set the
system to play only games of a certain rating and lock their selection with a
PIN code. More information about the new Wii system can be found at Wii.com.
The worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment,
Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and
software for its Nintendo DS(TM), Game Boy(R) Advance and Nintendo
GameCube(TM) systems, and upcoming Wii(TM) system. Since 1983, Nintendo has
sold nearly 2.2 billion video games and more than 387 million hardware units
globally, and has created industry icons like Mario(TM), Donkey Kong(R),
Metroid(R), Zelda(TM) and Pokemon(R). A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of
America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's
operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo,
visit the company's Web site at www.nintendo.com.
