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G
05-10-2008, 05:26 PM
NINTENDO LAUNCHES WiiWARE:
AN OPEN PLAYGROUND FOR CREATIVITY
Downloadable Game Service Delivers Developers’ New Ideas Directly to Consumers

REDMOND, Wash., May 12, 2008 – Nintendo’s Wii™ console has already changed the way people play games. Now its new WiiWare™ service decisively tears down limitations for how developers create games – and the way people receive them.

Starting today, Wii owners with an Internet connection can download new, creative games from a wide range of developers, from large publishers to indie shops. By reducing the barriers that make console game development prohibitively expensive, WiiWare showcases original ideas in the most democratic environment in industry history, connecting the people who make games more directly with the people who play them.

WiiWare frees developers from the traditional constraints of video game development. WiiWare lets developers experiment with big ideas and small budgets to the benefit of players everywhere. Newer, smaller teams now have an outlet for their creative ideas. The constantly growing WiiWare library will have a regular flow of unique video gaming experiences consumers might not otherwise have access to.

“WiiWare is to the video game industry what independent films are to Hollywood,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “WiiWare lets developers experiment with new ideas and experiences. Combined with our collection of classic Virtual Console games, Wii provides one-stop shopping for the greatest games of the past – and the future.”

WiiWare games are easy to download. Just go to the WiiWare section of the Wii Shop Channel, find the game you want, redeem Wii Points™ and start the download. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. New games, at various Wii Point values, will be added to WiiWare on Mondays. The newly launched Nintendo Channel on Wii will let people view videos of and read information about WiiWare games and other Nintendo products. Users also can see player opinions to help them decide what to play next.

Today, the inaugural lineup of WiiWare games is just a taste of things to come:

FINAL FANTASY® CRYSTAL CHRONICLES®: My Life as a King™ (Square Enix, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, 1,500 Wii Points): FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a King takes a legendary franchise and launches it into the realm of simulation gaming. Players are challenged to rebuild a kingdom, leading its young king on a path of discovery through an adventure bristling with mystery and intrigue.

LostWinds™ (Frontier Development, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): A fresh, enchanting platform adventure that puts the power of the wind in the palm of your hand – from raging tornados to the gentlest breeze. You’ll wield your Wii Remote™ controller to power Toku’s jumps and glides, suspend and smash enemies, meet friends and solve puzzles using LostWinds’ novel, intuitive and playful control system.

Defend your Castle™ (XGen Studios, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points): Defend your Castle takes place on a grassy plain surrounded by invaders. You are the commander of your castle, and it is your duty to fling the invading enemies sky-high, watching them plummet to their demise. As you progress, add powerful spells and upgrades to your arsenal for repelling the attacks. How long can you hold them off?

Pop™ (Nnooo, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 700 Wii Points): Pop bubbles to score points and stop the timer from running out. Pop can be enjoyed by anyone – casual gamers can simply play to pop bubbles and keep the game moving, whereas advanced players will need to pick their shots rapidly and accurately and generate combos to maximize their score.

V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack™ (High Voltage Software®, Inc., 1-4 players, Rated T for Teen – Simulated Gambling, 700 Wii Points): V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack re-creates the casino experience, with fully animated players and a realistic Las Vegas dealer. Single players can increase their bankrolls, while multiple players can engage in a head-to-head mini-blackjack tournament.

TV Show King (Gameloft, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): TV Show King transforms your living room into a real TV quiz show studio where you’ll face the challenge of answering more than 3,000 questions across six different categories. Compete against family and friends and use your Wii Remote controller in original ways to make it to the finals to see who can win the greatest amount of cash in one final, deciding duel.

For more information about WiiWare, visit WiiWare.com. Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com.

About Nintendo: The worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™, Nintendo DS™, Game Boy® Advance and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. Since 1983, Nintendo has sold more than 2.7 billion video games and more than 460 million hardware units globally, and has created industry icons like Mario™, Donkey Kong®, Metroid®, Zelda™ and Pokémon®. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company’s Web site at www.nintendo.com.

