Target Toss Pro: Bags was announced today via an IGN interview. The basics of the game were discussed, though when pricing was brought up, Andy Kniaz of Incredible Technology noted, “In the end, Nintendo sets all pricing for WiiWare based on the game and its contents.” From what I can recall, weren’t developers able to ultimately place a price point on their own games? Are there exceptions to this? Or, is this nothing more than an error on Andy Kniaz? Either way, I’m sure we’ll find out in due time.
Charles Caleb once said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. In this case, the Wii’s remarkable success has planted a seed in the minds of businesses and marketers who are hoping to catch on to the newest big hit. The Wii has certainly exceeded the expectations of many, and is currently the best selling video game system this generation. Because of this, businesses are cashing in on the Wii’s features and appearance. While not all rip-offs are noticeable, there are a few products that seem to be a clear copy of the Wii . Without further ado, here are the top 5 products that seem to have taken an apparent liking to Nintendo’s hot system.
Top 5 Wii related rip-offs
5. “Tilt” Games
Right off the bat, it’s clear that the Tilt Games Wiimote clone has some problems. The screen is much too small for any type of a real gaming experience and the screen doesn’t even have a backlight. Just imagine trying to play Zelda on a small piece of plastic. Yeah, not an engrossing experience. I want to know, how can anyone even see that thing? And haven’t we moved past the absent backlight age for items like these? Nonetheless, in spite of these obvious issues, the Tilt game manages to copy the Wii controller very well and even has the ability to turn on motion controls (then again, it’s not as if this thing is any good.) It’s worth mentioning that the Tilt gadgets come in a variety of flavors, of which include baseball and racing. The sad thing about this whole product however, is that I would not be surprised if a grandmother went into Walmart and bought this instead of a Wii controller, thinking that it was the real deal.
Retail price: $6.88, though honestly, I don’t think it’s worth even $.50.
4. 3D iJoy
Does slightly modifying an already established controller make something different? No, not really. The 3D IJoy was conspicuously attempting to mimic the Nintendo Wii, from the game controller to the games available on the product. Another slap in the face – and to round out iJoy’s parallelisms – is the iJoy’s wrist strap. Yes, a wrist strap. The copycat controller was bad enough, but by adding a wrist strap to the controller, it makes the rip-off much too explicit. Sure, I can understand that the company wouldn’t want people to damage their home appliances. However, is it truly necessary considering .01% of the population will actually be getting their game on this thing?
Retail price: unknown
3. Vii 2
Media attention and what I assume to be decent sales helped the Vii to come roaring back with a follow-up to its original as Vii 2. Vii 2 stepped up to the plate by introducing a variety of colors and completely reworked its model. The controller is still fairly reminiscent of the Wii remote, although the system itself looks more like a NES than a Wii. Apparently, the functionality of Vii 2 is almost identical to its predecessor, only allowing for add-ons, a “porwer button,” and additional expansion ports. Still, what you’re getting with the Vii 2 remains the same: A not-as-responsive and awkward control scheme when compared to Nintendo’s system.
Retail price: $140 – Pay another $90, and you’ll have yourself an actual Wii
2. La Foir’Fouille
Most products are generally assumed to originate in China, yet this unnamed Wii rip-off console was advertised to the French casual gamer. The company who developed this product seems to be trying to hop on the Wii Sports bandwagon by offering four out of the five games that can be found on Nintendo’s pick-up-and-play title, Wii Sports. This machine isn’t such a blatant Wii rip-off (as compared to other products on this list), but anyone who has seen a Wii before will pick up on the subtle differences between the two almost immediately.
Price: 39.99€
1. Vii
Vii. Does that look or sound familiar? It probably should, because this is the closest Wii replica you’ll find without it actually being the Wii. Arguably, the Vii initiated the entire Wii rip-off trend by taking nearly every aspect about the Wii, and only modified its characteristics slightly, right down to the name itself, Vii. More specifically, the build of the gaming machine looks identical to the Wii with a slight color change and the Vii comes with a very similar controller. For crying out loud, even the Vii’s marketing tactics are comparable. Surprisingly, the Vii does have a decent line-up of games to try out, but that’s not to say the games are any good. I’m certain that the gaming experience with the Vii does not come even remotely close to the enjoyment you’ll find on the real console.
