Topic: North American Wii, DS Lineup Announced for Q1 2009

[TheYoungerPlumber]

Nintendo of America announces its first and third party lineup for the first quarter of next year, including enhanced GameCube games for Wii and some similarly familiar names on the DS.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=17414

 Nintendo has outlined planned releases for its systems in the beginning of 2009, highlighting a smattering of remakes and sequels from the publisher.    

Notable Nintendo titles for the DS are PokĂ©mon Platinum and Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon—a remake of the very first Fire Emblem on the Famicom. Wii owners can look forward to enhanced rereleases of Mario Power Tennis and Pikmin under the "Play Control!" brand.    

Third party titles confirmed for an early 2009 release in Nintendo's statement include Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (DS), Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time (DS/Wii), and Madworld (Wii).    

POKÉMON PLATINUM TOPS NINTENDO'S DIVERSE GAME LINEUP FOR EARLY 2009    

New Releases Also Include New Play Control! Pikmin and Mario Power Tennis for Wii, Fire Emblem for Nintendo DS    

REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 17, 2008 – Continuing its commitment to create fun and engaging experiences for everyone, Nintendo of America Inc. today unleashes a broad list of exciting new games for the first quarter of 2009. Topping the list is PokĂ©mon™ Platinum version for Nintendo DS™, a remarkable new entry in the beloved PokĂ©mon series, slated for a March 22 launch across North America. Nintendo's roster of more than 100 new games includes an impressive array of challenges and experiences for new players and loyalists, as well as everyone in between. Notable titles include the enhanced New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis™ and New Play Control! Pikmin™ for Wii™, and Fire Emblem™: Shadow Dragon, Personal Trainer™: Math and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for Nintendo DS.    

"Our fans expect a diverse selection of entertainment options, and we're eager to deliver exactly that," said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "We're building on the momentum of a strong holiday season by offering new and experienced players an even greater library of game titles in 2009."    

PokĂ©mon fans in particular will have plenty to cheer about as PokĂ©mon Platinum is readied for its U.S. debut. Following the vast popularity of PokĂ©mon® Diamond and PokĂ©mon Pearl, PokĂ©mon Platinum is the newest in the core series of PokĂ©mon games. PokĂ©mon Platinum features a new story full of adventure, never-before-seen forms of powerful PokĂ©mon – including the legendary Giratina's Origin Forme – and the Distortion World, a mysterious new world that suddenly appears in the Sinnoh region. In addition, with PokĂ©mon Platinum up to 20 players can interact with other PokĂ©mon fans from around the world in the new Wi-Fi Plaza, featuring mini-games and activities. Players can also enjoy the new features in the Global Terminal, such as posting battle videos using the new "Vs. Recorder."  In addition, PokĂ©mon Platinum features a new Battle Frontier, where the toughest Trainers can test their skills in new ways. PokĂ©mon Platinum already has broken previous Nintendo DS sales records in Japan, selling more than 1 million copies in its first two days of release.    

For the portable Nintendo DS, Personal Trainer: Math builds on the new Personal Trainer™ series, which launched with Personal Trainer™: Cooking, now extends its reach beyond the stomach to the brain. Personal Trainer: Math introduces 40 fast-paced exercises to give players a fun way to improve their arithmetic skills. The Personal Trainer series is designed to help users enrich their lives and learn new skills in fun and interesting ways. Also for Nintendo DS, fans of the Fire Emblem franchise will enjoy the arrival of Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon, a revamped and re-imagined version of the NES™ classic, featuring touch-screen controls. Players with a broadband Internet connection can enjoy worldwide battles over Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection, Nintendo's online gaming service.    

