They've both done some risqué stuff in the past — nothing X-rated. Google if you like! Just know: These sorts of celebs advertise all kinds of stuff in Japan, so it's not totally unusual to see that here. Either shows how mainstream these models are or how progressive Nintendo's Japanese advertising is. Hit the jump for the Hoshino ad from earlier this year, via Jean Snow at Game|Life.

Watch the Eiko Ad [Wii]

Quoth Don:

Was the weight difference, a very noticeable one, messing with the ‘mote’s center-point?

Yes, in fact. Replacing the rechargeable pack with a standard set of crap-assed gas station batteries made our karts dead center again.

Now I’ve got to figure out how to add weight to my charger packs. That or play Kart at an odd angle.

So, fair warning, considering that the React dock runs about $50, if you Kart like hell and are considering eco-friendly ways to keep your 'Mote juiced. Does anyone else have the same kind of issue, or just this guy?

Peripheral Disdain [Videolamer, thanks taidan]

Of course it might not be the best quality product on the market, but you can't beat the price. The Realistic Racing Wheel can be yours now for only $5.87, plus shipping. Quick! Someone buy one and let us know how it is so we don't all make the same mistake!

Nintendo Wii Realistic Racing Wheel [Success-HK via Wii News - Thanks Wraggy!]

Wii Fit and Monster Hunter for PSP are on the cusp of hitting the 2 million mark, just as Wii Sports prepares to ship its 3 millionth copy in Japan. Impressive. For the rest of the best sellers for the week of April 28 to May 4, keep on kartin'.

01. Mario Kart Wii (Wii) - 173,000 / 1,120,000
02. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (PSP) - 102,000 / 1,909,000
03. Link's Crossbow Training (Wii) - 93,000 / NEW
04. Wii Fit (Wii) - 52,000 / 1,986,000
05. Meccha! Taiko Drum Master DS: 7-tsu no Shima no Daibouken (DS) - 42,000 / 98,000
06. Pokémon Ranger: Batonnage (DS) - 31,000 / 508,000
07. Boura wa Kaseki Holder (DS) - 27,000 / 84,000
08. Valkyria Chronicles (PS3) - 24,000 / 102,000
09. Deca Sports (Wii) - 24,000 / 186,000
10. Wii Sports (Wii) - 22,000 / 2,959,000

11. DS Bimoji Training (DS)
12. Emblem of Gundam (DS)
13. Katekyoo Hitman Reborn! Fate of Heat (DS)
14. Wii Play (Wii)
15. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
16. Mario Kart DS (DS)
17. Musou Orochi: Maou Sairin (PS2)
18. Tottado! Yowiko no Mujintou Seikatsu (DS)
19. Naruto: Shippuuden Shinobi Retsuden II (DS)
20. Pro Baseball Family Stadium (Wii)
21. Nippon no Asoko de (PSP)
22. Pro Yakyuu Spirits 5 (PS2)
23. New Super Mario Bros. (DS)
24. Summon Night (DS)
25. Mario Party DS (DS)
26. SimCity DS 2: Kodaikara Mirai e Tsudzukumachi (DS)
27. Yattaman DS: Bikkuridokkiri Daisakusen da Koron (DS)
28. Crayon Shin-chan: Arashi o Yobu Cinema Land (DS)
29. Phoenix Wright: Gyakuten Revival (DS)
30. Zaidan Houjin Nippon Kanji Nouryoku Kentei Kyoukai Koushiki Soft: 250-Mannin no KanKen (DS)

Media Create Weekly Software Sales [Inside Games]

Nintendo Announces Worldwide Mario Kart Wii Tournaments

Nintendo has thrown down the gauntlet for Mario Kart® Wii racers worldwide. Now it's time to see who's up to the challenge, as players take on the world in Mario Kart Wii Tournaments.

Every few weeks, a new tournament will appear on the Mario Kart Channel, an online feature that not only allows players to compete in tournaments, but also exchange race data with friends. Tournaments might take the form of a challenge for players to race a certain course as fast as they can with specific characters, or to collect a number of coins on a course using the Wii Wheel™ accessory or another control setup. They can feature unique rules or obstacles on the course.

The first tournament, which appears today, directs racers to compete for the fastest time on the Mario Circuit. Look closely though - something may be different. Players can attempt the challenge as often as they like during the duration of the tournament. Their best time will be recorded and added to the worldwide rankings, allowing players to see how they stack up against the best racers from around the world.

