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The Daily Grind: Is the genre too commercial?
Every industry has its Wild West period. Seemingly crazy folks move forward with what turn out to be not-so-crazy ideas. They work together (or in competition) to usher in something totally fresh and new. Some of them stumble. Okay, most of them stumble. But some of them create something so inspiring it births a whole new industry.If you played the early MMOs, you know that it was an exciting frontier. But in recent years the industry has settled into a groove. Yes, it's been a turbulent groove, but it's impossible to deny that in terms of design, most games these days are following a similar formula. This formula -- introduced by EverQuest (well, Dikus, actually!) and refined by World of Warcraft -- is used now because it works. It makes money most of the time -- more often than the other formulas or the wild-eyed ideas, anyway.But since the genre has settled on this formula, has it lost something? Has the massive success of World of Warcraft replaced the exciting frontier with a commercial empire that's short on inspiration and character? Put another way: do you feel like the new games are so focused on commercial appeal that there's no trace of love or passion for the endless as-yet-unimagined possibilities of virtual worlds left over?
LostWinds finds a home in Europe
Nintendo doesn't release sales numbers for VC or WiiWare titles (although stat lovers might be able to figure out some estimates). To give us a better idea of what's hot and what's not, though, everyone's favorite marketing guy Laurent Fischer reports that LostWinds is dominating Europe. The two games that "come close" to LostWinds' sales in the continent are TV Show King and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King.Fischer also reports that WiiWare titles are enjoying a "constant flow of downloads," which makes sense in today's digital media environment. As for LostWinds, we're glad to see a game that's such a breath of fresh air get the recognition it deserves.
WiiWare lifts off in Europe and Australia
Right on time, Nintendo has pulled the appropriate levers, flicked the necessary switches, and sent a whole world of WiiWare goodness down the pipes and into Europe and Australia. Here's what greeted this blogger on his local servers just now: Dr. Mario & Germ Buster -- 1,000 Wii Points Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King -- 1,500 Wii Points LostWinds -- 1,000 Wii Points Star Soldier R -- 800 Wii Points TV Show King -- 1,000 Wii Points Toki Tori -- 900 Wii Points Expect reviews of Dr. Mario and Toki Tori in the very near future; in the meantime, let's hear what you've downloaded so far, PAL people! %Gallery-23089% %Gallery-20255%
Wii Fanboy Review: LostWinds
Without a doubt, LostWinds is like finding a diamond-encrusted Hummer in your box of corn flakes. Sure, the WiiWare launch line-up hasn't been as boring as corn flakes, but there are some titles we could do without. And, LostWinds is so good, we're wondering if there'll be anything besides Alien Crush that can stand up to it this year on Nintendo's download service.%Gallery-16505%
LostWinds sequel plans already aloft
Frontier Developments' LostWinds seems to be one of the standout WiiWare titles, judging from the discussion around the site (and in the comments for other WiiWare game reviews). We're glad you like it, and, we assume, so is Frontier Developments, because otherwise they stand to lose a bunch of money. Their website features a link that allows visitors to "REGISTER FOR ADVANCE INFORMATION on Frontier's forthcoming LostWinds sequel containing amazing new gameplay as Toku and Enril's incredible adventure to save Mistralis continues." That doesn't really leave much room for misunderstanding, does it? The sequel's on the way. No hinting, no teasers, just "Hey, guys, we're making another one." Having a quickly-announced sequel makes it seem like an episodic title, doesn't it? We guess there isn't really that much difference between an episodic game and a game with really quick sequels. %Gallery-16505%
Nintendo reveals first WiiWare titles for Europe
Nintendo has released a list of eight games described as "launch window" titles ahead of WiiWare's debut in Europe on May 20th. Included are four games that the U.S. is still waiting on -- Dr. Mario & Germ Buster, Star Soldier R, Toki Tori, and Pirates: The Key of Dreams -- though it looks like Europe will be waiting a little longer for Defend Your Castle and V.I.P Casino: Blackjack. Frankly, we'll live without a blackjack game.Once again, note that these are "launch window" games. How long is a launch window? No idea. "Launch window" is one of those infuriatingly flexible terms beloved by PR types. Anyway, the list of WiiWare games that Europe will be getting kinda near the launch is as follows: Dr. Mario & Germ Buster Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King LostWinds Pop Star Soldier R TV Show King Pirates: The Key of Dreams Toki Tori There's currently no news on pricing, but we'd fully expect European WiiWare prices to match those of other regions, assuming Nintendo hasn't found a totally new and unique way to rip European gamers off.
