Nintendo has released a long list of games slated for the Wii and DS for the first three months of 2009. And I've annotated it, hopefully in a manner that's helpful to you.
How do we feel about this line-up?
Which games are you most excited about?
Mine are "Madworld," "Zubo," "Retro Game Challenge," "Henry Hatsworth," and "GTA: Chinatown Wars." You?
Wii Q1 2009 Line-Up
Activision
Monsters vs. Aliens March 24 [Uh-oh The world's self-proclaimed biggest "pure-play" publisher has one game for the world's most popular gaming console in the first quarter of 2009.]
Crave Entertainment
Monster Pals March [No offense to Crave, but it's a bit unsettling that Capcom wasn't listed here. Could they have no games for the Wii for the winter?]
Solitaire & Mahjong February
Puzzle Challenges and More! February
Crayola Colorful World March
D3Publisher
Onechanbara Bikini Zombie Slayers February
Coraline January
Destineer Word
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 [One to watch: This is a marching-band music game from the makers of Parappa The Rapper, albeit one that's had very tricky Wii remote baton control in the demos I've tried of it in the summer and fall.]
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 [Interesting prospect here as this can be considered the first second-generation balance board game. What did Namco learn from the first "We Ski," which was released at the same time as "Wii Fit"?]
Nintendo
New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis March
New Play Control! Pikmin March [Yes. You're reading this right, hardcore Wii fans. The only games Nintendo is releasing for you from January ot March are tweaked versions of games you probably played on the GameCube. Bear in mind that Nintendo's got nothing new on the Wii for their expanded audience either.]
Sega
The House of The Dead: Overkill February
SONIC and the Black Knight March [It seems like we just got a Wii "Sonic" game, no?]
MADWORLD March [This is it: the hardcore gamer's Wii game of the season, a Sin-City-looking brawler that will test the tolerance of the ESRB.]
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 Q1 2009 Line-up
Activision
Monsters vs. Aliens March 24
Pimp My Ride 2 March 24 [No, I didn't know about this game. Yes, it's interesting that Activision is publishing a game based on an MTV brand, given that MTV's "Rock Band" is an Activision competitor..]
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 [I may not be into the "Puzzle Quest" games, but I'm sure many gamers will consider this a major release.]
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 [Yes!!!!]
Learn Chess March
Dragon Master April
Electronic Arts
Zubo March [One to watch: This music-battle role-playing game has the best graphics I've seen in a DS game.]
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure Q1 [Also one to watch: Dare I make the comparison, but EA's DS games for this winter remind me of EA's recent push for original Xbox 360 / PS3 games this fall. Will "Zubo" and "Hatsworth" be the "Mirror's Edge" and "Dead Space" of the DS?]
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 [Can't knock Konami for trying. The publisher consistently brings well-made games to the DS. This winter continues that trend.]
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 [This is from Suda 51. That makes it worth watching.]
Mastiff
Moon Jan. 13 [One to watch: A hyped but delayed first-person shooter with a supposed "Metroid"-style design.]
MumboJumbo
Chicken Hunter Star Karts March 10
Nintendo
Personal Trainer: Math Jan. 12 [Two million Wiis in November multiplied by $250 equals....]
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon Feb. 16 [Fact: "Fire Emblem" games are always good; always have good stories and gameplay.]
Pokémon Platinum version March 22
ROCKSTAR GAMES
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars Winter [Rockstar recently narrowed down the release date to March 17. I'm dying to know how they're going to do a "GTA"-caliber soundtrack for this game. Every other aspect from the fanchise seems, from previews, like it will translate well.]
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 [Not sure why Nintendo included a spring game in their winter press release]
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 [See a trend here?]
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 [One to watch: Sort of an adventure game wrapped around several newly-made 8-bit-style games. Seems realy cool.]
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