10 reasons why WiiWare will be great

This year Nintendo is going to launch their own downloadable game platform called 'WiiWare'. Here are a few reasons why it's going to be awesome.

1. Game sizes are not limited to 40MB

Initially it was thought that Nintendo had limited titles to a 40MB file size, but Nintendo put this rumor to bed by stating that 40MB is merely a recommendation, and not an official limit. The Wii has about 512MB of memory internally, so it is really this which will restrict game sizes. More space will allow developers to approach development with greater ambition and to create deeper experiences.

2. One game per month per publisher

We've already seen many publishers trying to cash in on the Wii's success with what has been termed 'shovelware'. Nintendo seem to be aware of this, and has made this rule to try and counteract publishers who would seek to inundate the platform with sub-par content. The 1 game a month rule will force publishers to be far more picky about what content they choose to sell, as the opportunities to do so will be restricted.

3. Fresh Content

Already the Wii is known as a platform which is cheaper to develop for; combine this with digital distribution and access to an audience that will soon be reaching 30 million and you have a platform that offers developers huge bang for their buck. With the barrier of entry so low, and potential rewards so high, WiiWare will see games from developers that would only have had access to the fragmented P.C. market until now. This will surely be a breath of fresh air to people tired of endless sequels.

4. The Wiimote and Nunchuck



The potential of the Wii's motion controls are only just beginning to be unlocked, but you have to feel that a lot of innovation and research is blocked through fear of poor sales and low returns. Perhaps with the punishment for failure now lowered, developers will truly allow their imaginations to run wild and use those controllers in some truly fantastic ways.

5. Niche Experiences

Many genres don't see many games as their sales typically are not high enough to warrant new ones, but that doesn't stop them from having a small but dedicated following. For those gamers tired of the endless train of FPS and Racing titles, perhaps Wiiware will see the resurrection of the point-and-click adventure and 2D shoot-em-up genres? Much like the internet in general, WiiWare makes the access of niche markets possible and worthwhile.

6. Square-Enix and Final Fantasy

Having the backing of Square-Enix at the launch of a platform is one thing, but to have them come through with a unique Final Fantasy is quite another. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Young King and the Promised Land, amazingly looks better than 99% of 3rd party games released on the Wii so far, and looks to innovate and take the series in a different direction. Even Nintendo has yet to announce anything that looks as ambitious as this title.

7. The Wii has no hard drive

There I said it, now hear me out. The lack of a real hard-drive for the Wii may deprive it of many things, but what it also seems to have done is discourage developers from adding downloadable content for their existing franchises. No extra tracks for racing games, and no extra arenas and weapons for death-matches. What this means is that WiiWare will not be dominated by the same traditional titles that make up the charts. It will instead encourage developers to make brand new content knowing they are not competing with titles that have already sold millions of copies on disc.

8. Nintendo

Nintendo are superb at making epic games; the recent Zelda and Mario games on the Wii are evidence of this. But what Nintendo are also great at is introducing new play mechanics upon which to base new games. Examples of this are the vacuum in Luigi's Mansion and Fludd in Mario Sunshine. The problem comes that sometimes these mechanics aren't quite deep enough to warrant an entire epic game, but would really shine in a smaller experience that WiiWare could deliver. If ever there was developer that can take advantage of a platform with low risk, it is Nintendo.

9. Flexible Pricing

The Wii's traditional games have already seen the appearance of games of exceptional value, Resident Evil 4: Wii edition and Mercury Meltdown Revolution being two examples. Consumers expect to only pay full price for brand new games, and less for what they perceive as budget or ported titles. This same attitude will also apply to WiiWare and will help to create a platform where gamers will get more than ever for their gaming dollar. If Square-Enix's new Final Fantasy game comes in at the $15-20 mark, other developers worldwide will think hard about how to price their own offerings, including Nintendo.

10. Convenience

Recently I had the pleasure of attempting to hunt down No More Heroes, and ultimately found it at the 6th store I went to. Earlier Zack and Wiki had also led me on a merry chase. I've also had problems attempting to find some older Gamecube games I thought it would be fun to try, but it seems they've also transformed into hen's teeth. Whether it's down to the games being released in limited quatities, or simply having sold out, they proved frustratingly hard to find. The convenience of being able to buy games when and where you please is perhaps a minor advantage, but it's definitely a welcome one.

King's Story emulates Tilt-Shift Lens Photography

Take a look at some examples of Tilt-Shift Lens Photography:



Yes, the above images are of real environments and not shots of miniature models. The effect is quite startling and was pioneered by Olivo Barbieri; an Italian artist and photographer.

