Nintendo Wii Fanboy

That blue glow from our Wiis can only mean one thing -- time for an update!

This wasn't just any old update, though. After months of coveting the service, the Nintendo Channel (known in Japan as Everybody's Nintendo Channel) is finally available for download via the Wii Shop Channel. The download is free, but will take up a few blocks, so make sure you have enough space. You'll also need to have updated your Wii since March 20th in order to get it, according to Nintendo.

We're pretty pleased with what the channel has to offer so far. There's already around forty videos available for your viewing pleasure. Most of them are just trailers for upcoming Nintendo games, but there's also a nice little Miyamoto interview.

Aside from watching videos, make sure to click on the "Find Titles for You" tab. Here, you can check out the newest titles for Nintendo consoles, and also download demos for DS games.

These are just our initial impressions from browsing around the channel, so if you notice any other neat features, be sure to let us know in the comments! Nintendo also posted a video of the various things you can do with the channel, which you can check out here.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

We've been waiting pretty much forever (since November, but we're mental goldfish) for the Everybody's Nintendo Channel to launch over here after seeing how cool the Japanese version is. Nintendo has announced that the Nintendo Channel, which offers DS demo downloads, user-submitted game reviews, and exclusive video content, will be released in the U.S. on May 12th, the same day WiiWare launches.

Users will be able to submit reviews of their WiiWare games after playing for the industry standard time (joking) of one hour. We really hope that the same kind of cool DS downloads and video material is available for us as there is in Japan.

Proof that Japan gets everything awesome -- including first dibs on new releases, Super Famicom Classic Controllers, and giant mechas piloted by bratty kids -- the island country's Minna no Nintendo Channel (Everybody's Nintendo Channel) has started to post student-developed games in its DS downloads section.

For those of you unfamiliar with these titles, Nintendo hosts a 10-month seminar every year in which 40 students take courses on programming and game design, eventually working in teams to develop small DS games to be featured through download stations in Japan. This year's batch consisted of four different titles, including Wakerai no Heya Tsuzuki, a Hotel Dusk-styled horror adventure, and Nan de Momo Koko Yasan, a touchscreen coloring game.

Wakerai no Heya Tsuzuki has already been posted on the Japan-only (for now) Minna no Nintendo Channel, available for free until April 22nd. Presumably, the other three student-developed titles will be set up with a similar arrangement in the coming weeks. Though we doubt Nintendo of America will bring these Japanese releases over when it finally releases Everybody's Nintendo Channel in the states, at this point, we would be happy just to have the dang channel! It has been almost five months since the channel debuted in Japan!

The Everybody's Nintendo Channel keeps getting cooler, and we still have yet to hear any word about its release in other regions. We'd love to be able to check out interesting Nintendo-related programming on our Wiis. We'll have to settle for watching it on our computers in incomprehensible languages for now.

Josh from WiiFolder.com posted the latest video found on the service: a trip to the Minebea plant where Balance Board components are being made, and a look at the technology insidethe board. It's relatively low-tech compared to something like the Wiimote, but still clever. The Balance Board features an electronic strain gauge in each corner; by comparing the change in force on each strain gauge, the Wii can read the movements of your bulk. Apparently (according to the video) the same kind of sensors are used in robotics to help bipedal robots stand up.

It's a different approach from the Wiimote-on-tennis ball board Mike made, but we suppose it's pretty good. We do enjoy not falling and all.

We might not be able to try out Everybody's Nintendo Channel just yet -- not while it's only available to Japanese Wiis -- but we can live vicariously through Chris Kohler's video walkthrough with his Japanese console. The Wired blogger takes us through the streaming movies, showing off the picture-in-picture feature with which you can keep a video playing while browsing through other trailers and commercials.

Chris then goes on to detail the several different ways you can look up information and suggestions on "every game coming out for any Nintendo system in Japan." Of course, there's also a demonstration on the new channel's most anticipated feature -- downloading game demos to your Nintendo DS. The clip cuts off abruptly just after the Tamagotchi code makes it to his handheld, but are you really that anxious to see how Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3 plays?

WiiFolder also has some direct-screen footage if you're interested in seeing the channel downloaded and hearing its music. Check it out past the break!

The latest Wii channel popped up in Japan tonight without warning, ready to serve videos and demos. The Minna no Nintendo Channel (Everybody's Nintendo Channel) is the DS demo channel we've heard about, but also includes Wii videos, releases lists (uh-oh!) and the capability to recommend games you own to Wii friends. These recommendations are also collected en masse to be tabulated in December.

The channel currently offers just a few DS downloads, including demos of some training games and a patch for the Japanese version of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. The demos stream from Nintendo rather than being saved, and are accessed on the DS via Download Play. The video section offers trailers and commercials for new and recent games, including Wii Fit. According to NeoGAF's john tv, the videos keep playing in a corner if you exit the video menu. Check NeoGAF for frequently-updated impressions from the international gadflies who post there. Really, it sounds like the current content is less enthralling than the promise of future content.

[Via NeoGAF]