LostWinds sequel already in the works
We've barely had the chance to fix our hair after downloading the first game, but Frontier Development is already working on a sequel to its WiiWare launch title LostWinds. Seriously, this has to be some kind of speed record or obsession over not letting the paint dry. As expected, not much is known about the sequel, though a notice at the bottom of the company's website for the game teases that the follow up will include "new gameplay as Toku and Enril's incredible adventure to save Mistralis continues." The stylish platformer managed to impress us during our brief time with it in April, but for those of you who've downloaded and played the game, what's the verdict -- is a sequel warranted? [Via Go Nintendo]
WiiWare goes live!
As we anticipated, Nintendo waited until the last possible moment to reveal the details on WiiWare's U.S. launch. In a press release which describes WiiWare as the "most democratic environment in industry history," Nintendo confirmed the six titles that launched with the download service today -- and it looks like the leaked information from the weekend was spot-on: LostWinds -- 1000 Wii Points Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King -- 1500 Wii Points Pop -- 700 Wii Points Defend Your Castle -- 500 Wii Points V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack -- 700 Wii Points TV Show King -- 1000 Wii Points So it's finally up -- hurray! Monday mornings haven't felt quite this optimistic in some time! Have any of you lot already downloaded yourself some WiiWare? %Gallery-16505% %Gallery-12067% [Via press release]
Nintendo reveals WiiWare launch List
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Nintendo_reveals_WiiWare_launch_List'; The North American WiiWare launch is almost upon us, and instead of the stealth releases that we thought were coming, Nintendo's press release of WiiWare games debuting this Monday (along with their point values) was recently leaked. While we can't be sure this list is 100% valid, it looks like we can expect the following: Defend Your Castle -- 500 Wii Points Pop -- 700 Wii Points V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack -- 700 Wii Points TV Show King -- 1000 Wii Points LostWinds -- 1000 Wii Points Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King -- 1500 Wii Points Although we're disappointed by the lack of Dr. Mario, this looks like a pretty solid launch list to us. It'll be difficult to pick and choose exactly which titles we want, but there are definitely some that stand out more than others. How about you? Do you plan on downloading any of the above, or are you going to wait for impressions and reviews first? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
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%
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's 12.1-inch FRLN ultraportable: can I get a real CPU?
Hey, we've no qualms with Frontier crafting a 12.1-inch laptop that weighs less than some obese MIDs, but c'mon, a 800MHz Intel A110 processor? Yep, the same chip that resides in quite a few UMPCs has somehow found its way into this creature, along with 1GB of RAM, a WXGA (1,280 x 800) panel, 80GB hard drive, 802.11a/b/g WiFi, 4-in-1 multicard reader, integrated graphics and a built-in 1-watt speaker. Additionally, you'll find an integrated microphone, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, a 56k modem, VGA out and a biometric scanner to keep your files under wraps. Granted, it does weigh just 2.73-pounds, but until this thing gets a handle on the processor situation, we'd divert that ¥129,799 ($1,264) elsewhere.[Via AkihabaraNews]
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
Music Thing: Frontier Alphatrack
Each week Tom Whitwell of Music Thing highlights the best of the new music gear that's coming out, as well as noteworthy vintage equipment: At first glance, there are few things outside a 747 flight deck that are more intimidating than a big old recording console. I remember seeing them in music videos when I was a child and wondering how any human being could ever remember what all those hundred of knobs and buttons and sliders were for. Then I grew up and realised that they're really just 40-odd identical channel strips, which do nothing more magical than the volume and tone controls on a home stereo. Unfortunately for lovers of dust and beautifully over-engineered gear, the room-sized recording console is dying out fast, replaced by software and small, neat, racks of pre-amps and analog summing mixers. But the need for faders and knobs remains, and has inspired two slightly weird-looking gadgets. Intrigued? Read on, friends, read on...
