Nintendo announces half-year release schedule
Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 at 4:03pm by Press Release
REDMOND, Wash., Jan. 16, 2008 – With their focus on fun for everyone, Nintendo’s Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ systems are leading a new movement in the world of video games. Games based on brain exercises. … New experiences that surprise even core gamers. … Grandparents buying video game systems – for themselves! Surely, these are unprecedented times.
“The video game industry has never had so many new players, and they’ve never had so much fun,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of sales & marketing. “Our momentum is not limited to one system or one game. We’re going broad and bold in 2008, with something for every member of the family.”
Nintendo DS and Wii finished as the No. 1 and No. 2 best-selling systems of the year, respectively. Nintendo continues its momentum into 2008 with a strong lineup of games. In the first half of 2008 alone, more than 65 new Wii games will add to the current library of more than 195 and 80 new Nintendo DS games will add to the current library of nearly 500. Nintendo DS opens the first half of the year with games that demonstrate the breadth of the Nintendo DS library. Advance Wars®: Days of Ruin is a treat aimed squarely at core gamers, while Crosswords DS™ is for all consumers, whether they currently play games or not.
Likewise, the first half of 2008 brings a diverse array of Wii games from Nintendo, including core games like Super Smash Bros.® Brawl; games with universal appeal for gamers old and new with Mario Kart® Wii, which uses the easy-to-pick-up Wii Wheel™; and Wii Fit™, which comes with the Wii Balance Board and has appeal for new consumers well beyond the traditional video game audience. On top of all that, new downloadable WiiWare™ games will make their debut. These unique games have much lower entry barriers for developers and let consumers enjoy an incredibly diverse selection of content.
Third-party publishers also continue their strong support for Wii and Nintendo DS. Some of the innovative Wii games for the first half of 2008 include Ninja Reflex from Electronic Arts, No More Heroes™ from Ubisoft, DeBlob from THQ, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed from LucasArts and Okami from Capcom, in addition to compelling Nintendo DS games like FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Rings of Fate from Square Enix, Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword from Tecmo and Quick Yoga Training from Ubisoft.
The following is a partial list of Wii and Nintendo DS software for the first half of 2008. Note that details are subject to change.
Wii
Jan. 7: Kidz Sports Ice Hockey from Destineer
Jan. 8: Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law from Capcom
Jan. 15: SAMURAI WARRIORS: KATANA from KOEI CORPORATION
Jan. 15: Furu Furu Park from Majesco Entertainment
Jan. 21: Endless Ocean™ from Nintendo
Jan. 22: One Piece™: Unlimited Adventure™ from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.
Jan. 29: Bomberman Land from Hudson
January: No More Heroes™ from Ubisoft
January: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation™: Hard Evidence from Ubisoft
Feb. 8: Kawasaki Jet Ski from Destineer
Feb. 11: Go Diego Go!: Safari Rescue from 2K Play
Feb. 12: WWII Aces from Destineer
Feb. 12: Dream Pinball 3D from SouthPeak Games
Feb. 18: MX vs. ATV Untamed from THQ
Feb. 25: Agatha Christie And Then There Were None from DreamCatcher Games
Feb. 26: Baroque from Atlus USA
Feb. 26: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors from Square Enix
Feb. 27: Kidz Sports Soccer from Destineer
Feb. 27: London Taxi: Rush Hour from Destineer
February: Garfield® Gets Real from DSI Games
February: Yamaha Supercross from DSI Games
February: Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore from Konami
February: Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30™ from Ubisoft
February: BALLOON POP from UFO INTERACTIVE GAMES
March 3: Destroy All Humans: Big Willy Unleashed from THQ
March 9: Super Smash Bros.® Brawl from Nintendo
March 10: Worms: A Space Oddity from THQ
March 25: Okami from Capcom
March 25: OPOONA from KOEI CORPORATION
March: MiniCopter: Adventure Flight from Aksys Games
March: Alone in the Dark from Atari
March: Ninja Reflex from Electronic Arts
March: Obscure: The Aftermath from Ignition Entertainment
March: Target: Terror from Konami
March: Nitro Bike™ from Ubisoft
March: Emergency Heroes™ from Ubisoft
March: HEAVENLY GUARDIAN from UFO INTERACTIVE GAMES
March: Rebel Raiders from XS Games
April 15: Castle of Shikigami III from Aksys Games
April: Pro Evolution Soccer from Konami
April: Wild Earth: African Safari from Majesco Entertainment
April: THE MONKEY KING-THE LEGEND BEGINS from UFO INTERACTIVE GAMES
April: Super Pick Ups from XS Games
May 6: Speed Racer from Warner Bros. Games
May 13: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian from Disney Interactive Studios
May: BlastWorks: Build, Trade, Destroy from Majesco Entertainment
May: King of Fighters: The Orochi Saga from SNK Playmore
May: THE DOG Island™ from Ubisoft
June 8: Wonderworld Amusement Park from Majesco Entertainment
June: Catch of the Day from Electronic Arts
June: Ford Racing Off Road from Empire Interactive
June: Cooking Mama Cook Off 2 from Majesco Entertainment
June: Rygar: The Battle of Argus from Tecmo, Inc.
