It's spreading - Wii Mini to be released in the UK

[IBNobody]

http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/26/wii-mini-comes-to-uk-next-month/

The Canada-exclusive holiday season is officially over, because the Wii Mini is making a little big trip to the UK next month on March 22. There's no word on a price; when launched in Canada late last year, the wee console cost $99.99 (around £63.50).

Don't know what a Wii Mini is? Well... It's a cheaper, inferior Wii console.

The Wii Mini offers a reduced price and size, as well as top-loading disc tray, but doesn't have Internet connectivity and isn't compatible with GameCube discs. As per Canada's bundle, UK buyers get a red Nunchuk and red WiiMote Plus controller with the console.

It also only has composite out and a top-opening disc lid.


If you're still looking for a Wii don't buy this. You can get used Wii's cheaper.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

Don't really care about Gamecube BC (ALTHOUGH IT WILL SINK THE CONSOLE) but the lack of internet connectivity is a killer.

Looks neat but it's literally a Wii version of the PSP Street.

 

[Gahars]

I still don't understand the hate some people seem to hold for the Wii Mini. It's designed to be an extremely cheap version of the Wii for an audience that couldn't care less about any of the axed features. It wouldn't be good for us game-playing types, but then again, it wasn't made with us in mind ("Neither was the original Wii! DOHOHOHOHO!")

 

[Hadrian]

This is just aimed at those who may be poorer than others out there and aren't fussed about internet or even care that it can't play GC games but don't want a used console. It'll be great for parents who don't want their children on the internet too.

For everyone else...they'd just buy a used Wii for £40.

I could do with a new Wii soon so I hope this drives down the price of a used one more.

 

[Qtis]

Nothing fantastic for people wanting to play online or backups. If neither of those are a thing for you, I don't see why not. It's not the ugliest console, it's not the most expensive and it does the thing the Wii can be thought to do: play Wii games. Sure the lack of GC BC and internet is bad, but I don't see Wii online gaming being a great hit after the next gen console (WiiU) takes its place.

Still not going to buy it since both of the lacking things interest me (and I already have a Wii).

 

[LightyKD]

I still don't understand the hate some people seem to hold for the Wii Mini. It's designed to be an extremely cheap version of the Wii for an audience that couldn't care less about any of the axed features. It wouldn't be good for us game-playing types, but then again, it wasn't made with us in mind ("Neither was the original Wii! DOHOHOHOHO!")

YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE HATE?!?! The issue here is that people start buying this shit because it's "new" and then the older, Internet ready Wii consoles get phased out, further digging the grave of the original Wii console. The reason why we got Amazon Video and Youtube was because developers could have a piggyback mindset.

"The Wii U has internet and oh the Wii has OK internet. There are a lot of Wii consoles sold. I'll maximize my efforts and make my software for both".

With the Wii Mini, that mindset is gone. FUCK NINTENDO for this shit. The ONE time they could take a lesson from Sony and they don't. They should have kept the Wii along with, drop licensing fees for smaller devs and let the smaller devs have a field day. PS2 was able to make Sony money well into the PS3 days. Nintendo is fucking up an opportunity here.

 

[Rydian]

~

Wii U is out, Wii is dying.

You will need to accept this at some point.

 

[LightyKD]

Wii U is out, Wii is dying.

You will need to accept this at some point.

Um... why? Ever heard of a PlayStation 2? There is absolutely NO need for a Wii Mini. This is just another case of Nintendo being stupid.

 

[BORTZ]

This shitty thing again lol

 

[Rydian]

Um... why? Ever heard of a PlayStation 2? There is absolutely NO need for a Wii Mini. This is just another case of Nintendo being stupid.

Ever heard of the PS2 slim, which came out later and didn't have the expansion port and thus didn't support external harddrives, and lacked the iLink port, and thus couldn't play FFXI and such that needed a harddrive?

As time goes on, systems are redesigned to be cheaper, and services die.

 

[Veho]

YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE HATE?!?! The issue here is that people start buying this shit because it's "new" and then the older, Internet ready Wii consoles get phased out, further digging the grave of the original Wii console.

