Ren

hmm, from what I'm reading now about the promo it sounds like a great idea, if a little convoluted. Also the proprietary HDD is really appealing to me if it's a form factor that sticks on and looks pretty seamless with the console (like Xboox HDs). Call me a prima donna but I just don't like the idea of being REQUIRED to stick my own ugly HDD to it via USB all the time just to download anything. I have a very minimal setup under a large screen, and I like it that way.
With all the hate I dish out here about WiiU, that promo and a HD solution (and all the love here for the E-shop) could sway me to getting one pretty soon, since I really like the Wiiware kind of stuff most, I want a big drive and some deals and I'll be happy. I'm more than happy to go all digital if the setup is right, I have no more interest in an extra plastic box since it's really irrelevant these days, why cling to it? (no instructions, no useful extras, etc., just a formality; why bother?). For me to be totally secure doing that, though, the account HAS to be independent of the system or it's too big of a gamble. Fix it, Nintendo, and I'll dump a lot of money there.

it seems like the internet/download software side has been done great this time but there is still a bit of a disconnect with the hardware. To try and push all this online and download functionalty out of the gate but not have BUILT IN hardware that can store still seems short sighted to me. Sure, all of us here don't care and will plug something in, but there are surely millions of missed sales for the more casual players with a white system (impulse buys) that would just have easily bought a full price download game for it's "on the couch" convenience, but wait! theres not space! I really just can't imagine what the rationality was behind that. For price the 32gb one should have been 350 and called basic, and then deluxe with 120gb at $400. Same with not having the OS software done at launch; and all that about "learning their lesson from 3DS launch". I went out a got a 3DS at launch like the rest of us Nintenerds, but after that it's a tough sell for 'mom and dads'. We'll see. I also learned my lesson from 3DS launch; don't buy Nintendo's at launch anymore. And I'm finding them everywhere anyway, so I can get one as soon as I change my mind.

I think I have a torn up copy of that first issue somewhere still! I need to get this one to go with it. I'm not that sad, though, they failed to stay relevant. Theres no reason Nintendo couldn't have better integrated their Brand with games, online stuff, promotions, all kinds of things even starting a digital version early on so they could transition more smoothly like other publications have had to. But then Nintendo isn't known for their willingness to embrace the internet as a real phenomenon. Even now they are barely coming along with the WiiU, Kicking and streaming. EVERYONE USES THE INTERNET, NINTENDO! HELLO? HELLOOO?!

this is interesting, I really want to try it. I too wish it had online but only because I just don't have any live friends who have any interest in Video games and it sounds like local multi is really where it's at. I'm 35 and all my same-age friends scoff at video games so it's a solitary endeavor for me.
Not having one I don't get the Miiverse thing. Can someone clarify? Is it chat only with your own Friends? or is it among other people out there just playing? I had that same issue with Wii; no messaging because the only ones I knew with it were 6 and under or weren't even aware it could go online.
If Miiverse is open to more than just your "friend list" it seems it could be really cool.

wow, really weird fan backlash here. What's the big deal? he speaks pretty intelligently about this console.
He's a smart guy, and he's not that far off in his assessment of this system. It's unique but there is indeed lots of competition, and it is DIVERSE competition; sure they all do very different things on different levels but they compete for the same consumers so it's just a tough market. He's not "bashing" anything. Take the fanboy, launch goggles off, guys, he's just giving an honest opinion.
To dismiss what apple has done is just plain naive. you can do a whole lot of other "non-gaming" stuff with those devices and you can carry them around anywhere; when the games on those things come even close to what Nintendo does it's foolish not to consider it a competitor.
Get a real adult job and then tell me how useful a Nintendo is compared to an apple machine. Remember Moleneux is not 15.

being different does not mean ignoring functions that are practical and useful for regular use (I don't mean achievements). There's a reason people don't go out wearing no-pants regularly, it just works better that way; it's not about being 'different' or 'creative'. Thats a cute way to not accept criticism and ignore what consumers want.

hmm, I thought I'd never tire of the classic Mario formula, and it does look like a blast but... I just can't get excited about this. I feel like I've played it before.. a lot. Looks like a cleaned up Super Mario World.
That's not bad per se, it's great, since I know innovation does not a great game make. Really, though, did anyone like that later Star Wars movies? they probably weren't technically THAT much worse than the first 3 but come on, the horse has died many times over much as I love that horse.

