It might be highly anticipated, but so were both Zack and Wiki and BoomBlox and look what's happened to their sales. Even if it came in at 1,500 points, World of Goo would sell more copies on WiiWare than at retail and splitting the distribution system is only going to cause resentment as is already apparent on this page.
Personally, I was kind of interested in World of Goo but the idea of paying a full retail price for it £30 - £40 has put me off completely. Nice work RTL. Nice work.
What a giant crock of sh*t. It's more likely because WiiWare could be labelled as a failure in Europe due to NoE's lack of action in publishing and promoting the service. Slow release schedule + unpredictable (and largely less than inspiring) release choices = major worry for some developers, especially if they've invested a large amount of cash (and hours) into a proper original game.
NoE is killing WiiWare in Europe.. If it weren't for the fact that I'm tied into around about £300 worth of VC stuff I'd be tempted to sell my PAL Wii and opt for importing a US machine to get the full, proper experience.
IF they do release anything, it'd better be cheap (like 500 points max) Why the hell do I would I want to play games I can already play over the internet for free?
What's the point. WiiWare deserves to be filled with this sort of thing (read junk) It's obvious everyone wants crappy ports of Flash based games for their over-priced Gamecube and to pay way over the odds because the developer either didn't charge for them or charged over the odds in the first place.
Thanks Nintendo. I always love waiting for this sort of garbage to arrive.
Well, you've met my expectations -you've done it twice in a row! No money from me in a whole month! Even the VC struggles to keep me that dis-interested.
I can just see the strap line for WiiWare ads "All the crappiness of XBLA, all the wait of Nintendo"
Memory Packs for Wiimotes along with an expanded Mii creation system Allows you to take your games and expansion packs to a friend's house and play them on their Wii too (but not copy them obviously) Practical and alluring I reckon 1GB a piece (and a £19.99 retail price max.) should do it NIntendo! Then again, it depends on how fast the bluetooth interface transmits data, which will probably be considerably slower than the creaky SD interface.
@Loooca: I've got a Sandisk Extreme III SD card in my Wii, which is rated as one of the best SD cards (in terms of transfer speed) and I can tell you now that no matter how fast your SD card is, it'll feel just marginally better than any cheaper one you might already have.
I don't think it's a firmware issue. I think it's down to cost cutting - probably a cheap/crappy SD interface connected to the motherboard using a slow-assed 8-bit data bus. Combine that with some god-awful overly complex and completely unnecessary encryption algorithm that's totally unsuitable for the processor to decrypt at any decent speed, and you've got a solution that anyone with a downstream internet connection of 1.5Mb/sec or more need not apply to.
Whilst I think a firmware update to allow direct from SD card is viable(ish, considering how bloody slow SD transfers are) I would dread to think that Nintendo might embrace a DS download type service where the game only remains playable whilst the machine is still switched on (i.e. you have to redownload it every time you re-start your Wii if you want to play it again)
It'd resolve the storage issue and you know damn well Nintendo are dumb enough to just think about it as a solution....It's just a good job that their download servers struggle so much under current usage that it would negate the whole idea
What they should be doing is using the Nintendo Channel to advertise new and upcoming WiiWare and VC titles and be putting some real effort into advertising all games on the channel instead of just sticking the odd overused video up and a few crappy DS demos. Regular updates would be useful too - like every day.
It's another wasted opportunity and more fire to add to my reasons against buying Nintendo's next home console.
Wow, an update to mobile Arkanoid and a fishiing game. Should take the top two spots next week then. Excuse my cynicism but how the HELL do Nintendo live with themselves for letting people publish crap like this.
Arkanoid has nearly always been fun - but considering that most people have played it in some form since 1976 and nowadays very good variations are freely available why the hell would anyone want to pay $8 (or nearly $12 equivalent in the UK) for an upgraded mobile phone game?
As for virtual fishing? I'll stick with LoZ:OoT - you get a proper game with it for a bit more cash.
Although we Europeans got 5 VC games this week, I only cared for Nebulus (and I'm not buying it) I'd have much rather have had 5 WiiWare games this week (or more sensibly a couple) seeing as I'm just about done with all the launch stuff (except TV Host and Dr Mario which imho are dire) and Actionloop Twist was a bit light on the gameplay side.
