The bar for tile-dropping puzzle games has been a high one for many years thanks to the marvelously addictive Tetris, and since that game's release, games like Lumines have kept expectations soaring. In a world where there are loads of mediocre by-the-numbers puzzlers freely playable on the Internet, it's hard to justify spending $6 (600 Nintendo points) on one. Art Syle: Rotohex is solidly conceived and briefly entertaining but ultimately tired and lacking any original hooks to make it stand out.
The Good:
* Inexpensive price
* Local multiplayer is fun for a short while.
The Bad:
* Derivative and forgettable
* Some colors are too similar.
Digitally Downloaded writes: "The Wii had a bit of a reputation for being a console of shovelware and great Nintendo first-party titles, but the reality is that there were a lot of great releases that flew under the radar."
Gaming Target examines Nintendo's Art Style series, the latest attempt at bringing experimental and avant-garde game design to the downloadable realm. From the article:
"Nintendo is a company not above resting on its laurels. As games continue to rise in cost, new and unproven intellectual properties are the first games to get dropped. So it should come as no surprise that the company making the most profit is content to use its established brands for all they are worth in the console space. The relatively new downloadable game realm, on the other hand, is slightly different. Familiar faces still do well but with lower consequences for failure, even a company as conservative as Nintendo can afford to take some chances. Enter their newest series: Art Style, cheap experimental puzzles games for your internet-enabled Nintendo systems."
Green Pixels: Consider this list a starting point for WiiWare newcomers seeking some really interesting and original titles on the cheap.
