Nintendo to recall Wii wrist straps
TOKYO (AFP) - Nintendo has recalled 3.2 million wrist straps for its new Wii console after reports of enthusiastic users inadvertently sending the motion-sensing controller crashing into their TV screens.
Nintendo Co Ltd spokesman Yasuhiro Minagawa said Friday that the first version of the controller strap "turned out to be insufficient in its strength for some customers," so it would be replaced with a thicker one.
"The decision comes after reports that some users in the United States threw their controllers when playing with Wii sports software," he said.
By waving or swinging the controller, it can serve as a sword, tennis racket or car steering wheel in the games showing on screen.
But websites dubbed "Wii have a problem" and "Wii damage" have chronicled injuries and wreckage reportedly inflicted by Nintendo game controllers sent awry in the heat of play by wild swipes, loose grips or snapped wrist straps.
Wii controllers have been hurled or thrust into television and computer screens, according to online accounts. Among the reported casualties have been windows, glasses, dishes, stereos, walls and ceiling fans.
The official Wii website warns users to "hold the Wii Remote firmly and do not let go" when playing, while taking a moment to dry perspiring hands to prevent injury to people or damage to objects.
Nintendo, which launched the Wii in the United States last month and in Japan on Saturday, has been getting rave reviews for its new controller and games that shy away from blood-and-guts action.
But Nintendo president Satoru Iwata admitted last week that "even beyond our expectations people are becoming more and more excited playing with the Wii" following the reports of snapping wrist straps.
The Wii outsold the rival PlayStation 3 by more than double in the US in November, according to industry tracking group NPD, which estimates that Nintendo sold 476,140 of its Wii consoles against Sony's 196,580 PS3s.
Nintendo said that although it has not sold as many as 3.2 million Wii consoles some owners may have more than one controller to allow more than one player to compete at the same time.
Consoles shipped from early December already have the thicker strap.
Wii set itself apart from Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3 consoles by designing a system that got players moving and encouraged family or friends to join in the activity.
Within weeks of Wii's debut in November, The American Chiropractic Association made the unusual move of publicly advising console enthusiasts to "stretch first, then play."
Nintendo also said Friday that it would recall 200,000 AC/DC power adaptors for Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite portable game machines.
Nintendo said some adaptors supplied by Nagano Japan Radio Co Ltd (JRC) between January and October this year could generate excessive heat and possibly cause burn injury during charging.
Nintendo said to date, it has recorded nine such incidents of overheating. One such incident burned a hole in the body of the portable game machine but no injuries have been reported.
The Kyoto-based company said models with defective AC/DC adaptors were sold only in Japan.
Cumulative sales of Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite have so far reached 13 million units.
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