Well, it’s UK Wii launch day today, and so off I popped to GAME this morning, pre-order receipt in hand, and left the store with more than petty cash could comfortably afford.

Upon arriving back at the office to unpack the goodies, including the new Wii Play, I did a little news check and saw that Kotaku.com was reporting that the Wii Play over here in the UK has a new type of Wiimote strap that’s a little thicker. Sorry to burst Kotaku’s bubble, but nope, sadly it’s not. We’ve already got a US Wii taking up masses of valuable office time, and the Wii Play strap is exactly the same as the strap on the US Wiimote.

Here’s the thing though, the actual UK Wiimote that comes boxed with the Wii does have a thicker strap; how very strange that Wii Play doesn’t. So it would seem that European gamers have already been given the safety of a slightly stronger Wiimote strap.

We’ll duly take a picture to show you the difference; it should keep those Wiimotes from flying out of European hands a little longer than those grappling for purchase across the pond.