WiiU Release Info Roundtable

[Mokong]

Big day indeed for Nintendo and Nintendo fans.

 

Now that we've had the Conferences air and the info is soaking into our brains lets take a moment to reflect. Roundtable time.

 

We hope to get this roundtable article up on the main site of N-E ASAP with combined options from both staff and of course you the forum members. So reply with your answers to the below for a chance to see your thoughts published on the main site

 

 

1: For Europe we technically don't have an official price with Nintendo going the same route as with the 3DS and allowing retailers set their own prices. Do you think this will work in the customers favour and bring down the price? What kind of price are you expecting and what do you think retailers could be chancing their arms with?

 

 

2: Will you be picking it up on launch or waiting?

 

3: Basic or Premium? Black or White? Nintendo have showcased 2 standard bundles of the WiiU at Launch. With a possible 3rd with the quick mention of a ZombiU/WiiU Bundle that is in the works, which one do you think you'll be bringing home with you?

 

 

4: With 9 games confirmed for day one release which launch games do you think you'll be bringing home with your new WiiU. And which games announced for the "Launch Window" (By March 2013) will you be waiting for?

 

5: Did the Nintendo Direct Conference offer any surprises for you? What was the highlight for you?

 

6: Nintendo took some criticism for a lackluster showing at this years E3. Has the info relinquished by them today provided you with what you needed see and/or hear to make your mind up to get a WiiU (either on Day one or after) or are you still on the fence?

 

7: Were there anything features wise or game wise that wasn't touched on that you had hoped to get info on?

Edited September 13, 2012 by Mokong

[Ramar]

1. I'm disappointed they didn't announce an RRP for Europe. I'm hopeful however that in not doing so we'll see some competitive pricing. But I'd prefer to know how much cash I'm going to need.

 

2. As Brucie use to say, "if the price is right" I'll get one at launch.

 

3. Got to be Premium. However I'd have preferred the two different packs not to be different colours. But what can you do.

 

4. I'm not sure on which games I want yet. I may play it safe with the likes of Fifa and Assassin's Creed III. Need to see more of some games like The Wonderful 101.

 

5. The only surprises in the end were the announcement of Bayonetta 2 and MH3U. I think Europe got the short straw again in terms of announcements. Most of the game trailers we'd already seen or were nothing new.

 

6. I don't think European conference changes much, however some of the stuff from the US conference looks interesting. TVii and BLOPs 2 are quite big reveals.

[Debug Mode]

1: I think this depends on the demand. Although the 3DS had a reasonably big launch, I think it was mostly contributed by some competitive slashes in price to gain interest. So it'll initially be anti-consumer on the high street, but the internet once again prevails because e-retailers always tend to be reasonable.

 

2: I can't really give a proper answer for this as I'm currently out of the country until June and don't have much disposable money to use whilst abroad. Though if my last two Nintendo launches are to go by, I think I would most likely sit this one out and see what happens for a few months before I put down some money.

 

3: Easily premium. Just that little bit of extra cash for bigger storage etc seems like a bargain to me. If the ZombiU bundle is basically premium with the game, I'd hop straight to that one to.

 

4: Can't really answer as I wont be buying at launch.

 

5: Bagging Bayonetta 2 and the new Monster Hunter rehash. Although it's a rehash in my eyes, the fact it's on the 3DS for those who missed out on Tri G is a nice move for once, it sort of feels like how we basically get the 'Final Mixes' of Kingdom Hearts games as our 'original' version. Unlike Japan which ends up getting shafted with 2 copies.

 

This is something Sony should be doing for Vita. Snapping up games that publishers aren't keen on taking the risk on. It's a lot cheaper than letting your console out in to a world where the games may dry up and having to suffer massive losses through lack of sales or price cuts.

 

6: The Direct today was infinitely better than their E3 showing. I still can't believe that with all the time they had, they still managed to fuck up E3 for themselves.

