"We know that LostWinds started as a "Game of the Week" idea at Frontier. What about this idea was so special that differentiates it from other ideas and made it become a WiiWare title? Finally, how did you become a launch title for WiiWare? Did Nintendo come to you or did you contact them about the title?

David Braben: Just to give some background on the Game of the Week forum at Frontier, it’s an internal discussion board that anyone in the company can use to post their own games ideas / ..."

"Earlier this week Nintendo's European marketing chief, Laurent Fischer, revealed that UK-developed LostWinds was the most popular title on the company's WiiWare online service.

To find out a bit more about the game, we spoke to Frontier Developments boss David Braben, who explained where the idea for the game came from, and offered his thoughts on small development teams and why the Wii controllers are so successful."

""I think somebody over at Nintendo forgot to tell Frontier Developments that this game was for WiiWare….OR they knew that, and made a game that could have been sold as a regular Wii title because they like the idea of good downloadable games….. Hmmm.""

"Packing a launch portfolio containing some surprisingly compelling titles, WiiWare, as the new service is called, certainly has all the right ideas behind it. It's intended to support smaller developers in much the same way as competing services on the Xbox 360 and PS3. Distributing games directly to consumers via digital download services cuts out both publisher and retailer, meaning developers can afford to take more risks, and -- in theory -- give consumers like us a better deal.

Try it..."

"Australians did not have to wait long after their overseas cousins for Nintendo's WiiWare service, with the first downloadable games available on the Wii Shop Channel from today.

Whereas Nintendo's Virtual Console service allows consumers to download classic games from systems like the SNES, N64 and Megadrive, WiiWare offers brand new titles and is an opportunity for video game developers to create innovative new games."

After first launching in Japan, and two weeks ago reaching North American shores, WiiWare, Nintendo's new development platform now makes its way to European shores, bring it six games available at launch, with all of the games drawing from Nintendo of Europe's released list of launch window games.

The six titles made available for European WiiWare are the following:

Dr. Mario & Germ Buster, Nintendo, 1-4 Players, 1000 Points

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King, Square Eni...

"On its official website, Frontier features an option for readers to register for advance information on its "... forthcoming LostWinds sequel containing amazing new gameplay as Toku and Enril's incredible adventure to save Mistralis continues."

In previous interviews with IGN, Frontier's David Braben indicated that to cease work on the LostWinds franchise after only a single game would be a missed opportunity for the studio."

WiiWare, Nintendo's new development platform, is now available. Much akin to the Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Store, WiiWare allows developers and teams with smaller budgets to bring their unique ideas for the Wii to fruition. WiiWare has already launched in Japan.

There are six titles available at launch for WiiWare:

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King, Square Enix, 1 Player, 1500 Points

LostWinds, Frontier Development, 1-2 Players, 1000 Points

Defend Your C...