Staying true to its long ago promise, Nintendo today launched WiiWare, its storefront for original downloadable Wii games, with six titles:

• Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King / 1500 Wii Points ($15)
• LostWinds / 1000 Wii Points ($10)
• Defend Your Castle / 500 Wii Points ($5)
• Pop / 700 Wii Points ($7)
• V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack / 700 Wii Points ($7)
• TV Show King / 1000 Wii Points ($10)

Accessible from the Wii's online Shop Channel, WiiWare joins the platform's Virtual Console service, which offers downloadable retro classics. Due to WiiWare's arrival, there will be no Virtual Console release this week.

As has been the case with Virtual Console, new WiiWare titles will release on Mondays. Upcoming games include Dr. Mario Online RX, Tetris, and Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People.

Keep reading for more details of today's releases, including screenshots.... Read more

Frontier Developments, the studio behind games such as RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 and Thrillville, has announced that it is developing and publishing a WiiWare game titled LostWinds.

In LostWinds you use the Wii remote to control Enril the wind spirit, using your elemental powers to guide a young boy Toku through the fantasy world of Mistralis. The place is under a curse, and Toku is the only one who can lift it.

"LostWinds is an innovative game, and an exciting project for many reasons," said Frontier founder David Braben, adding, "Not least the fact that it's one of the large number of excellent concepts that have arisen through our long running internal forum discussions on game ideas. Frontier is packed full of talented game enthusiasts, and contributing creative ideas and feedback is actively encouraged. WiiWare offers a perfect extra outlet for that creativity, and I hope that LostWinds is the first of many games that will follow this process."