OftenK

The Wii's Launch

Recommended Posts

So the lock is in the device, but not necessarily the games? I want some more clarity on this before I start importing.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, there would have to be a lock in the device for any sort of lock on any of the games to function. I guess there could still be an option for publishers to make their games region 0.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
So the lock is in the device, but not necessarily the games?

It's a sentient technology.

If the disc is region-specific, it'll ask the Wii which region it is before loading the game. If it's region-free, it'll simply load.

I'm tempted to say that 1st party titles - e.g. Twilight Princess and WarioWare: Smooth Moves - won't be region-locked. The regions thing is just to protect licensees who need to pay independent fees to launch a licensed title per region--this'll likely be the cross-platform stuff, like Splinter Cell - Double Agent perhaps, or multi format movie tie-ins.

On a related note: GAME has published some excellent information about Wii.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That GAME article has a VERY biased and press release feel to it. Everything's bright and shiny in their world. Might well be true, but it feels very artificial and not critical at all.

Wait, just realized GAME is a store in Britland. That explains.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Wait, just realized GAME is a store in Britland. That explains.

Right, sorry.

Yes it's very salesy, but I like the way they've made a good stab at trying to draw in as wide a selection of people as they can.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I just read a wired artical that explained this.

1st party (Nintendo) games are not going to be region locked.

It is left to the 3rd party to decide whether they want to region lock their games. They may or may not choose to do so.

Edited to clerify: Basically I think there's a bit of a programming flag on the disk. It's kind of like your mail box. They can choose whether to flip the flag up or down.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

actually... scratch that. It's wrong.

Nintendowiifanboy.com

We've never really had a reason to dislike Perrin Kaplan, Nintendo of America's vice president of marketing and corporate affairs. Sure, she got a little drunk at E3 (seriously, watch that video, it's awesome), but who wasn't? But now...she's crossed the line. We reported yesterday that the Wii would be region-free for first-party titles, and left up to the publisher for third-party ventures. However, a UK Nintendo rep flatly denied her claims, and the official line from a U.S. rep was this:

"We've heard conflicting reports from lots of folks out there, but can tell you that Wii will be region encoded, as will first-party software."

How dare you, Kaplan? We trusted you; put our ability to play quirky Japanese Wii games in your hands! You failed us, you fibbing...fibber! A curse upon your soul!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Curses! I just realized that the 8 of December is a holiday in Spain! I wonder what Nintendo will do? Release it a day early or a date late?

Considering how Nintendo is famous for release thing a few days ealier than expected, I'm hoping for the first option...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Man, this region coding thing sucks. Most of my best times with the DS have been playing Japanese DS and GBA games on it. I was hoping for a similar experience with Wii.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

One quick question? I usually make all my pre-orders at Centro Mail which is now Game...

Before, they have you some discount coupon if ou pre-orders a consoles there, but now... They are Game...

Does Game give you anything for pre-ordering a console with them?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Curses! I just realized that the 8 of December is a holiday in Spain! I wonder what Nintendo will do? Release it a day early or a date late?

Considering how Nintendo is famous for release thing a few days ealier than expected, I'm hoping for the first option...

They're going to haul all those consoles there, see that it's a holiday, take them back to Japan and try again next March.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Man, this region coding thing sucks. Most of my best times with the DS have been playing Japanese DS and GBA games on it. I was hoping for a similar experience with Wii.

Absolutely.

Since finding out about the region locking, I've gone completely cold on the Wii launch. If, like me, you're not a fan of the typical nintendo franchise games (zelda, mario, metroid etc.), then you're in for the usual hideous European lineup of console ports and movie tie-ins. Look for Agent Cody Banks Wii in Q1 2007!

I don't expect to even consider getting one for at least a year, and if then, it'll likely be a japanese console (fingers crossed for Ouendan Revolution).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've been checking out gameplay clips of the new Metroid. The Wii controller seems perfect. I don't think the problems people were worried about (like the Red Steel video earlier) actually exist. Metroid looks like a boring FPS, though.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm gonna import one from US, don't want to risk getting bummed any more with crappy european release dates and poor PAL conversions

brkl, i'm not sure about metroid.. i saw that footage and it looks a bit crap having to move to the edges of the screen to look around, it's like having a deadzone the size of your TV

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hmm, I didn't get that impression. I thought you turn with the nunchuk.

EDIT: I checked. You only need to point a bit off-center to start turning (albeit slowly). The more off-center you point the faster it turns.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I got Prime 2 a few weeks ago, but it didn't really grab me. I think that in order for an FPS to get my attention it needs more character interaction.

Just reading about what needs to be done in some dead guy's journal isn't enough for me.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Slightly off-topic, so apologies; but if anyone is interested I posted some pics from yesterday's event in the Thumbs mainpage gallery.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Just reading about what needs to be done in some dead guy's journal isn't enough for me.

Several hundred-thousand System Shock fans might quibble that one...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

With Metroid Prime my main gripe was never with the journals and lore you read, which was stellar narrative build-up, but that it didn't lead to anything at all. All that wonderful preparation and no narrative climax. Highly disappointing; and I'm not expecting anything better from Corruption.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Several hundred-thousand System Shock fans might quibble that one...

Maybe the journals in that were less about raw infromation, and had more interesting things in them.

After a few "OMG! SAMUS IS COOL!" messages, and a few "THE SECURITY GRID IS ALMOST ONLINE! IF ONLY WE COULD DO X" ... it felt very on rails to me.

I could see playing a game or two like that... but I'm not sure that I would be interested in playing another, and I only played #2.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
brkl, i'm not sure about metroid.. i saw that footage and it looks a bit crap having to move to the edges of the screen to look around, it's like having a deadzone the size of your TV

All I'll say about Metroid on Wii is that it was the game that convinced me the Wii controller is pretty amazing a year ago, as well as (more specifically) being the first viable alternative to the mouse/keyboard setup in an FPS type of game. Furthermore, and this is really outstanding amongst the early Wii titles as not many of them manage it, but the way the controller is used in Metroid is not intrusive on the game play. Metroid Corruption is great on it's own game play values, not simply because it's "Metroid with the Wii controller". The game itself is still the star.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
If, like me, you're not a fan of the typical nintendo franchise games (zelda, mario, metroid etc.), then you're in for the usual hideous European lineup of console ports and movie tie-ins.

I must say though, that SpongeBob Wii game isn't looking half bad.

I think though, that testing licensed video games for about four years has made me appreciate a good licensed game a lot more though. Most of those Kim Possible games have turned out orright - but really, it's hard to screw up a video game based on a show where the main character PUNCHES, KICKS, and CLIMBS BOXES. (Can't wait for the PS2 game, it's a 2 1/2-D platformer!)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Okay, I'd like to clear up what my gripes about Metroid 3 are. It's not that it's a run-of-the-mill FPS. It's that it's a run-of-the-mill shoot-em-up from right before Doom was released. The level I've seen is so uniform people get lost while playing it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I just wondered, has there ever been a Nintendo console that was buggy at launch (a la PS2) ?

My gf is going in half way with me on the Wii, and wondered if we should wait "until the bugs are worked out." I told her that Nintendo had no bugs.

Did I lie?:eek:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now