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Get LostWinds for iOS for free at Starbucks
Starbucks has a deal going on this week to give away a free iOS game to anyone who walks into one of their stores. Usually, the famous (and ubiquitous) coffee chain gives away a song on iTunes, but every once in a while, apps get picked as giveaways, too. This week, its giveaway is LostWinds for iOS, a solid platformer that originally made its debut on the Wii. To get the game, usually US$3.99, for free, just stop by a Starbucks and grab a "Pick of the Week" card. There's a code on the back for the free game. I assume these are first-come, first-served, so they might be gone already, depending on how busy your local store is. But Starbucks usually has plenty of these around from week to week. Next time you hit a Starbucks to grab a latte, see if you can't get LostWinds for free as well.
Daily iPad App: LostWinds
I really enjoyed LostWinds when it came out on the Wii a couple of years ago -- it's a physics-based platformer, essentially, but the twist is that you don't just control a really beautifully rendered little kid named Toku wandering around a very artistic world, you also control the wind spirit that can push him and various objects in the environment around. On the Wii, this was accomplished with an on-screen cursor and a swing of the Wii remote, but on the iPad and iPhone, it's accomplished with a swipe across the screen. As a result, this version seems less tactile and a little less control-intensive, which I'm not convinced is necessarily a negative, just different. On the Wii version, for example, you could move the joystick and press a button to get Toku to jump, and then swipe across the screen at exactly the right time to carry him with a gust. On the iPad, however, you just need to swipe him around (and more often than not, I found myself just pushing him around with the wind rather than just controlling him by tapping on the screen). That might destroy a little bit of the game's atmosphere, but honestly, the atmosphere is strong enough (with a really great artistic palette and some excellent musical backing) that it can handle a little playfulness. While the game has the same strengths of the Wii title, it also suffers from some of its weaknesses: It's relatively short, and the puzzles aren't really too tough to figure out. Unfortunately (unless they've hidden it really well), Frontier Developments hasn't included the sequel that arrived on the Wii in this release, so presumably it'll come out on iOS later on. Then again, at only $3.99 for a universal version, the game's priced much more reasonably than the $10 it cost me when it came out on the Wii. LostWinds is a really excellent title, and the game's wind-based physics have been translated quite well to iOS with this one. If you never got to play through it the first time on WiiWare, you probably shouldn't let it breeze by you this time around.
LostWinds demonstrated on iOS
Back in July, LostWinds developer Frontier Developments announced its intention to port the WiiWare title to the iOS and Android platforms. Today, get a glimpse at the new tap-based interface and scaled-down graphics. There's also some footage of actors playing on an iPhone and iPad to consider, if looking good whilst playing is an important selling point for you, Vainy McNarcissist.
LostWinds coming to iOS and Android
If you missed the two LostWinds games on WiiWare, you'll soon have two more choices for platform on which to play them: iOS and Android. During the Develop conference, Frontier Developments head David Braben revealed to Eurogamer that the WiiWare platformers are being ported to iPad, iPhone, and Android, with the D-pad/Wiimote pointer controls replaced by a virtual pad and touch-based wind controls. The two games are due this year; Braben said they would be ported "to start with," suggesting that more LostWinds games other than the two existing entries could be on the way to mobile platforms.
Wii platformer LostWinds coming to iOS
I really enjoyed the Wii game LostWinds, released a few years ago as a downloadable title on Nintendo's popular home console. So I'm excited to hear that the developer, Frontier Developments, is planning to bring the original game over to the iPhone and the iPad, as well as the Android platform. The game features a little protagonist named Toku, who can either move around the beautiful cel-shaded world himself, or have the wind, managed with motion controls, help him get little boosts and support. On the iOS version, Toku will apparently be moved via an on-screen touchpad, and of course the motion controls will be replaced with swiping and gestures. Sounds fun. The game also had a sequel called "Winter of the Melodias," though it appears this initial release is just for the first title. The game is expected out on the App Store later on this year.
