Nintendo Wii system update 3 is now live

by Jared Rea { Aug 7th 2007 at 5:20AM }

The Wii Shop channel was closed for a few hours this morning and when it opened back up, a new system update was made available. It may not have delivered the announced "Check Mii Out" channel or added any Wii Ware to speak of, but it did give us a big, ugly clock on the main menu.

As for technical improvements, users are reporting shorter load times when switching channels as well as faster disc read speeds all around. The news and weather channels got some touch ups as well but most of the work seems to have gone into the shop channel which now supports a new, streamlined interface, search functions and a list of the most popular titles. Spoiler: only games featuring the word "Mario" in the title make up the top five.

A full list of patch notes may be viewed after the break.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Channels:
- Digital Clock added to the Wii Menu right under the channel bar
- Forecast Channel now displays the current condition directly in the Wii Menu in the Forecast Channel box
- News Channel can now show 2 scrolling headlines at a time in the Wii Menu, 3 when you click on the button
- Message Board now has the "Today's Accomplishments" message as a white message which allows it to stand out from other messages
- Address Book entries can now be shifted around using A+B but only to empty spaces.
- Calendar in Message Board no longer shows "Today's Accomplishment"
- Scrolling messages in the Message Board now uses a different sound

Wii Shop Channel
- New Welcome screen detailing 4 Recommended Titles and the points they cost. The title bar can be clicked on to bring up a list of 20 recommended games.
- Titles You've Downloaded was moved to the main shop menu
- New ways to browse
- Popular Titles
- Newest Additions remains the same
- Search for a title which can use partial names
- Search by Category
- Search by Publisher
- Search by Genre
- System shows the different systems and how many titles have been released under each

Settings
- Warning added pre-system update detailing that technically modified consoles may cease to function upon being updated. Also the only way to not accept an update is to power down the console by holding the button for 4 seconds.

[via NeoGAF]

Tags: breakingnews, wiisystemupdate

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

zelder_man @ Aug 7th 2007 5:35AM

Damn and I was about to send this in to you guys. I just got the message. Yes, I stay up til 4:30 in the morning.

whosmav @ Aug 7th 2007 11:13AM

I haven't checked yet but I'm hoping the fan runs in stand-by mode now.

http://www.gamernewz.net

meist3r @ Aug 7th 2007 6:13AM

They've removed the B-trigger icon for scrolling web pages and messages too now it's just the flexible arrow. I've sent that to the Joystiqians already.

Twinkie @ Aug 7th 2007 6:18AM

The blue light actually woke me up at 6 in the morning.

jorojoserojas @ Aug 7th 2007 11:46AM

Yup.

I opened my eyes and I saw a deep blue light right in front of my face. Good thing, too...I might have been late for work otherwise.

Cody S. @ Aug 7th 2007 7:49PM

I noticed mine about 3:45 in the morning. I couldn't get back to sleep until 4:30. Needless to say I wasn't a happy camper.

Curmeo @ Aug 7th 2007 6:26AM

what a joke of an update, compared to PS3/360 updates.

Captain Jody Anthony XVIII @ Aug 7th 2007 6:35AM

curmeo is at it again.

TWiNKiE @ Aug 7th 2007 6:52AM

Usually, every time my 360 updates, it's just to get a game to work. Nice updates, eh?

ssuk @ Aug 7th 2007 7:22AM

Most 360 updates are for backwards compatability. Oh what's that? Wii's backwards compatability extends for ALL gamecube games?
Other 360 updates come in to fix bugs for Arcade games, fixes loop-holes in the 360 firmware which homebrew could be launched from or the infrequent dashboard update to add a advert-filled Marketplace to the main panes.
PS3 updates are too thin on the ground to complain about atm.

I'm just doing damage control, I only own a 360 (I own other consoles, but only this gen I mean) so I don't want everyone thinking all us xbox buying people are short-sighted loosers like Curmeo.)

borland502 @ Aug 7th 2007 8:38AM

@ssuk: "PS3 updates are too thin on the ground to complain about atm."

The last two were Videophile upgrades to be sure. But the 1.8 update was significant for almost every owner. MS and Sony just have two different philosophies on updates. On the one hand, infrequent updates are less troublesome, but on the other frequent updates don't let errors linger for half a year.

1.9 very much improved the DNLA timeout issue on the PS3. I can finally use it as a poor man's apple tv. Oh, and I can play some games =-.)

Nintendo seems to be sticking to the "Wii play games". While this seems pretty damn thin for a major version upgrade...who can argue with their success right now?

