Playing with the Wii Online

Filed in archive Wii Online on December 23, 2006

It's finally here: a web browser for the Wii. Nintendo unleashed a "trial" version of the opera browser featuring basic functionality to let you get a feel for Wii web browsing. The interface is surprisingly slick and intuitive, though there are some speed issues and the software doesn't support many web standards such as java.

But what can you do with a Wii + internet combo that a PC doesn't do better? One word: wiimote. Flash support is minimal at this stage and java is totally out of the picture, but you can still do some fun stuff on the web. A new feature here at House of Nintendo will highlight great flash games and websites that are perfectly suited for life on the Wii. Put your wiimote to good use and waste even more time on the internet than you thought possible.

First up on the Wii online experience: YouTube. While many people have reported sporadic offtime with the site on the Wii, my experience has been flawless. Go to the site, search for your video, zoom in and you're ready to go. The definite advantage to YouTube surfing on the Wii is having all those videos on your television rather than your computer monitor. Not only is it bigger, but TVs are usually much more conducive to gathering friends in the room and having a grand time. Everyone has their favorite videos on the site, so take some requests and share them with the room. It's like interactive social sitcom watching, Wii style.