Nintendo makes poopsky Wii advertorials
by Blake Snow 
{ Nov 9th 2006 at 4:50PM }
A recent issue of UK's Prima magazine featured a disturbing Nintendo advertorial (i.e. an advertisement pretending to be an article) pitching Wii to the non-gamer type. This thing is so misleading, we'll just note the worst and wallow in our discomfort elsewhere:
- The feigned article vies to help individuals get fit while playing Wii. Umm, go work out or ride one of these...
- "Turn off the TV and get active in your own home with the revolutionary Wii." Umm, keep that TV on so you can use the console...
- The article suggests not to sit your children in front of a TV, but in front of the Wii instead. Umm, still not getting it...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
FuzzyPickles @ Nov 9th 2006 4:54PM
lol @ everything
OnlyForward @ Nov 9th 2006 4:55PM
They couldn't have found a less creepy old guy? This guy looks like he's two years and a stroke away from being the crypt keeper...
crono141 @ Nov 9th 2006 5:01PM
OMFG ANTI NINETNDO
Sorry, couldn't help it :)
MetaHuman @ Nov 9th 2006 5:04PM
NO. It can't be a Nintendo ad!
It's too poorly written!!!
TURN OFF THE TV!!! AGHHHH!!!
get over it @ Nov 9th 2006 5:04PM
that girl's going to need years of therapy...
RD @ Nov 9th 2006 7:58PM
And wonderful! Mislead everyone by using a GameCube game with no Wii remote functionality!
Yet...
Eric Von Shpeel @ Nov 9th 2006 5:09PM
"turn off the TV, take a deep breath and play with your Wii for 3 hours and burn calories at the same time"
are you sure this was a gaming mag and not an adult magazine?
FuzzyPickles @ Nov 9th 2006 5:14PM
It's not a gaming mag, it's probably more like a "lifestyle" mag. You know, the kind that tells you how to not get fat, how to color-coordinate your living room, 10000 ways to please your man as written by women. Since everything else in the magazine is bullshit, I don't really care that this article is too.
Dracula Jones @ Nov 9th 2006 5:20PM
This is what happens when your promo materials only show people waving a remote around and fail to show what they're waving it at. Yes, it's pretty much just a video game, rest of the world.
Zamzoph @ Nov 9th 2006 5:21PM
Joystiq linking to a YTMND?!
BRILLIANT!!
JodyAnthony @ Nov 9th 2006 5:22PM
hahaha, that picture is incredible.
Gamblour @ Nov 9th 2006 5:27PM
I didn't know Mr. Drummond played Wii.
Chris @ Nov 9th 2006 5:40PM
Wait... if you have to turn off the TV to use the Wii...
HOLOGRAPHIC PROJECTIORS IS THE FINAL SECRET!!!!
Bunghole @ Nov 9th 2006 5:41PM
Grandpa" see when i pull it out your supposed to rub it"
Kid"What do you mean grandpa?"
Grandpa*smiles then he lunges at her*
bill pullman @ Nov 9th 2006 5:44PM
you guys CAN'T be that stupid. i'm not really a Wii/Nintendo fan, but it's pretty obvious that "TV" in the article is referring to a broadcast or transmission (ie: shows/cartoons, all that), rather than the set itself (monitor).
Joystiq makes so many grammatical/spelling errors in a day, it's DISGUSTING. you'd think you could see your way past this one.
Erik Novak @ Nov 9th 2006 5:50PM
Mr. Drummond plays Wii!
Vince @ Nov 9th 2006 5:51PM
Hands up the fanboy that's off out to buy Prima tomorrow to add to his collection of related bumf.
Tim Harding @ Nov 9th 2006 5:53PM
"Turn off the TV and get active in your own home with the revolutionary Wii."
Haha...You know what they MEAN, it was just a stupid way of wording it, Bill. In any case, it's a pretty horrible advertisement beginning to end.
http://www.playwii.com
typo @ Nov 9th 2006 6:03PM
The first thing I noticed was that the little overlay appears to be the Gamecube Animal Crossing -- so I don't know why they're waving remotes around...
kodec @ Nov 9th 2006 6:06PM
At least it attempts to be informative about the console and not just full of irrelevant stuff like crying babies or eggs smashing into walls with crows flying out.
RocketMBA @ Nov 9th 2006 6:13PM
That game is actually the one with Wario in, ain't it?
The old man doesn't bother me anywhere near as much as the scary-mouthed kid.
Joe smith @ Nov 9th 2006 6:30PM
At lkeast with the TV off you won't have to look at the graphics.
punk @ Nov 9th 2006 6:31PM
1987 called -- they would like their powerglove, advertising materials, 2-button controller and light zapper back.
Travi$ @ Nov 9th 2006 6:37PM
1995 called -- they would like their analog stick, diamond buton placement, and dual shoulder buttons back.
peej @ Nov 9th 2006 6:41PM
ZOMG!! You mean Nintendo is blowing their advertising budget by marketing towards the fanboys that are already going to by the product?! ... and what?! They are trying to reach non gamers through their ads?!
Try to realize that Nintendo is a business, and they are trying to make money, just like Sony and Microsoft. They have to target the people that they want to buy their product.
Mister Disco @ Nov 9th 2006 6:51PM
I wonder where his other hand is...
As a Nintendo fan, I'm pretty upset at the misleading statements made in the advert. Or, maybe not misleading... Just stupid. Wii + TV = Play. There's really no other way. >_>
droptop GP @ Nov 9th 2006 7:10PM
the more i look at the Wii, the more I know the system will not meet my hardcore gaming needs.
it's a kids console.
Mr. Khan @ Nov 9th 2006 7:26PM
Man oh Man...
Yes, it is a bad advertisement, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, and yes, i would vomit if it were in something geared towards the gaming hardcore. Misleading; Aye. But this is geared to the kind of people who believe in Fung Shue, so they're used to this sort of shit
and droptop GP: Just because it has something MORE than traditional Racing/Shooter/MMO's does not mean it DOESN'T have traditional games the hardcore will enjoy (Metroid Prime 3, Strikers: Charged, and Red Steel I need all of you now!!)
go troll somewhere else
bill pullman @ Nov 9th 2006 8:34PM
"the more i look at the Wii, the more I know the system will not meet my hardcore gaming needs."
well, it helps if you're not an elitist slut.
Epsilon @ Nov 9th 2006 8:35PM
Take note that I am a huge Nintendo fanboy.
This article is ----.
Epsilon @ Nov 9th 2006 8:35PM
The thing is though that you WILL burn calories. Just not very much.
BlackYoshi @ Nov 10th 2006 7:16AM
Yeah, you'll burn calories. I also burn calories by simply existing. Oooh, big deal. No one is going to lose weight using the Wii, its not that intensive. This article is misleading from top to bottom; trying to hide the fact that its a video game system. It even blatantly lies about "turning off the TV" and such.
Sam @ Nov 9th 2006 10:52PM
#18 is wrong, that's not the Gamecube Animal Crossing. Animal crossing on the cube had a much more top-down point of view, and the landscape didn't roll away from you like it does in that picture.
It's not the DS Animal Crossing either, everything is too close-up.
Which means this is the first screenshot (that I know of anyway) of the Wii version of Animal Crossing.
Sam @ Nov 9th 2006 10:56PM
Follow up to that: According to one of the comments on the linked page, the "Animal Crossing" screenshot is actually from an AC-themed mini-game in Warioware.