CreatureX

Who else is excited about the upcoming Wiiware launch?!

For those who may not know, WiiWare is the name of the small budget games that will be available for purchase on the Wii Shop.

WiiWare launch dates:
North America - May 12th
Japan - March 25th (Lucky!)

WiiWare game prices:
500-1500 Wii points ($5-$15)

Here are some pics and vids from a couple of the launch games I'm looking forward to playing:

Defend Your Castle(official site)

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Lost Winds (official site)



Star Soldier R



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ComputerAndVideoGames.com previews a bunch of WiiWare games!

Justin Kicks As

yea they look fun

steebo777

I've got like $30 in points so I'll definitely be checking some of these out. I think it's a phenomenal idea that could really extend the Wiis life (not that it's running out of steam at all).

CreatureX

WiiWare launched in Japan today. Some interesting news on a couple of games:

'Dr. Mario' includes an option where you can send a limited versus-only copy to anyone on your Friend List via Wi-Fi Connect 24.

source: IGN.com

'Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King' is the first Wii game to use the Pay To Play option for DLC.

source: Siliconera.com

rfduncan

Me want Spelunker BAD!

CreatureX

Hudson has released their Japanese WiiWare release schedule. Click pics for larger images.

Bomberman (June):



Tetris (July):



Alien Crush (August):

PixyJunket

ALIEN CRUSH! Holy surprise revival.

steebo777

It's very nice!

zero

Wow.....just wow! Sooooo what about space on everyone's Wii? Can we save these games via SD card?

slop101

Maybe this is why they've slowed down on the good VC releases - so people will have the space on their Wii's memory for this stuff.

edytwinky

I'm looking forward to original material. I hope it's not just a bunch of old games that i've seen on the internet via flashgames or whatever

CreatureX

New 'Lost Winds' trailer:

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/32800.html

This game looks really cool!

Goldberg74

"Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People" from Telltale Games:

"Charming. Suave. Muscular. Awesome. These are just a few of the words that Strong Bad would use to describe himself. In a world gone mad, only one man can be trusted to save the day... for himself. A man with a mask. And boxing gloves. And an attitude. A man called Strong Bad."

http://www.telltalegames.com/strongbad

Pbear

Maybe I'm lame, but am really looking forward to Dr. Mario and Tetris for wi-fi multiplayer.

CreatureX

Read this over at GoNintendo:

Very good read!

PixyJunket

Sexual Chocolate!

http://wii.ign.com/articles/868/868645p1.html

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slop101

Here is the entire first batch of Wii Ware games launching next week (Monday, May 12):


~~Defend Your Castle~~
Developer: XGen Studios
Publisher:
Price: 500 points
Launch date: May 12
Info: Prepare to defend once more with this Wii remake if the Flash title. The Barbarian hordes have amassed their forces once again to challenge your domain. Will you and your court rise to the challenge, or stand aside as the invaders raze your castle to the ground? Features: 4 Player jump-in cooperative gameplay, unique artstyle, enhanced physics & particle effects and unlimited levels.





~~Dr. Mario & Virus Buster~~
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Price: 1000 points
Launch date: May 12 TBA
Info: a remake of the classic Dr. Mario puzzler. You can make your Mii appear in place of the Mario characters, and can challenge friends over Wi-Fi. The game includes the Saikin Bokumetsu game from the Japanese Brain Age 2, which can now be play cooperatively with four players.





~~Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King~~
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher:
Price: 1500 points
Launch date: May 12
Info: The game will take place after the events of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, in a remote area of the peaceful world the Crystal Caravans created. The king lost this realm he was reigning because of the Miasma and now tries to revive the country through a mysterious power called "Architecture" that he received from the crystal. The gameplay has been described as a country Building RPG.





~~Gyrostarr~~
Developer: High Voltage Software
Publisher: High Voltage Software
Price: 700 points
Launch date: May 12
Info: In the sci-fi shooter Gyrostarr, you and up to three other players are challenged to fly through a twisting, turning techno-plasma canal in space, collecting energy to penetrate an alien portal and warp to the next conduit. Without that energy, your space vessels will smash head-first into the unforgiving anti-void. A variety of weapons and power-ups aid your on your frantic shooter-filled quest to the next portal. There's the triple-shot, the tesla-shot, lighting-short, and charged shot, for starters. Meanwhile, you can gain defensive bonuses, too, such as the indestructible shield and a power-up that temporarily slows enemies down.





