After missing the system’s launch last month, Nintendo TVii has finally made it to our Wii U consoles. So was the delay worth it? Well…
We were promised that TVii would change the way we watch, erm, TV. The truth is, currently it’s nothing more than a glorified TV guide. First of all, the application is missing both Netflix and Tivo, meaning there’s a lack of streaming and DVR capabilities. Sure, there’s still Hulu and Amazon access, but that’s only half of the features offered. So even after being delayed to polish out features, it’s missing some.
But that’s okay. We have a Netflix app on the Wii U already. The DVR possibilities may be missed, but it’s something to look forward to. Let’s try to stay optimistic. So what does Nintendo TVii offer to the masses? Does it change the way we watch television forever? Not quite.
One of the key features touted is the connectivity offered through TVii with other Wii U users. Similar to how we connect to other people through Miiverse, TV Tag allows users to take pictures of episodes and communicate with people. In theory it’s a great feature, but it’s only offered for select shows. So while watching Shaun of the Dead after the “apocalypse” this afternoon, all I could do was view some information about the cast and the movie’s Wikipedia page. Sure, it’s a handy feature to have, but I have a desktop and a laptop all but five feet away from my television.
That being said, the feature is fully implemented in sports. While watching a game on the TV, you can pull up the game on your GamePad as well and watch something similar to ESPN’s Gamecast. The only difference? The interaction between other people when something happens. Big three pointer made? Talk about it. Huge pick six? You can talk about it. It’s honestly one of the better features of the application. I just wish there were more programs that would enable it to happen. Perhaps one day.
That’s a fitting motto for the entire Nintendo TVii experience: “perhaps one day.” I can see the vision behind it, but the experience falls flat in execution. I additionally feel pretty gimped since my TV hookup is without a cable box, meaning the TVii remote is kind of useless for me. But perhaps one day, the polish can be finished and it will change the way we watch TV. That day, however, is not today.
