Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Nintendo E3 2008 press conference: Let's play bingohttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/11/nintendo-e3-2008-press-conference-lets-play-bingo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/11/nintendo-e3-2008-press-conference-lets-play-bingo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/11/nintendo-e3-2008-press-conference-lets-play-bingo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



DS Lite redesign
Mega Man 9
That pesky storage problem
More Mario sports
DLC

A new Wii peripheral
Link returns
Even more Fit
What comes after FFIV?
Pikmin, baby, yeah!

Dragon Quest IX
Layton sequels
Fanboys love Reggie
New Wii colors
Balance Board games

Guitar Hero for everyone
More language trainers
Chrono Trigger
Pokémon Platinum
DS Novel to US

Wii Music
Captain Rainbow
Spore Creatures
Animal Crossing Wii
Kid Icarus

In anticipation of next week's E3 Media and Business Summit, we've prepared bingo cards for each of the big press conferences, filled with some likely (and some not-so-likely) predictions for what each of the big three console makers intends to announce at arguably the biggest trade shows of the year.

Today's card is for Nintendo (special thanks to Wii and DS Fanboy). Our fingers are crossed twice over (trust us, it's painful) for the no-brainer Pikmin sequel. Click on each of the slides above for more information about our predictions. The folks at NWF and DSF got a little carried away, so check out their full predictions (Wii, DS).

Nintendo's E3 2008 press conference begins Tuesday, July 15, at 9:00am PT (that's 12:00 pm Joystiq Time / ET). As always, we'll be liveblogging the event, so you can play along in real-time with us. (Also: check out all our press conference bingo cards, including some for Microsoft and Sony!)

Download a copy (PNG file) and play along!

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]]>animal-crossinganimal-crossing-wiibalance-boardcaptian-rainbowdragon-quest-ixds-litee3e3-2008e3-2008-bingoguitar-her-kid-icarusnintendopikminpokemonsporewii-fitwii-musicRoss Miller2008-07-11T11:00:00+00:00Surf through Azeroth on a Wii Balance Boardhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/15/surf-through-azeroth-on-a-wii-balance-board/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/15/surf-through-azeroth-on-a-wii-balance-board/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/15/surf-through-azeroth-on-a-wii-balance-board/#commentsFiled under: , ,


The starting zones in World of Warcraft are incredibly bleak and terrifying locales. Spend five minutes in one of these wastelands, and you're bound to see some half-naked adventurers begging for "teh g0ldenz", or people ruthlessly butchering all manner of local wildlife in search of some nice pants. At the very least, you'll see an uncoordinated young player, desperately a-jigglin' about as he tries to understand the game's controls.

However, perhaps there's something more to this clumsy rookie than an unfamiliarity with the WASD keys -- perhaps he's one half of an eccentric pair of German researchers who have grown fascinated with Nintendo's latest peripheral, the Balance Board. Perhaps he's demonstrating for a rapt YouTube audience how the board can be used to tool around Azeroth with the grace of an overweight alpaca, and would serve little use in the game's "high stress" situations.

Then again, perhaps he's just fantastically drunk.

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]]>azerothbalance-boardmmonintendosurfsurfingwiiwii-fitworld-of-warcraftwowGriffin McElroy2008-06-15T19:00:00+00:00Wii Fanboy Weekly: June 5 - June 11http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/11/wii-fanboy-weekly-june-5-june-11/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/11/wii-fanboy-weekly-june-5-june-11/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/11/wii-fanboy-weekly-june-5-june-11/#commentsFiled under:


Before you question how you're able to read Shigeru Miyamoto's thoughts (let alone visualize them in a speech bubble in clear, easy-to-read text), we would like to ask you about your thoughts on Wii Fit? Do you have it? Want it, but can't find it? The latter story seems to be the one most can identify with right now, so we figured we'd compile a list of some alternatives, which consist of past combinations of gaming and exercise (exergaming, if you will), along with a little bit of our own flair tossed in.

Oh, and for those of you who enjoy free stuff, check out our latest Virtually Free giveaway. We're hooking one person up with My Life as a King.

