Each week Adam Frucci takes a closer look at the latest gadget buzz in his column, Shift.
Image by Matt Krueger
I've made no secret of the fact that I'm totally psyched for the upcoming Nintendo Wii and that I hope it takes off when it's released. I finally got a chance to check it out in person last week, and the games lived up to my expectations for the most part. However, one aspect of the Wii seems pretty half-baked to me: the Channels system, Nintendo's main menu and online portal that appears when you turn the system on. It's clear that Nintendo is going for the non-gamer market with this, but couldn't it have been implemented better? What should be a solid online-gaming system instead feels distinctly like filler.
What else can you do through the channels menu? Well, you can browse photos on your TV, a feature that's now available on about ten million other products. You can check the weather on your TV, something I believe has been available for a long time through a little thing called the Weather Channel. A news channel also offers a more limited version of something you've been able to do on your TV for a while: check the news. Why are these "features"? Will people really go through their Wii to check the weather? It seems doubtful.
The one great thing you can do using the Web on the Wii is download games for the virtual console, the Wii's built-in emulator for older games. This allows you to get games from past consoles such as the NES, SNES, and Sega Genesis onto your Wii. Retro gaming is making a comeback, and this is a great way to do it. However, imagine being able to play Mario Kart against your friend in another state. Again, not having online gameplay as an option seems like a missed opportunity.
From everything that we've learned about it, Wii Channels appears to be a pretty weak offering from Nintendo. Fortunately, people aren't going to buy the Wii to surf the Web or look at photos; they're going to buy it for the games. There's still the distinct possibility that Nintendo will announce an online gaming feature in the near future, but as it stands the Wii's Channels and online system are pretty underwhelming. One would think that the success of the Xbox Live online system would inspire Nintendo to take a similar route. However, Nintendo has been clear from the start that the Wii is taking a different path from the big boys, and for the most part the company's choices have been spot-on. Let's just hope they don't screw up what could be another selling point by aiming just at non-gamers.
CLARIFICATION: In light of the hubbub over my Wii column from last week (see below), I see now I wasn't clear enough that I was referring to the abilities of Wii Channels at launch. Regarding online play, it's known that Nintendo has withheld online code from third-party developers until next year, and the company has made no announcements about releasing any Nintendo-branded games featuring online play at launch. However, it's safe to assume that there will be online play in some form or another eventually. But for it not to be a front-and-center feature at launch makes it seem like something that isn't a core part of the console. Could that change, and could the Wii really take off online in a year? Of course, but I'm writing based on what Nintendo talked about at their recent press conference and what will be available at launch, the event that typically makes or breaks a product.
As for the Mii: Yes, it will be possible to put your Mii into other games in the future other than Wii Sports. However, the chances of the Mii fitting into anything more than a handful of throwaway first-party games are extremely slim. In any case, my point about the Mii not really doing anything stands, as simply spreading a character-creation tool across half a dozen games isn't that mind-blowing a feature.
Lastly, if anyone thinks I have some sort of personal vendetta against Nintendo, I invite you to read my first article on the Wii, "Why Wii Will Win." I'm still a big Wii fan — I'm merely pointing out what seems to be the one undercooked part of the console that won't get me excited come launch time.
editor@dvice.com
By adroitone at 11:37 AM ON 09/22/06
Man, I believe you have been misinformed. First of all, you create these Miis to use in more games than just Wii Sports. And apparently, you can build you Mii skills up (http://wii.nintendo.com/software_wii_sports.html). It's been confirmed that you can use your Mii character in Warioware and the Wii Play game, among others. Miyamoto stated that they were looking into a community game as well for these Mii characters.
Lack of online play? What? Far Cry is going to have online play. Batallion Wars 2 will have online play. Mario Strikers Charged will have online play. Super Smash Brothers will also have online play. I don't know where you got that assumption from at all. In that event, they didn't even give use the features of the Virtual Console so online play with those games are also possible.
Last but not least, there will be more Wii channels than the ones they've shown.
By loc211 at 7:48 PM ON 09/22/06
Ur a very uninformed so much so its funny, why are you qualified to write about video games again?
By precurser at 3:11 AM ON 09/23/06
this is quite possibly one of the most uninformed pieces of "article" crap i have ever read regarding the Wii.
you obviously need to take a step back and re-read what you just published, but not before you go read up on some Wii info, here let me take your hand: http://wii.ign.com/articles/733/733464p1.html
there ya go! thats it!
i hope this article is removed and i hope no one is stupid enough to believe what you are trying to pass off as information.
you = fail
By Senshida at 7:53 AM ON 09/23/06
Wii Channels are Nintendo Wii's weak spot? What, are we supposed to "attack it for massive damage"? (If you saw the PS3 press conference you would know what I mean)
Here is what I have to say to your misinformed BS article.
----
"Really the only thing you can do with your Mii is use it as a player in Wii Sports, the free game that comes with the console. That's it."
It will be used on a variaty of different Wii software.
"Will people really go through their Wii to check the weather? It seems doubtful."
Why would you want to wait 15 minutes for the "Local on the 8's" when local weather can be just a press of a button away...
"Yeah, you can surf the Web, but there's no keyboard available"
There is a usb port on the Wii... And what can you plug in there??? KEYBOARDS!!!
"play games against people online — isn't an option at all, at least at the moment."
First-Party games WILL have online multiplayer. Besides online multiplayer is only a month and a half after Wii comes out.
"Nintendo has been clear from the start that the Wii is taking a different path from the big boys"
Lol, who are the big boys? Nintendo is going to be on even playing ground with Microsoft this time around. Sony... lets just say they suck at playing this year.
