Nintendo Releasing a Wii Sports Club Wii U Hardware Bundle in Japan

not surprised one bit

Bundle overload.

@Samurairu What do you mean?

Yup. But what's up with the wii u black balance board in the US?

I am waiting for a disc version of Wii Sports Club.

I expect when all five sports are released, they release a disc version of Wii Sports Club, and maybe put it in some Basic Packs with Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk to move them. They'll have to get rid of the Basic eventually to focus on the 32 GB model and this could be the best way to give the console a boost and get rid of unwanted stock. Then, hopefully, we might start seeing some 64 GB models.

@Interneto They have so many bundles in Japan. Not sure what the strategy is.

This bundle should also include free passes for Boxing and Baseball when they are released.

That's a very good idea - game like that which is download-only for now with new content to come will highlight the benefits of going online for games (though I think the Wii U does a good job of that already).

@Samurairu They're emphasizing choice. Remember all the different colors of the N64 and GameCube? It's almost like that.

On one hand this is a pretty sweet bundle (White 32GB!!)

On the other hand, it's kind of sad. Wii U now such a flop that it's come down to them going "Hey guys! Remember the awesome sauce that was Wii Sports? We have it here for you again! In HD! Please buy our new console!"

EDIT: Also, I don't think this helps the whole "pushing the GamePad experience" thing very much that Iwata promised during the investors meeting.

@ntabruzzo I get that. I would have liked that choice here! The Wii U is doing ok in Japan, so Iwata knows what he's doing there!

@Samurairu I completely agree. There is an obscene lack of bundles in the West.

Wii Tennis is the best online multiplayer game on Wii U at the moment. It might even be more addictive than Mario Kart Wii. There were lots of bad reviews from week 1 when the matching system didn't work and it kept making lots of laggy games but I've not had any lag in my last few hundred games.

Nintendo need to advertise this game properly and NL should re-review because your 6/10 doesn't fairly describe such a good game.

We should have a bundle deal green like a see-thru green console to commemorate the YOL, red for MK8, gold for Zelda U, etc. Color sells!

I hope they'll release a Nintendo Direct with the other two sports because releasing this with only 3/5 of the game will be pretty lame....

That's a nice bundle! I'd love it if my white Wii U had 32 GB of storage.

Certainly a good idea, but they might as well just put Wii Sports instead. Still holds up much better compared to Sports Club... :/

If made available in North America, I would probably buy this.

My initial reaction was actually a good one - the more bundles -ie choice - the better. But looking at past bundles this one just seems so limited. 3 $10 games, 1 Wimote Plus controller. They should have at least waited for the other 2 sports, or included Nintendo Land. Or sold it for $99. They had a bunch of bundles 5 months ago when Wii U Fit U came out, don't see why this would convince people to buy a Wii U now

Family bundles:
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/09/wii_u_family_hardware_bundles_revealed_in_japan

As long as they heavily advertise the bundle, I believe it's a good idea from Nintendo.

I really hope Nintendo gets around to releasing WiiU systems with more interesting colors than black and white. I would love metallic blue.

@Nintenjoe64 "Wii Tennis is the best online multiplayer game on Wii U at the moment."

It's fun, but that's hardly the case.

You can't rematch randoms, only friends. No voice chat. Also, no quick way of friending randoms after playing them (you have to suspend the game to Home menu, go into Friends List then click on Recently Played and track them down that way).

@rjejr The problem with all of those bundles though is that they target the ever floating (and long gone from Nintendo) family oriented, causual crowd. Back in 2006, there was no iPad/smartphone crowd. They were all playing Wii and Wii Sports because iPads and iPhones didn't exist yet. Now they do, and that crowd is gone. There is no family gaming market there for Nintendo to cater to. Not one worth them putting all their eggs in one basket over. Nintendo needs to reinvent themselves, and I think they will after Wii U. I guarantee their next console won't have any semblance of the Wii branding whatsoever.

@Nintenjoe64 I'm with you. Just played a few matches, and I'm edging ever-closer to Level 10*. Love the quick-fire 7 point matches, too.... makes it really tense and exciting. Voice chat would ruin it, I think. The hand-written posts you can flash up using the D-Pad are perfect accents on points. Simple, easy, fun. Can't wait for Baseball/Boxing.

I don't think this old trick will work a second time.Wii sports was fun,and maybe this bundle will entice some,but after several years of the wii this is nothing new that fans havent already played,and the non gaming/iOS folks wouldnt even notice.The wii was a great success,that was a different time in a different market.Time to move on from the wii tactics Nintendo.

