As it prepares to launch WiiWare, its download service for bite-sized games, Nintendo has released the Nintendo Channel, which offers information on Wii and WiiWare games, including recommendations and videos, as well as downloadable DS demos. Read on to see what NintendoGal thought of the service.

Immediately upon getting the channel, I was remind of the Wii’s space issues. You’ll need around 120 blocks to download this channel, which meant that I had to go in and delete a couple VC games, including a N64 title. Once I actually got the channel on my system, I found out that I needed to get rid of 123 MORE blocks of memory. This was intensely frustrating, and doesn’t reflect so much on the channel as it does on Nintendo’s neglecting to address the obvious space issues of the Wii.

Once I actually got the channel powered on, there were several agreements I had to agree to, and several options I had to select to get the whole thing configured. It took a little while, but luckily it’s only a one-time deal. After that, you’re taken to a video showing off the newest content of the Nintendo Channel. The video interface, while possibly a bit slow to load, is pretty nice. Most of the videos are promotional ones for games, though there is currently a review with Shigeru Miyamoto up. You can watch in widescreen, and can go to info pages for games from the video screen. Plus, you go from the main menu to videos in a seamless transition, which ostensibly isn’t much, but it gives it a nice presentation.

Besides watching videos, there are three other functions to the Nintendo Channel. One of them is getting game information; there’s usually a video about any new games, for DS or Wii, first- or third-party, which is very nice; this channel has a lot of content. Besides that, there’s a small info page you can go to with basic information, and this also can link you to a page where you can buy the advertised product.

The second major function is recommending games, which you can do for any game you’ve played for more than an hour. You won’t be writing out any wordy reviews, which would be hard with a Wii Remote in any case; you’ll be marking off particulars about who would enjoy the game, mostly. This contributes to a search engine, where you can look for games that a particular age group, or a particular gender, would enjoy, based on gamer recommendations.

The third feature, and the one I looked most forward to, is downloadable DS demos. This works rather smoothly; you just go to the download menu and select a game, then turn on your DS and download the game. Considering you don’t need to download an additional menu like you do at retailers’ download kiosks, this is the fastest way to receive DS demos right now, and works just about as well as I had hoped.

Overall, besides some initial installation troubles, the Nintendo Channel really has no significant flaws in its design and operation. It accomplishes what it wants to in expert manner, and can be a valuable service for people looking for information on games. For a glimpse at what the Nintendo Channel is like, check out the video below.

In addition, WiiWare will launch on Monday, May 12.