…when shopping online:

Try the major online retailers and shopping aggregators such as Amazon, eBay, and Yahoo! Shopping.

But expect to pay hundreds of dollars more for "Wii bundles"—the basic console unit with one (or more) "Wii-mote" wireless control units and one to four (less-than-popular) game titles. And, be wary of purchasing it from online retailers that you've never heard of before or have very low customer reviews/ratings. And if you need it by Christmas, you'll need to hurry. Most sites that have any Wiis or Wii bundles still available state that you'll need to place your order by Tuesday December 18. And you'll need to pay for pricier "express" shipping to guarantee delivery by December 24.

Still, you might be able to find reasonable (in terms of last-minute shopping) deals. For example Target.com's Wii bundle (including four games) is $400—meaning you're paying $37.50 per bundled game.

…when shopping in stores:

Try the major retailers (Best Buy, Circuit City, Frys, etc.) as well as "niche" outlets such as video game stores; movie, music and entertainment retailers and computer stores. Retailers are getting shipments—albeit not as many as they'd like. Your best bet is to go early in the day (when stocks might have been replenished) and visit stores often.

…if you live or work in (or plan to visit ) New York City:

Go to the Nintendo World store. It is the only retail outlet guaranteed to have (an undisclosed number of) Wii consoles for sale—and at the retail price of $250—on a daily basis. Obviously, the units are sold on a "first come, first serve" basis, which would lead one to imagine monstrously long lines of frantic holiday shoppers—consumer queues that would rival the bread lines in Russia during the Cold War era, perhaps. But not necessarily.

Based on my experience and from accounts of other shoppers and friends, if you're one of the first 150 or so in line at the 10 Rockefeller Plaza store before it opens (at 8 A.M. during the holiday season), you stand (sorry) a good chance of getting a Wii.

To be sure, some die-hard gamers and extremely desperate shoppers will get on the waiting line way before the break of dawn. During my own Nintendo World experience, I discovered that the queue I was in was started by someone who stood outside at 8 P.M. the previous night!

And since Nintendo World has been dealing with such situations for more than a year now, it has developed a "rationing system" (involving wristbands and firm rules regarding "line jumpers") that attempts to keep the lines manageable and fair.

Standing in a line on a street in mid-town Manhattan in the early morning hours of a hectic holiday season isn't for everyone. But for now, it's practically the only way one can guarantee getting a Wii before December 25th. What's more, since the store is located only a stone's throw from the famous Rockefeller Plaza Christmas tree and NBC's Today Show studios, you're bound to see some interesting sights while waiting. (During my nearly three-hour wait, I saw American Idol winner, Jordin Sparks, and Nick Lachey—former 98 Degrees boy-band member and ex-husband of another pop star, Jessica Simpson.)

—Paul Eng