Nintendo Wii

System
System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
edited June 8 in Student general
Hi Everyone

Has anyone got any insider info on how to get a Nintendo Wii. It my son's birthday in 10 days and still no joy and I am spending nearly every waking moment on the net, but missed out on Friday night, Amazon sold their supply in 4 minutes- unfortunately I needed some sleep after closing down accounts for the end of the financial year.

One good thing today - the sun is shining :D

Eva :D


Comments

  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    I tried to get a Wii back in December but had no luck. Having overheard a conversation in Game on Saturday, the shop workers implied that Nintendo are deliberately witholding stocks of their console.

    My own gut feeling would be to not invest in one right now due to,

    a) The above - what's the ulterior motive? If true, I'm not going to be made a muggings of by Nintendo.

    b) Nintendo's appalling track record in the console market in the last ten years, having abandoned their previous N64 and Gamecube consoles halfway through their expected shelf lives.

    c) From looking at the shelf on Saturday, there only seem to have been about three or four new releases in the last three months which screams shocking developer support for such a new console. I had a look at a stores forthcoming game list in February which seemed impresively long but they're still not filtering through yet even though it's now April.

    and,

    d) If they're not deliberately witholding stocks, then they must have hugely underestimated demand of their product implying their market research was so unbelievably shoddy for such a global games corporation. I believe it's a mixture of both.

    I'd wait and see if new releases really do appear before investing 'cos it's looking like a turkey at the moment.

    Robert
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii


    Maybe Eva should copy Robert's reply and pop it in her son's birthday card?

    Nothing like a bit of economics to enhance the joy of a birthday.

    :wink:
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    :lol:

    I got a Wii the week after it was launched and it is a hell of a lot of fun. BUT. The big lack of games coming through for it is very frustrating. We have the one that comes free which is great, Tiger Woods, which I haven't played enough yet but I love it on all other platforms so I am expecting it to be great, Super Monkey Ball which is fun, and Zelda, which lives up to the hype.

    But in four months, that isn't a great deal. It may be that my and my other half's tastes are narrow (I like Zelda, Fable, Elder Scroll type games and Glen likes Sport games.) but I do believe that not enough is being released for it.

    I think Nintendo have screwed up somewhat, which is disappointing, as I am a Nintendo person really. I didn't realise until last week that there were still so many problems with stocks. Where you can get them second hand they are being sold for £180ish. If you can find one.

    I would second Blobby's advice - don't worry about getting one yet - they are not worth a cardiac arrest.
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    Knowing Nintendo, they've probably had another humungous supplier row resulting in the current shortage situation. One thing you used to be able to rely on with Nintendo was the quality of their games (unlike Sony who only seem to rely on quantity), but since things went tits up with Sony and Rare, they've completely lost the plot. It's now only the various Gameboy technologies that are saving their asses from extinction as Jamie might say!

    Unless the Wii problem is sorted out very very soon, it's looking completely dead in the water...

    Robert
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii
    Eva G wrote:
    Has anyone got any insider info on how to get a Nintendo Wii. It my son's birthday in 10 days and still no joy and I am spending nearly every waking moment on the net, but missed out on Friday night,

    Hi Eva,
    Not really insider information, but I find WH Smiths a surprisingly good source of games consoles. I think its something to do with their stock control policy- stores seem to get sent one or two units and then they don't get moved between stores. Get a Yellow Pages and phone around the local branches to see if the have any.

    On PS3 release day, my local branch (Harlow) had two unsold and unreserved at the end of the day, when Virgin, HMV, Game et alia had all long sold out. Don't go via the website, call the people in the store.

    Good luck!

    Graham

    (ps- why is it called a Wii? I thought it was like a roman numeral- "W-two", but it's "Wee", apparently. Is it an acronym? Wireless Immersion Interface or something?)
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    Just and idea or a thought that it may not be an acronym, just a clever name.

    Nintendo spells "Wii" with two lower-case "i" characters meant to resemble two people standing side by side, representing players gathering together, as well as to represent the console's controllers.