When I finally give in to temptation and get a WiiU it will be for the WiiU ware. That's what kept me excited about the Wii. They're readily available at the stores I've been too, but I'm not willing to trade my xbox for one yet until there are more robust options; I'm sure it'll come - 6months or a year and I'll be all over it.

Aaronsullivan makes some really good points above.

It's great that he (Bogost) can talk in academic verse but it doesn't mean he has a clear grasp of Nintendo's history or the direction of hardware design over all. he sounds a little like some of the fans here with a bigger vocabulary.

As Aaron said this is not THAT much of a departure from the kind of innovation that Nintendo has always built it's successes on. You could take the NES, the N64 and the Wii especially (in their time) and look at the way that they changed the way we think about interactive entertainment; it's huge, nothing short of the current system, maybe more risky in some ways. Putting the tablet and screen together is a natural progression to come out of lots of testing, not the result of a deep psychological experiment by Nintendo. Tablets are everywhere, screens are cheap/high quality and worked fine in 2's on the DS for so many years. why is this a grand revelation?

and it's just naive to think that Nintendo is trying harder to make experimental art than boatloads of money; no, he didn't say that, but it's implied in this heady fanboy, jargon. (though, yes, video games ARE ART, but it's still a big business)

And like many other fans here, he has flatly dismissed apple like they are a competing console company. Apple has never had any intention of making video games and 'fun machines', but they are masterful designers for basic machines that do more than a Nintendo ever will.

I love all my N systems but it will never edit professional media for me (at which I make my living), make calls, keep appointments, process hi-res photos, keep documents, histories, design web pages, etc, etc.. It's a freaking computer; and they're made for common people to be able to use. then there are the even simpler tablets and portable devices that do almost as much in one. to compare these things to Nintendo machines is also naive to say the least; night and day. Nintendos have a VERY specific purpose so it's easier to define innovation there, and are barely able to handle anything else hardware wise, not to mention the interface design that has never come near what apple can produce. I'm not trying to hate on Nintendo but all this "Crapple" trolling is just ignorant if you only play video games.

wait so it's NOT 3D? Why not? well, looks cool anyway, I want to try after I read some reviews. I'm not understanding what the deal is from the screen shots with 2 diff views on each screen. I'll look it up. looks amazing, though.

whaat?! no way, this is great! But none for US... so sad. 3DSxl is the best thing that happened for my gaming in a long time; love it still.

If anything it would have been more appealing to take out the disc drive and have it be ONLY online. put a little hard drive in there and sell the disc games online. THAT I would pay 200 for. discs AND wiiware, AND VC all in a lil tiny HDD. But THIS? I get that it's for 'little kids' or 'casuals' but this just tells us how very little Nintendo understands about that demographic in this day and age: those are the people who would PREFER to download all their content on a little machine, it's us old fogies who want discs. this is truly a mistake. The PSP GO missed it's window maybe, but now is the time for web only machines.

wow, that's just... out of touch.

ok, my bad, I should have done my homework; Nintendo is a shining beacon of groundbreaking, progressive thought for furthering womens right's for peripherally allowing a couple made-up women and various creatures with bows on their heads into their games. I guess I forget that the world really is basically equal and people are pretty much just fine without challenging any kind of thinking of a massive, money driven, company looking to market cartoon characters to small children. I'm sure their first thought is always to find ways to further include women as role models.

I forget the age range of people who come here sometimes; time to take a break.

not everyone will have the pro controller and no one is going to release a game that uses the pad with a blank screen. It's got to do something, and who wants to work on that after all the work was already done in tandem for the other consoles?