Note to editors: Nintendo press materials are available at press.nintendo.com, a password-protected site. To obtain a login, please contact Danny Beardsworth at 213-438-8835 or dbeardsworth@golinharris.com. Users can receive instant Nintendo information by subscribing to the site’s RSS feed.

Nintendo’s Wii-kly Update Takes a Week Off

To celebrate today’s launch of the new WiiWare™ downloadable game service for Wii™, there will be no Virtual Console™ games added today. But don’t worry – next week the Wii-kly Update will be back to its regular Monday schedule, bringing Wii owners information about the best classic Virtual Console titles and coolest new WiiWare games.

PapaGeorgio
05-10-2008, 05:31 PM
An article FROM THE FUTURE!
But yeah pretty excited for launch of WiiWare.

#BROKEN Hasney
05-10-2008, 06:04 PM
Strong Bads Cool Game For Attractive People.

Thats all I want.

Dorkchop
05-10-2008, 06:32 PM
I haven't read much about Lost Winds, but I think I read that it's pretty good. I really like the art style for Defend Your Castle, but I probably won't pick it up.

I'll probably get Dr. Mario when it's available.

I don't even have that many VC games and my Wii is already running kind of low on memory. They really need a god damn hard drive.

KingofOldSchool
05-10-2008, 07:00 PM
I'm pretty pissed that America gets screwed out of Dr. Mario just like we've been getting screwed on the VC games.

Dorkchop
05-10-2008, 07:50 PM
Final Fantasy: Chrystal Chronicles My Life as King:
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I was kind of excited for this until I learned it wasn't anything like the other 2 Chrystal Chronicles games.

LostWinds:
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Looks pretty interesting. I hope it gets good reviews

Defend Your Castle:
<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fMa-wvmOMJw&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fMa-wvmOMJw&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>
I played the flash version and it was pretty addictive.

Pop:
<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ORTLNL1zp5U&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ORTLNL1zp5U&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>
Looks pretty boring. It should be a bonus mini game in a full game.

Can't find shit for V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack or TV Show King

PapaGeorgio
05-10-2008, 09:24 PM
Lost Winds looks so calming. like in the video if that is the music that will be in the game, will be like meditating or something.

PapaGeorgio
05-10-2008, 09:26 PM
TV Show Kings Pics

http://wiimedia.ign.com/wii/image/article/870/870298/tv-show-king-20080429095107732_640w.jpg
http://wiimedia.ign.com/wii/image/article/870/870298/tv-show-king-20080429095108748_640w.jpg
http://wiimedia.ign.com/wii/image/article/870/870298/tv-show-king-20080429095109701_640w.jpg
http://wiimedia.ign.com/wii/image/article/870/870298/tv-show-king-20080429095110607_640w.jpg

U-Warrior
05-10-2008, 10:39 PM
Thinking the no mercy rumor was just that.

They were probably really planning it, but wouldn't they have to get rights from aki/asmik to use their engine? Bet thats where it fell through.

Vietnamese Crippler
05-10-2008, 10:58 PM
AKI doesn't exist anymore, but it's more of the licensing issue with WWF most likely (and the time it would take to edit crap out)

KingofOldSchool
05-11-2008, 07:13 PM
Thinking the no mercy rumor was just that.

They were probably really planning it, but wouldn't they have to get rights from aki/asmik to use their engine? Bet thats where it fell through.

You do realize that more games will be released for WiiWare as time goes on, right?

Savio
05-11-2008, 07:53 PM
I thought Polar bears DID live in the desert

PapaGeorgio
05-12-2008, 05:37 AM
May end up getting the trivia game and Lost Winds. Big fan of trivia, although this looks like easy trivia so may see how the reviews are.

On a semi-related/un-related notes, has anyone played Boom Blox. Not a WiiWare, but a Wii Game. It has been getting good reviews, and it people are saying it is a lot of fun. Tempted to get it but not sure if I should spend the money I don't really have. Would appreciate hearing TPDUbs opinion on it.

Kane Knight
05-12-2008, 08:34 AM
Thinking the no mercy rumor was just that.

Should have probably thought that from the beginning. If it sounds too good to be true....

