Keepin' it real fake, part LXXXII: The Chintendo Vii

While we imagine that reverse engineering the Wii console is a fairly straightforward procedure, reproducing Nintendo's extensive software library would be quite the trick. That is, until Meizu's OS X duplication team becomes available. Pages 3 and 4 after the break.

[Thanks, Anonymouse]

[Randy @ Sep 28th 2007 7:31AM]

WTF?!?!

[Holger @ Sep 28th 2007 7:44AM]

Hehe cheap chinese knockoff... :P

can't really determine if the games are mostly old school 2d games or what?

[Willen @ Sep 28th 2007 8:08AM]

I have the same problem with the Nintendo Wii.

[Holger @ Sep 28th 2007 8:34AM]

Hm... well yeah, the Wii isn't so technically advanced, but very funny when playing with more people, as all figure it out. Plus as we all know, gameplay before graphics. :P

[Willen @ Sep 28th 2007 9:40AM]

My gripe with Nintendo's Wii is why can't we have gameplay AND graphics? The two are not mutually incompatible.

[N30 G30 @ Sep 28th 2007 9:51AM]

Graphics takes alot of hard work. I'd rather have a good game with mediocre graphics now, then a good game with great graphics next year.

Also, there's tons of developers that believe "graphics over gameplay" because that's what they believe truly sells. Immature little kids looks at the box and goes, "this looks great, I want this game!"

[Calviin @ Sep 28th 2007 9:59AM]

Ok, I'm a big fan of the Wii, but even I thought that was funny, Willen

You win.

[Calviin @ Sep 28th 2007 10:06AM]

Honestly Willen, there are two answers to your question on why we can't have gameplay and graphics.

The first answer is because if Wii had HD graphics like 360 and PS3, it would cost as much as they do, and Nintendo knew they needed to keep price down if they were going to succeed in this new gen of game systems (which in case you haven't been watching, they are succeeding very much).

The second is because, while most people would like gameplay AND graphics, MOST game companies will only invest enough money into a game that only one of those two can be focused on. The smaller companies that aren't EA, SquareEnix, Epic, etc, can't spend as much time and money to get both gameplay and graphics.

But mostly, it's the first reason. Nintendo knew that they needed to keep the price of the console low if they were going to appeal to a mass market. Cutting HD graphics put them in first place on sales. Including it would have made them third, (ok, maybe second, but who knew Sony was going to make this many mistakes.)

[coreymon77 @ Oct 13th 2007 5:47PM]

wrong, the only reason wii gets dont have the best graphics is because nobody tries. the wii has the capability to have incredible graphics. its just that developers for some reason have it in there head that people who buy nintendo systems dont care about graphics, so they dont try. when developers do try, the results are amazing. perfect example is metroid prime 3, that was a game where the developers actually tried to make a graphically incredible game for the wii. and look what happened, the graphics are amazing, and yet, it still great gameplay. and another thing thats wrong, the wii does have hd graphics, i have them on my wii. once again, mp3 was the only one to use them, although the wii does has hd graphics capability, you just need to buy the component cables seperately to use it

[Jagannath A @ Sep 28th 2007 7:46AM]

next in the pipeline Pintendo Pee !!

[Richard @ Sep 28th 2007 8:03AM]

My cousin had a device called Chintendo once. It ran Nintendo cartridges and a couple of Chintendo cartridges with a bazzilion Nintendo games, clearly illegal. Wonder if this is from the same maker.

[Alien Grey @ Sep 28th 2007 8:04AM]

I'm waiting for the Praystation won.

[Comacozi @ Sep 28th 2007 9:58AM]

Microshaft XCOX 180

[Calviin @ Sep 28th 2007 10:08AM]

Playstation has already had dozens of impersonators. Where have you been?

[Alien Grey @ Sep 28th 2007 10:25AM]

Calviin,

In case you haven't figured this out, I'm not even human. I'm an alien from another planet. You humans call me "Grey" and you've kept one of my relatives in area 51 since 1989. Because I'm not from Earth, I've been getting the real systems, instead of wasting my time looking up for fake systems. The only fake I would consider is the Praystation Won, in which I doubt they've made. Sure, there are other fakes out there, but I doubt there's a Praystation Won. I hope this answers your sarcastic question.

[Calviin @ Sep 28th 2007 10:33AM]

I guess they have a different definition of sarcasm where you're from.
Just to try and help out:
sar·casm Pronunciation[sahr-kaz-uhm] –noun
1. harsh or bitter derision or irony.
2. a sharply ironical taunt; sneering or cutting remark: a review full of sarcasms.

I liked your answer, but I just wanted to point out that while yours may have been sarcastic, mine was definitely not.

[Alien Grey @ Sep 28th 2007 10:37AM]

Again, thank you for your sarcasm, it's greatly appreciated.

[Calviin @ Sep 28th 2007 12:04PM]

I can't really think of a response that wouldn't sound like I'm coming down to your level, so I will concede.

You are the king of Engadget.

May all your dreams come true.

[teej @ Sep 28th 2007 12:07PM]

PS3 is a PS2 fake! The only games I play on mine are from PS2. zingggg. (see- lack of titles)

[nih @ Sep 28th 2007 8:07AM]

Is there actually a market for this crap?

[Willen @ Sep 28th 2007 8:18AM]

Considering that many people in the West still have a problem finding one to buy, imagine how difficult it is for the average Chinese citizen. Not to mention that even at the current price ($249US), the typical Chinese person cannot afford the real thing.

