Nintendo Wii Fanboy

Here's something: despite our initial skepticism, we actually really like the Wii Wheel -- in fact, it's all we use now for Mario Kart Wii. The only downside? At $10 per wheel (or £7 in the UK), buying enough for four-player matches can get kind of pricey.

So the way we see it, you have two choices:

1. Go with one of our totally awesome (and totally free) homemade Wii Wheels (the option we'd recommend) or:
   
2. Pick up the latest issue of NGamer, which comes with the above "free" wheel packed in. It's not technically free, obviously, because you'll have to pony up the £4.99 for the magazine, which optimistically suggests that the free gift is worth £7, meaning somebody in NGamer's accounting department may well be clearing their desk later this month.
   

Incidentally, while NGamer is a UK publication, some of my U.S-based colleagues think they may have spotted copies in Barnes & Noble, so keep your eyes peeled and you too might save hundreds of cents.

Update: Corrected U.S. price.



[Via Go Nintendo]

Not to take a jab at our Xbox 360-loving brethren, but if we are going to point to any game, in recent memory, that sold well and had an absolutely, amazingly-horrible script, it would be that game. Seriously, we know that Capcom isn't the best when it comes to crafting game stories or dialogue (Jill, here's a lockpick. It might be handy if you, the master of unlocking, take it with you.), but that game's story and dialogue was just absurd. Still though, Free Radical co-founder Karl Hilton thinks the Wii, not the Xbox 360, is the system that will encourage more games that don't need good writing in the market.

Hilton says "The success of the Wii has showed how unimportant writing is to a huge chunk of the games market – and that market sector is growing." Of course, taken out of context, the quote can be horribly mistaken for meaning something else, but we're sure Hilton meant to say the success of the Wii console has opened the door for games that focus more on gameplay than, say, delivering a large, epic story to the market to be more successful.

So, how do you interpret Hilton's statement?

[via Joystiq]

Sure, you could be grateful for your home and your family and all that other mushy garbage, but we know what you really want ... and so does Comedy Central. Nothing makes you scream thanks to the deity of your choice like a free Nintendo Wii -- and that's why the Wii is a featured prize for the comedy network's Thanksgiving promotion. During 48 hours of programming between Thursday and Sunday, Comedy Central will give away a Wii every hour, so grab a plate of leftovers and settle in. After all, cold mashed potatoes taste so much better when there's a chance at a free console.

Okay, so it's not Space World, the legendary Nintendo-only event whose last appearance occurred in 2001. Nintendo's announcement of a new event, however, named Nintendo World 2006, certainly conjures fond memories. The event, which takes place over a mammoth ten-day period from November 3rd to the 12th (and again on November 25th and 26th), will feature hands-on playtime with the Wii and some of the hottest new DS titles. Best of all, it's open to the Japanese public, and completely free. Awesome.

While it's unknown if Nintendo will be making any major announcements at the event, it's understood that they will, at the very least, announce more specific details of the Virtual Console service (read: launch titles) a bit closer to Wii Day. What better place to spring some good news on the unsuspecting Japanese?

(The image is a personal favorite, from digital artist Greg Martin. Check more of his work here.)

Nintendo giveaways are everywhere lately, but this time it's official -- Nintendo is giving away a Wii and a DS in conjunction with their Fusion Tour. Sadly, they'll be autographed by some guys you've never heard of, but hey! If we can file the gloss off a DS, anything is possible.

The full grand prize is: one DS Lite, one DS game, one Wii, CDs from the bands on the Fusion Tour, and tour swag. Five lucky members of Nintendo's website will pick up those packages. You do have to register to enter, but that's okay. It's Nintendo.com, so aren't you registered already?

[Thanks, Author X!]

Looks like everyone wants a piece of the Wii pie suddenly. First 7-Eleven got in the game with a giveaway, and now it's everyone's favorite stackable chip that's offering one hundred people a chance to play with a Wii. They're even pushing the fact that Nintendo has something for everyone, as the text on the giveaway page states, "This new gaming console from Nintendo is perfect for anyone and everyone -- no matter what age or skill level!" Indeed. Head on over and start filling out some forms. Play nice and read the rules first, though.

With the slightly higher than expected price of the Wii, consumers further lamented Nintendo's insistence on squeezing us for every penny we could find under the cushions. The Opera browser would cost twenty dollars or more, and after they promised it to be free? Blasphemy! But soon, news from Japan came that over there, they could download Opera for free, until June 2007. Yet, confusion reigned. What about us, we cried! And moaned. And whined. And apparently, Nintendo took note.

We've been on top of the situation, but now it's confirmed in this official press release from Opera: the browser will be absolutely gratis for all regions until June of next year. That means us early adopters actually get a little bonus, whereas normally the late-comers and lazy gamers always get the best deals. Hah! Serves you right, luddites!

And look! Ecstatic Wii-loving swimmers! Wooooo!

[Thanks, Nushio!]

Free Radical Design, which was formed from key members that left Rare after working on Goldeneye 007, has a new title in development for both the Xbox 360 and PS3 known as Haze. In the FAQ at their website, when asked if there will be a Wii version of the game, the company states "There are currently no plans for a Wii version of Haze. Sadly, the cutting-edge technology we're using requires more power than the Wii has available. If we could, we would." This got us to the thinkin' over here at Wii Fanboy.

Would this be the case for titles in the future that are being developed on all platforms? Think about Ubisoft's Raving Rabbids, which Michel Ancel has stated during a preview that it is primarily being developed for the Wii, followed by ports to the PS3 and Xbox 360. How would it work the other way? Sure, we know that Call of Duty 3 is another title that will be present on all consoles, but is the game being built on Xbox 360 or PS3 architecture, then ported to the Wii? Is this the wall that Free Radical has hit?

The comment brings up some questions, sure, but we doubt that a company who could give us one of the greatest console FPS games ever made could be so disinterested in such an innovative console. Hopefully, the next time we discuss Free Radical, it'll be in regards to their newest project on the platform.

Now this is actually a pretty cool idea.

A web site decided to run a contest where they would give away 3 free Wiis to shoppers. Now, there is no entry form or any of that nonsense, all you need do is buy things from their site. Basically, for every $50 (we assume US dollars) you spend, you'll get one entry in the drawing for a free console. It's possible for you to have more than one entry in the contest, so the more you spend, the better your chances are.

Also, if you pre-order the console from their site and win one of the free consoles, you'll get the equivalent of that amount in accessories and/or games for the system. Personally, it would be a lot nicer if they just refunded your money, but with what is sure to be a very cost-effective console, it's not all that big a loss anyway.