Kotaku
It appears there is life after Advance Wars: Days of Ruin, shipping next week to the squealing delight of Kotaku associate editors. Proving 2008 isn't all downhill from there, Nintendo of America today released a rough schedule of its software plan for the first half of this year for both the Nintendo DS and Wii, providing release windows for the announced-at-E3 '07 duo Wii Fit (Q2) and Mario Kart Wii (Spring). The Wii port of Okami also gets a date (March 25), as does the popular DS puzzle-adventure game Professor Layton and the Curious Village (February 10).
Shooter fans will be pleased as punch to see that D3 is bringing Treasure's Bangai-O Spirits stateside in the second quarter. Licensed shovelware aficionados have even more to look forward to in the full list, which occupies gobs of space after the jump. Give it up for Garfield Gets Real, people!
STRONG LINEUP OF GAMES CONTINUES NINTENDO'S MOMENTUM IN 2008
Bold 2007 Set the Stage for Broad 2008 Software Lineups for Wii and Nintendo DS
REDMOND, Wash., Jan. 16, 2008 - With their focus on fun for everyone, Nintendo's Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ systems are leading a new movement in the world of video games. Games based on brain exercises. ... New experiences that surprise even core gamers. ... Grandparents buying video game systems - for themselves! Surely, these are unprecedented times.
"The video game industry has never had so many new players, and they've never had so much fun," said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of sales & marketing. "Our momentum is not limited to one system or one game. We're going broad and bold in 2008, with something for every member of the family."
Nintendo DS and Wii finished as the No. 1 and No. 2 best-selling systems of the year, respectively. Nintendo continues its momentum into 2008 with a strong lineup of games. In the first half of 2008 alone, more than 65 new Wii games will add to the current library of more than 195 and 80 new Nintendo DS games will add to the current library of nearly 500. Nintendo DS opens the first half of the year with games that demonstrate the breadth of the Nintendo DS library. Advance Wars®: Days of Ruin is a treat aimed squarely at core gamers, while Crosswords DS™ is for all consumers, whether they currently play games or not.
Likewise, the first half of 2008 brings a diverse array of Wii games from Nintendo, including core games like Super Smash Bros.® Brawl; games with universal appeal for gamers old and new with Mario Kart® Wii, which uses the easy-to-pick-up Wii Wheel™; and Wii Fit™, which comes with the Wii Balance Board and has appeal for new consumers well beyond the traditional video game audience. On top of all that, new downloadable WiiWare™ games will make their debut. These unique games have much lower entry barriers for developers and let consumers enjoy an incredibly diverse selection of content.
Third-party publishers also continue their strong support for Wii and Nintendo DS. Some of the innovative Wii games for the first half of 2008 include Ninja Reflex from Electronic Arts, No More Heroes™ from Ubisoft, DeBlob from THQ, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed from LucasArts and Okami from Capcom, in addition to compelling Nintendo DS games like FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Rings of Fate from Square Enix, Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword from Tecmo and Quick Yoga Training from Ubisoft.
The following is a partial list of Wii and Nintendo DS software for the first half of 2008. Note that details are subject to change.
Wii
Jan. 7: Kidz Sports Ice Hockey from Destineer
Jan. 8: Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law from Capcom
Jan. 15: SAMURAI WARRIORS: KATANA from KOEI CORPORATION
Jan. 15: Furu Furu Park from Majesco Entertainment
Jan. 21: Endless Ocean™ from Nintendo
Jan. 22: One Piece™: Unlimited Adventure™ from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.
