Top 5 most anticipated Wii games of 2008
Monday, December 10th, 2007 at 12:07pm by Jack
Generating a list like this one is tough because I believe the best Wii games in the coming year will be the ones we can’t fully imagine yet. This isn’t to take away from the DS, or any lists compiled by other people, not in the slightest; it’s actually meant as a testament to the game-changing role the Wii is playing, and will play, in video game culture.
In that vein, we’ll approach this list conventionally, using readily available information from Infendo, mainstream news sources and my own jaded pro-Nintendo intuition. Will all of these titles be gamebreakers? Probably not. Some may not break 250,000 copies sold, an utter failure in this age of video game sodas, $200 million marketing blitzes and premium priced collector’s editions. But that’s not the point. The point is that some of these titles, while not system sellers in their own right, could be the catalyst that a cautious developer needs to make a commitment to the Wii. Oh, and a ton of money too.
From least to most important, the list goes something like this…
5. Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Mario Kart Wii. Yup. Least important. These titles need to come out, yes, but their success is already written in the stars. The Dojo has kept the passionate gamer drooling with anticipation over Brawl, and their word of mouth buzz they generate has enamored other potential buyers. Ditto for Mario Kart. It’s like the Charlie Brown Christmas movie–everyone knows it’s coming and everyone watches it anyway, year after year. Everyone these titles are aimed at will buy them sometime in February and thereafter. The only danger? Further alienation of third party developers that are too lazy or too scared to try and unseat Nintendo with a truly original, groundbreaking Wii title. That will take risk and innovation on their part which is something, ironically, that Smash Bros. Brawl and Mario Kart Wii do not bring to the table.
Speaking of those third parties…
4. Ghostbusters. In October 2008, Ghostbusters is scheduled to come out for a number of consoles, one of which is the Wii. Here at Infendo, Derek pleaded with publiser Sierra not to mess this up, but it appears they aren’t going to listen. This is because Sierra has grouped the Wii development in together with the PS2 and DS, and once again it seems as though yet another publisher has taken the “port, then tack on Wii controls” approach to what could be a solid Wiimote-controlled proton pack experince. So, after all that negative Nancy commentary, why is Ghostbusters on this kind of list? Well, think of it this way: The title is representative of a potential watershed moment for third party develpers. One year from now, will Sierra bolt on controls to a PS2 game or will it create a truly Wii-specific experience that will make other publishers take notice? It will be one year before we know the answer to that question; one year’s time to see if this publisher and other publishers have found a way to crack the code, take a risk, and create something really special and unique. For once I’ll err on the side of optimism, and predict Sierra will iron this all out. See you in a year, Sierra. Hoepfully Geometry Wars: Galaxies has left a favorable impression.
3. [Enter WiiWare title here]. Hmm. More amophorous, generic, cryptic commentary from yours truly. But there’s a reason. We know some of the frontrunners for this spot already (the kiddie looking Final Fantasy, for example), but I’ve never been one to go with the sure thing. I like WiiWare because of the additional potential it provides the system beyond what’s found anywhee else. This is because you have the obvious factors like price (both development cost and retail cost) and accessibility, but then you also have something that similar services like Xbox Live Arcade won’t be able to offer in 2008: a huge, diverse audience that’s only going to grow month after month until this console shortage runs its course. Combine a huge audience with low development costs and an increase in the interest over digital distribution, and you quite possibly have a bigger monster on your hands than the Wii itself. It’s a race then. Who will be the first to prove this system works?
