Thursday, September 14, 2006

Comprehensive Wii info guide



Allow me to quote DeAngeloGuillory from the Live chat: "Nintendo didn't just deliver, they sponge bathed us and tucked us in bed." He is, of course, quite right. There are tons of new information and I will guide you through that jungle.

Essentially, there are two distinct sources: the Wii site on the NCL homepage Nintendo.co.jp/wii/ and the console´s own site Wii.com. I will now give you an overview of what you can find on each page.



1.) Nintendo.co.jp/wii/

Software

The must-see is the Software lineup overview, which is a lengthy video clip showing a few new titles and much more polished gameplay for almost all titles we already know about.

For those of you who understand Japanese, there is an interview montage with speakers like Square Enix president Yoichi Wada.

There is also a list of upcoming games in Japanese. However, only few titles have a small sub-page. And these only show one screenshot. So this is just for a quick browsing over, if you can read it.

You might also want to browse the Virtual Console overview, where company logos like Konami´s and Square Enix´ and Capcom´s might make your mouth water.

Hardware

Less interesting to non-Japanese speakers is the presentation´s 14-page slideshow.

EDIT As NSider RiemannMeetleBesgue quite correctly pointed out, there are actually a number of interesting clips embedded in that page. Here is the rundown:

Page 7 has a number of clips showing photo albums and image effects. There are also short clips.

Page 8 has some clips showing the weather channel in action, as well as the Opera browser.

Page 9 has more browsing (cooking recipes and navigation), as well as an outline of what appears to be basic Outlook functions (contacts and calendar).

Page 10 has more of that, especially mail or messaging functions, seemingly combining real and virtual messages (i.e. from your buddies or from game characters like Tom Nook). Also, more of the Mii service´s avatar customization.

Page 11 has more avatar customization and examples of a whole number of games which implement those characters.

Page 12 has the new ingame footage of both Zelda: TP and Pokémon (from the montage trailer) stand-alone.


There are also technical specifications given on a controller overview page, a
Wiimote overview and console overview page, respectively.

More interesting should be the
WiiConnect24 details and an explanation of the Wii channels (see below).



2.) Wii.com

Here, there are four clips showing you the menu, as well as some info channels. The most intriguing one is called ´Mii´ and shows the expected avatar customization feature and seems to hint at this becoming the backbone of the online community Wii will create:

Wii menu

Mii channel

News channel

Weather forecast

There is little more of interest, though someone capable of reading Japanese should have a look at the four links at the bottom of this page. They lead to pages like this one which seem to ask yor some kind of verification I cannot quite make out.

EDIT Here is an update concerning the last point of those unknown links. Thanks to Kyton, we have some translation now. he writes:

The last link you provided (https://blue.tricorn.net/wii-ds/mbr2.x) is for some sort of "DS Mail". The actual japanese in the upper-left corner of the page reads "Wii - DS Meeru" ('meeru' pronounced meh-roo, phonetic of 'mail').

Also, the furthest right selection in this video (http://www.wii.com/jp/movies/wiimenu/ ) when hovered over, displays a tootip-type text that reads "Wii Shiyopingu Chiyaneru" or, "Wii Shopping Channel". Maybe that's where you purchase Virtual Console games?

User Boreas added:

it seems to be a e-mail notification about newer stuff on Wii and DS. the tittle translates Mail Distribustion Registration

NSider forum member LordDonk writes:

(The links at the bottom head to buttons for a mailing list. I am trying to subscribe but I think they only let Japanese e-mails?? It won't let me. Anyway,heres what the buttons do (yes, for some reason they go to the same things)

BUTTON 1 (Left)
Brings you to a mailing list sign-up thing.
Box 1- E-mail address
Box 2- Birthdate (YY/MM/DD)
Box 3- Which system do you want updates on Wii or DS?

BUTTON 2
Brings you to an unsubscribe page.

Button 3 and the rest seem to bring you to the same as button one, only you only enter your e-mail?? I'm trying to get it.


EDIT The American section of Wii.com has gone live. The selection window has been installed on the global splash.

10 comments:

RGB said...

Depends on how much stock they will be able to provide.

I honestly still believed the $199 price point should be appointed. But Nintendo have done their market and price research, I am merely speculating on previous launches and market price history.

If its $215 USD for JP I will be happy enough, according I can get a unit for that price.

Anonymous said...

you can watch embeded versions of the wii.com videos here

http://darkdiamond.net/web-notes/wiicom-reveals-wii-menu-and-channel-system-for-nintendo-wi-fi-connection/

Anonymous said...

Falafelkid,

The last link you provided (https://blue.tricorn.net/wii-ds/mbr2.x) is for some sort of "DS Mail". The actual japanese in the upper-right corner reads "Wii - DS Meeru" ('meeru' pronounced meh-roo, phonetic of 'mail').

Anonymous said...

Correction, the upper-left corner of the page.

Anonymous said...

Also, the furthest right selection in this video ( http://www.wii.com/jp/movies/wiimenu/ ) when hovered over, displays a tootip-type text that reads "Wii Shiyopingu Chiyaneru" or, "Wii Shopping Channel". Maybe that's where you purchase Virtual Console games?

Anonymous said...

By the way, on one of IGN's blogs they have posted numerous pictures from the NYC conference here:

http://blogs.ign.com/craig-ign

My translation was indeed correct regarding the "Wii Shop Channel" as you can see in the tenth (at the time of posting this) image.

Anonymous said...

Where is my megaton?

They still didn't really say much about anything! This was news for the masses, where is the news for the hardcore gamers? All of this still seems very vague to me.

Anonymous said...

there's nothing left, Wii is a GCN 1.5 witha 3d motion controller, nothing more, and expensive $ 250 !!?? they're crazy , the 360 will have price cuts in that period and also launching with the PS !!! a complete suicide.

Anonymous said...

People, THE IALS has proove that the 2005! GameCube version of Madden NFL looks better than the 2007! version of Madden NFL for Wii :

Gamecube 2005 version :

http://media.cube.ign.com/media/620/620936/img_2251717.html


Wii 2997 version :


http://media.wii.ign.com/media/825/825443/img_3910007.html



Scandal!



-IALS

Anonymous said...

WOW. the new Mario shots look sharp!

Soul food for you falafel!



-IALS