 

7: I was hoping to hear more about the online gaming service and any peripherals they were planning on to improve the experience. Has any one heard anything about a headset yet?

[Wii]

1. I'm hoping for €250 for the white version and €300 for the black premium version. I wouldn't be surprised if it was more. Once again Nintendo has left it to The Merchants Of Venice to decide our fate. Well done!

 

2. I'll be waiting for some big games to release. First time I won't be buying a Ninty console on day 1. I could change my mind but am doubtful and I've a huge backlog as it is.

 

3. I'd buy the third option, maybe Zombii U. It depends on the reviews. Let's face it, anything would be better than Nintendo Land. The extra accessories of the premium pack would be welcome. I'd prefer black perhaps as I bought a white Wii and would prefer a change.

 

4. The best games with the greatest effort and not ports are probably Zombii U and Rayman. The others appear as just quick cash-ins. FIFA 13? No thanks. Scribblenauts? No thanks. How late is the Batman game and at full price? No thanks. I'm interested but not at that price. I'll wait. Plus Wii U games appear to be more expensive than Wii games.

 

5. No.

 

6. No. Sure they still can't tell us how much it is. I am getting it but it won't be for a while. It needs big games. Where's Retro Studios game? Where are all the big Japanese studios?

 

7. Will online be free? How much does the Wii U cost? Where are the killer app games? I would have liked to see the Wii U interface. I couldn't care less about the Miis. I've always thought they look lame.

Edited September 13, 2012 by Wii

[-Dem0-]

1: I think that we may see some dodgy prices, but since this is the release of a NEW home console I think retailers will be more competitive, I think we will see some decent bundles and some fair prices.

The price? I agree with some of the other N-E members, £210-230 for the Standard WiiU & £250-280 for the Premium.

 

 

2:

Launch day no doubt.

 

3: Black Premium WiiU Console. Already wanted the Black WiiU from the start, but with the Premium pack offering a 10% discount on eShop purchases until 2014 and the possibility of future deals offered by other Dev's, I think this is the way to go.

 

4: My launch day titles will be;

 

-NintendoLand

-Rayman Legends

-ZombiU

-NSMBU

-Arkham City

 

5:

 

6: I think the conference's as a whole has been well received. Before today many fans were unsure about the WiiU, some questions have been answered and rumors have been cleared up. If anything, I think the Conferences have certainly provided something for those who were previously unsure about whether or not they would purchase the WiiU, and I believe that the strong launch window line-up has a lot to do with it.

 

7: eShop.

Although I think we might get another conference down the line that will cover upcoming content for eShop, for both the WiiU & 3DS.

Edited September 13, 2012 by -Dem0-

[FireMeowth]

1:

I'm guessing a 2500-3000 NOK price for Norway, possibly something like 3500 NOK for the Premium Pack.

 

2:

DAY ONE! The minute the store opens, even!

 

3:

I really wanted the white one, but if I have to get the black one to go premium, that's what I'm doing.

 

4:

Launch date - New Super Mario Bros. U and Nintendo Land (obviously)

Launch window - Epic Mickey 2, LEGO City: Undercover and Skylanders: Giants

 

5:

Plenty of surprises, though none I really cared much about except the announcement of Epic Mickey 2 for the Wii U!

 

6:

I was satisfied at E3 and blown away today. Never doubted I'd be getting it.

 

7:

I guess I wanted some more info on the Home Menu and all that, but I can probably wait a few months for all the details.

Edited September 13, 2012 by FireMeowth

[Tamazoid]

1:I'm expecting $500 for the black console in Australia, considering the Wii was $400 at launch. The high Australian dollar seems irrelevant. *EDIT Seems that it's $349 for the basic model and $429 for the premium. I'm happy with that.

 

2: I'm there Day One! I can't imagine missing a Nintendo Console launch.

 

3: I'll most likely be purchasing the Premium package, it depends what the ZombiU bundle turns out to be like.

