Some Nintendo-made Wii games FINALLY dropping in price

[BetaWolf47]

http://press.nintendo.com/articles.jsp?id=28872

In short, Wii is getting a "Selects" line that's essentially the same as Player's Choice for past systems. The first four to receive this title are Animal Crossing: City Folk, Mario Super Sluggers, Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess, and Wii Sports.

Wii Sports is an odd pick for that. After all, Nintendo already sells it for $14.99 online. (http://store.nintendo.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=159708&currency=USD&catalogId=10001&tranId=0&lastAction=setCurr&storeId=10001&languageId=-1&categoryId=60707&ddkey=http:SetCurrencyPreference) Could this signify that it won't be bundled with Wii consoles anymore? Anyways, I'm glad that Nintendo is starting to drop prices on Wii software. It's amazing that they've kept prices up this long.

[Icarus Moonsight]

To get Wii under $100 they'd probably want to cut the bundle deal.

I've been getting first party games for $20-30 new for a few years already, at least. Galaxy, Wario, Punchout... You just got to be patient.

[8-bitNesMan]

Could this signify that it won't be bundled with Wii consoles anymore?

That is correct. From what I hear, Mario Kart will be the new pack in game when the Wii drops to $150 on May 15th.

[Swamperon]

I wonder why they got rid of Player's Choice?

They should have done this at least a year ago, with many more titles. Japan has had this for a while now with a much better selection.

[The 1 2 P]

They should have done this at least a year ago, with many more titles. Japan has had this for a while now with a much better selection.

I think it simply has to do with Nintendo knowing they could get away with holding this back longer in the US since the system sells better here then it does in Europe or Japan. Sales have been on the decline for the last 2 years or so but it still sells between 100,000-300,000 each month(and even more during the holidays) in the US and even for declining sales thats not bad.

[Swamperon]

I think it simply has to do with Nintendo knowing they could get away with holding this back longer in the US since the system sells better here then it does in Europe or Japan. Sales have been on the decline for the last 2 years or so but it still sells between 100,000-300,000 each month(and even more during the holidays) in the US and even for declining sales thats not bad.

Oh I didn't mean the price cut, that doesn't bother me. I was referring purely to the lack of Players Choice. I think it may have helped 3rd parties as well to make them stand out from the shovelware but oh well.

[BetaWolf47]

Went and looked at some of the cases today. The boxart looks really nice. Perhaps even better than ordinary Wii cases. They've got a regal amber color on the front, and a small crown icon printed on the spine.

http://kotaku.com/5798299/nintendo-selects-box-art-mario-kart-wii-bundle-and-more-budget-friendly-wii-details-emerge

http://fastcache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2011/05/xlarge_nintendo_selects.jpg

(I am late in posting these images, but I was rather impressed when I saw them in store)

[duffmanth]

Cuz the Wii is going down the tubes.

[duffmanth]

bout time

[joshnickerson]

Cuz the Wii is going down the tubes.

http://cdn.pimpmyspace.org/media/pms/c/hc/xl/yw/rollsfeed1.jpg

[c0ldb33r]

Those red cases don't look bad for a players choice game, but I'll stick with the originals.

Sometimes when companies introduce cheap games they'll do a run where the new case design is basically just a sticker stuck on an original case. I wonder if nintendo will be doing this.

Also, I wonder if the cheap versions still include club nintendo points.

[Baloo]

Wii Sports? An odd choice indeed. I wonder what they'll even be charging for that?

I'd take Mario Kart as a pack-in over Wii Sports any day though.

[importaku]

If those are anything like the Japanese versions they will have reversable covers that have the full art on them.

[joshnickerson]

If those are anything like the Japanese versions they will have reversable covers that have the full art on them.

Even though these new covers do look rather classy, it would be nice to have the original cover art. Though NOA did give us reversable art on the "Wii-Makes" games that came out a few years back, so I'd be surprised if they didn't do the same here. Well, I plan on picking up Twilight Princess anyway, so I guess I'll find out soon enough.

Now let's get them to start doing this for games that are out of print (Wario Ware, Metroid Prime Trilogy, etc) as well as overlooked 3rd party entries (Boy and his Blob, Klonoa, etc.)

[Bojay1997]

Even though these new covers do look rather classy, it would be nice to have the original cover art. Though NOA did give us reversable art on the "Wii-Makes" games that came out a few years back, so I'd be surprised if they didn't do the same here. Well, I plan on picking up Twilight Princess anyway, so I guess I'll find out soon enough.

Now let's get them to start doing this for games that are out of print (Wario Ware, Metroid Prime Trilogy, etc) as well as overlooked 3rd party entries (Boy and his Blob, Klonoa, etc.)

Boy and His Blob is on clearance at Toys R Us for $9.98. Very unlikely it will ever come back as a re-release.

[BetaWolf47]

Sometimes when companies introduce cheap games they'll do a run where the new case design is basically just a sticker stuck on an original case. I wonder if nintendo will be doing this.

