Nintendo Launches WiiWare with Six Games

Nintendo's new channel for online game distribution should allow smaller developers to get their titles into players hands without big-time distributors.

Almost a full year after Nintendo first allowed gamers to peak under the lid on WiiWare, the company has finally pushed it live. The freshly launched service allows Internet-connected Wiis to access an online collection of games for download.

The primary appeal of WiiWare since its announcement has been its potential as a channel for smaller game studios to put out games without the cost of distributing them through conventional means. The WiiWare launch seems to hold true to this premise, with games from small studios including Frontier Development, XGen Studops, Nnooo, High Voltage Software, and Gameloft.

Those with connected Wiis can access WiiWare by clicking on the Wii Shop Channel and going to WiiWare. Like everything else on the Wii Shop Channel, the games will cost Wii Points, which can be purchased online and in retail outlets.

The new WiiWare titles range from 700 to 1,500 points, which translate to $7 to $15. They include: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicle: My Life as a King, LostWinds, Defend Your Castle, Pop, V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack, and TV Show King. New titles will be released every Monday.