WiiSpeak Channel Hits Japan

Just a couple of days after the release of the Japan-only fortune telling Channel, Nintendo has given Japanese Wii owners a first chance at a Channel that will definitely be making its way overseas: the WiiSpeak Channel. Japanese Wii owners can now download the free channel from the Wii Shopping Channel.

As previously announced, the WiiSpeak Channel allows four Wii owners to hook up for chat sessions. In addition to chatting, users can trade pictures off SD, make voice tone adjustments and mute certain parties. The Channel is also compatible with Miis and can display up to six Miis from your Mii family.

Unlike most channels, this one is limited to a specific set of Wii owners. To download the channel, players need to input a code that's included with Animal Crossing WiiSpeak sets and with the solo release of the WiiSpeak peripheral (released just today in Japan). This basically means that only those who have the means of chatting can chat, which doesn't seem like such a terrible idea.

Those who can't get a hold of WiiSpeak will still be able to take their Wii to the new dimension of aural communication. Users of WiiSpeak can record 10 second voice messages and send them to other players. Anyone, including those without the WiiSpeak hardware, can listen to these messages.

http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/935/935589p1.html