News Article

WiiWare Launches In Europe

Posted Tue, 20 May 2008 by Damien McFerran

Fancy pill popping with Dr Mario?

Fancy pill popping with Dr Mario?

This was the day PAL Wii owners had been feverishly waiting for. Finally, after months of anticipation and hype, Nintendo’s WiiWare service has launched in Europe, bringing with it the tantalizing potential of ‘videogame publishing without frontiers’ – not to mention new headaches about internal storage space.

After a week of claim, counter-claim, conjecture and idle speculation (all of which was fuelled by Nintendo’s unhelpfully vague press releases), we now know that six (count ‘em) titles are available to PAL gamers.

The list in full is as follows:

That’s one hell of a line-up if we do say so ourselves, and only the most stubborn Wii owner will fail to find something to their liking. The sublime LostWinds is our pick of the bunch – our fingers are firmly crossed that this wonderful game is an indication of the quality of things to come in the world of WiiWare. Final Fantasy: My Life As A King is yet another highly rated pick.

Our Toki Tori review will be ready in the next day or so, but from what we can tell this will be a safe bet for a day one download if you are a fan of cute platformers.

Who could resist Dr. Mario & Germ Buster? With it's online play and furious additive gameplay how can you go wrong here? If you are not convinced then just wait for our WiiWare World review coming soon.

For those who missed it, Corbie's Star Soldier R review just went live. If you are a shoot-em-up fan this might interest you.

So there you have it – another exciting chapter in the colourful life of the Wii is opened. But what are your thoughts on this launch? As always, be sure to let us know by leaving a comment or two below.

Tags: WiiWare, European Releases.

User Comments

Jupiter Adept

1. Jupiter Adept Canada 20 May 2008, 00:16 GMT

I heard there was a Dr. Mario demo! Someone check!

Avatar

2. Phantom5800 United States 20 May 2008, 00:17 GMT

#$%! Dr. Mario already? Lucky, have fun with it, it won't kill me to wait another week.

Avatar

3. Cipher United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 00:19 GMT

As far as I know, the Dr. Mario Demo includes only online multiplayer, so you can play online against someone who has the full game. Plus, it's free!

Jupiter Adept

4. Jupiter Adept Canada 20 May 2008, 00:25 GMT

There is a demo? I'll get the demo... when it comes out here.

Avatar

5. lockelocke United States 20 May 2008, 00:53 GMT

Congrats, your launch is the ish

Avatar

6. Hyperfludd United States 20 May 2008, 01:14 GMT

How much is Toki Tori?

Avatar

7. ballkirby1 United States 20 May 2008, 01:20 GMT

well Europe should gotten toki tori as a launch game because it's a European developer.

Avatar

8. DC3fanboyWii_NL Netherlands 20 May 2008, 01:20 GMT

Toki Tori is 900 Wii Points Hyperfludd

Avatar

9. DC3fanboyWii_NL Netherlands 20 May 2008, 01:20 GMT

yes we have it ballkirby1

Avatar

10. DC3fanboyWii_NL Netherlands 20 May 2008, 01:21 GMT

We got also a demo of Dr. Mario

Avatar

11. Hyperfludd United States 20 May 2008, 01:25 GMT

By the way, nice job on the site guys, I hooked it up my RSS bar :)

Avatar

12. west72 United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 01:28 GMT

Great line up, i've just been playing Lost winds and have to say that'sbetter than most of the full price games that are out there.

Shame the Dr Mario is online only, i don't have any friends who have the full version, so makes the demo a bit worthless. Why didn't they do a single player demo.

Avatar

13. AlexSays United States 20 May 2008, 01:29 GMT

are you kidding me?
the US launch sucked compared to this.
it might be weeks before we even get Toki Tori... or Dr. Mario.

Avatar

14. Kawaiipikachu Australia 20 May 2008, 02:05 GMT

While today i got a real pinch of having to delete some file because at this very moment i'm downloading Final Fantasy: My Life As a King .

The download process seems to takes its time but still im happy .

usally i type messages via my Wii & with the USB keyboard but right now because my Wii is downloading at the moment im having to use my pda .

But i wont be downloading dr Mario & most probably never will .

edit
Another anoying thing i went to read the instructions (always do) only to find out i have to view it in the shop channel which is stupid extreamly stupid :(
edit
Coreected some spelling & grammer mistakes but still im happay about the game but upset that i have to load the shop channel up just to read them

Avatar

15. thewiirocks United States 20 May 2008, 02:28 GMT

You guys got Toki Tori on launch day?!?! Blast you!

