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Check Mii Out Channel drops November 11th
Finally, I'll be able to share my menagerie of rapper Miis with the entire world! Nintendo announced today that it will launch its Check Tupac Mii Out Channel this Sunday, November 11th, rewarding your "creative spirit" by making the new feature available for free in the Wii Shop Channel's WiiWare category.The Posting Plaza section of the Check Mii Out channel enables you to post, trade, or browse through different Miis. You can tag your favorites or kidnap them and raise the Miis as your own. In addition to listings for current/all-time favorites and a searchable database, a random selection of 1,000 Miis will be available for you to look through.The channel will also offer a contest section in which you can try to match your Mii to a specific character or theme (e.g. rappers, dead rappers, rappers with "Young" or "Lil" in their stages names, etc.). You'll have a week to create and enter your Mii, and users will spend the week after voting on the best submissions.Which of your prized Miis are you going to upload first?
Check Mii Out Channel launches Nov. 11 on Wii
A new Wii channel called the Check Mii Out Channel launches Nov. 11, allowing Wii owners a venue to show off their Mii creations and vote on others. Users download the program for free from the Wii Shop. The channel will have a "Posting Plaza" where users can "submit, exchange or just browse." They''ll be able to look at a random selection of 1,000 Miis or see community favorites, there will also be the ability to tag favorites and import them onto their Wii.There is also a contest section on the Check Mii Out Channel allowing users to submit their own creation based on a theme like a fictional or historical figure. There's no explanation of what these people win ... bragging rights? We'd be more excited about this if the Miis actually did something in the last year -- although that seems to be changing. Oh well, at least there's Mario Galaxy next week.
Pit your Mii against Mario & Sonic at the Olympics
While Miis continue to be the face of Nintendo's push into the uncharted blue ocean of social gaming, the bobble headed avatars have remained criminally underutilized by the bulk of the console's software library. Apparently Sega agrees, as the company confirmed that the little guys and gals (and ninjas, and sith lords...) will be playable as characters in the upcoming Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games. In addition, Sega has also announced four new over the top 'Dream Events,' making the previously announced normal events seem positively humdrum by comparison. These new events, which will be available as both single and multiplayer matches, look to take a more playful approach to this fan service, offering power ups and character-specific special moves in challenges such as racing, fencing, table tennis, and diving. Given the inclusion of Miis, it will be interesting to see if they are also given abilities of their own, or are left at a disadvantage when matched against these super powered mascots. Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games just went gold, and is expected to hurdle onto retail shelves for the Wii on November 6.
Wii Japan getting DS downloads, contest channels
Come this November, Wii owners in Japan won't have to venture into the wilds of the internet for information on upcoming games or go down to the local retail chain to try out the latest DS titles, as Nintendo has announced plans to launch the Minna no Nintendo Channel (Everybody's Nintendo Channel), promising to turn the Wii into a Nintendo DS Station retail kiosk for the living room. According to IGN, this latest channel in the Wii's arsenal, which was announced during Nintendo's 2007 Fall press conference in Japan, will offer promo videos for upcoming games, as well as allow players to download playable demos, though the report only mentions DS demos at this time, solidifying the linkage between both the Wii and Nintendo's touchable handheld. Just the same, we remain thrilled to see Nintendo warming up to the idea of demos, and are hopeful that this could open the door for a similar treatment for Wii games, though sooner rather than later would be nice. In addition, the channel will also include a bit of social networking, allowing players to search for information on games based on data provided by other Wii users. While less exciting, the Minna no Nintendo Channel will also be joined by the Mii Contest Channel this November in Japan as well, offering a place where players can show off their Mii creations, as well as vote on and even take home other people's Miis. While no release date for either channel has been announced for the U.S. or Europe, we've informed Dr. Zoidberg and he's already packed his bags.
Mario and Sonic joined by Mii at the Olympics
Hey, guess what? I'm going to be in Mario & Sonic at the Olympics! Yes, that's right, my very own Mii will be included in the cast of characters set to strut their stuff in a variety of different events when the game releases next month. In fact, you're just as lucky as me, as your Mii will be included in the game, as well. Don't you feel special? We certainly do.Sega announced that the upcoming game will include full support of Miis. So, if you want to know how you'd do in the 5K against Sonic, then feel free to give it a go.%Gallery-4697%
A Mii of a moral dilemma
We're not much for checking out content that isn't directly related to gaming. That's why we're delighted to bring you some content that kind of directly links to gaming, but not so much. A unique comedy program created by two friends, it's got its head in the right place if it has an episode that focuses on the Wii, Oh, and the other shorts were pretty funny, as well.Keep in mind though, they can be NSFW.[Thanks, Sean!]
