The Wii was the console in which self-identified "gamers" turned their back on Nintendo, and complained -- loudly -- that grandma was having fun. This is why collectors spurn the Wii even now.
And yet, despite the shovelware, I still believe that the Wii had a fantastic library of games. Several of those games you can't get anymore for the Wii because they were digital-only WiiWare.
NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits is an example of this, and this WiiWare title is one of best Wii games ever made. It was never released on disc. Thankfully, it was ported to PC, and it's available on both Steam and GOG.com.
While I appreciate the PC port, I have to be honest: it's not the same. A mouse or trackpad can mimic many of the functions of the Wiimote, but it is nothing like a Wiimote. That aside, yes, the PC port of NyxQuest is serviceable.
You play Nyx, the Greek goddess of the night, trying to find out what happened to Icarus after he fell from the sky. Entering the earthly realm, she discovers chaos and disorder. Weak and fragile, she receives help from the hands of the gods of Olympus to navigate and make it through her quest.
A huge part of this game is flying and guiding. Nyx doesn't jump, but for short bursts, she can use her wings to get to different platforms. There will be obstacles, such as harpies or a block in the way. At this point, you will use your mouse -- acting as the hand of the gods -- to help Nyx along her way.
As a puzzle platformer, this is a lot of fun. I get a huge kick out of getting through the obstacles. At one point, for example, I realized I could use the mouse to move a platform up, giving me additional leverage for flight.
The graphics have that Wii charm. Even upon release, the Wii was never a graphical juggernaut. It was really just a souped up GameCube. By the late '00s, though, developers knew their way around the hardware and were able to squeeze a lot out of the machine.
In terms of soundtrack, it has an almost Mediterranean new age thing going on. It works well for the game, giving it a meditative vibe. Film composer Steven Gutheinz did a stellar job.
This was Spanish developer Over the Top Games' first release -- and it's pretty impressive for a first release too. Many critics rate NyxQuest as one of the greatest Spanish-made games of all time. Over the past few years, Other the Top continues to make fun, quirky indie titles with lots of charm, mostly for PC.
NyxQuest is pretty cheap. Both Steam and GOG.com sell it for C$3.29. However, the GOG.com version is better because it's DRM-free.
Unless you already bought it, you can't experience NyxQuest on Wii anymore since WiiWare no longer exists. While the PC version is not quite the same, it's still here for us to appreciate. And above all, it's cheap and easy to access.