Nintendo's Red DSi XL, Wii Bundles Hit North America Next Month

Among other new products, Nintendo of America will introduce limited edition hardware bundles for Wii and DSi XL next month, offering the consoles in red to celebrate Super Mario Bros.' 25th anniversary. Leading the lineup of hardware launching on November 7th, the $199 Wii bundle will include the console in red, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Wii Sports, a red Wii Remote Plus controller (an update to the standard Wii Remote that offers built-in Wii MotionPlus functionality), and a red Nunchuck controller. Europe will receive the Red Wii bundle on October 29th, though that edition will also include a pre-installed version of Donkey Kong, presumably the NES version. Japan will receive the bundle on November 11, too, but with Super Mario Bros. pre-installed and its question mark boxes swapped with "25" graphics. Also coming to North America on November 7th, the special edition Nintendo DSi XL bundle will offer the system in red and with Super Mario Bros.-themed sprites on its case, a copy of Mario Kart DS, and pre-loaded software (Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters, Brain Age Express: Math, and Photo Clock) for $179.99. In Europe, the Red DSi XL bundle will ship on October 29th and include a copy of New Super Mario Bros. DS instead of Mario Kart DS. The Japanese version of the package won't include any retail game, though the country will also receive a special edition non-XL red DSi sold exclusively through local 7-11 shops. Nintendo of America will debut its FlingSmash Bundle alongside the red hardware, offering the Artoon-developed action game FlingSmash with a Wii Remote Plus controller for $49.99. The Wii Remote Plus controller will be included in all future Wii hardware packages and bundles, and consumers can purchase it by itself for $39.99. "Whether shoppers want to add a cool new look to their gaming setup or expand their supply of controllers with an exciting game, Nintendo offers a great value for the holidays," says NOA's PR director Marc Franklin. "For anyone who is still on the fence about whether to join the world of video games, we’re offering many fun, easy, economical ways to get involved."