Meanwhile, for the Wii console, Nintendo is offering up two classic Nintendo GameCube™ games: New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis and New Play Control! Pikmin enhanced for play using the Wii Remote™ controller. The enhanced New Play Control! Pikmin game lets players point the Wii Remote controller at the screen and use it as a cursor, making it easy to select either a single Pikmin or an entire army. When a player tosses Pikmin, they fly wherever the cursor is pointing. New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis lets players enjoy an afternoon on the court as their favorite characters from the Mushroom Kingdom, complete with motion-controlled serves and swings. With Wii controls, players can swing the Wii Remote controller to hit forehands and backhands and to apply spin. Experienced gamers can also attach a Nunchuk™ controller for additional precision. Both games are scheduled to launch next March.    

Third-party publishers continue to bring diverse, creative games like FINAL FANTASY® CRYSTAL CHRONICLES®: Echoes of Time™ from Square-Enix for Wii and Nintendo DS. These games offer unique features that allow users to play multiplayer across Nintendo platforms. MADWORLD™ from Sega will be available exclusively for Wii, and the highly acclaimed franchise Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars from Rockstar Games will be available for Nintendo DS.    

Below is a partial list of upcoming games for Wii and Nintendo DS. Note that game titles and launch dates are subject to change.    

Wii

 

Activision
Monsters vs. Aliens - March 24

Crave Entertainment 
Monster Pals™ - March
Solitaire & Mahjong - February
Puzzle Challenges and More! - February
Crayola Colorful World - March

D3Publisher 
Onechanbara™ Bikini Zombie Slayers™ - February
Coraline - January

 

Destineer
WordJong Party - January
Battle Rage - February
Cradle of Rome - February
Cate West: The Vanishing Files - March
Burger Island - March

 

Disney Interactive Studios
Disney Sing It: High School Musical 3: Senior Year - Winter

 

DreamCatcher
Play the World - March

 

Electronic Arts
NASCAR® Kart Racing - Feb. 10
SimAnimals™ - Jan. 27
TRIVIAL PURSUIT - Early spring

 

Hudson Entertainment
FISHING MASTER WORLD TOUR - Jan. 6
Marble Saga Kororinpa™ - Spring

 

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. 
DanceDanceRevolution® Disney Grooves - March

 

Majesco Entertainment
Escape the Museum - January
Major Minor's Majestic March - March

 

Marvelous Entertainment USA
Little King's Story - Feb. 17
Rune Factory: Frontier - March

 

Mastiff 
Deer Drive™ - Jan. 20

 

NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. 
We Ski™ and Snowboard - March

 

Nintendo
New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis™ - March
New Play Control! Pikmin™ - March

 

Sega 
The House of The Dead: Overkill™ - February
SONIC™ and the Black Knight - March
MADWORLD™ - March

 

Southpeak Interactive
Roogoo Twisted Towers™ - Feb. 17
Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball™ - March 17
Brave: A Warrior's Tale™ - Feb. 17

 

THQ
Paws & Claws Pet Resort - Jan. 5
Neighborhood Games - Jan. 5

 

Ubisoft
Tenchu™: Shadow Assassins - February
Broken Sword™: Shadows of the Templars (Director's Cut) - March

 

XS Games
Super PickUps™ - Q1

 

Nintendo DS

 

Activision
Monsters vs. Aliens - March 24
Pimp My Ride 2™ - March 24
Animal Planet™ - March 10

 

Atlus U.S.A., Inc. 
My World, My Way™ - Feb. 3
Legacy of Ys™: Books I & II - Feb. 10
Trackmania™ DS - March 17

 

Crave Entertainment 
Monster Pals ™ - March

 

D3Publisher of America
Puzzle Quest™: Galactrix™ - Q1
Coraline - January

 

Destineer 
USA TODAY Puzzle Craze - January
DinoPets - March

 

Disney Interactive Studios
Phineas and Ferb - Winter

 

DreamCatcher
Inkheart - January
Learn Math - January
Drivers' Ed Portable - January
Monster Band - January
Zoo Quest - February
My Personal Diary - February
Music Star: Pop Star - February
Paint by DS - March
Matchstick - March
Dreamer: Top Model - March
Sarah - Keeper of the Unicorn - March
Learn Chess - March
Dragon Master - April