Now take a look of some recently released screens of the upcoming game King's Story:



Depth-of-field blurring is commonly used in 1st and 3rd person perspective games to provide the environments with a sense of scale and realism. It seems King's Story developers: Cing Inc./Town Factory, have deliberately used the depth-of-field-effect in an overhead viewpoint to try and emulate the miniaturizing effect of tilt-shift lenses, keeping only a small portion of the scene in complete focus. To me the effect is quite charming and compliments the game's art style very well.

Games as art?

Factor 5: From Breakups to Makeups

How Factor 5 left, and then returned to once again suckle upon Nintendo's teat.


Hey baby, maybe we should take a break and see other people?

April '04: Factor 5 announce no more software to be made for the Nintendo Gamecube

Hey baby, maybe we should take a break and only see other people.

May '05: PS3 exclusivity announced
"I was shocked by how powerful the new consoles are. They should really free our development."

Meet my new girlfriend, isn't she beautiful?


July 2005: Lair is announced at TGS

The sex wasn't that great... that's why I left.

Oct '06: Julian Eggebrecht suggests Wii is Gamecube 1.5
"When I heard what was going on at Nintendo, I cringed. It's audio is relatively mediocre. It's essentially GameCube 1.5, which is fine because all the motion-control stuff they're doing is pretty radical. That's precisely why the 360 wasn't exciting to me, because it didn't have the jump there, even though it had everything else."

Your new boyfriend is an ass, all he wants is your money.

Feb '07: Julian Eggebrecht criticizes developer's 1st gen Wii games
"Yes. I'm so disappointed knowing exactly what the Wii can do -- and I still think nobody knows it better than we (no pun intended) [laughs]. I really have to say, boy, am I disappointed! They all have finally figured out, five years into the hardware's life cycle, how to do at least basic shaders and a rim light, but that's what everybody does. But I still don't see enough bump and normal-mapping, if any. I still don't see enough post effects, although you would have insane fill-rates with Wii. I don't see any of that. I was digging out Rebel Strike the other day and was looking at it, and we had some people who were visiting ask, "Why isn't anybody else doing this on Wii?" And I am at a loss. I really am."

"I love the Wii, absolutely. As I've said many, many times, the perfect combination of consoles to have at home is a PS3 and Wii. Everybody really should have one. Will we make something for the Wii? Well, obviously we would have an extremely powerful engine on it with our work on Rebel Strike, but for right now we certainly haven't planned"

Somebody told me she was kissing another guy at the office party.

July '07: Mediocre early reviews for Lair.

E.G.M Scores: 5/10 5.5/10 6/10

A friend told me they found her sextape while they were surfing for porn.


Sept '07: Mediocre reviews all round for Lair
How to mess up a game in which you ride a dragon is quite simple. You make the control of that dragon answerable to motion-sensing technology that can’t distinguish subtle or even very forced gestures in anything like the detail required. [Edge Magazine Nov 2007, p.90]

She apologized for the kiss.

Sept '07: Sony teaches reviewers how to play Lair
"Open your mind and hands for something very different!"

She assured me that wasn't her in the sextape.

Sept '07: Sony reacts to poor Lair reviews
"At the end of the day, I'll be interested in the consumers' response, because the consumer awareness for this title was so huge. I've spoken to any number of people who really like it, and there's other people that find it a challenge. What really matters is whether or not the consumers are having a good experience, because they'll tell us on the [PlayStation] blog."

She was young and foolish, she was surrounded by a hardcore crowd, that's why she made the tape.

Sept '07: Julian Eggebrecht attempts to explain Lair's poor reception by the media
"The Sixaxis motion control itself feels a lot more organic and free-form than the rigid controls of other flight games and does much better for casual players, as we saw in focus tests. It does seem to alienate some reviewers who are at the top of the hard-core crowd and seem to have a passionate hate for all things motion."

Baby...please take me back.

Jan '08: Factor 5 reveal development of new Wii title
In a phone conversation with IGN Wii this morning, company president Julian Eggebrecht confirmed that the studio is underway with at least one all-new Wii project -- and it's not a Virtual Console game. Beyond that confirmation, Eggebrecht was mum, but he did note that the new title would not simply re-use old Rogue Squadron tech; whatever it is, significantly updated or even completely new tech has been developed to help accommodate it. [IGN]

10 Games that are begging to be made for the Wii

There are some games that are just begging to be made for the Wii: here is my top 10.

Resident Evil Code: Wii

Not a port of the upcoming Resident Evil 5, but an original game in the series that retains the 3rd person gameplay of RE:4. Back in 2000 the Dreamcast received Resident Evil Code: Veronica, which was the first of the series to be fully 3D, and even though it was not a direct sequel it was not a lightgun game. The sales of both RE games released on the Wii so far have easily exceeded the expectations Capcom had for them. The thirst for a true RE game on the Wii is palpable and makes complete business sense.