2. No More Heroes. This is the part of the list where I get boring and just list a game that I want to see come out and kick some serious butt. Will this title expand audiences? Probably not, but then again maybe it will. But really, who cares?! It’s also a third party title from Ubisoft no less, which further reinforces my belief that some developers get the system and will captialize on it sooner, rather than later. Ubisoft’s history with the Wii is already pretty robust, but this title could go a long way in cementing that publisher as the 3rd party Wii publisher of 2008. Plus, a lot of people are alreay talking about this game, so I’m not putting myself out on too much of a limb with this one. As long as it doesn’t end up being a stylized rendition of Suda 51’s favorite mini-games anyway…
1. The value price game. There’s no one specific game for this listing. Instead, direct your browser to the upcoming Wii releases page at a site like GameStop. See a pattern? No? Dont look at the titles themselves, which admittedly run the gammut from “total suckage” to “garbage bin”; look at their prices. $19.99. $29.99. $39.99. This pricing strategy was one identified by Nintendo’s Satoru Iwata way back when the Wii was being made fun of for its silly name, and when “two GameCubes duct taped together” was still kind of cool to say on Internet message boards. In 2008, this strategy will begin to solidify. Publishers will begin to pay for the $60 price hike, and games will become more accesible. All it will take is one or two ”value priced” games to make it big and the whole house of card will begin to teeter. They have to–just look at what’s happening to movie ticket prices. Rising tides, and all that…
0. WiiFit – This isn’t as important as it might seem, in my opinion, because the non-traditional gamer has already been defined. Both my parents have a DS and DS games on their Xmas lists, and my sisters can’t stop talking about the Wii (which I secured for them back in the summer). My parents still talk about the Wii Sports bowling frames we played in the family room last December. People in line at Toys R Us, at least in suburban Massachusetts, don’t ask about Xbox’s or PlayStations when they’re told there are no Wi’s in stock, they ask if any of the other systems will allow their children to get up and wave their arms to control the action. For the same price. The local GameStop now proudly carries New York Times Crossword games next to PuzzleQuest next to Cooking Mama next to The egend of Zelda. At the front of the store. Etc. Etc.
With WiiFit, Nintendo will only throw fuel on this fire. It’s important, but it’s not a surprise, so it gets the wild card “0″ entry on this list.
December 10th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Yay for Wii Fit and Ghostbusters!
Wii Fit looks wonderful, and is the type of “lifestyle” title that gave the Wii it’s mainstream appeal. Releasing early in the new year will be a perfect time, helping to give a bit of weight (pardon the pun) to those annual resolutions.
As for Ghostbusters, it’s just a title with tremendous potential. Will it actually be any good? Will it be a cheap port of DS/PSP content? Who knows… but with a little bit of love and effort, this could be a great Wii title.
(Strangely, No More Heroes is looking more and more attractive as it comes closer to release… this isn’t the type of game that normally attracts me, but the oddball sense of humor and wacky gameplay is starting to win me over. Can’t wait for a few reviews to start coming out.)
December 10th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
There is a decent write up on IGN AU found here
http://wii.ign.com/articles/839/839572p1.html
I like the fact that the Wii game is multiplayer-centric, I also like that this means I could get TWO great ghostbusters games next year.
I have no link for it, but I remember hearing that the Wii version is the primary build, and that it is being ported to PS2…could have been hear-say though.
December 10th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
Nice/clever list, however according to my preferences, i´ll include 3 games in the mix; Disaster: Day of Crysis, and Final Fantasy: The Christal Bearers, and Wii Music, those 3 look very very promising.
Let´s hope we don´t get disapointed.
December 10th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
I realize that my posting here has become nothing short of predictable, but doesn’t it worry ANYONE ELSE that there’s only 4 actual TITLES on that list of the next 6 hot games? What else is there? Where’s Pikmin Wii? Where is all the 3rd party support? This list proves to me, more than anything else, that 13 months after Wii Launch, we’re still loving this system on potential alone.
Also:
“you also have something that similar services like Xbox Live Arcade won’t be able to offer in 2008: a huge, diverse audience that’s only going to grow month after month until this console shortage runs its course.”
As someone who PLAYS video games, why do I care about this? Mass market does not, in most circumstances, equal quality.
December 10th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
I dont spect any other game more than brawl.
December 10th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
this list is missing ‘endless ocean.’ it should be at least honorable mention. as far as other games that should be honorable mention, i think dragon quest swords, disaster day of crisis, and sadness should be there too. i can’t think of anything else at the moment.
December 10th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
@ Andrew-MG
“we’re still loving this system on potential alone”
Unfortunately, the only system that has (arguably) moved beyond potential at this point is XBox 360.
This article only mentions five games that will be coming out in 2008… but don’t forget that there is much more in the pipeline. The following games are all slated for release next year, and they are just a sampling of the most interesting titles. The Wii should have plenty of options to keep gamers (both casual and core) busy in the coming months.
Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law
Dragon Quest Swords
Sadness
Rainbow Six Vegas 2
House of the Dead 2/3
Lego Indiana Jones
Lego Batman
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Animal Crossing Wii
de Blob
Disaster: Day of Crisis
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles
Rock Band
Wii Music
Also, I think that the Jack is dead-on with his mention of Wii Ware as being an important Wii feature for 2008. Wii Ware is not just being sold on potential — Square’s upcoming Final Fantasy game is one title that should be a sure hit among gamers. However, the broad Wii userbase means that “lighter” fare will be available. Bubble popping games, or other simple applications, will give people options about what to pay and what to play… so the diverse audience should mean more choice when it comes to Wii Ware. And choice is rarely a bad thing.
