The rush of Wii launch information today keeps coming, as Nintendo of Japan has updated its official Web site with a lineup of release dates for 101 games. While a lot of the dates are vaguely listed as "tba," Nintendo was very specific when it came to the system's day-one titles.
When the Wii drops in Japan on December 2, purchasers will have at least 16 games to choose from on their new systems, including a quartet of Nintendo games, according to the publisher. Joining expected first-party launch titles Wii Sports and Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess are WarioWare: Smooth Moves and Hajimete no Wii: Your First Step to Wii. The other dozen launch titles feature new Tamagotchi, Gundam, and Super Monkey Ball games, as well as original properties like Necro-Nesia and Red Steel.
It also appears as if Nintendo might avoid the postlaunch drought of new releases that typically affect new systems. Another 10 titles are scheduled to hit Japanese shelves by the end of the year, including Western imports Need for Speed Carbon and Rayman Raving Rabbids. Nintendo will also release Pokèmon Battle Revolution in Japan sometime in December, before starting 2007 off with the US launch title Excite Truck in January, and a new Fire Emblem game in February.
[UPDATE] Among the 101 games are a few eyebrow-raising entries. First of all, Super Paper Mario (working title) is listed among the Wii games. Originally announced as a GameCube game, Super Paper Mario takes the aesthetic of Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario and places it in a platform game. Nintendo has not yet returned GameSpot's request for a status update on the GameCube version of the game.
Nintendo itself included a number of previously unannounced games it will be publishing, most of them new entries in successful franchises, and all saddled with working titles. Wii Yawaraka Atama Juku, is a next-gen version of the popular Nintendo DS brain training game Big Brain Academy. Donkey Kong Taru Jet Race should be the rhythmic platforming primate's first outing for the system. Hoshi no Kirby apparently stars the pink puffball Kirby, while the Animal Crossing brand is being brought to the system as Doubutsu no Mori. Cash cow Mario also had a new title slipped into the mix in Mario Party 8, which won't arrive until 2007, making 2006 the first off year for the long-running franchise.
However, Nintendo's also going beyond its firmly established franchises. It will publish a Wii game based on Eyeshield 21, the football-themed manga that spawned a DS game earlier this year. Finally, the company is working on a new game called Forever Blue. While Nintendo didn't detail exactly what Forever Blue would be, it's a safe bet it has nothing to do with the Chris Isaak album of the same name.
Nintendo games aren't the only interesting entries on the list. It appears the Wii debut of the Resident Evil series has been given the Japanese name Biohazard Umbrella Chronicles. In the Resident Evil series (known as Biohazard in Japan), Umbrella is the name of the evil corporation whose sinister research is more often than not behind apocalyptic zombie invasions.
It appears Sega is down for a gun-shooting game on the Wii, but the listing gives no hint as to which of the company's existing gun games franchises--if any--the game is based on. Sega created the successful Virtua Cop and House of the Dead franchises, as well as less memorable offerings like Confidential Mission, The Ocean Hunter, and The Maze of the Kings. There's also a listing for Pac-Man Carnival from Namco Bandai, although again, no details have been given about the title.
