American Wii Event Recap, Metroid Slips – Boxarts and more
Last night Nintendo of America held a press conference for the American press. While the Wii release date and price were leaked earlier in the day the event was still open to many pieces of news even if only it was an American slant on the Japanese news earlier in the day.
Put succinctly, the Wii will be coming out in America on November 19th for $249US ($330AU) and in one colour, White. Metroid Prime 3 has also slipped into 2007 however Zelda is re-confirmed as a Wii launch game as well as Excite Truck.
GameCube owners will have to wait till December 11 to get there Zelda fix. The Wii boxart for games was also shown off, showing a simple curved banner (picture inside). Nintendo also re-confirmed that there would be 30 Wii games in the launch window. As well as 4 Million Wiis for 2006 worldwide and 6 million for the end of the financial year.
Log of the event is inside as well as pictures of the Wii boxart.
Disc Channel:
This channel allows users to play either Wii game discs or the entire library of Nintendo GameCube discs.
Mii Channel:
Fun caricatured portraits created in this channel can be used as characters across a variety of Wii software. Portraits can be stored in a users Wii Remote and taken to a friends house to play on another Wii console. Each member of the family can have his or her Wii Remote personalized with a caricature.
Photo Channel:
This channel allows users to take digital pictures stored on an SD memory card and display them on their television screens. Users also can manipulate the photos in a variety of fun and creative ways, such as zooming or creating mosaics, puzzles or slide shows. They can draw, add stamps, and copy and paste. They also can change the mood of photos by brightening them, converting them to monochrome, inverting the color or changing them to stark black and white. Users can even add an MP3 tune to their slide shows. It provides a fun and easy outlet for people to edit their digital pictures. Users also can send their pictures to other Wii consoles by attaching a photo to the Wii Message Board.
Forecast Channel:
Users who have connected their Wii console to the Internet can access free local weather forecasts just a few seconds after turning on the Wii console. The WiiConnect24 service automatically updates local weather information. Users can view forecasts for cities around the world on a 3-D globe.
News Channel:
Users can access breaking news with the touch of a button. When connected to the Internet, the WiiConnect24 service automatically updates this free channel and organizes it in a variety of topical categories. Users can see where news is happening by viewing the location of news stories on a 3-D globe.
Wii Shop Channel:
This is where users go to buy Wii Points or redeem them to download classic video games to the Virtual Console. Users also can use points to download the Opera browser used in the Internet Channel.
Internet Channel:
This channel dramatically changes the relationship between a users home, the television and the Internet. Users download the Opera browser with Wii Points. Then they can surf the Internet right from the comfort of their couch. They can do quick research while watching a television program (What was that actors name again?). Or book travel plans and shop during commercials. The service is compatible with Macromedia Flash.
Wii Message Board:
Forget hand-scrawled notes tacked to the refrigerator door. Users can leave messages for other family members on a calendar-based message board. They also can use WiiConnect24 to send messages to people outside the home as well. Even better, people can trade photos and text messages with cell phone users. The service also allows for incoming messages targeted at software, such as a new map or weapon for a game. Games can constantly be updated, thereby extending their playability.
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Please excuse the crudity of the below article as it was a live blog of the event.
9:23 am – Reggie confirms November 19th Wii on sale – Worldwide debut in US – 25,000 points of distribution – $249.99 – White only at launch “”One price, one configuration, one color.””
9:24 am – Hardware, cables, sensor bar, 1 Wii remote, 1 nunchuck controller – All in box, Wii Sports also included in Hardware.
9:32 am – Wii Bowling about to be demoed, works just like real bowling.
9:33 am – The Legend of Zelda TP & Excite Truck on launch day! 25 Games on Launch Day for USA
9:40 am – 30 Wii games in launch window (2006) about half on launch day – remain consistent with Cube software pricing, At the event hosted by Nintendo of Japan, there were 104 Wii games demonstrated
9:42 am – Reggie talks about Wii channels. “”Not just Virtual Console, but a total effort to redefine who will use videogames in the future.””
9:45 am – 30 Virtual Console games by the end of the year. Beginning in January, Nintendo will deliver 10 more VC games per month. Wii Channels for use by all members of the Family
9:47 am – Wii Channels Menu – News channel shown, as well as weather, shop, photo, and others. 1 page of 12 Wii channels, expandable as well. Disc channel allows players to play Wii game or Game Cube games, Wii Shop is the Virtual Console home.
9:48 am – The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario World, Super Mario 64 and Donkey Kong available for VC launch day. $5US for NES, $8US for SNES, and $10US for N64. Wii Points acquired online or at retailers. 2000 Wii points card for 20 bucks at retail. Games store internally and becomes its own channel. Title is available forever once downloaded.
9:49 am – NES games will be available for 500 Wii points, Super NES games for 800, and Nintendo 64 for 1,000.
9:50 am – Bill Trinen goes into the Mii channel, which enables users to create virtual versions of themselves. Modifies hair and face on a 3D model. Changes eyes. Changes nose. Changes lips. Gives him a mustache. Changes the color of his clothes. Enter his name. This is all done easily with the Wii-mote by pointing and clicking.
9:51 am – Mii characters can be transferred to Wiimote so you can take them with you. Wii games can use character profiles, such as Wii Sports.
9:52 am – “”For the first time ever, photo viewing is not a time-consuming thing.”” Take SD Card out of your digital camera, insert into the front flap on Wii and “”boom — you’re looking at digital photos.”” The interface is smooth, fast and easy. Shows iPhoto-like slideshow feature complete with zooms and pans.
First pics of Wii Boxarts!!!
From AMN
9:54 am – You can apparently transfer home-brew movies to your Wii, view them and modify them in real-time. No word on formats.
9:59 am – Internet Channel discussed – downloaded with Wii points – once downloaded it can be accessed immediately, Thats Opera you need to pay for it.
QA Time
Q: How much are the remotes?
A: Wii remote is $39.99 and the nunchuck attachment is $19.99.
Q: What’s up with Zelda for GameCube?
A: Zelda GameCube launches on December 11.
Q: What’s the cost of accessing the Internet (Wii Channels)?
A: No cost through our system. You need an Internet connection at your home. Wii is Wi-Fi enabled.
Q: First-party games will be $49.99US. Will third parties price at $59.99US?
A: We encourage third parties to price appropriately. (They dont have too, $119AU games confirmed basically)
All First Party games are Widescreen!
Q: Talk about integration between DS and Wii.
A: In the future we’ll talk about that.
Q: Metroid Prime 3?
A: 2007 game.
Q: When we can we expect to play games online for Wii and what kind of interface?
A: What’s been announced in Japan is that the first online multiplayer game is going to be Pokemon Battle that will be launching during their launch window in Japan. When can you expect that here in the US? Shortly after.
Sources used: Gamespot, GoNintendo, IGN
