Nintendo offers to replace Wii straps

Nintendo has offered to replace more than 3.2 million Wii remote straps after users complained that the connecting cord broke too easily.

However, a spokesperson for the company insisted that the offer was "not a recall". The current wrist-strap is "perfectly safe and has passed all the required safety tests" and there is "absolutely nothing wrong" with it, Eurogamer was told.

The measure is simply being taken to ensure peace of mind among the Wii's early user base, the spokesperson added.

Nintendo says it has already started shipping Wii remote control accessories - crowned as America's best-selling just this week - with the updated strap.

In a separate announcement, the company said it was also recalling 200,000 AC adapters for the Japanese versions of the DS and DS Lite handhelds.

Nintendo UK will start offering the strap-replacement service for concerned gamers on Monday, 18th December. Users need to call customers services on 0870 60 60 247 or send an email, and will then be able to send back their strap, after which Nintendo will dispatch a replacement.

Overnight the platform holder set up a form on its American and Japanese websites (with an equivalent European service expected to follow) asking customers to provide their name, address and console serial number, after which a replacement strap will be dispatched.

Nintendo aims to begin shipping replacement straps direct to consumers on 21st December, and says to allow 5 to 9 days for delivery in the US and Canada.

A page on the company's website also hosts a comparison photograph to help customers work out whether they need a replacement.

Complaints about the strap's flimsy connection to the Wii remote controller received widespread attention in the aftermath of the console's launches in the US, Japan and Europe, prompting Nintendo to issue advice on how best to avoid mishap.

At the time, company president Satoru Iwata said that Nintendo was "investigating" the problem and how best to solve it.