JAPANESE LAUNCH TITLES: TITLE / PUBLISHER / RELEASE Elebits / Konami Digital Entertainment / 12/02/2006 Ennichi no Tatsujin / Bandai Namco Games / 12/02/2006 Hajimete no Wii: Your First Step to Wii / Nintendo / 12/02/2006 Kororinpa / Hudson / 12/02/2006 Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess / Nintendo / 12/02/2006 Machi-Kuru Domino (Working Title) / Success / 12/02/2006 Necro-Nesia / Spike / 12/02/2006 Red Steel / Ubisoft / 12/02/2006 SD Gundam Revolution (Working Title) / Bandai Namco Games / 12/02/2006 Super Monkey Ball: Ukiuki Party Daisuugou / Sega / 12/02/2006 Swing Golf Pangya / Tecmo / 12/02/2006 Tamagotchi no Pikapika Daitouryou / Bandai Namco Games / 12/02/2006 Trauma Center: Second Opinion / Atlus / 12/02/2006 Wario Ware: Smooth Moves / Nintendo / 12/02/2006 Wii Sports / Nintendo / 12/02/2006 Wing Island / Hudson / 12/02/2006
POSTLAUNCH 2006 JAPANESE TITLES: TITLE / PUBLISHER / RELEASE Bleach Wii / Sega / Dec-06 Cooking Mama: Minna to Issho ni Oryouri Taikai! / Taito / Dec-06 Crayon Shin-chan / Banpresto / Dec-06 Furifuri (Working Title) / Taito / Dec-06 Mahjong Wii (Working Title) / Koei / Dec-06 Need For Speed Carbon / EA / Dec-06 Pokemon Battle Revolution / Pokèmon / Nintendo / Dec-06 Rayman (Working Title) / Ubisoft / Dec-06 Sengoku Musou Wave / Koei / Dec-06 Sudoku / Hudson / Dec-06 Tsuri Master (Working Title) / Hudson / Dec-06
FUTURE WII RELEASES: TITLE / PUBLISHER / RELEASE DATE 3D Action game (Working Title) / Takara Tomy / TBA 3D Boxing Action game (Working Title) / AQ Interactive / TBA Action Game (Working Title) / ASNetworks / 2007 Action Game (Working Title) / Epoch / TBA Action game (Working Title) / Takara Tomy / TBA Action Game (Working Title) / Banpresto / TBA Action Game (Working Title) / From Software / TBA Action RPG (Working Title) / From Software / TBA Bachindaa / Hudson / Feb-07 Barnyard (Working Title) / THQ Japan / TBA Baseball Game (Working Title) / Konami Digital Entertainment / TBA Battle Action game (Working Title) / Takara Tomy / TBA Biohazard Umbrella Chronicles (Working Title) / Capcom / TBA Bokujou Monogatari Wii (Working Title) / Marvelous Interactive / TBA Bomberman Land (Working Title) / Hudson / Mar-07 Call of Duty 3 / Activision / TBA Cars (Working Title) / THQ Japan / TBA Crossword / Hudson / Mar-07 Dairantou Smash Bros. X / Nintendo / 2007 Densha de Go! (Working Title) / Taito / TBA Disaster (Working Title) / Nintendo / Spring 2007 Donkey Kong Taru Jet Race (Working Title) / Nintendo / 2007 Doubutsu no Mori (Working Title) / Nintendo / TBA Downhill Jam (Working Title) / Activision / TBA Dragon Ball Z Sparking! NEO / Bandai Namco Games / Jan-07 Dragon Quest Swords / Square Enix / Spring 2007 Excite Truck / Nintendo / Jan-07 Eyeshield 21 (Working Title) / Nintendo / TBA Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Crystal Bearer (Working Title) / Square Enix / TBA Fire Emblem: Akatsuki no Megami / Nintendo / Feb-07 Fishing Game (Working Title) / ASNetworks / Summer 2007 Forever Blue (Working Title) / Nintendo / 2007 GT pro series / MTO / TBA Gun Shooting game (Working Title) / Sega / TBA Harry Potter (Working Title) / EA / 2007 Heroes / Spike / 2007 Horce Racing Action game (Working Title) / Koei / TBA Hoshi no Kirby (Working Title) / Nintendo / TBA Java / Spike / Spring 2007 Jigsaw Puzzle / Hudson / Mar-07 Kawano Nushi-Tsuri Series (Working Title) / Marvelous Interactive / TBA Mario Party 8 (Working Title) / Nintendo / 2007 Mario Strikers Charged (Working Title) / Nintendo / 2007 Marvel Ultimate Alliance / Interchannel-Holon / TBA Metroid Prime 3 Corruption (Working