@ TrueWiimaster. Not true they played very differently. Luigi jumped much higher than the rest but was very slippery on his feet. Toad was the "quickest" manuvering but jumped VERY short and couldn't move as fast overall, Peach was slow moving but hoovered around. Mario was an even balance of them all, slightly shorter jump. Very unique, each one.

ok, people. Sexism and Misogyny are different things. Because something is sexist doesn't mean that there is a massive plot to kill women everywhere; but there IS a deeper ingrained bias in almost all of us that is there and takes recognition to try and change. It's not a big misogynist plot to not have Peach there, but it is clear that she has always been a weaker, frightened, helpless, lady that is a prize for Mario. And the ONLY woman in the Mario universe. What is she for? a wife? cooking? Sex? (mario gets a kiss now and again, that's why he destroys worlds of thousands of creatures to get to her?)

Lets say that somehow you think she's very independent, capable and useful in the Mario lore and she's even gotten a little bit of playable character roles, but for a new tripleA game on the new console they decide to cut someone (for ANY reason). of course it's the woman who goes first.
because then they can save her and the 'abilities' will be even and easier to level across characters (Miis' included).

This is SEXISM, meant it or not. doesn't hurt the game much, but in a tiny subtle way (or not so subtle as this is played by millions around the world) this affects the way we all think about women and the way Nintendo asserts it's treatment of Women as PEOPLE. Capable, thinking, intelligent people not confused, scared, tripping over while being chased, sex objects, helpless, captured damsels waiting curled up in a corner to be saved by meatheads. Is that what ANY woman is really like, people? I love video games too, but please don't tell me they inform your real views about the world!

Nintendo isn't portraying them badly, right? just leave them out entirely, since women don't really exist anyway, what's the big deal?

I totally understand. and it does concern me too. If you're trying to release a AAA game it had to have the option of using the main packed in controller that people buy the WiiU for.

It's like trying to make a shooter for a system that you know comes with a guitar controller as it's main selling point; you know you have to use it in some way and if it means re-building huge parts of the game when you've already spent a couple years on it for the other consoles.... well just let it go. It's not worth the effort for the odd one out if it's already doing great on the others, why pay 6 more months of dev time to do something interesting with the lil screen.

I can bet all of you complaining that it should just use the pro controller would be the same people complaining if they did that like "why would you make a WiiU game that can't use the gamepad?!" as well as everyone else who just bought a Wii and that game to find it doesn't work with the fancy gamepad. Smart decision.

I agree, though that those guys should really consider doing those kinds of ports and just sticking a map on that screen if they don't want to bother with it.

that's a BS excuse. By that logic then Luigi shouldn't be there either. actually even toad had different abilities. "it's Super Mario Bros." doesn't mean anything. Just like it's beer, it's corn chips, it's clothing, it's perception of images, it's peoples' roles in life, it's getting a properly paying job, it's voting, it's being treated like a human. Sexism is never ok, doesn't matter if it's selling gumballs. It doesn't mean people are evil but it's worth recognizing for what it is and being aware, or even cynical about it if you have to be. So their used to making games of boys saving girls and they just can't make it work to have her there in their heads. Shes just another character template to slap over those sprites, why is it suddenly about 'sticking to her abilities' JUST for her? Is it really about the PRINCESS' abilities? or about a 'womens abilities'? I'm not that bothered but it's another lazy thing from an old fashioned company. Is it that hard to hire anyone under 40 for your design team?

so wait, after all those claims during the Wii launch of "intentional supply shortage", and now that the WiiU is regularly in stock at launch it's simply "an unspectacular start". clearly they learned their lesson and are supplying more units than before and I commend Nintendo for that. (despite the fact, that I too am uninterested in buying one, it looks kinda lame for 350$).

