Wii Mini’s U.S. Launch Set For Mid-November

In December of last year, Nintendo of Canada released a super cheap version of the Wii called the Wii Mini. It must have been a success as Nintendo has been slowly rolling it out to other parts of the...
Wii Mini’s U.S. Launch Set For Mid-November
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  • In December of last year, Nintendo of Canada released a super cheap version of the Wii called the Wii Mini. It must have been a success as Nintendo has been slowly rolling it out to other parts of the world throughout 2013, and now it’s finally making its way to the U.S.

    Nintendo announced today that the Wii Mini will finally hit the U.S. at some point this month. There’s no specific date set yet, but the company expects to have it out on store shelves by the middle of November. The Wii Mini will also pack in a copy of Mario Kart Wii.

    Unfortunately, that copy of Mario Kart Wii can only be played locally as the Wii Mini strips out the original Wii’s Wi-Fi antennae. In other words, the Wii Mini can’t go online so those who buy it can’t access online multiplayer or the Wii Shop Channel. The system also lacks component video output and an SD card slot.

    So, what’s the point of the Wii Mini? It seems kind of pointless when it lacks so many features of the original Wii. Nintendo obviously hopes that the low price of $99 and a line of $20 titles, like Super Mario Galaxy and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, will encourage those who never bought a Wii seven years ago to do so now.

    If you’re looking for something a little more sophisticated this holiday season, Nintendo is also pushing a number of Wii U bundles. It’s newest console, which features HD output and a touch screen controller, is now available for $299 in a number of configurations, including a New Super Mario Bros. U bundle and Skylanders Swap Force bundle.

    [Image: Nintendo]
    [h/t: Polygon]

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