The [unit] can move suddenly, and severely injure someone who is within the working envelope. A waist high fence located at least 4 feet away from the machine is strongly suggested.

Loved

New Courses: Most of the game's new, original tracks are fantastic. Coconuts Mall, Wario Mines and Snowboard Cross all make excellent use of jumps and shortcuts. Certainly more exciting than most of Double Dash's offerings.

Car, Character Depth: Having so many unlockable characters and vehicles is great fanservice. But having vehicles with varied, multiple stats and characteristics is just great service. It's a small touch, but it makes picking the cart or bike that's right for you a cinch.

Bikes: And here I was thinking this was the stupidest addition to the series thus far. The bikes are actually really fun to use, and aside from a few tracks that have a few too many trick jumps, they're quite tastefully incorporated.

It's Still Mario Kart: For all the game's flaws - and as you can see below, there are many - this is still Mario Kart. It's still a blast at parties, you'll still love rushing from sixth to first on the last corner, you'll still scream to the heavens when you drop from first to sixth.

Hated

Online play: OK, so this is the Wiis fault, not the game's, but online play just feels so...impersonal. Mario Kart's a series where multiplayer has traditionally been about shit-talking and good times, not racing some nameless, voiceless opponent. If ever a Nintendo game needed voice-chat, it's this one.

Sterility: I can't quit put my finger on it, but compared to previous MK games the whole thing just feels really...clinical. Maybe even soulless. This is most telling in the dry presentation.

Too Many Karts: I'm sure the idea of having more (there's now 12) racers on the track seemed like a good one while sitting around the design table. And it looks good as a bullet-point on the game's marketing. But for many tracks it just results in too many items flying around and too many (yes, there is such a thing as too many) cheap shots. It it's not broke, why fix it, etc etc.

Item Unbalance: Mario Kart's built around a principle of elasticity. Last can go to first, and first to last. But this time around, it feels like they've gone too far. Thanks to overly-powerful items like Bullet Bill and the return of the fucking blue shell, which as said above are being thrown around by even more racers, you're no longer being challenged for being in first place. You're being punished. Again, if it's not broke, yada yada...

Wii Wheel: Perhaps the game's single biggest let-down, since the new peripheral was all that was keeping this from being, well, a Double Dash 1.5. While it's adequate, it just doesn't work as well as a Nunchuk and Wii Remote.

Look, Mario Kart Wii isn't a bad game. Far from it! I've enjoyed playing it, and I'm sure a ton of new Wii owners, whose last go-around with the series was on the SNES, will have a blast. But you know what? I'm not a new Wii owner. I'm a longtime fan of the series. Safe to say most of you are as well. And I found the unnecessary gameplay tweaks and underwhelming wheel more than a little disappointing. It's still a good game, don't get me wrong, it's just...not as great as you probably thought/hoped it would be.

Mario Kart Wii was developed and published by Nintendo, and was released on April 27. Retails for $49.99. Available on Nintendo Wii. Played singleplayer game to completion. Played 15 online multiplayer matches.

One will be your default control option. One will be a part-time novelty. The other three should be avoided at all costs.

Wii Remote + Nunchuk - The default control scheme. Only one you ever need, and the only one you should ever use. The Nunchuk thumbstick gives you the most precise control over your kart's movement, while flicking the Wii Remote to activate a trick is much easier than with the Wii Wheel. All the buttons are at your fingertips, and once you get used to the fact the drift button's on the Wii Remote, and not the Nunchuk, it turns into the most natural control scheme not just for this game, but for the entire series.

Wii Wheel - Super-disappointing. The first time you use it, you'll think it's amazing. Probably because the first time you use it will be in a 50cc kart race. On faster tracks, it can't keep up with your need for quick, precise movements. Fail. Same goes for more difficult races when you'll find yourself in the middle of the pack, trying to dodge shells and banana peels: they'll hit you, because it can't work fast enough. Fail. And in 150cc bike races, where tricks are necessary, you have to jerk the wheel upwards to activate a trick, causing you to flail all over the track. Fail.

Wavebird/GameCube Pad - No. Sounds good in theory, right? It served you admirably in Double Dash, right? Yeah, this isn't Double Dash. You need to pull off tricks to win harder races. Need to. The trick button for the Cube pads is hitting the d-pad. Which is awkward, out of the way, and will cost you time and positioning in a race.

