wraggster
September 14th, 2006, 22:09
Much of the focus of Nintendo's press events today was on the Wii's launch date and price, but as the company's mantra states, it's all about the games. Nintendo says there will be 30 games available for the console in North America by the end of the calendar year, with approximately two-dozen games ready at launch.
Nintendo listed off its confirmed first-party titles but did not specify when most of the games would be in stores. Excite Truck, Wii Sports (included with the system), and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess were confirmed for launch day during the press event in New York City, but some others, such as Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, won't arrive until 2007.
Outside of the Mario house, the company says 41 third-party games from 14 different publishers will be available between launch and March 31, 2007. Ubisoft leads the pack with 10 games for the system through the end of March, including the recently revealed Prince of Persia and Splinter Cell Double Agent. Electronic Arts, Midway Games, and Activision all follow with five.
While the dozens of games bode well for future Wii owners, there were a few omissions that leave some question marks. Super Smash Bros. Brawl was nowhere to be seen, nor was Midway's Blitz: The League--further fueling the fire that the latter game has been canceled.
The rest of the launch lineup is expected to be whittled down in the coming months.
FIRST-PARTY US WII TITLES
Battalion Wars II
Big Brain Academy (temporary name)
Excite Truck
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Mario Strikers Charged
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Super Mario Galaxy (temporary name)
WarioWare: Smooth Moves
Wii Sports (bundled with the Wii console)
THIRD-PARTY US WII TITLES DUE BY MARCH 2007
Activision
Call of Duty 3
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Rapala Tournament Fishing
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam
World Series of Poker
Atari
Dragon Ball Z Budokai: Tenkaichi 2
Atlus
Trauma Center: Second Opinion
Buena Vista Games
Chicken Little: Ace in Action
Disney's Meet the Robinsons
Codemasters
Dance Factory
Sidewinder
EA
The Godfather
Madden NFL 07
Need for Speed: Carbon
SSX
Tiger Woods PGA Tour
Konami
Elebits
Majesco
Bust-A-Move Revolution
Midway
The Ant Bully
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy
Happy Feet
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Rampage: Total Destruction
[Missing and presumed canceled--Blitz: The League]
Sega
Sonic and the Secret Rings
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz
SNK
Metal Slug Anthology
THQ
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Barnyard
Cars
SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab
Ubisoft
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII
Far Cry: Vengeance
GT Pro Series
Monster 4x4: World Circuit
Open Season
Prince of Persia (working title)
Rayman Raving Rabbids
Red Steel
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent
Vivendi Games
Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
Nintendo listed off its confirmed first-party titles but did not specify when most of the games would be in stores. Excite Truck, Wii Sports (included with the system), and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess were confirmed for launch day during the press event in New York City, but some others, such as Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, won't arrive until 2007.
Outside of the Mario house, the company says 41 third-party games from 14 different publishers will be available between launch and March 31, 2007. Ubisoft leads the pack with 10 games for the system through the end of March, including the recently revealed Prince of Persia and Splinter Cell Double Agent. Electronic Arts, Midway Games, and Activision all follow with five.
While the dozens of games bode well for future Wii owners, there were a few omissions that leave some question marks. Super Smash Bros. Brawl was nowhere to be seen, nor was Midway's Blitz: The League--further fueling the fire that the latter game has been canceled.
The rest of the launch lineup is expected to be whittled down in the coming months.
FIRST-PARTY US WII TITLES
Battalion Wars II
Big Brain Academy (temporary name)
Excite Truck
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Mario Strikers Charged
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Super Mario Galaxy (temporary name)
WarioWare: Smooth Moves
Wii Sports (bundled with the Wii console)
THIRD-PARTY US WII TITLES DUE BY MARCH 2007
Activision
Call of Duty 3
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Rapala Tournament Fishing
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam
World Series of Poker
Atari
Dragon Ball Z Budokai: Tenkaichi 2
Atlus
Trauma Center: Second Opinion
Buena Vista Games
Chicken Little: Ace in Action
Disney's Meet the Robinsons
Codemasters
Dance Factory
Sidewinder
EA
The Godfather
Madden NFL 07
Need for Speed: Carbon
SSX
Tiger Woods PGA Tour
Konami
Elebits
Majesco
Bust-A-Move Revolution
Midway
The Ant Bully
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy
Happy Feet
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Rampage: Total Destruction
[Missing and presumed canceled--Blitz: The League]
Sega
Sonic and the Secret Rings
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz
SNK
Metal Slug Anthology
THQ
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Barnyard
Cars
SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab
Ubisoft
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII
Far Cry: Vengeance
GT Pro Series
Monster 4x4: World Circuit
Open Season
Prince of Persia (working title)
Rayman Raving Rabbids
Red Steel
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent
Vivendi Games
Ice Age 2: The Meltdown