Nintendo has announced via its Japanese website that a Wii-white Gamecube controller is due for release this month ... in Japan. Looks like the old controller still has some manufacturing life left in it yet, too bad we can't get any more wireless Wavebird controllers.

We've contacted Nintendo of America to find out if the controllers are expected in North America. Call us what you will (which will probably be "lazy") but we simply wish that Nintendo would make a second generation Wavebird controller that's fully compatible with the Wii.

[Via GoNintendo]

Fans of alternate Wii control schemes were obviously psyched when it was revealed that Mario Kart Wii would support a variety of control methods, including the Wii Classic Controller and Gamecube pad. But those fans might want to scale back their expectations, as an updated game fact sheet (posted on Nintendo's press site) claims that players who don't use the Wii Remote schemes will not be able to perform "certain moves" and "some maneuvers."

What maneuvers exactly? We're not quite sure, but the new mid-air tricks probably aren't among them -- A Link to the Future notes that an IGN preview specifically mentions Classic and Gamecube controller users can hit the d-pad to perform those. We find it hard to imagine that the plethora of joysticks and buttons on the alternate control schemes can't replicate the controls of the somewhat button-free design of the Wii Remote. Could this be an effort to encourage more use of the practically useless 'extremely useful' Wii Wheel? You'll know as soon as we do.

Players intimidated by the chaotic, hazard-heavy stages of Super Smash Bros. Brawl will be delighted to hear that several classic stages will be returning from Smash Bros. Melee. Pictured above, the Temple stage is the only one officially announced, though director Masahiro Sakurai promises "a number" of stages from the Gamecube title (a few of the original N64 states couldn't hurt either, but there's no word on whether or not that's even a possibility).

In other news, next Monday is December 3, otherwise known as the former release date of Super Smash Bros. Brawl. As this date has been slowly approaching, we here at Joystiq have noticed that the daily Brawl updates have lacked any startling new information. The last character announced was back in October, meaning that Brawl's blog is definitely overdue for some earth-shattering information. Perhaps Nintendo is holding off to make an announcement on the day we all expected to get our Brawl on? Maybe, maybe not. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.

In case the recent video of Buzz Aldrin snuggling in zero gravity with a guy in a Mario costume wasn't enough proof, here's another piece of evidence that proves, given enough time, the house always wins. The Gamecube belonging to one Gary Coleman, star of the small screen, is now up for grabs on eBay. Yeah, the GameCube, the same system you can get for a song and an egg salad sandwich at your local GameStop.

Of course, this listing doesn't just teach us a valuable lesson about life. We also learn that at one point, Gary Coleman purchased Robots. So, you know, maybe getting rid of his GameCube was for the best.

[Thanks, Dustin]

GamePro has put together a graph showing the NPD data on Nintendo's Gamecube and PlayStation 3 sales for their first 10 months after launch. The chart shows how in North America the PS3 sold 1.7 million units in its 10 months since launch compared to the GameCube's 2.2 million. Those that have already sent their rage into overdrive see the implication of this graph as the PS3 will "fail" like the Gamecube. Last week it was a 3DO comparison, this week it's the Gamecube. Although one can easily argue that the PS3 is neither.

Sure the PS3 started rocky, lost assumed exclusives left and right, and Sony can't seem to craft a solid message to save its life. But the PlayStation is still a strong brand that should be able to rectify itself with a competitive price adjustment and some solid titles creating a base for the gaming console. Hopefully Sony can get that line on the graph to start moving up again. They're in no rush, they've got ten years.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

If the recently rumored $100 price cut for the PS3 turns out to be true, it will end the era of one of the most controversial pricing moves in the history of consumer electronics.

The writing was on the wall early on, with former SCE President Ken Kutaragi hinting way back in July 2005 that he hoped gamers would "work more hours to buy [a PS3]." When the price was officially announced at Sony's E3 2006 press conference the first wave of ridicule was practically immediate. Kutaragi's comment that the price was "too cheap" for what consumers were getting just stoked the fires, leading at least one Joystiq blogger to call the company "out of touch." Hey, $599 is pretty cheap if the thing is made of uranium.

Yet by launch time there were some signs that the high price wasn't really a deterrent. Despite some launch window reviews saying the system "just isn't worth it yet," the initial stock of PS3s sold out to mobs of fans who waited in the November cold to drop up to six Benjamins on a game console. Many of those who managed to get one of the limited initial allotment put them up on eBay, where some fetched ridiculously inflated prices. Maybe $600 was a bargain after all.

Don't be surprised if heated debates over Smash Bros. Brawl character supremacy take on a terrifying new dimension now that it's been confirmed on the official blog that all Wii-compatible remotes will work with the game. "Sure, Kirby can beat Meta Knight if everybody's using GameCube controllers," the clerk at your local EB Games might say, "but you don't even understand Kirby until you've turned the Wiimote on its side, that's his spinach."

If you're puzzling over what does what exactly, keep wondering -- director Masahiro Sakurai is staying mum. He does admit though that he prefers the GameCube controller because he "like[s] the feel of that powerful rumble." ... Wow, we didn't mean to end the post all creepy, sorry, we'll change the subject. So, how are you planning on playing?

[Thanks to everybody who sent this in.]

A new speed run for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess has just been posted on Speed Demos Archive. Daniel Hart blazed through the game in 5 hours 39 minutes, about ten times faster than we hobbled our way through on the first try. Daniel says he could shave 5-7 minutes off the final time but is happy with the current achievement. We say he's bragging, but boy has he earned it. Videos are available for download as well as embedded in Flash (Part 1 is shown above) for easy ooh-ing and aah-ing.

