Wii's Price, Release, and Virtual Console prices out

Here comes the hard info. "One price, one configuration, one color." So there's only a white one (for now), it comes with the nunchaku and so-called "Wiimote" controllers, and it costs...$249.99! The system will show up at 25,000 retail locations, so it probably won't be too hard to find one--especially since Reggie just promised 4 million units shipped globally by the end of calendar 2006, with the majority share going to North America.

Where can I order one? Ok, ok, I shouldn't be saying that, $250 is over what was expected, and it seems like quite a bit of money for what you get. For $50 more you get the basic 360 which has a lot more to it... But back to the Wii, that $250 does include a nunchuck and Wii Sports (now with Bowling and Boxing), so it kind of softens the blow of the price. The only white color is a little disappointing, I might end up waiting for a black or red one which should be out sometime. But that 4 million units by the end of the year, that is nice. I think the 360 has only sold 3.3 million and it's been a year, so there should be no shortage of the Wii suckers when they come out. Come November 19th I think you'll probably be able to get them, pre-ordered or not. As for that release date, no surprises there.

In a little other news related, the nunchuck and remote set on its own will cost $60, which is $10 more then a 360 controller. That's a lot. Hell the games cost less then that. One last thing before I end up for the night:

Surprisingly, full pricing details are here. NES games will be available for 500 Wii points, Super NES games for 800, and Nintendo 64 for 1,000. Wait, Wii what? Looks like they're taking the same tack as Microsoft: Consumers part with fake money more easily than real money. A 2,000 Wii points card can be had at retail for $20--so that's $5, $8, and $10 a pop, respectively.

No surprises, I don't mind those prices at all. $10 for an N64 game is fine, most of them used at game stores cost $5-10 anyway. I'm sure I'll be buying tons of these, just like I did with the XBOX Live Arcade.

But now this gamer is off, and we'll get more into Nintendo's press conference tomorrow afternoon.

-Ton