The big irony will be that this thing will probably be preloaded with a bunch of Nintendo games already on it, like all the PMPs and other knock-off game machines featured in the KIRF series.

[lassi @ Sep 28th 2007 11:20AM]

finding a wii has been easy for past 6 months, just walk into a shop and buy(this in europe).

in china it's been easy too, though there you could only find modded wii's i hear(no idea now with the new drive chips).

[Richard Ford @ Sep 28th 2007 1:56PM]

Dude.. learn what irony means.

A heart surgeon having a heart attack is ironic. A Wii knock off having actual nintendo games on it, would be coincidental or poetic at best. Not ironic.

Ironic means contradictory or opposite in logic. It is pretty friggin obvious that a Vii rip off will be able to play Vii games.

Here is another example for those challenged by the Queen's English.

Kenneth Starr got caught with a cigar shoved up his arse...

[Mal F4cti0n @ Oct 16th 2007 9:28AM]

Yes, it is for people who are asked to buy a Wii without knowing what a Wii is. They buy this, thinking it is what was asked for and not knowing they got ripped off.

It isn't for any other purpose than to to try and take advantage of people's ignorance of a product.

[NG @ Sep 28th 2007 8:11AM]

haha "Vii"

of course there is a market man..
China has like 12 billion ppl

[Miker @ Sep 28th 2007 8:27AM]

Yes, it's amazing how companies like Yahoo, Google, Microsoft etc happily flout human rights under the "we must comply with local laws" (or should that be "we were just following orders") when the massive dollar sign of over a billion Chinese wafts under its nose.

[Jeff @ Sep 28th 2007 10:47PM]

Yes China in fact has double the world's population

[morning @ Sep 30th 2007 11:26PM]

Actually, 1.3 billion.

[Kragmose @ Sep 28th 2007 8:19AM]

Oh - my - GOD.

Something's wrong with them.

[foo22 @ Sep 28th 2007 8:43AM]

haha, can just imagine some kid opening his xmas presents and out comes the chintendo vii cause his parents were looking at the wii and the vii and thought...mmmm the vii is so much cheaper hahahahahahahah

[David @ Sep 28th 2007 9:10AM]

@Jeff
I was thinking this guy had no clue about the world population, then I read you comment and cracked up! Thank you for starting my day off right.

[James @ Sep 28th 2007 9:32AM]

gotta love them china men

[NG @ Sep 28th 2007 9:35AM]

I guess same as for the Fake iPod Nano..

This "Vii" might even have a inbuild DVD player or a MP4 Reader or something..

[NG @ Sep 28th 2007 9:38AM]

i mean extra add-on features

[Comacozi @ Sep 28th 2007 9:59AM]

i bet this can play doom better than the will

[Kaemon @ Sep 28th 2007 10:20AM]

Its nothing but two Chintendo Famevubes duct taped together.

[Magallanes @ Sep 28th 2007 10:34AM]

Woow.. the evolution of the Polystation.

[Traveler @ Sep 28th 2007 10:56AM]

Praise the Chinese!!!

[John @ Sep 28th 2007 11:09AM]

oh, I get it, you're saying that Miezu has a team of people devoted to copying Apple, because god knows you hadn't insulted an iPhone competitor yet today and that couldn't last. Thank you for injecting some pointless dig into the post.

[Thomas Ricker @ Sep 28th 2007 11:52AM]

@John,

Whew, that was close. Here I thought the day would end without someone calling me biased.

Yesterday, I was stinking up the place with my Sony bias:

http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/27/toshiba-tosses-gigabeat-v41-brick-at-sony-misses-throws-like-g/comments/7840433/

Last week I was on the Microsoft payroll:

http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/21/130-zunes-10-woot-credit-for-last-rounders/comments/7721460/

Now Apple. Neato.

Thomas

[rainygrass @ Sep 28th 2007 12:57PM]

shame on Chinese ... though this thomas guy a loser need to learn some English...

[NG @ Sep 29th 2007 6:33AM]

Why don't you try to learn other languages yourself? If you are too dumb, don't blame the others.

[Lemmiwinks @ Oct 2nd 2007 4:20PM]

"shame on Chinese ... though this thomas guy a loser need to learn some English..."


+2 stupid for you.

[cdpage @ Sep 28th 2007 12:58PM]

@ Foo22
I can see this happening, but if China keeps it's reputation up [like the media is slowly coming to realize], you might find parents thinking:

"I'll take the Wii, the Vii probably has to much Iron/Lead/ etc. or doesn't have some form of safety standard...for that matter cheap labor and poor quality environmental damage...etc.

Besides the Wii is cheap enough as it is. The only thing missing that should be in it, AFAIC, is the DVD player.

[Traveler @ Sep 28th 2007 1:57PM]

Maybe they should produce a PMP or game console with a different look. But they should probably have more or different features... maybe they already have done so.
Just a note, if anyone ever look at most patent applications in U.S., one will notice that people are claiming inventions by adding one well-known feature to other existing products or simply replacing one component with another. And "inventive" patents have been granted.

[Andy @ Sep 28th 2007 2:31PM]

Sorry guys, this was just recalled because of lead paint.

[perrywu1008 @ Sep 28th 2007 2:58PM]

China sucks!!

[slider16988 @ Sep 28th 2007 6:19PM]

No need to overbid the Wii anymore.

[joeral2007 @ Sep 28th 2007 7:58PM]

lol. Alien Gray is a Yu-Gi-Oh card....lol..



don't ask me how i know that....

[Valgas @ Sep 28th 2007 8:35PM]

When does Chinpokomon Purple Edition come out?