If you mean literally a sticker on the box, then no. Everything is printed onto the box.

[Swamperon]

Wii Sports? An odd choice indeed. I wonder what they'll even be charging for that?

I'd take Mario Kart as a pack-in over Wii Sports any day though.

$19.99. Which is a bit silly as you can go into any game store and pick it up for 99c/p. Wii Sports Resort would have been a better choice.

[joshnickerson]

If those are anything like the Japanese versions they will have reversable covers that have the full art on them.

Just checked out an opened copy at Gamestop today and nope, no reversable cover. A bummer, but at least these don't stand out in a collection like those bright yellow Gamecube logos on the spines from the previous generation.

Amazingly enough though, today I found a brand new launch copy of Twilight Princess at a way (WAY) out of the way K-Mart this weekend mixed in with the Nintendo Selects versions. :D


$19.99. Which is a bit silly as you can go into any game store and pick it up for 99c/p. Wii Sports Resort would have been a better choice.

They did drop Wii Sports Resort down to $39.99, though it no longer comes with the MotionPlus dongle. :/

[The 1 2 P]

Amazingly enough though, today I found a brand new launch copy of Twilight Princess at a way (WAY) out of the way K-Mart this weekend mixed in with the Nintendo Selects versions. :D

All the Kmarts around here still have original copies of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Why? Because nobody wanted to pay the $49 they have charged for it. It never got clearanced so you are likely to find those early copies at pretty much any Kmart you go to.

[Lady Jaye]

Rumor had it that a second wave of titles were to be added on Aug. 28 to the Nintendo Selects line-up, including Super Paper Mario. Well, although Nintendo has yet to confirm it (2 weeks before price drop), Amazon.ca already have Super Paper Mario for pre-order at $20 with the Nintendo Selects cover.

http://www.amazon.ca/Nintendo-Selects-Super-Paper-Mario/dp/B005EHQJ2C

http://img.amazon.ca/images/I/61p7128FGVL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Considering that I love the Paper Mario series, it'll be a day one purchase when it drops in price. And if the other rumored titles are accurate (Mario Strikers, Punch-Out and Mario Galaxy), I'll certainly pick up Mario Galaxy as well.

[frogofdeath]

Considering that I love the Paper Mario series, it'll be a day one purchase when it drops in price. And if the other rumored titles are accurate (Mario Strikers, Punch-Out and Mario Galaxy), I'll certainly pick up Mario Galaxy as well.
Not sure why these price drops have taken so long, but glad to see some other titles added. Looks like I may be adding a couple of games to my Wii library.

Now, if only Nintendo would add a Selects line-up to the DS.

[Zing]

I'll certainly pick up Mario Galaxy as well.

How is it possible that any owner of a Wii does not own the best Mario game in existence?

[jcalder8]

How is it possible that any owner of a Wii does not own the best Mario game in existence?
How do you know she doesn't own Super Mario World?

[Flashback2012]

How is it possible that any owner of a Wii does not own the best Mario game in existence?

I do already, several times over. Oh wait...you weren't talking about Super Mario Bros. 2? :ass: With that said, I imagine the thread will soon derail into a rant about how SMB2 isn't even a real Mario game. :popcorn:

All joking aside, I still don't own either Super Mario Galaxy game. My reason is simply due to pricing. I have to admit I'm something of a cheapskate and I'm not interested in paying full price for these titles, especially after they've been on the market for a few years now. Once they hit the $19.99 price, then they'll show up on my radar. I only wish that Nintendo had done reversible covers like they did for the New Play Control titles (speaking of which, I thought there was supposed to be more of those :?) If Nintendo had went that route, I wouldn't have hesitated to pick them their titles new. Since they're not, I think I'll have to hunt down some really nice looking used copies.

[joshnickerson]

I only wish that Nintendo had done reversible covers like they did for the New Play Control titles (speaking of which, I thought there was supposed to be more of those :?) If Nintendo had went that route, I wouldn't have hesitated to pick them their titles new. Since they're not, I think I'll have to hunt down some really nice looking used copies.

I don't think the NPC series sold all that well, sadly (probably why we never saw Pikmin 2 or Chibi-Robo here in the states).

As for the new Select games, pretty much every retailer near me has plenty of copies of Mario Galaxy still in stock, so it probably won't be all that hard to find new copies with the old covers (at least right when the price drop hits anyway). Hell, I found a brand new launch copy of Twilight Princess just a couple months ago in some out of the way K-mart.

[BetaWolf47]

I don't think the NPC series sold all that well, sadly (probably why we never saw Pikmin 2 or Chibi-Robo here in the states).

Chibi-Robo! is definitely worth picking up on GameCube though. One of the best unknown gems on the system next to Donkey Kong Jungle Beat.

I'll also be picking up Super Paper Mario if that Selects rumor is true.