Features
Video Content
News of Note

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]]>exergamingffccfinal-fantasymy-life-as-a-kingsquaresquare-enixweekly-recapwii-fitwiiwareDavid Hinkle2008-06-11T21:40:00+00:00Wii Fanboy Weekly: May 28 - June 4http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/wii-fanboy-weekly-may-28-june-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/wii-fanboy-weekly-may-28-june-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/wii-fanboy-weekly-may-28-june-4/#commentsFiled under:



Hey, do you like free stuff? Of course you do! Well, we're giving away a Wii Fit bundle, along with a Nyko Energy Pak, so you need not worry about batteries (and the costly price of replacing them). Wii Fanboy has you covered, so just head on over to the original contest post for the details!

Features
Videos
News

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]]>nykonyko-energy-pakweekly-recapwii-fitDavid Hinkle2008-06-04T20:30:00+00:00Pachter: American Wii Fit shortages due to weak dollarhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/01/pachter-american-wii-fit-shortages-due-to-weak-dollar/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/01/pachter-american-wii-fit-shortages-due-to-weak-dollar/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/01/pachter-american-wii-fit-shortages-due-to-weak-dollar/#commentsFiled under: ,


Americans have been buffeted with news of our nation's pending recession and the devaluation of our dollar for months now, but in a market with such standardized prices, the American video game industry and game consumers haven't really felt the effect of our economic instability. However, according to industry analyst and prognosticator extraordinaire Michael Pachter, our pecuniary puniness is the cause for the current American Wii Fit shortage -- nearly four times as many copies of the title made their way to Europe, where the Euro, unlike the dollar, is gaining strength.

In Pachter's own words, "We're seeing companies ignore their largest market simply because they can make a greater profit elsewhere." You don't need to be a revered industry analyst to notice that -- the title, which sells for $90 in the U.S., is speedily selling for the equivalent of $140 in Europe. Pachter also remarks that Americans can afford to wait for future shipments of the title, as Nintendo knows "that Americans will be just as fat a few months from now." Words hurt, Pachter. Words hurt.

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]]>dollareconomyeuromichaelpachtermoneynintendopachterweak-dollarweakdollarwii-fitGriffin McElroy2008-06-01T14:00:00+00:00Wii Fit: the Balance Smorgasboardhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/30/wii-fit-the-balance-smorgasboard/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/30/wii-fit-the-balance-smorgasboard/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/30/wii-fit-the-balance-smorgasboard/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Since Wii Fit finally hit the US market, Wii Fanboy has been teetering all over the Balance Board in an effort to work out the best (and worst) aspects of Nintendo's latest. Check out some of that featured coverage, and jog on over to put your name in the hat to win a copy of the game, as well.


 The basics

Five quick Wii Fit factoids
Early impressions, neatly packaged in a single bullet-point list.

Wii Fanboy Review: Wii Fit
Wherein we break it down -- the good and the bad.

Wii Fit vs. Let's Yoga
How does Wii Fit stack up against another recent exergaming title available for a Nintendo system?



The extras

Point/Counterpoint: Wii Fit
Awesome title or gaming's death knell?

Wii Fit measures JC's apartment
Balance board vs. stuff. Ready ... fight! Er, test.

Finding space for Wii Fit
Sure, the Balance Board is small by itself, but you need space to work out. Let us help you figure out how much.



Old school

Peripherals that paved the way for the Balance Board
A trip through Nintendo's peripheral-littered past.

Revolutionary: Balance Boarder
Long before the real thing hit, we were making our own thing.

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]]>fitnessnintendotrainingwii-fitAlisha Karabinus2008-05-30T14:00:00+00:00Wii Fit fit for two year olds, and other revelationshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/30/wii-fit-fit-for-two-year-olds-and-other-revelations/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/30/wii-fit-fit-for-two-year-olds-and-other-revelations/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/30/wii-fit-fit-for-two-year-olds-and-other-revelations/#commentsFiled under: ,


Perhaps avoiding the humiliation of getting back on the board himself, JC Fletcher over at Wii Fanboy has been throwing all sorts of crazy stuff on the Balance Board, and seeing how inanimate objects, and also a kitty, measure up.

What has he learned? For one, the latest year of birth possible in Wii Fit is 2006, and the shortest height is an astounding one foot, eight inches. This means that a two-year-old can actually play Wii Fit which is, if nothing else, creepy.