June: DeBlob from THQ
June: Wall-E from THQ
Spring: Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel from Nintendo
Spring: Major League Baseball® 2K8 from 2K Sports
Spring: Don King Presents: Prizefighter from 2K Sports
Spring: Top Spin 3 from 2K Sports
Spring: Kung Fu Panda from Activision
Spring: LEGO: Indiana Jones from LucasArts
Summer: Deca Sports from Hudson
Summer: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed from LucasArts
Summer: Active Life™: Outdoor Challenge™ from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.
Q2: Wii Fit from Nintendo
Nintendo DS
Jan. 21: Advance Wars: Days of Ruin from Nintendo/Intelligent Systems
Jan. 21: Mazes of Fate DS from Graffiti Entertainment, LLC
Jan. 22: Mega Brain Boost from Majesco Entertainment
Jan. 24: Aquarium by DS from Bold Games
Jan. 24: Fantasy Aquarium by DS from Bold Games
Jan. 29: Pet Pals: Animal Doctor from Majesco Entertainment
January: N+ from Atari
January: Barnyard Blast from DSI Games
January: Command & Destroy from DSI Games
January: Miami Nights: Singles in the City™ from Ubisoft
January: Brain Challenge™ from Ubisoft
Feb. 4: Paws & Claws: Pet Resort from THQ
Feb. 5: Homie Rollerz from Destineer
Feb. 5: Nanostray 2 from Majesco Entertainment
Feb. 10 (street date): Professor Layton and the Curious Village™ from Nintendo/LEVEL-5
Feb. 12: Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney from Capcom
Feb. 12: New Zealand Story Revolution from Ignition Entertainment
Feb. 12: Dream Pinball 3D from SouthPeak Games
Feb. 19: Spitfire Heroes: Tales of the RAF from Destineer
Feb. 19: Zoo Tycoon II from THQ
Feb. 25: Bratz: Super Babyz from THQ
Feb. 26: Bubble Bobble Double Shot from Ignition Entertainment
February: My Horse and Me from Atari
February: M&M’S® Kart Racing from DSI Games
February: Garfield® Gets Real from DSI Games
February: Yamaha Supercross from DSI Games
February: Insecticide from Gamecock Media Group
February: Anno™ 1701: Dawn of Discovery from Ubisoft
February: Assassin’s Creed Altair’s Chronicles™ from Ubisoft
February: Petz® Wild Animals: Tigerz from Ubisoft
February: Puppy Palace™ from Ubisoft
February: Real Soccer® 2008 from Ubisoft
March 1: Project Exile from Graffiti Entertainment, LLC
March 3: Let’s Ride: Friends Forever from THQ
March 4: Diary Girl from Konami
March 4: Go Pets from Konami
March 4: Disney Friends from Disney Interactive Studios
March 4: Eco-Creatures: Save the Forest from Majesco Entertainment
March 8: Plushees from Destineer
March 8: River King: Mystic Valley from Natsume Inc.
March 8: Harvest Moon DS Cute from Natsume Inc.
