Topic: Worthy WiiWare Games

[Stratos]

Also, strangely enough, my hard-on for Art Style games doesn't extend to WiiWare. I only own Orbient, which I liked a lot, but I'm just not as fanatical about the non-portable entries.

That's interesting because I am more interested in all of the WiiWare Art Style games and none of the DSi ones interest me in the slightest. Maybe we just prefer different ways of playing? (Touch versus Wiimote?)

I like that there are a lot of games because it helps give me ideas of what's good and worth trying versus the crap that is on there. I look at it almost like a 'buyers guide'.

[Pandareus]

Also, strangely enough, my hard-on for Art Style games doesn't extend to WiiWare. I only own Orbient, which I liked a lot, but I'm just not as fanatical about the non-portable entries.

Buh... but Cubello is awesome!
 
Let me copy-paste, once again, something I wrote on another forum
 
 
 
I just downloaded this little gem and I've been playing for the past hour and a half, even though I wasn't planning to. It's not like any puzzle game I've ever played before. It's also incredibly hard to describe, so here's a video.

Basically, what you're trying to do here is connect 4 blocks of the same color. On the left, you've got your "cartridge" of blocks, which only gets replenished when you eliminate blocks from the structure in the center, the "cubello". Run out of blocks in your cartridge and you've lost the game. Eliminate all the blocks of the cubello to go to the next stage.

The "point and shoot" gameplay is incredibly compelling, more than I would have thought. Not only do you have to think about your shot, you have to be able to pull it off. More than that, though: you'll want to execute several well-placed shots in a row, which is very satisfying when you pull it off, but it's easier said than done as each of your shots will send the whole structure spinning.

I had avoided this title until now because of IGN's review, which claimed that you could often get screwed by the game since the blocks you get in your cartridge are random, so if you get a color you don't need and don't get the one you need, you just keep adding blocks to the structure and you can't finish the level.

Not so. See, what you want to do is eliminate a color from the structure AND your cartridge, and then that color won't come back. So if there's 3 red blocks on the structure and you have 2 in your cartridge, don't stupidly shoot at the 3 blocks with your first shot, because then you'll have to fire your other red block, putting that color back on the structure, and you'll have to restart the whole thing. What you want to do is place your first block in a way that you'll be able to eliminate all 5 with your next shot.

Phew, I told you it was hard to explain. Anyway, I really can't stress enough what a good value this is if you're a puzzle fan. You've never played something like this before, and it's a really solid concept. You'll easily get more than your 6 bucks' worth.

[KDR_11k]

Settlers of Catan* and Carcassonne*.

*Ok, I think Microsoft has rights to digital distribution for those two specific games, since they are both on XBLA... but there is a huge library of cool board games that could be transferred over to WiiWare pretty easily.  The biggest effort involved would be securing the rights.

Considering those two are fairly major board games (I believe Settlers sold several million copies, of the physical board game of course) I doubt MS got exclusive rights to them.

[Stratos]

I wish Settlers would come to WiiWare. I have the physical board game with both of the major expansions and would love to get a digital version as well.

[MegaByte]

I just played Carcassonne for the first time the other night and was thinking it would make a great digital game.

[KDR_11k]

The PC version of Carcassonne came with the River expansion for the board game IIRC, I think the PC version of Puerto Rico even came with the expansion for PR which does a lot of rebalancing and supports more strategies.

[DAaaMan64]

Swords and Soldiers
Cave Story
Castlevania

[vudu]

I'd argue against Castlevania Rebirth--while I really enjoyed the game, it's obvious that it's meant for fans of the series.  If you don't generally like Castlevania then you won't like this game.  And if you're only a casual fan there are better Castlevania games available for download--namely Castlevania III, Castlevania IV and Rondo of Blood.

[Halbred]

If you are a casual fan, Castlevania III will eat you alive.

[KDR_11k]

Contra Rebirth, on the other hand, is as newbie friendly as Contra gets.

[Mop it up]

Buh... but Cubello is awesome!
You've never played something like this before, and it's a really solid concept.

Actually, I have played something very similar. Cubello is like a simplified version of Tetrisphere for the Nintendo 64. Because of that, I couldn't get into Cubello. It's just too watered-down and lacking in features, plus it doesn't have an awesome soundtrack and instead has an incessant computer voice that doesn't know when to shut up. All the game did was make me want a proper sequel to Tetrisphere on Wii.

Bomberman Blast is a fantastic multiplayer game, both online and local (8 player local multiplayer!).

That's the first WiiWare game I downloaded, Bomberman is too much fun to pass over. I was disappointed when I discovered that you can't mix friends and randoms in online matches, but other than that, it is a solid game that seems to go unrecognized as a great multiplayer Wii game, both local and online.

Personally I think World of Goo is over-rated, and I know I am not alone. It's not a bad game, but it's not as great as some people claim and is not worth 1500 points.

I feel the same. Sometimes the physics just felt random, making it difficult to get into the game. If I had actually paid $15 for it I'd have felt ripped-off, but fortunately I paid about $4 since I got the Wii points through a Pepsi summer promotion last year. It was worth that.

Personally I think World of Goo is over-rated, and I know I am not alone.

**** you, **** you, **** you.  World of Goo is my game of the year for 2008.  Not WiiWare GOTY.  Not Wii GOTY.  Overall GOTY.

A shining example of good forum etiquette. 

[TJ Spyke]

I didn't even pay anything for it, I got it gifted to me as part of NeoGAF's 2008 Secret Santa program. 500 points would be a great price for it, MAYBE 1000 points. Some people get too touchy when I say I think it's overrated (even though I say that I don't think it's a bad game).

[BlackNMild2k1]

Over rated or over hyped?

It got a good score because it's a good game. But people may have sung it's praises too high over hyping the game for the achievement that it was.

Like Scribblenauts. I think it's a good game and deserves a good score, but it's not the best game ever as it does have lots of little flaws and the HYPE surrounding that game basically ignored most of them.

So I think you need to clarify if you mean over rated or over hyped.

[TJ Spyke]

Probably over-hyped. It seems like most "hardcore" gamers just love to shout that it's one of the best games they've ever played or that it's THE best WiiWare game or other similar statements.

[ejamer]

World of Goo is tough to discuss.


It's a great game - the polish and detail are superb, and I really liked the sense of humor throughout.  But it wouldn't be in my top 10 list if talking purely about "fun" games... despite being such a well-made game, I just didn't fall in love with it the way so many reviewers and core gamers did.


Is it one of the best WiiWare games out there?  Sure.
Does it deserve a ton of hype?  Sure.
Did I play through the entire game, and was the cost justified?  Most definitely on both counts.


But if someone asked me what they should buy it wouldn't be at the top of the list - especially not with stuff available like Swords & Soldiers, Bonsai Barber, and Winter of the Melodias.


To each their own, I guess.   

[KDR_11k]

I'm not that much into WoG but my sister is crazy for it, I'd say the praise is warranted (those who like it love it) but it's not a game for everybody.