@gatorboi352 I agree.

Does Nintendo have plans to remake boxing and baseball

@gatorboi352 it's not the same market. There is the living room market and there is the solo experience. Complete nonsense perpetuated by the media. The problem is that people are too cheap to buy a Wii U, and are perfectly good with the Wii. Also they may have bought another console, like Kinect, in the meantime. So even less money.

Your other points are also incorrect. It's not sad. It is Wii Sports HD, it's pretty awesome on its own merit. And the games do use the Game Pad.

Is this 2006? Do they really expect people to buy this?

They should've done this from day 1.

Making Wii Sports and Wii Fit their experimental pricing games was a stupid move as it means there's no physical disk in the stores reminding people there's an HD Wii sports. People but the new Fifa game and all it has different is a number has gone up by one.

@dumedum Did the Windwaker bundle change the wii u's situation?It's going to take more than a hd remake bundle to get someone to buy a new system,and my friend,this changing market is very real.If you where to look at the wii&ds vs the wiiu&3ds the situation is very different.Many of the casuals that bought the wii from all ages are on board with tablets and smartphones.That was not a issue with the original wii.Do you really think wii sold those incredible numbers that crushed sony&ms just by nintendo fans/hard core gamers alone?No there was the casual audience factor that helped with those impresive sales.Nintendo is pretty much been abandoned by third party support,and are purely getting by on their own steam and dedicated Nintendo fans.The only thing that is doing ok right now is the 3ds and even that isn't selling like the ds did.I like Nintendo and I don't like being negitive about the company,but let's be realistic about this current situation.

@tripunktoj Same here...

@dumedum "Complete nonsense perpetuated by the media. The problem is that people are too cheap to buy a Wii U"

The problem is the Wii U is giving next to no reason for people to purchase it. And now they bundle Wii Sports HD with it, which requires a controller that doesn't even come with the Wii U normally? And to suggest that Wii Sports HD uses the GamePad... I mean seriously. You can use the GamePad for the 40% of the time it doesn't say "Please look at the TV screen".

_{If you don't like someone here, please ignore them. Insults will not be tolerated — TBD}

Wind Waker Bundle>All Other bundles

@whodatninja And it still hardly did anything for sales Loving my play through right now though!

Too bad that Wii Sports Club isn't as good as the original was.

@gatorboi352 How about that Golf use? That was one of the most iconic uses in the original trailer of the Wii U. I don't think the same people who are interested in the Wii "moved to tablets". When you have children and you're looking for the living room experience, that's different.

_{Please report comments and let the moderation team handle them as opposed to responding in kind. Thank you! — TBD}

@dumedum Ah yes, I forgot about the Golf implementation. I will say that was a neat implementation of the Pad.

BTW, I know what you and @JohnRedcorn are trying to do. A difference of opinion does not constitute report moderation.

Wii u sports club should be more successful then it is. Nintendo should host some tourneys for bowling, for example, and give prizes like eshop credit. How many people that bought a Wii years ago for wii sports do you guys think even know that this edition exists?

@dumedum What do you think made the the Nintendo Wii such a success?It was able to pull in people who never where that into gaming in the first place.Im not talking about Nintendo,Sony,or Microsoft gamers that buy software on a regular basis.The wii got people involved in gaming like my mother who never picked up a controller since the nes released in the 80's.As Ive said before the families I knew that bought a wii played the sports pack in and bought a (few)games.These masses bought the hardware and very little software.The wii was affordable and did something no other system could.The wii u has attempted a similar strategy and is struggling because of it.I know its hard to believe,but ios devices cut into the console/handheld market big time.Families are much more interested getting the kids on a family plan versus considering a Nintendo system.The gaming industry is not the same market as it was eight years ago.The wii u is struggling point blank.

Still waiting for them to finish making all the sports and releasing them as a bundle all on one disc. I'm not going to pay for Wii Sports in pieces.

@Superryanworld I agree that the Wii U is struggling of course. I just don't agree it is because of the iOS market specifically, which doesn't replicate the experience really.

I think it is because people still have the Wii in their house and don't see a reason to upgrade. They also might have by now a 360/Kinect or a playstation, so a third console will be unthinkable. It is true that the generality of having a lot of devices like ipads, or kindle fires, etc in the house means there is less money to buy a Wii U, but that's not because people migrated from Wii to iOS, but because in general, there are many electronic devices in the market, more than there was in the past.