I've realised that I've come to a crossroads, I can progress forward and go with WiiWare or I can go left, right or back and stick with the VC. Personally, I like to go forward and experience new things. Trouble is, Nintendo haven't finished the plans for the road ahead and progress seems to be so. slow.
Hopefully, NoE will learn from the error of their ways. How many times I have to keep saying that before I believe it I do not know. I doubt I ever will.
Fish + Memorial Day = WTF? What the hell do fish want to celebrate any day for? I suppose they could celebrate the fact that they have survived in a hostile environment (fresh/salt water fish mix and the fact that the bigger fish haven't eaten them) And why the hell shouldn't I get to see the tank getting dirty - I'd love to be able to write my name on the inside of the tank or grab a star fish and make 'scum angels'
I think someone forgot to tell the developers that fish generally don't like a big knuckle/finger rattling on the glass centimetres in front of them. Mind you it would be funny if the little fish got startled into swimming into a bigger fish's mouth. You could have challenges like 'Get 5 small fish eaten' and post the best time up via WiiConnect24.
Plus, the fish should die if you don't interact with them. Then again, if they're robo-fish as Russta suggests that might explain the lack of dirt/aggression/death and my total bewilderment as to how anyone could get suckered into buying another half-arsed fish simulation.
Talking about Endless Ocean, did anyone else find the default in-game music really inappropriate when there was a man eating shark swimming two feet from your head? I'm surprised we didn't get in game speech bubbles like 'Sorry, I can't eat you. This bloody music has destroyed my will to live - I'd rather starve.'
p.s. Hudson devs if you're reading this: How do you stop the salt water fish from dying in fresh water? Do I drop in salted crisps or is salted popcorn better? How the hell do I explain the fact that an edutainment game has made such a fundamental mistake to my kids when they ask me why a salt-water fish is surviving in fresh water (or vice-versa)? Please send a reply to:
Doesn't-Matter Dude 742 Evergreen Terrace Springfield <Enter State Here> USA
I personally can't believe that so many of you have been suckered into keeping the Nintendo Channel on your systems. That piece of crap lasted 10 minutes tops before I deleted it. I then reinstalled it after the next VC/WiiWare releases and after realising that this channel - which is supposed to keep us up-to-date and interested in Wii/DS products - was so poorly maintained that it was rendered useless, I deleted it again. Even with the half-arsed WIi Fit content that supposed to be coming, I won't bother again. Delete it now and save yourselves 250+ blocks.
I reckon what we should do is all get together and create a banner which comprises of the four channel screens from our Wiis showing just how little we can play with our WiiWare games and channels installed. The banner title should be: "We Would Like to Play ... More" and then strapped right across the gates of NoE, NoA and NoJ's headquarters.
As far as I'm aware it's every two weeks - can;t remember where the post was from but apparently it was official. Maybe they've changed their minds though. I'd love to see WiiWare every week - I'm looking forward to checking for new WiiWare tonight, I'm just hoping it's not in vain.
'expect to see them in next week's chart' ...or hopefully not in the case of Protothea.
Damn, two out of the top five titles just should not be there. Mission for next week America: Swap Dr Mario for Lost Winds and TV Show for Pop and finally push Toki Tori in between them. That'd be much nicer.
I just noticed Dr Mario would still be in the top 5 even after the changes so I suggest you all bully Nintendo into releasing Gyrostarr faster....
Unfortunately Dr Mario's high up in our 'top six' because:
a) We only really had a choice of three decent games so far (LostWInds, Toki Tori and FF:MLaaK) Actually, make that four - Star Soldier R was ok. b) Some dumb-ass at NoE decided we should only get WiiWare every two weeks. c) Nintendo are interfering SOBs and made Nnooo add extra localisation code which means we didn't get Pop during the first week. Had Pop been around, I reckon Dr Mario's sales would have been half as strong.
Ugh, this game stinks. It's slow, boring and unjustifiably expensive. Unless you really enjoyed Dr Mario in its original guise, avoid at all costs. 7/10 is a generous score - I'd have gone for 6/10 max and then asked Nintendo for a refund. I hate to say it but this game is nothing more than expensive shovelware, if you really want to try it ask someone to send the demo first.