 

4: Undecided, waiting on reviews of games like Batman Armoured Edition and Ninja Gaiden Razor. Will most likely purchase NSMBU, 007 Legends and Mass Effect 3;.

 

5: Bayonetta 2 was a complete 'What the heck?' moment. Rumours have been circling that Sega canned it months ago and that Bayonetta would never see the light of day again. Personally i'm excited for 007 Legends, I've always enjoyed Bond games as they rarely disappoint me.

 

6: I think that the criticism of E3 was unwarranted, E3 is no longer an event for the 'Core Gamers'. It's become a press event for the big 3 and major publishers to gain spotlight in the mainstream press. I was initially jaded by Nintendo's performance but after contemplating the conference I decided there was enough announced to make me want the console (I never bought a 360/PS3). Personally this Nintendo Direct was the icing on the cake and makes me even more hyped for the Wii U

 

7: I'm curious as to when they will announce more solid details about the Miiverse and the Nintendo Network set up for the Wii U. Also whether they are expanding the supported platforms on the Virtual Console. There is only really one and a half months left before the US launch so either there is going to be a Nintendo Direct in October or Nintendo will hold some sort of an event next week during TGS.

Edited September 13, 2012 by Tamazoid
Australian Price was released.

[Agent Gibbs]

1: i was expecting around £300 really but it seems it will likely be lower

 

2: yeah launch day

 

3: Premium for the Black one

 

 

4: NSMB WiiU, ZombieU , NintendoLand obviously included and maybe something else

 

5: yes the launch date, oh and what other bombshell MH3

 

6: I've got pretty much all the info i need, and can surmise the gaps, online basically, they mentioned a lot of online services in games so there is obviously something good enough to handle a very highly used online game (COD) so its got to be atleast as good/bad as the PSN

 

7: Nintendo TVii for europe/the uk

Edited September 21, 2012 by Agent Gibbs

[dazzybee]

1: Im with Ramar, I'd prefer an official price and know what im working with. But hopefully it'll work in our favour. I think a reasonable price would be £229.99 and £279.99

 

 

2: absolutely never a doubt I woudnt get this on day one. Pachters right, the I'd has a Nintendo logo on it, I'm buying.

 

3: Well, depends on the zombi u pack. I want the biggest hard drive, I want nintendo land and zombi u and I want The pro controller, I'll get all that so which ever is better value. I'd imagine zombi u pack as the more packed in the better savings you make but we'll see

 

 

4: I wish you wrote down the games I don't know exactly what is getting released but ese are the games I will have by Christmas day (I'll hold a few for family and gfriend to get me) - nintendo land, mario, rayman, FIFA, mass effect, Lego, cod, W101, Sega racing, Epic mickey 2, AC3, Maybe: scribblenaughts, Rabbid land, Tekken, ninja gaiden. Presuming they're all out and well reviewed

 

5: Nntendo tv, bayonets, epic Mickey were surprises. How good Lego city looked surprised me the most.

 

6: well, I was always going to get one and I think they had a decent showing. Nintendo tv shows the lengths they're willing to go if they can pull that off world wide. I'm still worried at the lack of a lot of big ps3 360 games, Japanese support and other exclusive, plus the complete lack of info on mii verse, how the online accounts work, messaging, chat etc.

 

7: They should have detailed their whole online plan as mentioned above. It's the last real piece of info I'm sure we all want

[Grazza]

1. The price is a bit hefty - I think it should be more like £200 for the Basic and £250 for the Premium. More than anything, I regret how much the controller must add to the cost.

 

2. Launch, probably.

 

3. Premium, if only for the extra storage and 10% online discount.

 

4. New Super Mario Bros U and wait for Pikmin 3.

 

5. I didn't actually watch it, but Bayonetta was a surprise. No real highlights.

 

6. It wasn't disappointing, but expectations were much lower than E3. No new Nintendo games were going to be shown, but that's what's needed to get people really excited about the console.

