this is getting off-topic, but if you just bought the game and want to play with friends, unlocking stuff sucks. You have to unlock quite a lot. 50cc is boring as hell, 100cc you have to pay attention but is also boring, and 150cc is a challenge that would be nice to share with a friend. Not to mention there are twice as many grand prixs and 2-player grand prix has been an option since the freaking Super Nintendo. It's really annoying to me. I thought they'd add 4-player if anything. No FFA Battle Mode is the most annoying thing, though, If you add features, keep what you've had for 15 years.

Fine, VC wins because it has a select amount of 10-20 year old games. That's what I wanted when I bought a new system. I still contend that most of them are overpriced. The only one I've purchased is OoT because I never played it before. I plan to buy MK64 because the Wii version disappointed me. Otherwise, I'll stick to my SNES with Super Mario All-stars for the other games I would consider...something I break out maybe once a year.

Nintendo have kept it simple on purpose - you pick the shop channel, search and select the desired game, click download and wait.

As many others have already said with the file size downloading backgrounds sin't an option as there's a difference between a 360 "xbox original" of 5GB and a 40MB file. I reckon we'll see a storage solution before the years out anyway as Nintendo aren't stupid enough to annoy those that are proving to be their best source of income.

This is why Ninty designed the Wii for *everyone* rather than just people used to computers, and spending their days trawling the web.

 - storage issues: very valid, and I'm hoping they will be addressed real soon

 - background downloading: the Wii will never do this, and I don't think it matters that much. Since most of the downloads are small anyway, its pretty quick. Maybe the next console.

 - credit card: only takes a few seconds with the Wiimote, and how often do you buy credit anyway? I'm very glad it doesn't cache mine - lots of people use my Wii (since its more a living room than bedroom device), and I'd hate for them to blow my credit.

 - billing information: not sure what he is talking about... I definitely don't do this.

 - Mario bar: thank god a company finally did something MORE creative than a friggin progress bar. From what I understand:

    - the blocks represent 33%, 66%, 100% completion

    - the coins represent data (lots of coins means fast connection, few means slow)

    - jumping & hitting the final block is the "installation/encryption" part of the process.

...

The storage issue is the ONLY one that annoys me, and I'm very hopeful it will be fixed soon. I am *very* out of space. 

I would think that is because Sony is positioning the PS3/online against MS 360/Live. Features that Live has, that Sony doesn't - are going to get VERY criticized. Its also the same user base on both consoles.

The Wii is (like it or not) different, and has different goals and objectives for online. Its also a heck of a lot less powerful, which leads to no background loading (etc). 

The Yahoo from Yahoo was Wii bashing ... or at least Wii-illiterate. The DL from WiiWare was the same as the DL experience from the VC.

Points cards are wonderful and generally easy to find. Most stores -- Toys R Us being the exception -- sell them for a penny-a-point in the US.

I can tell you that I hated when I had to put my CC# into Xbox Live (the original ... which used money not points). I have twice had ID Theft issues and really don't like to think of my info on a server of unknown security (I have a CC that I just use for Internet purchases -- ironically it has never been compromised). And of course it did not help when Microsoft charged my card after my subscription ended.

As for voice chat, when I played Xbox Live, I found myself in games with a group of people who already knew one another and really didn't want/need to talk to them (or my Microsoft mic failed) and they really didn't want/need to talk to me.

Is the Nintendo VC and WiiWare perfect ? No. Does it meet the needs of the average Wii user? Yes.

Remember, people here are Power Users, not average users

Mike from Morgantown

PS -- How come no one ever muses about the fact that the computer company making consoles is the only one without a true web browser.

PPS -- Has anyone noticed that the new Nintendo Channel can take you directly to an on-line vendor to buy games?

Mike: the average Wii user doesn't even know Wiiware exists. They don't count.

M$ should add a browser because their competition with in the console realm is terrible.

Not very professional there, abbreviating "Microsoft" with a $ instead of an S... Of course, this isn't a technical forum or anything, so I guess it's up to one's own preferences.

Anyway, it hardly matters if the average Wii user doesn't know about WiiWare and the Shop Channel; what matters is a.) the overall demographic currently aware of and interacting with the Shop Channel (which consists of far more than just traditional gamers already), and b.) what Nintendo is doing to expand that demographic. The sort who demand more out of the Shop Channel are in the minority, even with most of the Wii's total demographic not being a part of the Shop Channel demographic.

Absolutely, no one wants a better shop channel...it's perfect...it has so many classic games already why would anyone ever even need new games?

When people runs out of stuff to belittle the competition. They'll start Pit Nicking...

It's pretty much the same thing with the graphics comparison between PS360. The holier-than-thou is nothing new.