Are we loving the Wii system on potential? Perhaps… but PS3 fans are in the same boat, and 360 fans have (arguably) only recently gotten past that stage. I would suggest that Wii has more “killer apps” right now than either other system did after a single year - although that depends largely on personal taste. Just don’t sell the Wii short, because it’s had a decent opening year and will only continue to improve.
December 10th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
@AC
Although I’m also excited about Endless Ocean, I can understand why many people aren’t interested in the game. “Game” might even be a strong word in this case… diving simulator and virtual fishtank might be more accurate? Although sure to be a sleeper hit among a certain crowd, it probably won’t appeal to many core gamers.
Personally, I’m really interested to see what happens with FPS games on the Wii, now that Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 is showing what can be done with Wii controls and online multiplayer options. And what about more point-and-click adventures (Zack & Wiki 2 rumors yet?) or even an RTS game?
December 10th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Great comment ejamer, and I agree with you for the most part. Unfortunately I’m really not all that interested in a lot of the titles you listed, and of the ones I am interested in, they’ll be available on multiple platforms. When forced to choose between a game that is available on 360 and Wii, I’m more often than not going to go with the 360 version unless there is something beyond “mapped buttons to shake remote” going on with the control scheme. Animal Crossing Wii is the one Nintendo exclusive in that list I am really gunning for next year, and I was not aware it had actually been given any sort of even ballpark release date yet. I’m also interested in Sadness, but that game seems to have “Vaporware” written all over it. I’ll be more convinced when they start showing actual concrete details instead of concept art and ideas.
As far as lighter fare being available on WiiWare, there’s PLENTY of lighter fare on XBLA: Uno, Zuma, Tetris, Solitaire. My point is that Jack seems to think that the broader userbase of WiiWare is going to result in some kind of tangible benefit for the user, and I don’t think that variety is that tangible benefit. I can’t think of a tangible benefit. I can think of lots of drawbacks for using WiiWare compared to XBLA, and most of them center around storage, an issue that Nintendo still has yet to resolve. I’m a big Virtual Console customer, I have over 16 games. I’m running out of space. I need to be able to play games off of the SD card if I’m going to be convinced to buy many more. Nintendo has been very cold to the storage-concerned consumer. The idea that I should have to delete and re-download is pretty laughable when compared to other, similar download stores like Steam, GameTap, iTunes, XBLA, PSN, etc.
But make no mistake, I am VERY interested in what is going to be on WiiWare. I look forward to it greatly - I simply refuse to gloss over the obvious flaws.
My biggest concern is that 2008 looks pretty bleak if you’re the type of gamer who enjoyed Mario, Metroid, and Zelda in 2007, because Nintendo has blown it’s three biggest wads in the span of 12 months. Brawl will be great, and Animal Crossing is fun, but I simply don’t see them being able to keep up the flow of quality first party games into 2008 and beyond.
My biggest frustration as a Wii owner thusfar is seeing it become my “supplement” to gaming, instead of my meal. The Gamecube was my favorite previous-gen system, and I was able to get by owning just a Gamecube (even though I didn’t - for months on end it was all I used). I couldn’t get by as a gamer owning just a Wii. And this is mainly due to the fact that Nintendo intentionally made it difficult for 3rd parties to make crossplatform games with the competition. We’re seeing PS2 ports, but what happens when the PS2 is no longer viable? It’s not economically sound to make 360/PS3 games for the Wii because it requires a much longer development time than simply porting the game. I know that many people here assume that the Wii’s install base means that Wii will be the lead SKU on many crossplatform games, but what evidence do you have to back that up? What games have come out on Wii, 360 and PS3, and sold best on Wii? What incentive is there for a developer to risk putting a project on Wii when the target market for their project is Joe Average XBox Owner?
December 10th, 2007 at 3:48 pm
To save time typing stuff out, I’ll just say that I pretty much agree with what Andrew MG is saying. Why would I want to buy Ghostbusters for Wii when I can get it for 360? (I now own a Wii60.) Same goes for Force Unleashed.
I’m pretty tired of all these “great multiplayer games” coming out for Wii, when developers could be concentrating on some more substantial things. I wouldn’t mind a good RPG, but besides Fire Emblem there really aren’t any, and I’m holding out for FFTA2 for my tactical RPG fill.
It all comes back to the whole “third parties need to step up” thing, and everyone knows that shtick.
