Like the sad, sad man that I am, I lurked around in the living room last night until midnight struck, anxious to see whether Nintendo had let me down yet again... as far as I can recollect, there have been three separate dates for the release of WiiWare in the EU.
To my pathetic, childish glee, WiiWare's up and running, just as the big N said. And it was with considerable anticipation that I handed over my 1000 points in exchange for a download of LostWinds. Forget the saturated hype of GTA IV or WiiFit - it's this little £7 game that, for some reason, has captured my imagination and become one of my most looked forward to titles of this year so far (with Super Smash Brothers Brawl not far behind).
So was it worth the wait? From the first hour or two of play, I must say yes. Who'd have thought that a relatively low-budget, download-only game could feature some of the most captivating graphics I've seen on the Wii? They may not have the eye popping impact of Super Mario Galaxy, but thanks to some stunning character design and subtle effects, LostWinds looks every bit as good.
The detail in the game's central character, a small boy called Toku who sports a strange hat that I wouldn't mind owning myself, is brilliantly realised and animated.
A special mention must also go to the music, which reflects the game's whimsical, dreamy nature perfectly.
Thankfully, LostWinds' beauty isn't skin-deep - it's just as bewitching to play. Toku is controlled by the nunchuck analogue stick, while the game's minor innovation - wind power - is achieved with the wiimote. Striking lines through the screen wafts Toku up into the air, and a scribbling action will gently break his fall.
As you progress through the 2D platform landscape, new powers are added to your arsenal, allowing Toku to drift ever higher to previously unreachable parts of the map.
There are puzzles to solve (blowing flames onto vines to disintegrate them or wafting water onto thirsty seedlings, for example) and enemies to fight, all with your trusty cursor.
LostWinds has a quite unique, almost zen-like atmosphere of ethereal calm - think of the best films of Hayao Miyazaki and you're on the right lines. Most of all, LostWinds feels like a labour of love. It's a small, modest game admittedly, and doesn't exactly push back the boundaries of gaming – but it's beautifully made and a real joy to play.
Possibly the best £7.00 you'll blow (sorry) on your Wii all year.