I can't wait for this game to arrive on our shores. Hope it's sooner rather than later - a definite buy. I'm glad to hear they're quick to fix bugs too.
I think Nintendo should have pulled out of the home console market after they destroyed third party support for the N64 and Gamecube (which were both excellent systems)
I'm not saying the Wii is a bad system, it's just the company that built it obviously has no clue about modern gaming or today's audience. They've got zero third party support, a bunch of existing IP that it well past its sell by date, newer IP that is just pushed aside and a system whose sales have been built off of false promises. They're lucky they've still got any sort of continued support from either developers or 'fanboys' and from what I've seen from the WiiFit debacle, people are getting bored of the whole casual thing too.
I'm ashamed to see such quality WiiWare titles coming to the Wii just to be crushed by ineptitude and archaic thinking. But when I think about it, Nintendo has done exactly the same to everyone else, so I'm guessing they're just thinking "why not waste someone else's time and money too?"
Picross is damned good, time wasting fun. Will definately be getting Oekeki Logic should it arrive on our shores - it's a snip compared to the 900 points we had to play for SNES Picross (which was also awesome)
@Virus - LMAO @CashMan3000 - Are you one of the developers? @Any Sane Person - Don't buy this junk - unless you're drunk. Considering I made half of my dodgy VC purchases drunk, alcohol will probably account for some questionably high sales figures on this game too. Like both copies
@Chipmunk777 - I'd take Drake's word for it that this game has plenty of challenging gameplay that should take anyone who's never played the GBC game a good 8-10 hours to complete (put it this way, it took me about one and a half hours to complete the first ten levels of stage 1) For under 1000 points what more could you ask for?
I have to go along with Demon et al in arguing that longevity and more specifically, re playability are essential for any game to be value for money. Platformers as a genre tend to incorporate some degree of replay into them as they are by nature fairly linear and even the crap ones hold people's attention because they offer some reason for the player to go back. From what I understand LostWinds is: a) Very Linear b) Has little value to encourage revisiting c) Has also been fortunate in that the developers decided not to lead the player through the game, otherwise the game would probably last no longer than an hour and a half first time.
Whilst it could be argued that the game is a launch title, Frontier went on record as saying that they didn't find the size constraint a problem which leads me to ask "Why didn't they do more then?"
With regards to physics, why does everyone pull their todger over it? Exile on the BBC had revolutionary physics.
The graphics, whilst good seem to indicate some sort of limitation, either in storage space, time constraint or my personal favourite - imagination. Most of the imagery used in the game is largely forgettable, particularly the main character and enemies which are very average and the choice of using caves as a locale is so pre '95 it's unbelievable.
Considering the recent news that Frontier want to make the game episodic, I'm guessing LostWinds is looking to be another cash-in title.
Honestly, between crappy DLC ideas (and its associated price bloat) and half-arsed efforts WiiWare so far is proving to be nothing more than an expensive joke. I'm hoping games like World of Goo and TOki Tori can make a difference.
Comments 377
Re: World Of Goo Will Not Be Released On WiiWare In Europe!
It might be highly anticipated, but so were both Zack and Wiki and BoomBlox and look what's happened to their sales. Even if it came in at 1,500 points, World of Goo would sell more copies on WiiWare than at retail and splitting the distribution system is only going to cause resentment as is already apparent on this page.
Personally, I was kind of interested in World of Goo but the idea of paying a full retail price for it £30 - £40 has put me off completely. Nice work RTL. Nice work.
Re: World Of Goo Will Not Be Released On WiiWare In Europe!
What a giant crock of sh*t. It's more likely because WiiWare could be labelled as a failure in Europe due to NoE's lack of action in publishing and promoting the service. Slow release schedule + unpredictable (and largely less than inspiring) release choices = major worry for some developers, especially if they've invested a large amount of cash (and hours) into a proper original game.
NoE is killing WiiWare in Europe.. If it weren't for the fact that I'm tied into around about £300 worth of VC stuff I'd be tempted to sell my PAL Wii and opt for importing a US machine to get the full, proper experience.
Re: RUMOUR: PopCap Games To Develop For WiiWare?