Now everyone go download the game and make it super-successful so they're release it in North America. ;)

Avatar

16. hal United States 20 May 2008, 04:04 GMT

happy wiiware day, europe!!!

Avatar

17. Mario maniac Australia 20 May 2008, 04:18 GMT

Wowee, we got all the games I was interested in today. Too bad I only have 600 points...

Rapadash6

18. Rapadash6 United States 20 May 2008, 04:25 GMT

Son of a bitch! You guys get Dr. Mario, Lost Winds AND Toki Tori on day 1? I truly hate you all. :p JK Seriously though, if you guys get a regular VC update this Friday, I'm going to scream. Come on NOA, we want ALL these games too, AND a decent VC update for a change. Get your thumbs out of your you know what and make it right!!

Avatar

19. StarDust United States 20 May 2008, 04:55 GMT

And what kind of Bull-Honky is that??? Dr Mario was announced as a launch title for the US - Monday May 12th. Now it looks like I will be waiting until at least Memorial Day to get it. Europe gets it at launch, but why the bloody not for the US. Okay, my poor attempt at British slang sucks.

Japan has had this game out for a while, so it's not a matter of last minute tweaks to update it for release. I am not mad that Nintendo decided to release Dr Mario in Europe first. They did the same with Mario Kart; that was okay because I had Brawl to play with. What infuriates me is that they lied about the US release date for Dr Mario being May 12th. When I downloaded the Nintendo Channel on May 9th (nothing but a bloated adware app, delete it ASAP), there was official video footage as well as a text description, both stating a Dr Mario release date of May 12 (US Wiiware launch). Strait from the horses mouth, a bold-faced lie! I don't know if that false information has been corrected since, because I had to delete that bloated junk (the save file is even bigger that the actual channel itself) to make more room on my Wii for games. But, back to my original point:

NINTENDO OF AMERICA LIED TO ME!
NINTENDO OF AMERICA LIED TO ME!
NINTENDO OF AMERICA LIED TO ME!

Nintendo, please bring us Dr Mario by May 26th - Oh well, at least I got to play pOp...

Avatar

20. DEMON212 United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 05:09 GMT

Don't know if anyone's interested, but I've reviewed the following:

Star Soldier R

Toki Tori

Dr. Mario

LostWinds

Also Dazza, I plugged this place on them. Decided that I coudln't get away with it on VC vids, because WWW has nothing to do with VC, but I can plug you on WW vids :D

Avatar

21. Kenji510 United States 20 May 2008, 05:34 GMT

I want Dr. Mario Online Rx sooooooooo badly and play it too including the cool online feature as well... well, hope you people out there in europe will really enjoy this game and have fun with it, i know i would right away too... another 5-6 days more to go!

Avatar

22. AlexSays United States 20 May 2008, 05:34 GMT

@ Stardust

no.....
Nintendo of America lied to us. :(

Avatar

23. Versus22 Canada 20 May 2008, 05:53 GMT

@x.SuperMario.x: All the games except Toki Tori & Dr. Mario are here as well. If we get at least one of these, I'll be happy. Hey though, our line up is not too bad, but it lacks wifi play. I wouldn't complain much though.

Avatar

24. Kenji510 United States 20 May 2008, 06:01 GMT

Heres are some WiiWare games that will be out next week on the 26th of Memorial Day and saw them at the IGN website as well... but then again, i could be wrong and dunno if these are true or not, but we'll find out on Memorial Day... i think Dr. Mario Online Rx and Toki Tori are confirmed for the 26th but dunno about the other games as well like gyrostarr and world of goo.

Dr. Mario Online Rx:
Published by: Nintendo
Developed by: Nintendo
Genre: Puzzle
Number of Players: 1-4
Release Date:
US: May 26, 2008
Japan: March 25, 2008
Europe: May 20, 2008

Gyrostarr:
Published by: High Voltage Software
Developed by: High Voltage Software
Genre: Shooter
Release Date:
US: May 26, 2008 *

*Toki Tori:
Developed by: Two Tribes
Genre: Puzzle Adventure
Release Date:
US: May 26, 2008
Europe: May 20, 2008

World of Goo:
Published by: *TBA
Developed by: 2D Boy
Genre: Puzzle
Release Date:
US: May 26, 2008

Avatar

25. Kawaiipikachu Australia 20 May 2008, 06:43 GMT

While you guys got a lot of thins to complaing about but heres my list of comlaints .
1.Lack os storage space & the inablity to run games from SD card .