Jan. 29: Bomberman Land from Hudson
January: No More Heroes™ from Ubisoft
January: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation™: Hard Evidence from Ubisoft
Feb. 8: Kawasaki Jet Ski from Destineer
Feb. 11: Go Diego Go!: Safari Rescue from 2K Play
Feb. 12: WWII Aces from Destineer
Feb. 12: Dream Pinball 3D from SouthPeak Games
Feb. 18: MX vs. ATV Untamed from THQ
Feb. 25: Agatha Christie And Then There Were None from DreamCatcher Games
Feb. 26: Baroque from Atlus USA
Feb. 26: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors from Square Enix
Feb. 27: Kidz Sports Soccer from Destineer
Feb. 27: London Taxi: Rush Hour from Destineer
February: Garfield® Gets Real from DSI Games
February: Yamaha Supercross from DSI Games
February: Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore from Konami
February: Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30™ from Ubisoft
February: BALLOON POP from UFO INTERACTIVE GAMES
March 3: Destroy All Humans: Big Willy Unleashed from THQ
March 9: Super Smash Bros.® Brawl from Nintendo
March 10: Worms: A Space Oddity from THQ
March 25: Okami from Capcom
March 25: OPOONA from KOEI CORPORATION
March: MiniCopter: Adventure Flight from Aksys Games
March: Alone in the Dark from Atari
March: Ninja Reflex from Electronic Arts
March: Obscure: The Aftermath from Ignition Entertainment
March: Target: Terror from Konami
March: Nitro Bike™ from Ubisoft
March: Emergency Heroes™ from Ubisoft
March: HEAVENLY GUARDIAN from UFO INTERACTIVE GAMES
March: Rebel Raiders from XS Games
April 15: Castle of Shikigami III from Aksys Games
April: Pro Evolution Soccer from Konami
April: Wild Earth: African Safari from Majesco Entertainment
April: THE MONKEY KING-THE LEGEND BEGINS from UFO INTERACTIVE GAMES
April: Super Pick Ups from XS Games
May 6: Speed Racer from Warner Bros. Games
May 13: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian from Disney Interactive Studios
May: BlastWorks: Build, Trade, Destroy from Majesco Entertainment
May: King of Fighters: The Orochi Saga from SNK Playmore
May: THE DOG Island™ from Ubisoft
June 8: Wonderworld Amusement Park from Majesco Entertainment
June: Catch of the Day from Electronic Arts
June: Ford Racing Off Road from Empire Interactive
June: Cooking Mama Cook Off 2 from Majesco Entertainment
June: Rygar: The Battle of Argus from Tecmo, Inc.
June: DeBlob from THQ
June: Wall-E from THQ
Spring: Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel from Nintendo
Spring: Major League Baseball® 2K8 from 2K Sports
Spring: Don King Presents: Prizefighter from 2K Sports
Spring: Top Spin 3 from 2K Sports
Spring: Kung Fu Panda from Activision
Spring: LEGO: Indiana Jones from LucasArts
Summer: Deca Sports from Hudson
Summer: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed from LucasArts
Summer: Active Life™: Outdoor Challenge™ from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.
Q2: Wii Fit from Nintendo
Nintendo DS
Jan. 21: Advance Wars: Days of Ruin from Nintendo/Intelligent Systems
Jan. 21: Mazes of Fate DS from Graffiti Entertainment, LLC
Jan. 22: Mega Brain Boost from Majesco Entertainment
Jan. 24: Aquarium by DS from Bold Games
Jan. 24: Fantasy Aquarium by DS from Bold Games
Jan. 29: Pet Pals: Animal Doctor from Majesco Entertainment
January: N+ from Atari
January: Barnyard Blast from DSI Games
January: Command & Destroy from DSI Games
January: Miami Nights: Singles in the City™ from Ubisoft
January: Brain Challenge™ from Ubisoft
Feb. 4: Paws & Claws: Pet Resort from THQ
Feb. 5: Homie Rollerz from Destineer
Feb. 5: Nanostray 2 from Majesco Entertainment
Feb. 10 (street date): Professor Layton and the Curious Village™ from Nintendo/LEVEL-5
Feb. 12: Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney from Capcom
Feb. 12: New Zealand Story Revolution from Ignition Entertainment
Feb. 12: Dream Pinball 3D from SouthPeak Games
Feb. 19: Spitfire Heroes: Tales of the RAF from Destineer
Feb. 19: Zoo Tycoon II from THQ
Feb. 25: Bratz: Super Babyz from THQ
Feb. 26: Bubble Bobble Double Shot from Ignition Entertainment
February: My Horse and Me from Atari
February: M&M'S® Kart Racing from DSI Games
February: Garfield® Gets Real from DSI Games
February: Yamaha Supercross from DSI Games
February: Insecticide from Gamecock Media Group
February: Anno™ 1701: Dawn of Discovery from Ubisoft
February: Assassin's Creed Altair's Chronicles™ from Ubisoft
February: Petz® Wild Animals: Tigerz from Ubisoft
February: Puppy Palace™ from Ubisoft
February: Real Soccer® 2008 from Ubisoft
March 1: Project Exile from Graffiti Entertainment, LLC
March 3: Let's Ride: Friends Forever from THQ
March 4: Diary Girl from Konami
March 4: Go Pets from Konami
March 4: Disney Friends from Disney Interactive Studios
March 4: Eco-Creatures: Save the Forest from Majesco Entertainment
March 8: Plushees from Destineer
March 8: River King: Mystic Valley from Natsume Inc.
