Nintendo will release a new-look Wii console in the UK this Christmas, reports Official Nintendo Magazine.
The console will be part of a new package that includes Wii Party and Wii Sports, and will be a white Wii slightly redesigned to sit horizontally rather than vertically. Nintendo has also revealed it'll announce more bundle deals soon.
It's been revealed that this console will not be compatible with GameCube games or accessories.
We now have the first photo of the new-look Wii console.
Those looking for the perfect present for all the family this Christmas can look no further than the new value Wii bundle. It not only offers great value to European fans, but introduces a streamlined Wii console with a slightly altered configuration**, which is designed to sit horizontally, rather than vertically. The bundle includes the newly configured Wii console in white, a Wii Remote Plus controller, Nunchuk™, and copies of Wii Sports™ and Wii Party™. A number of other Wii bundles will be announced this autumn, all offering great value for the family this Christmas.
[source officialnintendomagazine.co.uk]
Comments 34
Woooah, this is unexpected! Too bad I'm in the US and I already have purchased two Wiis hahah my first broke =(
Can't wait to see pictures! I also find this interesting because the original Wii works quite well horizontally; it even has grips on the side so that it can sit on its side!
Interesting. I don't think it is going to move units though.
Strange considering how close the Wii.U is, so I guess its not that big a redesign. It'll be interesting to see if nothing else!
Why would you want this?
It's a new Wii that does less than the current Wii?
I still like to play my Gamecube games from time to time as well as use the Gamecube controller for many Wii games.
No thanks.
"...It's been revealed that this console will not be compatible with GameCube games or accessories..."
Makes me glad I got my current Wii. Again, this is an odd move seeing how the Wii U is around the corner. Why would Nintendo even waste the R and D to do this?
So basically people who waited on getting the Wii can get a gimped Wii or wait a little longer to get the Wii U...hmmm...if this is a hard decision than these people should not be gamers.
Ouch, no GameCube support? Wow, I'm glad that I am still rocking my Wii Fat model.
No GameCube controllers? I hope new Christmas Wii owners don't want to play Smash Bros. or Muramasa, because it's gonna kinda suck.
I really like how the Wii stands vertically. Not one inch of tight space next to my TV wasted. I hope this won't be a trend for the Wii U too.
And if it doesn't even support GameCube controllers this thing better be cheap as hell. Apart from the great games it can't play you're losing the best available controller option for N64 titles and many other games on the system.
Why was my comment deleted? :/
Wouldn't that be funny if this was the Wii U without the new controller? Hmmm.
I'd imagine that most people don't scour the net for every bit of gaming news and they don't yet know about WiiU so I can see this doing well (providing it's priced accordingly, of course).
I reckon this'll drop at around £80-100 and work much like Sony's PSOne did for a while: an entry level console for people who don't even know what a GameCube controller is. I hope it looks nice.
I agree with @LTD entirely, there's no space for a flat Wii under my telly, and I love GC controller for Mario Kart 64 battles! The Wii seems a bit too trim and neat to benefit from a slim model as much as the 360, DS and PSX did, but if it's cheap it's no bad thing...
Thats all well and good james, but aren't most wiis right now £100? Shopto and GAME both sell it for that much, and I doubt an £20 price drop would make much difference.
Uh.... the Wii has ALWAYS been designed to sit either vertically OR horizontally. There is nothing SHOCKING or REVOLUTIONARY about 'that' bit of 'news'.
But like I said in the other article, I think it's rather lame if they're really pulling support for gamecube games. Maybe they're just updating the firmware to allow saving to SD cards...... ? #optimist
This made me think of the Super Nintendo redesign
@sontuk The NES had a redesign as well, it is much more rare than the mini SNES.
This wouldn't make me want it. SSBB is much better with the GameCube controller in my opinion. What about all the Wii cases that say the game will work with a GC controller?
I think most games which are better with the GC Controller can also be played with the Classic Controller. So it ain't that bad.
Even though I think I will pick up an extra Wii before the new one come as a back up as i prefer the HorI GB Player controller above the classic controller for a lot of games.
I do not have much to say on the redesign other than disappointment (the comments making me like this even less).
noooooooooooooooooooo imma miss u ol school wii
ITS A TRAP! Don't ask for a Wii this christmas if you plan on getting the wii u!
Huh? Wouldn't that just make it look even more like Wii U?
@MiracleBlaze: it's not like they've never done that kind of thing before, making one console look like its successor — remember the NES toploader? :3
Basically it's a wii that can't stand vertically and cant play GCN games. What's the point?
It doesn't even come with any top notch titles.
Wow maybe I should start using the Gamecube features on my Wii.
Clearly not for me, I need and use those GameCube ports/memory card slots.
No GameCube? Lame! At least seeing a new Nintendo console model is interesting. There hasn't been a new version of a Nintendo console since the days of the Super NES.
To everyone complaining about lack of GameCube support... why do you care? You already one your original Wii. As James said, this is for people who just want this cute little white box they've seen at their grandchildren's house and think Smash Brothers is a hoagie place down the road. I do wish the redesign was slightly more interesting, though. And cutting GC support makes the system way more cost-effective, I imagine, so Nintendo can earn back some of that lost money from the 3DS price cut.
Yeah like @LittleIrves said-there's no point to have it for people just getting it now. Gamecube support was great but most casual gamers don't even know it supports the old console or in some cases they've never heard of a Gamecube. Obviously, anyone in this commentary is not the target audience.
What's the point? It's the stupidest thing I've ever heard.
I have never had my wii vertically (in fact I have no idea where the stand is) so my wii is designed to be used horizontally anyway. So what would this offer me? Oh that's right; less.
I need to get my system repaired, before N stops repairing the original Wii design systems.
I think it's a lame idea, just as the new Europe-only PSP: A PSP with only mono-sound and no Wifi. I don't think this PSP will sell pretty well. That Vita is around the corner doesn't help either!
But back on this Wii: I wonder if the masses go for it. After all Europeans who still want a Wii don't have a choice when the new design arrives, since the old design will be discontinued. Boy, am I glad that I already have a Wii!
By the way: That "horizontal" thingy is there to prepare us for the Wii u. Since the Wii u also will stand horizontally.
"I need to get my system repaired, before N stops repairing the original Wii design systems"
I hope for you they won't stop repairing old Wii's. If they would stop repairing those, that would be very lame!
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