As you may have already known, Nintendo finally gave us the important Wii U news we’ve wanted for some time: a release date and a price. Being the respectable and lovable company they are, they also gave us a lot more WIi U news to whet our appetites even more, including brand new game announcements, new Wii U features, and information on upcoming games and release windows. So strap it in and enjoy this special Gaming News edition focusing entirely on the first console of the eighth generation of video games.
 The Wii U will drop in North America on Sunday, November 18th; a standard $299 model and a deluxe $349 model
Sticking with the pre-holiday season launch window, Nintendo announced a November 18th street date for the WIi U In the US. Along with that date, the big N said there would be two bundles of the console for American gamers: a standard white model of the system for $299 comes with an 8GB hard drive, a GamePad, and all the necessary cables (noticeably absent is a pack-in game like the Wii’s Wii Sports), and a deluxe $349 set that includes a black Wii U console with 32GB of storage, all the hookups, a GamePad, a charge stand for the GamePad, a stand for the game console, all necessary hookups, and the game Nintendo Land. For the extra $50 you get some stands and a game, which should become the model of choice for most gamers. (Source: Kotaku) |
 The Wii U is backwards compatible with Wii, and you can transfer over all your previously purchased Virtual Console and WiiWare titles.
In a very smart move, Nintendo is allowing (rightfully so) gamers to transfer over all the games they’ve purchased through the company’s online game store. Connecting both systems to the internet and using an SD memory card will complete the transfer. Nintendo stated it’ll be very similar to transferring games from DSiWare to the 3DS, if you did that in the past. Very good move, Nintendo! (Source: Machinima) |
 Prices Prices Prices!
Here is a breakdown of what each Wii U game, peripherial, controller, or anything Wii U related will cost:
Games: $59.99 |
 Nintendo TVii announced
A cool surprise from Nintendo came in the form of Nintendo TVii. The name sort of summarizes what the application is: it’s television on your Wii U, or more specifically on your GamePad. Featuring support from streaming sites like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Video, the service will allow you to watch streaming content on your GamePad, identify favorite shows for others to see, and even interact with your DVR! There are still a lot of questions floating around out there about the service, but considering the application is FREE it’s hard to complain about more stuff! (Source: IGN) |
 Bayonetta 2 is a Wii U exclusive; also, here are other launch window games
Another surprise announcement was the Wii U’s newest exclusive game, Bayonetta 2. Being developed by Platinum Games, the title is a sequel to the stylistic action game previously on the Xbox 360 and PS3 (also developed by Platinum). The game doesn’t have a release date yet, but Nintendo did give us gamers a list of “launch window” titles; games that can be expected to be released before the end of Janurary 2013. Highlights include New Super Mario Bros. U (Which is likely a launch title), Monster Hunger 3 Ultimate, Epic Mickey 2, LEGO City: Undercover, Pikmin 3, Game & Wario, and ZombiU among many, many others. See the full list of games in the source. (Source: Kotaku) |
 You can pre-order you console now, but GameStop is almost sold out entirely!
Many retailers including GameStop and Best Buy have already begun taking pre-orders for Nintendo’s new system just hours after the official release date and price were given. Naturally there has been a huge rush for the console, somewhat emulating the success of the Wii six years back. I’m thinking a shortage of consoles will easily carry Nintendo through the 2012 holiday season and well into 2013, and the aforementioned strong lineup of release games should keep gamers happy during the system’s launch. Get your hands on a pre-order soon: GameStop is currently (at least as of this post’s writing) out of stock of the deluxe version of the console. |
Laters,
Jsick
This Post Has 2 Comments
Great news wrap-up! Some of my thoughts:
– That $299 bundle is useless. The deluxe bundle is clearly the way to go with the added game, stands, an extra 24gb of space and access to whatever that discount program is. At $349, I think it’s fair for what you get, though still a bit higher than I hoped.
– Nintendo TVii looked neat as a service. Would be interested to learn more, even if I virtually never watch television.
– Bayonetta 2 as a Wii U exclusive is a shocker. I never played the original, but my interest in it has piqued since the announcement. Will try and track it down on the cheap just to see what the hype is about.
– I’ve been heavily debating whether or not to make the pre-order plunge for months, and the news of GameStop almost running out may have influenced my decision.
I am liking the price point for sure, but I think I’ll wait on getting one until after the holiday season, unless someone gets it for me 🙂
Bayonetta was actually an alright game, I just couldn’t get into it. Nonetheless I’m excited to hear a solid new game announced.
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