 

Electronic Arts
Zubo™ - March
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure™ - Q1
SimAnimals™ - Jan. 27

 

Empire Interactive 
Jagged Alliance - Feb. 17

 

Gameloft
American Popstar - Road to Celebrity - March 9

 

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
Elebits: The Adventures of Kai and Zero™ - Q1
Suikoden Tierkreis - Q1
Little Magician's Magic Adventure™ - Q1

 

Majesco Entertainment 
WonderWorld Amusement Park™ - January
Powerbike - January
Our House™ - Q1
Hot 'n' Cold - March

 

Marvelous Entertainment USA
Avalon Code - February
Flower, Sun, and Rain - March

 

Mastiff
Moon™ - Jan. 13

 

MumboJumbo
Chicken Hunter Star Karts - March 10

 

Nintendo
Personal Trainer™: Math - Jan. 12
Fire Emblem™: Shadow Dragon - Feb. 16
Pokémon™ Platinum version - March 22

 

ROCKSTAR GAMES 
Grand Theft Auto™: Chinatown Wars - Winter

 

Southpeak Interactive 
Big Bang Mini® - Jan. 6
Roogoo Attack™ - Feb. 17
Brave: Shaman's Challenge™ - Feb. 17

 

Square Enix, Inc. 
FINAL FANTASY® CRYSTAL CHRONICLES®: Echoes of Time™ - Spring

 

THE GAME FACTORY
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES™ - Jan. 19

 

THQ
Paws & Claws Pampered Pets - Jan. 5

 

TOMY Corporation
My DoItAll™ - February

 

Ubisoft
Jake Power Fireman - January
Jake Power Policeman - January
Imagine™ Cheerleader - February
JoJo's Fashion Show - February
Petz® Horseshoe Ranch - February
Imagine™ Family Doctor - February
Imagine™ Ice Champions - March
Jake Power Handyman - March
My Fashion Studio Paris Collection - Feb. 17
American Popstar - Road to Celebrity - March 24
Broken Sword™: Shadows of the Templars (Director's Cut) - March

 

XSEED Games
Retro Game Challenge - Jan. 6

[Schadenfreude]

This looks to be a better software lineup then what came out on the Wii and DS this fall.

[NWR_insanolord]

It'd be hard to not be better than that. If you count what I asked for for Christmas I bought 3 Wii games in the 4th quarter of '08, there are at least twice that many on that list that I plan to buy.

[Kairon]

WHAT? No 100 Classics on the DS? I'm gonna have to import from the UK after all!

*sigh*

Oh well, only in my dreams could I afford to pursue all the games on that list that I'm interested in. BTW, it doesn't look complete. Deadly Creatures, where is it?

Wii

SimAnimals™ - Jan. 27
Marble Saga Kororinpa™ - Spring
Escape the Museum - January
Little King's Story - Feb. 17
Rune Factory: Frontier - March
We Ski™ and Snowboard - March
New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis™ - March
New Play Control! Pikmin™ - March
The House of The Dead: Overkill™ - February
SONIC™ and the Black Knight - March
MADWORLD™ - March
Tenchu™: Shadow Assassins - February
Broken Sword™: Shadows of the Templars (Director's Cut) - March

Nintendo DS
 
My World, My Way™ - Feb. 3
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure™ - Q1
SimAnimals™ - Jan. 27
Jagged Alliance - Feb. 17
Elebits: The Adventures of Kai and Zero™ - Q1
Flower, Sun, and Rain - March
Moon™ - Jan. 13
Grand Theft Auto™: Chinatown Wars - Winter
FINAL FANTASY® CRYSTAL CHRONICLES®: Echoes of Time™ - Spring

[TheYoungerPlumber]

I agree, the first quarter looks pretty good, overall. Last year was front-loaded too: Brawl and Mario Kart came out, and I guess Boom Blox, and then there was very little I was interested in. Nintendo's big titles seem to be in the wings this year, though, so hopefully we'll see big names from NOA in the summer and fall. (Punch Out, Sin & Punishment, M&L 3, and whatever else they're cooking up.)

