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Missed the EB Games/Gamestop and Toys R Us preorders? Do not worry, this guide will help you find that Nintendo Wii that you’re searching for on November 19th, aka launch day.With the Wii’s Preorder demand much higher than original expected and the hype surrounding the Wii (not to mention eBay resellers), the Wii may be harder to find than originally expected, in spite of the record 1 million consoles available at launch.With all of this demand, and long lines for preorders, how could you possibly expect to find a Wii on launch? Without just a little effort, you probably cannot. However, this guide will give you a way to play Wii sports that Sunday with the least inconvenience.
First of all, don’t bother calling EB Games or Gamestop. They are sold out. According to reports, these companies (which have merged into one) waited until they received the initial delivery numbers before preordering, and reserved exactly that many. They do not expect to have extra units after their reserves are picked up. Gamestop and EB are thus ranked “No Chance”.
Toys R Us generally does not sell it’s entire cache of consoles through preorders. Most people will assume they did, or even forget that Toys R Us carries video games, and thus the line can be very thin. Do remember, though, that they have already preordered a significant number of consoles, and may not have many available for sale. Depending on your area, though, you may want to save this one as a last resort if you miss the midnight releases at other retailers, as after those midnight consoles are sold out, a line will form at any retailer that will be selling them in the morning. Toys R Us generally opens at 10am or Noon on Sunday, depending on your area, so Toys R Us earns the “Last Chance” ranking. UPDATE: If the rumors hold any truth, TRU may have only reserved 20% of their stockpile and may still have more units per store than ANY other retailer. If true, this would upgrade the Toys R Us ranking from “Last Chance” to “Best Chance”!
Wal-Mart, if you have one in your area, may not be a bad choice. They receive a large number of consoles, and are usually open 24 hours a day, thus you do not have to sit outside in the freezing cold. Many will even hand out tickets early and allow you to shop around until midnight. Due to this reason, though, you may have to show up during the early afternoon to claim your spot. To avoid cold overnight queues, this may be worth it. Wal-Mart is ranked as the “Stay Warm” headquarters.Target, the retailer that jumped the gun and began offering accessories before everyone else, they may be building hype for the release. Or, since they are not opening early for the release, could be the best place to line up after missing the midnight lines. Target, then, receives the “Second Chance” ranking.
Best Buy is also offering midnight releases (UPDATE: Apparently they are only opening one hour early), but be warned; this is a popular place to camp out for consoles. This will be the first place most people go to line up, and you will likely see a line formed by 2pm on Saturday, if not sooner. However, you’ll find a lot of video game fans here, so if you have a DS and a lawn chair, this may be the place to be. If you’re reading this, you probably do not have anything better to do on a Saturday night than take on strangers at Mario Kart and Metroid Prime: Hunters. Thus Best Buy gets the “Most Fun” rank.
Circuit City is joining the lineup as a midnight releaser as well. Depending on how prominent the store is in your area, this line could fill up fast or could be easily overlooked. Take a look at how popular the Circuit City is in your area for video games, and make a decision based on that. Circuit City gets the “Wildcard”.
Sam’s Club and Costco are generally not known for video games, but they do offer them! As you must have a membership to purchase anything, the expense is greater, but this greatly reduces the number of people to compete against. Also note that they generally only offer bundles, but the bundles may be a good deal. Do not be surprised if one retailer offers a Wii with a spare controller and nunchuk for $299, a savings of $10 over purchasing separately. They do not open until morning, but a wait of less than two hours is possible due to these two being overlooked. Expect the line to be made of an older crowd, usually resellers and parents. Also note that if you’re looking for a PlayStation 3, “business” members are allowed to shop earlier than other members on weekdays (such as November 17th), so investing in a business membership may be worth it. Sam’s Club and Costco get the “Most Overlooked” rank.
A few points to consider, which might make a few lines a deal maker or deal breaker. If you’re going to be outside, bring a chair, blanket, warm clothing, cooler with food/water, and something to occupy yourself, such as a DS or a good book (yeah right!). A cell phone can keep you in contact with others. Plot out how far it is to a bathroom. You don’t want to walk two miles just for that. A close by fast food restaurant might be a huge bonus, as you can send one person to pick up warm food for everyone in the line.Look around your area. Do some retailers have locations off the beaten path? Those may be the best place to wait. Sure, the more popular a store is, the more consoles it will get, but that also means the more people will be waiting there. One thing is for sure. Do not wait for November 18th to plan everything out. Get a group of friends that can call each other and give status reports of lines forming around town. Nobody wants to wait a long time, but you don’t want to show up to late either, do you? If you do miss the launch, do not worry. Nintendo is expected to deliver 4 million before Christmas, though if demand increase, Nintendo may be able to answer with more units. Thus, even with the Wii becomes the hottest selling video game system ever (and we expect it to), you should be able to find one with minimal effort to place under your tree.
