Wii mini a future highly sought after Canadian collectable?

[Atarifever1]

This seems odd to me.  Now I'm left trying to decide if this is the sort of exclusive I should buy because of the future rarity. 

https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/32620

Very strange exclusive. 

[Leo1]

I suspect it will appear worldwide. The last redesign was supposed to be a European exclusive but was rolled out worldwide not long afterwards. 

Since it offers no advantages, I don't see it being too desirable even if it never leaves Canada. It won't offer something like the advantages the traditional cartridge slot on the uncommon NES redesign did that has seen it become a valuable and desirable item. So I'm thinking it will be the Game Boy Micro of the Wii line with the loss of functionality, no advantages, and just some novelty value due to its small size. That one didn't sell very well but is easily available for very little money. 

For some reason the small size of this has me wanting one. 

[Pacman0001]

Hmmm... I've actually never used the Wii's internet, nor have I used the Gamecube backwards compatibility.  If I didn't have a Wii, I might buy this.

[VideoGameCritic]

Did we really need a smaller Wii?  I think it was already the smallest console in existence.  I don't get it...

[darkrage61]

This is just another pointless cash grab like the GBA Micro.

[ActRaiser1]

We don't need it, but Nintendo might. 

They have the high end console with the new Wii U at $350/300.  At the low end they have this gizmo at $99.

Makes sense to me.  Nintendo pulls out the parts that aren't going to be used by the new purchasers.  I mean how often would someone play a Gamecube game today?  (that's buying a Wii console for the first time).  My guess is pretty low.  They'll buy it for Wii Sports and be happy.  Nintendo makes money.  We're talking seriously old parts now.

[Leo1]

[QUOTE=videogamecritic]Did we really need a smaller Wii?  I think it was already the smallest console in existence.  I don't get it...[/QUOTE]

The point isn't the size of it, the point is the price point. Everything nonessential to playing 99% of the retail software out there offline was stripped away to drive cost down as far as possible so they can price this to get the last few sales they've yet to capture over the past 6 years with higher price points.

A more apt comparison with a past console would be the Sega Genesis 3 instead of the Game Boy Micro. The point of the Micro was its small size. The goal here like with the Genesis 3 is to drive cost as far down as possible via losing everything nonessential to playing retail Wii software in order to capture remaining sales. Small size just happens to come with the territory with such a goal (and make for a nice marketing angle by calling it the Wii Mini).

It's not meant for you or me. This isn't an upgrade for people already owning a Nintendo Wii.

[ZetaX1]

[QUOTE=Leo]The point isn't the size of it, the point is the price point.[/QUOTE]

Our local Wally World has Wiis for $109 (say that 5 times fast!). This new version is $99? 

No ability to connect to the internet...no online games, no browser (which I actually use from time to time), no Netflix (which I have also used from time to time), no crappy news and weather channels, no "Nintendo Channel" adverts/previews.  Plus it's got a clunky pop-up lid like a PS1 or Dreamcast, gotta make sure you have room above the thing to get disks in and out. 

Not worth a $10 dollar savings...unless you just need to have every version of a piece of hardware.

[Leo1]

[QUOTE=ZetaX][QUOTE=Leo]The point isn't the size of it, the point is the price point.[/QUOTE]

Our local Wally World has Wiis for $109 (say that 5 times fast!). This new version is $99?  [/QUOTE]

Standard MSRP is $129.99 for the current Wii revision in the United States. Looking online, it looks like a Wii bundle in Canada has a MSRP of $150 these days. So it's a savings of $50 CDN or 1/3 the price. 

Plus I imagine this opens up the option of an even cheaper Wii down the road. It's still putting in respectable numbers this Christmas season at $130 in the States. If they were to launch this here next year, I would think a sub $100 Wii is a possibility come Christmas 2013.

[a1]

[QUOTE=darkrage6]This is just another pointless cash grab like the GBA Micro.[/QUOTE]

Are there consoles made that aren't cash grabs?