IF they do release anything, it'd better be cheap (like 500 points max) Why the hell do I would I want to play games I can already play over the internet for free?
What's the point. WiiWare deserves to be filled with this sort of thing (read junk) It's obvious everyone wants crappy ports of Flash based games for their over-priced Gamecube and to pay way over the odds because the developer either didn't charge for them or charged over the odds in the first place.
Re: Gyrostarr hits WiiWare this Monday!
So we'll get this in Europe when hell freezes over. Am I right NoE?
Re: EU WiiWare Update: Block Breaker Deluxe and Cocoto Fishing Master
Thanks Nintendo. I always love waiting for this sort of garbage to arrive.
Well, you've met my expectations -you've done it twice in a row! No money from me in a whole month! Even the VC struggles to keep me that dis-interested.
I can just see the strap line for WiiWare ads "All the crappiness of XBLA, all the wait of Nintendo"
Re: Fischer Completes Spectacular U-Turn On Wii Storage
Memory Packs for Wiimotes along with an expanded Mii creation system
Allows you to take your games and expansion packs to a friend's house and play them on their Wii too (but not copy them obviously) Practical and alluring I reckon 1GB a piece (and a £19.99 retail price max.) should do it NIntendo! Then again, it depends on how fast the bluetooth interface transmits data, which will probably be considerably slower than the creaky SD interface.
Re: Fischer Completes Spectacular U-Turn On Wii Storage
@Loooca: I've got a Sandisk Extreme III SD card in my Wii, which is rated as one of the best SD cards (in terms of transfer speed) and I can tell you now that no matter how fast your SD card is, it'll feel just marginally better than any cheaper one you might already have.
I don't think it's a firmware issue. I think it's down to cost cutting - probably a cheap/crappy SD interface connected to the motherboard using a slow-assed 8-bit data bus. Combine that with some god-awful overly complex and completely unnecessary encryption algorithm that's totally unsuitable for the processor to decrypt at any decent speed, and you've got a solution that anyone with a downstream internet connection of 1.5Mb/sec or more need not apply to.
Re: Fischer Completes Spectacular U-Turn On Wii Storage
Whilst I think a firmware update to allow direct from SD card is viable(ish, considering how bloody slow SD transfers are) I would dread to think that Nintendo might embrace a DS download type service where the game only remains playable whilst the machine is still switched on (i.e. you have to redownload it every time you re-start your Wii if you want to play it again)
It'd resolve the storage issue and you know damn well Nintendo are dumb enough to just think about it as a solution....It's just a good job that their download servers struggle so much under current usage that it would negate the whole idea
Re: Get Even With Space Invaders On WiiWare
@BDPatVCR - I agree. Actually looks like it could be quite interesting and visually, whilst nothing special, I have nothing to complain about.
I would also like to see the original game included as someone else stated on the game page.
Re: We Move: Pain Vs Pleasure - New Video And Information
Absolute garbage. WiiWare is turning into a real junk yard.
Re: Nintendo Channel Goes Stats Crazy!
What they should be doing is using the Nintendo Channel to advertise new and upcoming WiiWare and VC titles and be putting some real effort into advertising all games on the channel instead of just sticking the odd overused video up and a few crappy DS demos. Regular updates would be useful too - like every day.
It's another wasted opportunity and more fire to add to my reasons against buying Nintendo's next home console.
Re: USA WiiWare Update: Block Breaker Deluxe and Cocoto Fishing Master
@Starwolf_UK: I can cope with that (waiting for good quality games that is)
Re: USA WiiWare Update: Block Breaker Deluxe and Cocoto Fishing Master
Wow, an update to mobile Arkanoid and a fishiing game. Should take the top two spots next week then. Excuse my cynicism but how the HELL do Nintendo live with themselves for letting people publish crap like this.
Arkanoid has nearly always been fun - but considering that most people have played it in some form since 1976 and nowadays very good variations are freely available why the hell would anyone want to pay $8 (or nearly $12 equivalent in the UK) for an upgraded mobile phone game?
As for virtual fishing? I'll stick with LoZ:OoT - you get a proper game with it for a bit more cash.
Re: EU WiiWare Releases 13th June: Spare Some Change, Squire?
