Nintendo of Japan has just started a new Wii channel that allows users to view and even print digital photos from the Wii. Through a collaboration with Fujifilm, Japanese Wii users can now order prints of digital camera photos through the Wii for 30 yen (28 cents) each. Users can also purchase special Wii Photo Books for 1,575 yen ($14,71), or deluxe Mario-themed Wii Photo Books for 2,480 yen ($23.16).
In addition, the service offers meishi (like Japanese business cards, but even more prevalent) in multiple colors, emblazoned with the Mii of the user's choice, at a rate of 500 yen per 30 cards.
We think this is a really cool and unique feature that we wouldn't mind trying out oursel -- oh, wait, we're supposed to be "hardcore gamers." We almost forgot to hate it and blame this new service for the death of gaming! Oh, man, how embarrassing.
Love the imports? Then keep up to date with the import scene by keeping up to date with us! Want more info on the variousChannels, both at home and abroad? We've got you covered through our Channels category!
This week brings plenty of videos for you to watch on the Everyone's Nintendo Channel. From a look at how All-Play works in Tiger Woods 09, right down to another video of Alyson with Wii Fit. So, check out the list below, situated in handy bullet-point form:
We've got the goods on the Nintendo Channel. We're experts. With all the killer stuff available online elsewhere around the world, Nintendo also falls into the "expert" category for having the good sense to launch the service in Australia and Europe. Why, it's not even very late!
PAL gamers can now catch up on a bunch of videos and interviews they have been eagerly waiting for, including the highly-anticipated DS demo download service, which should prove to be a hit for those tech-savvy kids and grandmas. It's a free download, so make sure to get connected and updated for the release on May 30. Like, tomorrow. Cancel all those dates, fellas!
After the surprise release of the Nintendo Channel today, we decided a video walkthrough was in order. So we've gone ahead and hooked up our fancy schmancy video equipment to get you this direct-feed footage of the Channel at work. Hopefully it'll help some of you determine whether or not this Channel is worth your download. Personally, we think it is.
Watch as we check out the many informative videos available, as well as the plethora of DS demos on tap.
Those of you who booted up the Wii this morning and checked out the Mario Kart Channel may have noticed that the first competition has finally been opened for entry! The process is simple: complete three laps of Mario Circuit as quickly as possible, upload your time to Nintendo's big list 'o times, wait until the deadline (May 9th or May 10th, depending on your timezone), and get ready to bask in internet glory. Hurray, right?
Wrong.
When we think of Mario Kart time trials, we think of gradually shaving milliseconds off of our best times, of taking every corner as finely as possible, of finding the best way to utilize our three mushrooms, of locating the perfect racing line, and of keeping our noses just ahead of the time trial ghosts. Yet this first Mario Kart Wii competition totally misses the point.
For instance, it's not a time trial at all, but a fully fledged race, complete with eleven opponents and all the usual items. In other words, you can take every corner as flawlessly as possible, only to get blue-shelled on the final straight. Which doesn't strike us as a terribly fair contest. We guess this is meant to level the playing field for newer players, but shouldn't more skillful players be justly rewarded?
Anyway, if you do want to try your hand at being robbed of a deserved victory, this blogger's best time so far is a quite appalling 2:03.325.
The latest Nintendo of Europe release schedule contains fairly awesome news for the neglected continent, as there's finally a concrete release date for Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Nintendo's wildly popular fighter is hitting stores in the region on June 27th, and there's more happy tidings, with WiiWare and Nintendo Channel set to launch on May 20th and May 30th respectively.
There's little else in the list that both interests us and has a specific date (de Blob and Blast Works have both had a vague "Q2 2008" slapped next to them, though it appears that Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors will be out on May 9th), but heck, why are we yammering to you about this? Check out the latest European dates for yourself past the break!
Update: Looks like the Wii Shop Channel is back up and running fine.
Imagine our surprise when going online to check out this week's Virtual Console releases, anxious to try the game you all are undoubtedly looking forward to, when we see this screen. For shame, Nintendo, to play with our emotions and expectations. We need this game, so let us have it already!
No word on when the maintenance will be over, but we'll keep checking it. If you notice before us, be sure to toss us a tip.
Proof that Japan gets everything awesome -- including first dibs on new releases, Super Famicom Classic Controllers, and giant mechas piloted by bratty kids -- the island country's Minna no Nintendo Channel (Everybody's Nintendo Channel) has started to post student-developed games in its DS downloads section.
For those of you unfamiliar with these titles, Nintendo hosts a 10-month seminar every year in which 40 students take courses on programming and game design, eventually working in teams to develop small DS games to be featured through download stations in Japan. This year's batch consisted of four different titles, including Wakerai no Heya Tsuzuki, a Hotel Dusk-styled horror adventure, and Nan de Momo Koko Yasan, a touchscreen coloring game.
Wakerai no Heya Tsuzuki has already been posted on the Japan-only (for now) Minna no Nintendo Channel, available for free until April 22nd. Presumably, the other three student-developed titles will be set up with a similar arrangement in the coming weeks. Though we doubt Nintendo of America will bring these Japanese releases over when it finally releases Everybody's Nintendo Channel in the states, at this point, we would be happy just to have the dang channel! It has been almost five months since the channel debuted in Japan!
