Apple set all kinds of sales records last week when the latest iPhone sold out in less than an hour. The Apple faithful are once again proving their power as some of the biggest consumer groups in the nation. While not as impressive, a certain Kyoto-based company also sold out its initial stock of pre-orders this weekend.

Retailers across the nation began to take pre-orders for Nintendo’s Wii U last Thursday. By Friday afternoon, many retailers had already sold through their initial allotment of the deluxe edition of the console that retails for $349.99 and comes with a copy of Nintendo Land. The $299.99 basic model is still available at some stores, but it’s going fast.

GameStop was the first to go out of stock of the deluxe set. We spoke to a GameStop employee who said they received an email on Friday telling them to stop taking pre-orders on the deluxe set. The basic set may still be available, but you should call your local GameStop before making the trip. The GameStop Web site lists both console SKUs as being sold out.

Other major retailers like Best Buy are sold out of both the deluxe and basic model. This is reflected on their Web site, and it’s unlikely that they’ll get more stock before launch. Other major retailers like Toys R Us, Target and Sears are also sold out of the highly anticipated console. Unfortunately, Amazon is still not taking pre-orders at this time.

Selling out of initial stock may look good now, but it’s hard to tell if this is an indication of the Wii U’s overall health. Nintendo may be intentionally limiting stock to create the illusion of scarcity. The console selling out in a matter of days definitely makes it look like something that everybody must have for the holiday season. We also don’t know if the pre-orders are coming from the die-hard Nintendo faithful, or the casual players that made the original Wii such a success.

Either way, now is the time to get a pre-order for the Wii U in. You probably missed out on the deluxe set if you haven’t pre-ordered now, but many retailers still have the basic set available. With the basic set, you’re just missing out on increased storage space and a free game. It’s not that big of a loss.

[h/t: Metro]