One of the best features of Nintendo’s Wii is the Virtual Console, a downloadable library of more than 200 classic games. It’s a great resource for young gamers who want to see what they missed, and for geezers who wonder whether old favorites were as great as they remember.

What the Virtual Console lacks is anything new. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade and (to a lesser extent) Sony’s PlayStation Network have delivered a consistent supply of fresh software. Such games — usually, casual titles like Uno or Lumines Live! — may not warrant a full commercial release but can be well worth a $10 (EU6.40) download.

WiiWare is Nintendo’s attempt to deliver sort new games online. None of the six games in the WiiWare launch lineup is as addictive as, say, Puzzle Quest or Geometry Wars, but there are many more offerings on the way.

* Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King (Square Enix,

$15;EU9.60): For all the baroque mythology that’s built up around Final Fantasy, the games share one fundamental element: fighting monsters. Take that away and you get My Life as a King, a flat management sim in which a very young ruler is trying to rebuild his kingdom.

You can build a few houses to start, but soon after you have to send your subjects out to gather resources. They do all the dungeon-exploring while you stay home and chat with the citizenry. You can build a respectable town fairly quickly, and whether you get hooked, you can buy more composition online. But it’s hard to escape the feeling that all the real fun is happening offstage. Two stars out of four.

* LostWinds (Frontier, $10;EU6.40): In that 2-D adventure, you wave the Wii remote to control gusts of wind. The breezes help your character jump higher and farther, or…

Orginal post by Top Tech News