I hope they're better than the ones here. In the Gamestop here I played one; Beautiful big display, lit up all blue and nice menus so I went right to it.
You can sift through promo pages, and play Rayman legends (which is great). Every other one is unplayable and even the Nintendo ones only had STILL PICTURES no trailers, only a couple 3rd party games had trailers. Just sad; I was MORE dissappointed holding the thing and not being able to play it than not seeing it all. what a waste. What crappy marketing; and in the biggest gamestore chain here. One of a few things that actually has turned me off of WiiU. That told me that it's not ready enough to buy yet. I'll wait a few months and check back on it's progress.

here goes lots of comments on 'what has this guy done lately' and 'he sucks anyway, what does he know' and "but Mario is so hi-definitiony it's lighting fast". I'm afraid I'll get one once the big guns like zelda are out but I fear the ports will indeed get the short end. I've already read that the Arkham city port is pretty buggy and slow.

yes it is

this looks really good. looking forward to it. I may have to get a WiiU after all. Time to sell some of my old junk.

about 1000 games catch up; AND games with consistent, reliable, plug and play online modes. I don't doubt Nintendo can do it, but for now I want to wait and see. The day 1 need for an external drive is a little of a silly embarrasment for claiming to embrace download sales; but then not actually support it in the system itself without a goofy looking add-on? not good.
I don't mind myself, but for the uninitiated new buyers that plug in and are ready to spend money online until they see "not enough space" and wonder "huh? now what?", that is a LOT of needlessly lost sales.
Average consumers in the US still don't prefer attached storage as a common option, much as it's becoming neccassary. Maybe in Japan, but not here. I've been aware of managing files that way only as a video editor, but I won't expect any average person I know to have external drives attached to all thier stuff, it's just not practical especially for a machine designed to be "all-in-one" entertainment but missing the most crucial element in the box.

I know people are all excited about WiiU but it's only exciting if you've never played an HD game before (and you're determined to love it since you spent all your allowances on it). At Nintendo prices it's going to get old fast and hard to compete. Until there is an exclusive Zelda or Metroid, this has all been done before, sorry to say. A shiny new interface is nice, but just a working online system has been done AND nailed just right already in other places; for a lot cheaper too.

very impressive. I'm pleasantly surprised. It's all a little expensive but great that it's there so we can see right off if people will be willing to pay for it all. I may have to go get one of these pretty soon.

yeah, I feel the same way. They've done well, have a storied history; but good luck with this one, it's a long shot for the time being. fingers crossed.

nice of him to be all professional about it.

I'm still hopeful since this is not what it's made for but it is a bad sign. Sure it's a fun HD system but it needs stuff like this to compete and they tried to sell it on that so hard. Why the missing features at launch? it's really bad for press especially at this crucial time near thanksgiving. I'm glad I waited; time to sit back and watch what happens. I understand being excited if you dropped alot of money on this but it seems that many of you must not be playing any other HD systems, I don't see what's to be so giddy about.

Very interesting. I think all of us were caught off guard with the Wii. At the time it just seemed like a tech that was too far from being good enough to be useful and fun, but the implementation was fantastic and simple. Once I saw demos I was astounded; and waiting in line.

"Just getting" an external HD is ridiculous in this day. Like getting a vacuum without a bag. It's not that it's a hard thing to do, it's that it's just a shaky deal if there is that much that has to be bought extra to do the most basic things that any other HD system can do. So I want to download a multiplayer game in a few months or install for faster load times? I need the system, a HDD, buy the game, get a Motion plus controller (that was hardly used til now), and then hope that online play is actually working for WiiU?! OR I could just get a different cheap existing HD system for much cheaper where everything WORKS easily out of the box, no crazy workarounds. Why release things like this that average consumers can't easily manage? That means lost sales and less media momentum. If it's a toss up at holiday time which do you think a parent will get for their kid? this or another and some games?

hmm. I like the visual demo. basically universal language for: "There ain't room for squat in here, do we have to say it again? Oh, and retail games will soon be available to put on the external HD that you will have to buy, surely it'll look cute crammed under your tv as long as it doesn't have our logo on it."

would be no confusion if re-released games could see the games on the system and allow to re-download the WiiU version. no re-paying, viola! On the WiiU screen? Oh, but that would take years of market research for Nintendo to figure out that consumers want robust, working online content that UTILIZES the single unique selling point of this doorstopU; why bother, it's not relevant, just make more Mario games! So what is this gamepad for again? a remote control for browsing movies? instantly checking my 'life' meter in all those difficult Mii games? WiiU, disappointed Mii.