Title) / Nintendo / 2007 Mobile Suit Gundam (Working Title) / Bandai Namco Games / TBA Music simulation game (Working Title) / Konami Digital Entertainment / TBA New Action Adventure Game 1 (Working Title) / Konami Digital Entertainment / TBA New Action Adventure Game 2 (Working Title) / Konami Digital Entertainment / TBA New RPG (Working Title) / Koei / TBA Noumiso Konekone Puzzle Takoron / Compile Heart / Summer 2007 One Piece: Unlimited Adventure / Bandai Namco Games / TBA Original Action game (Working Title) / D3 Publisher / 2007 Original Simulation game (Working Title) / Marvelous Interactive / TBA Pac-Man Carnival (Working Title) / Bandai Namco Games / TBA Princess Company / Starfish SD / TBA Project Hammer (Working Title) / Nintendo / 2007 RPG (Working Title) / Konami Digital Entertainment / TBA San-X Allstar for Wii (Working Title) / MTO / TBA Shooting Game (Working Title) / ASNetworks / Summer 2007 Simple series (Working Title) / D3 Publisher / 2007 Soccer Game (Working Title) / Konami Digital Entertainment / TBA Sonic and the Secret Rings / Sega / 2007 Soothing character action game (Working Title) / MTO / TBA Sponge Bob (Working Title) / THQ Japan / TBA SSX (Working Title) / EA / 2007 Super Mario Galaxy / Nintendo / 2007 Super Paper Mario (Working Title) / Nintendo / 2007 Sword Fighting Action game (Working Title) / Interchannel-Holon / TBA Sword of Legendia (Working Title) / Bandai Namco Games / TBA The Dog Island (Working Title) / Yukes / 2007 Tiger Woods PGA Tour (Working Title) / EA / 2007 Totsugeki Famicom Wars W (Working Title) / Nintendo / 2007 Wii Music (Working Title) / Nintendo / 2007 Wii Yawaraka Atama Juku (Working Title) / Nintendo / Spring 2007
I wonder how many of these are gonna make it stateside?
Title: RE: Wii in Japan
Post by: Strell on December 02, 2006, 08:46:42 AM
YES.
Action Game get.
Title: RE: Wii in Japan
Post by: matt oz on December 02, 2006, 04:11:02 PM
Does anyone know what 'Your First Step to Wii' is? Sounds like a Wii Sports-like demo thing, but I've never heard of it.
Title: RE: Wii in Japan
Post by: Bill Aurion on December 02, 2006, 04:12:00 PM
We know it as Wii Play...
Title: RE: Wii in Japan
Post by: Nick DiMola on December 02, 2006, 06:02:37 PM
I hope a new Kururin game gets released out in Japan, and some sort of Freeloader is made here in America.
That game is begging to be a Wii game, seems like it would be natural to play it with the Wii's pointer functionality. Well, maybe that tech demo from E3 was fleshed out a bit and inserted as one of the hidden games for Wii Play...
Title: RE: Wii in Japan
Post by: Luigi Dude on December 02, 2006, 11:01:08 PM
I agree, I mean they brought Chibi Robo over to the US and that seems way more wacky then Kururin so maybe they'll finally bring it here. Of course they still refuse to release any of the Stafi games over here so I'm not going to get my hopes up.
Title: RE:Wii in Japan
Post by: ShreddersDojo on December 03, 2006, 03:02:46 AM
Where's your Mario and Luigi avatar from? It's cool, yet kind of creepy like the Burger King Mascot .
Anyway, is that Dragonball Title the same game we got here, or is it completly new? And what is Kuriran? All I know is that it's a Monk character with 6 dots on his head from the DBZ series .
Title: RE:Wii in Japan
Post by: Hocotate on December 03, 2006, 04:23:22 AM
Quote Originally posted by: ShreddersDojo
Anyway, is that Dragonball Title the same game we got here, or is it completly new?
Dragon Ball Z Sparking! NEO is called Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 in the US. That reminds me I still need to pick that one up!