Wii Warm Up: Prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet
After discussing character creation and the lack of features (and faces) in Carnival Games, we spent a little time thinking about the different ways people approach customization in games that offer the option. We know a lot of gamers, after all, and we've noticed they all approach character customization differently. Some like to try to recreate themselves as closely as possible, while others will go all out with the craziest, most unrealistic avatars ever. Some people like to switch genders. Some like to recreate the likeness of a celebrity or a character from another game. What's your style? When given the chance to design your own avatar or character, how do you approach it? With Miis, do you use a Mii that resembles yourself, or something else?Also, bonus points (in the form of applause and kudos) to readers who are familiar with the literary quotation in the title of today's post. No fair Googling![Used this particular South Park character creation engine, with a little hair-help from Photoshop.]
Moving on: Deleting your ex's Mii
Heartbroken, Chris Buffa did what any sentimental guy would do after a painful break-up: wrote about it in his blog. The GameDaily editor-in-chief made sure to update his readers on the event, how he has been coping, and his dilemma over what to do with the Mii his ex-girlfriend left behind.Ultimately, after several hundred words of introspection, Chris erased her large-headed avatar, wishing her the best. Would you have made the same choice? Or would you have loaded your ex's Mii into Wii Sports boxing, pummeling him or her until your own body gives out, exhausted and sobbing?As for us, being the maudlin fools we are, we would've left her Mii to live there, only a few button presses away whenever we'd need to see her again. Friends would try to take us out for a night on the town to cheer us up, but we'd look for any excuse to head home early so that we could sit by the TV, our fingertips on her digital face, singing to ourselves, "I've been looking so long at this Mii of you, that I almost believe that it's real. I've been living so long with my Mii of you, that I almost believe that the Mii ... is all I can feel."
Friday Video: A little Mii music
This week, Detroit band Philo-san is in our video spotlight -- after all, how can we resist an animated music video featuring Miis and the Wii controllers? Hint: we can't. The video is done in the style of those mildly popular rhythm games we sometimes hear people talking about and, hey -- the song isn't half bad, either. Head past the jump to give it a watch and a listen.
Miyamoto hints at new Nintendo franchise in 2008
In an interview with Dean Takahashi, Shigeru Miyamoto said that Nintendo may introduce some new characters next year "in the same way [Nintendo] came up with Pikmin when [they] introduced the GameCube." While that's all well and good for getting us pumped for The Next Big Thing, we're more interested in Miyamoto's explanation of why it's taking so long."I guess I don't necessarily see my job as creating new characters as it is creating new experiences," he said, later adding, "For characters, we came up with the concept of the Miis and that allows people to come up with their own characters." So don't forget you read it here first, the next big Nintendo characters are Chuck Norris, Kenny, Dr. Zoidberg and, of course, indie rockers Wilco. Wow ... the next Smash Bros. is going to be awesome.
Mii Spotlight: Mishmash edition
Well, folks, this is likely to be the very last week for Mii Spotlight. It's been fun while it lasted, and this week, we thought we'd check out some of the Miis that have been sent in over time but were never used -- either because there wasn't an appropriate theme edition, or they were received after the appropriate week, and there weren't enough others to revisit the topic.We've loved having this chance to look at your work -- it's made us a little excited for the Check Mii Out channel!
Mii Spotlight request: Who's in your Wii?
We just wanted to drop a friendly reminder that we're in the market for all sorts of Miis right now. We'd love to start collecting images of Miis you might use for the Check Mii Out channel, and we're still looking for more musicians and historical figures. Or, y'know, maybe even current government figures. Surely there are a few Dick Cheney Miis drifting around on readers' Wiis, maybe hoping to challenge a Hillary Clinton Mii to a round of Wii Sports boxing. Take some pictures and send 'em to us at mii [at] nintendowiifanboy [dot] com. We love to see your work, and our requests are only rough guides -- we'll take whatever you've got!
