Wii Online

Provided that you have an existing Internet connection and wireless router, the Wii can get online through the system's built-in Wi-Fi adapter. The system's only online option is actually Wi-Fi. You'll need to get a Wii Ethernet adapter if you need a wired RJ45 port to connect to your home network.

The Wii's always-on WiiConnect24 system automatically updates the Wii's channels with the latest information as long as your Wii stays connected to the Internet. Each channel is a specific application that you can run on the system. You'll see the Disc, Mii, Photo, Wii Shop, News, and Forecast channels when you first turn on the console. A few of the channels that go online include News, Forecast, Shop, and Internet. The News channel is powered by the Associated Press and automatically streams news headlines. Likewise, the Forecast channel gives you up-to-the-minute information on local weather patterns.

Nintendo also releases new channels from time to time, such as the Everybody Votes channel, which lets you vote on various poll questions and then see how your votes compare with others. Individual channels load very quickly, and shifting between channels is nearly instantaneous.

The Wii Shop channel provides access to Virtual Console games as well as software programs developed specifically for the Wii, one of which is the Opera Internet browser. The Wii Shop uses its own Wii Points currency system similar to the one Microsoft uses for the Xbox 360. You can buy points online with a credit card through the Wii Shop, or you can buy prepaid Wii Points cards in retail stores. The conversion rate is approximately 100 Wii Points to the dollar.

Like the PlayStation 3, the Wii offers free online gameplay. All you have to do is connect the system to the Internet to play. However, to date, there have been only three games that support online play: Madden NFL 08, Mario Strikers Charged, and Pokémon Battle Revolution. More games should be coming, but it's a woefully low number for a system that's almost a full year into its product cycle. If you're looking for a well-rounded online experience, the Xbox 360 currently offers the best multiplayer options, but you will have to pay a subscription fee to get access to online multiplayer games.

The Wii also gives you the ability to make a little cartoon version of yourself, a Mii, for use in compatible games, such as Wii Sports. You can customize your gender, face shape, skin color, hair color, eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth, glasses, height, and weight. Each individual facial feature has its own customization options that will let you set colors and move features around.

You can transfer Miis to another system by saving them to the Wii Remote and bringing the controller to a friend's console, or you can connect the two systems online via WiiConnect24. Foreign Miis will show up on the Mii Parade screen, where you can grab them and place them in your personal Mii Plaza. Once a Mii is in the Plaza, it'll appear as an option in Mii-compatible games.