Hmmm, maybe Deadly Creatures has been pushed back? THQ knows it holds promise, so it's quite feasible they decided to push it back to allow for more polish.

[DAaaMan64]

Damn I thought that said "Metallica vs. Aliens" not "Monsters vs. Aliens"

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Bikini Zombie Slayers, YEAH

[Ian Sane]

So Nintendo just had the most pathetic Christmas lineup I've ever seen and the only first party Wii games they have in Q1 are two remakes of Cube games.  What the hell has Nintendo been working on to explain what will end being almost six months of Wii Music and remakes?

Now normally Q1 is rather slow so it's usually pretty normal to not have big titles at this time.  But after such a worthless Q4 (and Q3 wasn't too hot either) we need something significant.  Why the hell is the Wii having a major drought entering it's third year?  Droughts are supposed to be first year stuff.

If instead of a remake of Animal Crossing Nintendo actually did make some major core game this Christmas then Q1 wouldn't even matter.  We would all be playing the big mega Wii game we got for Christmas.

It will be nice to see the first Fire Emblem finally released here.  I would love it if they also offered a translation of the original version on the VC but that's not too likely.

[GoldenPhoenix]

So Nintendo just had the most pathetic Christmas lineup I've ever seen and the only first party Wii games they have in Q1 are two remakes of Cube games.  What the hell has Nintendo been working on to explain what will end being almost six months of Wii Music and remakes?

Now normally Q1 is rather slow so it's usually pretty normal to not have big titles at this time.  But after such a worthless Q4 (and Q3 wasn't too hot either) we need something significant.  Why the hell is the Wii having a major drought entering it's third year?  Droughts are supposed to be first year stuff.

If instead of a remake of Animal Crossing Nintendo actually did make some major core game this Christmas then Q1 wouldn't even matter.  We would all be playing the big mega Wii game we got for Christmas.

It will be nice to see the first Fire Emblem finally released here.  I would love it if they also offered a translation of the original version on the VC but that's not too likely.

Gee Ian, maybe because they released Metroid Prime 3, Mario Galaxy, SSB:B and Mario Kart Wii all within about 6 months of each other? Also I think you are forgetting PUnch OUt along with Sin and Punishment 2 which are due out early next year.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

You'll have to remind him more often cuz Ian forgets a lot.

[King of Twitch]

No Wii Sports Resort til mid-May. Bummer

[Jonnyboy117]

First-party sucks, again.  Third-party looks pretty good, lots of "maybe" purchases for me.  I'm surprised that Conduit isn't listed, but maybe they're not sure when it will be finished or just want to hold off.  I really thought Wii Sports Resort would be out by March.

[ShyGuy]

I want Fatal Frame 4, Nintendo.

[Ian Sane]

Gee Ian, maybe because they released Metroid Prime 3, Mario Galaxy, SSB:B and Mario Kart Wii all within about 6 months of each other? Also I think you are forgetting PUnch OUt along with Sin and Punishment 2 which are due out early next year.

Metroid Prime 3 and Mario Galaxy came out last year.  Those games didn't come out like three months ago.  Mario Kart Wii came out in APRIL and here we now have the schedule up until the end of March.  That would be at least 11 months.  COME ON!  There's no excuse for that.

Punch-Out is made by Next Level, Sin and Punishment 2 is made by Treasure.  I love Treasure but these aren't Nintendo's top teams.  What the hell are EAD and IS and Retro doing?  I'll buy S&P2.  Punch-Out I'm going to wait for more info since I don't trust who's working on it.  But those aren't big Nintendo titles that I buy a Nintendo console for.  They're the fill-in-the-gaps kind of titles that Nintendo releases between the big stuff.  The stuff that's still good but isn't the GOTY kind of stuff and doesn't try to be.  That's why I appear to "forget" about them.  They're the side dishes to the main course but everyone here is pumping them up as more than that.  Is it because Nintendo standards have fallen so much that ANY core game from Nintendo is a AAA super-hyped title?