2.Fact that every time i want to check something in the instructions for a Wiiware game that i have to go to the shop channel to view them .
what if i can't get on-line for some reason .
It only take a couple blocks of storage .
what is wrong with including instructions with the game .

With me experience with comparering with the fact that some preowned games i got with no instructions which at times even took me weeks to even realise the features exesited that if i had the instructions there in the first place .

But still i have high hopes for Wiiware in the future :)

btw @ Kenji510
Where did you get that Avitar from as shes pretty cute .

RGVEDA

26. RGVEDA Germany 20 May 2008, 07:10 GMT

Final Fantasy and Lost Winds only in English? Why not in German like the other games? :( :( :( :(

Avatar

27. Kenji510 United States 20 May 2008, 07:19 GMT

@Kawaiipikachu- i got it from this site below and its from a game too called Phantasy Star Online if you ever heard it or played it before.

PSO avatars: http://pso-world.com/user.php?astart=0&adisplay=20

kevin916

28. kevin916 Switzerland 20 May 2008, 07:22 GMT

Lost Winds has German text.

RGVEDA

29. RGVEDA Germany 20 May 2008, 07:24 GMT

Really? It says only english Text in the manual Text for the game....

Avatar

30. Shortay United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 08:03 GMT

Great launch, just downloaded LostWinds and either Dr. Mario or Toki Tori later :)

Avatar

31. ChocoDK Canada 20 May 2008, 08:41 GMT

Wow Europe got a nice launch the only dud in there per say is TV Show King. The rest in general opinions are excellent titles. I would like Toki Tori and I hope it does come to NA next week :). Maybe then I will also get Pokemon League for the N64 to get back to 0 Wii Points again.

Avatar

32. pHaT-aNt_ United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 09:29 GMT

sdfg

Avatar

33. pHaT-aNt_ United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 09:30 GMT

asdf

Avatar

34. pHaT-aNt_ United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 09:31 GMT

asdf

Avatar

35. pHaT-aNt_ United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 09:31 GMT

asdf

Avatar

36. pHaT-aNt_ United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 09:32 GMT

asdf

Avatar

37. pHaT-aNt_ United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 09:36 GMT

asdf

Avatar

38. pHaT-aNt_ United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 09:39 GMT

asdf

Avatar

39. pHaT-aNt_ United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 09:41 GMT

asdf

Avatar

40. pHaT-aNt_ United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 09:41 GMT

asdf

Avatar

41. pHaT-aNt_ United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 09:43 GMT

asdf

Ghostwatch

42. Ghostwatch United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 09:50 GMT

Did we get a good launch line up in Europe? There must be some way to make you all feel less jealous. Ah, yes - let's try this...

In the US, does a 1000 point game cost the equivalent of over twenty dollars? Cos it does for us.

Avatar

43. pHaT-aNt_ United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 09:53 GMT

dfgsdfg

Avatar

44. pHaT-aNt_ United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 09:54 GMT

dfgsdfg

Avatar

45. Mendez United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 11:41 GMT

I'm kind of dissapointed we didn't get Pop, that was the main one I was looking at when I found out Defend Your Castle wasn't coming out yet.

Dr Mario makes up for it though, and I've deleted my N64 games to get Toki Tori or Lost Winds...

Edit: What was with that Dr Mario demo? It was up there for free last night but when I looked at 10am this morning it was gone =/

Avatar

46. Starwolf_UK United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 12:04 GMT

The Dr.Mario demo only works as a freind code only but the person who starts the game has to have a full version. People with the full version can send this demo to friends on their Friend list.

So it being missing means you're not missing out on anything. It being visible was just a mistake (I was expecting one or two mistakes...)

Anyway, a bit sad Pop is missing from this lineup as that was one of the titles I was after. I went ahead and bought FFCC though. Two and half hours of playing later and I can say i'm happy.

Avatar

47. BDPatVCR Belgium 20 May 2008, 12:50 GMT

ooooh
i had my heart set on some castle-defending today :-(

Avatar

48. DEMON212 United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 15:47 GMT

Ah, thanks for linking me up guys :D

I've bought FFCCMLAAK so I'll be doing a review of that soon too, infact, might as well do it now :D

Avatar

49. Ike-Mike Germany 20 May 2008, 16:07 GMT

Well RGVEDA, since you've found your way to the English-speaking WiiWare World I think you shouldn't have many problems playing FFCC in English.

