Wii watch '07: Finally got one!

Yesterday, the Nintendo Wii hit the shelves once again...and left just as quickly. Nintendo's latest "relaunch" (store restocking) of the system was once again met with fairly crazy enthusiasm. The Wii might be a bit more available now in more rural areas, but if you're in a city, you should be ready for a prolonged hunt.

I finally got my Wii yesterday morning, and I was lucky. I woke up early and got to the Circuit City in Bergen, New Jersey, around 8:30 a.m., an hour and a half before the store opened. Signs were already posted warning customers that the store was getting only 22 Wiis, and that vouchers would be handed out before the store opened. Sure enough, the store manager soon appeared, accompanied by a security guard, and handed out numbered vouchers. I got voucher number nine, which ensured me a console.

With the vouchers handed out, those in line dispersed to their cars and to nearby coffee shops to get out of the cold. I popped across the street and grabbed some breakfast and returned to the Circuit City around 9:20, 40 minutes before the store opening and 25 minutes before the recommended lineup time. The signs you see on the right are the ones that greeted me when I got there. The Wii was sold out before the store even opened. Thankfully, I had my voucher and walked out of the store an hour later with a new Wii, a copy of Twilight Princess, and a wireless router to bring it online.

In my search for the Wii, I learned something surprising: It's not the only incredibly hard-to-find Nintendo system out there. The Nintendo DS Lite is also absent from most store shelves. It's been well over a year now, but the system is still highly sought after. In a few weeks both systems might be a bit more available, but for now, if you don't have a Wii or a DS Lite, you might have to do some legwork to get one.

[rexworld]

Congratulations, lucky dog

I was number 17 in line and the Circuit City only had 14 vouchers to hand out. Guess I'll just check again next Sunday to see if they got another shipment.

[Salenstormwing]

Another Wii Owner here

I got mine on Sunday as well, down here in Jax, Florida. Best Buy had 47 in total, and I was #37. I arrived about an hour and a half before the store opened, but unlike most of the country, it was actually pretty warm down here. What suprised me was the fact that they passed out the last of the vouchers about 30 minutes before the store actually opened.

According to someone from the Circuit City next door, they only had 4 vouchers for the system, so a lot of folks who didn't get one there were over at the Best Buy.

[JjSeVdT]

I was lucky

I got my wife hers a couple days after her Birthday. I was just at the mall and asked if they had any and they had gotten two. One was called for but I quickly grabbed the other one. Despite the fact it used almost half my paycheck she was pleasntly suprised. I shortly grabbed Zelda and Warioware Smooth Mooves which I must say are Must haves for Wii owners. I eagerly await Wii Play.

[thunderbomb24]

good for u

i got my Wii just a few days ago. and although i only have Wii Sports at the moment, i cant put my wii-mote down. and to think, a lot of people were skeptical about the Wii's success, and that Sony's Playstation 3 would sell out. but Sony just failed to please. A wag of the finger to you Sony!

[thunderbomb24]

good for u

i got my Wii just a few days ago. and although i only have Wii Sports at the moment, i cant put my wii-mote down. and to think, a lot of people were skeptical about the Wii's success, and that Sony's Playstation 3 would sell out. but Sony just failed to please. A wag of the finger to you Sony! ):

[larry389]

my cousin did too

he woke up and when to the same CURCIUT City and got one.
I live in NYC and i waited to get one online

[zelrio]

ye wut sun

[hwilplay]

Wife wrecked Jaguar to get a Wii.

My wife was in such a hurry to get to the local Toy store that she rear ended an SUV. Of course she was breaking a few laws I would guess. But a call to the store from a crying grandmother got her one saved although it is against store policy. It would have been cheaper buying one on ebay.

[kswa1987]

To the new owners of Wii's...

[kswa1987]

To the new owners of Wii's...

BUY DOUBLE A's.... A LOT.

I've gone through approximately 40 batteries since launch with three controllers.
and now that i have wario ware i expect that to increase. i am going to start
charging my friends for using wiimotes.