They just tried to swindle us by promoting a remake of Animal Crossing as a new game and having this huge drought and their follow-up to this is Wii-Makes.  AC: City Folk, Wii Music and these re-releases of Pikmin and Mario Tennis are specifically for the new blue ocean audience.  It's a non-game (and easily their worst one yet) and some re-releases for those that didn't own a Cube.  As Nintendo fans we should be PISSED.  This will be six months of literally NOTHING for the Wii released by Nintendo for the old audience.  Nothing for US.  And yet drawing attention to this pissing on their fanbase is unpopular around here.

[Urkel]

What the hell are EAD and IS and Retro doing?

Reworking all their core games for MotionPlus.

[GoldenPhoenix]

Yeah I feel so screwed to get Mario Galaxy one of the greatest games ever along with Metroid Prime 3 last year. THis year I feel even more screwed by getting Brawl and Mario Kart within a few months of each other. Oh yeah I also feel EXTREMELY screwed that I am having a terrific time with Animal Crossing City Folk with people from here and by myself. Oh noes the world is ending. Nintendo is obviously screwing the fans and not working on anything. What makes this so hilarious is if they delayed Mario Galaxy until this year and released it for Christmas, Ian would probably be slighly less annoying and whiny. But since we had one of the best years EVER for a Nintendo console last year it is horrendous that the second half of 2008 didn't have some huge blockbuster from Nintendo.

Not to mention the fact that Nintendo is not know for giving away details on all their games if it isn't coming out within the next 3-4 months. It is extremely odd that Ian whines about core games, when Sin and Punishment 2 is about as "core" game as you can get not to mention a risky endeavor.

To conclude, I will say, the reason why your comments, Ian,  are unpopular here is because that is all you do. It is ridiculous and it is impossible to take your negative ramblings that you've been spouting for years now seriously. There is only so much "the sky is falling" people can take before they get sick of it. What makes this exceptionally laughable is you've admitted you haven't even picked up some of the great 3rd party games out, instead you just complain about what you don't have, when you get, you find something else to complain about.

[Ian Sane]

What makes this so hilarious is if they delayed Mario Galaxy until this year and released it for Christmas, Ian would probably be slighly less annoying and whiny. But since we had one of the best years EVER for a Nintendo console last year it is horrendous that the second half of 2008 didn't have some huge blockbuster from Nintendo.

Considering Mario Galaxy was the big title LAST Christmas don't you figure that maybe I would have complained that THAT Christmas was without a big title?  You guys are acting like last year exceptional.  No, THIS year is the exception.  Nintendo used to release a big game every Christmas.  They might have missed one on the N64 at some point but in general that's the routine.  That's normal.

To conclude, I will say, the reason why your comments, Ian,  are unpopular here is because that is all you do. It is ridiculous and it is impossible to take your negative ramblings that you've been spouting for years now seriously.

Nintendo hasn't improved.  In fact they've gotten worse.  Am I going to suddenly change my tune for no reason?  I think it's just that I'm stubbornly loyal to a company that obviously doesn't have any interest in my support because they've got ten non-gamers to replace me.  Almost everyone else with similar opinions gave up on Nintendo years ago and don't post here anymore.  Sadly I think I'm part of a group Nintendo has kicked off the ship and I just have tighter grip as they stomp on my fingers.