~~LostWinds~~
Developer: Frontier Developments
Publisher: Frontier Developments
Price: 1000 points
Launch date: May 12
Info: 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.





~~Pokemon Farm~~
Developer: Ambrella
Publisher: Ambrella
Price: 1000 points
Launch date: May 12
Info: In Pokemon Ranch, you transfer your your Pokemon from Diamond and Pearl on the DS to your Wii. You can then manage the Pokemon in a ranch environment. You're free to bring your Mii and your family's Miis to your ranch and can do things like taking pictures of your Pokemon which can then be sent to friends. Is free.





~~Protöthea~~
Developer: Digital Builders
Publisher: Ubisoft
Price: 1000 points
Launch date: May 12
Info: Protothea immerses players into an adventure where they will need to destroy an asteroid called "Maqno 01" and sabotage the plans of a political faction called "The Core." Players will quickly jump right in and guide their ship through multiple missions on futuristic planets where enemy AI is dynamic and will change based on the player's actions – so there are no predictable enemy paths, and therefore always a different game play experience. Players will have a wide range of eight different air-to-air weapons and two different air-to-ground bombs at their disposal, and can attack however they choose. In addition, there is a special power that decelerates time, allowing players to easily avoid enemy fire while they are able to move rapidly and attack enemies.





~~Star Soldier R~~
Developer: Hudson
Publisher: Hudson
Price: 800 points
Launch date: May 12
Info: Star Soldier R brings back Hudson's classic shooting franchise with new 3D graphics. Like traditional vertically-scrolling shooters, the game features a top-down perspective and players fly from the bottom of the screen towards the top, shooting at any ship or structure that obstructs their path. As players progress, they can collect power-ups to increase their weapon or shield strength, and an all-new Force System enables gamers to collect up to five orbiting satellites that can be held close to the ship for defensive cover, or can be sent out for additional firepower. Players can also decide how they want to play, choosing from three control schemes - Nunchuk and Wii Remote, Wii Remote only (held sideways) or the Classic Controller.





~~Toki Tori~~
Developer: Two Tribes
Publisher:
Launch date: May 12
Price: TBA
Info: Toki Tori for Nintendo Wii marks the entry of Two Tribes into the world of console games. Based on the critically acclaimed Game Boy Color game, this update improves the original on every front. Sporting a new look, updated content and a completely overhauled Wii Remote control scheme, the game offers players of all ages a classic gaming experience while making the most out of Nintendo's Wii console. The gameplay in Toki Tori is a blend of two genres. While it looks like a platform game, it's a puzzle game by heart. Players will have to look and plan ahead carefully while using a variety of items, such as the Telewarp, Freeze-o-Matic and InstantRockTM to name but a few.





~~World of Goo~~
Developer: 2Dboy
Publisher: 2Dboy
Price: TBA
Launch date: May 12 TBA
Info: World of Goo is a physics based puzzle / construction game. The millions of Goo Balls that live in the beautiful World of Goo don't know that they are in a game, or that they are extremely delicious. The main objective of the game is to get a requisite number of goo balls to the pipe representing the exit. In order to do so, the player must use their various abilities to build bridges, towers and other structures to overcome terrain difficulties. Each level has its own graphical theme and music, giving it unique atmosphere.

slop101

Bring on the Wii hard-drive add on - I'm gonna need it!

Groucho

A lot of those games sound interesting. Will they be offering demos for every game, like MS does with Arcade titles?

PixyJunket

Holy shit. That is a legendary launch lineup.

steebo777

Star Soilder R and Dr. Mario will be mine Monday.

pinata242

I think I'm going to pass. The only one that looks interesting enough to try is Defend Your Castle, but even that looks like a curiosity more than anything.

I'm afraid I'm becoming an XBLA/Achievement whore

UncleGramps

Is World of Goo definitely confirmed for May 12th? Last I heard, the release date was still TBA. I have heard good things about Lost Winds and will probably pick it up on launch day.

slop101

Looks like neither 'World of Goo', nor 'Dr. Mario' are going to be May 12th launch games.

But they should come out within a couple months.

Groucho

What's the source of all this? Is there a definitive link somewhere?