Although we Europeans got 5 VC games this week, I only cared for Nebulus (and I'm not buying it) I'd have much rather have had 5 WiiWare games this week (or more sensibly a couple) seeing as I'm just about done with all the launch stuff (except TV Host and Dr Mario which imho are dire) and Actionloop Twist was a bit light on the gameplay side.
I've realised that I've come to a crossroads, I can progress forward and go with WiiWare or I can go left, right or back and stick with the VC. Personally, I like to go forward and experience new things. Trouble is, Nintendo haven't finished the plans for the road ahead and progress seems to be so. slow.
Hopefully, NoE will learn from the error of their ways. How many times I have to keep saying that before I believe it I do not know. I doubt I ever will.
Re: Blue Oasis - Fishy Fun For All The Family
Fish + Memorial Day = WTF?
What the hell do fish want to celebrate any day for? I suppose they could celebrate the fact that they have survived in a hostile environment (fresh/salt water fish mix and the fact that the bigger fish haven't eaten them) And why the hell shouldn't I get to see the tank getting dirty - I'd love to be able to write my name on the inside of the tank or grab a star fish and make 'scum angels'
I think someone forgot to tell the developers that fish generally don't like a big knuckle/finger rattling on the glass centimetres in front of them. Mind you it would be funny if the little fish got startled into swimming into a bigger fish's mouth. You could have challenges like 'Get 5 small fish eaten' and post the best time up via WiiConnect24.
Plus, the fish should die if you don't interact with them. Then again, if they're robo-fish as Russta suggests that might explain the lack of dirt/aggression/death and my total bewilderment as to how anyone could get suckered into buying another half-arsed fish simulation.
Talking about Endless Ocean, did anyone else find the default in-game music really inappropriate when there was a man eating shark swimming two feet from your head? I'm surprised we didn't get in game speech bubbles like 'Sorry, I can't eat you. This bloody music has destroyed my will to live - I'd rather starve.'
p.s. Hudson devs if you're reading this: How do you stop the salt water fish from dying in fresh water? Do I drop in salted crisps or is salted popcorn better? How the hell do I explain the fact that an edutainment game has made such a fundamental mistake to my kids when they ask me why a salt-water fish is surviving in fresh water (or vice-versa)? Please send a reply to:
Doesn't-Matter Dude
742 Evergreen Terrace
Springfield
<Enter State Here>
USA
Re: Nintendo: "Hard Drives Are For Geeks"
I hate greed, complacency and lack of direction... hang on, why am I supporting Nintendo's lazy fat ass then?
Re: Nintendo: "Hard Drives Are For Geeks"
I personally can't believe that so many of you have been suckered into keeping the Nintendo Channel on your systems. That piece of crap lasted 10 minutes tops before I deleted it. I then reinstalled it after the next VC/WiiWare releases and after realising that this channel - which is supposed to keep us up-to-date and interested in Wii/DS products - was so poorly maintained that it was rendered useless, I deleted it again. Even with the half-arsed WIi Fit content that supposed to be coming, I won't bother again. Delete it now and save yourselves 250+ blocks.
I reckon what we should do is all get together and create a banner which comprises of the four channel screens from our Wiis showing just how little we can play with our WiiWare games and channels installed. The banner title should be: "We Would Like to Play ... More" and then strapped right across the gates of NoE, NoA and NoJ's headquarters.
Re: North American WiiWare Top 10
As far as I'm aware it's every two weeks - can;t remember where the post was from but apparently it was official. Maybe they've changed their minds though. I'd love to see WiiWare every week - I'm looking forward to checking for new WiiWare tonight, I'm just hoping it's not in vain.
Re: North American WiiWare Top 10
'expect to see them in next week's chart' ...or hopefully not in the case of Protothea.
Damn, two out of the top five titles just should not be there. Mission for next week America: Swap Dr Mario for Lost Winds and TV Show for Pop and finally push Toki Tori in between them. That'd be much nicer.
I just noticed Dr Mario would still be in the top 5 even after the changes so I suggest you all bully Nintendo into releasing Gyrostarr faster....