Avatar

50. KnucklesSonic8 Canada 20 May 2008, 17:15 GMT

Europe DID get a good launch. Many were disappointed DYC didn't appear, though. ;)

And Kenji, I noticed the date changes for IGN also. I think they just keep bumping them forward. It's a tad... well, it's not reliable. I could've sworn we'd be getting Gyrostarr, though.

In any case, we'll find out next week what we, in the NA region get. :)

RGVEDA

51. RGVEDA Germany 20 May 2008, 17:17 GMT

I don´t have problems with english...but i think it would be better if all games are translated.... It could be, that there are some kids that would like to play the game but don´t speak english :) And i think it is easier to play it in your mother tongue than in an other language :)

Avatar

52. KnucklesSonic8 Canada 20 May 2008, 17:45 GMT

^ Agreed.
Most of the English is simple language... for the most part, but still, that would have been nice. :)

Avatar

53. thewiirocks United States 20 May 2008, 18:31 GMT

@Ghostwatch sez... In the US, does a 1000 point game cost the equivalent of over twenty dollars? Cos it does for us.

Actually, that's a fallacy. If you're looking purely at the exchange rate, it would appear that you're correct. The problem is that the exchange rate is irrespective of the actual price of goods! Its only purpose is to encourage a particular direction of trade between countries. (e.g. Right now the US dollar is being held low to encourage more exports than imports. That brings more foreign wealth into the country rather than sending it to other countries.)

If you want to do a real-world comparison, you need to compare the local price of goods. A common method of doing this is the Big Mac Index. Using that index, a 2000 point card for £14.99 works out to $8.75 in USD. So Britain is actually getting its Wii Points cheaper than the US!

So it's not you that should be complaining. It's us! :)

Avatar

54. DEMON212 United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 19:51 GMT

Erm...

Dr. M 4p review add on http://youtube.com/watch?v=tXvbzrz-HEw

Stupid game hides this, so I knew nothing of it. Apologies.

Avatar

55. Dazza United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 20:03 GMT

Haha you sound really guilty in that video Demon! I am sure your fans will forgive you :p

Avatar

56. DEMON212 United Kingdom 20 May 2008, 22:00 GMT

Lol, hopefully. Although I'm more worried about the rumours I'm hearing about guys like me being cancelled from YT because of copyrights acts.

Anywho, after crashing and taking forever to upload, my FFCC review :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eM4nVfTbkQ

T.V Show King later :)

Avatar

57. lockelocke United States 21 May 2008, 00:45 GMT

@Demon
Thanks for the video reviews! Really helpful! Well, I'm off to cop Star Soldier.

Avatar

58. DEMON212 United Kingdom 21 May 2008, 00:52 GMT

T.V Show King http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ1r9zXmsNQ

Cool, glad you like them :)

trinest

59. trinest Australia 22 May 2008, 10:13 GMT

I'm suprised pOp didn't come out. Expecially in Australia.

Avatar

60. Rexy United Kingdom 22 May 2008, 16:02 GMT

What a launch, I didn't notice this until now :D
I'm stuck between Toki Tori and Lostwinds to aim for first, both of them sound really good to me as an adventure gamer. Seriously, I've got high hopes for Wii Software yet :D

Avatar

61. KnucklesSonic8 Canada 22 May 2008, 16:14 GMT

^ WiiWare = Awesome!

My advice:
Toki Tori - 900
Simple platformer. 50 levels. Seems a bit much for a game of this stature.

Lostwinds - 1000
Unique platformer. Kinda short. Said to be a really good game despite its brevity.

If you don't care so much about Replay Value, get Lostwinds for sure. I hear it's a must-buy for self-respecting Wii-owners.

Avatar

62. Roboto Mexico 29 May 2008, 02:01 GMT

any new games this week in europe?

Avatar

63. Dazza United Kingdom 29 May 2008, 07:51 GMT

You will know on Friday morning. We're pretty sure that Pirates: Key of Dreams will be one of the new games.

Avatar

64. Roboto Mexico 30 May 2008, 05:50 GMT

so in europe theres no specific day for launch like here in america?

Avatar

65. Roboto Mexico 31 May 2008, 02:56 GMT

no wiiware i guess

Leave A Comment

Please login to post a comment.