Also, Fletcher's bagless vacuum cleaner is sadly underweight, with a body mass index of 7.11. His cat, on the other hand, could stand to lose a few pounds (BMI of 21.5!), and has very poor balance. Check out the post for a few more fun experiments, such as how Wii Fit performs on Wii Fit. The mind boggles.

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]]>balance-boardfunnintendowii-fitScott Jon Siegel2008-05-30T01:00:00+00:00Beyond Good & Evil 2 'done for the new generation'http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/beyond-good-and-evil-2-done-for-the-new-generation/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/beyond-good-and-evil-2-done-for-the-new-generation/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/beyond-good-and-evil-2-done-for-the-new-generation/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Did the long-awaited dream suddenly become an inescapable nightmare? Speaking to Next Generation, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot describes the recently announced Beyond Good & Evil sequel as a game done "for the new generation that's come into videogames." That's not you or me, folks, that's the person over there doing yoga on a Wii balance board. Yves notes that the game will be made "more accessible," a supposed improvement from a title that was "probably a little too difficult for the general gamers at that time."

Says Guillemot: "We had a different audience at that time. We had more core gamers than casual gamers than we have today." Let's not be dense about this -- Beyond Good & Evil was a beloved, abysmal commercial failure that caused the industry to bust a gut whenever a continuation was mentioned. We can hardly begrudge Ubisoft for wanting loads of people to actually buy it this time around. However, it's is a very fine line to walk, and the desires of core and casual gamers don't necessarily agree. Guillemot himself admits that "so many customers were extremely happy with the game," and we can only hope that he doesn't see Fit to pull their pants down just because it'll make the casuals giggle.

For now, we'll have to trust in series (OMG it's a series now!) creator, Michel Ancel, being able to deliver the game as he envisions it. Heck, the man's paid his dues in Rabbids by now, hasn't he? Ubisoft owes him.

Gallery: Beyond Good & Evil 2

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]]>Beyond-Good-and-Evil-2Michel-AncelUbisoftWii-FitYou-Ruined-ItYves-GuillemotLudwig Kietzmann2008-05-29T19:00:00+00:00Wii Fanboy Weekly: May 22 - May 28http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/wii-fanboy-weekly-may-22-may-28/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/wii-fanboy-weekly-may-22-may-28/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/wii-fanboy-weekly-may-22-may-28/#commentsFiled under:



As you can imagine, all of us at Wii Fanboy have been celebrating the release of Nintendo's Wii Fit. We've got a ton of coverage, including retrospectives and a handy guide to make sure you have enough space to work out in. We even take two sides of the issue, for and against, in our Point/Counterpoint feature. It's been one great ride!

For those of you who could care less, we've also got some nice links for you further down.

Wii Fit features and coverage:
Stuff that isn't Wii Fit:

Gallery: Unwrapping Wii Fit

The box arrives!BatteriesFit feetBoardThe board!

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]]>weekly-recapwii-fitDavid Hinkle2008-05-28T22:30:00+00:00UK runs out of Wii Fit, Nintendo will replenish ASAPhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/uk-runs-out-of-wii-fit-nintendo-will-replenish-asap/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/uk-runs-out-of-wii-fit-nintendo-will-replenish-asap/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/uk-runs-out-of-wii-fit-nintendo-will-replenish-asap/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Nintendo tells GI.biz that it will replenish the UK's stock of Wii Fit "as soon as possible." A Wii Fit shortage in the UK became quite obvious this past week as the fat-reduction simulator practically disappeared from the UK sales charts. Meaning, either citizens of the UK made a collective Borg decision to stop purchasing the game life-altering product or stock sold out.

A Nintendo representative put semi-adequate spin on the situation stating that there are "pockets of stock shortages" around the UK. When a game goes from the #2 spot on the sales chart to dropping off the Top 40, that appears to be more than just "pockets" of shortages. Nintendo claims that fat little girls around the UK will be able to pick up a Wii Fit soon enough as the company continues to replenish stock on a weekly basis.