March 8: Harvest Moon DS Cute from Natsume Inc.
March 11: FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Rings of Fate from Square Enix
March 11: Lost in Blue 3 from Konami
March 11: Pro Evolution Soccer from Konami
March 25: Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword from Tecmo, Inc.
March: Alone in the Dark from Atari
March: Drone Tactics from Atlus USA
March: Double Sequence from DSI Games
March: Ninja Reflex from Electronic Arts
March: Myst from Empire Interactive
March: Naruto™: Ninja Destiny from Tomy Corporation
March: Petz® Bunnyz™ from Ubisoft
March: Imagine™ Figure Skater from Ubisoft
March: Commando from XS Games
April 15: Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys from Ignition Entertainment
April: Super Dodgeball Brawlers from Aksys Games
April: Rondo of Swords from Atlus USA
April: Quick Yoga Training from Ubisoft
May 5: Crosswords DS from Nintendo
May 6: Speed Racer from Warner Bros. Games
May 8: Organize It from Summitsoft Corporation
May 13: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian from Disney Interactive Studios
May: Winx Club: Mission Enchantix from Konami
May: Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles from Aksys Games
May: Garfield® Fun Fest from DSI Games
May: 1 vs. 100 from DSI Games
June 8: Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness from Natsume Inc.
June: Shining Stars® from DSI Games
June: Catch of the Day from Electronic Arts
June: PipeMania from Empire Interactive
June: Wall-E from THQ
Spring: Sid Meier's Civilization® Revolution™ from 2K Games
Spring: Don King Presents: Prizefighter from 2K Sports
Spring: Top Spin 3 from 2K Sports
Spring: Kung Fu Panda from Activision
Spring: LEGO: Indiana Jones from LucasArts
Spring: The World Ends with You from Square Enix
Summer: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed from LucasArts
Summer: Tamagotchi Connection®: Corner Shop® 3 from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.
Q2: Bangai-O Spirits from D3 Publisher of America
Q2: PREY THE STARS from KOEI CORPORATION
Q2: Pokemon® Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time from Nintendo
Q2: Pokemon® Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness from Nintendo
About Nintendo: The worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™, Nintendo DS™, Game Boy® Advance and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. Since 1983, Nintendo has sold nearly 2.5 billion video games and more than 430 million hardware units globally, and has created industry icons like Mario™, Donkey Kong®, Metroid®, Zelda™ and Pokémon®. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company's Web site at www.nintendo.com.
Comments
March 9: Super Smash Bros.® Brawl from Nintendo
;_;
This just put the biggest grin on my face.
I'm calling mario kart for june and wii fit for may
Wow, some great games in this library, I really can't wait to try The World Ends with You.
Nintendo better start dropping some games...
SSBB cant come soon enough, and mario kart, step on it!
It's only tradition for Mario Kart to get delayed. It happens with all major first-party titles.
I didn't realize that Smash Bros. Brawl, Okami and Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword are all coming out in the same month.
For some strange reason, Endless Ocean and Wild Earth have me somewhat excited.
There's a new Mario Kart in the works? ;P
KoF Orochi Saga for the Wii?!... didn't see that coming.
KoF (King of Fighters) on Wii... strange.
Didn't see it coming.
"May: King of Fighters: The Orochi Saga from SNK Playmore"
Oops posted twice.. heh.
The DS has such incredible titles:
Homie Rollerz
Bratz: Super Babyz
Petz: Wild Animals: Tigerz
Petz: Bunnyz
How can you go wrong with content like that!
Looking good, any wagers on when these games are really going to come out?
I'll make a note of only buying Okami if their publishers are smart enough to take advantage of the european smash delay/ never getting a release date in the first place. Third parties definately have alot to game in releasing games to tide people over till Brawl comes out and i pray they're smart enough to realise this.
The Wii lineup doesn't thrill me at all. The only one I'd put down $50 for is Okami. I'll pick up Mario Kart and Brawl when they hit the $20 or $30 price point. Just wish they'd have more games for hardcore gamers. I absolutely loved Metroid Prime and do remember the Wii being marketed as thee console for FPS games. Is that gonna pan out? MP3 was proof that it could, but this list is, sadly, proof that it probably won't.
ooooh De Blob in June
Layton and Okami are instant purchases; Bangai O - Treasure always is worth a look, but not a genre I've ever been any good at. Would like a demo first, but that would require Nintendo to actually launch that channel...