Retail Price: 986 Chinese dollars (Estimated)
SANTA MONICA, Calif. – May 01, 2008 – The Game Factory, an international publisher of family-friendly and casual videogames, today announced it has signed a licensing agreement with Seven Towns Limited to publish Rubik’s World, a 3D puzzle game experience for the Nintendo Wii™ and DS™ systems, both inspired by the Rubik’s Cube.
“The Rubik’s Cube is one of the most well known icons in the gaming and entertainment industry,” said Henrik Mathiasen, president of the Game Factory. “We’re honored that Seven Towns Limited has chosen us to take the Rubik’s experience to the next level with Rubik’s World. We feel confident that we have created a concept for the whole family that is innovative, challenging and addictive, offering a new twist in the puzzle genre while keeping the Rubik’s Cube core values alive.”
“We’re pleased to be working with the Game Factory to enhance the Rubik’s brand with Rubik’s World,” said David Hedley Jones, for Seven Towns Limited, a London-based company that has introduced hundreds of successful original games and toys throughout the world in the past 35 years. “We’re confident that everybody will enjoy this video game experience.”
1(1) – Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
2(2) – Super Mario Bros. (NES)
3(12) – River City Ransom (NES)
4(3) – Mario Kart 64 (N64)
5(4) – Super Mario World (SNES)
6(5) – The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
7(7) – Punch-Out!!! (NES)
8(8) – The Legend of Zelda (NES)
9(9) – Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES)
10(10) – Super Mario 64 (N64)
11(11) – Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (N64)
12(6) – Cruis’n USA (N64)
13(13) – Star Fox 64 (N64)
14(15) – Pac-Man (NES)
15 (E) – Double Dragon (NES)
16(14) – Donkey Kong Country (SNES)
17(16) – Paper Mario (N64)
18(18) – Donkey Kong (NES)
19(19) – The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
20(20) – Kirby’s Adventure (NES)
Do What You Want – OK Go
All The Small Things – Blink 182
Spiderwebs – No Doubt
Are You Gona Be My Girl – Jet
We’re Not Gonna Take It – Twisted Sister
All Star – Smash Mouth
Breed – Nirvana
Jessie’s Girl – Rick Springfield
Hit Me With Your Best Shot – Pat Benatar
This Love – Maroon 5
Heaven – Los Lonely Boys
Helicopter – Bloc Party
China Grove – The Doobie Brothers
Rock and Roll All Nite – KISS (cover by Line 6)
What I Want – Daughtry
* 1. Wii Fit (Wii)
* 2. Singstar (PS3)
* 3. Gran Turismo 5: Prologue (PS3)
* 4. Buzz Hollywood (PS2)
* 5. Big Brain Academy (Wii)
* 6. Mario Kart (Wii)
* 7. Brain Training (DS)
* 8. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (Wii)
* 9. Sun Crossword (DS)
* 10. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (DS)
The company also divulged that Wii Fit was selling every 4 seconds at their stores, making it the fastest selling video game for Curry ever.
In the June issue of Nintendo Power, the preview teases its subscribers with, “As we head into summer, expect things to heat up with Nintendo Power. July’s issue will include big updates of Ghostbuster’s, Sonic Chronicles, and Time Hollow. We may even have a surprise or two. Can you find the clues we’ve hidden in the moon?”
I’m pretty awful at breaking down mysteries, so I’m not too sure what Nintendo Power may have in store. If anyone has a guess, feel free to leave a comment.
SimCity Creator 26-Sep NDS
SimCity Creator 26-Sep Wii
These two listings apparently popped up and were discovered in a European release listing. It is possible that the DS game could be the title that was released in Japan not too long ago, but what lays in store for a Wii version is up in the air.