 

7. I had hoped to hear about the Virtual Console, especially new, HD versions of SNES and GameCube games. Nintendo arguably has the best back catalogue around - it shouldn't be underestimated how much excitement could have been generated with the promise of HD versions of Link to the Past, Super Metroid or Wind Waker.

[Murr]

1:

Well 24 hours after the initial Japanese conference and the guessing based on the Yen Price, it would seem the price is more than alot of people expected. Some retailers are being fair with their packs (Shopto Zombiu Pack £325 YES.... GAME ZombiU Pack £350..... NO!) I can only hope that there are a few Supermarkets that step in and start lowering the prices again.

 

 

2:

Day 1. Pre-order is in!

 

3:

ZombiU pack is pre-ordered. I'm paying £25 more on Shopto than a premium pack, but getting ZombieU and A pro controller and still get NintendoLand.... why wouldn't people do this?

 

4:

Well ZombiU & NintendLand are certs, and the only other purchase I'll make launch day is New Super Mario Bros U.

Pikmin 3 will be a day one for me too.

 

 

5:

It was what E3 was meant to be. I was more hyped at work for that day's presentations than I was for e3. I was texting friends every 5 minutes, emailing and chatting on forums / chat rooms. it was like the good old days of HYPE!

 

6:

I was always certain I would be getting a Wii U on launch, I was impressed enough with the lineup shown at e3. But these conferences have just pushed my excitement up again. I Can't wait for 30th November now.

 

7:

Would of loved to hear more on the online strategy, and just... how it works, the teaser of the dashboard with the game blocks, and the MiiVerse teasers where what we saw at e3... I want to know about game invites, how useful the touchscreen controller will be during multiplayer games and such.

All i due course I guess

 

To wrap it up... Nintendo's back!!! It feels like the days before the Cube was announced (probably not a good thing as it didn't quite meet Nintendo expectations) But I thought that was the best time to be a Nintendo fan... and I'm now feeling proud to be a Nintendo fan again! Come on Launch day!!!

[Jimbob]

1: It's a bit of a kick in the teeth in some ways. Yes, it allows competitive pricing for retailers which in turn allows us the consumer to choose where to shop to. But, if prices change all the time then it will leave many of us unsure where to shop for it. Still, £300 is max for the premium console and £220-£250 for the basic model is fine.

 

 

2: As some are doing, i'm looking around for the best deal. When it arrives, i may get one at launch. Or wait until after the holiday rush and pick one up then.

 

3: If i do pick one up, it will most likely be a Premium (black). Will go along with most other things i have at home.

 

 

4: As it stands, if i get one at launch i'll most likely get New Super Mario Bros Wii U and hold off until Pikmin 3 arrives for my next game. But being allowed to transfer VC licenses over and backwards compatible with Wii games, it won't be a problem with waiting.

 

5: Havn't watched it yet

 

6: Nintendo this year are not like Nintendo i know, holding off until the last minute really to announce launch titles and prices for the Wii U. They should have announced this at E3 (or soon after). Nintendo are losing money again, and this decision may not help them. I'm more disapointed at not seeing Luigi's Mansion and Animal Crossing 3DS this year, surprising indeed.

 

7: Not as such, as i mentioned i havn't watched it yet.

[ssj]

I must say I am looking forward to the Wii U alot more now. I'll be getting the console for christmas along with the following.

 

Mario Bros U

Zombi U

Sonic and sega al stars racing transformed

Game and Wario

Epic Mickey: the Power of two

Rayman Legends

Nintendo Land.

[dazzybee]

Game and Wario is next year unfortunately

[Hero-of-Time]

I've waited a few days for things to settle down and for the hype to wear off before answering this. Here it goes...

 

1: For Europe we technically don't have an official price with Nintendo going the same route as with the 3DS and allowing retailers set their own prices. Do you think this will work in the customers favour and bring down the price? What kind of price are you expecting and what do you think retailers could be chancing their arms with?

