Im curious as to what kind of games can make it as shareware games today (ie sell at least a few hundred copies). Maybe a better question is, what are some modern shareware success stories?

Check out ambrosiasw.com I think they are probably the most profitable shareware company around these days. They make Mac games but as I understand it that have sold millions of units of their titles, by the amount of users on the forums (10000+) you can get an idea of how successful they are. I recommend reading all their articals on how they have tried to eliminate piracy etc.

www.spiderwebsoftware.com seems to be doing very well with there line of rpgs for Macs and PCs. Card games, Casino games and puzzle games seem to be really popular. There is also a company (not shareware) that does really well with turned based strategy/war games ala SSI (www.matrixgames.com I think)

all kinds, the trick is two fold. first whatever game genre you do, make sure you stick to it and dont try using gimmicks. you are not a large firm, dont have tons of money backing, and dont have access to tons of marketting that firms do (ie mags, tv, store, etc.) by not spreading the core of the gameplay to thin, your more likly to get some people to play the game. you shoudl keep in mind that you should consider games that allow "upgrades" in the form of new levels, level editors, or other features through registration. DONT try to make the next quake, doom, [insert fav game here], etc. instead look at making more oldschool games (ie 2d or simple 3d), unless you can get a good commercial engine to work with that is royality free (not bloddy likely). also if you have the time, try to add some twists and new stuff to gameplay, but NEVER scrafice the original game style.

the second thing to keep in mind, is website design is VERY important. you should have pics of your game, and they should represent the game well. mention some background story is also a good idea. feature lists are good to, but dont dwell on them and again, dont push gimmicky stuff. keep the site clean and neat, as well as updated often. fix bugs as soon as they come up. keep the purchasing easy by using some form of online buying system (ie kagi or something). make sure its secure.

in the end, make sure its a game that you would actually considering to pay for. have some friends play it, and ask them if they would purchase it. cause if your friends would not consider it, nor would you, then most likly other ppl with your tastes would not buy it. dont make a game for a genere you dont even like, cause you wont have the passion to finish the game.