Today marked the launch of the demo version of Wii’s Internet Channel. The channel is essentially a version of the Opera Browser, that runs on the wii. I tried to make a post to monkeygames from the wii, but about half way through my message, the console froze up. RUH ROH. Maybe long typing entries are a bug on the current version. Ahh well. Its clearly not meant for a long typing session anyway.

Of note:
1) They seem to have added a very nice word complete functionality to at least the entries of the Browser, but possibly to all entry fields on the console (that would rock).
2) The browser itself handles the mismatch in resolution and screen size rather well. You can zoom in and out of a page, scroll with the wiimote, and even change the viewpoint to be more like a mobile device (this messes up the page good, but makes the text nice and big.
3) As for the browser’s capabilities, Gmail worked, google maps did not, You Tube looked awesome, and Flash movies play fantastic.
4) The loading was plenty fast.
5) The favorites page is slow to load, but once in, it is very intuitive with a shot of the front page.
6) One annoying thing, is you have to jump back to the home to enter a new web address. They should have a button jsut open the URL bar.

All in all, considering I would probably just head upstairs to use the internet on a more serious task, it does a nice job for a quick trip to IMDB to settle a bet, CNN for the news, YouTube for some fun browsing, or to Gmail to send a quick note or read mail. While the demo version is free and available today, I will deffinitely buy the full version once its released.

In other news, a couple of nights ago, Nintendo also put their Forecast channel live.

It was simple to setup, and now I can get the weather from my Wii. Sort of useful, deffinitely well presented. Their globe feature is pretty cool, as you can spin the globe and check out the weather from your home town, to the South Pole. It was cool, but after Google Earth, I’m dreaming of THAT on the wii at all times. THAT would be something amazing. At any rate, check out the You Tube below for a walkthrough of it. (make sure to fast forward the part where the user is downloading the app).

Nintendo is offering to replace the original version of the wrist straps for the Wii Remote with a newer version. Because Wii consoles shipped starting in early December already utilized the newer version of the strap, you will need to determine which version of the strap you have before ordering a replacement. To view the difference between the original and the new version of the strap, please click here.

| Nintendo - Customer Service | Wii Remote Wrist Strap Replacement

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There are a ton of games you have to pay for that aren’t this good. I think the agonizing countdown to Christmas just got a little bit more bearable.

The Nintendo Advent Calendar = Brilliant - Kotaku

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This is simply money.

Now… after we’ve used it. That guy who lost his wiimote and it broke his TV…. we think hes a liar. And apparantly, we’re not alone.

Penny Arcade! - Lubricado

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This site has an emulated Super Mario Brothers, but the cool part is, it shows you the sprites in memory, and how they load based on the game. Its very neato.

This is a deconstructed Nintendo emulator that shows how sprites and sprite memory are handled while a game is being played. The intent is to show insight for how software and hardware work, given the relatively simple example of a minimal architecture from an old game console system.

deconstructulator | ben fry

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A simply fantastic movie.. splicing together 4 15 minute episodes that lay out the entire history of Zelda. Simply awesome.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3217799422494896410

Ok, so I got my Wii.

Lets take a look at it. And how I’m feeling about it on day 3.

The packaging
Sure, you’ll never see it again, but I think Nintendo took a page from Apple’s Book when they did the packaging (and visual design) of the Wii. The box is immaculate. The packaging is neat and orderly. The quick start guide was just what it needed to be. It was so nice to open a box, and have thigns slide right out, looking clean, safelly packed, and easy to unfurl. Compared to opening one of those damn plastic form-sealed wrappings, this was like a massage. I will never again care about the packaging, but as my first contact with the Wii, it set our relationship on the right step.

The Channels
I got it hooked up with a minimum of fuss. The directions were easy and simple enough. I even got my gamecube wavebird controllers hooked up right away.. for those retro gamecube games.

I turn it on excitedly, and I am then shown the wii setup menus. It shows me how to use the wiimote, and then I’m off to setting up the system.

My first Wiimote interaction is entering info into a soft keyboard. Moving the wiimote is easy to understand in jsut a few seconds, and the soft rumble feedback you get when you roll over a letter I thought was awesome. Attention to details like that are what will make or break this system.

I get things setup, and I head straight to the WiFi settings. One wep key later, and poof.. I’m connected, and I grab all the latest console updates.

Now, I finally am at the main menu again, and I explore the weather and news channels. Hmm.. suck… they dont seem to work yet. As of now, they still dont work. I am guessing that they are just not yet enabled. I will have to research them more, but Jeff at least has had the same problems. So for now. I move on.