Classic Controller - See above.

Wii Remote - The Wii Wheel sucks. Now imagine it without its helpful weight and familiar shape. It's like trying to drive a broken, Excited truck around an oily ice rink. Do not use under any circumstances.

In other words, use the Wii Remote & nunchuk, and only the Wii Remote & nunchuk. The Wii Wheel and 'Cube controllers should be thought of as Mad Catz peripherals: only for use by guests in multiplayer games. Guests you don't like. As for the Wii Remote on its own...I told you to forget about it, OK?

What are your thoughts on the game? If you're spending the day playing it and are looking for some fellow Kotakuites to play with drop your Friend Code (and impressions) here. Mine is 7261 8567 6364 9952.

Now get to racing... and no blue shells!

Disincentives [Penny Arcade]

The big ad push for the Wii comes hours after we first broke the news that Nintendo would be upping production of their tiny, white console. Wow, that was fast!

[Thanks DragonYen]

"Mommy, is Daddy dead?"

Good times, good times. Hit the jump for plenty of pictures of the wheel. SEXY!

SOLD!

The Wii60 wheel [GoNintendo]

Full release after the jump:

NINTENDO HOSTS HIGH-OCTANE

LAUNCH PARTY FOR MARIO KART Wii

Fans Join Jason Priestley to Test-Drive Hot New Game

at Nintendo World Store in Rockefeller Plaza

WHAT: Nintendo celebrates the highly anticipated release of Mario Kart® Wii and the companion Wii Wheel™ accessory with a fun-packed launch party at the Nintendo World store in Rockefeller Plaza. Participants can compete in the Mario Kart Wii Challenge for a chance to compete against racing enthusiast and actor Jason Priestley. Excitement will run high as drivers of all ages gather for a sneak peek at the game, plus an opportunity to wrap their fingers around the Wii Wheel, a wireless steering wheel accessory for the Wii Remote™ controller that makes it easy for anyone to pick up and play. Fans can enjoy Nintendo-themed giveaways and special premiums such as personalized Mario Kart driver's licenses.

Mario Kart Wii makes its official debut in U.S. stores on Sunday April 27, and will be packaged with the Wii Wheel accessory. For the first time ever in the Mario Kart series, players can control their vehicles with a simple turn of the Wii Wheel. The game also introduces a host of new courses, vehicles and eye-popping battle arenas, plus the ability to compete online with drivers from around the world using Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection.

WHO: Jason Priestley, along with parents, teens, kids, Mario Kart fans and video game fans of all ages. Priestly rose to fame on Beverly Hills, 90210 and has since become a force in the world of racing. A former driver and race analyst, Priestley now co-owns the Rubicon Race Team, which will race in its first Indianapolis 500 in May.

WHEN: Saturday, April 26

Nintendo World opens: 9 a.m.

Event: 2 - 6 p.m.

WHERE: Nintendo World

10 Rockefeller Plaza

New York, NY 10020

www.nintendoworldstore.com

This Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and noon to 2 p.m. Mario (not that creepy Denver Mario, the real deal) will be at the Sheraton Hotel, 811 7th Avenue between 52nd and 53rd streets, helping New Yorkers into cabs and dropping some cash to help pay for their rides in the city.

I hear that this won't be the only city that Mario is handing out rides in. More details to come.

The game was set up with the wheel, and while I refuse to rescind my right to mock the Wii Wheel for being a silly peripheral and getting way too much face time at last E3, the thing actually works quite well.

The game is a solid racer with everything you'd want and expect out of a Mario Kart racer, including plenty of tributes to past tracks. Tristan loved the game, and the wheel, and the two friends he brought with him said they were going to start saving immediately to buy a copy.

Now if only they could fix the whole Friend's Code thing...

[Special Thanks to Patrick Lewis for the photos and faux Mario Kart Wii Pwnage]

On a personal note I just want to say thanks again for the awesome comments on the Kaketakumentary. I read everyone one of them and hope to bring you guys more good stuff.

1. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G
2. Bokudake no Kajitsu
3. Mario Kart Wii

The biggest additions to the Mario Kart formula come in the form of a new ride—the motorbike—the ability to pull off tricks mid-jump for an extra boost, and the option to race others via the internet. How do the new features stack up?