    Wii sounds like 'we', which emphasizes that the console is for everyone. Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak. No confusion. No need to abbreviate. Just Wii.
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii
    Nintendo spells "Wii" with two lower-case "i" characters meant to resemble two people standing side by side, representing players gathering together, as well as to represent the console's controllers.

    My God, I hope you're winding me up, but I think I heard that somewhere else too.
    Wii sounds like 'we', which emphasizes that the console is for everyone. Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak. No confusion. No need to abbreviate. Just Wii.

    Except of course the English speaking world, who will hear it as "wee" as in "urine". And isn't that sound hard to pronounce for native Japanese speakers? Which leaves... who else plays computer games? France? Germany?
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    I know of 3 variations which I have to distinguish between quite often..

    We - as in we went and played sports for a while (talking about a collective group)

    Wee - as in "I'm sorry mummy, I just needed to wee and the plant-pot seemed like a good place"

    and

    "Wee" - as in "You wee idiot ye" (the scottish phrase for little"

    Games consoles are played all over the world.

    J
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    That's true, I do use 'wee' in the 'little' sense, especially "a wee drop/bit" meaning "a small amount". I have two Scottish grandparents (one on each side), and occasionally pepper my speech with Scottishness.

    My favourite of my Grandparents' received wisdom is "Never cast a clout before May is out", which means "Don't put away your winter clothing before the Hawthorn is in bloom."- a warning against the fickleness of the british spring.

    Yes, I know computer games are played throughout the world, but I do have a very anglophone-centric view of it. Anglophone-centric is probably not a real word, but if it was it would mean "focussing on those who speak English"- UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and so on.
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    After Mandarin, English is the second most spoken language around the world.

    In the 24th century it will be Standard English and we will all have universal translators anyway.

    I want to know why ALL consoles cost so much more in the UK than elsewhere - this thing about exchanges rate sounds like a cop-out.

    Advice to Wii and PS3 owners - wait for the hype to die down and then the price will follow suit.
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii
    Malcolm wrote:
    I want to know why ALL consoles cost so much more in the UK than elsewhere - this thing about exchanges rate sounds like a cop-out.

    The usual feeble excuse for this is that games have to be reengineered to our PAL television format - we're sadly incompatible with the NTSC format used in USA and Japan where the majority of games are created. I wonder how this holds water with the French though who - being French - have to have their own SECAM format?!
    Malcolm wrote:
    Advice to Wii and PS3 owners - wait for the hype to die down and then the price will follow suit.

    When I went to Toys R Us last week, they reckoned they had loads of PS3's left - hardly anyone was buying them due to the stupidly high price tag. I do believe it's the most expensive games console ever made so far, even higher than the 3DO from the early 90's? Blu-Ray technology is currently about as desirable as DAT was in the late 80's - for anyone who can remember that! My worry of buying a Wii is that it'd end up in the same dead console pile as my Atari Jaguar, N64 and Gamecube!

    The Sega Megadrive - now THAT was a console!

    Robert
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii
    blobbyh wrote:

    The Sega Megadrive - now THAT was a console!

    Robert

    Oh Yes, Agreed!

    With the Sega Mastersystem converter! AND the MegaDrive CD Attachment... with the whole lot of attachments it weighted almost as much as modern day PCs :-)

    But can't complain - the endless fun a pad with 7 button gave.
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    I never had a megadrive, but did have a Nintendo Entertainment System. I still remember the sense of awe I had when I first got it home and played "Super Mario Brothers" and whichever Zelda game was out at the time.

    I was always proudest of my Playstation, which I got in '98, because I paid for it myself. And the best thing is, it still works. My Playstation 2 broke in 2004, and my brother broke the replacement two years later, but my orginal Playstation still works as well as it did when I bought it (it lives in the guest room, and I play it from time to time). Which is a lot more than I can say for the first PC I bought!
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    the 8 bit nintendo - or was it 16?... I think it was 16 actually - with dragon fighter and 2 buttons on the control pad - kick or punch. haha
    My Original PS1 still works too - I have broken 2 PS2s (or should I say they have broken themselves). I have bought 2 PCs both of which are now outdated from the most recent games.
    I walked past HMV in Denton last weekend and saw the PS3 up for grabs and just thought to myself how great tekken would be on it... Tekken is the daddy of all fighting games and I knew all of teh characters 11, 12 and 13 hit combos - Yoshimitsu Wins! lol
    Anyway, I nearly walked in and bought the console, 2 controllers and a game for £425.00
    Then I looked at the missus and saw her scowl and decied to buy her some shoes a bag and pay for a night out instead...
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    My all time fave games are yonks old;

    Sonic 2 on the Megadrive...

