Something went wrong. Try again later

Giant Bomb News

223 Comments

Wii Mini is Real, and a Canadian Exclusive (For Now)

Priced at $99.99, it can't connect to the Internet or play GameCube games.

No Caption Provided

UPDATE: This article originally noted the Canadian launch as November 30, which is the European launch. My bad! Carry on.

--

It makes sense for Nintendo to extend the life of the Wii, even if its successor is now available in some territories. Who knew Nintendo would debut the Wii Mini, priced nicely at $99, in...Canada?

Yeah, I’m just as confused. But hey!

Wii Mini can't connect to the Internet, and doesn’t support GameCube games, but it does represent a new, super cheap way to pick up a Nintendo console if the Wii U, which starts at $300, is too expensive. A MotionPlus remote and nunchuck, A/V connector, power adaptor, and sensor bar are also in the box.

Nintendo has not yet commented on the availability of Wii Mini outside of Canada, though I’d suspect it’s likely.

Wii Mini launches in Canada on December 7, and there are more details on Nintendo's site.

Patrick Klepek on Google+

223 Comments

Avatar image for mrmojosinking
mrmojosinking

6

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By mrmojosinking

There's a lot of people that are out of the loop when it comes to videogames and the $99 price point is magic. I remember seeing a lot of people buying PS2s right after the PS3 launched.

Avatar image for geirr
geirr

4166

Forum Posts

717

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 5

Edited By geirr

All the boys and girls love a mini Wii.

Avatar image for jamesisaacs
jamesisaacs

228

Forum Posts

288

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By jamesisaacs

Can't play gamecube games and can't connect to the internet. Yeah..no thanks!

Avatar image for orbitz89
Orbitz89

230

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Orbitz89

@McGhee said:

@Orbitz89 said:

@McGhee: And I love our gun toting, flag waving, bible thumping second cousin's to the south!

Really? I can't stand it here. ha

Lol. All joking aside, from the very few times I've visited the States the people were very nice. Although I did only visit one place in both trips.. I would love to see more of the U.S.A though. Short on traveling funds.

Avatar image for majkiboy
Majkiboy

1104

Forum Posts

5

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 8

Edited By Majkiboy

100 isn't super cheap when used ones goes for like 20, but I'll admit, I kinda like the design

EDIT: ok 45$ :)

Avatar image for scotto
Scotto

1316

Forum Posts

14

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

Edited By Scotto

This is the kind of device, and price point, that would appeal to "non-gamers" (grandmothers, middle aged adults) who just want a Wii Sports box. Except... all of those people bought a Wii three years ago at the latest, played it, and have long since moved on by now.

So who is this thing for? And I say this as a Canadian - why in God's name are they only putting it out here right now? I can't imagine it's as a "test market", because they've already spent the R&D money designing and fabricating the fucking thing by (presumably) the thousands.

And do they know that we have readily available cable and fibre-optic broadband internet up here?

Can't wait to buy a plastic-y looking, kneecapped version of a console that was already pretty technologically blinkered compared to the XBOX, PS3, and Wii U. And they routinely put bare-bones Xbox 360 S's on sale up here for $99 these days, too.

Avatar image for juda
Juda

47

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Juda

Is it a top-loader? In other images, I can't see a disc slot and the eject button looks like it pops open the black surface. Sorry of this was already covered.

Avatar image for zaxex
Zaxex

629

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 17

Edited By Zaxex

Should probably note in that update that November 30th is the European launch of the Wii U not the Wii Mini. Confused me for a second.

I've almost never used my Wii, so taking away the Virtual Console, Gamecube compatibility, and internet functionality doesn't sound worth it at all. To be fair, neither does the Wii U at the moment; until there are several great original Wii U (and E-Shop) games, a handful of Wii games I missed, and the Virtual Console (namely Gamecube) games too choose from.

It's a depressing notion that it takes Nintendo's legacy to justify buying their latest consoles, for me at least. Without original DS games, the Virtual Console and E-Shop, I'd regret my late purchase of a 3DS.

Avatar image for teclo
Teclo

158

Forum Posts

60

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 3

Edited By Teclo

They expect people to buy a Wii after we all found out how terribly supported it was?

