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WiiWare

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WiiWare (Wii Software in Europe) is a portion of the Wii Shop Channel specializes on software specifically designed for Wii. Currently, this section offers only the Internet Channel (a web browser application), Everybody Votes Channel, Check Mii Out Channel (Mii Contest Channel in Europe),and Photo Channel 1.1, an update for the Photo Channel. The latter four are free of charge, however since July 1, 2007 the Internet Channel has required a onetime fee of 500 Wii points.

While actual "games" have also been planned to appear in this section since its inception, there had been no official word on when any would be appearing until June 27, 2007 when Nintendo made an official confirmation in a press release which confirmed the first titles would surface sometime in 2008. Curiously, the press release refers to the announcement as "the introduction of WiiWare" with "The first WiiWare content [launching] in early 2008", despite the fact that first party WiiWare content was introduced December 2006 with the trial release of Internet Channel.

The WiiWare section is also being touted as a forum to provide developers with small budgets to release innovative, original, and smaller-scale games without the investment and risk of creating a title to be sold at retail (somewhat akin to Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Store). According to Nintendo the "remarkable motion controls will give birth to fresh takes on established genres, as well as original ideas that currently exist only in developers' minds". WiiWare titles are available in the Wii Shop Channel and, just like Virtual Console games, are purchased using Wii Points. Nintendo will handle all pricing options for the downloadable games.[1]

Games

Main article: List of WiiWare games

On July 7, 2007, Bplus, an Austrian, announced that they will be one of the first third-party developers to offer original titles to Nintendo's download service beginning with a game called PLÄTTCHEN - twist 'n' paint, a puzzle/shooter game.[2] GarageGames has also released a version of their game engine to support WiiWare software development. Medaverse Studios has announced new WiiWare game named Gravitronix.[3]

On October 10, 2007, Nintendo held a press conference in Japan. The press conference previewed new WiiWare titles, including: Pokémon Bokujō Channel, Dr. Mario & Bacteria Extermination, and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Young King and the Promised Land.[4] The conference also disclosed information on Okiraku Ping Pong[5] , Mojipittan Wii, Maruboushikaku, and Minna de Puzzloop. Game developer Hudson announced 3 new WiiWare titles: Bomberman, Star Soldier R, and Joy Sound, the latter of which being a karaoke channel.[6]

The first WiiWare games are scheduled for a March 2008 Japanese release. On July 7, 2007, Bplus, an Austrian, announced that they will be one of the first third-party developers to offer original titles to Nintendo's download service beginning with a game called PLÄTTCHEN - twist 'n' paint, a puzzle/shooter game.[7] GarageGames has also released a version of their game engine to support WiiWare software development. Medaverse Studios has announced new WiiWare game named Gravitronix.[8]

References

  1. ^ http://press.nintendo.com/articles.jsp?id=12571
  2. ^ http://www.bplus.at/pr070707en.htm
  3. ^ http://www.medaverse.com/press070820.html
  4. ^ http://wii.ign.com/articles/826/826148p1.html
  5. ^ http://wii.ign.com/articles/826/826168p1.html
  6. ^ http://wii.ign.com/articles/826/826139p1.html
  7. ^ http://www.bplus.at/pr070707en.htm
  8. ^ http://www.medaverse.com/press070820.html
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