Wii Fanboy walks you through the Nintendo Channel
by David Hinkle 
{ May 7th 2008 at 10:30AM }
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.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Shogan @ May 7th 2008 11:03AM
Waiting for Nintendo to transfer my VC games to the new console, and I'm getting this. Finally!
Quaddw @ May 7th 2008 11:11AM
I'm a bit dissappointed, the channel is great but why show a video on how to download WiiWare games if they are not available yet ...
Shortbuser @ May 7th 2008 11:14AM
I'll answer that question in a week :-D
Charles @ May 7th 2008 11:16AM
SHYT! I'm gonna go download this thing right away. The video isn't working, but I want to see it for myself! By the way, my Wii didn't glow blue or anything and there was no update either :(
Charles @ May 7th 2008 11:18AM
AH! I just entered the Wii Shop Channel and there it was. Going to check it out right now! So psyched!
Joe Cart @ May 7th 2008 11:49AM
Looks F*cking awsome.
I just hope they update this thing at least once a week, because watching the same videos and downloading the same demos all the time will REALLY get old.
macserv @ May 7th 2008 1:51PM
Hope you've got 249 blocks free, or this channel's a no-go. It requires 123 for itself, and 126 for its data. I had to clear off a bunch of my games to make room, just to find out I was only half done moving stuff over.
Unless Nintendo allows USB hard drives to be connected to the Wii, and channels to be run from them, there is no way I'll be downloading any WiiWare games. Transferring data to/from SD is WAYYYYY too slow and painful, especially in such large amounts. I'm copying Ocarina of Time right now, for example. It has been transferring for as long as it's taken me to write and revise this entire post.
Too bad... the reason I'm in this predicament is because I like to buy a LOT of games from Nintendo. Too bad they won't be getting any of my money via WiiWare.
(Still transferring OoT...)
Pete @ May 7th 2008 3:28PM
Why not simply delete some VC games you're not playing on a regular basis? You can always re-download them later if you so desired...
macserv @ May 7th 2008 6:07PM
Sounds simple enough, but there are three people living in this house, and a few regular visitors, who all like to have a few of their games on there. And they like N64 games. That adds up quick. It'll add up three times as fast with WiiWare games.
Look, don't be an apologist, the indisputable bottom line is that it's just bad business for Nintendo to do anything which limits the amount of software you're easily able to buy from them. There are a lot of people in the same boat as me, and we all got here because we like to buy a LOT of VC software; we're some of the best customers Nintendo's got. And now, he net result is that many of us won't be buying WiiWare titles because of the lack of internal storage space.
People don't WANT to manage data that meticulously, and even fewer people want to get into card swapping, which is exactly where the current road leads. My PS3 doesn't make me do it, and they even made it amazingly easy to upgrade that drive. I'm not asking for Nintendo to come out with a new Wii with an internal HD, or even to make their own drive. All I ask is that they allow me to plug in a USB HDD, and run channels from it. If they want to wipe the drive on connect, and format it with an encrypted filesystem keyed to my Wii, that is fine by me... that's exactly what my DVR did.
macserv @ May 7th 2008 1:53PM
...and it JUST finished. There's now WAY I can do this on a regular basis. Give me some damned HDD support, Nintendo!!
CJLopez @ May 7th 2008 3:22PM
Anyone would help me retrieve my Wii's general key to take out my Wii's parental control key. Nintendo LA won't connect and nintendo customer service phone number won't accept calls outside the States (i'm from México)
TheOverlord#2 can has Mario Karts?(MK:2578-3517-9859) @ May 7th 2008 3:22PM
You can also purchase Wii games, it'll take you to the Internet Channel and you can buy it online!
This is like Wiis 'R' Us!
Info, videos, download station, purchasing games...
Simul8 @ May 7th 2008 5:58PM
OMG this new Nintendo channel is so freaking kool! Im not kidding... did you guys see the DS Download station is on here and working too? That's right, I just downloaded Cooking Mama to my DS from my Wii in my living room. AMAZING!
Oh, the interview and game videos are kool too. But the DS Download station takes the cake! With Wii Fit being promoted heavily on this channel, I predidct that Wii Fit will be selling out on launch date. Laters... off to go figure out where to pre-pay for one.
SImpression @ May 7th 2008 7:16PM
"Us in the United States finally get a taste of what Japan's been getting"
Yeah.... came out in Canada too >.>
wintersweet @ May 7th 2008 7:57PM
I think "informative" is a little too generous for these videos. They're just commercials, and often less informative than gameplay videos found online. Plus, I'd rather watch here or on YouTube, because at least there I can hit "pause" and let the video finish loading! On the Nintendo Channel it just pauses and doesn't finish loading, as far as I can tell. Bad design.
But I'm really glad that the long-awaited DS demos have finally become available! I've always been annoyed by the go-to-the-store thing, especially since my local Target's station doesn't seem to work correctly, and the one at GameStop is usually surrounded by kids abusing the DS. I'm hoping my Japanese friend can DL them onto his Japanese DS, too, so that he can try out more English-based games. Good stuff.
SImpression @ May 7th 2008 10:09PM
You have to wait for your videos to load? Mine is just a quick load thing at the beginning and flawless playback after that. And you can pause.... Don't know what's wrong with yours lol.
Jesse @ May 7th 2008 8:40PM
Just a note: In the video you said that while watching the interview on the channel you could see your connection strength on the bottom right hand. That is actually the volume control, however, and can be adjusted using the right or left directional pad. :) Just throwing that out there!
David Hinkle @ May 7th 2008 10:30PM
Oh, that explains a lot! I thought that the B button (which brings up a slider) did that. Thanks!
soul4sale @ May 7th 2008 10:45PM
"My name is Donnie, and you suck at Nintendo Channel."
The Triscut @ May 9th 2008 12:28AM
in the lower right hand when you are watching videos that isn't the connection that's the volume which you can change with the D-pad on your wii mote.
REMY @ May 8th 2008 5:15PM
I checked out the Wii Channel today on my Wii but I don't understand what's so "awesome" about it. Of the 3 consoles I own I don't get awesome when I goto it, but hey that's just my opinion.