I look at the big "front loaded" Wii lineup with Metroid and Mario and SSB and I realize all of those were games we knew about before the Wii even launched.  They're really the first wave of Nintendo Wii games.  And they're core gamer focused.  I'm wondering if Nintendo wanted to core gamers Nintendo fans on board at the beginning as insurance in case the non-gamers didn't bite.  So they stacked the lineup to get them on board and moved Zelda from the Cube to the Wii.  Since then they have been very successful with non-gamers.  Non-games take much less effort to make and non-gamers are much easier to please.  Less effort, more money.  It's a winning formula.  I wonder if they no longer feel any real need to appeal to core gamers anymore.  It turns out they didn't need us to make the Wii and success and likely don't need us for the future.  And our games take a lot more effort.  Thus the b-teams are working on the core games and if the core gamers bail, no biggie.

[Luigi Dude]

What the hell are EAD and IS and Retro doing?

Super Mario Galaxy was in development for about 3 years.

Twilight Princess was in development for about 3 years.

Metroid Prime 3 was in development for about 2.5 years.


Do you see what I'm showing, it takes Nintendo's top studios time to make their games.  Would have rather have Nintendo force Tokyo EAD and Retro to rush out yearly sequels?  Do you want Nintendo to force EAD 3 to rush out the current Zelda just so you can play it right now?

The reason why most Nintendo games are good is because Nintendo gives it's studio's plenty of time to work on their games.  Even the smaller studio's are usually given close to 2 years on each project.  The point is, from 2007 til early 2008, Nintendo was releasing games at an amazing rate.  The reason why things have slowed down now is because all the studio's that released games during that time, aren't done with their current games yet.

And since Nintendo's current marketing stragtegy is to not show off games until they're almost done, that's why we haven't seen too much yet.  But just because we haven't seen it, doesn't mean it don't exist.

[Kairon]

So Nintendo just had the most pathetic Christmas lineup I've ever seen and the only first party Wii games they have in Q1 are two remakes of Cube games.

Someone needs to buy some third party games.

I look at the big "front loaded" Wii lineup with Metroid and Mario and SSB and I realize all of those were games we knew about before the Wii even launched.  They're really the first wave of Nintendo Wii games.  And they're core gamer focused.  I'm wondering if Nintendo wanted to core gamers Nintendo fans on board at the beginning as insurance in case the non-gamers didn't bite.

That is exactly what happened. Nintendo wanted to open strong to make everyone forget the GameCube, and they did.

Non-games take much less effort to make and non-gamers are much easier to please.  Less effort, more money.  It's a winning formula...  Thus the b-teams are working on the core games and if the core gamers bail, no biggie.

If non-games really took much less effort, then the B-teams would be working on them. You seem to ignore the fact that Wii Music has been development for ages, that Wii Fit required MIYAMOTO's input, of all people, and that Animal Crossing was EAD developed.

You're making the same mistake that Ubisoft often makes Ian: non-games aren't easier to make. They require just as much care as regular games to earn the sales that Nintendo is getting, and maybe even more effort since they're wholly new challenges that have never been attempted before.

[NWR_Lindy]

Ian, in all seriousness, do you own a 360?  You should.  That's where the games you seem to want are nowadays.  If you want traditional stuff, it's all there.  Pick up a 360, let your Wii stay dormant, and let the anger fade away.

[Nemo]

I agree with Ian. I haven't really been impressed with Nintendo's first party line-up this year. I'm sick of Mario Kart games (though the new one is fun with friends it's not different enough for me to want to buy). I've never been a fan of Smash Bros. I got Wii Fit but it's not super-fun. Animal Crossing isn't different enough to buy. I'm not interested in Wii Music. I understand that these games appeal to some people and I think that's great for them. 

I, however, don't think I've ever gone a full year without getting a really exceptional first party Nintendo console game that I've thoroughly enjoyed. So when I saw a list of releases for the next 3 months, I was eager to see what Nintendo had cooking... two ports of GameCube games that I already own??? Well, like Ian, I'm let down.