March 11: FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Rings of Fate from Square Enix
March 11: Lost in Blue 3 from Konami
March 11: Pro Evolution Soccer from Konami
March 25: Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword from Tecmo, Inc.
March: Alone in the Dark from Atari
March: Drone Tactics from Atlus USA
March: Double Sequence from DSI Games
March: Ninja Reflex from Electronic Arts
March: Myst from Empire Interactive
March: Naruto™: Ninja Destiny from Tomy Corporation
March: Petz® Bunnyz™ from Ubisoft
March: Imagine™ Figure Skater from Ubisoft
March: Commando from XS Games
April 15: Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys from Ignition Entertainment
April: Super Dodgeball Brawlers from Aksys Games
April: Rondo of Swords from Atlus USA
April: Quick Yoga Training from Ubisoft
May 5: Crosswords DS from Nintendo
May 6: Speed Racer from Warner Bros. Games
May 8: Organize It from Summitsoft Corporation
May 13: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian from Disney Interactive Studios
May: Winx Club: Mission Enchantix from Konami
May: Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles from Aksys Games
May: Garfield® Fun Fest from DSI Games
May: 1 vs. 100 from DSI Games
June 8: Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness from Natsume Inc.
June: Shining Stars® from DSI Games
June: Catch of the Day from Electronic Arts
June: PipeMania from Empire Interactive
June: Wall-E from THQ
Spring: Sid Meier’s Civilization® Revolution™ from 2K Games
Spring: Don King Presents: Prizefighter from 2K Sports
Spring: Top Spin 3 from 2K Sports
Spring: Kung Fu Panda from Activision
Spring: LEGO: Indiana Jones from LucasArts
Spring: The World Ends with You from Square Enix
Summer: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed from LucasArts
Summer: Tamagotchi Connection®: Corner Shop® 3 from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.
Q2: Bangai-O Spirits from D3 Publisher of America
Q2: PREY THE STARS from KOEI CORPORATION
Q2: Pokemon® Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time from Nintendo
Q2: Pokemon® Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness from Nintendo
January 16th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Looks like the good times are continuing to roll as far as games go. The new advanced wars seems like it will be the perfect thing to tide me over until March 9.
January 16th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
%60+ of that list is just crap. Now that the Wii has established itself, Nintendo needs to start marketing to the hardcore gamers more, and third parties need to come out with some really great Wii exclusive titles. Not that there aren’t already games like that now (and ones coming out,) of course. But *insert argument on developers/publishers not wanting to take risks and create new IPs, examples of horrible games and cash-in titles, lack of quality third-party games, etc etc.*
Anyway, I totally forgot that Opoona existed. I need to reserve that ASAP so my store will actually be allotted copies. Also Okami.
Also where is FFTA2? D: I’ve been waiting for it since it was announced!
January 16th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
My eyes are blinded by all the shovelware. There’s only a handful of games I’d actually pay money for.
January 16th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
I’m just interested in Brawl, Mario Kart and One Piece for wii and for NDS only Ninja Gaiden.
January 16th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Opoona confirmed for US release??!!?! WHOOOO HOOO!!!! OPOONA BABY!
January 16th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
if only 60% of the list is not worth, that is great news!! Tell me which console has a library of 40% + worth games? And remember, that is you personal taste regarding games… other people may enjoy much more than you
(not me, I personally agree with you… but even with “only” 40% of games that pleases me, I’ll barely be able to play a fraction of it… probably a handful or less - I miss the days I had more time 
).
Best!!
January 16th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
@Fabio: I did include a “plus” after the %60. The reason I didn’t use 70-90 was because I can’t tell if some of those games are crap just from the title itself. I’ve never heard of the games Project Exile or Rondo of Swords. And I don’t know whether De Blob is going to be a hit or fall flat on its ass.
I think Killer Heroes put it better than I did. “My eyes are blinded by all the shovelware.”
January 16th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
I dunno… I’m seeing 2-3 Wii titles a month that look worth trying. Some of those may end up flopping, but there might be some unexpected hits at the same time. Also, there are at least six surefire hits (for my tastes) listed there. Compared to the advance lineups I’ve seen for other consoles, this looks pretty good.