[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]

Six months since the release of both the PS3 and Wii, Infendo put together a comparison chart based on the latest NPD data of where the most recent consoles ranked during the same time. The Wii is ahead of where the PS2 was at the six month mark, and both the Xbox 360 and PS3 rank behind the Gamecube (and we all remember how that ended). The first six month sales of the consoles rank in digits for North America as:

• Wii (2,470,000)
• PS2 (2,200,000)
• Xbox (1,900,000)
• GameCube (1,540,000)
• Xbox 360 (1,384,000)
• PS3 (1,271,000)

Infendo's Blake Snow says, "[This] means fans of motion-controls can expect to see a boatload of good games with fewer titles gracing 'real next-gen' platforms. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!"

If only the first six months showed the end game. Look at how small the difference between the Xbox and PS2 is in this chart after the first six months, and we know how that one ends too. The PS2 is still selling well while the Xbox has passed on. Although, it's getting hard to ignore the massive growth of the Wii as it gets older (insert typical quip about how it would be nice to have some more original Wii games here). With Iwata already expecting the Wii to hit 14 million units by next March, how big can the Wii get?

We enjoyed everything about the series of Donkey Kong-based bongo games on the GameCube with one small exception: That darn bongo controller. Now, thanks to the announcement of Donkey Kong Bongo Blast on the Wii you can enjoy all the bongo action without putting your poor hands and wrists through the stress of actually having to play the bongos.

Details on the game, which was originally revealed a year ago for the 'Cube, were found in Famitsu scans by The Wiire. (The only thing worse than bongos: Titles created specifically for the Wii.) The new bongo title is a racing game where you'll shake the Wiimote and Nunchuk to accelerate, shake one harder than the other to turn and lift both to jump. Now, doesn't that sound a lot more fun than playing with some dumb old bongos? There's a four-person multiplayer mode, so you can spare your friends the palm soreness too! There's no mention of the game supporting the GameCube's bongo controller and we sure hope it stays that way when the game's released in Japan on June 28. We don't know if there will be a U.S. release yet, but we'll keep our reddened, bongo-battered fingers crossed.

If you're looking for the Wii, and we know a lot of you out there still are, you'll be happy to know this Sunday Toys "R" Us will have them in stock. Get there early, the announcement will be in this Sunday's flyers and you'll want to beat the rush of moms to the store after they drop their coffee, shove the bagel in their mouth and bolt out the door.

Wherever people fall on the Wii shortage being intentional or unintentional, not to mention the controversy among Wii owners about the gaming drought, that little console made from two duct taped Gamecubes is selling like sellin' is going out of style. It still looks like Nintendo won't back up these amazing sales figures with some real, original Wii titles for quite some time. We'll just have to enjoy this constant string of Gamecube ports and mini-game based Wii titles apparently.

Cheap Ass Gamer points to Circuit City's new pre-owned games section on the retailer's website. GameDaily reports that an analyst from Lazard Capital Markets is doubtful the 'experiment' (Circuit City has less than 50 used games for sale) will do much to loosen GameStop Corp's grip on the used-games market. In order to be competitive, Circuit City would have increase its inventory of both new and used games, in order to restock its store locations to balance supply and demand; and a sophisticated inventory and pricing system would need to be put in place, headed by a sales team that could accurately appraise trade-ins. "Importantly, Circuit City is not the first 'big box' retailer to test pre-owned game sales, with Best Buy experimenting with used product sales as recently as last year, with limited success according to our checks," says Lazard.

[Thanks, Yoon]

O~3 Entertainment's efforts to bring Radio Allergy to North America have been slowed, slightly. The throwback shmup will be delayed a month, now scheduled to ship in limited quantities on March 20 (available through Amazon). Hoping to unload its stock of the budget GameCube shooter as swiftly as possible, O~3 has wisely tacked on a "it'll play in your Wii" reminder (meaning: you'll still be piloting with your WaveBird).

So how often is your Wii just a GameCube?

Green chus? Bottomless pits of water? Warp birds named after hexadecimal color codes? Maaaybe...

IGN forum poster yoshi117's list of Twilight Princess "Easter eggs" isn't entirely useless; in fact, it highlights many of the inconspicuous details that were sprinkled into Nintendo's heralded masterpiece. The importance of these minute elements is often overlooked in game development, but Nintendo EAD proves once again how a little touch of wonder, or harmless act of mischief, can provide a lasting memory.

[Thanks, KozWiz; via Wii Fanboy]

Mercury Meltdown Revolution, the only Wii title so far to hint at its former nickname, has dropped support for the GameCube controller as previously planned; however, using the classic controller is still just fine and dandy.

Ed Bradley, studio manager for MMR developer Ignition Entertainment, told Eurogamer that "we've had to drop support for the GameCube controller as it's a very much 'at developers own risk' proposition and we're not masochists!" The context is not entirely clear, but our best guess is that, while a library of code for the classic controller may be provided by Nintendo, the burden of programming for GCN ports is on the developer and Bradley didn't feel like expending the resources.

Here's our worry: remember when Smash Bros. Brawl producer Masahiro Sakurai revealed that GameCube controllers would be compatible, so as not to alienate those who prefer the traditional -- dare we say classic -- control scheme? What if Nintendo's beat-em-up only supports the classic controller attachment? The cynic in us fears Nintendo would nix GCN controller support in order to sell a few more attachments. Not that it's a bad attachment, mind you, but we already have so many GCN controllers lying around that we don't want them to go to waste.