Nintendo WiiWare Goes Online With Six Launch Titles
Nintendo’s answer to the Playstation Network’s downloadable games and to Microsoft’s XBox Live Arcade is called WiiWare, and it went live today. You now can download the WiiWare service to your Wii and start playing all the new games being funneled through the network. As with the PSN and XBLA, WiiWare games will cost you some money to play them. Here’s a breakdown of what’s available now at launch and how much each game will run you in the mythical currency of Wii points:
- Defend Your Castle – 500 Wii points ($5)
- Pop – 700 Wii points ($7)
- VIP Casino Blackjack – 700 Wii points ($7)
- LostWinds – 1000 Wii points ($10)
- TV Show King – 1000 Wii points ($10)
- Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King – 1500 Wii points ($15)
Here are descriptions of all the games, from the official press release:
FINAL FANTASY® CRYSTAL CHRONICLES®: My Life as a KingTM (Square Enix, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, 1,500 Wii Points): FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a King takes a legendary franchise and launches it into the realm of simulation gaming. Players are challenged to rebuild a kingdom, leading its young king on a path of discovery through an adventure bristling with mystery and intrigue.
LostWindsTM (Frontier Development, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): A fresh, enchanting platform adventure that puts the power of the wind in the palm of your hand – from raging tornados to the gentlest breeze. You’ll wield your Wii RemoteTM controller to power Toku’s jumps and glides, suspend and smash enemies, meet friends and solve puzzles using LostWinds’ novel, intuitive and playful control system.
Defend your CastleTM (XGen Studios, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points): Defend your Castle takes place on a grassy plain surrounded by invaders. You are the commander of your castle, and it is your duty to fling the invading enemies sky-high, watching them plummet to their demise. As you progress, add powerful spells and upgrades to your arsenal for repelling the attacks. How long can you hold them off?
PopTM (Nnooo, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 700 Wii Points): Pop bubbles to score points and stop the timer from running out. Pop can be enjoyed by anyone – casual gamers can simply play to pop bubbles and keep the game moving, whereas advanced players will need to pick their shots rapidly and accurately and generate combos to maximize their score.
V.I.P. Casino: BlackjackTM (High Voltage Software®, Inc., 1-4 players, Rated T for Teen – Simulated Gambling, 700 Wii Points): V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack re-creates the casino experience, with fully animated players and a realistic Las Vegas dealer. Single players can increase their bankrolls, while multiple players can engage in a head-to-head mini-blackjack tournament.
TV Show King (Gameloft, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): TV Show King transforms your living room into a real TV quiz show studio where you’ll face the challenge of answering more than 3,000 questions across six different categories. Compete against family and friends and use your Wii Remote controller in original ways to make it to the finals to see who can win the greatest amount of cash in one final, deciding duel.
Source: Kotaku