G
05-12-2008, 08:58 AM
Is it out yet, or noon like the VC games? Gonna go check.

Kane Knight
05-12-2008, 09:07 AM
Is it out yet
:yes:

U-Warrior
05-12-2008, 09:49 AM
Should have probably thought that from the beginning. If it sounds too good to be true....

Oh, I never fully beleived it, being that it WAS in a rumor section.

Kane Knight
05-12-2008, 11:33 AM
I downloaded the WiiWare Gameshow thing. Mostly because I think it'll be fun with friends. If the questions aren't the most sophisticated, that's fine. I'd school them if they went too esoteric. Though I'm kind of hoping it's more like millionaire, where the first few questions are retardedly simple, and it gets harder along the way.

PapaGeorgio
05-12-2008, 02:40 PM
KK have you played the trivia game yet. I have the same reasoning for getting it more or less. But do hope there are more challenging questions then the pictures I posted. Let me know more please.

Dorkchop
05-12-2008, 03:57 PM
My girlfriend likes trivia games and wants to pick it up. When you play it, KK, post about it.

G
05-12-2008, 04:01 PM
I played it. Pretty fun. However, you can do really good and answer everything right, then someone spins to switch money with you and you lose it all. Going from 1st to last. :mad:

PapaGeorgio
05-12-2008, 04:20 PM
Yeah I got the trivia game, it is pretty fun, moves fast which I like. There are 3 levels of difficulty of questions, I picked the middle one for my first play and the questions were fairly challenging, but I was usually able to easily to reduce the options to 2 choices. Definitely meant to be played with friends and not alone though. Overall was a fan of the variety of questions, there were some interesting ones with some interesting answers too. Recall one of the questions asks the artist of a song, and one of the possible answers was The Game ft. Ludacris which made me laugh and appreciate the game recognizing a wide variety or culture.

Kane Knight
05-13-2008, 01:24 PM
My girlfriend likes trivia games and wants to pick it up. When you play it, KK, post about it.I like it, TBQH. It combines elements from various gameshows. It's primarily a 4 Player Millionaire Style game (ABCD choices, though you don't work your way up in cash value in the same sense). They have bonus rounds which give you extra cash (In the 10 or so games I've played, that's all they give you), and at the end of each round yuo can opt to spin a wheel. Think Wheel of Fortune, but with a few other bits (Swap cash with one opponent).

Finally, the top two players do a faceoff, and I know this is from somewhere else, but fuck if I know where. It's basically the first player to get 5 answers right.

What I don't like is losing all my cash at the end of the game because the last place player chose to spin the wheel and swap with me. Also, some rounds have gimicks, which aren't horrible, but they don't really make me feel all sunny, either. You can scratch off the slots to reveal answers in one, and another requires you to highlight them with your Wiimote "flashlight."

I'll enjoy it a lot more with friends, I think, but I don't feel ripped off. Ten dollars is a decent price for what you get, if you like game shows or trivia. And especially if you're like me...I love games like Jeopardy and the like, but have too little patience to sit there and wait for people to answer.

Kane Knight
05-13-2008, 01:29 PM
Recall one of the questions asks the artist of a song, and one of the possible answers was The Game ft. Ludacris which made me laugh and appreciate the game recognizing a wide variety or culture.

I got a couple such questions lobbed at me. I like the fact that they were kind of spread out in terms of appeal. I had to guess on some of the modern ones. I think I guessed wrong when the answer was Beyonce or something.

Since you've also played the game, lemme ax you sumfin, playa...Are all the sports questions about the Olympics? I don't think I've had a single non-Olympic sports trivia question.

The one thing I would have liked to have seen is options to limit the categories, bonus games, and so on. I think Olympics questions will school most of my friends, as well as me.

G
05-13-2008, 02:28 PM
Michael Johnson won the Gold Medal in the 200 and 400 meter races in 96.

PapaGeorgio
05-13-2008, 02:47 PM
Yeah, they are all obscure olympics questions. Or like majority for me have been about the World Cup. Sports are the ones I usually get wrong anyways, so them being even more obscure fucks me over.

But do like the challenge of the questions thus far, good mixture of stuff.

