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Joystiq hands-on: LostWinds (WiiWare)
Briefly previewed at GDC, LostWinds is a stylish, creative take on platforming. The Nunchuk analog stick moves your small character over obstacles from a side-view. But the the character can't jump or climb very high; he needs the wind to push him up and over pits. The Wii Remote fills this role naturally. A pointer swipe and button push gusts the wind into the world, lifting the small character to higher plateaus. Even ambient background objects like trees and grasses sway with the breeze. Later puzzles require you to guide the wind into other objects, not just the small fellow. These techniques feel fresh and the visuals rival other Wii games. LostWinds was one of my favorite experiences from the Nintendo Media Summit. %Gallery-16523%
A serene video of LostWinds in action
There was a brief video clip of Frontier Developments' LostWinds during Nintendo's GDC presentation, but that video has yet to be released -- until today, maybe. This video from IGN looks very similar to the GDC trailer; in fact, we think it may be the same one. It is at least equivalent in terms of showing the game in motion and illustrating the use of the pointer to control wind. We love how the little gust kicks up some water.We're pretty sure that LostWinds would look much more exciting without the exceedingly mellow music. Although maybe mellowness is the order of the day for a game in which the main character's fighting style involves a breeze.%Gallery-16505%
LostWinds creator describes a very complicated-sounding game
We thought we understood LostWinds. There's a guy, controlled with the Nunchuk, and then there's wind, controlled with the pointer. But when we hear Frontier Developments' David Braben explain the game, we aren't so sure anymore. About the basic gameplay: "Toku is relatively small and vulnerable yet he has physical presence in the world, whereas Enril has no physical presence, just a localised sphere of influence of wind power around the shard of Spirit Stone that Toku is carrying." And it's not just simple platforming made to sound more complex. There's actually a lot going on in LostWinds other than jumping and gusting. You can use the wind to interact with the environment, including blowing water into the ground to grow an assortment of seeds that you can then use. The interview goes on to discuss the importance of audio and narrative in games, and LostWinds' stylized appearance. Braben also denies (for now) a Virtual Console release of his Commodore 64 classic Elite.
Frontier announces LostWinds for WiiWare
David Braben's Frontier Developments promises "the power of the wind" at the tip of your Wiimote in LostWinds, the indie studio's first pint-sized, WiiWare adventure. There's a wind spirit (that's you!), a boy with an odd cap, the evil Balasar and the magical land of Mistrails, where puzzles can be a breeze and enemies are blown away without bullets. "WiiWare offers a perfect extra outlet for that creativity, and I hope that LostWinds is the first of many games that will follow this process," said Braben. %Gallery-16523%
GDC08: New WiiWare title unveiled: LostWinds
UK developer Frontier Developments (Thrillville) announced a new title for Nintendo's WiiWare service today, titling the adventure platformer LostWinds. We have a gallery of screenshots below that you can thumb through for a preview of the game's stylized art direction. LostWinds stars Toku, a young boy who has discovered a wind spirit in a land threatened by its power-hungry sun/moon spirit. You'll move Toku around using the nunchuck's analog stick while aiding him with Wii remote gestures commanding the wind elemental. A quick controller movement can send a breeze or even a tornado to power Toku's jumps, glide him across distances, blow away enemies, and solve puzzles. Frontier Developments hasn't yet announced a release date or price, but the studio is hoping to put LostWinds out with WiiWare's US launch this May 12th. %Gallery-16505% Read - Lostwinds official site Read - Level Up interview with Frontier Developments' David Braben
Joystiq impressions: Thrillville Off the Rails
We all know about Thrillville, the rollercoaster simulator ... but what happens when it goes Off the Rails? Sure, we've got over a dozen new minigames (for a total of over three dozen, according to a LucasArts rep), but we now have the ability to ride your coasters without ever finishing them. Look, we know you're thinking, "Hey Joystiq, isn't that dangerous? Doesn't the law of gravity apply to physics engines, too?" Well you're right but remember: virtual death is only virtually sad. And there were virtually no complications with what we saw. Instead of death, you jump to a loading scene and you're back off the ride. As if it was all just a dream. Even if you aren't saved by the great "Now Waiting" sign in the sky, all coaster participants are given jet packs and parachutes. From our initial impressions, there was a 100% survival rate, but you never know when poor clipping might cause pixelated peril.