The Wii sold 99 million units. The Wii Mini has a lot of catching up to do before it becomes a significant fraction of the Wii userbase. And since the "ordinary" Wii is still being sold as well, the vast majority of Wiis out there will always be the internet-ready version. Unless the Mini sells a hundred million units overnight.

 

[Gahars]

YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE HATE?!?! The issue here is that people start buying this shit because it's "new" and then the older, Internet ready Wii consoles get phased out, further digging the grave of the original Wii console. The reason why we got Amazon Video and Youtube was because developers could have a piggyback mindset.

"The Wii U has internet and oh the Wii has OK internet. There are a lot of Wii consoles sold. I'll maximize my efforts and make my software for both".

With the Wii Mini, that mindset is gone. FUCK NINTENDO for this shit. The ONE time they could take a lesson from Sony and they don't. They should have kept the Wii along with, drop licensing fees for smaller devs and let the smaller devs have a field day. PS2 was able to make Sony money well into the PS3 days. Nintendo is fucking up an opportunity here.

Shit, dude. Overreaction much?

The Wii's already phased out. It's been on the way out for a good, long while. To be frank, if you think otherwise, you are deluding yourself. Nintendo is making the smartest, most rational decision here - I have no idea why you can't see that.

The Wii is dead. For all intents and purposes, the Wii's been dead. Nintendo wants to promote its new baby, the Wii U, so it doesn't die. Face it. Accept it. Move on.

 

[The Catboy]

I honestly want one of these things.
It reminds of me of the Game Boy Micro.

 

[LightyKD]

Some of you might think that I'm over reacting but I'm tired of seeing this shit every generation with Nintendo. instead of just letting the market kill off a console, Nintendo always creates some artificial way to kill off their previous console. If they are so confident that poor people will buy a Wii, why make a Wii Mini? Why not just find cheaper parts and sell the current model. They waste money by taking the time and marketing to re-design a system that is already selling well.

 

[Rydian]

Some of you might think that I'm over reacting but I'm tired of seeing this shit every generation with Nintendo. instead of just letting the market kill off a console, Nintendo always creates some artificial way to kill off their previous console. If they are so confident that poor people will buy a Wii, why make a Wii Mini? Why not just find cheaper parts and sell the current model. They waste money by taking the time and marketing to re-design a system that is already selling well.

"Kill off"? The base Wii is still being sold, but the Wii generation is dying anyways because the Wii U's out.
"Cheaper parts"? The Wii launched at $250, now the current model is $125, half the original price. A cheaper model being made would need LESS parts, and that's what the mini is.

You ARE overreacting.
Shit dies, get over it.

 

[IBNobody]

Ever heard of the PS2 slim, which came out later and didn't have the expansion port and thus didn't support external harddrives, and lacked the iLink port, and thus couldn't play FFXI and such that needed a harddrive?

As time goes on, systems are redesigned to be cheaper, and services die.

The PS2 slim didn't lack component out, though. The Wii Mini only has composite. You know, the good 'ole yellow video jack?

The Wii Mini makes bad games look worse. (Though... With some Wii games, a blurred mess may be an improvement.)

 

[Gahars]

instead of just letting the market kill off a console

You do realize that the market's been doing just that for a while now, right? The Wii's sales have been dropping lower and lower - pretty much everyone who wanted one bought one years ago.

Nintendo made an extremely cheap version to win over the last few holdovers - the people who wouldn't care about the axed features or be interested in purchasing the Wii U. Nintendo has to do business with the real world, and in the real world, this a smart move on their part.

Freaking out and saying otherwise isn't going to change that fact.

 

[Terenigma]

I was actually hoping this thing would come out in the UK and somehow include internet connection because I would actually buy it if it did. It's a shame but why would anyone want to buy this? Hell, I already have plenty of compact boxes that play old games without internet connection but I left them back in the 90s.

 

[XDel]

If only they would have spent the extra two cents to keep the SD slot as an option. :/

 

[Rizsparky]

No internet capabilities = no buy