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]]>nintendoshortageukwii-fitAlexander Sliwinski2008-05-28T10:00:00+00:00'One Man's Journey' tries and fails at Wii Fithttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/26/one-mans-journey-tries-and-fails-at-wii-fit/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/26/one-mans-journey-tries-and-fails-at-wii-fit/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/26/one-mans-journey-tries-and-fails-at-wii-fit/#commentsFiled under: , ,

One Man's Journey recovers from the Rock Band disaster of '07 and releases another tale of self-realization. This time, the overly-optimistic Matt Downham is looking to lose some weight and (feeding into the hype) believes Wii Fit is going to get him to do that -- just like he wanted Rock Band to turn him into a rock star. Matt's faithful companion, Friend, joins him again on this adventure of self-discovery, standing by his side and offering his own special brand of support.

Of course, similar to what happened with Rock Band, Matt's hopes and dreams of Wii Fit curing his weight condition lead to what the movie advertisements refer to as a "roaring rampage of revenge" (after catching his breath from walking up the stairs). He roars. He rampages. We just hope Friend survives for the next big game launch sporting a plastic peripheral.

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]]>downhamfriendmatt-downhamone-mans-journeywii-fitAlexander Sliwinski2008-05-26T16:30:00+00:00Nintendo shifts Wii Fit 'launch' to tomorrowhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/nintendo-shifts-wii-fit-launch-to-tomorrow/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/nintendo-shifts-wii-fit-launch-to-tomorrow/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/nintendo-shifts-wii-fit-launch-to-tomorrow/#commentsFiled under: ,


Nintendo informed GameTap late yesterday that Wii Fit's official launch has been moved to tomorrow, May 21. Although there may be some exceptions, Nintendo told the site that Wii Fit was only available at the Nintendo World Store in New York for its much hyped May 19 launch.

Some members on staff who pre-ordered Wii Fit from their local brick and mortar store were told their units may arrive today. We're also checking with Amazon.com to find out if its copies have been sent out. Another piece of Nintendo hardware with an apparent supply chain issue? We're shocked.

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]]>BreakingNewsnintendoreleasewii-fitAlexander Sliwinski2008-05-20T11:30:00+00:00Metareview -- Wii Fithttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/metareview-wii-fit/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/metareview-wii-fit/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/metareview-wii-fit/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Wii Fit used to be that thing you threw when the guy behind the counter told you the store was sold out of Nintendo's insanely popular console. Again. Nowadays, it's a video game and balance board peripheral claiming to make exercise "fun." Yeah, right!

No, seriously, right. The critics have done the whole Yoga thing and declared that exercise needn't be the terrifying and punishing physical activity you've dreaded all these years. It might not be the sort of game you want to play all day long, but if you're set on shedding some pounds, it sure beats going to the boring ol' gym. You can do eat!
  • 1UP (83/100): "I guess I'd hoped an exercise videogame would make fitness a lot more fun -- and easier to do. And, though it doesn't quite exceed those expectations, Wii Fit will get you moving -- especially if you're looking for a gentle, fun introduction to an exercise program."
  • Eurogamer (80/100): "You can compare your results with others, but really it's about setting your own targets and seeing how your performance improves. So far I've found this provides enough motivation to play Wii Fit every day - sometimes for ten minutes, sometimes for an hour. I don't know how long I'll keep this up for, but I do know switching on the Wii is a lot easier than going to the gym. Wii Fit is not as beneficial, undoubtedly, but a lot more fun."
  • IGN (80/100): "But for a title that is so geared toward the everyman, it clings onto one hardcore fundamental -- unlocking challenges. So if you're the type who wants to jump right into everything that Wii Fit has to offer from the beginning, you're out of luck. You'll need to spend days upon days partaking in all of the modes to earn Wii Fit minutes, which eventually add up and open up other portions of the experience."
  • GameDaily (80/100): "Like Miyamoto said a few months ago, Wii Fit won't necessarily make you fit. If you're looking to get ripped, you're better off buying some protein powder and heading to the gym. For everyone else, this is a clever way to sneak in a little extra exercise every day."