Kane Knight
05-13-2008, 06:13 PM
Yeah, I haven't tried the upper level, but the middle one was fairly vaired.

Drakul
05-14-2008, 12:44 PM
When WiiWare is released in Europe, we won't get Defend Your Castle or V.I.P. Blackjack.

Instead we'll get Dr Mario & Germ Buster, Pirates: The Key of Dreams, Star Soldier R and Toki Tori.

The list in full:
Dr. Mario & Germ Buster (Nintendo)
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King (Square Enix)
LostWinds (Frontier)
Pirates: The Key of Dreams (Oxygen)
Pop (Nnooo)
Star Soldier R (Hudson)
Toki Tori (Two Tribes)
TV Show King (Gameloft)

G
05-14-2008, 01:34 PM
Virus Buster

Drakul
05-14-2008, 01:50 PM
It's, apparantly, Germ Buster in Europe.

PapaGeorgio
05-14-2008, 02:38 PM
Dr. Mario will probably be the next one I will get. Disappointed we didn't get it for our launch.

Kane Knight
05-14-2008, 02:42 PM
Is Doctor Mario a new title or a renewal of an old game?

PapaGeorgio
05-14-2008, 02:58 PM
Both from my understanding. Your question phrasing does leave me wondering if you know about the Dr. Mario games in the past, but I assume you do. A puzzle game where some comparisons to tetris can be drawn. Thus assuming you knew that, the answer would be a little of both. I am not overly familiar with everything that will be included in this WiiWare title, but my understanding is that it is the basic Dr. Mario game, but that it can actually be played online. Generally just having more options. So it could be called a repackaging of sorts I suppose.

Dorkchop
05-14-2008, 03:16 PM
Is Doctor Mario a new title or a renewal of an old game?

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yEwcjJrtAmw&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yEwcjJrtAmw&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

PapaGeorgio
05-14-2008, 03:23 PM
The mii version he shows there looks semi annoying to play.

Dorkchop
07-30-2008, 10:09 PM
I don't want to start a new thread, but what have people been playing? I can finally afford to download some games.

I got Dr. Mario today and I love it, as does my girlfriend. I'm thinking about getting Lost Winds. I read it was pretty short, but really good. has anyone played it? It got great reviews. I'm waiting for Srtong Bad's game. I think the only other games that slightly interest me are Defend Your Castle and Gyrostarr. If I'm ever bored and have extra points I'll maybe try them out, but I can do without them.

PapaGeorgio
07-30-2008, 10:19 PM
You can play defend your castle for free online. Not that you can't play most of the others game for free elsewhere too.

OssMan
07-30-2008, 11:17 PM
I dunno what's in that video Dorkchop posted, but Dr. Mario came out for the NES.

Dorkchop
07-30-2008, 11:23 PM
What's in the video I posted was Dr. Mario: Virus Buster for WiiWare (It wasn't only available in Japan when that video was posted). It's an updated version of the *classic NES game. There's a pretty fun version where you use the pointer to grab and move the falling pills.

* Not the classic where someone calls a game a classic just because it's old. Classic in the sense that Dr. Mario is actually a classic.

OssMan
07-30-2008, 11:30 PM
Yes I am aware dorkchop as I own the *classic NES game. I was just saying I didn't watch the video you posted. The one they released in America is called Dr. Mario Online RX or something, it looks pretty good.

Drakul
07-31-2008, 03:22 AM
There's some new WiiWare games on the way. Like some pirate ship themed battle game and a Wild West onrails shooter that uses the Wii Zapper.
I've read theres about 100 or so more WiiWare titles in the pipeline but I can't find the story online right now.

Dorkchop
07-31-2008, 11:30 AM
And sadly, like retail Wii games, only a couple will actually be good.

Dorkchop
07-31-2008, 11:30 AM
I think that pirate game is available in North America, but it probably sucks and I've ignored reviews about it because I know it's going to suck.

Drakul
08-29-2008, 03:04 AM
Might download Bomberman Returns when it hits WiiWare. It's going to have the option to play as your Mii, change outfits and have 8 player online battles.