Japanese Nintendo downloads: LostWinds, Phalanx
Two WiiWare titles make the journey from the West to Japan today, both published by Square Enix. Just as it did for the first LostWinds, the publisher has brought the sequel to Japan for a holiday release. School of Darkness is actually WayForward's Lit, under a different, but equally literal, title. Also of note: the remake/port of the shooter Phalanx arrives! DSiWare is a bit less thrilling, with the standout release being the cleverly tilt-controlled Katamuction. Famicom Detective Club Part 2: The Girl Standing in the Back (Famicom, 1 player, 500 Wii Points) Gradius 2 (MSX, 1 player, 800 Wii Points) Majou Densetsu (MSX, 1 player, 800 Wii Points) Othello (WiiWare, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points) School of Darkness ( WiiWare, 1 player, 1,000 Wii Points) LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias (WiiWare, 1-2 players, 1,000 Wii Points) Phalanx (WiiWare, 1 player, 500 Wii Points) Simple DS Series Volume 2: THE Misshitsu Kara no Dasshutsu Gakkou Hen (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points) Katamuku + Action = Katamuction (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points) Pocket Rurubu: Nagoya/Kobe (DSiWare, 1 player, 800 DSi Points each)
NintendoWare Weekly: LostWinds, Shootanto, Rygar ... Domo
It's an unexpectedly packed week for Nintendo downloaders! On WiiWare, there's a game that should be wonderful and another that should be, uh, interesting. There's an arcade classic on Virtual Console, and DSiWare features the arrival of one of the weirdest game series to be announced at E3: a set of five games based on NHK mascot and generally adorable monster Domo-kun.%Gallery-75855%
LostWinds dev: Don't treat download services as a 'dumping ground'
Frontier Developments has used the WiiWare platform to deliver two small, but high-quality games: the LostWinds series. However, according to David Braben (and a quick look at the offerings on any console download service) not everyone has taken the same approach. "One of the things that really annoys me," Braben told Develop, "is when people see XBLA, PSN and WiiWare as a dumping ground, in terms of 'you don't need to put the same amount of effort in.'" Instead of a place for shallow games, Braben described the download space as the "short story" of game design. "It's a way to try out a radical idea," he said, "It's a way to try out a radical idea, and quite often a lot of those do become novels later on. What I don't like is the idea that people can scratch one out at the bus stop, which I've overheard at conferences." More CUBELLO, less Frogger 2. Of course, the real takeaway from Braben's article is that you should look around at conferences to see if David Braben is nearby.
European Nintendo downloads: Happy Hallowinter
We knew about this week's marquee European WiiWare release yesterday, and, happily, LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias has actually arrived on the Wii Shop. For just 1,000 Wii Points, you can begin causing irrevocable damage to the ecosystem of another landscape by haphazardly altering the weather. Fun! For season-themed entertainment, we'll definitely take that over Happy Holidays: Halloween, an app that lets you make Halloween e-cards and send them to your friends' Wiis. We're not going to think too much about that one, much like publisher 505 Games.The Virtual Console has an inferior, but more Haggar-centric, Final Fight sequel, along with Wonder Boy III, which is good but not as good as the other version of the same game already there (Dragon's Curse). And on DSiWare, Photo Clock and ... oh, hey, Dragon Quest Wars! LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias (WiiWare, 1 player, 1,000 Wii Points) Happy Holidays: Halloween (WiiWare, 1 player, 500 Wii Points) Final Fight 2 (Virtual Console, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points) Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap (Virtual Console, 1 player, 500 Wii Points) Photo Clock (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) Dragon Quest Wars (DSiWare, 1-4 players, 500 DSi Points) %Gallery-71588%
LostWinds sequel to be Europe's 100th WiiWare game this Friday
In North America, Bit.Trip: CORE was the hundredth WiiWare release. Today, Frontier Developments announced that LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias will receive that honor in Europe -- which also happens to mean the game will be out tomorrow! As the sequel to the standout WiiWare launch title, Winter of the Melodias is a good choice for the spot, although we don't discount the possibility that it just happened to work out that way. Winter of the Melodias includes a new cyclone ability and a mechanic that allows main character Toku to change the environment from summer to winter and back instantly; in turn manipulating bodies of water or even clouds. We hope Frontier and Nintendo don't wait until it's actually winter to give Americans the chance to play it. %Gallery-71588%
Found: LostWinds 2 screens and video
About 20 seconds into this video of the freshly revealed sequel to Frontier's sleeper WiiWare platforming wonder, you'll probably be asking yourself, "Hey, where's the 'winter' in LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias?" Then, before you know it, BAM! It's winter. This seasonal manipulation is clearly a core game mechanic this time around, but the trailer does little to explain exactly why and how. For now, we're content simply knowing a follow-up to LostWinds is coming at all. %Gallery-71588%
Edge reveals LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias
WiIWare aficionados, brace your hind quarters. UK gaming mag Edge has revealed (via N-Europe) that a sequel to Frontier's LostWinds is in the works, titled LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias. While most of the core gameplay elements in the sequel remain unchanged, Toku returns with one new ability: he can now change the seasons, turning Summer to Winter and vice versa. There's no word on when the game will hit WiiWare right now, but if you live in the UK, you may want to check out the latest issue of Edge. The preview on LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias is apparently pretty extensive and, if you're wondering what all of the fuss is about, you still have time to check out the first game (which some of us think is quite excellent). [Via Go Nintendo; thanks, Fernando!]