[Vlcice]

I do already, several times over. Oh wait...you weren't talking about Super Mario Bros. 2? :ass: With that said, I imagine the thread will soon derail into a rant about how SMB2 isn't even a real Mario game. :popcorn:

Mario 2 is AWESOME. I don't care who says otherwise.


All joking aside, I still don't own either Super Mario Galaxy game. My reason is simply due to pricing. I have to admit I'm something of a cheapskate and I'm not interested in paying full price for these titles, especially after they've been on the market for a few years now. Once they hit the $19.99 price, then they'll show up on my radar. I only wish that Nintendo had done reversible covers like they did for the New Play Control titles (speaking of which, I thought there was supposed to be more of those :?) If Nintendo had went that route, I wouldn't have hesitated to pick them their titles new. Since they're not, I think I'll have to hunt down some really nice looking used copies.

Same here. I admit, I own a Wii but haven't paid that much attention to games for it - so I didn't grab a lot of games when they were new. And I usually don't want to pay full price for a game that's been out for awhile, so Nintendo's silly pricing on stuff means that I've put off getting them. Now that the price has dropped, I'm looking at a few things I missed like Mario Galaxy and Super Paper Mario.

[MarioMania]

Mario 2 is AWESOME. I don't care who says otherwise.

The Japanese Mario 2 better then the US version...The US version isn't a Mario game at all

[Lady Jaye]

Ah but in terms of creation, Doki Doki Panic/SMB2 has more to do with Mario than Lost Levels, as Miyamoto was involved in the former but not the latter.

And, well, I haven't had a Wii for that long (only a few months) and I was waiting for an occasion to find a cheap copy of Super Mario Galaxy. I actually own Super Mario Galaxy 2, though. And I have or have owned at some point or another almost all other Mario games (including spinoffs like Paper Mario and Super Mario RPG).

I don't care whether the copy I'd buy is the Selects or the original release version, as long as the game's the same. I don't consider myself a collector but rather a gamer, so I don't feel the need for my games to have all matching spines or what not.

[Leo_A]

Ah but in terms of creation, Doki Doki Panic/SMB2 has more to do with Mario than Lost Levels, as Miyamoto was involved in the former but not the latter.


You mean it has more to do with Miyamoto. Just because Miyamoto is involved with a project doesn't mean it's somehow become a member of the Mario series by default or more genuine than another Mario releases that he wasn't involved in. SMB2J was a Mario project from the start, Doki Doki Panic only became a Mario game (And an excellent one at that) after the fact.

[starchildskiss78]

I must admit I am a little late to the (Mario) party on these games. I was excited to hear more games were being released at the lower price. I don't tend to pay full price for games because frankly $50 is about a tank of gas for me!

It seems Nintendo's games hold on to that higher price for much longer, making the cost prohibitive to buy certain games. I bought Punch Out! for about $30 on clearance at Sears Essentials back in March or April, so I didn't need it in the new packaging. I bought Twilight Princess (finally) when they released it as part of the Nintendo Selects series.

I bought Super Mario Galaxy and Super Paper Mario at Target today. I was excited about Super Paper Mario and was a bit disappointed it became a Wii release instead of for the Gamecube as they originally intended because I didn't have a Wii at the time. I can't wait to try it out.

I still have my Wii Sports disc that came with the Wii. I guess the appeal of the one in the case would be to have a nice way to display it on the shelf. I would buy it if the original ever gets damaged (the cardboard case makes me nervous taking it out and putting it back in). I'm not really interested in Mario Super Sluggers or Mario Strikers Charged. I already have the ones originally on Gamecube and did not see any changes that stood out to me. And....Animal Crossing: City Folk was bought on launch day with the strategy guide (for the girlfriend....I barely touch it!)

I do wish they would release New Super Mario Bros Wii as part of the series....even if they lost the red case in the process.

[SpaceHarrier]

(for the girlfriend....I barely touch it!)

I just felt like taking this out of context.


I do wish they would release New Super Mario Bros Wii as part of the series....even if they lost the red case in the process.

Interestingly enough, lately I've been seeing alot of Mario DS titles show up in red boxes.

I kind of think they could score some sales with Metroid: Other M and Sin & Punishment: Star Successor if they would rebrand them as budget titles. Why are they both (still) $49.99 if they aren't selling well?

[Blitzwing256]

I just picked up metroid other m the other day on clearance for 7 and now i can get punchout and paper mario for 20? ALMOST a reason to dust off the system and try it again, I havn't touched the system since the day I got it like 3 years ago.

[PapaStu]

I Interestingly enough, lately I've been seeing alot of Mario DS titles show up in red boxes.

That was because they were 'relaunched' in eco cases as part of the 25th anniversary of Mario. Prices didn't drop, just the addition of the new cases. The games arn't even showing a -A rev to them, so that was a purely cosmetic change.

[MarioMania]

What does the Disc look like in the Nintendo Selete Series??

[joshnickerson]

A friend of mine picked up the NS version of Punch-Out!! and the disc art looked pretty much the same as my non-NS version.