Not very expensive, but it will still have a hard time after launch without a price drop or some more solid Nintendo games coming soon. I'm not in love with Tablet games either but they do play a part in whether or not people will buy ANOTHER home console. Why do people forget the OTHER things that phones and tablets do that are a much bigger priority to most people. Then they also play some very fun games (maybe not deep, complex games but it doesn't matter, and they are getting close). When you already have 1 or even 2 consoles and your next purchase is up for question lots of people will now go for the machine that can do more than just play games and movies. solid browsers, email, calls, maps, language learning, writing, magazines, books, etc, etc. This is a serious "value proposition". The addition of even OK games makes it the immediate choice for many looking for a new digital device. Consoles are now just another "digital Device", and true or not, many people still regard them as Game machines only.

@Harmoknight
I agree it isn't the most essential thing and I did appreciate the simplicity of these designs, but when you play them there is actually a distinct lack of any detail, all style considerations aside; textures, creative animations in the smaller details, even color schemes doing anything that isn't strict 'Super Mario'. I'm very dedicated to the classic Mario look, but I still expected more than what looks like projects that were simply moved from Wii to WiiU. I never wanted 'realism' but I expected taking the mario style further with HD, creative camera moves, maybe a little movement to the clothing, some more animation to the backgrounds. something traditional that actually utilized the power of this machine; even some more creative use of the tablet for the single player game. It doesn't feel like a finished, full mario sequel, and Nintendo land also plays like the WiiPlay game with even less polish than NSMBu. Again I don't think they're bad, but they feel like 'mid-console-life' titles not launch titles with flair. With the Wii there was obviously WiiSports to SHOWCASE the new control, and then there was Twilight Princess to show power and depth of the console. I haven't seen either showcased here (yet). It's all neat but not very exciting; not $300 exciting.

As much as I'm not very fond of the WiiU yet, I played a demo of ZombiiU multiplayer and it was the coolest thing the WiiU had to offer overall; literally. Great unique use of the controller, cool gameplay. really fun.

what do we want? we want proper media storage; an online system that isn't made for 5 year olds, an actual real schedule of new nintendo games that aren't the exact same Mii's jumping around with smoothed out edges. If you're working with HD it's time to add some HD detail to game design. Sharp edges and a color gradient on boxey 90's graphics does not HD gaming make. The big Nintendo properties all look like upressed Wii games; That is disappointing; I actually did expect to be impressed but the Nintendo made stuff (that I played) literally looked like Wii games with smoothed edges; we've been waiting years for this so what were they doing all that time? we could have gotten a wii sports 3 that does the same. The appeal of the Wii was that it was a nice approach to see that on a system, the waggle was fun and that was enough. Now we like the waggle and we just want an update to graphics and power and new sequels that utilize all of it. It didn't happen. The new exciting sequels just aren't there. Nintendo land is a cheesy tech demo and NSMB is near identical looking to the last; I won't even get into WiifitU; that is NOT Nintendo HD launch material. It's not BAD, but it isn't enough to merit me running out to spend 300$ on replacing my Wii. P-100 is, maybe. Zombie U is, Maybe (if you've never played a 360/PS3) the rest is disappointing. I'm talking as a person who has experienced the other HD systems, which this is obviously competing with. It's a big improvement over the Wii, sure, but not enough to compete with other HD systems right now. That means I feel more comfortable waiting a year to see if the games get good enough to compete with what is obviously coming soon from the others.

