Retail Roundup: May 14, 2008

BY Ed Kirchgessner  //  May 14, 2008

WiiWare's here, and everyone's smiling except for Microsoft and Sony.

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ooking for something to take your mind off the fact you won't be playing Wii Fit for quite some time? Set that "I should've pre-ordered" regret aside and check out some of the first original properties to debut on Nintendo's online store. WiiWare is here, folks, and it's refusing to let the competition show it up.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King is a surprisingly deep strategy game that borrows just enough from the series' RPG roots to keep it feeling fresh throughout. Though some may balk at the game's $15 asking price, its longevity would put the majority of retail releases to shame. Look for a review next week.

Frontier Developments provides us with a unique puzzle/platform hybrid in LostWinds. Players harness the power of wind to vanquish foes and a variety of environmental obstacles. Though Wind Waker's Link may be left yelling "copycat," this title has me champing at the bit to see what other fresh WiiWare titles Nintendo has in store for us.

Nintendo rounds out this week's WiiWare releases with a handful of more traditional titles. Pop, VIP Casino: Blackjack, TV Show King and the aptly named Defend Your Castle provide casual players with some games to call their own. All told, this week's a great start for a service that will hopefully lead to more creative releases from Sony's and Microsoft's online stores.

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