 

It's still early days in terms of pre-orders but I can't see the price going down any further than £260 for a premium. Some got lucky with Amazon and while Zavvi has a lower price, it's dispatch reputation leaves a lot to be desired.

 

Another factor is that demand seems to be really high already, especially in the US. Why would a retailer drop the price if demand is high? The 3DS didn't have this problem, I mean you could easily walk in and buy one after the release of it.

 

2: Will you be picking it up on launch or waiting?

 

I've got mine pre-ordered with several games. I wanted to play the wait and see game but with the demand being this high already I thought it best to pre-order early.

 

3: Basic or Premium? Black or White? Nintendo have showcased 2 standard bundles of the WiiU at Launch. With a possible 3rd with the quick mention of a ZombiU/WiiU Bundle that is in the works, which one do you think you'll be bringing home with you?

 

To quote Snake off the Simpsons..."PREMIUM DUDE!!!! PREMIUM....DUDE!!!"

 

The black console will go nicely with my Wii, Blu-Ray, 360 and TV. Also, the extra memory and 10% points back system is always nice to have. I care not for all the stands and cradle you get but getting Nintendo Land with it is a welcome addition.

 

4: With 9 games confirmed for day one release which launch games do you think you'll be bringing home with your new WiiU. And which games announced for the "Launch Window" (By March 2013) will you be waiting for?

 

So far i've pre-ordered Rayman Legends, ZombiU, New Super Mario Bros Wii U and The Wonderful 101. I may pick up Fifa for this as well as I love the look of the gamepad features. Scribblenaughts may be worth a look and IF the online is decent the Sonic Racing Transformed will be purchased for the Wii U rather than my 360.

 

5: Did the Nintendo Direct Conference offer any surprises for you? What was the highlight for you?

 

I think you know.

 

 

This completely caught me off guard. I hought Capcom had abandoned us. I thought it was over. I thought never again would I get to play the MH series in english. I was wrong. March 2013 can't arrive soon enough.

 

6: Nintendo took some criticism for a lackluster showing at this years E3. Has the info relinquished by them today provided you with what you needed see and/or hear to make your mind up to get a WiiU (either on Day one or after) or are you still on the fence?

 

I was so disappointed with Nintendo's showing at E3. Nothing stood out and everything just seemed so meh. It looked like Nintendo weren't launching a new console as they was no real buzz and a serious lack of announcements. This ND presentation gave me what I wanted. It showed a couple of new titles in MH and Bayonetta, as well as better showings from the likes of NintendoLand and The Wonderful 101.

 

7: Were there anything features wise or game wise that wasn't touched on that you had hoped to get info on?

 

Online. We still no next to nothing about how it will run or what it will look like. Is their party chat? Can you join your friends games via an invite? How does the Miiverse work? I'm hoping for at least one more ND to show and explain these features before launch.

 

Closing thoughts. I think Nintendo have got themselves in a very good position. People may think the price is a little steep, but demand for the machine shows people are willing to pay. Also, just think when the next Xbox & Playstation arrives, Nintendo will then be in a position to announce a price cut if need be.

 

The same thing can be said about software. People may not be happy with what Nintendo are offering at the moment and that's fine. I certainly think that they are keeping their big guns, their 3D Mario, Zelda, Smash etc. ready for the competitions consoles.

 

At the end of the day, for me, there is enough to keep me busy till March/Monster Hunter and once that comes around, no other game will matter.

[Cube]

1: It looks to be £300 for now, but it will likely do down by around £20 to £30.

 

 

2: I was incredibly excited and was planning on getting one on release day on the day of the announcements, but now I've decided to wait.

 

3: When I get one, it will be the premium one.