Avatar image for tupacalypse
Tupacalypse

136

Forum Posts

16

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By Tupacalypse

@Puaru: Hey bud, news flash. Empires fall. While sure this particular example I think might be cool and work out for some of the reasons you stated (and Sony doing it with the ps2 forever) overall Nintendo looks like they dont know what the hell theyre doing with the WiiU and they're enterprise in general Stuck in the past with allot of their interface choices and game options (0 third party games that have ever been appealing to me).

Its the #1 reason reason business fail after so many years. If you really think that Nintendo knows what they're doing because they have X- years of experience, even though they continue to make choices that in this day and age don't make sense, you need to look at the bigger picture. Hell the general atitude on GB seems to be that of questioning NIntendo for what they're doing for better or worse wich I think is great. I kind of hope this is a wake up call to Nintendo, that they head further down that road until they realize they have to grow up and start thinking about How they can innovate beyond interesting but sometimes gimmic-esk control schemes.

Avatar image for bluefish
bluefish

876

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By bluefish

If it came with component cables and the ability to upscale I'd think it a great move.

But it's just the same predictable 'meh' at this point.

Avatar image for lucidlife
Lucidlife

108

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Lucidlife

A "console" that won't connect to the internet. GREAT idea.

Avatar image for jozzy
jozzy

2053

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By jozzy

@Scotto said:

This is the kind of device, and price point, that would appeal to "non-gamers" (grandmothers, middle aged adults) who just want a Wii Sports box. Except... all of those people bought a Wii three years ago at the latest, played it, and have long since moved on by now.

So who is this thing for? And I say this as a Canadian - why in God's name are they only putting it out here right now? I can't imagine it's as a "test market", because they've already spent the R&D money designing and fabricating the fucking thing by (presumably) the thousands.

And do they know that we have readily available cable and fibre-optic broadband internet up here?

Can't wait to buy a plastic-y looking, kneecapped version of a console that was already pretty technologically blinkered compared to the XBOX, PS3, and Wii U. And they routinely put bare-bones Xbox 360 S's on sale up here for $99 these days, too.

Except last black Friday 300k Wii's were sold, so no, not everybody has one. I think this thing is going to do pretty well for Nintendo.

Avatar image for gk128
gk128

16

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By gk128

It'd be nice if we can see this thing for real, Also it'd be nice if it still could access the net. If not WiFi either built in Ethernet or the USB thing.

Avatar image for mulder000
mulder000

9

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By mulder000

@Bizzama: Exactly. I have no idea for the use for this. Here in Canada , we never get the awesome deals you guys get, but we get the Wii Mini!

Avatar image for monkeyking1969
monkeyking1969

9095

Forum Posts

1241

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 18

Edited By monkeyking1969

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/tech-news/canada-tops-globe-in-internet-usage/article551593/

Has anyone mentioned that as of March 2012 it has been determined that Canada tops globe in Internet usage. Those crazy Kanooks, spend the most time on social networks and the Internet on earth. They beat out China and South Korea for the most hours spent on the internet or on social networks. Therefore, Nintendo is giving the MOST CONNECTED people on earth the LEAST CONNECTED system. (slow clap for Nintendo)

Avatar image for omfgzell
omfgzell

40

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By omfgzell

wii miini.

That one's free, Nintendo.

Avatar image for codyjgallant
codyjgallant

2

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By codyjgallant

Glad that Nintendo some what showing love to Canadian!

Avatar image for thesoutherndandy
TheSouthernDandy

4157

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By TheSouthernDandy

@codyjgallant said:

Glad that Nintendo some what showing love to Canadian!

Cheap half assed love is better then no love at all...god I'm so lonely...

Wait, what?

Avatar image for maverick_76
maverick_76

16

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By maverick_76

I need a $99 paperweight!

Said no one ever.....

Avatar image for headcase
headcase

79

Forum Posts

41

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By headcase

@GenghisJohn said:

So this is for the person who:

  • Didnt already have a wii but wanted one
  • Has no interest in virtual console games
  • Isn't buying a wii u
  • Wants to pay $100 or less for a video game console

FTFY

@maverick_76 said:

I need a $99 paperweight!

Said no one ever.....

http://www.gamerankings.com/browse.html?site=wii&cat=0&year=0&numrev=0&sort=0&letter=&search=

Yeah, no.

Avatar image for corvak
Corvak

2047

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Corvak

@headcase: I think that while there is a market (which isn't me) many of the Wii's best retail games are sadly out of print.

Avatar image for ingannation
Ingannation

9

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By Ingannation

budget console. ps3 wii hopefully xbox not going to do this