[Wii] WiiWare. Like SpyWare only less useful.

WiiWare is finally set to launch fairly soon, and I figured a good time to make a thread would be........ NOW!

LAUNCH DATES:

Japan - 03/25/08
USA - 05/17/08
PAL - ??/??/?? (as usual)


Here is a list of games that will launch in Japan on the 25th:

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as King - 1500 WiiPoints
Dr Mario - 1000 WiiPoints
Pokemon Ranch Channel - 1000 WiiPoints
Lonpos - 1000 WiiPoints
Kotoba no Puzzle Mojipittan - 1000 WiiPoints
Saku Saku Animal Panic - 1000 WiiPoints
Star Soldier R - 800 WiiPoints
Okiraku Ping Pong - 500 WiiPoints
Angels Solitaire - 500 WiiPoints


The only know games slated for the US launch are an episodic title, LostWinds (which sounds fantastic), and FF Crystal Chronicles.


Here are 5 excellent articles relating to WiiWare to get you all up to speed:


WiiWare Week: Portrait of a launch title - Interviews & Features - www.developmag.com

WiiWare Week: Why WiiWare? - Interviews & Features - www.developmag.com

WiiWare Week: Versus Round - Interviews & Features - www.developmag.com

WiiWare Week: Ready to Ware? - Interviews & Features - www.developmag.com

WiiWare Week: What's next - Interviews & Features - www.developmag.com


I can't wait for WiiWare. Just based on how Nintendo is running things, I think it's going to provide a slew of games we'd normally never see. Independent studios are given free reign over their games, and in the end everybody wins.

From what I understand, WiiWare sounds like it could be promising. I'm hoping for some nice, addicting titles to come through.

...Really though, I just want more FFCC (Crystal Bearers excluded).

I'm not having high expectations based on the large shafting that we have received in regards to the VC. I would be interested in some of the less "Japanese-oriented" products (read: shooters) in favor of some unique titles. Lets hope the costs don't skyrocket like the VC, either.

I just received the message from Nintendo to update my Wii Shop Channel, in order to be ready for WiiWare this spring.

Nothing seems different, though.

Originally Posted by Nintendonomicon

I just received the message from Nintendo to update my Wii Shop Channel, in order to be ready for WiiWare this spring.

Nothing seems different, though.

to be ready for it.

That means you don't have it yet.

I guess it's too early to ask if there's any actual info on those games yet? I'm guessing Animal Panic is a puzzle game judging from the title. Dr Mario's an awesome game but I wonder why it costs 1000 points? Isn't it a NES game? Why not just put it in the normal Wii Shopping Channel?

I'm really excited for Star Soldier R. I've bought Star Soldier (PSP) and Blazing Lazers (VC) recently and I'm having a blast with them. I remember playing the games when I was young and I forgot all about them until now.

The reason Dr. Mario is on WiiWare is probably because it was remade for the Wii, and also features online playing against one another via WFC.

Dr. Mario & Saikin Bokumetsu:

YouTube Video
Get the Flash Player to play this youtube video file.

In Pokémon Ranch, you basically upload your Pokémon from Diamond and Pearl, and then you watch them walk around, and you can throw your Mii in, and take pictures.

Then you send it to people. Amazing. Really.

Saku Saku Animal Panic seems like some sort of puzzle game, in which you are supposed to fence off animals so they will not get in contact with other animals. Don't want crocodiles to touch your giraffes and such.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as King is basically Sim City with a Final Fantasy twist. The warriors in your town (which you are rebuilding due to events from Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles) go out and kill monsters and explore dungeons all on their own. Your job as the King is to make sure the city can satisfy all the needs of the people and that your warriors are capable of defending the town itself.

LONPOS is a game similar to Daedalin Opus for the GameBoy. You are given an area with some blocks. Make it so all the shapes are used and every space is filled. The video can speak for itself. This is a brainteaser that is a big hit to some people.

LONPOS:

YouTube Video
Get the Flash Player to play this youtube video file.

If there are any other games that need to be explained let me know.

I assume all these WiiWare games will take up a fairly HUGE chunk of internal memory. =/

I think I read somewhere possibly on the internet with my eyes that there's a 40MB limit for the games, and the Wii can hold what, 1.44MB or something? Yeah that's gonna be a lot of floppy swapping. ;__;

I like the Bomberman WiiWare game though! You get to save your Mii's from bosses (wow!) and it's got an eight player onriiine battle mode.