 

 

4: I'm waiting for Pikmin 3 and Bayonetta 2, being the two announced games that interest me. One is a "launch window" game and one will likely be towards the end of next year. So really, I'm waiting for announcements of the usual Zelda and Metroid, and hopefully some new stuff.

 

5: Bayonetta 2 was a lovely surprise.

 

6: I always knew I was going to get one, but the games aren't quite there yet for me.

 

7: More details on the OS and how the online actually worked.

[lostmario]

1: Eventually it'll be £220 Basic, £260 Premium, £290 ZombiU Premium

 

 

2: Pre-ordered with ShopTo

 

3: ZombiU Premium Bundle

 

4: ZombiU, New Super Mario Bros U & hopefully Black Ops 2 at launch, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed couple of week later. I'll eventually pick up Lego City Stories

 

5: Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate

 

6: This was what E3 should have been. I was always going to buy one, I just wanted Nintendo to sell it to me more.

 

7: We still know nothing about the online setup for the Wii U, will we have headsets, option to party chat, instant message etc.

I have a bad feeling you will have to load up Miiverse everytime to send messages & 10 second voice messages, it'll be Letterbox 2.

[RedShell]

1: Doesn't look like it's going to drop much, I reckon around £250 will end up being the best premium pak price.

 

2: Launch.

 

3: Premium. I'd already decided to get a Black Wii U before the different bundles were announced (had a pre-order down for black ages ago) so it's cool that ended up being the premium colour.

 

4: Just the included Nintendo Land for me, to start off with.

I like to focus on a single game at a time, and although I usually make an exception to this during new hardware launches, with Wii U I'm going to "try" and just play through one game at a time.

So after a couple of weeks playing Nintendo Land, I'll probably pick up NSMBU, then after a few more weeks perhaps ZombiU or another 3rd party title.

That's the plan anyway.

 

5: Monster Hunter was obviously the biggest surprise, probably the highlight too.

 

6: This was certainly a much better showing than at E3 (not hard ), I was always getting one a launch regardless.

 

7: I'd hopped for more info on the system menu, would have been cool to see some of that and also what the eShop interface will look like etc. Was hoping for clarification about the audio output situation for surround sound too, unfortunately it's not looking too good for me there.

On the game side of things, some more 1st party reveals would have been nice, but obviously Nintendo want to focus on what they've already shown and also give the 3rd party stuff a chance to shine, so I wasn't really expecting to see anything new.

We all know that a new 3D Mario, Zelda and (most importantly for me) Mario Kart game is on the way, hopefully Star Fox, F-Zero and Metroid will be joining them.

There's definitely a lot to look forward to.

[david.dakota]

1:The whole premise of this is to benefit consumers - at least in the EUs eyes. It seemed to work pretty well with the 3DS; with prices plummeting to £179 at some retailers. I'm convinced that the price for the basic pack will drop below £200 in supermarkets - you'll probably have to buy extra games or accessories on top though.

 

2: Will you be picking it up on launch or waiting?

I have been pretty unconvinced by WiiU since 2011 but, while I consider the launch pretty lame, there's some solid content right on launch day. NSMBU and ZombiU look great with some pretty spunky support elsewhere. I'm even warming to Nintendo Land; although I doubt i'll pick it up.

 

3: I'll be going for the black premium choice, most likely with ZombiU. The reward scheme is a great addition and I am sure in due course they'll be some added benefit to the scheme.

 

4: New Super Mario Bros U and ZombiU are top of the list for launch. I'll later buy into Black Ops and 007 Legends when they're discounted (6-12 months, I guess). Pikmin 3 is an absolute must for me and as a big fan of the Alien series (excluding the heap of shit that is Resurrection), I'm keeping an eye on Aliens: Colonial Marines. I'm waiting to see how Monster Hunter Tri Unlimited turns out - I couldn't get into the Wii version due to the abysmal loading screens - if they're sorted I'm all over it. The last game on my list is Scribblenauts Unlimited, a series I adore. Of course, should any titles receive favourable reviews I'll obviously consider them.