Unfortunately Dr Mario's high up in our 'top six' because:
a) We only really had a choice of three decent games so far (LostWInds, Toki Tori and FF:MLaaK) Actually, make that four - Star Soldier R was ok.
b) Some dumb-ass at NoE decided we should only get WiiWare every two weeks.
c) Nintendo are interfering SOBs and made Nnooo add extra localisation code which means we didn't get Pop during the first week. Had Pop been around, I reckon Dr Mario's sales would have been half as strong.
Re: Review: Dr. Mario Online RX
Ugh, this game stinks. It's slow, boring and unjustifiably expensive. Unless you really enjoyed Dr Mario in its original guise, avoid at all costs. 7/10 is a generous score - I'd have gone for 6/10 max and then asked Nintendo for a refund. I hate to say it but this game is nothing more than expensive shovelware, if you really want to try it ask someone to send the demo first.
Re: Where In The World Is Pop?
I can't wait for this game to arrive on our shores. Hope it's sooner rather than later - a definite buy. I'm glad to hear they're quick to fix bugs too.
Re: WiiWare Publishers Lament Release Date Shambles
I think Nintendo should have pulled out of the home console market after they destroyed third party support for the N64 and Gamecube (which were both excellent systems)
I'm not saying the Wii is a bad system, it's just the company that built it obviously has no clue about modern gaming or today's audience. They've got zero third party support, a bunch of existing IP that it well past its sell by date, newer IP that is just pushed aside and a system whose sales have been built off of false promises. They're lucky they've still got any sort of continued support from either developers or 'fanboys' and from what I've seen from the WiiFit debacle, people are getting bored of the whole casual thing too.
I'm ashamed to see such quality WiiWare titles coming to the Wii just to be crushed by ineptitude and archaic thinking. But when I think about it, Nintendo has done exactly the same to everyone else, so I'm guessing they're just thinking "why not waste someone else's time and money too?"
Re: World of Goo WiiWare: Exclusive Online Co-Op
This game sounds better every week. Definately one of my top 'to-gets'
Re: Japanese WiiWare Tuesdays
Picross is damned good, time wasting fun. Will definately be getting Oekeki Logic should it arrive on our shores - it's a snip compared to the 900 points we had to play for SNES Picross (which was also awesome)
Re: Beer Pong - College Drunkeness Is WiiWare Bound
@Virus - LMAO
@CashMan3000 - Are you one of the developers?
@Any Sane Person - Don't buy this junk - unless you're drunk. Considering I made half of my dodgy VC purchases drunk, alcohol will probably account for some questionably high sales figures on this game too. Like both copies
Re: Review: Toki Tori
@Chipmunk777 - I'd take Drake's word for it that this game has plenty of challenging gameplay that should take anyone who's never played the GBC game a good 8-10 hours to complete (put it this way, it took me about one and a half hours to complete the first ten levels of stage 1) For under 1000 points what more could you ask for?
Re: Review: LostWinds
I have to go along with Demon et al in arguing that longevity and more specifically, re playability are essential for any game to be value for money. Platformers as a genre tend to incorporate some degree of replay into them as they are by nature fairly linear and even the crap ones hold people's attention because they offer some reason for the player to go back. From what I understand LostWinds is:
a) Very Linear
b) Has little value to encourage revisiting
c) Has also been fortunate in that the developers decided not to lead the player through the game, otherwise the game would probably last no longer than an hour and a half first time.
Whilst it could be argued that the game is a launch title, Frontier went on record as saying that they didn't find the size constraint a problem which leads me to ask "Why didn't they do more then?"
With regards to physics, why does everyone pull their todger over it? Exile on the BBC had revolutionary physics.
The graphics, whilst good seem to indicate some sort of limitation, either in storage space, time constraint or my personal favourite - imagination. Most of the imagery used in the game is largely forgettable, particularly the main character and enemies which are very average and the choice of using caves as a locale is so pre '95 it's unbelievable.
Considering the recent news that Frontier want to make the game episodic, I'm guessing LostWinds is looking to be another cash-in title.
Honestly, between crappy DLC ideas (and its associated price bloat) and half-arsed efforts WiiWare so far is proving to be nothing more than an expensive joke. I'm hoping games like World of Goo and TOki Tori can make a difference.