Mario & Sonic launches with new Blue Wii

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 10 October, 2011

UPDATE: Now with (the right) image.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games launches as part of a bundle with a newly configured blue Wii on 18th November, Nintendo has announced.

The new Wii bundle includes a newly configured blue Wii console, blue Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk controllers and a copy of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games - as well as a sticker sheet featuring characters from the game.

Nintendo said it will announce further bundles this autumn.

The new Wii, announced in August, is a redesigned model sans backwards compatibility, meaning it does not support GameCube games or hardware.

Gamers who want the new Wii and still wish to avoid motion controls must upgrade to the Wii's equivalent pad, the Classic Controller.

New Olympic events in Mario & Sonic feature in the game include Football, Show Jumping and Canoeing. The 100m Sprint, Aquatics and Table Tennis return.

'Mario & Sonic launches with new Blue Wii' Screenshot 1
Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (39) Latest comment 4 months ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • BEXANT #1 5 months ago

    But will it be SEGA blue!?

  • wizlon #2 5 months ago

    White is the new Blue by the look of it!

  • Beano #3 5 months ago

    No GameCube compatibility=AVOID!

    EDIT: DOH!
    Edited by 1 at 10/10/11 @ 12:09

  • sonicyoda #4 5 months ago

    CameCube? *snigger*

  • gamerBOB #5 5 months ago

    Where's the image of the blue wii?

  • Malek86 #6 5 months ago

    I just noticed, but now the Wii logo is lined with the console kept horizontal. Before, it was lined in vertical, which essentialy assumed you were going to use the console with its stand.

    I would guess that's still possible here?

  • WeakOrbit #7 5 months ago

    I'm holding out for a yellow wii. Hyuk Hyuk Hyuk.

  • Shakey_Jake33 #8 5 months ago

    I actually had no idea that Nintendo were releasing a GameCube-less version of the original Wii. One to avoid methinks.

  • TheEarlOfZinger #9 5 months ago

    Nobody asked for this.

  • Gearskin #10 5 months ago

    @TheEarlOfZinger what does that matter?

  • SG #11 5 months ago

    Thing is, the GC pad itself is quite handy in some games such as Smash Bros, Mario Kart and a lot of VC games. Shit move, Nintendo.

    /hugs 1st generation Wii & matching official white GC pads (which were released in Japan to coincide with Smash Bros Brawl release)

  • Shadders #12 5 months ago

    I need to see it!

  • TheEarlOfZinger #13 5 months ago

    @Gearskin

    The world does not need another version of the already tired and outdated wii.

    An inferior one at that. I guess think they can dupe people by painting it blue, they won't notice it has less features. A pretty important one at that = BC.

  • Shadders #14 5 months ago

    I'd have preferred a gold one for Zelda.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #15 5 months ago

    Yeah, they should have at least kept the controller ports. At least the classic pro controller is a very good alternative.

  • chrisjm #16 5 months ago

    the console is feeling so blue that its turned white

  • Shakey_Jake33 #17 5 months ago

    @Der_tolle_Emil - Removing the controller ports is probably the reason they removed the backwards compatibility, cut back on costs etc.

  • eviroboy #18 5 months ago

    I hope you're all hating on the 'new' PSP just as much. Idiots.

  • CrunchinJelly #19 5 months ago

    [link url=http://www.gamereactor.es/media/w388/lawiiazul_259081.j pg
    ]http://ww w.gamereactor.es/media/w388/law...[/link]

    That's not blue. It's turquoise.

  • SimonM7 #20 5 months ago

    Well at least you can tell by the look of it that it's the cheap, crippled Wii.

  • youhavenomail #21 5 months ago

    In the interest of equality, when are they releasing Nathan Spencer & Rayman at the London 2012 Paralympic Games?

  • Mr.Spo #22 5 months ago

    Given the GameCube was a dead platform 6 years ago, and given exchange rates have cut into Nintendo's profitability for years, it's surprising they've kept GC compatibility for this long. I doubt many Wii users make use of that function--the Wii base is over four times the size of the GC base, and is it even likely the entire GC base upgraded to Wii? I'm sure those who wanted to upgrade, have done by now, and those who don't want to will have kept hold of their Cubes if the games really meant that much to them. The only game I ever found benefited from the GC pad is Brawl. The classic controller (especially the pro variation) is brilliant for virtual console and Kart.

    Also, God forbid Nintendo should launch a new bundle at Christmas to boost sales during what has been a tough financial year for them!! How dare they look out for their bottom line, the blaggards! It's an outrage they should seek to sell the Wii system to households who may not yet own one!!

