Nintendo Launches the WiiWare Downloadable Game Service

Wii Virtual Console has been populated with ports of classic games for consoles past. WiiWare supports downloads of new games, allowing developers of all stripes to make smaller budget, downloadable games.

As described by Cammie Dunaway, "WiiWare is to the video game industry what independent films are to Hollywood. WiiWare lets developers experiment with new ideas and experiences. Combined with our collection of classic Virtual Console games, Wii provides one-stop shopping for the greatest games of the past – and the future."

The first six games to launch on WiiWare are:

• Defend Your Castle from XGen Studios costs 500 points and is a simple castle defense game (obviously) in which players fling attackers away to keep the castle safe.
• Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King from Square Enix brings the Final Fantasy franchise into the simulation genre, allowing players to lead a young king on his efforts to rebuild his kingdom. Square Enix is also offering a variety of premium downloadable content that players can purchase to expand the game.
• LostWinds from Frontier Development is a platformer that relies on the motion of the Wii remote to control the game's protagonist.
• Pop from Nnooo is a puzzle game in which gamers pop bubbles to score points.
• TV Show King from Gameloft is a trivia game with around 3,000 questions that lets up to four players test their general trivia knowledge in the style of a TV trivia game.
• V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack from High Voltage Software is a casino-style blackjack game with animated dealers and players.