EXACT same, as you said above; We already all have a Wii. And by now some of us have another HD system with a regular controller. If anything what we wanted by now was an HD Nintendo with Motion Plus controls, NOT an Ipad Dongle that can take low res pictures. So, yes, not as good. I can't justify that price now for what it's offering because they're right, it's just not a value proposition.
I would guess, though that launch will be ok for all the fans that buy everything at launch (sadly, not me for the first time). then there'll be a lul, and then in a year or two there'll start to be some fantastic games and features that will get it selling again; I'll also get one then, for now I'm already spending my money on games for another HD system with the same great HD games (except the mario/Mii re-hashes on WiiU).
I already have a Wii for the dance and puzzle games.

I have an xbox now and frankly I don't really get the point. I thought at first, oh, a nice lil incentive to play towards some certain goal to get something. but after a while I can see that there still isn't any real 'thing' that you get from them. I mean after certain milestones maybe get some points to buy games with? but nothing? Whats the point? And then if you consider the games where every two screens along it says "achievement unlocked, you opened a door" or whatever it just gets annoying since you know it means nothing.
So in that regard: totally useless. Now if someone can implement a way that it will reward you eventually with points to buy online games or something (even if they're very sparse/ high priced) it's totally worth it; to anyone. More incentive to play more/ get hooked/ spend more, with some tiny REAL perks along the way. That's the only way it could make any sense to me.
I know Nintendo is not about that kind of business model so useless achievements skipped? Great move, Nintendo.

I don't get what this guys "reputation" has to do with his opinion about Nintendo's new system. He's just calling it like he sees it.
uh, last I knew good games are what sell consoles, not chat function. I've played many of them at the Nintendo "experience" event, and theres nothing new. Nintendo is the best so this makes me worried, I'm not just hating for kicks.

I don't get why all the defensive attitudes. I've been a Nintendo die-hard as well until trying WiiU and I agree with him entirely. Who cares if he's a good game developer or not? He's speaking as a consumer, clearly. Like you or me, asking" why should I be excited about this new thing?
Sure there could be great things done with this tablet control but Nintendo has demonstrated that they DON'T HAVE that killer game yet, and to do well it really needs one at launch. All the other regular stuff has been done in HD, so selling a NEW console that's not just good ports is, well... I can't justify the cost yet, until I see something better than NintendoLand; Nintendoland is no Wiisports for sure, and I have another HD system already. Just an HD Wii with Motion + would have been enough for me, but the WiiU seems a little behind the times already; all that integrated tv/chat/video stuff is seriously old news if you're over 15 years old and have any other device. When a real new polished HD Zelda/Metroid/Mario comes out I'll reconsider, though.

It's good to stay positive but he's missing the point here if he thinks people are going to have both a tablet and a nintendo so they can search online with a tablet for info and then put it down to pick up a Nintendo for games. Some of us will have both, but you guys are just being unrealistic if you think the masses are going to decide to have both just so they can have buttons and "deeper gameplay". They are CERTAINLY in competition, it's just short sighted not to recognize that and consider it in the marketing and design of new IP's. They may not be "game machines" like a Nintendo will always be but they sell a lot of games for the people that want the other more useful apps for FIRST with games as a bonus. If Nintendo was serious about this optimism, they would find a way to partner with app devo's and make some really useful apps that aren't games; even ports or other real tablet apps, so it can be real competition to the tablets. They may not be "losing" to them per se, but they are missing out on a lot of new user base which is what matters long term.

that's too bad. I only played eternal darkness about a year ago finally and it is really as good/ better than most of what the Wii had to offer. Looks like it's done for sequel-wise. I hope someone can buy the IP and do another; even a new re-make of it would be pretty welcome just to retain the fire of the original.

It's not that hard to replace apple batteries. smaller stuff, but still pretty easy if you're careful. They actually last a few days on a charge, at least. 3-5 hours is pretty sad. I'll be all over any 3rd party chunky batteries, the extra weight should be just about right; they're very light now, which is nice and leaves it ripe for some good add-ons. I'm sure there'll be some dopey looking covers released immediately too.

great! now I can video chat with those 3 people that have only a Wii U and no access to a computer, phone, or tablet and play video games all day long. I know so many adults like that! And cameras, and cartoony people that can send messages about gaming to each other and even watch movies on demand, all with up to 32gb of storage for HD games! It's like a magical carpet ride to 2009!

