Charlene Li, a Forrester media analyst, recently compiled a helpful list of tips for the holiday Wii-hunting season.

Among the tips: Register for Wiialerts, which sends e-mail alerts or messages to your cellphone when a batch becomes available at an online store, and go to stores like Toys R Us two to four hours before they open on a Sunday morning.

Don't give up too early. You get there with 20 people ahead of you in line. They tell you that employees have shared they have only 20 Wiis in stock. Don't leave yet! On Black Friday, I was at a GameStop in Stockton with family members who were 35 or so in line when only 20 Wiis were available. They didn't hand out vouchers, so they stood in line for an hour. As they snaked up to the front, people were leaving with only a game or two in hand, bypassing the chance to buy a Wii. Two family members got the last two Wiis. So you never know.

My suggestion for locals: Make friends with someone who works at Nintendo of America and finagle an invitation into the company store in Redmond.