Defend Your Castle (500 points) has a really nice graphical did you see the latest Nintendo newletter whoa style to it, too.

Thanks for the awesome info, Lacerta! Now I have a better idea of what they are. I also looked up pics and stuff.

Online Dr. Mario sounds very nice. I don't particularly like the 3D-ness of it though.

Pokémon Ranch sounds dreadfully boring.

Animal Panic doesn't sound that exciting after seeing images. It reminds me of the old GB game Qix. You had to block off sections and stay away from the Qix.


Judging from your description, CC sounds more like CityLife than SimCity. SimCity was basically the managing and building of cities, whereas Citylife is about managing the citizens of the city and making sure you help their needs. Still, managing a town does sound interesting but it also sounds like it's going to take up the most memory : /

You know...I actually had Daedalin Opus for the GB!!! I had the Japanese version, and since the title was in Japanese I never knew what the game was called. Now I know! XD
This type of game isn't something I'd like to play so I'll pass this on.

Update
Holy mo, a new reply posted while I was typing this up. More Wiiware games!!

Bomberman sounds fun, especially if people can play from the same Wii! I've never actually played a single Bomberland game in multiplayer, you know. Amazing, isn't it?

No idea what Defend Your Castle is though. It looks...weird.

Damn, just saw a trailer for SSR and it looks sweet!! It looks quite similar Star Soldier for the PSP. I just got that a few days and am loving the heck out of it. SSR is definitely a must buy for me!




I saw a vid of CC and it doesn't er, look that exciting. Maybe it's because I can't read Japanese, but I'll see.

Ahoy. The Gamingforce. I am Bumps McKenzie. "Look at this" "oooh ho, Jill Sandwich".







NEW ALIEN CRUSH FOR WIIWARE

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IGN has the first gameplay footage of LostWinds up:
IGN Video: LostWinds Nintendo Wii Trailer - First Look: LostWinds

IGN gets another exclusive reveal in the form of Gyrostarr, a psychedelic racer/shooter from the makers of upcoming FPS The Conduit.
Check it out right here. It looks quite good, and it will be available at launch for 700 points.

Originally Posted by Nintendonomicon

IGN gets another exclusive reveal in the form of Gyrostarr, a psychedelic racer/shooter from the makers of upcoming FPS The Conduit.
Check it out right here. It looks quite good, and it will be available at launch for 700 points.

Saw that last night, and I have to say it looks like the first WiiWare game to go on my "Probably puchase" list...until my current craving for shooters dies down at least.

Anyhow, I don't think anyone posted about this game:
World of Goo
Looks like one of those structure-building games I've seen people play on school computers, but with way more personality. Neat, and I'm sure some people would love this game, but not sure if it's my cup of tea.

Quote:

It all starts "down in Mexico," where the Valle De La Sol Public Zoo, run by the charismatic geezer Don Eduardo Mendoza, has found itself in crisis mode. The animals -- elephants, monkeys, warthogs, and walruses, to name a few -- have begun dying only to be reborn as flesh-eating zombies. High Voltage elaborates, "Now, wandering freely through the zoo, the rotting beasts are no longer content with eating visitor scraps they get tossed into their cages -- instead they prefer to eat the whole visitor."

Quote:

Animales de la Muerte plays similarly to classic fixed position shooting games like Smash TV and, more recently, Alien Syndrome for Wii (the latter of which failed to live up to its potential, sadly). Since the title has been developed specifically with Wii in mind, High Voltage has naturally been able to make much better use of the Wii remote than SEGA did. To play, you move your character around the screen with the nunchuk's analog stick and aim with Nintendo's pointer. You aren't merely limited to shooting in various directions -- you can also very quickly and accurately target enemies with pinpoint precision (using an on-screen reticule) and blast them to bloody pieces. This control method nurtures the characters' abilities to run in one direction and simultaneously shoot into another. In addition, a speedy flick of the nunchuk will toss grenades at whatever spot you've got your reticule aimed. You can go it alone or with up to three friends in a four-player single-screen cooperative mode, which becomes chaotic.

IGN: Animales de la Muerte Preview

WiiWare's putting full priced Wii retail games to fucking shame.

You have to be kidding me. They have the power to essentially make this a valid alternative to what the 360 has to offer with Live Arcade, and they instead decide to go with games that look like shit you can find in a 1980s computer game bargain bin sale?

I've got a new game for WiiWare that goes well with their current lineup:

WiiFail.

I guess Bomberman appears to be the one of the only redeeming factors of the whole thing.