WiiWare launched today in Japan along with a handful of games and the reactions have been — if we’re going to reduce each to a word or phrase — muted, surprising and “frackin’ expensive!” (more…)
Wii Fit is big in Japan (1.5 million sold in three months) and arguably will be as big if not bigger in the US when it goes live in a month or so (more people, more people who subscribe to new “weight loss” gimmicks, Wii’s existing momentum among people outside the now incorrectly described “core” or “traditional gamer”). But, just in case, Nintendo is allegedly preparing a massive marketing push to ensure the peripheral is seen and experienced by as many people as possible. I’m talking Oprah here people, Oprah. (more…)
WiiWare isn’t even out of the oven officially yet and its already got a proper Bomberman game scheduled for release. And this is not mini-game Bomberman, no, but honest to goodness 8-player simultaneous bomb on bomb action.
[Japanese link via Kotaku]
Hudson on Tuesday confirmed a summer release of Tetris in Japan for Wii Ware with a North American release likely to follow. Purchase details and a complete list of features were sorely missing from the announcement, but we do know the game will support 6-person online multiplayer, not to mention handsome Miis. Additionally, the venerable puzzle game will support a coopertive mode if the acompanying screenshots are to be believed. Sweet.
New research from Interpret posted over at Next Generation today talks of a casual games love explosion that’s happened in recent months. It’s a lengthy read, but it bodes well for established services like Xbox Live Arcade and upcoming ones like the WiiWare service from Nintendo.
A snippet: “Interpret found that, during 2007, casual games reached over 145 million people aged 12-65. Of that figure over 71 million play casual games for one or more hours per week.”
Canadian Flash games developer XGen Studios launched an official Web site today for the upcoming WiiWare version of its classic Flash game, Defend Your Castle.
Given XGen’s latest juicy details, worries that the game will be a generic port of the Flash version should be alleviated. As confirmed in the April issue of NGamer Magazine, Defend Your Castle has received a dramatic makeover, in both visuals and gameplay, for the move to Wii.
A quick snippet from a snippet at Game|Life today:
his address at GDC this morning, Nintendo project leader Takashi Aoyama said that Nintendo will, in the near future, allow Wii owners to use Wii Points (purchased with a credit card transaction online or on cards in stores) to buy add-on content for games. He said that add-on contents would also be available for disc-based games as well as WiiWare downloadable titles.
The add-on contents for disc games would be purchased within the game, Aoyama said.
’bout bloody frickin’ time, no? Also, conveniently this news could put the Wii DLC timeline around the launch of WiiWare and Mario Kart Wii, the latter of which better have downloadable tracks, upgrades and new racer/kart downloads as a result of this. Seriously, what a fitting way for a company like Nintendo to introduce such a thing — on their own system with their own game on their own terms. Nada’s changed, folks!
IGN has an interview up today that goes over basically everything there is to know about WiiWare.
All in all it’s pretty positive, interesting stuff, although Nintendo’s decision to forgo a demo service in lieu of promoting games via the Everybody’s Nintendo Channel could be hit-or-miss, in my opinion. (more…)
Cambridge, UK. 20th February 2008. David Braben’s Frontier Developments (”FrontierTM”), one of the games industry’s leading independent developers, today announced its first title for WiiWareTM - LostWindsTM; a high quality, enchanting adventure bursting with new gameplay ideas that embrace the innovative controller of the Wii™ .
Built with Frontier’s in-house 3D game-engine technology LostWinds puts “the power of the wind in the palm of your hand” as you wield the awesome powers of Enril the wind spirit - from raging tornados to the gentlest breeze – to guide and protect Toku, a young boy who is the only one who can help you release the curse placed upon the world of Mistralis by evil Balasar. Mistralis is a stunningly presented, magical land full of wonder and intrigue that bursts to life with your every action and exploration. The game’s novel, playful control mechanism lets you use Enril’s elemental powers to help Toku in your quest to overcome Balasar – powering his jumps and glides through Mistralis’ different regions, buffeting and smashing enemies, and solving puzzles. (more…)
Nintendo’s upcoming WiiWare changes the way both developers create and consumers access video games. Through WiiWare, Nintendo hopes to offer developers a virtual laboratory that serves as a breeding ground for new games, which encourages great ideas that creators always wanted to develop. The combination of low development barriers and unique game experiences found only on Wii should enable developers to try new ideas with lower risk in a quicker, more creative and affordable way.