Mario Kart Wii does a respectable job of integrating the completely new vehicle, one with different handling properties, courtesy of some well-timed exposure. Bikes are initially only available during the 100cc league races, with 150cc races, the final tier of single player, featuring a mix of karts and bikes. With bikes added, each character will have plenty of racing options to choose from, the most ludicrous of which is the high speed baby stroller, which characters like Toad and Baby Mario can pilot. It's far more emasculating that choosing Princess Peach as your driver.

Mario Kart Wii also adds one new power up, the Mega Mushroom introduced in New Super Mario Bros. It does exactly what you'd expect, increasing the size of your driver and their ride to steamroller-like proportions without slowing him or her down. Sadly, the Blue Shell power up returns—the one that attacks whomever is in first place—bringing all of the frustration and unbalance it's known for with it.

The Wii Wheel, the steering wheel shaped shell for the Wii Remote that is packed in with Mario Kart Wii—the value of which we've regularly questioned/mocked—is actually quite good. Steering your kart with the wheel feels natural, with the ability to execute tricks via Wii-mote flicks totally feasible. Keeping one's thumb depressed on the "2" button while turning the wheel can be a bit of a finger dexterity challenge, but we found that power sliding (and applying the appropriate corrections) with the Wheel worked better than anticipated. It's certainly more comfortable that holding a horizontally oriented Wii Remote. The Wheel attachment also undeniably makes "B" button pressing much more comfortable, but that aside, it's mostly a decent peripheral.

Unfortunately, we didn't have the opportunity to try out any of the other control methods

Nintendo Treehouse employees were available for online matches, in locations as far off as Germany, Italy and Japan. We played a handful of matches with Asian and European challengers and were pleased with the results. The frame rate takes a noticeable hit, but remains locked in a manageable rate. Our online races were mostly lag free, as were the trio of battles—both Balloon Battle and Coin Runner types—in which we engaged.

The only downside to our online experience was the inability to tailor the multiplayer games to our liking. We couldn't, for example, set up a match that forbade the use of Blue Shells or limit the vehicle choices to karts only.

Mario Kart Wii may be largely familiar, recycling stages from the SNES, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo DS entries, but it sticks closely to the tried and true Mario Kart gameplay conventions. Online multi-player is a nice touch, but fans may be more excited about the ability to replay classic stages with new rules (and a host of controller options) than what the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection has to offer.

The Mario Kart Wii Driving School has been slowly, quietly making its way across the country, allowing gamers to check out the game in the confines of a glass display truck.

The truck hits Denver (across from Skyline Park on the corner of 16th and Arapahoe streets) this Friday at 11 a.m. and is open for business till 8 p.m. It will also be around Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The gamers who swing by to check out the courses and vehicles walk away with an official Mario Kart driver's license that includes their photo, nickname and vehicle of choice.

I think Tristan and I are going to try and make that, sounds like fun.

"If anyone ever needs another wheel, doesn't mind it handling a little bad and looking ... hideous, just remember that if you look through all that leftover rubbish and you might just be able to save yourself a bit of money," writes Lee Brady, whose friend Colin engineered the wheel. Lee and Shane were, I dunno, QA leads.

These kids prove that half the fun of mods is spending all day making something that an extra $15 will buy (though I think these blokes are UK, by the use of "rubbish"). They're working on another, with breakthrough technology that allows use of the B button.

Lee writes:

"Colin (center) after hearing Shane (right) and I (left) had gotten our hands on Mario Kart Wii (with Wheel), wanted to make a second wheel... himself. He came to us a few hours later with that thing basically. Made of Polystyrene and a pole for the handle, and covered in masking tape, we laughed and tested it out. It actually handles ... pretty awful. And the measurements were so wrong the Wiimote kept falling out until Colin got some cardboard string to hold it in. We helped out and made some minor adjustments, but really, nothing could make this thing any better.

"We've already started on a Mock 2. [Does he mean Mark II? Mach II?-Ed.] Mock 2 is, so far, lighter, smaller and even white! (say it isn't so!) This version too can also be made with just random objects you find around your house. It even allows use of the 'B' button! (Yup, playing with the original was just one big party...)