I just won't stick, Mii Plaza or Wii Plaza is fine and that's all people will ever call it here. Most people in the west know what a plaza is. Doesn't matter what they want to call it, people will just call it what they feel like. If they try to do some marketing with that, though, no one will ever understand what that is. "Wii" was ok and grew on people, but WiiU doesn't make much sense either. Also sounds like "Wii! Eew!" as in yuck. It would be smart if they actually had some working marketing people for each region, their marketing is always pretty off for the crowd their trying to reach.

That's a neat chat feature, but will it only work with other WiiU users while on WiiU? that makes it useless to me; I won't know anyone with one for a year or more, and everycomputer has that anyway. If you can link it to skype, gchat, facebook chat, that stuff than it will be a perfect choice to use but who over age 12 will really use that if it's not? The xbox probably does something like that with Kinect but does anyone really use it to just chat? Probably not much. It would have been a big deal 3 years ago, but it's just not impressive now. The Plaza could be nice for text chat (if they release a good wireless keyboard or a way to even link with SMS on your phone like Apples ecosystem), but if it takes 30m+ like they say, that's also a non-start. This will just have to come down to great games for me to get one. I'll come back after the holiday and see how it looks. I sound negative, but realistically if you can afford this you already have easy ways to do all this so it's not a selling point anymore. Cool but not system sellers at all.

no one will ever call it that anyway if they try to name it that in the west. "Menu" works just fine, that's what it is. Also someone there doesn't know how to shoot a proper interview, that guy was super nervous and shouldn't be looking into camera unless he's in the middle of screen, just my observation.

In Japan it doesn't come with a Sensor bar in the US it will, don't know about EU. Smart move, everyone already has one and there isn't as massive of a resale market there, specially for the aging Wii.
Small gripe: as home devices get more compact a design cheat is to have a massive AC brick externally, here it's both for the controller and console. The Console one is HUGE. I'll have to paint it to look like a fruit cake or a make it into a chair. The 3ds charger has no brick, so if this fits the same maybe it's for a faster charge?
Anyone see the Newest model MAC mini? It has a small ac cord: NO BRICK. I don't know how they did it, I've seen the inside and it's not there either, no room. I just wish some other new computer devices could follow that design somehow. The back of the TV area is piled with cable and hot. Not a deal breaker but can be annoying space wise. It's like buying an "ultra-thin" LCD with a big fat stand and no wall mount. Space saving DESIGN only.

Gamecube compatibility?! seriously? I'm sure it's well worth it to have a team of people working on making it 2 generations back compatible. Get real,
@Bryon15. one step back makes sense so as not to lose recent buyers, but two is getting into 3rd party novelty territory. why would they bother; I'll bet a fraction of Wii owners even know what a gamecube is, much less take that as a selling point.

Uh, this is not a Nintendo exclusive as someone above indicates. ALL the systems have STARTED OUT backwards compatible, but they drop the functionality later in their life cycle to make it cheaper for a price drop; Even the newer Wii's won't play Gamecube games. It makes perfect sense since the Later adopters likely are only interested in the System they just bought being so late to the game as it is. I expect this will be true in a coupel years of the WiiU as well. It'll be 200$ and not play Wii games by then.

nice, this was very cool and it takes me back. I knew one person with one and it was neat but I still thought it was an import. None of the big retailers even sold it, it was so expensive. And unless you got the cd rom games they really weren't much better than the Sega games. And much as I don't care for them Sega did have some great licenses: sports stars, Disney stuff, eventually pop stars too. People here love that stuff; I was always more into the Nintendo IP's the music on all the Sega games was like nails on a chalkboard to me. Bonk was neat but not worth an extra $200.
Had they released any of it's "adult" games here my 13 year old self would have been all over it, though!