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What’s the Gray Market Like for the Wii U? Check Back After Black Friday
As of this writing there are at least 630 Wii Us listed on eBay for minimum bids or buy-it-now prices of $520 or more. Not a one of them has any takers. Even though it took less than a day for GameStop to sell out its preorder allotment, even though the retailer claims a waiting…
By Owen Good Published November 18, 2012 -
Wii U Owners Bummed Out By Huge Firmware Update
That’s a progress bar 1/8th full after 30 minutes—a four-hour process at this rate—for the Wii U’s infamous firmware update, said to be 5 gigabytes (according to Geoff Keighley of GameTrailers TV, and repeated by numerous others). Sony, you are officially off the hook with the PS3’s interminable, poorly timed and mandatory system updates. It’s…
By Owen Good Published November 18, 2012 -
Report: Wii U Cracked Open, System Memory and Speed Revealed
Nintendo, like many hardware manufacturers, was cagey about the final specs for the Wii U, choosing not to reveal the system’s overall memory prior to release. Now that the Wii U is out, though, it hasn’t taken long for someone to tear one apart and do the detective work themselves. The crew at PC Perspective…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 18, 2012 -
Reviews
Wii U: The Kotaku Review [UPDATE]
The Wii U is the first new video game console in six years and the sixth console Nintendo has ever made. It comes freighted with heavy expectations. It more or less starts the next generation of consoles, one that will see a new Xbox and PlayStation late next year, and therefore it needs to seem…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 17, 2012 -
I’m Adding Friends To My Wii U, And I’m Not Even Using Friend Codes!
The Wii U firmware update that just went live and will be mandatory for any of the system’s online features has enabled me to start adding friends to my system. The system is pretty easy. You press the Home menu on the GamePad controller, tap the Friends List option, and then start typing in the…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 17, 2012 -
Ninja Gaiden III on Wii U: Well, It Sucks Less.
When Ninja Gaiden III came out, I was none too kind to it. As a long standing fan of the franchise, it just did too many questionable things: QTE’s in combat, Long-winded villains, and an uncomfortable scene in which you’re forced to murder somebody while he pleads for his life and the welfare of his…
By Chris Person Published November 17, 2012 -
Sony and Microsoft Could Have Killed the Wii Long Before It Would Save Nintendo
The midnight launch of the Wii U is a perfect time to reflect on the craze, six years ago, surrounding its predecessor, and the industry-transforming success of the Wii. And there really is no finer story you could read about that than what Rob Crossley has written for CVG. Microsoft and Sony both had their…
By Owen Good Published November 17, 2012 -
Bad Port or Bad Hardware? We’re Already Hearing Complaints About Wii U Visuals.
As Nintendo’s first high definition console, Wii U will join the neverending, nothing-really-proven debate between the PS3 and the Xbox 360 over which console’s visuals for whatever multiplatform game are superior. Some people are convinced it’s a bad port, others are convinced it proves inferior hardware. It doesn’t sound like Mass Effect 3 or Ninja…
By Owen Good Published November 17, 2012 -
Jimmy Fallon is No Match for Reggie in Metroid Blast
Before working the line at Nintendo World’s Wii U campout, Nintendo of America Reggie Fils-Aime went back on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to show off the new console and play a couple of games, Metroid Blast in NintendoLand, and New Super Mario Bros. U. Reggie’s good at both games, which is refreshing to see;…
By Owen Good Published November 17, 2012 -
Animal Crossing‘s Creepiest Room Is Amazing and Somewhat Criminal
Manga artist Pyocotan might be best known for signature illustrations in Japanese game magazine Gamelabo or CoroCoro Comic. His work is anything but cute. It’s actually both wonderful and creepy—kind of like Robert Crumb Pyocotan, a hardcore Nintendo fan, recently picked up a copy of Animal Crossing: New Leaf and is passing the time by…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 17, 2012 -
24 Hours Before Wii U Launch, Reggie Surprises The Nintendo Faithful in NYC
Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aime did the Jimmy Fallon show on Friday, got some dinner and then… he took a stroll to the Nintendo World Store. He found more than 50 people camped out to pick up the Wii U at midnight Saturday night. I tagged along to see what happened. I walked the…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 17, 2012 -
This Is One Of The First Indie Games You Can Buy On Your Wii U
It’s called Chasing Aurora, and it’ll be out Sunday when the Wii U launches. It’s a multiplayer game with a handful of different modes. Seems pretty interesting! Check out their website for more
By Jason Schreier Published November 16, 2012 -
Challenge the World’s Best Trainers in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 Beginning Monday.
On Monday, Pokémon enthusiasts can challenge the top 12 trainers from this year’s World Championships in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 The trainers and teams will be distributed over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection sometime on Monday, and will bring three-time world champion Ray Rizzo’s stable of Tyranitar, Garchomp, Cresselia, Hydreigon, Rotom, Metagross along with…
By Owen Good Published November 16, 2012 -
We’ll Answer Your Questions About The Wii U [UPDATE: Q&A Over]
The next generation of consoles is finally upon us. On Sunday, the Wii U will launch in the United States, and although some might snark that it’s not really a “next-gen” machine, it is the first new console we’ve seen since 2006. That’s exciting. We at Kotaku have played the Wii U. We’ve got two…
By Jason Schreier Published November 16, 2012 -
Uh-Oh. Nintendo TVii Now Planned For December [UPDATE]
Nintendo’s impressive video streaming service for the Wii U will not be out for launch after all. Nintendo is now planning for it to debut in December, which represents at least a two week delay. Nintendo indirectly announced the delay today in a press release hyping the new system’s Sunday launch. Here’s their description of…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 16, 2012 -
Don’t Forget the Wii U’s Camera
The Wii U’s second screen gets most of the press regarding Nintendo’s new console, but there’s another interesting oddity bolted into the new machine’s controller: a camera. The camera is front-facing and, in the launch games I’ve played, barely used. When it is used, it’s a reminder that there are lots of new possibilities available…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 16, 2012 -
“Help! My Wife Won’t Stop Playing Animal Crossing.”
The plea appeared on Yahoo! Japan’s Q&A section. It began: “My wife won’t return from Animal Crossing.” The latest AC game, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, was recently released in Japan. The Animal Crossing games are hugely popular in Japan. According to the husband, after his wife downloaded her copy of New Leaf in the middle…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 16, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Kiki Trick is a Listening Game That’s More Work Than Fun
From Mario to Rhythm Heaven when it comes to first-party games, Nintendo is no slouch. But what’s surprising is how many of these titles never leave Japan even today. We took a look at the B-List Nintendo crossover Captain Rainbow earlier this year, but it is far from the only forgotten Wii title. In fact,…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published November 16, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Take a Good Look at This “Real Life Kirby”
In Nintendo games, Kirby is round, pink, and cute. In real life, Kirby is apparently round, white, and, well… Japanese doll sculptor Honoka created the work, putting this photo up on Twitter. The reaction has varied from people calling the sculpture “frightening” or “creepy”, to others praising the artistry that went into creating the piece.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 16, 2012 -
Reviews
New Super Mario Bros. U: The Kotaku Review
New Super Mario Bros. U is an extraordinarily important game. It’s the flagship title for a new piece of gaming hardware. It’s the first-ever high-definition Mario. And it’s the Wii U’s first system-seller, one of the big games that Nintendo hopes will convince people to buy their innovative, unusual new console. It’s also just another…
By Jason Schreier Published November 15, 2012