Nintendo Wii Fanboy

Just as expected, we're given some WiiWare love, as well as a Virtual Console download, this week. There's also Ubisoft's Protothea, which you know we've had our eye on. If WiiWare doesn't tickle your fancy, there's also a NEOGEO game up for grabs. So, who's going to download what?

WiiWare games available for download:

• Protothea (Ubisoft, 1 player, 1,000 Wii Points)
• Toki Tori (Two Tribes, 1 - 2 players, 1,000 Wii Points)

This week's Virtual Console game available for download:

• Ninja Combat (NEOGEO, 1 - 2 players, 900 Wii Points)

Wow, how nice is it to know a game is coming out before it's released? For once, we get to experience the luxury of being told what's coming out, or at least we think we do. GoNintendo reports that Two Tribes' adorable 2D puzzler Toki Tori will be available in the North American Wii Shop this Monday at a cost of 1,000 Points. We aren't sure where the info came from, but they certainly seem sure.

10 bucks may be a lot of scratch for a WiiWare game, but this is a good one: reputable game blog Wii Fanboy called it "intelligent, charming, well-designed, and addictive." It's also hard, which means you don't run the risk of blowing through it in a couple of hours.

I'll warn you now: do not be fooled by Toki Tori, for beneath its cute, feathery exterior and twee music beats the heart of a pure puzzler, not to mention one of the most taxing games I've played for a while. Despite the fact that it kept stumping me, Toki Tori almost never stopped being enjoyable, and in my mind is the dark horse of the WiiWare launch line-up.

It's a consistently clever game that rewards lateral thinking and preparation, yet I fear that Two Tribes' title will be ignored in the breathless fanboy rush for Dr. Mario and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. It wouldn't be the first time that has happened, either -- the Game Boy Color version was greeted by rave reviews in 2001, yet was completely overshadowed by the new, swish Game Boy Advance.

Right on time, Nintendo has pulled the appropriate levers, flicked the necessary switches, and sent a whole world of WiiWare goodness down the pipes and into Europe and Australia. Here's what greeted this blogger on his local servers just now:

• Dr. Mario & Germ Buster -- 1,000 Wii Points
  
• Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King -- 1,500 Wii Points
• LostWinds -- 1,000 Wii Points
  
• Star Soldier R -- 800 Wii Points
  
• TV Show King -- 1,000 Wii Points
  
• Toki Tori -- 900 Wii Points
  

Expect reviews of Dr. Mario and Toki Tori in the very near future; in the meantime, let's hear what you've downloaded so far, PAL people!

Nintendo has released a list of eight games described as "launch window" titles ahead of WiiWare's debut in Europe on May 20th. Included are four games that the U.S. is still waiting on -- Dr. Mario & Germ Buster, Star Soldier R, Toki Tori, and Pirates: The Key of Dreams -- though it looks like Europe will be waiting a little longer for Defend Your Castle and V.I.P Casino: Blackjack. Frankly, we'll live without a blackjack game.

Once again, note that these are "launch window" games. How long is a launch window? No idea. "Launch window" is one of those infuriatingly flexible terms beloved by PR types. Anyway, the list of WiiWare games that Europe will be getting kinda near the launch is as follows:

• Dr. Mario & Germ Buster
  
• Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King
• LostWinds
  
• Pop
  
• Star Soldier R
• TV Show King
• Pirates: The Key of Dreams
• Toki Tori

There's currently no news on pricing, but we'd fully expect European WiiWare prices to match those of other regions, assuming Nintendo hasn't found a totally new and unique way to rip European gamers off.

This blogger is more likely to throw a Rubik's Cube into a raging fire than make a realistic attempt at solving one, but surely some of you superfreaks readers out there enjoy the challenge. It's for people like you that Rubik's World was conceived, as it combines the iconic 1980s toy with modern-day technology.

This piece of software by The Game Factory promises "extremely addictive" puzzles that involve constructing 3D objects (therefore, you needn't worry, it won't simply be a virtual Rubik's Cube game). The press release also mentions navigating through mazes and creating your own soundtrack, the latter of which piques our interest.

Local multiplayer will support up to four players, but sadly, there will be no online play (aside from picture swapping and leader boards).

Much like Shantae, Toki Tori was one of those Game Boy Color games released at the end of the handheld's lifespan that got swept away in the storm created by the Game Boy Advance launch. A charming and smart 2D puzzler featuring newly-hatched chick Toki Tori rescuing his unhatched siblings, the title was well-received by critics, but shunned by bovine members of the public, who instead chose to purchase GBA launch games such as Pinobee: Quest of Heart and High Heat MLB 2002. Thanks, public.

Anyway, the similarities with Shantae don't end there, because like Shantae, Toki Tori is being updated for WiiWare. Developer Two Tribes confirmed this last October, but today announced that the game would arrive on time for the U.S. launch of the download service on May 12th. It also unveiled a further six screens of the game, an official site (currently with no content), and a list of the game's features, one of which is simply "Toki Tori!" Indeed.

Make the jump for a trailer from last October's announcement that we're sure you'll have missed.