Title: RE:Wii in Japan
Post by: Nick DiMola on December 03, 2006, 07:03:26 AM
Quote Originally posted by: ShreddersDojo And what is Kuriran? All I know is that it's a Monk character with 6 dots on his head from the DBZ series .
See here, here and here for decent descriptions of all the games in the series.
Title: RE:Wii in Japan
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 03, 2006, 03:13:14 PM
Quote Apparently the employees at Akiba Yodobashi mistook this Luigi cosplayer as being an official rep from Nintendo. They had him do the opening ceremonies and present the Wii to the first customer. Shortly thereafter they realized that he was just a regular dude in a Luigi suit and they whisked him away.
Title: RE: Wii in Japan
Post by: Arbok on December 03, 2006, 03:20:05 PM
Oh man, that's so awesome. Great Luigi costume too, so I'm not surprised they got tricked.
Title: RE: Wii in Japan
Post by: NWR_pap64 on December 03, 2006, 03:20:58 PM
Poor Luigi just doesn't get a break...
Title: RE:Wii in Japan
Post by: Dasmos on December 03, 2006, 03:28:34 PM
I can see why they got mixed up, that's a really good Luigi suit.
Title: RE: Wii in Japan
Post by: Dark_Sloth on December 03, 2006, 04:25:46 PM
Wow. That guy must have been having the time of his life. Look at his face man! He's loving it. Probably totally worth it. That guy shouldn't go to jail, though! All he was doing was spreading cheer.
Title: RE: Wii in Japan
Post by: Ceric on December 03, 2006, 05:10:46 PM
There really are things like party balls... o.O
Title: RE: Wii in Japan
Post by: BlkPaladin on December 03, 2006, 05:54:14 PM
Yes there is. It's a party favor, something like a pinata.
Title: RE:Wii in Japan
Post by: NWR_pap64 on December 04, 2006, 05:49:08 AM
Hey BnM, I took what you posted here and sent it over to Go Nintendo. I thought the news story was too funny to be ignored. I would've given you and NWR credit, but I didn't know if you were going to be cool with it.
And looks like someone found out who the impostor was!
Title: RE:Wii in Japan
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 04, 2006, 06:07:55 AM
"Hey BnM, I took what you posted here and sent it over to Go Nintendo. I thought the news story was too funny to be ignored. I would've given you and NWR credit, but I didn't know if you were going to be cool with it."
hey, its fine by me, I actually found the story linked to somewhere else and thought I should post it here. So the only credit I deserve is for bringing the story to NWR, not actually finding it or translating it
Title: RE: Wii in Japan
Post by: Smash_Brother on December 04, 2006, 06:16:48 AM
I don't understand why they'd arrest the guy for it, but then again, Japanese stores probably don't have the same easygoing nature that most over here do.
Title: RE:Wii in Japan
Post by: NWR_pap64 on December 04, 2006, 06:20:36 AM
Quote Originally posted by: Smash_Brother I don't understand why they'd arrest the guy for it, but then again, Japanese stores probably don't have the same easygoing nature that most over here do.
Just be thankful the stores didn't confuse you for Donkey Kong and didn't drag you into Wii sales ceremonies :p .
I think the reason he got arrested was because he never told the people he was just a fan. I mean, if you are expecting someone in costume to show up at your event, wouldn't the first thing you ask him or her is "Are you from X company?".
Maybe due to the rush, they just grabbed the guy assuming he was an official rep that was already entertaining the fans, or the guy thought his costume was so good he deserved to participate on the ceremonies.
Title: RE: Wii in Japan
Post by: Smash_Brother on December 04, 2006, 06:53:12 AM
Without my red tie on, I look more like a sasquatch, and those aren't Nintendo affiliated.
I'm guessing he didn't tell them he wasn't sent by Nintendo and they thought he might try stealing a Wii or something.
Title: RE:Wii in Japan
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on December 04, 2006, 07:17:14 AM