When I first heard about Nintendo’s Wii Ware service, I was indeed skeptical. Yeh sure, you could download original titles off the Wii for $5-10, but the memory limitation (43 Megabytes’s) was pretty much a joke and guaranteed that the games would look like DS ports. While I can’t vouch for all the Wii Ware titles to be released, I do know that LostWinds, from developer Frontier, has shattered any worries that these downloadables will be flash games. While the game has a few areas that could be improved in a sequel (and a sequel has already been confirmed to be in the works) LostWinds puts many Wii games to shame with extraordinary innovation and polish.

Like its name suggests, the game is about reclaiming winds that happen to be lost. Of course, that burden falls upon a boy named Toku from the Japanese village of Mistralis. Using the help of Enril the wind spirit, Toku must slowly gain back a local villager’s lost memory and also find power from shrines along the way. Where does the player fit into this Japanese fable? While you don’t control Toku directly, you instead act as Enril and guide Toku omnipotently with the Wii-mote curser. Toku, unlike his plump Italian counterpart, cannot jump and relies upon Enril’s wind to float him up to ledges.

Using the Wii-Mote players push A to initiate a gust, which pushes Toku up into the air like the little deadweight he is. Of course, you use the wind gusts to interact with other things as well, like fire, boulders, and enemies. As you discover more shrines, Enril will gain new powers, like Slipstream and Vortex. The mechanics work great on the Wii and should inspire other developers (not just Wii Ware developers) to put more effort into their design. There is a gust-limit, however, that is displayed in the top corner. While I never had a problem running out of gust, you can refill your meter by shaking nearby bushes and trees with your Wii-Mote to catch little blue things that fill your meter. It’s just like catching star bits in Mario Galaxy and, for me, just adds to the magic of the game.

The only criticism I have – and this is probably more subjective than other complaints – is that Toku feels a little too heavy and he moves a little too slow. Of course, this adds to the slower paced nature of the game (which I love). But at times, I found my wrist and thumb hurting from trying to gust the boy up onto a high ledge. It’s something to keep in mind for a sequel, but nimble movements would make the game easier to navigate, and wouldn’t necessarily speed up the pace of the game.

The gameplay and puzzle solving are a mixture of Zelda and Metroid qualities. The game is played as a 2-D side scroller, the graphics being of course 3-D, which you will explore and back track as need be. And as you play, you’ll see other areas that are unreachable, maybe too high. In Zelda fashion, however, after another discovery or two, you’ll gain the ability to gust Toku higher into the air. The puzzles are relatively simple and only occasionally did I find myself stumped or confused.

My favorite part of the game, aside from the fun gameplay, is the visual style and music. From the moment you turn on the game, it’s apparent that LostWinds is one of the rare gems of video gaming. The Wii game has a gorgeous visual style (especially when you realize that the developers crammed it into the 43 MB memory limit for Wii Ware) and the game actually looks better than most of the disc-based Wii games that I’ve reviewed. Everything, including Toku, has an interesting block-shaped design. And the Zelda-esque visuals will continually surprise as you traverse mountains, villages and underground mines. Since you can control wind, the Wii-Mote will blow trees, bushes, and villagers, making the world feel truly interactive. Likewise, the music is a haunting, Eastern-inspired score that fits in perfectly with the laid-back nature of the game.

Gameplay: 8.5
The mechanics are a breeze to get into (pun intended) and are tons of fun to play with.

Graphics: 9.5
Given the limitations that Nintendo has put on Wii Ware titles, it’s incredible that Frontier could make this game look this good.

Sound: 9.0
The music is perfect for this type of game and its simple melodies complement the pared-down mechanics. Also, as you move the cursor across the screen, you can hear the wind blow through everything in surround sound. A nice touch, indeed.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 9.0
The gameplay mechanics were extremely clever and the story itself is very good.

Multiplayer: 5.0
The multiplayer is not what this game is about, but it does include a shallow co-op mode.

Overall: 8.5
Ten bucks for this game is a better deal than most Wii games on the market right now. It’s too bad that this game only lasts for a 3-hour tour. LostWinds is a gem that shouldn’t get lost in the current glut of Wii titles.