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Wii Mini arriving in US with packed-in Mario Kart Wii
The Wii Mini is coming to the U.S. this holiday season, Nintendo announced today. The redesigned system will be bundled with Mario Kart Wii for $100, and is expected to arrive by mid-November. Nintendo announced the Wii Mini in November 2012 before launching it as a Canada-exclusive that December. The micro-console doesn't include Internet connectivity, limiting players to single and local multiplayer games. Nintendo sold 35,700 units in Canada across its first two months on store shelves before bringing the system to the UK in March. Though the Wii has been discontinued in Japan, Nintendo announced in October that the traditional Wi-Fi-enabled Wii system will remain on store shelves in America.
Wii imports to Europe discontinued, Wii Mini lives on
Europe won't receive further Wii stock, leaving the original form of the Nintendo console discontinued across the continent. Nintendo UK told MCV there'll be no more Wii imports in Europe, although the company noted that the Wii Mini remains available. The news follows confirmation the Wii is still alive and kicking in North America, despite being discontinued in Japan recently. Wii shipments finally reached the 100 million mark this summer, underlining just how popular a console it was. With the Wii U nearly a year old and the 3DS overtaking the Wii's lifetime sales in Japan, now's as good a time as any to let the Wii catch some Ziis.
Wii Mini sells 35,700 units in Canada across first two months
If you're wondering who would buy a Wii Mini, the answer is 35,700 Canadians - so far. Speaking to Nintendo World Report, Nintendo of Canada revealed the wee Wii's sales numbers up to January 31, which represent approximately the first two months' worth."The Canadian market has reacted positively to the great value the system has to offer," Nintendo of Canada communication manager Matt Ryan told Nintendo World Report, "and we are seeing this reflected in the sales numbers."The miniature console, cheaper than its big brother but at the cost of internet connectivity and GameCube compatibility, is coming to the UK and other European countries later this month, but there's no news as yet of a release in the US.
Nintendo Wii Mini arriving in the UK on March 22nd
When Nintendo's Wii Mini landed in Canada, as far as we were concerned, the land of Due South was welcome to it. After all, the company had robbed the budget model of its internet connectivity, backwards compatibility and its, you know, charm. Unfortunately, Nintendo now feels that the UK deserves its own opportunity to be underwhelmed by the hardware, and so will launch the system in Blighty on March 22nd. Naturally, there's no word yet on pricing, but we'd get even tetchier if Nintendo tried to price it over, say, £70.
Wii Mini comes to UK next month
The Canada-exclusive holiday season is officially over, because the Wii Mini is making a little big trip to the UK next month on March 22. There's no word on a price; when launched in Canada late last year, the wee console cost $99.99 (around £63.50).The Wii Mini offers a reduced price and size, as well as top-loading disc tray, but doesn't have Internet connectivity and isn't compatible with GameCube discs. As per Canada's bundle, UK buyers get a red Nunchuk and red WiiMote Plus controller with the console.Nintendo previously said the console would remain exclusive to Canada throughout the holiday season, with no information available about its arrival in other territories. We've reached out to Nintendo to find out if we can expect the console to reach the US.
Wii Mini is small in size, small on features
The Wii Mini, the Canada-exclusive redesign of the original Wii, is very small. That's its best attribute, and the one you notice immediately. Even the box it comes in is tiny, roughly 10" by 8" by 5". Anyone with even the most basic understanding of physics would see that box and get the message that something pretty small is inside.And indeed, the system itself proves very small. You can get an idea of its tininess in our gallery, in which it's placed next to other consoles for reference. If I'm dwelling on the impressively diminutive size of the Wii Mini, it's because I don't have anything else good to say about the console.%Gallery-176215%
Wii Mini is too mini for an SD card slot
The list of Wii features that have been stripped away for the (currently Canada-exclusive) Wii Mini continues to expand, as Nintendo of Canada confirms the diminutive new console lacks an SD card slot, according to Nintendo World Report. A quick check of Best Buy Canada's Wii Mini listing also notes the missing slot. In other words, all of your game data is stuck on your Wii Mini forever. Forever. For-eh-ver.It's important to remember, however, that the Wii Mini has no internet connectivity, and thus can't download WiiWare or Virtual Console games. With only game save information to worry about, it's not like the Wii Mini really needs much storage anyway.
Wii Mini goes on sale at Walmart today in Canada
Canadian shoppers won't have to wait until next week to get their hands on a small, offline-only Wii console. Walmart has told Engadget that it has the go-ahead to sell the Wii Mini console starting today.However, not all stores have the console in stock yet, so if you go to buy a Wii today, you end up stuck with a more full-featured device. We recommend calling first. "The new one. No, not that new one. The little one. Wait, you have the Wii U in stock? Why am I buying a regular Wii, then?"
Wii Mini confirmed as Canada-exclusive through holiday season, priced $99
Update: Nintendo officially confirmed the Wii Mini today, revealing the new version as exclusive to Canada through the holiday season. The press release says "no information is available about its potential availability in other territories in the future." Priced at $99.99, the Wii Mini does not include Internet connectivity and isn't compatible with GameCube discs. As indicated by earlier leaked info, it comes with a red Nunchuk, a red Wiimote Plus controller, a sensor bar, power adapter, and standard composite cable.
