Wii Mini Coming to US Bundled with Mario Kart Wii

[roseofbattle]

Wii Mini Coming to US Bundled with Mario Kart Wii

The stripped down version of the Nintendo Wii is making a late debut to the United States.

The Wii mini already launched in Canada last year, but it will cross the border to the US sometime this month. Nintendo announced today that the micro-console will be available for purchase in the US in time for the holidays for $99.99. The Wii mini does not play GameCube games, has no internect connectivity, and is much smaller.

The bundle comes with a red Wii Mini, red Wii Remote Plus controller, red Wii Nunchuk controller, and Mario Kart Wii. Availability will differ by location, but Nintendo says the Wii mini should be available in stores by mid-November. Multiplayer games can be played locally.

The move seems a bit strange with Nintendo already struggling with the Wii U, but there are still several games on the Wii. For someone who hasn't picked up a Wii since its 2006 launch and only wants to use it for playing games offline, the Wii mini would be a good holiday gift. Likely, this is another way for Nintendo to market itself to families looking to buy cheaper game systems for kids. However, that investment is lessened by the fact you can buy a refurbished Wii for less than the price of a new Wii mini.

In addition to the Wii mini, the statement also indicates some Wii games have been discounted. Super Mario Galaxy, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and Super Paper Mario are $19.99. Super Mario Galaxy 2, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and Wii Sports Resort were recently discounted to $29.99.

The Wii's lifespan is coming to an end. The console has will continue on in the US. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/129012-Nintendo-Wii-Also-Discontinued-in-Europe]

Source: Joystiq [http://www.joystiq.com/2013/11/04/wii-mini-arriving-in-us-with-packed-in-mario-kart-wii/]

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[twaddle]

Weird since it was announced by Nintendo that they were no longer making the wii....

 

[Novaova]

Weird since it was announced by Nintendo that they were no longer making the wii....

Right. The original Wii is going out of production. The Wii Mini is a different device.

 

[Novaova]

What's your source for the above? I've been unable to find it described this way anywhere.

 

[WeepingAngels]

So the Wii really is being discontinued in the US, replaced by this piece of junk.

Probably the most online capable game in the Wii's library is bundled with a Wii that can't go online. Brilliant. Those guys over at Nintendo of America are really on the ball (and they stay on it as it rolls over them).

 

[Xman490]

If this ends up next the Ouya and PS Vita in game hardware stores, those two will have some serious trouble gathering markets from uneducated or simply non-internet-savvy consumers.

Mario Kart Wii is a great game to bundle with this, but it's unfortunate that the Wii Mini is unable to connect to the internet and thus unable to take advantage of Mario Kart Wii's greatest innovation: 12-person multiplayer.

 

[Infernal Lawyer]

So the Wii really is being discontinued in the US, replaced by this piece of junk.

Probably the most online capable game in the Wii's library is bundled with a Wii that can't go online. Brilliant. Those guys over at Nintendo of America are really on the ball (and they stay on it as it rolls over them).

I was waiting for someone to joke about the original Wii's lack of any real internet functionality when you brought this up. That's pretty true, what the hell Nintendo? Too be fair, the local play is by no means bad. But then again I guess there's any amount of other games for that :/ I wonder if it's a reprogrammed version with the "online" buttons hidden? Or will they just be there to taunt the user with error messages?

 

[WeepingAngels]

So the Wii really is being discontinued in the US, replaced by this piece of junk.

Probably the most online capable game in the Wii's library is bundled with a Wii that can't go online. Brilliant. Those guys over at Nintendo of America are really on the ball (and they stay on it as it rolls over them).

I was waiting for someone to joke about the original Wii's lack of any real internet functionality when you brought this up. That's pretty true, what the hell Nintendo? Too be fair, the local play is by no means bad. But then again I guess there's any amount of other games for that :/ I wonder if it's a reprogrammed version with the "online" buttons hidden? Or will they just be there to taunt the user with error messages?

They won't patch it, it will be like people playing 3D Land on a 2DS. You know what I wonder, I wonder if Nintendo has always been this incompetent but it just wasn't as visible until recently.

 

[Dragonbums]

I'm so confused.

They stop production of the original Wii, yet they are releasing the Wii mini into the states?


Why?

At that point you might as well recycle those parts and use them towards other manufacturing goods.

 

[xyrafhoan]

So the Wii really is being discontinued in the US, replaced by this piece of junk.

Probably the most online capable game in the Wii's library is bundled with a Wii that can't go online. Brilliant. Those guys over at Nintendo of America are really on the ball (and they stay on it as it rolls over them).

I was waiting for someone to joke about the original Wii's lack of any real internet functionality when you brought this up. That's pretty true, what the hell Nintendo? Too be fair, the local play is by no means bad. But then again I guess there's any amount of other games for that :/ I wonder if it's a reprogrammed version with the "online" buttons hidden? Or will they just be there to taunt the user with error messages?

Most of the online services (if not all) for the Wii has been shut down, so losing the online isn't really as bad as it sounds. I guess you'd miss out on the Virtual Console but who knows how much longer Nintendo is going to keep running that too. This is a box designed for young kids whose parents don't feel comfortable with allowing them to go online at all.

...On the other hand, considering the Wii is as dead as it gets these days, a 3DS or 2DS is a much better investment. Not much more expensive, it's current, it's portable, and it's got Pokemon. And if the kids really want a console, just save up for a WiiU. I hope no parent disappoints their kids this holiday with a seriously dead console.

 

[Yoshi4102]

Weird considering Mario Kart Wii is a blast online. Wii Mini having no online just means half the fun