Can someone turn down the suck.
@WiggyDee: Urgh, game= gain.
I never thought it would come to this point, but after the last one on the Cube, I am not remotely excited about the upcoming Mario Kart game.
And, aside from its lack of a 4-player mode, everyone knows the original is the best.
Soooo much crap! Doesn't Nintendo know companies like Destineer and DSI will flood their Wii jacuzzi with wee-wee? Who's asleep at the Nintendo Seal of Quality offices? Smells like asparagus...
So what is the big holiday release? We will have already had a new Mario, Mario Kart and SSBB. Metroid came out this year and we have to be a least 1-2 years from a new Zedla. Is Fall / Winter 08 going to be terrible?
Even if they delay Mario Kart to November I don't think that is a "system seller" they would need something else to win the holidays.
Anyone know of something I'm missing?
"STRONG LINEUP OF GAMES CONTINUES NINTENDO'S MOMENTUM IN 2008" :P /cough
Well SSBB is very nice, I can't wait for 2011 to get it in the EU, Mario kart Wii, now that is a title I want, I loved the Mario Kart for the Snes and N64 :) I will love that game, when it comes out.
Then we got Wii fit, EU will get lucky on that one, finally I can do excersise at home as soon as this year I bet.
I guess I can still wait a bit longer before I get myself a Wii.
Besides another Brawl, Kart, and Fit ... what is so strong on there that wasnt already played on the DS?
Karaoke Revolution American Idol Encore: Great rhythm game, or the greatest rhythm game?
@Buttah: I don't miss my DS funny enough, meh. Maybe the Sonic rpg will make me get one again, next year. That or a new Pokemon title, the real ones, not the dungeon draw pokeballs that is.
Alone in the Dark for the Wii? This is the first time I've heard of that. Definitely piques my interest.
Dear God how many times can they make Mario cart?
@EnigmaNemesis:
I agree Enigma. That list is utter garbage. Brawl, Kart and Wii-Fit is all they have. 360 and PS3 clearly have better titles.
Waluigi's 'Cuda looks like it's floating in that shot.
Maybe the hopping technique is back in this iteration.
@Torgen thinks AAA has lost all meaning: Sadly, I know I'll be buying it for my wife.
BTW, when the hell are we going to get Everyone's Nintendo Channel?
whoa, I didn't know N+ was a DS game also? Neat.
@EnigmaNemesis: All major franchises lately have been tried on a handheld before being brought to a console (at a much higher cost). Especially if it comes from Nintendo. Batallion Wars, Fire Emblem, Cooking Mama, Trauma Centre... the translation does very well.
Minimize risk on new IPs, maximize profits on established ones. It's business.
Phew. 2007's fall kind of made us forget there are a ton of gems coming out the year, and MGS and FF are merely the names that we've been hearing the most.
@Buttah: Just what Nintendo needs. A lineup of games with "z"'s added for extremeness! Yeahz!
@Visho: I thought Alone in the dark lost all its hype, which reminds me, when was the last time we saw something about it? Last time I was excited for this game was before the 360 came out...
@Tonx: Fire Emblem was an NES series long before the west got a GBA version.
@ViolentLee
The Nintendo seal of quality died with the entry of the GBA.
theres a fire emblem game 4 ds why isnt it there
I was like "OMG where's BRAWL?!" Then I saw I was on the DS list.. XD
Confirmation that disaster day of crisis is cancelled?
games with universal appeal for gamers old and new with Mario Kart® Wii, which uses the easy-to-pick-up Wii Wheel™;
I can see it now...
The Wii Wheel, easy to pick up, even easier to put back down.
The Wii Wheel, easy to pick up, near impossible to use.
The Wii Wheel... Dave, my mind is going, I can feel it.
The Wii Wheel...in your own living room, no one can hear you scream.
Come on Nintendo, just let people use the GameCube controller. Please!
@Irenicus-the one and only: The last time I played an Alone in the Dark game was waaaay back when the first one was out. I'm kind of excited to see what it's going to be like now that everything doesn't look like a triangle.
@The Konamunist:
ROFL :D
@lotkrota: Maybe it's due in the second half of the year?
Alright! Garfield Gets Real!
@The Konamunist: So you're saying you want a second wheel that holds GameCube controllers? Awesome idea!!! I'll sign your petition.