Meanwhile Wii owners can download a multitude of cool new games from different genres, including some that are unprecedented, which can be purchased from home at a dynamic price range. WiiWare also empowers consumers to determine with their Wii Points which games have the right stuff to become the next big thing.
WiiWare will be a repository for all types of experiences – literally, something for everyone. Early WiiWare games will come from celebrated developers like Square Enix, which is creating FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a King, a simulation game for all ages. Also watch for games from up-and-coming developers like Frontier with its fresh, enchanting platform adventure LostWinds and a new episodic game series from Telltale. The first U.S. WiiWare games will be available on May 12.
The enigma wrapped in a riddle smothered in Mind Trap-esque brain teasers that is “the WiiWare” is something that’s held at least my attention for the past few months, and I imagine many Infendo readers and staff members are equally invested in what, exactly, the service will bring to gaming. (more…)
Just when I thought I was getting a hold on the pile of video game paraphernalia I received over the holiday a Netherlands-based developer said today that the mysterious WiiWare download service will definitively arrive in “2-3 months.” My wallet quivered a little in fear at the news, but as it has been so many times in the past 12 months, it was overridden by my blind loyalty to video games and Nintendo. Silly wallet.
Anyway, according to Engine Software — but not Ninendo (which denied a specific launch date entirely) — WiiWare is slated to hit online-enabled Wii’s the world over in March. Engine also conveniently was able to announce its first WiiWare title, codenamed Project Bang!, which the developer said is “a casual game type with very addictive gameplay for one or two players.” Sounds pretty original. The title will also take advantage of the Wimote’s motion sensing capabilities. Getting warmer, and that’s much better that my planned WiiWare title idea: Commander Boring’s Adventure into Tax Town. It only uses the A button and avoids using images of any kind. And color.
Engine Software’s past titles include — are you sitting down? — a co-development credit on High Scool Musical: Livin’ The Dream (GBA) and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody: Circle of Spies (DS) with A2M and an assist on the Nintendo DS version of Puzzle Quest: Challenge (I’m thinking they probably picked out the colors).
Hmm, my wallet just got its confidence back. Still nice to see some WiiWare news out there though.
While driving amongst the frozen snowbanks of Massachusetts today, I had an epiphany. Or a revelation. Or something.
Basically, I wanted to play a new, updated, wonderfully 2-D version of Jaleco’s Super Nintendo maserpiece King Arthur’s World on either the Wii or the DS.
Since I’m a sucker for video games (Nintendo in particular), I figured this could be the beginning of a series of meandering short posts about games for old Nintendo systems that would do well on the company’s new systems. Call it the WiiWare folder, but in King Arthur’s case, I’m willing to make a DS exception. Just this once.
So apparently there was a slew of information generated by a recent IGN podcast about Nintendo’s WiiWare program (Wii Software for you Europeans). We reported on it here at Infendo, but it would appear as though we’ve been had!
When we first talked about this yesterday, 40MB was floated as a possible file size ceiling for WiiWare titles. Personally, I thought that smelled pretty fishy, given the in-game Final Fantasy videos and cutscenes we’re seen already. Turns out I did smell fish.
Eurogamer, via Wired blogs:
A Nintendo spokesperson told Eurogamer that Nintendo is encouraging developers to make “smaller, more compact games” for the service. Not a cap, per se, more of a suggestion. Probably a very strong suggestion. Developers will more than likely be limited to one release a month, at least at first, so that Nintendo might “address potential volume issues.” The rep didn’t want to clarify much about just who will be setting WiiWare prices, simply saying, “it is important to remember that one of the keys aspects of the WiiWare service is to allow everyone access to fresh, new content at a low price.”
What? You mean the Internet once again jumped to conclusions about unconfirmed news? No way.
Here are the goods steaming from an IGN podcast:
Transcribed by Evil Avatar.
Need a targeted audience of devilishly good-looking adult males to sell your goods and services to? Advertise on Infendo today! We (heart) our sponsors.