Anyway, as far as a real “5 most anticipated…” list goes: reverse the order, make Mario Kart a separate entry, remove “potential games” (potential games do not equal games), remove Ghostbusters, there is no #0. Then add Disaster and Crystal Chronicles. You will get:
1. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
2. No More Heroes
3. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring Bearers
4/5. Mario Kart Wii, Disaster: Day of Crisis
December 10th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Once again Andrew-MGF makes very good points.
I ALSO see a potential problem with only 2 BIG AAA titles on the horizon for 2008. I don’t know about Wii-fit and its plastic gimmick peripheral, “maybe” it will lbe a great, fun , addicting game… then again,maybe not.
Lets hope that Day of Crisis actually comes out in 2008, if at all.
If not, with just Mario Kart and SSBM as AAA titles, it could be a bad year for my little Wii… which would make me sad as A Nintendo Fan.
I am not anticipating some ” mystery Wii Ware game” , lets not count our “Wii Ware chickens” before they actually hatch into actual games that we KNOW will be good, instead we HOPE will be good.
Luckily, Nintendo always has something up their sleeve. I am really hoping its a few BIG surprises because after Q1 2008, it would be really poor if there is no other AAA titles on the Way. And where is this great 3rd party support…??
December 10th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
“My biggest frustration as a Wii owner thus far is seeing it become my “supplement” to gaming, instead of my meal.”
Excellent comment, Andrew, and a justified concern of several Wii owners. I for one, however, I’m pretty excited for next years prospects in that I don’t see a lot of familiar titles.
Surprise us, developers. Show us that Wii can be a meal, if you dare!
December 10th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
I’m in line with Andrew, this list more concerns me than excites me, and he’s totally on point by saying the Wii is still going on potential, and I for one am really beginning to wonder if that potential is ever going to materialize. I have faith in Nintendo…for the most part. But I have zero faith in 3rd parties and I see no reason to have any. Other than a small handful of titles, 3rd party downright sucks on the Wii, and I’ve seen little to suggest that the 3rd parties even understand WHY it sucks and why we gamers are ignoring their crappy offerings. Ghostbusters to me is not even close to being a title that should be on this list, because of that very fact. Does anyone honestly believe it won’t be almost exactly like the PS2 version?
This list also is based primarily on a lot of HUGE “ifs”, and some that I’m not really sure should be counted on, based on past history. I really scratch my head on the value priced software entry…..that already has proven to be one of the biggest problems of the Wii.
At this point, the Wii is definitely the supplement to my 360, and when I look into the crystal ball, I don’t see that changing in 2008.
December 10th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
I think ejamer and jack are right. A lot of whats important isn’t necessarily just traditional AAA titles. The whole concept of Wii is one of change. We’re not just looking forward to the next huge game like on the 360 with Mass Effect or Two Human. We’re looking forward to the next potentially industry altering concept. Wii-Fit is IMO just the beginning and a great thing for gaming. And also, IMO, we are ALREADY experiencing actual benefits from the broadening of the market. I’m having more and DIFFERENT gaming experiences on Wii than I have on any other platform since I started gaming. Sure, they are not all super high quality or AAA titles, but thats not what I look for. I look for interesting/quirky titles.
This comparison gets done to death but to me, games are getting too much like movies and the 360 in particular is focusing on the games that represent the summer blockbuster. Too many games on that platform are shooting for the Pirates of the Carribean or Armageddon type of game. Huge, flashy, big budget. Thats not what I want. If I did I might not own a Wii. I want indie/small budget/B-movie type stuff. The Wii is really proving to be the “art-house theater” of consoles. I’m loving it and 2008 only looks to grow on that. I admit, the 360 is great and if its your cup o tea, thats awesome, but I think its just too targeted at one segment of gaming, perhaps the Wii isn’t targeted enough for some people, but thankfully, I’m not one of those people.
December 11th, 2007 at 2:41 am
Man, Anticipation was one of my favorite games growing up! That box is ridiculous!
December 11th, 2007 at 7:23 am
used cisco,
I think you’re being a little unfair when you say that there’s only summer blockbusters on the 360. XBLA has given a lot of smaller developers a chance to create games on the 360, and lets not forget about one of my favorite games this year, Portal. Sure, it’s tied to a $60 package, but most people who’ve played it would gladly have paid MORE for the Orange Box.
Then there’s little gems like Table Tennis (now also available on the Wii), and probably a few others I can’t think of.
