You'll move Toku with the Nunchuk's control stick, but you'll use the Wii remote to make him jump from platform to platform, glide, and move objects. The Wii remote is what controls the Wind Spirit, and by moving the Wii remote you'll create wind waves that help to get things accomplished. As you obtain new skills, Toku will learn to double jump, launch objects around with a vortex effect, etc. You'll also learn the slipstream technique, which will allow you to draw paths that wind and water can follow. This is imperative when solving puzzles where you have to light up torches, water a seed to grow a plant, etc. Later on, you'll obtain a cape he'll use to glide, and you can use the slipstream with it too.

The more you play, the savvier you'll get. By using the different techniques, you'll be able to solve tricky puzzles or simply reach the next platform. The game mixes both genres nicely. It never gets too difficult, but you'll eventually reach certain points where you feel stuck and confused. Always remember: if it's not simple enough to do, it's not right. Therefore, just give it some thought and take the easy path, even if it means backtracking. The world of Mistralis is not that big, at least in this first installment, so you'll often find yourself visiting areas you've seen before. If you can't figure it out, you might just need to visit the Message Boards and get some help.

While you play the game, you'll love the relaxing background music. It has a nice zen feel most of you will enjoy despite its repetition throughout the adventure. More varied tunes would have been appreciated, but overall, it doesn't really get annoying.

Perhaps there will be some upgrades in the second installment, which is already in the works at the Frontier Development studios. Although this game will only give you five hours of fun at most, at $10 the price seems right, and most players will be anxious to get their hands on the sequel.

Not many people will use this feature, but you can even play the game in co-op mode by just connecting a second Wii-remote. The second player will be able to control the wind, but the first player won't lose control of it. Everything works well, as long as you manage to keep things in sync. It wouldn't be very efficient if both players are trying to use the wind at the same time!

LostWinds is a solid WiiWare title. For game adventurers, it's certainly well-worth the money and the experience. It's been a while since a developer other than Nintendo puts out a story-based game this unique for Nintendo Wii.

By Maria Montoro
CCC Site Director