We’re sure Nintendo has some market analysis that justifies this device, because the company has just announced their Wi-Fi Network Adapter for the Wii and DS. I know what you’re thinking: The DS and Wii already have Wi-Fi. This unit is actually a Wi-Fi router/bridge for those who don’t already have wireless networks in the first place. Available in Japan on September 18th for $53, it looks like a horrible Wii knockoff that you’d buy from a shady store in Akihabara. Kudos to Nintendo for making the process easier for Nentendo Wiii producers everywhere. [Famitsu via Kotaku]
Toshi Iwai, a madia artist from Japan and the creator of the Electroplankton, has collaborated with Yahama to product a completely new instrument: the Tenori-On. Toshio Iwai says the Tenori-On was developed with “particular attention being given to the beauty of the light & sounds, the ease of performance, and as a musical instrument of the future.”
The Tenori-On features a 16×16 LED button matrix. There are six modes of performance and sound/light: Score Mode, Random Mode, Draw Mode, Bounce Mode, Push Mode, and Solo Mode. Compositions are made of “Layers” and “Blocks”, where sounds made in each layer will be played in order of the position of the button pushed.
The Tenori-On was offered in a limited test market in the UK for £599.00 (about $1,200 USD). Artist like Bjork have used the Tenori-On during live performances.
Surely, at least a few of you are sad that Nintendo never released the Wii in multiple colors—despite their announcement promises. Well good news! No, the Wii isn’t coming in any new colors, but Nintendo has launched the Wiimote strap in almost any flavor you’d like—blue, green, pink and, uhh, white again. Available in Japan only for the time being, the safety harnesses will go for $2.75 apiece or in a variety pack of four for about $9. In other news, Nintendo makes a bajillion more dollars without even really trying. [Kotaku]
We think that the timing of a new product introduction will depend upon the sales profile for the DS, and believe that lower than expected DS hardware sales could trigger an earlier launch for the new device. DS sales are solid worldwide, but are weak in Japan, leading us to expect an introduction of a new device in Japan before the end of the calendar year. We think that Nintendo has a new handheld device ready for launch in [Japan] before the end of the calendar year.
We don’t know if this is going to be the Nintendo DS 2, but that’s the most probable scenario, as Iwata is not very optimistic about new breakthroughs, and the DS touch concept works quite well. On the other side, it could be something that combines the DS with another device.
Or maybe Michael has eaten one too many magic mushrooms and his report stinks worse than Bowser’s dung. [EDGE via Kotaku]
Yesterday, Kotaku reported on Nintendo and 54 software makers filing an injunction to stop the sales of the R4 and similar devices in Japan. For the uninitiated, the R4 allows you to download DS games online and play them on your DS. Yes, DS piracy. And now said piracy is threatened! So what does that mean? R4 sales are through the roof. Hell, even I bought one yesterday.
The R4 is sold all over the place in Akihabara, the nerd district of Tokyo, and the employees at stores there have already noticed an uptick in sales.
The rush in demand has been amazing. These devices always sell well. But this weekend should be staggering, don’t you think?
Yes, I do think. So if you’re on the fence about getting one or just discovered their existence thanks to this lawsuit, now seems like a pretty good time to jump on board. For, uh, homebrew games only, of course. [Kotaku]
The North American debut for WiiWare titles is going to be in May, but we’ve finally got some details about how the pricing structure is going to work.
For the uninitiated, Wii Ware will be different from your run of the mill Virtual Console titles — all the games will be originally developed download titles for what’s been hyped as bargain prices.
And the numbers from Gamasutra look promising. The Nintendo Wii feature just launched in Japan, and the cheapest WiiWare title is $5 and the most costly is $15.
While there’s no indication that the North American structure will be the same, it’s a good bet that it’ll be pretty close.
Angels Solitaire is the cheapest title of the lot at 500 Points. Square Enix’s Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles: My Life as King is the heftiest at 1,500 Points. But hey, it’s a Final Fantasy title.
There are few things more disappointing than finding a copy of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, popping it into your Wii, and finding that you get a read error.
Have no fear — you’re not alone. The same errors occurred in Japan to some unlucky gamers and it’s due to the fact that SSBB is the first game to take advantage of the Wii’s dual layer lens.
The previously unused lens is more sensitive to dirty, grime, smoke, and other assorted filth. But Nintendo is already aware of the problem and will fix it free of charge for the small percentage of people it affects. Not only that, but the company will pay for the shipping both ways as well.
You can’t beat that kind of customer service with a stick. The only downside is, of course, that you won’t have a Wii in the meantime. For those afflicted gamers…time to spend more quality time with the DS.
The creative result of a collaboration between Designer Hiroshi Fujiwara and Japanese fashion magazine Honeybee, this Nintendo DS Lite sports a matte black exterior with co-ordinating jazzy white interior and hinges. Ok, so “creative” means they just painted it black and white, but it is classy isn’t it? Wait ’til you see the inside.
Apart from its Limited Edition status, we know nothing more, but that doesn’t stop us from drooling over it. [Honeybee via Kotaku]
Nintendo made th biggest sales amongst all game systems, hand-held and game consoles, during the last week of pre-Christams, with the sales of Wii and DS Lites being higher than all game machines on the market.
During week prior to 23 December 2007, Japan’s Media Create organization has recorded sales of DS Lites at a total of 279,551 units. The sales of each gaming machine in Japan is summarized in the chart below.
Japanese Consoles Sales
Source: Media Create
The Wii, coming in second, had a weekly sales of 232,907 units. For the last four weeks, the total rises to 593,286, well behind the DS Lite’s 794,529 but ahead of the PSP’s 522,521 sales. Sony’s handheld notched up sales of 171,804 units last week, down on the previous seven-day period’s tally.
PS3 sales were down to, to 58,167 units. Japanese consumers aren’t taking it to the their hearts. Gamers are, however, suggested by the steady weekly sales, mirrored in the continuing demand for the Xbox 360 and the PS2, which racked up weekly sales of 7908 and 20,391, respectively.
Four-week sales totals for the PS3, PS2 and 360 are 197,102; 64,106; and 31,977, respectively.