It takes almost two minutes to get to the "good stuff" in this video, so, while you wait for that to play, here's a quick summary of what you're watching -- Team Twiizers, the group behind the Twilight Hack that allows users to run their own code on an unmodded Wii, have developed a way to expand on that exploit and install a "Homebrew Channel" onto the Wii Menu.
The channel doesn't do much yet, but just seeing that it's possible has us excited about other possible applications in our near future! Of course, that's assuming Nintendo doesn't put out some sort of firmware update that blocks the exploit, killing homebrew progress before anyone has a chance to release a "Pirated Games Channel."
With the TV Guide Channel releasing in Japan today, many wondered exactly how the Wiimote would be used as a remote for the television, as well. Thanks to the video above, this important new features needs not reside only in the darkest corners of your imagination. And ... uh, it works just like you would expect. It changes channels and works the volume. It even looks really fun.
We were skeptical about the usefulness of Nintendo's Television no Tomo Channel G Guide when the application was first announced -- we assumed it would be a simple listing of future and currently-playing shows. According to initial impressions of the recently launched (in Japan) channel, however, there's a lot more to it!
Users can rate shows, share their favorite shows with friends, and mark their favorite programs to receive email/text alerts a half hour before they begin ... in Japan.
The coolest feature we've heard about, though, is the ability to use the Wii remote as a universal remote control. Wii owners can use the controller to change channels, adjust the volume, and switch back and forth between their shows and the TV Guide Channel. Apparently, the sensor bar transmits your commands to your TV, making this all possible ... in Japan.
If your Wii was -- or still is -- all aglow with the soft blue light of hope, it's probably because the Check Mii Out channel has been spifferized and updates are available for download. It's nothing huge, alas; this update is designed to streamline the channel for a better user experience (and a safer one for parents), but if you're a fan of the Mii contests, it's like a little ray of sunshine just for you.
So what's changed?
It's now easier to find Miis you've put up in the Posting Plaza.
When viewing a particular Mii Artisan's profile, there is now an option to show all Miis posted by that Artisan.
If you leave in the middle of judging a contest, upon your return, the Miis you selected previously will be retained.
Parental Controls are now fully supported in the channel. Users may choose to block the exchange of "user-generated content" from t he main system settings, and when this function is engaged, the Parental Controls PIN will be required to access the channel.
You can now view 500 popular Miis at a time in the Posting Plaza instead of only 50.
When searching for a particular Mii, the number entered is not lost if no results are returned, which makes it easier to re-enter or correct mistakes prior to a second search.
If this all sounds great, go forth and get your download from the Wii Ware section of the shop channel!
Sure enough, we got online to do our usual video wrap-up post when we discovered that the Shop was down. We tried our best to beat the buzzer, but sure enough, our luck is lacking. So, we're going to keep an eye on the store and when it goes back up, we'll do the feature, so be sure to keep an eye out tonight. If you aren't able to hang about late, then be sure to check in the morning.
We might not be able to try out Everybody's Nintendo Channel just yet -- not while it's only available to Japanese Wiis -- but we can live vicariously through Chris Kohler's video walkthrough with his Japanese console. The Wired blogger takes us through the streaming movies, showing off the picture-in-picture feature with which you can keep a video playing while browsing through other trailers and commercials.
Chris then goes on to detail the several different ways you can look up information and suggestions on "every game coming out for any Nintendo system in Japan." Of course, there's also a demonstration on the new channel's most anticipated feature -- downloading game demos to your Nintendo DS. The clip cuts off abruptly just after the Tamagotchi code makes it to his handheld, but are you really that anxious to see how Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3 plays?
WiiFolder also has some direct-screen footage if you're interested in seeing the channel downloaded and hearing its music. Check it out past the break!
The latest Wii channel popped up in Japan tonight without warning, ready to serve videos and demos. The Minna no Nintendo Channel (Everybody's Nintendo Channel) is the DS demo channel we've heard about, but also includes Wii videos, releases lists (uh-oh!) and the capability to recommend games you own to Wii friends. These recommendations are also collected en masse to be tabulated in December.
The channel currently offers just a few DS downloads, including demos of some training games and a patch for the Japanese version of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. The demos stream from Nintendo rather than being saved, and are accessed on the DS via Download Play. The video section offers trailers and commercials for new and recent games, including Wii Fit. According to NeoGAF's john tv, the videos keep playing in a corner if you exit the video menu. Check NeoGAF for frequently-updated impressions from the international gadflies who post there. Really, it sounds like the current content is less enthralling than the promise of future content.
If your Wii was -- or still is -- all aglow with the soft blue light of hope, it's probably because the Check Mii Out channel has been spifferized and updates are available for download. It's nothing huge, alas; this update is designed to streamline the channel for a better user experience (and a safer one for parents), but if you're a fan of the Mii contests, it's like a little ray of sunshine just for you.
