It's Wii U launch day!

Finally it's here in Ireland! Good luck on getting your console if you're buying it today and enjoy! I'm not going to get one yet as there are too many things I need to be sure of before doing so. I will get one eventually though.

I hope you'll play the hell out of Mario U. I sure would!

Trying out the "Denpa" Men demo

This came out today on the eShop. It's an RPG with big ideas, sensible minimalist designs and perfected gameplay. This kind of game is a big part of the future!

The demo lasts a decent amount of time and when you finish up with it, you can make save data that's transferrable to the full version! Splendid!

Supposedly it works by detecting different Wi-Fi hotspots. It doesn't download anything from them, it just produces a character every time a hotspot is simply detected.

Nintendo of Europe are giving away a free 3DS "full-price" download game to everyone who registered an XL

http://www.nintendo.co.uk/News/2012/Join-the-Nintendo-3DS-XL-family-and-get-a-free-download-game--678984.html

Wow. I didn't expect this... it's great though.

I got lost navigating the site trying to find where to apply for this promotion but I finally found it. What you do is log in to your account and on the very page you find yourself afterwards you click the right arrow on the flash banner and the promo is there.

Wii Mini compatible with most Wii software except for Manhunt 2

Only joking.

I'm not joking about the Wii Mini though. It's real and it's coming out in Canada.

Like the first revision of the Wii, it doesn't have GameCube compatibility but it doesn't have Internet access either. So that means no buying Virtual Console games?

I want to see all sides of it and to see it in action because I have some questions. Is it a top loader? Does it have USB ports & an SD card slot? Are there really over 1300 Wii disc games out there? Does it have a built in laser that zaps any copy of Manhunt 2 that comes within 20 metres?

Oh please let one of these things be true.

Nintendolife's USB storage guide for the Wii U

Man this Nintendo Wii U is complicated... People are talking about extra USB hard drive storage in the same way PS1 users used to talk about linking their consoles together: noone really knows how to do it and noone really bothers to explain. That is until now!

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/11/guide_using_usb_storage_with_the_wii_u

Here's a very nice looking illustrated guide. I haven't read it myself but it seems comprehensive. Nintendo has their own guide as well like they way they recommend that a hard drive with its own power supply be used.

Sounds well and good that the Wii U doesn't have to strain to cope with all that extra work I suppose. It's just that well... When I think of multiple power supplies I think of the AVGN reviews of the Mega Drive add-ons that required their own power supplies. It's the concept of bold new technology but implemented in an imperfected way, and that's not very characteristic of Nintendo.

Virtual Console game removals suck.

This issue makes me depressed. Here I am promoting the Donkey Kong Country trilogy but for all the wrong reasons. From today the three games aren't available to purchase from the Wii Shopping Channel anymore and I've been in a mad rush for the past few days talking about them because of this threat(effectively speaking).

I wasn't entirely happy when the R-Type games were removed but the removal of DKC, one of the greatest game trilogies ever makes me feel very sad. The fact that I'm talking about them during their removal event more than I ever have, makes me feel worse. What if this type of blogging encourages a publisher to do this more and with ill intentions?

This time round I'm willing to give Nintendo the benefit of a doubt: There could be a temporary quality assurance issue what with the Wii U coming out and everything. Of course, this theory of mine could very well turn out to be false. Time will tell.

Last chance to buy those DKC games off the Wii Shopping Channel

This is it. Today's the last chance to get them.

I know this is yet another reminder but it's important.

Just.... why take them off at all? It's a horrible thing to do. I won't forget this and I want answers.