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]]>Balance-BoardExerciseNintendoWii-FitLudwig Kietzmann2008-05-20T09:00:00+00:00New games this week: Wii Fit editionhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/19/new-games-this-week-wii-fit-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/19/new-games-this-week-wii-fit-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/19/new-games-this-week-wii-fit-edition/#commentsFiled under:


It was a close call for the featured pick this week, and not because we don't see the value in people getting healthy with Wii Fit. But the Joystiq moms and wives all agree that we're perfect just the way we are, so the stereotype perpetuators among us will continue to rock the hearty keg or spindly champagne flute look in lieu of a six-pack.

Check out all of this week's releases, like Haze on the PS3 and (finally) Garfield: Lasagna World Tour on the PS2, right after the break.

Gallery: Wii Fit


Xbox 360:
  • UEFA Euro 2008
PS3:
  • SingStar
  • Haze
  • UEFA Euro 2008
Nintendo Wii:
  • Wii Fit
PS2:
  • UEFA Euro 2008
  • Garfield: Lasagna World Tour
PSP:
  • UEFA Euro 2008
PC Games:
  • Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures
  • Dracula: Origin
  • Supreme Ruler 2020
  • Luxor 3 with 7 Wonders Ancient World
  • Theatre of War

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]]>hazenewgameswii-fitJustin McElroy2008-05-19T09:55:00+00:00Obesity experts frown on Wii Fit's fatty-labeling, Nintendo apologizeshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/obesity-experts-frown-on-wii-fits-fatty-labeling-nintendo-apol/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/obesity-experts-frown-on-wii-fits-fatty-labeling-nintendo-apol/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/obesity-experts-frown-on-wii-fits-fatty-labeling-nintendo-apol/#commentsFiled under: ,


Video games can occasionally be the source of some pretty disheartening self-realizations -- like the time Rock Band revealed that you've been lied to your entire life about your angelic singing voice, or when Vampire Rain made you realize that you have incredibly poor taste in video games. However, something tells us these revelations are a bit less heartbreaking than those about to be unleashed by Nintendo's latest best-seller, Wii Fit -- especially when the heart in question is the fragile, butter-soaked heart of an overweight child.

Or an average-weighted child, for that matter. You see, Wii Fit measures the user's Body Mass Index (BMI), a weight/height ratio commonly calculated by physicians, though the use of BMI measurements in children is criticized by many dietitians for its frequent inaccuracy. Nintendo recently issued an apology following an incident involving the hurtful labeling of a "solidly built" 10-year-old girl. So, it's like an electronic, $90 version of our fifth-grade gym teacher? We're sold!

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]]>apologybmibodymassindexfatnintendooverweightweightwiiwii fitwii-fitWiiFitGriffin McElroy2008-05-17T13:45:00+00:00EA Sports working on sweaty Wii Fithttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/08/ea-sports-working-on-sweaty-wii-fit/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/08/ea-sports-working-on-sweaty-wii-fit/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/08/ea-sports-working-on-sweaty-wii-fit/#commentsFiled under: ,


EA Sports president Peter Moore tells Eurogamer that the division is working on a Wii fitness game utilizing the pressure-balancy-board thing. The game will release under the new casual-oriented Freestyle label and will focus on "western" cardio workouts instead of Wii Fit's "eastern holistic fitness."

EA's version of Wii Fit is intended to make the user sweat while still having fun. Although Moore wouldn't get into specifics of the game, he would say that the key is to distract the user and make them have fun without realizing they're having a good workout. Hopefully, EA's exercise game will come with a Shamwow and some disinfectant spray for the board. Yes, we've now come to fear the fungal side of Wii Fit.

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]]>ea-sportseasportsmoorepeter-moorewii-fitAlexander Sliwinski2008-05-08T15:00:00+00:00Wii Fit sells out on Amazon, 2.5 units sold every minutehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/06/wii-fit-sells-out-on-amazon-2-5-units-sold-every-minute/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/06/wii-fit-sells-out-on-amazon-2-5-units-sold-every-minute/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/06/wii-fit-sells-out-on-amazon-2-5-units-sold-every-minute/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Amazon.com has sold out of its Wii Fit pre-orders. We spoke with an Amazon representative who told us that the online retailer depleted its pre-order stock this past Sunday and had been selling approximately 2.5 units per minute since reserves began April 15. Amazon could not discuss how many units sold, but if we assume the selling rate remained steady from April 15 until the end of May 3, we're looking at 68,400 balance boards (check us, mathemagicians!).

