WiiU pre-orders start today at noon EST. for a Nov 21st (?) release date!

$299 for the 8gb White model and $349 for the 32gb Black model with included game.

not sure which one I'll be getting, but most likely it will be the 32gb.

Anyone else planning on picking up the new system?

Definitely not in year one. I've never bought a new console until year 3 got going. I'm sure I will eventually though because I'm a sucker for Mario, Mario Kart and Smash Brothers. In fact, I have a Gamecube and only those 3 games.

I'm normally with J1. I never EVER buy a console in the first year. But my WII just died, so we might actually look at getting this right away instead of fixing the WII... Especially if it's compatible with all the WII stuff.... Hmm...

yeah, fully backwards compatible with the Wii, it even uses the current gen Wii-motes as the default controllers with the new touch screen pad.

And thanks to the WiiShop, you can now download and play all your favorite older gen games from Gamecube back to the NES.

My son has been glued to all the promo videos on youtube this week.

Christmas won't come soon enough for him I think.

Yea but at the same time, if you bought all those old games and you have game saves on your Wii, you'll need an sd card and a lot of time to transfer all of that stuff to your new Wii U. The strangest thing I saw though is that they will not be selling the tablet controllers in the US. You get one with your system and if it breaks, it sounds like you're out of luck for a while.

I love Nintendo but their decisions are baffling sometimes.

I don't mean to sound negative here. I thought about it and I probably do sound negative about the Wii U. I fully plan to get one some day because Mario is one of the best gaming experiences available each generation and this console can do some interesting things. In fact, I never did get all my stars in Mario Galaxy 2 and I need to go back and do that.

Well, yes, I took the plunge.

My pre-order for the 32gb Deluxe pack is locked in and now its just a wait for Nov. 18 (the real release date, sorry I was wrong earlier).

Now to go through the game checklist and start some pre-orders for those ...

The other wacky thing is how much a second and/or replacement controller will be. According to the price list for the stuff in Japan the controllers will be more than half as much as the whole system. System $300 - controller $172!!

Man, we are really on the fence over this one. On the one hand, my wife and I love Nintendo and think they have some of the best gaming properties around. On the other hand, we're not completely sold on that new controller thing. And I'm sorely tempted to wait six months anyway, just to see if the price comes down at all.

My wife has concerns over the new system, too; I don't share them, but one of the things she loves about the Wii is how the games get you up and moving, and she doesn't see how that's going to happen with the new controller. She feels like it's nothing more than a little iPad on your lap, and won't be used like a tennis racket or golf club like the Wii controllers. My concern is availability. I can't tell you how many lines I had to stand in at 5 in the morning before I finally managed to find a Wii in time for that first Christmas morning.. I sure don't want to have to do that again if the thing's a big hit. I just don't know....

I camped out overnight in a Best Buy parking lot to get me and my son the Wii at launch for Christmas. Had no desire to do it again which is why I pre-ordered. Traded in some old games and put the money towards the new system. Once the release date gets a bit closer, I'll box up the Wii and trade that in towrds the new Wii U as well.

The majority of my gaming is with my son playing games like Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros., Kirby Epic Yarn, and Lego games. None of which really get us "up off the couch and moving". So that isn't really my concern.

I get that this system isn't for eveyone. I get that Nintendo is taking a big risk changing there focus after the success of what the Wii is.

But, I am a life long Nintendo fan. I feel they have a history of being the most innovative. And the most fun. This is just going to be another step in that history.

I'll let you all know what I think of it once it is unboxed and thoroughly "test driven"

Make sure you read up on how to transfer your Wii saves to the Wii U before you get rid of it.

And the Wiimote still works with the Wii U so they could design all the get up and move games they want.

Yeah.

My son told me last night while going through the list of "launch titles" that he wants Just Dance 4.

So we'll be "getting up" with that more often than I'd like to admit.

And I'm in for My Shape Fitness Wii Fit U (although I still think the EA Personal Trainer title is a much better overall trainer).

"Get up and Move" games are still there. It just isn't the driving focus at launch ....

I'll look into it when Mario Kart 8 comes out. I've gotta defend my 10,000 plus rep score on Mario Kart Wii!