2008 was when Nintendo took the plunge, rolling out the WiiWare service across all territories throughout the year. Its been a mixed bag since then often struggling to produce titles which dont, quite frankly, feel a little cheap. That said, its easy to be overly negative on such a service during its first year ( and its something that the Live Arcade and PSN were also guilty of) and theres no doubt it will also mature and blossom over time.
And 2008 wasnt devoid of some must play titles altogether. Heres our top five.
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5. Art Style: Orbient
The first ArtStyle game in our countdown, the game did a good job of capturing the Bit Generations style that the series seemed to be aiming for. Using the Wiimote to move planets around the sky is strangely engrossing, offering a chilled out and relaxed experience that is often missing from the other download services. As with the other ArtStyle games it was also quite cheap, making it excellent value for money.
4. Pop
Pop, pop, pop, pop,pop, pop no our keyboards not stuck. Its the satisfying sound of someone playing Pop. Again a simple title, the game capitalised on the reason why a person can sit and be entertained for hours with a slice of bubble wrap. Totally disposable, but utterly addictive while it lasts.
Read our review HERE.
3. ArtStyle: Cubello
The second of the ArtStyle games to make our list, Cubello is even more relaxing and engrossing than Orbient. A bit more minimalistic in appearance, it was a style that worked in its favour, along with its simple but effective use of the Wiimote. Challenging with a real longevity to it, Cubello is a deserved entry in to the top five for this year.
2. Lost Winds
One of the games to launch the service (in some areas at least) the game had the honour of having developer David Braben attached to it a shot from the `big guns` to celebrate the launch of the service. Full of charm and a nice gameplay mechanic, the game wasnt flawless but it was certainly entertaining.
Read what we though of it HERE.
1. World of Goo
A late entry to the service in 2008 but theres no way that this list could end any other way. Off the wall, addictive and entertaining (yes, theres that word again) World of Goo is a MUST purchase for anyone who uses the WiiWare service. To find out why, read our very recent review HERE.