Expect the mainstream hype train for Wii Fit to only gain steam leading up to the May 19 US launch. The "game" is already conquering the UK and Europe, it's being added to Westin Hotel exercise rooms and Wal-Mart's pushing the thing for Mother's Day. We're just waiting for Oprah to give one to everyone in her studio audience or Ellen to goof around with it on her show. You know it's got to happen.

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]]>amazonwii-fitAlexander Sliwinski2008-05-06T16:00:00+00:00Westin Hotels add Wii, Wii Fit to their exercise roomshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/02/westin-hotels-add-wii-wii-fit-to-their-exercise-rooms/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/02/westin-hotels-add-wii-wii-fit-to-their-exercise-rooms/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/02/westin-hotels-add-wii-wii-fit-to-their-exercise-rooms/#commentsFiled under: ,


In Nintendo's tireless pursuit to reach every single demographic ever, they've partnered up with Westin Hotels to stick Wii Sports and Wii Fit setups in the hotel chain's exercise rooms. Why is this particular outreach unique? Think about it: they're targeting people who exercise when they're not even home! We hate to repeat hurtful stereotypes but, while the gamers we know may not be as sedentary as some would have you believe (read: our advertisers), they're not really the type to pack a pair of running shoes next to their PSP for their next business trip. Result: new demographic.

Just in case you are the type to excercise while staying at a hotel and you accidentally stumbled here while looking for the Runner's World magazine website, we've included a list of the first 10 participating Westin hotels after the break.

  1. The Westin Times Square, New York City
  2. The Westin Bellevue, WA
  3. The Westin Hilton Head
  4. The Westin Crown Center, Kansas City
  5. The Westin Harbor Castle, Toronto
  6. The Westin Diplomat, Hollywood
  7. The Westin St. Francis, San Francisco
  8. The Westin St. Louis
  9. The Westin Galleria, Houston
  10. The Westin Savannah Harbor

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]]>NintendoWestinWii-FitWii-SportsChristopher Grant2008-05-02T17:30:00+00:00Walmart pushing Wii Fit pre-order for Mother's Dayhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/02/walmart-pushing-wii-fit-pre-order-for-mothers-day/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/02/walmart-pushing-wii-fit-pre-order-for-mothers-day/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/02/walmart-pushing-wii-fit-pre-order-for-mothers-day/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Wal-Mart is saying straight-up that mom could stand to lose a few pounds. Reuters reports that the mega-retailer's online division is pushing pre-orders of Wii Fit as a Mother's Day gift. Wii Fit doesn't release until May 19 in North America, but those who order the pressure-sensitive sweat-board before Mother's Day (May 11) will receive a $10 online gift card to use at Walmart.com in the future.

Kelly Thompson, Walmart.com's chief merchant, says the initial sales have been "extremely strong." Due to the fact that the system doesn't come out until a week after the holiday, Thompson recommends giving the $10 online gift card as a present. That's a great idea! We can see it now: "Hey mom, the passive-aggressive gift telling you that you're a fatty mcfat doesn't come for another week. Oh, in the meantime, here's a $10 gift card to Walmart.com." Somehow a nice brunch and flowers sounds like a better option.

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]]>mothers-daymothers-day-giftmothers-day-giftswal-martwalmartwii-fitwiifitAlexander Sliwinski2008-05-02T10:30:00+00:00Miyamoto voted 'Your' Time Person of the Yearhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/01/miyamoto-voted-your-time-person-of-the-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/01/miyamoto-voted-your-time-person-of-the-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/01/miyamoto-voted-your-time-person-of-the-year/#commentsFiled under: , ,

shiggy
You did it! You helped beat out politicians, celebs, scientists, babes, a funny man, and even a weather-oriented Korean pop star. You've nominated fitness guru Shigeru Miyamoto as Time's (not officially Time's) most influential person of the year. Sure, this may appear to be just another pointless popularity contest, but never underestimate free advertising and its potential to sell a few more (million) Nintendo-brand scales later this month.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in. (Mr. Miyamoto thanks you too!)]

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]]>miyamotoshigeru-miyamototimewii-fitJames Ransom-Wiley2008-05-01T14:00:00+00:00