    I highly doubt the market this new bundle is aimed at cares one jot about GameCube compatibility. I'd be surprised if the target market had even heard of the GameCube. Do any of you think a blue Mario & Sonic Olympics Wii bundle is HONESTLY targeted at Eurogamers users, or former GameCube owners, at this point of the year, at this point in the Wii's lifespan?

  • wizlon #23 5 months ago

    Yeah, I don't like that blue, it should be Sonic Blue one half and Mario Red the other, with a matching 50/50 controller, that would be awesome.

  • playgen #24 5 months ago

    Yuck! looks like the bundled Sonic and Mario Olympics game doesn't even come in a proper case, but one of those card sleeves. I hate that!

  • TheEarlOfZinger #25 5 months ago

    "should seek to sell the Wii system to households who may not yet own one!! "

    Que?

  • Beano #26 5 months ago

    @Mr.Spo: A agree with you on many points, but...

    1) GameCube compatibility is cheap since Wii is a GameCube in most regards. GC CPU/GPU etc. hardware in Wii is not separate.

    2) It not only compatibility with GameCube games they have removed, also GameCube controllers which are supported by some titles.

  • stormbringer_2011 #27 5 months ago

    it's smurf blue :o.

  • Syrette #28 5 months ago

    Sega publishing a Mario game?

    That's just wrong.

  • WinterSnowblind #29 5 months ago

    It's exactly the same colour as one of those Chintendo Vii's.

    If it's being released for a Sonic game, why not more of a blue to match him?

  • Ryze #30 5 months ago

    I tried the original game, and the controls were retarded. No ta!

  • Kami #31 5 months ago

    Seems also there's a real push to drop the price again over the Christmas period, which means that anything that isn't worth keeping will be gone, finished, deleted.

    You'll likely still be able to get the old-style Wii consoles for a good while yet. There'll be enough units out there for that. The new ones aren't aimed at those of us already with Wiis. And if you wanted backwards compatibility... odds are good you'll have already bought one.

    The only criticism is that shade of blue is HIDEOUS! My eyes, the goggles they do nothing. It's like, they intended on it looking that bad. Sonic blue, I'd have acknowledged. That's more aquamarine, and it's painful on the optic nerves.

    Why oh why would you not get a white or black version? Does anyone actually paint their living room that shade? The last time I saw anything that bright was in a bathroom... and I'm not sure why you'd colour co-ordinate your Wii with your bathroom...

  • Mr.Spo #32 5 months ago

    @ Beano,

    I agree with you, but even if the cost of GameCube compatibility is a couple of quid, or even GC controller ports a couple of quid (if that) consider the fact Nintendo hope to manufacture several million (not just of this blue model, but in general) Wii units over the next three months worldwide, and the cost cutting is quite reasonable. This is a company whose President cut his own pay in half to cut costs and assist profitability earlier this year. Any unnecessary (in Nintendo's eyes) feature on the Wii that eats into profit will be thrown out, especially with there being no guarantee that currency markets will fluctuate in Nintendo's favour, or that Nintendo will be able to launch the Wii U at a profitable price. Nintendo left money on the table when they launched Wii at a mass market price five years ago--for all the billions in the bank, the market is far too competitive for them to miss out on adding cash to their war chest right now. They need every penny to throw behind 3DS and Wii U in the next few years, and having an even cheaper to produce Wii model is one way of doing that.

    They've also confirmed there will be further bundles to come this Autumn. I highly doubt that means backwards compatibility will make a return, but a Zelda bundle is almost guaranteed.

  • Donaldthescotishtwin #33 5 months ago

    The image is Dark and inverted for me

  • knocker #34 5 months ago

    Am actually wanting a new wii for Xmas. My old one is showing signs of age and I have enough game cubes to keep me going. But. Please. A better colour/game combo?

    Obviously, zelda game of choice. But a golden wii ? Not likely.
    Edited by 2 at 10/10/11 @ 18:46

  • Der_tolle_Emil #35 5 months ago

    That's the most horrible shade of blue ever! It looks like the color of untreated plastic which fake Chinese electronics are made out of.

  • oerhoert #36 5 months ago

    The EG image still seems to be wrong. If you look at the one here: http://ko taku.com/5848189/first-look-at-... it gets rather obvious that they're aligning this with the turquoise 3DS.

  • Mr.Spo #37 5 months ago

    oerhoert's right, Eurogamer have got the wrong image up. Nintendo are releasing a Wii similar in colour to the blue 3DS, which makes far more sense than that eye-searing monstrosity.

  • eltonpr0n #38 5 months ago

    News like this combined with the Black Wiifit board rehash makes me dislike Nintendo more and more.

    How about something new and original?

    It would be nice to enjoy your games and consoles again.

  • Bluetooth #39 4 months ago

    Der_tolle_Emil

    As opposed to the real Chinese electronics that everything you buy is made of...?