Compared to its more powerful rivals, the Wii has endured very few technical hitches in its time on the market. There’s been no Wii equivalent to the Xbox 360′s Red Ring, or the PS3′s Yellow Light.

Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s invincible, as Wii owners who downloaded the latest system update are now finding out. The Nintendo support forums are currently jam-packed with gamers reporting that Wii system update 4.2 is bricking their consoles, whether they’re modded or not.

Some people are seeing their updates freeze halfway through. Others are receiving a message that their unmodded system is actually modded, and their consoles refuse to start again (even though some consoles are fresh from the box). Some people are being sucked alive into their televisions. It is, in other words, Bad News City for Nintendo.

Fortunately, Nintendo techie “Jane” has already posted on the raging message board, promising owners of unmodded Wiis a free repair:

“Some of you have reported problems with your Wii console after updating to the Wii System Menu 4.2. The symptoms most people are describing usually occur when the Wii has been modified. However, some of you also mention your system has never been modified.

“We’d like to help get your system working properly again. If you’re experiencing problems with your Wii console after downloading Wii System Menu 4.2, and you believe your system has not been modified, please give us a call. If we find that you have a normal system and the update caused your system to not work, we’ll repair it at no charge.”

If Ninty wants to save some face here, I’d suggest some free Wii Points for their fans’ trouble.

[Via Kotaku; Picture from here]

Latest Wii update is bricking consoles, Nintendo offering free repairs is a post from: The Inquisitr