David Braben: most game interaction involves killing (unfortunately)
Though political alarmists and misguided cultural crusaders will savor the admission, it's true that killing is something that takes up much of our pastimes. It's a shockingly simple act, easily repeatable and often very rewarding. There's certainly a modicum of skill required -- the right hack here, the well-timed slash there -- but even we've become a little desensitized and unmoved by our daily murder of random human beings. And the same holds true for what's happening in games. In a recent discussion with Eurogamer, Frontier's David Braben observed, "In games, most interaction involves killing, unfortunately." The Elite designer noted that while killing felt realistic "for better or worse," interactions with characters, be they NPCs or online pals, fail to be fulfilling. "It's either stealing stuff from them, killing them and then stealing stuff, or having a bit of voice chat, if you're lucky," he said.While we'd argue that that plenty of gamers have been killing time with non-violent titles (think Flower or Rock Band), it's hard to dispute Braben's point in the context of player-character interaction -- or to overrule his optimism. "Where it gets interesting is when you can't distinguish AI from a real character, and I know that's still a long way away, but we were saying 10 years ago, when will you not be able to distinguish computer graphics from the real world?"That's something we'll have to ask Milo! [Image: The Onion's Close Range]
Elite II, LostWinds dev Frontier joins ELSPA
The UK-based Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association, or ELSPA for short, has a new face on board. Seasoned game designer David Braben and his crack team of devs at Frontier Developments have joined the trade body, no doubt wooed by the organization's rumored regular meetings to play Twister.Braben wowed early gamers with his influential space sim, Elite, as well as its 1993 sequel, Frontier. Braben's latest release strayed far from his roots, however, in last year's WiiWare platformer, LostWinds. In joining the ELSPA, Braben says he hopes to help the organization deal with such issues as piracy, ratings and used game sales "swiftly and efficiently." Still, given that the studio's current project, The Outsider, was first announced in 2006, and we're still waiting on Elite IV, we're not convinced speed is how Braben and company roll.
VC Tuesday: Salamander's Firey Ambition
What a delightful variety of games on the Japanese Virtual Console this Christmas week! Compare that to the American selection, which is delightful but not at all varied. Japan has four new old games, from four different systems, in four different gameplay styles, including a shmup, a strategy game, a platformer, and a wrestling game -- and great examples of all four genres! Salamander (Famicom, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points) Super Nobunaga no Yabou (Super Famicom, 1-8 players, 800 Wii Points) Super Wonder Boy: Monster World (Sega Master System, 1 player, 500 Wii Points) Fire Pro Wrestling 3 Legend Bout (PC Engine, 1-4 players, 600 Wii Points) WiiWare is also a treat this week, but one the rest of the world has already been served: LostWinds, published in Japan by Square Enix.
LostWinds found in Japan by Square Enix
Frontier Developments' WiiWare launch title LostWinds remains one of the highlights of the lineup ... in the US, Europe, and Australia. Good news for Japanese Wii owners: the platformer is finally scheduled for release in December, for 1,000 Wii Points. Good news for Frontier Developments (although we suspect they've heard this): Square Enix picked up the publishing rights to the game for Japan -- whatever it means to "publish" a WiiWare game.LostWinds, which was published in other regions by Frontier themselves, will be the second WiiWare release from Square Enix, following Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King, and the first Square Enix WiiWare release from an external developer. We know we'd be pleased if a big, prestigious publisher like that showed confidence in our game! And if our game existed!%Gallery-16505%[Via Game Watch] We're always looking for new games to enjoy. We've got plenty of other WiiWare reviews, if you're into that kind of thing.. If you're so crazy that you want to go to the store and buy something when you could be playing World of Goo or Mega Man 9, we can help with that, too.
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.
Wii Warm Up: How about that flow?
Wow, we've been happy with WiiWare. You all have been happy with the titles, correct? Well, regardless of how you would rate the service so far, we have a tough question to ask.Do you think the steady flow of new titles will remain constant going forward? Would you expect at least one new WiiWare game each week, or do you think that the well is getting close to dried up? Sure, there's Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People to look forward to, but what else? Will the flow continue?
Virtually Free: No longer lost, but found
As in, we've found a winner for our LostWinds giveaway! Our first free WiiWare title goes to:Marcelo, who is hoping for something like Ikaruga on WiiWare.Congratulations, Marcelo! Everyone else, stay tuned for next week's Virtually Free, when we'll have a new prize up for grabs.
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%
