Since the release of the trial version of the Opera Internet browser on the Nintendo Wii back in December last year, the Swedish company had opened themselves up to suggestions from its users on how they would like to see the software improved on its full re-release. That day has since arrived, and the completed Wii Opera browser can now be downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel after a short system update (you should have a message from Nintendo in your Wii’s inbox in order to initiate this, otherwise it can be started in the Wii Settings Menu). Click below to find out what’s new!

Opera has listened to its people and it shows: the new Opera browser features a number of distinct enhancements over the somewhat experimental original. These include:

• Improved zooming and scrolling
• An improved zoomed font
• Shortened startup time
• Quicker access to “favorites”
• An option to auto-hide the obtrusive toolbar
• Buttons that will instantly type common preset letters, such as “www” or “.com”

Panning and zooming to view text in any particular quarter of the screen is now a much more trouble-free experience than before, while the Favorites menu, which used to take took longer to load than a lorry full of directionless sheep, now pops up almost instantaneously.

The biggest challenge [in creating the Wii Opera browser] has been to create the best “living room” Web experience, leveraging the unique capabilities of Wii,”

commented Scott Hedrick, the executive Vice President of Opera for Devices in an interview with Cubed3 before the beta version was launched.

“Opera has worked closely with Nintendo to achieve a breakthrough experience, especially in terms of incorporating the revolutionary Wii Remote into the browsing experience, he added.

One other noticeable improvement in the upgraded browser is the ability to search the Internet either with Google or Yahoo! at the click of a button. Nintendo’s press release reads:

As search functions have become an essential part of our everyday Internet experience, the Internet Channel now features a built-in function allowing users to search without having to select a search engine each time.

While the service is never going to be enough to replace a desktop PC, it is rather handy for quick tasks such as checking e-mail, news updates or cinema listings – that kind of stuff. In addition, several Wii-optimised websites have launched in order to take advantage of the console-specific browser. These include simple Flash-based arcade games at Wiicade or YouTube and Flickr search for Wii at ViewWii.

To coincide with the new release, My Opera has launched a community website which aims to gently inform the uninitiated about the world of videogames. The site’s introduction explains our hobby in layman’s terms and helping to dispel some of the rumours around videogaming culture, including the mistruth that the majority of gamers are social recluses who “neglect any duties or even spend half your day on video games.”

The updated Opera will remain as a free download until the end of June, after which Nintendo will charge users $5 USD (approximately €3.8 EUR or £2 GBP per download). Still no tabbed browsing, though? Hurrumph!