Nintendo released today a list of all the games that will appear on the Wii by yearend. The list consists of 32 Wii games and 30 Virtual Console games. And without further ado, the list:
Wii
Activision • Call of Duty 3 • Marvel Ultimate Alliance • Rapala Tournament Fishing • Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam • World Series of Poker: Tournament of Champions Atari • Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 Atlus • Trauma Center: Second Opinion EA • Madden NFL '07 • Need for Speed: Carbon Konami • Elebits • Midway • Happy Feet • Rampage: Total Destruction • The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, The Ant Bully Sega • Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz SNK • Metal Slug Anthology Tecmo • Super Swing Golf THQ • Avatar: The Last Airbender • Barnyard • Cars • SpongeBob SquarePants: The Creature from the Krusty Krab Ubisoft • Far Cry: Vengeance • GT Pro Series • Monster 4X4 World Circuit • Open Season • Rayman Raving Rabbids • Red Steel • Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent Vivendi • Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
Virtual Console NES • Mario Bros. • The Legend of Zelda • Donkey Kong • Donkey Kong Jr. • Ice Hockey • Pinball • Soccer • Tennis • Urban Champion • Wario's Woods • Baseball • Solomon's Key SNES • F-Zero • SimCity N64 • Super Mario 64 Sega Genesis • Sonic the Hedgehog • Altered Beast • Golden Axe • Columns • Ecco the Dolphin • Gunstar Heroes • Space Harrier II • Toe Jam & Earl • Ristar • Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine TurboGrafx16 • Bonk's Adventure • Super Star Soldier • Victory Run • Bomberman '93 • Dungeon Explorer
April 30, 2007 - Last week, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata held a conference to talk about company financials and to outline its plan for the year. At the Japan-hosted event, Iwata noted that the Big N had 45 Wii games and another 79 DS titles in development. Now, through officially released financial documents, we've gained a much deeper understanding of which titles players can look forward to this year - both in Japan and in America.
Nintendo officially states that the following games will be coming out for Wii in Japan in 2007:
Donkey Kong Taru Jet Race (DK Jet or DK Bongo Blast, US) - June 28, 2007 Wii Health Pack -- 2007 Disaster: Day of Crisis - 2007 Mario Party 8 - 2007 Project H.A.M.M.E.R. - 2007 Wii Music - 2007 Super Mario Galaxy - 2007 Super Smash Bros. Brawl - 2007 Battalion Wars II - 2007 Forever Blue - 2007 Mario Strikers Charged - 2007 Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - 2007 Mario and Sonic at the Olympics - 2007
In a word, wow. The list confirms that, at least in Japan, Nintendo is planning to release all of its big Wii guns, including Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, this year. In addition, the list reaffirms that the company is underway with Wii Health Pack and Wii Music, two games destined to follow in the footsteps of the ultra-popular Wii Sports. Wii Health Pack is allegedly an exercise-focused game that rates players' health scores in the same way that Nintendo's brain titles rank brain ages. Meanwhile, Wii Music will very likely include both Wii Orchestra and Wii Drums, as demonstrated or shown at previous events, such as the Electronic Entertainment Expo.
While skeptics may argue that Nintendo carelessly listed all of its major games for 2007 without much thought, or to remain vague, it is important to note that it also made a distinction for two projects. Both Animal Crossing Wii and Hoshi no Kirby (Kirby Adventure) Wii are listed in the same documents as "TBA," or to be announced. Clearly, some separators were set for the official list and Nintendo still chose to define the majority of its Wii projects for the 2007 time frame.
Of the games listed, only four have been officially confirmed to debut this year in America. Mario Party 8 is set for May 29 in the States; Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree for June 11; Pokemon Battle Revolution for June 25; and Mario Strikers Charged for this summer. SEGA has revealed that Mario and Sonic at the Olympics will ship this year, but no specific date has been set. However, readers should remember that titles like Metroid Prime 3 are set for 2007 in Japan and these games have always shipped in America first, suggesting that Corruption is certain to debut in the US before the end of the year. In addition, we have to think that fans would riot if Japan got Smash and Galaxy in 2007 and the Americas did not.
Nintendo has historically shied away from releasing too many major games during a single year and as a result fans have become accustomed to bracing themselves for software delays. Beyond the second quarter, though, this year's Wii release schedule is anybody's guess and there is now real hope that the company could actually debut many of its biggest games before the holiday season.
While PlayStation 3 may not yet be a threat to Wii, Xbox 360 sales are continuing at a steady pace with no visible signs of slowing. The house that Mario built could choose to counter some of Microsoft's kings with aces of its own - Smash, Galaxy and Metroid can certainly compete with titles like Mass Effect, Halo 3 and Too Human. And Nintendo may be able to do this without losing sight of the mainstream crowd, dishing out efforts like Wii Health Pack and Wii Music.
Furthermore, Nintendo's 2007 Wii schedule consists of only 13 titles -- a far cry from the 45 projects the company has in development.
For now, the release schedule is not speculation, but truth - at least overseas. What remains to be seen is whether or not Nintendo will stick to the schedule or delay one or more projects to next year. If it does indeed move ahead as currently planned, 2007 may prove to be one of the biggest years in company history.
In separate, but semi-related news, rumors began to circulate late last week that Nintendo was interested in hiring former Sony head Ken Kutaragi, who, having fathered the PlayStation and its predecessors, is leaving the company. But speaking with the Japanese press, Nintendo's president said that such rumors were unfounded.
I am very sure half of those release dates are pure speculation. I bet Brawl won't be ready until 2008. But then again, Kojima (who got to playtest the game) said that Sakurai could "release it as-is" commenting on the level of complete-ness.
Might be a good idea to assume that SSBB might come out around Halo 3, but the only time it'd succeed is when the hype for Halo 3 wore off. Why? Halo fanatics are Halo fanatics and everything from Counter-Strike to Gears of War are all "gay" for one reason: It's not Halo & "Halo is your GOD". I never thought video games could have such a religious following.
Post by swimstud600 on May 1, 2007 14:41:01 GMT -5
Who really cares if there are delays? If they came out with SSBB, Corruption, Galaxy and all the other stuff on the same day I wouldn't buy them all. I'd get 1, maybe 2 of them. Why? What good is it going to do me to have all these awesome new titles when I can only play 1 at a time. Its a good thing if there are delays, it'll give gamers ample time to beat Corruption before Galaxy comes out.