Instead of being a regular packaged game, Wii Sports Club will be available as download software. There’s a Day Pass, which allows you to play all the available sports as much as you want for 24 hours, or a Single-Sport Pass, which you can purchase to be able to play a particular sport as long as you want. Why is that?
To be honest, it started from the point when we thought that since it will take some time to make all five sports and release them at once, what if we were to release them in the order they’re ready? If we were to release them in a package, it would be quite some way down the road before all of them were ready.
And besides, your president wanted to play as soon as possible. (laughs)
Yeah! (laughs) I do think, however, that there are a lot of benefits to this approach. And this is an online game. If we were to release all five games at once, the customers would divide up into the different games. But if we put them out like an irregular periodical, people can thoroughly enjoy each individual sport.
So first you prepared Tennis and Bowling for people play and enjoy.
Yes. Usually when you download software, you go to Nintendo eShop14, pay, and then download.14. Nintendo eShop: A shopping service that can be accessed on a Nintendo 3DS system or Wii U console. Users can download games over the Internet and view introduction videos.
Right.
That’s incredibly easy, but there are a certain number of people who find that to be a pain. So this time, in order to reduce that hassle, if your Wii U is connected to the Internet and you have at least 1.3 gigabytes of free space15, Wii Sports Club comes to your Wii U automatically through SpotPass.15. Free space: To determine how much free space is left on a Wii U console using the Wii U GamePad, open System Settings in the Wii U Menu, select Data Management, and then press Move/Delete Data.
I believe those who updated their Wii U console the other day received a message, upon starting their system again, asking if they would like to automatically receive content via SpotPass. If you answered “OK” and have 1.3 gigabytes or more of free space, Wii Sports Club will be delivered automatically16.16. Wii Sports Club will initially only be available to download from Nintendo eShop. SpotPass delivery will begin at a later date.
That’s right. One day, you suddenly have the Wii Sports Club icon, but if you couldn’t play right away without paying first, that would be a hassle too, so from the moment you start the game, you can play for the first 24 hours for free.
First we’d like people to try it, and if there’s a sport they like, they can then purchase it with a Single-Sport Pass.
That’s it.
What is the point of the other pass, the Day Pass?
Suppose your grandfather is coming over to visit. This way, everyone can enjoy Bowling together for a day. The price is reasonable, so even when friends get together, I hope they will feel free to make use of it.
So Wii Sports Club comes in automatically through SpotPass. And at first there are two sports. What about after that?
Even without you doing anything, one day Golf will suddenly be there.
So in the first 24 hours, you can play Tennis and Bowling for free, and later, even people who were playing other games will suddenly get Golf.
Right. We’ve decided to run a special campaign when Golf comes out. When a new sport comes in, you’ll be able to play past games as well, as much as you want, for 24 hours.
So every time there’s a new release, there’s a free 24-hour trial period. So you don’t miss out if you start early. As a matter of fact, it’s a better deal if you actually start sooner.
That’s right.
Including the first time, there will be at least four times that can happen. To put it another way, you have four days where you get to play for free.
That’s 96 hours! (laughs)
It would be a shame not to make use of them! (laughs)
And if you like a specific sport, you can purchase it and play all you want.
Exactly.
All right, I’d like to finish up with a word of recommendation from each of you to the players.
With regard to this title, I don’t want to say anything too complicated.
Is that because very few games are this intuitive?
Yeah. So I want people to approach the games straightforwardly and just simply play. It is, however, incredibly complicated and complex inside in ways that aren’t apparent from the outside.
But the players don’t need to know about that.
Right. That’s true for the automatic downloads too, but it’s made to be extremely easy from the way you get the game, so more than anything, I want people to feel free to play the game at no cost for the first 24 hours. That’s the only thing I’d like to say.
I myself played sports, so in making this game, I wanted to preserve that refreshed and invigorated feeling you have after a game. I think we achieved that through Miiverse, so I would be satisfied if people could experience that. And like Suzuki-san said, just try it out without any particular thought. When you do, someone will say something or praise you when you make a good play. I hope everyone will naturally enjoy that, get excited in their clubs, and have fun together.
I was also involved with the original Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort, so I’ve swung the Wii Remote a lot of times, but while making Tennis this time, I swung the Wii Remote Plus again for the first time in a while, and enjoyed it very much.
Me, too. It was really fun. (laughs)
But some players may shrink away from online games. To them, I recommend Bowling. You don’t get beaten by someone that way.
Not directly anyway. (laughs)
Unlike Tennis, you can take Bowling at your own pace, and if you get a strike, your opponent may even compliment you, so I hope beginners as well as skilled hands will enjoy it.
Today, I played Wii Sports Club for the first time. At first, the difference in timing threw me off a little, but you soon get used to it.
Right, you do.
And compared to the previous game, being able to hit the ball in different ways was refreshing.
Yes. It’s easy to differentiate shots, with topspin and slices.
So each player’s style will really come out.
Because of different swings and so forth.
Swings can be quite different. I suspect tactics will also be quite different. As players square off against all kinds of people over the internet, they will notice all kinds of things such as various play methods. I bet they will discover all kinds of play techniques that we haven’t noticed! I’m really looking forward to this.
Me too.
And lastly, I have a request to make of our readers. Please be sure to use the Wii Remote jacket and strap.
(nodding in agreement)
It’s a great opportunity to have a lot of fun so I hope that everyone’s experiences would stay on a positive note. But having said that, it does get exciting!
You were really getting into it earlier! (laughs)
I know I don’t have to swing with force, but when I get into it, I just do! (laughs) So fasten your strap, hold the Wii Remote Plus firmly, and be careful of your surroundings as you play. Thank you for today.
Thank you!
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