(Didn’t really look at the DS, since that is mostly for my wife anyway. However, DS never seems to lack for software… and there are tons of older games I still haven’t played there anyway.)
January 16th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Where are the fun, get up and move games that use the wii remote’s capability? It seems like most of these games don’t follow in the mold of wii sports.
January 16th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
With at least 1 title that is good on Wii’/DS per month, it is enough. Looks like we’ll be seeing more than just 1 per month tho.
January 16th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
Hardly impressive, to say the least.
Disappointing, to say the most.
Even the biggest fan BOY can not deny all the garbage on those lists.
People will always have differing opinions on what is a “great game”, but there is , honestly, only 2 games that everyone would agree are AAA titles, and must have games. SSBB and Mario Kart, Only 2 absolutely ” Must have” games in the next 6 + months ??
It makes me wonder what has happened to Disaster Day of Crisis? Or any other AAA titles? Weak third party support and a lack lustre first party effort in the next 6+ months will have me playing X-box 360 much more than I was expecting…
Of course, the big n HAS , in the past, not shown all there cards at once. I hope that a surprise announcement is coming for an all new IP or something in the near future. Nintendo usually has SOMETHING up their sleeves… I HOPE they do this time around as well because this is a poor showing so far.
“My eyes are blinded by all the shovelware.” WELL said. But, I still have hope for a suprise up the big N’s sleeve.
January 17th, 2008 at 12:12 am
Only two “must have” titles in the next six months? Our opinions certainly differ. Aside from Smash Bros: Brawl and Mario Kart, you seem to have forgotten a few big games on your list:
No More Heroes - A massive, Wii-exclusive title that has scored good early reviews… This doesn’t count as AAA material?
Baroque - Hardcore RPGs might be a niche genre, but there’s no denying that a lot of us are excited to see what the Trauma Center developers have created.
The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors - Square Enix exclusive titles always counts as triple-A, system selling games. Even the small ones.
Okami - Yes, it’s a port. It’s also a great game that was missed by most gamers the first time around. Better still, Capcom is one of the best third-parties working with the Wii right now so we don’t have to worry about the final product being a half-assed waggle-fest.
De Blob - Is it risky to call this a big title so early? It’s unique, exclusive (I think), and getting good early buzz. I’m sticking my neck out now to say that De Blob will be a must play title when it arrives.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - Much like the Square Enix association earlier, the Star Wars branding practically ensures the game won’t be a small deal.
Wii Fit - It might not be your cup of tea, but it’s definitely a AAA system seller. Can’t wait for it to arrive.
Seriously, what are people expecting on other systems in the next 6 months that make this lineup so aenemic by comparison? Saying that the Wii lineup doesn’t appeal to you might be fair… but asserting that there are no good games coming out is ridiculous hyperbole.
Oh, and this small list isn’t a knock again Endless Ocean, Alone in the Dark, King of Fighters, Cooking Mama 2, Rygar, Destroy All Humans, Worms, or LEGO: Indiana Jones. Those games should all be decent and will appeal to a smaller, more specific audience. Different strokes for different folks, and all that.
January 17th, 2008 at 12:29 am
^na I disagree. obviously there is a lot of garbage on that list but there are plenty of other promising titles beyond Mario Kart and Smash Bros. I don’t know how you can justify Disaster Day of Crisis as a AAA over any of these games:
Endless Ocean
No More Heroes
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30
Destroy All Humans: Big Willy Unleashed
Worms: A Space Oddity
Okami
Opoona
Nitro Bike
Castle of Shikigami III
Pro Evolution Soccer
King of Fighters: The Orochi Saga
Rygar: The Battle of Argus
DeBlob
Lego Indiana Jones
Wii Fit
Seriously what are people complaining about?
January 17th, 2008 at 12:32 am
Damn, you got in first. >
January 17th, 2008 at 1:35 am
On the Wii end…
Endless Ocean
No More Heroes
Baroque
The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Okami
Opoona
de Blob
Wii Fit
Mario Kart Wii
On the DS end…
Advance Wars: Days of Ruin
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword
Insecticide
Super Dodgeball Brawlers
Those are all games I am, at the very least, keeping an eye on. Some of them, particularly on the Wii side of things, are must-buys. But of course the list is mostly throw-away shovelware; 90% of the industry’s software output could be categorized that way.
