Nintendo president Saturo Iwata claims that the company has received 100 videogame proposals for its forthcoming Wii Ware download service. "We've made a platform for developing software at low cost, and would like to offer a new business chance based around a battle of ideas," he explained to IGN.
As with Microsoft's XNA program and the availability of Linux on PS3 we're being told that this platform will be used to encourage the development of offbeat titles by new studios. Disappointing then that the titles mentioned so far include Pokemon Ranch, Bomberman, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles and Dr. Mario - hardly a perky selection of bright young things.
Okay so a couple of fresh-sounding games have emerged including PLATTCHEN - twist 'n' paint from small Viennese studio, Bplus and Gravitronix from indie outfit, Medaverse Studios, but these don't seem to be the edgy, snack-sized experiments we've been promised. At GDC, Reggies Fils-Aime was talking about swarms of indie titles escaping into the wild, totally unvetted by Nintendo. Dr Mario doesn't squeeze into that category. I want to see games that really stretch the motion controller to the max - and I don't mean a poker title where you can throw in your hand with a quick flick of your wrist.
Xbox Live Arcade is still dominated by retro arcade titles and casual cross-overs with Boom Boom Rocket and Space Giraffe manning an understaffed fort of newbie battlers. It's PlayStation Store that offers the most promising selection of total newcomers so far, the likes of flOw and Echochrome (a working title apparently) of particular interest. Pity its lively roster of downloadable titles is getting rather overlooked amid all these confusing re-pricing and re-packaging dramas. While the Wii Ware experience remains shrouded in hype and uncertainty, perhaps Sony should be drawing a bit more attention to this one (albeit modest) unqualified PS3 success story.
