Customer Reviews

Wii Black Console with New Super Mario Brothers Wii and Music CD

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(21)

 

 

**Please note this particular console is not backward compatible with Gamecube. It only plays Wii games. For me this is a deal breaker. If you want a backward compatible console buy the Mario Kart Wii bundle, which is backward compatible and cheaper. Deciding between the Mario Kart Wii bundle and this bundle is a no-brainer in my opinion. Why pay more for this particular Wii that does less? UPDATE 11/7/2011 - It appears Amazon is discontinuing sales of the Wii Mario bundle. It looks like Amazon will only directly sell the Wii console with Super Mario Bros. If you want the Wii Mario bundle you will have to buy from an authorized Amazon reseller and pay more money or you can go to another major retailer that is still stocking the Wii Mario bundle.**

The recent bundle releases are the Wii Console with Mario Kart Wii Bundle - Black and the Console Black With New Super Mario Bros. The question you need to ask yourself is which of these bundles best fits you. I'll discuss what you get in each bundle and the differences/similarities below.

Included with the Mario Kart bundle for $146.98 (price fluctuates): a Wii console, Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel, nunchuk controller and Wii remote plus (black or white depending on the bundle you pick).

Included with the New Super Mario Bros bundle for $149.99: a Black Wii console, Black Wii remote plus, Black nunchuck, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and the Super Mario Galaxy 2 soundtrack

SIMILARITIES:

Each bundle contains a Wii console, nunchuk controller and remote plus.

KEY DIFFERENCES:

The Super Mario Bros. Wii CANNOT play Gamecube games. The New Super Mario Bros. bundle only comes in black. The Mario Kart bundle comes in black OR white.

The Mario Kart bundle includes Mario Kart and a wheel ($45.52 if bought separately), whereas the New Super Mario Bros. bundle includes the New Super Mario Bros. game ($43.99 if bought separately).

CONCLUSION: The prices are similar enough, $146.98 (fluctuates and sometimes goes to the low $140s) vs. $149.99, that it is silly to pay the same amount for a console that doesn't offer backward compatibility. Buy the Mario Kart Wii console. I'd recommend picking up the Super Mario Bros. game separately. This game is incredible. A blast from the past with 2-d scrolling and multiplayer. One of my favorites and a perennial best-seller on Amazon.

I've read a lot of less than five-star reviews for this new Wii package but I have a different perspective on it.

I bought this for a family member who has never owned a Nintendo Wii and doesn't care for the game Mario Kart but loves Super Mario Bros. So this was a win-win product solution for me. It just depends on who the product package is for and their likes/dislikes. I'm concerned the negative reviews are going to make first-time buyers think there are other issues with the gaming console. If I bought the bundle that included Mario Kart, I would have had to buy Super Mario Bros separately, adding about $50 more to the cost. And not everyone cares about playing Nintendo GameCube titles, it's just a preference.

If anyone is a hardcore Wii user, I can't imagine they would consider this product anyhow, just wait for the next version of Nintendo Wii to be released in the near future.

Game On!

First, let me just say I love the Wii and love LOVE New Super Mario Brothers Wii. In fact, that game is the reason I bought a Wii. So my 3 star rating is not an indictment on the system or game, but rather the value of this bundle compared to the Mario Kart bundle. As a previous reviewer mentioned, this does not feature compatibility with Gamecube games and/or accessories. Obviously, that is a big negative. You'll be missing out on a vast library of games that include Mario Sunshine, Metroid Prime, and many other greats. Many of these games could be purchased rather cheap on here, eBay, or Gamestop.

Then there's another "feature" they removed that I don't think was mentioned yet. And that is that this system is not meant to be set up in the vertical position. This Wii is designed a little differently and is a bit smaller, what with all the Gamecube "guts" taken out. It is not designed to be placed vertically, only down like the picture on the box indicates. Consequently, it does not come with a stand. Obviously, a lot of people enjoy the vertical positioning of their Wii, whether it be for aesthetic reasons or space saving necessity.

And then, of course, you have the price. I think 149.99 is worth it for the Wii and this great game. Not, however, when there is much better value out there. Even at the MSRP of 149.99, the Mario Kart bundle is a better deal because of the Gamecube compatibility and vertical placement option. However, as some of you may be aware, Target and Walmart have permanently dropped the price of their Mario Kart bundles to $134. So you are paying 16 dollars less for a system that features Gamecube BC and a vertical stand and vertical placement option. It seems like a no brainer. In fact, when I heard that this bundle without these features was getting released, I figured it would be priced at about 100-120 dollars. I was surprised that this inferior bundle would be priced the same or in some cases like I mentioned, higher) as the superior Mario Kart bundles. The good news is that this bundle is not replacing the Mario Kart bundles. They will still be manufactured and available, this is just an alternative.

