November 19, $250
US launch details and software confirmed - and Japan will have to wait
At a press conference in New York this morning, Nintendo confirmed the juicy details you've been dying to know: Wii will ship in the United States on November 19 for a retail price of $249.99 - and surprisingly, Japan won't get the machine until December 2.
Your $250 buys you the console, one controller, one Nunchuk (yes, that's the trademarked name for the wired analog-stickattachment), the cables to connect it to your television, and - refreshing in this day and age - a pack-in game. Wii Sports, which was shown at E3 this year, will include five contests: tennis, baseball, golf and the previously unannounced bowling and boxing.
In addition to Wii Sports, Nintendo also confirmed that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Excite Truck will be available on launch day, along with several third-party titles. About 30 games are expected by the end of the year. We've got a full story on softwarehere.
Nintendo promises that the supply lines will be cranking out consoles at a steady pace - 4 million by the end of the year - and that shortages simply won't exist. You walk into a store, you buy a Wii, you go home happy. Can they succeed where others have failed? That's ten times as many PS3s as Sony is promising at launch. We want to believe.
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