@dumedum Good point.I didn't look at it from that perspective.

The Japanese market is pretty bizarre as of today. Honestly Nintendo, Just make a Love Plus HD XL Lite 3D Pro and you'll see the Wii U flying off the shelves in Japan. I'm not even kidding.

Okay I'm kidding. Honestly, I think the Wii Fit U Bundle will be more enticing. 3 10 dollar games + 1 Controller is just moot.

Offering the other two sports as "future free passes" might be dangerous if they are NOT sure they are releasing them. Sure it was talked about...but Baseball and Box were BY FAR the less popular games in the original Wii Sports, and if the golf, bowling and tennis didn't catch the world in fire, those remaining two have zero chances of doing better.
Considering the ammount of work and programming they would need to perfect the perfect motion plus controls and online, they might not be seen as a worthwhile investment.

I find it very sad that for example Tennis is soooo poor on graphical details. Don't get me wrong, the HD is looking super, there are some Mii's in the stands, the gras looks nice and there is a Zeppelin and some roofs in the back.. Good. But all of it has really low degree in details and i often find myself wishing to play at other stadiums, huge ones with lots of fans cheering and waving to the camera - to be seen on the big screen. etc
The game has still potential, but i like it!

I just want a Wii U price drop in Australia! I really want one, no way am I paying launch day prices! Nintendo of Australia seem quite content with mediocrity as far as the Wii U goes.

Smart move. Many Wii owners won't buy a Wii U, but statistically speaking, you only need a small portion to upgrade to turn the Wii U into a realized success. And this is a smart move two fold. For one, the games on offer will immediately appeal to those Wii owners who ARE willing to buy a new console. And for two, Wii Sports Club is the absolute best example of the gamepad to date in Wii Sports Club Golf. It's small, yet brilliant addition turns a simple golf game into THE best sporting SIM I've ever experienced in my life. I even played it with my buddy who golfs, and even HE was impressed with how closely the game resembled real life golf. That, right there, is a showcase example of the Gamepad used right.

Whether or not it will make a difference is yet to be determined. I don't know if Wii U is appealing to the mass market right now, but it sure is appealing to me!

Should have waited till the full set of 5 were complete and do it then, its a bit of a half assed job at the moment

Why does Nintendo insist on using that crummy package design? They could make a much cooler composition, and the Wiimote that you use for all the Sports games which is even included isn't prominently displayed at all.

@gatorboi352 - You think this is more of a "hardcore" bundle than the previous ones?

The problem w/ this bundle is the PS4 sold over 300,000 in Japan in 2 days.

And I think you are very wrong about this:

"There is no family gaming market there for Nintendo to cater to."

There IS a family market.

Skylanders has done over $2 BILLION in sales.

http://www.joystiq.com/2014/02/06/skylanders-series-sells-2-billion-worldwide/

Disney Infinity has sold over 3 million copies.

http://www.videogamer.com/xbox360/disney_infinity/news/disney_infinity_sales_pass_3_million_worldwide.html

And the Just Dance series has sold over 5 million copies in ONLY the UK, and the UK hates Nintendo.

http://www.nintendo-insider.com/2013/09/11/just-dance-series-jives-past-5-million-sales-across-uk/

No family market? The problem is Nintendo still has the family market on the Wii, and there is no compelling reason for people to buy a Wii U bc/ the games all look and play the same on the Wii U as either the Wii or the PS3 and Xbox360, and most people also own a PS3 or Xbox360 in addition to a Wii.

The family market is alive and well - just ask Travelers tales and Lego:

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/warner-no-fatigue-at-all-for-lego-games/1100-6415392/

Its only the Wii U thats doomed, there's just not enough reasons for family gamers to upgrade.

@dumedum - I need to stop replying to emails without reading ALL the other posts 1st, seems like you handled this all very well yesterday. At least I added some numbers to back up the ideas so I don't see my post as a total loss, just a day late to the party.

@WaveBoy The Japanese young inoccent Nintendo Wii loving squirts (the region this bundle is being made for) have evolved into tweens playing skimpy outfit moe games on their 3DSes, PS3s, PSPs, and PS Vitas.

I think it would be a good idea to have this included in bundles as a bonus with bundles that include a bigger game like Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros, etc.

It's such a refreshingly obvious idea, amongst all that Wii U messaging muddle..

I honestly think that if Nintendo released this bundle in the West, at the Wii launch price ($200/€200/£179), it would solve all their problems!