Nintendo Wii Fanboy

While we're still waiting for that leopard skin Wiimote wrist strap of our dreams, Nintendo will shortly release green, blue, pink, and white straps in Japan. Other than helping to distinguish Wiimotes between multiplayer sessions, we can't really think of a compelling need for these non-threatening, pastel accessories, but perhaps they're a sign that matching controllers are on the way? That's probably a long shot, but it would be nice.

For those of you with an interest in importing, these are scheduled to appear next month for ¥300 ($2.80) each, or you can snag the four-pack above for ¥1,000 ($9.25). For those of you who are too cheap for even that, you can make your own for nada.

We talk a lot about stuff we would like to see on the Virtual Console, but here's the stuff that would really make the service noteworthy: unreleased games. Recently, a NeoGAFfer named FortNinety posted some footage of a previously unknown Sonic game on YouTube, and it is weird. Weirder than the other known unreleased Sonic game, Sonic X-treme on the Saturn.

The game, developed by the US-based Sega Technical Institute, uses the art style and characters from the Jaleel White-tastic Saturday morning cartoon. It features a Final Fight-style perspective, Metal Gear-style sneaking, and a very uncharacteristic ring-throwing attack. Does it look good? Not really. But unreleased and unfinished games are super interesting, and we'd love a chance to play even an unfinished version of this.

If we're to believe Dustin Wilson's assurances, the mischief above wasn't a product of Photoshop or any other methods of internet chicanery. He actually scribbled the Wii endorsement onto the Xbox 360 display boxes with a white paint marker while one of the game shop's employees was distracted.

This episode of When Keeping it Wii Goes Wrong was created as an entry for the EvWiiwhere Challenge hosted by N+, a MyOpera community for Nintendo fans. The contest called for readers to take pictures of the word "Wii" spelled out in unconventional ways, but we're sure this wasn't what the site had in mind. We might have our gripes with all the Electronics Boutiques and GameStops out there, but vandalizing other people's property just isn't cool, especially when it's at the expense of a worker who's just doing her job.

But who knows, maybe this sort of joke will catch on with other retailers? If you think about it, this would be a great way to promote the Xbox 360 to customers inside the shop, while at the same time catching the interest of people outside who see the storefront's Wii wisecrack. It's genius!

Everyone knows that the incredible console, innovative controller, mind-numbing list of launch games and extra features pale in comparison to the all-important box design of a new console. So, without further ado, we present to you: The Box of the Wii!

One thing Nintendo failed to mention (or, at least, we didn't catch) were the colors available at launch. White is the obvious default, but hopefully, we can score at least black for the option. Do you guys like the design? Or can you not stop to worry about this trivial little detail, after all the insanity?

Gamespot UK recently had a Q & A session with Lionhead's Peter Molyneux (Populous, Black & White). Lionhead Studios, who was acquired by Microsoft last April, has also developed such hits as The Movies and Fable. During the interview, the console wars debate came up and Peter's response was surprisingly Wii-positive, but of course he couldn't help but cram some praise for the 360 in there as well. As for Sony, he said:

GSUK: There seems to be a backlash mounting against the PlayStation 3, while the Wii seems to be going from strength to strength. How do you think the next-gen console war is going to stack up?

PM: Well, I have been through console wars before, but this one strikes me as particularly interesting. Nintendo has done a great job of convincing us that next gen is about game play rather than high-tech specs. Microsoft has done an incredible job of expanding games online and making them more mass market. Sony, in my view, seems it has been rather more lazy with their message. How all this pans out really depends on one thing and that is the brilliance of the titles that appear on each platform over the next two to three years. Marketing the hardware is nothing compared to the games that run on it, so I expect the system with the greatest games on it to end up on top.

Everyone has been very supportive of the one-two punch combo of the Wii and Xbox 360, leaving Sony to stew in their own stolen juices, forgetting that Microsoft is in fact the competition for Nintendo as well. Just like Reggie said in his USA Today interview, he'd rather see consumers buying the Wii, along with some games and accessories, over buying both consoles and creating an opportunity to sell more of his competitor's product. We couldn't agree more.

NIBRIS' Piotr Orlowski emailed 4cr and dropped an odd bit of news pertaining to their upcoming title Sadness. Turns out, the game is to be displayed primarily in black and white. Bold move for the developer who has nothing but concept art to show for their game. So have they dug too large a hole for themselves? Can gamers be all that accepting of this direction in presentation?

"Nibris decided to follow Nintendo’s path, which definitely fights the stagnation which has occurred in video games, and creates new trends. With this move, we want to create a unique environment, which is only available in Sadness[...]"