Minna no Nintendo Channel Launches in Japan (DS Downloads FTW)

[john tv]

Is this old news? It just showed up in my mailbox. Downloading now.

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/featur..._ch/index.html

[Insaniac]

! impressions soon please

[Linkzg]

come to America soon please

[Stumpokapow]

It's old news that it was happening (Nintendo fall conference) but they never exactly explicitly said what it'd have or when it would launch.

The speculation was that it included DS demos and Wii game videos. Want to confirm? Any other features? Release list? How fast is it? Does it seem to use Wii Opera like the Shop channel? Can you save the demos or do you have to download them each time?

Keep us posted.

[fernoca]

When is this coming to the rest of the world?

[.dmc]

Oh gawd! This would be exciting if I had faith that Nintendo Of Everywhere-that-isn't-Japan had their shit together.. *hopes*

[Jonnyram]

So what are the downloads now? I hope it's not what it says in that screenshot :/

[castle007]

:O

are there any availabe demos right now?

[Firestorm]

Woah. The channel I actually care about? Full impressions please.

[john tv]

I'm on my way out the door now, but quick look shows streaming videos of some upcoming games, a new release section that lists everything coming out this week (plus the past two weeks of releases) for Wii, DS, and VC, a section where you can recommend games you own (and apparently only games you own, as far as I can tell) to others, and a DS Download Service area, which has a bunch of demos up for download (mostly Touch Generations stuff at the moment though, sadly).

EDIT: Jonny, as far as I can tell, every demo up for download right now is stuff like that, except for the Pokemon Diamond/Pearl update (which is probably just that bug fix for the Japanese version) -- nothing anyone here would be interested in, I think.

[minor effort]

please don't take forever coming to NA and Euroland.

[SumGamer]

Oh boy, oh boy.

Now I want to go home so badly.

[Vic]

aw shit, finally!

[john tv]

Last update before I go: videos include mostly TV commercials and promo videos for recent games, and a couple of Wii Fit-related interviews. If you exit the video screen to return to the previous menu while a video is playing, the video continues to play in a small window at the top of the screen (nice touch).

[Cheesemeister]

Finally, Free Market Research Channel!

[loosus]

Does it use a shitty Web browser? Or, is it actually a traditional program that just so happens to pull content from the Internet, similar to the other non-Opera channels?

[Lobster]

This is a good way to hype 3rd party games. Imagine if Zack and Wiki was promoted using this channel? Especially since a lot of people in Japan use internet on their Wii. (what were those figures again?)

[SumGamer]

Does it save the vids into temp for smooth replay or buffer the shit out like the Metroid Channel.

[sprsk]

Finally, Free Market Research Channel!

Part 2!

[Go319]

screen shots any1? its been like 5mins GAf...disappointing.

[Linkhero1]

Like OMG!

[PantherLotus]

Definitely interesting. I'll believe the DS downloads-bit when I see it.

[speedpop]

Nice. Baby steps at first and we'll see where it goes.

[mutsu]

WOWOOWOOWWOOWOWOW!!! THE update I have been waiting for!!! Can't wait to get home tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kobun Heat]

This is super awesome. I'm going to post a video very soon.

[Fuzzy]

This is super awesome. I'm going to post a video very soon.

This is why we tolerate you pimping your blog.

[PkunkFury]

can someone elaborate on the game recommendation stuff? Do you actually get to use words, or do you set a number or something?

[VOOK]

This is why we tolerate you pimping your blog.

I'd have a video up too but is not out in Australia, I fail this time :(

[Dragoon_lantz]

http://picasaweb.google.com/projectm...44072449282050
http://picasaweb.google.com/projectm...44076744249362
http://picasaweb.google.com/projectm...44076744249378
http://picasaweb.google.com/projectm...49084676116530

not my pics but here is a sampling

[mutsu]

can someone elaborate on the game recommendation stuff? Do you actually get to use words, or do you set a number or something?

You basically set your gender, your age, then you are asked if the game is great for single/multi player, casual/hardcore play, easy/challenging, etc etc. You don't get to type any text.

[grandjedi6]

I demand that this be brought to America. I want to be able to test crap before I don't buy it

[Fuzzy]

I'd have a video up too but is not out in Australia, I fail this time :(

It's okay, you have to put up with Nintendo of Australia so I understand.

[sprsk]

I suppose this is a nice payback for the whole Metroid channel thing.