I've only seen it on the Snowboard track - a guy with a time of 53 point something or other seconds. There are about three other people with exactly the same time. Like others have said, on the replay the guy just does one lap (excrutiatingly slowly) and then turns the opposite way just after the finish line. Then the replay doesn't stop.

Personally, I think its a bug. I've only seen it on one track and there are others with the same time.

In other words, all hope is not lost. Still, go forth at your own risk, there may be bananas around the bend.

NCS News Update [NCS]

Unfortunately, it's not perfect as the B button's a little hard to reach.

DIY Mario Kart Wii [Hatimaki]

Hit the jump for an image of December.

CONFIRMED: Animal Crossing Wii on sale this December. Er, no — what's on the other months? No idea! Still, we wouldn't put a big Winter Animal Crossing Wii E3 announcement past Nintendo.

Animal Crossing Wii Dated? [Mada Genkai]

Hit the jump for the course run down and the video for two hours of spoilers.

Two Hours of Mario Kart Wii Direct Feed, All 32 Courses [Wii Nintendo]

Course Rundown:
Mushroom Cup:
Luigi Circuit
Moo Moo Meadows
Mushroom Gorge
Toad's Factory

Flower Cup:
Mario Circuit
Coconut Mall
DK's Snowboard Cross
Wario's Gold Mine

Star Cup:
Daisy Circuit
Koopa Cape
Maple Treeway
Grumble Volcano

Special Cup:
Dry Dry Ruins
Moonview Highway
Bowser's Castle
Rainbow Road

Shell Cup:
GCN Peach Beach
DS Yoshi Falls
SNES Ghost Valley 2
N64 Mario Raceway

Banana Cup:
N64 Sherbet Land
GBA Shy Guy Beach
DS Delfino Square
GCN Waluigi Stadium

Leaf Cup:
DS Desert Hills
GBA Bowser Castle 3
N64 DK's Jungle Parkway
GCN Mario Circuit

Lightning Cup:
SNES Mario Circuit 3
DS Peach Gardens
GCN DK Mountain
N64 Bowser's Castle

Two Hours of Mario Kart Wii Direct Feed, All 32 Courses [Wii Nintendo]

This is an important e-mail update regarding your pending preorder Mario Kart Wii (w/ Wii Handle) (Nintendo™ Wii Japan, NTSC J), Order (#9593042).

We received the first small delivery today for testing and unfortunately we have to inform you, that the game is not compatible with the Datel Freeloader (US and PAL Version).

In case that this affects your preorder, please contact our customer service as soon as possible to amend/cancel your order, as otherwise we will ship your order within the next 48 hours.

If you own a Japanese Wii and you do not want to change your orders, you do not have to reply to this email.

Once again thanks for shopping with us and sorry for the inconvenience caused.

Your Play-Asia.com Customer Service
http://www.play-asia.com

With that said, we're not judging anyone who hits the jump to check out the full list of qualifying games.

Baroque
Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree
Bully: Scholarship Edition
Cabela's Big Game Hunter
Carnival Games
Cars: Mater-National
Cooking Mama: Cook Off
Dragonball Z: Budokai T3
EA Playground
Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
Ghost Squad
Legend of Zelda TP
Lego Star Wars: Complete Saga
Madden NFL 2008
MLB 2K8
Mario and Sonic Olympic Games
Mario Party 8
Mario Strikers Charged
MOH Heroes 2
MOH Vanguard
Metriod Prime 3: Corruption
MLP Power Pros
My Sims
Naurto Clash of Ninja Revolution
NBA Live 2008
Need for Speed: Carbon
Need for Speed: Pro Street
No More Heroes
Okami
Pokemon Battle Revolution
Rapala Tournament Fishing
Rayman Raving Rabbids
Rayman Raving Rabbids 2
Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition
Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicles
Sims 2: Castaways
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Paper Mario
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008
Transformers The Game
Wario Ware: Smooth Moves
WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2008

While most of us wouldn't trade in our still-warm copies of Super Mario Galaxy, tossing aside Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree probably isn't the worst decision a gamer could make.

Cheap Ass Gamer Forums [CAG via NeoGAF and DigitalBattle]

No matter your opinions may be of the Wii Wheel, the design process is always an interesting one. And these Iwata interview sessions always feel so happy that you've gotta wonder whether or not these guys are really kicking back with some cigars and a nice bottle of single malt scotch.

Iwata Asks: Mario Kart Wii [Nintendo via GoNintendo]