 

I'd certainly like to look into Mass Effect 3 and Bayonetta 2 but having missed the first game/s and being a mild freak I can't possibly buy into a frachise that I've not played from Game One.

 

5: The biggest surprise was the price; its pretty steep and certainly not as attractive as Wii. This will likely prove a problem for the company; casual gamers and impulse buyer probably won't drop into the party for some time - however, I expect there is a decent margin with WiiU and room for a price cut as soon as the next Xbox and Playstation arrive. I'm buying into WiiU expecting a price cut within 6-12 months.

 

Whilst many may consider Bayonetta 2 the big surprise, Nintendo TV blew me away (hopefully a UK launch is not too far away). Whilst similar in scope to Google TV (but clearly with the full support of broadcasters) it realises Nintendo's original Wii dream of 'something you turn on daily' - its nothing short of phenomenal and far improved over anything Apple, Microsoft and - to a lesser extent - Sony can offer with their curated media stores. Its changed my mind over buying a new Freesat FreeTime box.

 

6: No. I don't think we've heard much more than we already knew. However, the Nintendo Direct series really does allow Nintendo to express its information in a way that the media frenzy of E3 cant, its concise, focused. The lack of information on Miiverse (Miiniverse as I call it) and online functions is pretty worrying, but hopefully will be available within the next few weeks - well ahead of launch.

 

7: Were there anything features wise or game wise that wasn't touched on that you had hoped to get info on?

Ok, so I am impressed with Nintendo TV but what we really needed was information on Miiniverse: Nintendo's black out on this is really strange - on one hand Reggie says its a 'first for gaming', yet we know next to nothing about it. I had thought, with it being a unique feature, Miiniverse would have taken centre stage - what exactly does it do? What can be done with it? ow does it look outside NSMBU? In addition the lack of information about how Nintendo are dealing with online is concerning - unified, system-wide accounts? Game invites? eShop and DLC?

 

 

I'm a begger for Nintendo goods. They can sell me any old toot, and I buy it. I had decided should WiiU be priced above £200 I was going to wait and get a feel for sales figures and potential price drops. But I'm hyped, I'm pumped and I'm buying the premium edition - in that respect the Nintendo Direct delivered. Nintendo have lurched from one disaster to another in the last 2-3 years; meager releases, failing third party support, overpricing and poor sales - and I'm not convinced that they've learned all the lessons they should have from the 3DS launch but i'm willing to give them another punt, rarely do they disappoint.

[Ike]

1: For Europe we technically don't have an official price with Nintendo going the same route as with the 3DS and allowing retailers set their own prices. Do you think this will work in the customers favour and bring down the price? What kind of price are you expecting and what do you think retailers could be chancing their arms with?

 

Yeah, think it's good for us thanks to the price war between retailers.

 

2: Will you be picking it up on launch or waiting?

 

Launch of course

 

3: Basic or Premium? Black or White? Nintendo have showcased 2 standard bundles of the WiiU at Launch. With a possible 3rd with the quick mention of a ZombiU/WiiU Bundle that is in the works, which one do you think you'll be bringing home with you?

 

Actually I wanted the white unit but I went with the premium model instead, would rather have the 32GB even with the options to expand the memory, but it's nice to have some extra breathing room. Plus Nintendo Land and eShop bonuses are nice to have included. Would have but the Zombie U bundle, but no Nintendo Land. None of my Wii accessories will match it though :P

 

4: With 9 games confirmed for day one release which launch games do you think you'll be bringing home with your new WiiU. And which games announced for the "Launch Window" (By March 2013) will you be waiting for?

 

Excluding Nintendo Land since it's packed in; NSMBWU and Batman so far. Will probably get Rayman and Sega Racing for Christmas. Zombie U and Wonderful 101 maybe after a price drop. Monster Hunter in March and Pikmin 3 whenever that's released.