This list isn’t special because its low ratio of quality-to-crap. It’s normal.
January 17th, 2008 at 1:46 am
ejamer, I don’t mean to nitpick, but I think Sting Entertainment would want to take credit for creating Baroque, since they are the developers. Of all the PS2 and Wii ports of the PS1 port of the original Sega Saturn game. I’m not saying it’s a bad game, but did I mention “ports”?
January 17th, 2008 at 1:51 am
daniel and ejamer i couldn’t agree with you guys more. if there were even more AAA titles on that list, who can afford it? i mean seriously, between the DS and Wii releases, I’m going broke this next year. aside from that, i’m not sure if i have the time. for the DS, advance wars looks like a sure thing, as well as ninja gaiden. also that myst remake looks interesting, and maybe professor layton. for the wii, i’m looking forward to agatha christie’s and then there were none. i actually think this is a good trend, to have some PC games come to Wii, since the wiimote can also function as a mouse. bring on sam and max, and monkey island. also, endless ocean seems interesting. DQ swords is probably my most anticipated. and a lot of people are just overlooking wii fit. that wii fit board, when it releases is going to change everything. give it 6 months, when developers can actually make games for the peripheral.
January 17th, 2008 at 7:01 am
@neko to kuruma
Oh… yeah, you’re right on both counts. Don’t worry about nit-picking — thanks for providing the corrections!
I didn’t realize Baroque had been around for so long, and that this game was just a remake. I also was under the impression that Atlus was actually doing development (although they must just be publishers instead).
January 17th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Q2: Bangai-O Spirits from D3 Publisher of America. That’s enough for me, not to mention those listed by ejamer, Daniel, and Derek. I really don’t get why people complain so much. I remember WAY more crap during the NES and SNES days than this. PS1 and PS2 had about this much shovelware or more. The writings on the wall and developers are trying to cash in, that’s just the way it works, but there are still a large number of good upcoming games.
@ejamer - Actually Atlus does develop games, Atlus USA is just a publisher as I’ve understood it.
January 17th, 2008 at 11:35 am
ejamer-
Those games are defiantly worth taking a look at. But by ” Must have” I do mean ” MUST have”.
Anyone with a Wii will be interested in Mario Kart and SSB. No more heroes? Sure we both will likely pick it up, and love it. But it is not a ” must have” game for the Wii. The Japanese sales numbers have already shown that it is not a system selling AAA “must have” title. And neither are the other games you have mentioned. I am talking ” OMG ” system sellers like Halo 3 or Mario Galaxy and so on…you know… absolutely MUST have games if you own a Wii. By that definition, there are only 2 games in the next 6+ months that are in that category, and we don’t need a crystal ball to predict that the possibility of a Mario Kart Delay is very much looming. Just like most all Nintendo big titles have setbacks. Luckily that would mean an even better title.
But once again, I do think Nintendo is holding something back, something to surprise us once again…. tell me Nintendo !! =)
January 17th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Destroy All Humans: Big Willy Unleashed… Is that an adult game? ^^
January 17th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Wow….that’s a LOT of crap.
And some of the games being thrown around in these comments as “must haves” shows me that Wii owners are so starved for decent games that the bar has seriously been lowered.
I see about 4 games total on that list that I’d consider.
January 18th, 2008 at 9:21 am
There are a lot of negative comments here, all to the same effect as “Wii owners are so starved for decent games that the bar has seriously been lowered”.
Seriously, why is everyone hating on the Wii? What console are you guys using for comparison, that has infinitely better content coming out during the first half of the year?
I’ve looked at the 360 and PS3 release lists… good games aren’t exactly flying out for either console. Two or three big-name games, followed by a lot of niche interest titles, and then a lot of “filler” (a generous term, to be sure).
It seems like all three systems will have enough good games to keep people playing, but none has a breakout lineup that really pushes it above the competition. So why are people being so negative about Nintendo’s list, when we’re about to have some diverse and interesting titles arriving?