Today's hottest game video: Wii in Japan

by Zack Stern { Dec 4th 2006 at 12:00AM }

Today's most-watched YouTube game video shows Japanese news coverage of the Wii launch, including a brief interview with Wiimote Guy. Non-Japanese speakers may like seeing some of the shots of the lines, people swinging Wii controllers around, and New Year's-like countdowns to Wii sales; other than that, the video relies on voice-over and man-on-the-street interviews.

See the video after the break.

Tags: costume, hottest video, HottestVideo, launch06, lines, Wiimote costume, WiimoteCostume

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Silver @ Dec 4th 2006 12:10AM

Awaiting deluge of broken TVs/light fixtures/windows reports from Japanese gamers due to craptastic Wiimote wrist strap... :(

Nintendo: FIX THE CRAPPY STRAPS! Please!

Jeff @ Dec 4th 2006 2:52AM

I don't think the Japanese will flail around the Wiimote with utmost maximum strength like idiots like the North Americans do...aside from that, they possess less strength in general.

Squeek @ Dec 4th 2006 12:17AM

If you don't want the strap to break, don't let go of the controller. Difficult concept to grasp, I know.

But with regards to the ACTUAL post at hand here, it's pretty sweet to see how much more important these kinds of things are in Japan.

Official countdowns? Thousands in line? Compare that to cold reception from employees as they laugh at us in our tents and sleeping bags.

And a several minute news spot? We had like, what, thirty seconds and all they could say was "LOOK AT ALL THESE NERDS IN LINE LOL"

Petrie @ Dec 4th 2006 12:23AM

I only wish the reception had been as warm towards us at our Circuit City, instead of the complete disregard for customers who were making huge purchases from their store.

Carlos Rivero @ Dec 4th 2006 12:37AM

I wish subtitles...

Brandon @ Dec 4th 2006 12:47AM

I love the fact that Sonic is letting down a Nintendo banner. Shortly after he chain-smoked a pack of cigarettes and wondered when be became such a whore.

Lem-Lem @ Dec 4th 2006 12:48AM

@#2 This is mostly because in the US gamers are classified as the "losers who waste their time doing things that equate to nothing" category to people who don't understand. As for Japan, (as far as I know) gaming is very excepted and the fact that the success of the Wii or PS3 impacts their economy more then ours.

Q @ Dec 4th 2006 1:01AM

Woooow!

Anyways, apart from that (lol) they were multiple news segments of the Wii from different News Stations.

earl g @ Dec 4th 2006 1:11AM

Hai!

Poor Sonic, he used to be be up there with Mario... now he's doing countdowns for Mario's console, while Mario is off bathing in money.

Tacoman @ Dec 4th 2006 2:00AM

Yay! Gaijin got airtime! And the guy wearing the Wiimote costume left the house and got on the train dressed like that, totally awesome!

@4 - I'd translate it if it weren't 1:30 in the morning. Maybe tomorrow, though it's pretty standard stuff about asking people what time they got in line and how it's fun for the whole family.

Digital Fine Art Guy @ Dec 4th 2006 1:29AM

Okay, so the Wii will rule Japan as the DS did, with the PS3 coming in 2nd. And the 360 won't have a shot. But in other countries the 360 will probably win. It's a much different game this time around, it seems. You don't have to win every country.

mike @ Dec 4th 2006 2:18AM

Gaijin got airtime!

---

they were there for 3 days... yikes... that's a lot of Hentai

cool @ Dec 4th 2006 3:32AM

Stop blaming the strap Hold On to the wiimote! Don't left go!
To who ever still can't hold on to the wiimote and blame Nintendo for it, watch this video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9Ao7Wbi338&NR

A 3 year old can hold on to the wiimote. What does it tell you about the so-called adults that can't?

mocax @ Dec 4th 2006 4:43AM

So! the secret to bowling is to move the body, not swinging the arm like a mad softball player.

Thanks for the tips!

Sketchy Fletchy @ Dec 4th 2006 6:56AM

Heh - mad props to the dude in line @ 4:20 wearing the power glove.

Goddamnit, 2 days, 1 hour, 4 minutes and 20 seconds until I can get my Wii here in Australia.

SOON!!! SO SOON!!!

Lee @ Dec 4th 2006 7:33AM

@#9 - You EVER consider that Nintendo MIGHT just win over the US and Europe too? I own both a Wii and an XBox 360, and I will say it flat out.... there arn't THAT many GOOD games for the 360... I can't even have backwards combatibility with Phsyconauts :( All Microsoft really has running for it is Gears, Halo, the Too Human trilogy, and Rareware and BioWare games... otherwise, it ain't that good. AS for the Wii... I can't stop playing it :P I think the Wii is gonna win this time around... EVERYWHERE. In 3 years, I think you will find the gaming market to be this

Nintendo
Microsoft
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Sony (sorry... but tis true. All Sony has running for it is Insomniac, Naughty Dog, God of War, and Suckerpunch.)

wei @ Dec 4th 2006 8:19AM

i agree.. i've been a longtime nintendo fan, but i owned all three last-gen consoles.. i've had a 360 for a while before getting a wii.. i enjoyed a few games for 360, especially dead rising and gears, but found myself scratching my head looking for a game to buy while i was braving the wii shortage.. i couldn't get myself to pull the trigger on another single title, especially at the price point of $60us

now i got a wii with wiisports and zelda and over the course of 3 days i've logged 18 hours on the machine.. now this is coming from somebody who has been disenfranchised with gaming and hasn't put together a gaming session longer than an hour or two in about 4 years... the last big gaming session was probably with the wind waker..

my point is, i can really see nintendo winning this gen.. i was skeptical at first, but the pick-up playability along with the undeniable charm of big N makes this console the runaway winner in my mind. i thought i'd want a ps3 eventually, but at this point, i have no desire to get one at all.. kudos to nintendo for creating such a vibrate and ADDICTIVE gaming experience!

awiifemale @ Dec 4th 2006 8:29AM

I agree with Wei about how addictive the Wii is...now my 360 is just being used as a CD player. I already own more games for the Wii than the 360 (which I've had for 9 months). And the number of people that want the Wii (that I know) is really amazing. All the games on my Christmas list are for the Wii, (I switched COD3 from the 360 to the Wii too), and I've been playing on the system for over 2 hours a day- really incredible, considering I would spend not even 2 hours a week on the 360...the only reason I am keeping it now is as a media player and because I sometimes still play Lego SW on it, lol.