[Lavpa Jasai]

The sole reason for this channel is for the Smash Bros. Demo on Dec. 3rd



(I want to believe!) :(

[enishi]

Just download the channel and play around for half an hour

- Once you log in the channel, you see a highlight video of new content (of course it's WiiFit right now)
- You can see most upcoming and recently released Wii and NDS games. They include description, TVCM, and promotion video (if they have)
- Those videos are direct streaming. Since I'm not in Japan, the connection is not stable enough. For a 3-min video, I need to wait 4 times for buffering during video play...
- You can select full-screen by simply clicking the video. For TVCM, they are 4:3 so they cannot occupy full-screen. Wii promotion video are 16:9 though.
- If I don't get it wrong, you rate games by giving it a ranking (slide bar from bad to good). You also need to tell Nintendo your age, sex, and if you think it is easy/difficult. (Market research ftw!)
- DS Demo: Brain Training 2, Flash Focus, Tamagochi 3, E-book from Nintendo, and some other "non-games" that I didn't hear of...
- You need to stream the demo every time from Nintendo server. And then you can use download play to get the demo. The speed of connection is nice here.

pictures borrowed from http://www.gaforum.org/showthread.php?t=167372&page=14

[Insaniac]

I hope we can expect this soon in NA!

[Kobun Heat]

YouTube is being an atrocious piece of shit.

[john tv]

FYI, my US Wii just started flashing. Could it be?

EDIT: Haha, nope. It was a message from someone. How rare and untimely, LOL.

[ratcliffja]

Your Japanese Wii just infected your U.S. Wii. You crossed the streams.

[fernoca]

FYI, my US Wii just started flashing. Could it be?

:O!!!
Though it's probably some Check Mii Out ..message.. :(

EDIT:
Awww.. :(

[sprsk]

FYI, my US Wii just started flashing. Could it be? EDIT: Haha, nope. It was a message from someone. How rare and untimely, LOL.

You finally got my pictures?! Or did I send that to your JP Wii?

[cvxfreak]

Just downloaded and used it. Pretty nice feature. Watched Wii Fit and Mario and Sonic videos. Also tried the DS Download feature with More English Training. Overall it works very nicely.

[Firestorm]

Just download the channel and play around for half an hour - Once you log in the channel, you see a highlight video of new content (of course it's WiiFit right now) - You can see most upcoming and recently released Wii and NDS games. They include description, TVCM, and promotion video (if they have) - Those videos are direct streaming. Since I'm not in Japan, the connection is not stable enough. For a 3-min video, I need to wait 4 times for buffering during video play... - You can select full-screen by simply clicking the video. For TVCM, they are 4:3 so they cannot occupy full-screen. Wii promotion video are 16:9 though. - If I don't get it wrong, you rate games by giving it a ranking (slide bar from bad to good). You also need to tell Nintendo your age, sex, and if you think it is easy/difficult. (Market research ftw!) - DS Demo: Brain Training 2, Flash Focus, Tamagochi 3, E-book from Nintendo, and some other "non-games" that I didn't hear of... - You need to stream the demo every time from Nintendo server. And then you can use download play to get the demo. The speed of connection is nice here.

Are the full-size videos of decent quality? It annoyedme that I couldn't full screen those Metroid Prime 3 videos.

[iplay5150]

damn, my Wii started glowing and I was all like "Shit yeah, update!" but it was just Mailtoad telling me that Luigi needs help. fuck Luigi.

[Lobster]

The sole reason for this channel is for the Smash Bros. Demo on Dec. 3rd (I want to believe!) :(

:(

[mj1108]

DEAR NOA,

MAKE MY WII LIGHT AND TELL ME IT'S HERE.

THX.

GAF

[Jiggy]

I'm on my way out the door now, but quick look shows streaming videos of some upcoming games, a new release section that lists everything coming out this week (plus the past two weeks of releases) for Wii, DS, and VC, a section where you can recommend games you own (and apparently only games you own, as far as I can tell) to others, and a DS Download Service area, which has a bunch of demos up for download (mostly Touch Generations stuff at the moment though, sadly).

About time.

Well, maybe less bolding on the recommendations part, what with no typing in text and all, but I do love ratings. Can anyone confirm whether the game recommendations are for Wii discs only, or also VC and/or DS cards?

[Kobun Heat]

Finally, a video!

http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/11/...inside-th.html

Shows the videos, DS downloads, etc. It cuts off too soon at the end. But it just took like... an hour to upload to YouTube? Screw doing another one!

[Windu]

Finally, a video! http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/11/...inside-th.html Shows the videos, DS downloads, etc. It cuts off too soon at the end. But it just took like... an hour to upload to YouTube? Screw doing another one!

Awsome video, thanks!

[polg]

-flashback to last week-

iwata: PSP STORE IS UP, GET DS CHANNEL UP AND RUNNING NOW BEATCHES -whip-
nintendo coders: YES MASTER! -bow-

:P