With many retailers complaining that the Wii U costs too much, it's odd that we're reporting on a variant of the console which retails for an eye-watering $16,000, but such is the weird and wacky world of the video game industry.
Produced by Japanese company Xing, the JoySound Festa is so large it has to be wheeled around on a trolley but it's comprised mainly of Nintendo hardware — it uses the Wii U system, GamePad and several microphones, as well as the Wii U karaoke title Nintendo x JoySound Wii Karaoke U. In addition to all that, there's a massive monitor to take into account, as well.
According to Kotaku, the system won't be limited to the 90,000 songs contained within its memory banks. There's also exercise videos, "vocal exercises", yoga lessons and dance instructions. If that's not enough, you can also indulge in some brain-busting puzzles.
With a price tag of 1,580,000 Yen, it's clearly not intended for domestic use, but rather as a commercial entertainment device for hospitality purposes. We can imagine a few karaoke bars in Tokyo will have already slammed in a pre-order, as well.
[source kotaku.com, via sankei.jp.msn.com]
Comments 24
Lol. Love it. And I plan to open a bar and use this as my gimmick. Lol
Weird...I still don't understand the attraction to karaoke though.
I see the rice shakers are making a comeback
massive monitor? it's not much larger than the gamepad...
@Five-seveN I really don't understand why it hasn't caught on elsewhere of Japan. I love singing, and perhaps that's a guilty pleasure by today's standards. People always, well, patronize me for my extreme skills at whistling, and toying with my vocal chords. Imagine if Karaoke was popular here, people would be less afraid to show off their talent, or just to have fun. Politically correctness sucks.
I suck at singing. I've seen karaoke bars, I guess they could be interested...
eXx-spensive!!
Karaoke and Booze, you just have to love it!
@HeatBombastic I think political correctness implies something a bit different. I guess karaoke hasn't caught on really because different cultures tend to like certain things that other cultures don't find as appealing. Personally, I just don't care to let everyone else hear me sing (or rather fail trying in my case).
Haha this is quality my family would love this!!
Man when your hanging out with the LOVELYS at the bar enough said !
What a price though lol
@HeatBombastic @Five-seveN I guess I'm pretty lucky to have a family that does enjoy it. It's been some years since I remember someone using a machine but everyone still likes to get into songs they like, especially at gatherings. If someone listens to a favorite song(whether it be on TV, radio, iPod, in a store, etc.), regardless of who's around or who's over, chances are they'll be singing along with it.
Yeah, not everyone's gifted with singing right off the bat, but it's all in good fun.
@Chriiis Yep, I'm not a gifted singer myself. I don't have a very good range because my voice is pretty low. I do hum quite a lot however!
I remember one of Captain Olimar's journal entries in Pikmin 2 where he says he sometimes would ask his family if they wanted to go out somewhere for karaoke, but all their faces twisted into a look of disapproval. They apparently have karaoke even on Hocotate!
@ People wondering what the huge draw to karaoke in Japan is
In Japan, karaoke is big. And also where it originated. After a long day of conforming to strict social standards, karaoke and alcohol are the way Japanese people can just let it all out.
0_0 wow. that much?
I think somebody has stolen a hospital ultrasound machine and installed Super Mario JoySound of Music Mansion U Karaoke on it...
Mind blown O_O Turn a Wii U game already released on the Wii U into an arcade game? Isn't that too much?
Woah, looks like some kind of a hospital equipment!
Love it.
But the big question is, can you play other Wii U software with it?
I think thats a rather ingenious way of making use of their hardware besides your standard console. With karaoke being as big as it is in Japan it makes for great marketing too.
@HeatBombastic @Five-SeveN
Aside from just not taking hold elsewhere I think its because most Americans don't see making a fool of themselves on stage as "proper" or "civilized". For most people its the sort of thing you only do if your already drunk. Its the same reason most people like watching the American Idol try-outs but wouldn't dare do it themselves.
@Digital-Deviant - HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!
This actually remind me of what they did with their first arcade machines!
The space shooter game wasn't that popular, so they converted them into Donkey Kong machines.
Maybe this is a bit like that, converting all those excess Basic Models into something usable. Haha!
Doesn't seem that odd when you think about it. Karaoke did come from Japan, right? It's probably just like how us Americans have football screens in bars. Equally entertaining, somehow.
I guess it is true, the japanese do love their karaoke wink wink
The reason karaoke is awesome in Japan is because you go in a comfortable PRIVATE room and have a good time with people you know (probably). So even if you can't sing, you can still have fun because you're probably hanging out with friends. If you're not easily embarrassed (or are good at singing), the way they do it in the States and probably other countries where you sing on a stage in a bar can be fun, but when the person running the karaoke system or someone who spends all their time in that particular establishment takes the mic every other song it can be infuriating. If you're at that kind of bar in Japan, you're probably surrounded by people who live within a walking distance of the place and have known each other since they were children.
...and there's my culture lesson for the day!
Anyway, this machine looks pretty awesome. I'll take four!
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