See, where you see “arthouse games” on the Wii, I see Troma B-level games. What arthouse games on the Wii are you talking about? When I think of arthouse games, I think of games like ICO, and Shadow of the Colossus, which will never make it to either console, Or Katamari Damacy, which right now is on just about every console ever that doesn’t say Nintendo. What I’m seeing on the Wii isn’t arthouse games, it’s Carnivale Games. And lots of Raving Rabbids. Which isn’t a bad thing, but it’s not aimed at the type of consumer that enjoyed the Mario/Metroid/Zelda 12-Months-Of-Joy we just got. And not the type of consumer that enjoyed classic GC games such as Eternal Darkness, Pikmin, Resident Evil (remake), Rogue Squadron, Wind Waker, Metroid Prime…
December 11th, 2007 at 11:26 am
“I think you’re being a little unfair when you say that there’s only summer blockbusters on the 360.”
To be sure, I’m not saying there are ONLY mega-games on the 360. I’m saying the platform in general focuses on those efforts, which IMO is not a real good environment for fostering the types of quirky creativity that interests me. Big budgets generally require big sales which often precludes a lot of projects you mention. Games like table tennis are experiments and a good thing, but my bet is that it taught devs a lesson, that being, do not try this on the 360. But yeah, thats one of the titles that really got me excited last year. The same likely happened with Viva Pinata, a very fun and quirky game that landed with a thud on the platform and is now a DS game in hope of reaching a more appreciate audience. One of my favorite developers, Clover Studios, was shut down because there wan’t a market for their brilliant games. Yet, now one of them is being resurrected and headed for the Wii. Thats exciting to me, that publishers view the platform as someplace that might reward that type of creativity. A great game like Geometry Wars is seen as having great potential on Wii, so much so that they are putting a large amount of money into developing it into a full fledged release. I would argue that MS agrees with me, thats why they release systems with no hard drive, they don’t see XBLA arcade as a driver, even though it can and should be, and probably is already.
As for games like ICO, SotC, and KD, certainly those are games like what I”m talking about and even so, I don’t see the 360 breeding much of that fair, certainly not until it has established itself like in the case of KD. The PS2 was a strong platform for creativity in the end, particularly because of its overly dominant market share. With that type of install base, even an off-center title could potentially do well. Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll ever see the 360 command this type of market share. Even the Wii won’t likely see a market share that strong, although it has the potential to hold a solid first place, which is why I think we’re seeing more experimentation on the platform, which is a good thing.
When I refer to this on Wii, I’m talking about games like No More Heroes, Opoona, Elebits, Monster Lab, Zak and Wiki, Deweys Adventure, Trauma Center, Nights, Samba de Amigo, Animal Crossing, Endless Ocean and even games like Super Paper Mario, Wii-Sports/Play and Excite Truck that just try to take something and make it fun and different, not concerning themselves with upping the anty on everything that came before, avoiding the development trap of “more elaborate, bigger, faster.
The 360 is a great platform, it just occupies a different space for gamers. It is really strong in the Halo/CoD style shooters and sports franchises and racing games. The big money making genres are well represented, even IMO focused on. Thats why I mention summer blockbusters. Not because thats the ONLY thing available.
December 11th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
used cisco, I hope you’re sitting down: I don’t disagree with a single thing you said there. Cheers.
December 11th, 2007 at 7:43 pm
I’m somewhere between fainting and swallowing my tongue!
December 12th, 2007 at 5:33 am
I’m deeply interested i Wii Fit, but with me being at 362 lbs (Yes, I’ve been losing wait, but not enough) this game is going to be out of my reach. I’m sure it the pad wouldn’t break immediately, but I do believe that it will eventually break with mii playing it. It’s not even going to help the truly fat people like mii :(.
December 12th, 2007 at 5:34 am
Ack, I’ve noticed at the last second that I’ve made a horrible typo. I meant to say “weight”, not “wait”.
December 12th, 2007 at 9:30 am
@srkelley,
I don’t know if this is overstepping my bounds, but have you ever heard of a program called “Body for Life”? Its based on a book by Bill Phillilps that encompasses a workout routine as well as healthy eating guidelines and a targeted mental attitude. Its fantastic. I was about 50 lbs overweight and following the program allowed me to lose the weight in about 6 months (and keep it offer over 2 years now) while building muscle and getting in great shape. I can’t recommend the book/program highly enough. Its not a fad/diet/starvation. Its just working out and healthy eating based on a highly motivational concept. It changed my life.
December 13th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
I noticed that MY most anticipated game for 2008 is not in this list: Atlus’ Baroque!