Shagittarius @ Aug 7th 2007 11:06AM

Hint: When you buy a console thats essentially an overclocked version of the previous generation, complete backwards compatability is pretty much a given.

arrrgh @ Aug 8th 2007 1:58AM

what a joke of a comment in a Wii news item

Kye @ Aug 7th 2007 6:37AM

Sounds cool.

I can confirm the decreased downloading times of VC games. But I noticed that late last week.

Now, if only the would sort out a intro screen for when you turn the system on.
Something that basically every other frickin console ever has.
You know, something that says you're about to play the Wii. Not just a f*cking warning screen.

You hear me Nintendo? I want to be wecomed! Not warned!
I want...

*he's dragged off by burly men in white coats*

Captain Jody Anthony XVIII @ Aug 7th 2007 8:00AM

hahaha

Anam @ Aug 7th 2007 11:42AM

Kye, you should post more often.

Kye @ Aug 7th 2007 1:33PM

http://kye-the-brown.spaces.live.com/default.aspx

AzaMcWazza @ Aug 7th 2007 6:52AM

Be interesting to see if it does anything nasty to anyone in NZ if they have a modded Wii. Modding's legal here so they can't really go doing anything specific to stop it.

Grim @ Aug 7th 2007 7:19AM

It might be legal, but not supported. Nintendo's not required to ensure your mods work with their updates!

accidental @ Aug 7th 2007 7:34AM

Modding is legal in NZ yeah, but it's still against the recommendations of Nintendo to open up you Wii and chip it! So anyone who gets bricked for mod-chipping deserves it for going against the advice in the manual.

It's almost alongside "do not subject your Wii to open flame or pour water on it" :P

borland502 @ Aug 7th 2007 8:31AM

Good thing you don't live in the US; they send homeland security after you =-.)

However, most people in the US, NZ, and elsewhere in the world are quite free to mod their Wiis. Just like you are free to record a program on your TIVO despite the technical illegality. But there is a wide difference between tolerated and supported.

Unless you have some sort of unique justice system, the courts will look the other way if Nintendo bricks your system. I'm not aware of any laws that guarantee system upgrades.

Personally, I think that system works. Companies feel secure, and we know that no one is going to stop us if we want to take the risk. Just like with banned 360's...if you don't care, then nothing is going to stop you from modding.

vidGuy @ Aug 7th 2007 9:11AM

"Just like you are free to record a program on your TIVO despite the technical illegality."

In the US, it is legal to record a TV program to another media. While it is making a copy of a copyrighted work, the courts found it to be a fair use back in the Beta days. It's called time-shifting. What's illegal is recording them and storing them/selling them.

While it's legal to mod a console because you own the hardware, companies have the right to ban/block your console from their online service. I think it's wrong to brick the console, though. Someone should take them (any of the console makers) to court over it - probably win a settlement worth at least a new console, probably more.

vidGuy @ Aug 7th 2007 9:13AM

vidGuy @ Aug 7th 2007 9:16AM

Should have included that bricking modded consoles with an update is an intentional destruction of private property. The company should be held liable. It'd be like the cops trash-compacting a go-kart because it wasn't street legal.

Sorry for the double post up there, joystiq is really slow today... :(

Captain Jody Anthony XVIII @ Aug 7th 2007 9:31AM

"While it's legal to mod a console because you own the hardware, companies have the right to ban/block your console from their online service. I think it's wrong to brick the console, though. Someone should take them (any of the console makers) to court over it - probably win a settlement worth at least a new console, probably more."

nintendo puts a warning on there before you update (in the future) to tell you that it may not work if your console is modded. Its then up to the user whether or not to download the update. i dont think anyone would have a case against them.

borland502 @ Aug 7th 2007 9:43AM

@vidguy

Good point about the timeshifting. Maybe DVD backups would be a closer analogue, though not a perfect one.

"The company should be held liable. It'd be like the cops trash-compacting a go-kart because it wasn't street legal."

I'd say a closer analogy would be if a fuel injector upgrade for the car was designed not to work with a popular Nitro kit the manufacturer didn't want supported. If they further warned you in the manual, via stickers, and in the warranty, then I don't see a successful suit going forward.

Besides, I don't think Nintendo is stupid enough to write code that says "if mod then brick". More likely, they'll write something that will only work properly with original hardware. It's the same intent, but the devil is in the details.

I don't know Jack about the laws involved, but my guess is that Nintendo would be liable only if they were clumsy about it. And even then, the liability would be probably be limited unless it happened to brick some innocent consoles.

Grail @ Aug 7th 2007 7:00AM

I think "coincidentally" my 360 got an update this morning as well... Anyone know what changed on the 360?

