Nintendo and Opera have announced that the Opera Web browser for the Wii console will be available for a free trial on 22 December.

Wii owners with broadband will be able to activate the Internet Channel of the Wii menu after download and begin surfing the web.

The final version of the browser will be available at the end of March, and will be offered for a free download until the end of June.

After that time, users will have to pay 500 Wii Points in the Wii Shop Channel in order to download and use it.

The Opera Browser is Flash-enabled, and is easy to navigate with the Wii Remote. The controller can also be used with an on-screen keyboard for text entry.

The Internet Channel joins the four channels available since launch: Disc Channel, Photo Channel, Mii Channel, and Wii Shop Channel. Joining the now-five options is the Forecast Channel, which lets users check world weather using a 3D globe.