It's not the end of the world, since I still have bought games that I haven't had time to play. I haven't even broken the seal on No More Heroes, nor have I played Okami. And I think my family might get me games (or at least 1) for Christmas. Also... the DS can keep me busy. Nevertheless, I had the expectation of Nintendo coming out with a game that I'd be super-pumped about. Perhaps it's Nintendo's own fault for historically releasing a slow stream of quality in past generations and then opening the flood gates the first 18 months (or so) of the Wii's life... but I hope for better from Nintendo and soon.

[Kairon]

Yeah, this IS sort of shocking that Nintendo's so... not there, this first quarter. Luckily there's tons of games I'm interested in otherwise, if you look at my above post. I guess I'm just lucky! ^_^

Maybe Nintendo simply believes that they don't need to release games when sales are so spectacular? Maybe they're enjoying having the extra time to add polish instead of feeling pressured to push something out the door?

[TheYoungerPlumber]

For the record, I'm let down by Nintendo too. I don't quite agree with Ian's untempered anger at Nintendo, since as others noted, last year and the start of this year had some good stuff. I don't believe they've up and left us completely--they're just hush-hush about the next big thing for us right now. I think the next Zelda for Wii will be fun for long-time Zelda fans, while being more inviting to new gamers.

Yes, I'm sad to see more effort put towards games I don't care for, but I can't blame Nintendo for wanting to make money and cater to a new audience.  More than anything, Nintendo dropped the ball with scheduling and are back-filling.

HOWEVER: Sorry, Carmine. Most of the third party stuff you like...I don't like. Your telling me to just go out and buy third party stuff does nothing for me. I bought Boom Blox and Tales. I'm happy with those so far. I wanted to buy Unleashed until I read some reviews. I bought my Wii first and foremost for Nintendo games I enjoy, and they aren't there this winter or spring. And since my PS3 is at home, I can't sample the PS3/360 lineup right now.

[Plugabugz]

I agree with Ian to a point. I think he'd be more satisfied if the 4 key games were rearranged or released more evenly:

Mario Kart should have been in March
Wii Fit should have been in June
Animal Crossing and Brawl should have been in September
Wii Music and Disaster Day of Crisis (with decent marketing!) should have been in early December.

Even if the games were completed early, all the dev's couls have moved onto new stuff and Nintendo simply hold back on publishing so not to overload the whole year.

What we have in reality is the first half of 2008 being a Nintengasm and the rest not as strong. Especially with university i needed to keep my choice of titles trim. I last bought De Blob in September.
Disaster Day of Crisis is becoming to Wii what Geist was to Cube. Full of potential but unbacked. It's the only first party game since 2006 i've seen with no marketing to back it up. I reckon the year would have been more balanced if that game was handled better.

[Kairon]

HOWEVER: Sorry, Carmine. Most of the third party stuff you like...I don't like. Your telling me to just go out and buy third party stuff does nothing for me. I bought Boom Blox and Tales. I'm happy with those so far. I wanted to buy Unleashed until I read some reviews. I bought my Wii first and foremost for Nintendo games I enjoy, and they aren't there this winter or spring. And since my PS3 is at home, I can't sample the PS3/360 lineup right now.

Yeah. The truth is that I really am lucky. Not only do I enjoy Nintendo's "core" games, I also am truly excited about games like Animal Crossing and, in the past, Mario Paint. (luvluvLUV Mario Paint!)

And add to that that I've always been in love with innovative and quirky third party efforts. This isn't just about Kickle Cubicle and Solar Jetman on the NES, it's also about Pieces, Uncharted Waters, and Lemmings on the SNES; Tail of the Sun, Parappa, DDR, and RoboPit on the PS1; Ka on the PS2 (wish I could've played it), Cubivore and Alien Hominid on the GameCube, and more. The Wii actually has a good portion of these sorts of titles from the smaller-scale projects I've traditionally found myself running into. Plus it has rail shooters, point-and-click adventure games, and I'M SO EXCITED!

*ahem*

Yeah, I'm lucky. I'm not a particularly skilled player by any means... I'll never be on any game's high score lists. But I have fun.