ZenGaijin @ Aug 7th 2007 7:29AM

You still cannot go back to the home menu from a gamecube game. When you play a gamecube game the Wiimote goes dead and you have to hardreset to get back to the menu.

accidental @ Aug 7th 2007 7:35AM

Are you serious?? It'll always be like that man – it's not software emulation.

thrillho @ Aug 7th 2007 7:50AM

it is software emulation. Me and my brother bought the Wii on launch, and I updated mine as soon as it booted, like it asked to do, he opted to look around first. pre-first update you were able to go to the home menu in gamecube games.

James @ Aug 7th 2007 8:51AM

No, it isn't emulation. They don't need to emulate since both the Wii CPU and GPU are just updated Gamecube chips. An example of emulation is PS3 and 360.

jadenguy @ Aug 7th 2007 9:14AM

man, that's really amazing, about the pre-update stuff. they really need to work that feature back in. they probably just couldn't figure out the CC remote issue and decided to give up.

Vidikron @ Aug 7th 2007 10:10AM

@accidental

Whether it's hardware or software doesn't matter. There still should be a way to go back to the dashboard. I'm not sure why you would think hardware BC would result in no way to go back to the dash.

hvnlysoldr @ Aug 7th 2007 10:46AM

Because it is hardware emulated the Wii acts as a GameCube. As in a GameCube doesn't know how to become a Wii. That's the issue that needs to be solved and it's hard to come up with a cheap solution.

Anam @ Aug 7th 2007 11:39AM

Bah, how many people actually have Gamecube discs anyway? I'm pretty sure the Wii has already outsold it...

Rob @ Aug 7th 2007 7:49AM

Jared, Why is tone negative
also you forgot to add that

- THE BLUE LIGHT GLOWS WHEN EJECTING AND INSERTING (console must be on) GAME DSICS

Captain Jody Anthony XVIII @ Aug 7th 2007 8:01AM

I really like the new shop channel options. Still kind of ugly, but searching is a lot easier.

Captain Jody Anthony XVIII @ Aug 7th 2007 8:47AM

also from what I've been reading the fan is on at all times when wiiconnect24 is on. that is pretty major IMO.

Grog @ Aug 7th 2007 9:47AM

Can anyone confirm that the fan is now on all the time if WiiConnect24 is on?

Captain Jody Anthony XVIII @ Aug 7th 2007 11:43AM

I'll be looking into it after work tonight

hvnlysoldr @ Aug 7th 2007 9:20AM

Totally rad. I'm getting packed but since home doesn't have Wi-Fi I'll dig it out and update. Sounds like nearly everything got improved.

Hypernyte @ Aug 7th 2007 9:21AM

I do like it overall, the Wii is getting more complete every time. But that clock, damn, I hate it.

TWiNKiE @ Aug 7th 2007 9:24AM

I would've made some different changes to the Shop Channel, and moved the clock, but it is still pretty good. Easier too.

Some things I would want Nintendo to do is to find a way to activate the Wiimote in GC games and in VC games where the GC controller is used, since everytime I play F-Zero X, the Wiimote is just on, burning batteries while I use the GC Controller. If they were to do something, like hold 1 + 2 for 3 seconds to activate the Wiimote, so that way, I don't have to take off the batteries to stop it from being on.

hvnlysoldr @ Aug 7th 2007 10:54AM

When playing a Game Cube game, guess what. The Wii is acting as a Game Cube. Cubes don't know how to turn into Wii systems even if you do give it tape.

Mr Khan @ Aug 7th 2007 4:25PM

While playing Virtual Console games, unless you're on the Home Menu, its not using the pointer, and when not using the pointer, you really don't have to worry about burning battery time

What bugs me is the downloads from the shop channel and the system updates, it is actually using the pointer constantly through those...

Crono @ Aug 7th 2007 4:35PM

That is true, hvnlsldr, but its also stupid. The way wii currently runs BC is by downclocking its CPU and GPU to GC levels and deactivating wii specific hardware. This is really dumb, as they could easily leave the clock speed where its at, have Wii OS run in the background, and then a frame limiter for GC games so they don't run at higher than normal speeds. Then we'd be able to turn the Wii on and off and return to the Wii menu without doing a hard reset.

That was the biggest thing that pissed me off when I got my wii on launch day. The other is Wiiconnect24 breaking my GPU, but if the fan always on rumor is true, I will be very happy.

James @ Aug 8th 2007 11:12AM

Chrono
Then it would be software emulation and that would eat processing power like crazy, leading to some more demanding titles probably not working.

Everyone else with concerns about hard resets, you did it back when the Gamecube was out, what is the issue with doing it now? At least we don't have a limited BC list like the 360 and soon to be PS3.