 

5: Did the Nintendo Direct Conference offer any surprises for you? What was the highlight for you?

 

Bayonetta 2. Thought it was dead. Also for the hilarious reactions. Also Nintendo TVii if I can have 2, but it remains to be seen if we get it.

 

6: Nintendo took some criticism for a lackluster showing at this years E3. Has the info relinquished by them today provided you with what you needed see and/or hear to make your mind up to get a WiiU (either on Day one or after) or are you still on the fence?

 

The Nintendo Directs are much better than E3, E3 is dead to me.

 

7: Were there anything features wise or game wise that wasn't touched on that you had hoped to get info on?

 

Mostly just the main system interface, not really important but I like seeing what they look like for some reason. I guess the eShop but I think it'll be similar to the 3DS one, just tweaked to work on a larger screen.

[dazzybee]

1:The whole premise of this is to benefit consumers - at least in the EUs eyes. It seemed to work pretty well with the 3DS; with prices plummeting to £179 at some retailers. I'm convinced that the price for the basic pack will drop below £200 in supermarkets - you'll probably have to buy extra games or accessories on top though.

 

you keep saying this. If it's part of a bundle then how do you say the machine is under £200. Retailers never say the console is 200 but only if you buy 5 games, it's 250 other wise. They say the console is 250. Or 400 with these games and such. The zombi u bundle cost £290, zombi u is worth £50 the pro controller £40, does that make the console worth £200? No. Because the basic pack is £230. Such a weird logic you have!

[Ville]

1. No idea about pricing.

2. Will be waiting for March 2013.

3. Gonna buy WiiU used if possible. Since you can add memory later, basic would be fine.

4. Games I'm most interested about are MH3U and Bayonetta 2.

5. MH3U was definitely the highlight.

6. Another Monster Hunter game with online play → enough reason to buy the system.

7. Would've hoped for more info on the WiiU's online system in general.

[david.dakota]

you keep saying this. If it's part of a bundle then how do you say the machine is under £200. Retailers never say the console is 200 but only if you buy 5 games, it's 250 other wise. They say the console is 250. Or 400 with these games and such. The zombi u bundle cost £290, zombi u is worth £50 the pro controller £40, does that make the console worth £200? No. Because the basic pack is £230. Such a weird logic you have!

 

Retailers do. At least Tesco did with the 3DS; they offered it £179.99 when purchased with a game; effectively yes, I paid £210 but its advertised and sold that way. That's exactly what I expect Tesco and ASDA to do, discount the console to under £200 if you buy a game with them.

 

Given the price so far set, I expect the basic pack to fall into a similar offer of £199 (yes, I have lost our bet - you don't drink much do you?) when purchased with a game.

[dazzybee]

Haha. Already bottled it I will be drinking lots that weekend

 

I've never seen that but fair enough. I hope the prices do come down, I want s many games it's unreal!

[Zechs Merquise]

1: I think the final price of the premium will be around £275 in most places - maybe slightly lower if the supermarkets go to town and have a price war. I still would love to see the premium for £250, but it's a fair price as it is considering what's in the box.

 

2: I'll be pre-ordering from a store so I can pick it up at midnight launch.

 

3: Premium all the way. Still torn over getting the ZombiU pack or the Nintendo Land one as I really like the look of both games.

 

4: At launch I want NSMBU, Black Ops 2 and either ZombiU or Nintendo Land. I really also want Pikmin 3, Batman, Mass Effect 3, MH3U, Lego City Stories and Aliens.

 

5: Activision coming on stage and showing Black Ops 2 in the US conference, the announcement of Bayonetta 2 and of course MH3U

 

6: I thought they did what they needed to do at E3. They dropped the bombs at the launch conferences. Had they done this at E3 the hype would've been forgotten too long before launch.

 

7: I want to know more about online voice chat and for them to definitively state that Black Ops 2 is a lunch title in Europe. Other than that I was very happy.