Next I hit the Mii area. A mii is an avatar you can make of yourself using simple characature tools. Within about 10 minutes, I had created a wii of myself, my wife made one of herself, and 2 pals made themselves. What surprised me here was how such a simple characature could so accurately nail us! With the right hair, and eyes, we are instantly avatars in game!

I next check out the wii store.. I see the virtual console titles. Less than promised.. but they DID say it will have more within the 5 weeks of launch. So Golden Axe will be mine soon enough. I’m also greeted in the “wii ware” section to a pic of a wonderful looking Web browser. I don’t have a laptop, and the ability to browse the web when i need something, all from the comfort of my couch will rock. Time will tell if the browser is any good, but I hold out hope.

Finally.. its game time.

Wii Sports
Our first experiment, is to try golf. I am mesmerized by how you really hold the wiimote like a golf club.. and somehow it works!
Old remotes and whatnot are always about pointing the wiimote at a screen. This one uses its magic (i think its wifi and a gyroscope) to know its orientation at all times. And the bar on the TV you install tells the general location of the wiimote.

Golf lasts about 20 seconds… we like it.. but too slow. Next up. Tennis.

Now we are cooking!

We start up a game of 1 v 1. The game reccommends We clear the area of tables..people..etc, and we wisely comply.

Swinging the wiimote swings the racquet. And its a BLAST. We play for a while.. games going neck and neck.. and we even build up a sweat! A SWEAT PLAYING VIDEO GAMES! This friends.. is deffinitely a revolution.

After a fwe rounds of tennis, we hit Boxing. We plug in the nunchuck, and we learn how amazing it is to dodge punches by tucking in the wiimotes and actually dodging with your body. We swing left and right by swinging the nunchuck or the wiimote respectivelly. High swings are high.. low are low. It even reads hooks pretty well. (still need to find the uppercut).

All in all.. its active.. and its a BLAST.

After playing around a bit more.. .friends leave, and the time has come to check out Zelda.

Zelda
I *know* zelda will be awesome. I loved wind waker. It may have been one of my favorite games of all time. It was just so well done in every aspect.

This zelda picks up on the same amazing and awesome gamelpay mechanics, but where as in Wind Waker, the look was cartoon, this look is REALISM. Sure, it doenst look nearly as good as a 360 would. You can tell that right away. In fact, short of very good lighting effects, I don’t know if its much better than the gamecube was. But the gameplay is immediately spot on. The monsters you face are similar to identical to some from Wind waker.. but now they are REAL.. not cartoony. The comparison is striking.

And the controls?

WOW.

Early on, you get a slingshot (which you aim using the wiimote), a fishing rod (which you use the wiimote like a fishing rod to use.. duh), your horse, which has the same great control feel that the horse in Shadows of the Colossus had, ANd you get a sword. Swinging the wiimote is swinging your sword, and you get it in jsut a few seconds. It is really a fun and exciting experience. All the while, that spectacular, and awesome zelda gameplay is spot on. I wont ruin any more, but the game is just perfect. Very happy.

Conclusions

I didnt Try Red Steel yet, though I will. Reviews have said its so-so, with great control scheme, but in a mediocre title. Woops.. oh well.. I heard sword fighting with the wiimote, and I jumped. Hopefully it will be decent, and not total crap.

The channels will work soon (I hope). I am looking forward to trying out more of the built in features. I am siked to play some classic games, and I am excited to see what kinds of wii-ware we end up with.

I know it wont be as well hooked up as the 360’s Live online system is. But I am looking forward to seeing how multiplayer online games work out with it.

Finally..we have the wiimote. Its clearly alot of fun. Its intuitive. Its deffinitely something new and different. My only fear (a small one mind you) Is will it get old? Will swinging link’s sword get tiresome? What about when I don’t want to sit up straight and leave enough room to move about?

The days of lounging back with a controller in your hand may be gone, and while I may miss them, maybe its just the fear of change that has me.

This is deffinitely a revolution in gaming. And I think its going stick around for some time. I can’t wait to see what is next in store for this system and all its potential.

Ours seems fine. But stories like these make me scared!

Last month, some Xbox 360 owners downloaded the Fall Update to the system’s dashboard only to find that it had turned their systems into a giant paperweight. Now it appears that one of the first system updates to the Nintendo Wii has similarly affected a portion of the fledgling console’s user base, and Nintendo’s official forums have attracted numerous reports of broken Wiis.

Apparently the systems in question began exhibiting problems immediately after downloading updates from the WiiConnect 24 service. Specifically, the systems begin giving out the error code “110213.” Several of the posters reported getting through to Nintendo’s customer service, only to be told that the problem couldn’t be fixed from their end and the consoles would need to be sent in to Nintendo for repairs at the company’s expense.

GameSpot News: The definitive source for video game news, announcements, ship dates, rankings, sales figures, and more.

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