Katamari Damacy

A Wii version of this game was initially rumored, but nothing has been seen or heard since. While the game's dual analogue 'tank-like' control scheme would not make the transition, the game's style and audience seem to be a perfect fit for the Wii. Tilt control could be used to replace dual analogue, and the game's simple graphics that have already graced the PS2/PSP, would also pose no computation problems. If Namco feels this game is better suited to the 360 audience rather than the Wii, their marketing department should be rolled into a ball and flung into space.

Wii Lightsaber game

Lucasarts have confirmed that the Wii will be receiving its own version of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, but what Wii gamers really wanted was an original title that would really make use of the Wii Remote as their virtual lightsaber. Sword fighting has had a troubled past on the Wii; Redsteel being the primary offender, but Warioware featured 1:1 sword controls that could be copied by Lucusarts to deflect blaster bolts. Dragon Quest Swords has also used the on-screen pointer to help with the recognition of slashes. While a true 1:1 lightsaber may only be possible on Wii's successor, there is still huge potential this gen.

Pikmin

The original Pikmin was a good game, and its sequel was even better. The games use a cursor interface to select the Pikmin that is ripe for adaptation to the Wii pointer. In fact the Wii pointer could bring an entirely new dimension to the interface and add depth and variety to your orders and instructions. Pikmin 2 also features co-op modes that would greatly benefit from the online support that the Wii can offer. This really is a no-brainer.

Grand Theft Auto

I'm not talking about GTA4 here, but a version of the series that really focuses on the Wii's strengths. Godfather has already hinted at what can be achieved with the controls in 3rd person action games, and Resident Evil 4: Wii edition has proved that there is a market on the Wii for quality mature titles. The possibilities for immersing, unethical behavior using the Wii Remote is limitless and would create an excellent counterpoint to the main series. If a poor selling game like Manhunt angered certain groups, this game would send them into glorious apoplexy.

Pilotwings

Anyone who has played the previous two games that appeared on the SNES and N64 knows that the series is truly unique and appeals to the hardcore and casual community. Whether you just wish to explore the landscapes as birdman or guide your hang-glider through thermals to a gentle landing, the experience is nothing less than captivating. The possibilities on the Wii are endless, but larger more detailed worlds and tilt controls would be an excellent start. Perhaps even a co-op mode for the bi-plane, where one player pilots and the other takes out the targets? But please no flapping to make birdman fly...

Jet Set Radio

This series pioneered the use of cel-shading in video-games. It first began life on the ill-fated Dreamcast, and later its sequel arrived on the xbox: both performed poorly in the market place but were highly regarded by critics and hardcore gamers alike. 'Tagging' in the game required players to perform scripted motions with the analogue stick, but the Wii offers far greater accuracy and speed with its pointer and would allow gamers to tag the environment with an almost uncomfortable amount of realism. And of course shaking and spraying would produce the appropriate sounds from the Wii remote speaker. Need I say more?

Rez

Quite possibly the coolest game ever made, Rez was essentially a shoot 'em up that synergized sound, vision and gameplay to transport the gamer to its angular alien world. The game worked by having an on screen cursor that needed to be dragged over the targets, after which they would all be shot down in time to the music. More enemies targeted in in a single motion meant higher scores. Much like Pikmin, moving the cursor from dual analogue to the Wii pointer really opens up gameplay possibilities. Don't make me beg Sega.

Valve FPS

The FPS is a tricky genre on the Wii. While Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 and Metroid Prime: Corruption have amazing controls, the Wii simply does not have the power to match the A.I. and realistic environments that the PS3/360 can offer. If there is a developer that would be able to minimize the Wii's deficiencies and play to its strengths it is Valve. Portal is a work of genius and a genuine breath of fresh air, and if Valve could apply the same out-of-the-box thinking to a wii game, they would have a hit on their hands.

Burning Rangers

Sega has just blessed the Wii with a true sequel to Nights, but strangely its best control schemes make no unique use of the Wii at all. Burning Rangers was also a classic Sega Saturn game that put you in the role of a Fire Fighter, and with this game Sega has no excuses at all when it comes to the controls. The Wii remote would become your fire hose and it would create an experience not possible on other consoles. The heat haze effects and distortions would also be an ideal fit for the Wii as it shown itself to be quite capable when it come to post-processing effects. All in all if Sega were to again look at their back catalog of games to update, this would have to top the list. It's just a shame Yuji Naka, one of its original creators has left Sega to form his own company Prope.