Mii Spotlight: Pottermania edition
You know we couldn't let the release of the final Harry Potter book slip by without some sort of nod in its general direction! Not only did we warn you, but we've indicated in the past that a few of us tend to be Potter fans around here. If you're not, please, bear with us, and we'll try to be a little less specific next week. But if you are, please join us in this presentation of Potter-themed Miis!For those who, like us, have been avoiding anything about the series on the internet, we assure you, these Miis are limited to characters from earlier books -- so breathe a sigh of relief. We're safe.
Mii Spotlight request: Harry Potter and the Miis of Excellence
You may not have noticed (because, uh, you apparently live under a rock inside a cave) that Harry Potter fans have a lot of reasons to be excited right now. There's a new movie and a new book on the horizon (ohgodnospoilersplz), and we thought it might be a good time to celebrate our Harry Potter love by dedicating this week's Mii Spotlight to all things Potter. So if you (or someone you know) has a Potter-themed Mii banging around the ol' Plaza, snap some pictures and send them our way at mii [at] nintendowiifanboy [dot] com. We will totally accept Photoshopped scars, too.
Mii Spotlight: A look ahead
We're taking a break this week from our usual Mii Spotlight format to discuss the future of Miis, including the forthcoming Mii-focused channel, and what we would like to see in the way of updates to the Mii creation process. We hope you don't mind ... and anyway, we're short on Miis! We can only guess you guys were far too busy immersing yourselves bodily in E3 videos and news to create any new little people this week.But no worries! Not only will we have new and interesting ways in which to wield our Miis in the near future, games like MySims seem to be running with the super-cute avatar idea, and soon we'll be able to expand our tiny armies of near-lookalikes to epic proportions. Miis even turn up in Wii Fit, though there it seems they must do battle with faceless VR mannequins who threaten to take over our exercise plans. Actually, Miis v. Mannequins could be an excellent game inside Wii Fit. Too bad we're mostly sure it isn't included. We do love our cartoon violence ... perhaps a little too much.
Mii Popularity Channel announced for North America: Check Mii Out
First mentioned by Takeshi Shimada back in March, Nintendo today announced the Mii Popularity Channel will be making its way to North America sometime soon. Dubbed "Check Mii Out", gamers can submit Miis to be voted on and engage in contests and promotions. Kind of like Hot or Not, but, you know, with cartoon characters. Polish up your Mii likenesses of Stalin and Buddha, it's time for them to take a walk down the runway.
Mii Spotlight: 'Cause you're ugly
Well, you're not ugly, but there are a lot of ugly Miis out there. We just can't resist moving facial features around and into places they're not supposed to be. Sure, sometimes you do that and you get Admiral Ackbar, but other times, it looks more like what's under the hockey mask in the Friday the 13th films. Not pretty. But even ugly Miis need a little time in the spotlight, so we're dedicating this week's edition to the worst of the worst. Check out the parade of awful after the jump!
Wii Warm Up: More Mii
Miis are great fun, and it's pretty easy to make a reasonable approximation of yourself, provided you already look like a caricature, like we do. But there are so many more features we could have. Putting aside the obvious expansions of existing features-- more hair and eyewear options, for example-- we can think of one major addition that would make us super happy: custom t-shirts. Let us import an image or just draw one. A Mii is just not me without a video game t-shirt.What would you add to the Mii creator palette?
Mii Spotlight: In character edition
It seems like everyone loves to make Mii versions of their favorite characters, whether they're from films, games, or television shows, and who can blame them? It's very satisfying to finish a Mii that turns out well and show it off, just to see if it's immediately recognizable. Considering that, it's no surprise that people send us lots of random characters, and often, they're Miis of characters that are just so brilliant, or from things that we love, and we can't resist them.We dedicate this week's Mii spotlight to all the great character Miis we haven't seen yet ... and we wait with bated breath to see what else you guys can come up with after seeing this week's submissions.
Conjecture Countdown: 11 days to go
Even with a diminished E3, there's no controlling the wave of rumors that hit the Internet every year before the show. Why fight it? From now until E3 hits, we'll be posting one piece of wild speculation every day. Some may be patently ridiculous, and others just might turn out to be true. Even some of the ridiculous ones might turn out to be true! Rest assured, everything will be totally made-up and unfounded. Except, of course, when we speak about all the ass Reggie is going to kick. That part? Totally true.Rumor: The Mii Popularity Channel will be the only new thing Nintendo shows off at E3.