    Mortal Kombat 2 on the SNES - "FINISH HIM!!!"

    Super Mario Kart also on the SNES - best all round game EVER!

    Worms (the original) on the PlayStation one.

    Bomberman... I was world class at this, damn near invincible!

    Oh, those were happy gaming days before all the murder and mayhem took over....

    Robert

    EDIT; oh and while maybe it wasn't the best fighting game ever, I did love it when you finally managed to pull off an incredibly tough 30 or so hit ultra combo in 'Killer Instinct' from the SNES and the computer used to shout "ULTRAAAA! ULTRAAAA! ULTRAAAA! ULTRAAAA"! etc...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3AqK321y_4&mode=related&search= = what all women would like to do to their partners!
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    Yes, Mortal Kombat - the unbeatable game turned into the unwatchable movie :-)

  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    Have you seen this Jamie? Number two and number one are hilarious!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vMVp85Ajcg

    God, I feel all nostalgic now...!

    Robert
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    Hi

    Many thanks for the advice. Argos has informed me that their next delivery is middle of May, so my son will have to carry on playing on the PS2 - he is upset about it, but I am sure that life will go on.

    I still think the old space invaders game was best.
    Eva :D
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    The middle of May?!!! Good God, the shortage problem will be over five months old by then!

    Seriously, I would really consider whether it's worth buying one if this isn't sorted out soon. It looks a great console, but game developers will not waste time, effort and tons of cash porting over games from other consoles or writing new ones if there's no established market for the Wii. A console that has been out this long should have probably fifty or so titles available by now - I doubt the Wii has cracked twenty yet, kind of demonstrating that something clearly ain't right.

    If they're having trouble manufacturing the units, it'll be worth seeing in a few months time if there'll be a sudden rash of failing consoles...

    Regards,

    Robert
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    Robert

    I totally agree with you, but try explaining that to a boy who is nearly 15. To me it is just another games console to waste time on. My saving grace in all of this is that summer is coming.

    Eva :D
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    Yeah, I know my own kids half wanted one before Christmas but were as peeved as everyone else who couldn't get hold of one! They've now got over it and don't even ask anymore.

    They "inherited" the N64 and Gamecube from me so can understand why I would approach one with caution even if they were in stock. Most of their friends have PlayStations so their ability to borrow Nintendo games has always been restrictive.

    Good luck for getting hold of one anyway!

    Robert
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    Rob, not ignoring you, just didnt get chance to go on internet last night and look at the link you posted above.

    Will make sure I have a look tonight.
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii
    blobbyh wrote:
    what all women would like to do to their partners!

    Only to the ones that spend their time playing games...

    :roll:
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii
    Only to the ones that spend their time playing games...

    Depends on the couple, surely. I like games with two-player co-operative modes, and occasionally have been lucky enough to share them with a girlfriend who liked them too. After all, what else could a young couple possibly enjoy more in the bedroom? :wink:
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    Clearing out wardrobes and drawers?
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    Of course, that relationship ended when she caught me in bed with a model.

    Took me weeks to get bits of RAF Spitfire and superglue out of the duvet.
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii


    LOL!
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    As an update, managed to get a Nintendo Wii for my son (his birthday today) - he is currently on it as I write. I am not a fan of consoles but the Sports game is really good - very interactive and we have had a great laugh playing it.
    Now I am off to languish in the sun.
    Eva :D
  • System
    System Posts: 100,537 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:Nintendo Wii

    One of my mates was lucky to get one very near the release. We havent stopped playing it, it gets so competitive.

    I was going to buy one, but now the summers coming, I may wait on it.

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