By adrocknaphobia at 12:40 PM ON 09/23/06
NEWSFLASH: Unqualified blogger uses scandalous title and mistaken facts to drive traffic to site.
By SpexFox at 9:13 PM ON 09/23/06
Amazing. An article so utterly uninformed, it made news on an entirely different site and I looked at it in such utter awe and wounder that I had to register to a site I never visit just so I could comment on it.
Whoever this person is, fire them. Having opinions is one thing, but being ignorait is something entirely different. You complain about Nintendo's little features having little to do with actual gaming, when if you really paid attention and acutally, ya know, saw the confrence, you'd realise that's half the point of these features. Non-gamers are alot more likely to fiddle around with photos or play with a Mii than sit down to beat the next dungeon in Zelda. Think about it. When a non-gamer gets used to using the controler for those fun little activities, they'll feel confident when it comes to trying out their first game.
Honestly, you're the worst kind of geek their is. I may be a geek myself, but I'm an informed geek. You're just a wanna-be who thought "I know how to get people's attention. Post bad things about Wii instead of these rave comments that are around the world!" Well, guess what? You have our attention. Now let's all point and laugh. *points* HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
By dognose at 12:28 AM ON 09/24/06
Not much to say that hasn't been said before, this is an embarrassing article to even read. You are wrong on so many points..
Why when Nintendo is doing so well in the gaming market profit and sales wise do we continuously read negative articles like this? Does the media comprehend how much the Nintendo DS is outselling the rest of the systems? Not only handhelds, but *EVERY* system? Yes, blowing the PSP, the 360, and the PS2 out of the water. And yet, before the DS was released, instead of giving Nintendo props for trying something new, we read these exact articles claiming to see Nintendo's faults and "gimmicks" and overall impending doom. Now, the DS is selling like hotcakes and the Wii is getting the exact same treatment DESPITE the fact the media and gamers as a whole completely underestimated the DS.
*THAT SHOULD BE THE STORY.*
Of how little gamers and media as a whole have completley given Nintendo ZERO credit and instead further fuel the incorrect vision that others are "winners" in the "console war". Winners aside, the fact remains that Nintendo surprised lots of people with the DS, continues to do so, yet all we seem to read lately from the media are gloom and doom stories about how, "Will Nintendo Fail?" and "Will the Wii Work?" and tripe like this article full of nothing but misinformation.
How about writing an article expounding on how the true winner of the console wars should be he who profits most? Isn't that what drives companies? Profit? Then what is being used as a judgement tool when claiming Nintendo the "loser" so many times in said "war"? Userbase? Despite the fact Company X has lost millions to get that userbase? So he who has the largest userbase yet fails at buisiness is the "winner"? I wouldn't want to be a winner then I don't think.
You are doing a *disservice* to the gaming community with articles like this. Please look into what you are writing about a bit more before publishing articles like this or the masses. There really is interesting, and *positive* things you could be reporting on that would draw a more "true" userbase of readers instead of the flash in the pan readership you will enjoy from these kinds of articles that only bring in people that sign up for accounts to post how wrong you are - and never come back again.
I registered soley to inform you and the readers just how wrong you, and the rest of the media seems to be concerning Nintendo, which in truth, is the actual "news". How the media is getting it *COMPLETELY* wrong concerning gaming and console "wars".
By necrozen at 10:46 PM ON 09/24/06
You know, just because the subject is "GAMING", doesn't mean you can simply make up your own "facts" as you go along.
Before you write another piece of junk like this, why don't you try researching your subject a little more. You made more mistakes on this single article than I have time to point out (besides, it looks like others have taken the time to explain all the mistakes you made).
Anyway, I just wanted to write in and let you know how crappy I thought your blog was.
By necrozen at 10:55 PM ON 09/24/06
If SciFi.com gets a reputation for posting propaganda type articles like this, bashing a company because of the writers personal opinion, it could really hurt traffic. This is my first time at SciFi.com, and I must say, I'm not very impressed.
Posting opinion is one thing, but reporting false information that could damage a companies sales is something completely different. I think the writer should edit this article and post the truth about the Wii.
By Farfarello at 5:13 PM ON 10/24/06
Wow... I... I just... if I saw you on the street I would not be able to stop myself from breaking a refurbished Ps2 over your head... Other than that, yeah everyone already said what ive been thinking...
By gremio at 11:21 PM ON 11/19/06
Bahhahahahahah. This reminds me of the time (28 hours ago) I sat in line to get my Wii. Yes, eximplary display of the human race. The auther of this article was spot on. I re-read the article twice and except the keyboard issue, which I haven't had a chance to test yet, there is not a single statement he made that was not *known* 2 months ago when the article was made or that isn't the truth as I sit here with my Wimote in hand. I can not believe NO one defended him...frelling halarious.
News flash:
The Mii channel sucks....balls. And yes, it was obviously designed in conjunction (function) with Wii Sports. It's a lame feature that *most* good games will not use and certainly will not need.
You do indeed have to buy the internet channel.
Oh and guess what, you can NOT buy it yet...That's right. Years in development and they couldn't get a web browser working? The weather and news channels don't even work yet...The only channels that do work are Mii and the Wii virtual shopping channel.
As for multiplayer allow me to quote the IGN link one of *you* posted:
"However, no Wii launch games will support Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection for an online play mode. The majority of online Wii games will arrive in 2007 and beyond."
Could that be? Why yes it is, it's exactly what the f'ing author said....amazing.
If there's anyone alive who currently owns a Wii that could now belittle his article after seeing the current state of the Wii channels/multiplayer options, I'd sure as h**l like to see it.
p.s. Whoever said something about the virtual games having multiplayer support. It would sure be nice, but I'd give it a 0.02% chance of actually seeing the light of day.
--Go herd a goat. I'm out.