So in conclusion, I just don't think this is a good buy against the Mario Kart bundles. I love the Wii and the Mario game and urge everyone reading to buy one... just not this particular one. At least not until there is a price drop or you find a great deal that makes it worth not having the removed features. You can always buy the New Mario Bros game separately. And the advantage of doing that is that you get the game in a nice full sized red Wii case. With this bundle, you are getting it in a cheaper paper sleeve case, like Wii Sports in the past, which leaves the discs more prone to scratching and also lowers it's potential resell value, if you ever decide on selling it back for whatever reason. Hopefully this helps you make a better decision on which Wii Bundle to buy or not buy

Let me clarify that my rating isn't about the Wii in general; that deserves a 5-star. Nor is this about the bundled games, which may be worth more or less depending on the person. My review is about this particular console package, which is definitely inferior to this one: Wii Console with Mario Kart Wii Bundle - Black.

Both this bundle and the other come with the standard accessories, one game, and the console itself. There are also some small items in each one (the SMG 2 soundtrack and the Wii Wheel, respectively), but I'm largely ignoring those. As both bundles sell for about $150, the significant differences are simply these:

- This console is not backward compatible. The other bundle's console is.

- This console can only be placed horizontally. The other one can be placed horizontally or vertically.

And that's really about it. If this bundle was selling for $100 or so, I could see buying it. But it's directly competing with a different console package that provides more. Happy hunting!

PS - As a point of comparison, Japan is also getting a new Wii bundle next month. It retains the same price, backward compatibility, and vertical placement; but it also has an extra Wiimote.

Warning! This wii console is not backwards compatible with game cube games, it has no port for the dance revolution pad, and you can not stand it upright. The Super Mario Bros game comes in a cheap paper sleave instead the usual plastic jewel case. So your game is more likely to be scratched and has no trade in value without the jewel case. Do yourself a big favor and buy the wii bundle that comes with Mario Kart. This is still backwards compatible with the game cube games. It costs a little more but its well worth it!

You're pretty much better off just buying the Mario Kart Wii bundle for more or less the same price. This console does NOT have Gamecube backwards compatibility. That goes for Gamecube games and accessories (Controllers, memory cards, etc). I honestly don't see the point in getting this. It would probably make sense if it was a lot less money, but being pretty much the same price as the one with backwards compatibility, its absolutely not worth it.

We purchased this system primarily to use with Konami's Dance Dance Revolution II for Wii. But Konami's DDR II for Wii doesn't work with this Wii, because there are no ports available on this Wii for the Konami DDR dance mats. Nobody seemed to know this when I bought it, and the fact that a Wii--and a product built for Wii--don't work together breaks the compatibility model for game systems. Nintendo is falling apart and must be desperate to reduce manufacturing costs or something. Major gaffe. I'll be returning this and buying an Xbox.

Please be aware of this. On the box, right above the bar code there is a small writing that states that it is not compatible with Nintendo GameCube Game Disc or accessories. Anyone who brought a Wii or the Mario Wii bundle on sale from Wal-Mart or other stores on Black Friday, this year (2011) needs to know that it DOES NOT support Game Cube accessories.

If you are planning to buy Active Life: Explorer With Mat (by Namco ), Active Life: Extreme Challenge Bundle with Mat (by Namco ), or Dance Dance Revolution Bundle (by Konami ), you need to know that the new version of Wii does not support these games. Despite the fact that these game says it is for "Wii" the game mat is a Game Cube accessory. The new Wii does NOT have Game Cube ports to plug it in.The newer Wii systems without GameCube support sit horizontally and have the Wii logo printed horizontally to reflect that. I hope this help someone.

So, we purchased a new Wii for Christmas and were shocked to find out that the GameCube ports have been removed from this newest version. Couple of things annoying about this...

1. No where on the box does it say that this Wii is any different from the older versions.

2. Even if you're not playing any GameCube games (we're not), you CANNOT connect any of the dance mats and there does not seem to be an adapter.

The most frustrating thing about all of this is that NONE OF THESE CHANGES ARE ON ANY OF THE BOXES. Supposedly this new system has been out for almost 2 months, yet Nintendo hasn't bothered telling anyone. I recommend that anyone who is interested in getting a new Wii get a used system with the ports still available.

Nintendo, I think you really screwed this one up.

My original reasoning for purchasing the Mario Kart bundle instead was simply the value; that bundle includes the Wii and all accessories, Mario Kart Wii, and a matching steering wheel, as opposed to just the game included with this bundle. However, there is a much deeper reason why I am now glad I avoided this bundle. I was appalled and very disappointed with Nintendo to learn that the "new Wii" featured in this bundle IS NOT BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE with Gamecube games. It also does not include the stand, hence why it is laying down in the picture on the box. I am not sure whether the Gamecube controller ports are also removed, but I sincerely hope not, as that is the only way I can play competitively in games such as Super Smash Brothers Brawl and Mario Kart Wii. Either way, you definitely want the bundle that is backwards compatible, a better value (not only counting the steering wheel, but immeasurable value in backwards compatibility), and, as far as I and most everybody else reviewing this product are concerned, much more fun. If you're a very casual gamer who doesn't care about backwards compatibility, as I realize many people hopping on the bandwagon of modern, casual, mainstream gaming these days are, and are OK with the not-quite-as-fast-paced-and-action-packed New Super Mario Brothers Wii (don't get me wrong, great game, and it has its thrilling moments, especially with three or four players, but just not as thrilling as Mario Kart), then this bundle will do just fine. The bottom line is that the Mario Kart Bundle beats this one in every arguable way.