Nintendo sells 600,000 Wii consoles

Nintendo has sold more than 600,000 units of its video game console in North America since it launched Nov. 19, the company said Tuesday.

The company said it raked in about $190 million US in hardware, accessories and its own software titles in the first eight days the sold-out Wii (pronounced "we") was available.

Electronics retailers continue to see demand outstrip the available supply, with units disappearing from store shelves as soon as they are available.

The Wii is to launch in Japan on Dec. 2, and in Europe Dec. 7 to 9. Nintendo aims to sell four million of the consoles by year's end.

"It's clear this is one of the 'gotta-have' products for the holiday season," Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime said in a written statement.

The Wii's gameplay centres on its unique motion-sensitive controller, which resembles a television remote control connected by a cable to a module similar to a computer mouse. A player can swing the remote like a baseball bat or sword to see their physical actions duplicated in the game and, similarly, they can use the mouse or "nunchuk" to steer their character around onscreen.

The console diverges from competitors by using current-generation graphics instead of the high-definition visuals being touted by the high-powered and higher priced rivals offered by Sony and Microsoft.

The Wii costs $279.95 in Canada, while Sony's own sold-out PlayStation 3 console that launched Nov. 17 costs $549.99 or $659.99 for models with different capabilities. Microsoft's Xbox 360 models, launched last year, cost $399.99 or $499.99.