Popping out to say hello at the recent Jump Festa geek-stravaganza - a massive fan festival organized by the good folks at Shonen Jump magazine - the WiiWare title we’re most excited about is still looking great.

Playing as the distinctly kingdom-less King Leo, we already knew that the architectonic force that allows him to pluck buildings from the ground was powered by spirit stones; it’s the hunt for these stones that is intriguing. With little to his name other than the ability to sprout supermarkets at will, Leo is hardly trained for venturing deep into violent outer realms - he relies on heroes instead.

You don’t directly control these warriors; success relies on matching the right chap to the right adventure. If you get word of a stone deep in a labyrinthine cave network, you’ll need a thief adept in finding stealthy routes; if it’s bandit country, an out-and-out warrior will do the trick.

Leo’s not just some cruel taskmaster, mind. Build a jousting arena and knights can train up their skills, and by planting research centers, the armory will stock top-of-the-range pointy sticks. This give-a-little, gain-a-little strategy forms the backbone of the challenge - the rest of the town building is rumored to be a relatively hand-holdy affair, a bit like MySims. While no SimCity, you’ll need to place the right kind of buildings in sensible locations to prevent citizens from baying for your blood. Either way, this remains WiiWare’s most enticing offering.

Feb 13, 2008