[GameSetLinks is GameSetWatch's daily link round-up post, culling from hundreds of weblogs and outlets to compile the most interesting longform writing, links, and criticism on the art and culture of video games.]

As we steam purposefully in the direction of the weekend, GameSetLinks returns with a whole set of neat pieces - headed by a story about an altitudinous arcade which you might also have seen on Bitmob, but appears here from its original location, hurray.

Also in here - platform studies, dubious abandonware claims, Game Center CX updates of the most fun kind, Wired's current issues, a whole heap of hardcore WiiWare discussion, and lots more.

Go go stay:

THE HIGHEST ARCADE IN THE WORLD « Collect
Nice piece on an arcade somewhere you... wouldn't expect! (UPDATE: the writer is now trying to find the person he played against 10 years ago!)

Videogame Nation; A Museum Exhibit in Manchester - Negative Gamer
Hey, cool, they have Introversion's jacket from when they won IGF. In a museum exhibit! Epic.

Is it just me or is Wiiware mostly craptacular? - NeoGAF
Very interesting multi-page thread on what is working, isn't on WiiWare - be aware that these are the hyper-informed gamers, obviously.

Wired Struggles to Find Niche in Magazine World - NYTimes.com
Upsetting to see such a downturn here, because Wired is really trying to do interesting things in print right now. Maybe just leaner and meaner will have to do?

QBlog - The Hunter and the Hunted
A really nice piece of writing from Richard Bartle on smart design in World Of Warcraft.

Game Center CX Episode Guide | crunk games
Aha, the 11th season is here, and Ray Barnholt interprets as per normal - but WHERE'S THE LEGAL ENGLISH-LANGUAGE VERSIONS, guys? Gah.

Platform Studies, a book series published by MIT Press, Ian Bogost and Nick Montfort, series editors
Call for entries into this series - 'platforms' includes languages, game systems, etc. I find MIT Press books to be the most interesting around, but sometimes infuriatingly academikwak. (To be expected, I guess.)

Abandonware: Driving Sales Without a License at Slide To Play
On Flashback on the iPhone: 'Nobody actually owns the license anymore, which means anyone with the skill to make a port can bring it out on the iPhone.' Wow, what a load of rubbish - you should know better, Manomio _and_ Slide To Play.