Nintendo's Wii: A Gateway to New Experiences Associated Press, Weathernews Provide Wii Menu Content

    REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Nintendo's new Wii(TM) video
 game system not only changes how people play games, but redefines how they
 interact with both the system and their televisions. With the Wii Menu,
 Nintendo offers a gateway to new experiences through a collection of
 interactive channels people can use to customize their gaming and
 entertainment options.
     (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061011/LAW104LOGO)
     The Wii Menu serves as the main portal to the different functions of
 Wii, and is designed to evolve throughout the life of the system. Some
 functions can be used right out of the box and more will roll out during
 the next few weeks and into next year, with content continually changing
 over time. Wii goes on sale in the Americas Nov. 19 at an MSRP of $249.99.
     "The diversity of the Wii Menu has something for both gamers and
 non-gamers," says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "The
 options exist to help introduce current non-players to Wii and help us
 bring gaming to the masses."
     On launch day, players who want to play a Wii game or a Nintendo
 GameCube(TM) game simply pop in the disc, aim their motion-sensitive Wii
 Remote(TM) at the Wii Menu and click on the Disc Channel to start the game.
 It's that simple. But some of the real fun with the Wii Menu comes with
 customization. The Mii(TM) Channel lets users create caricatures of
 themselves (or anyone else) that can be used first in Wii Sports(TM), a
 collection of five sports games packed in with the Wii system. Up to 10 Mii
 characters can be stored in a single Wii Remote, and players can carry them
 to a friend's house and populate multiple Wii systems.
     Using the Photo Channel, users can explore their creative talents by
 developing a slide show or showing off their best shots in an easy, fun
 way. With an SD memory card from a digital camera, users can display their
 photos on their televisions and perform basic editing and manipulation.
     The Wii Shop Channel serves as Wii's online storefront, where visitors
 can redeem Wii Points(TM) to download games or other items. Users need a
 high-speed Internet connection to access the Wii Shop Channel and choose
 from at least 12 classic Virtual Console(TM) games that will be ready to
 play on launch day. Some of the games a player can download include: Donkey
 Kong(R) (NES(R)), based on the arcade game of the same name; SimCity(R)
 (SNES(TM)), where players get to build a city from the ground up, being
 responsible for each decision they make; Super Mario 64(R), the first-ever
 true 3-D game, which changed the face of gaming forever; Sonic the
 Hedgehog(R) (Genesis(R)), the fastest blue hedgehog on Earth whips through
 hair-raising loop-de-loops and into dizzying dives; and Bomberman(R) '93
 (TurboGrafx16(TM)), the exciting, powered-up version that followed the
 original Bomberman(R).
     More Virtual Console games will become available weekly every Monday
 following launch and by year's end, gamers will be able to pick from a
 library of 30 or more classic games from the Nintendo Entertainment
 System(R), Super NES(R), Nintendo(R) 64, Sega Genesis(TM) and TurboGrafx16
 consoles. Users buy Wii Points at retail or with a credit card in the Wii
 Shop Channel and redeem their Wii Points to download the classic games. NES
 games start at 500 Wii Points, Super NES games start at 800 Wii Points and
 Nintendo 64 games start at 1,000 Wii Points. Sega Genesis games start at
 800 Wii Points and TurboGrafx16 games start at 600 Wii Points.
     The Wii Shop Channel is also where users will go to download the Opera
 browser that will let them surf the Internet from the comfort of their
 couches on Wii's Internet Channel. More information about the availability
 of the browser will be released in the coming weeks.
     On Dec. 20, Nintendo will roll out the Forecast Channel. Users will be
 able to access free local weather information, which is continually
 updated. Users can access worldwide weather information by browsing a 3-D
 globe. Weather information will be supplied by Weathernews. A high-speed
 Internet connection is required to access the Forecast Channel.
     Then on Jan. 27, the Wii Menu News Channel will make headlines with the
 latest news from around the world provided by the Associated Press. A
 high-speed Internet connection is also needed to access the News Channel.
     For more information about Wii and the Wii Menu, visit Wii.com.
     The worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment,
 Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and
 software for its Nintendo DS(TM), Game Boy(R) Advance and Nintendo
 GameCube(TM) systems, and upcoming Wii(TM) system. Since 1983, Nintendo has
 sold nearly 2.2 billion video games and more than 387 million hardware
 units globally, and has created industry icons like Mario(TM), Donkey
 Kong(R), Metroid(R), Zelda(TM) and Pokemon(R). A wholly owned subsidiary,
 Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters
 for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information
 about Nintendo, visit the company's Web site at www.nintendo.com.
     Note: Game and system trademarks are properties of their respective
 owners.
 
 

SOURCE Nintendo