With the Wii launch hiding somewhere in the next 3 months, we can't help but to brim with excitement while thinking about what we'll be playing on Wii-day (which is our favorite term for the day the Wii launches). If your worried about the Wii suffering from the lackluster launch day the DS did, you can put all those fears to rest.
We went back to count just how many games had been confirmed for the Wii so far, and were wonderfully surprised to find 27 confirmed launch titles coming to the Wii. Can you say 'biggest game console launch in history'? This isn't a little collection of obscure third-party games nor two-thirds of sports titles either, we're talking a list with some serious big-hitters. Metroid Prime 3, Zelda, and Red Steel top a list of widely diverse and interesting titles.
Some quick comparisons. The Xbox 360 launched last year with 18 games in the US, although only a handfull were exclusive, and 11 of them were sports games. The Wii counters with it's games spanning numerous genres (maybe even inventing some new ones) and over 20 exclusive titles. The PS3 is currently sitting at 15 confirmed games on it's November 17th launch day. Of course, this is expected to increase in the next few months. That said, the current Wii launch list (which you can see below) is far from final, and we wouldn't say it's a stretch to expect to see at least 30 games on launch day. If that doesn't get you excited about the Wii, you have no soul.
Title Publisher
Avatar: The Last Airbender THQ
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII Ubisoft
Blitz: The League Midway
Call of Duty 3 Activision
Cars THQ
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 Atari
Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors Square Enix
Elebits Konami
Excite Truck Nintendo
Far Cry Ubisoft
GT Pro Series Ubisoft
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers Square Enix
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Nintendo
Madden NFL 07 EA
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Activision
Metal Slug Anthology SNK
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Nintendo
Monster 4x4 World Circuit Ubisoft
Need for Speed: Carbon EA
Open Season Ubisoft
Rayman Raving Rabbids Ubisoft
Red Steel Ubisoft
SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab THQ
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz Sega
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Activision
Trauma Center: Second Opinion Atlus
Wii Sports Nintendo
One last note of interest. Worried about that post-launch drought? Well, if we don't see 'em at launch, remember Super Mario Galaxy, WarioWare, Fire Emblem, Prince of Persia, Sonic, and of course Super Smash Bros. Brawl aren't very far behind.
Formatting got a bit messed up, but oh well.
This is huge, and there are a lot of other titles not on the launch list that I know are in development. Has there ever been a larger console launch? Anyone know?
....
As if Nitram and I needed another reason to buy a Wii....
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Pezzoni wrote:Looks fantastic: some very welcome surprises on there, such as Monkey Ball, and Far Cry.
There doesn't seem to be a Mario though
Super Mario Galaxy is a "launch window" title and supposed to come out before the end of 2006 (so within 2-3 months of launch).
It could very easily get bumped up to launch (in fact, Nintendo has recently hinted this)- then again, it could pull a Zelda and get pushed back to 2007.
Far Cry - The established franchise comes too Wii. This shooter takes place in the jungles of the Amazon and will boast plenty of weapons, vehicles, and powerups as well as new content added since the last version of the game.
I wouldn't be surprised if some of these titles aren't there on day one but come out within a month of launch though. There's a lot there.
That's a lot- I guarantee some of these titles will flop. As a Nintendo fan, I'm used to the shit offerings for the N64 and GCN, so this makes me really happy that so many publishers are grabbing onto the Wii....concept...
My fear is that some games will get the shaft, sales-wise, then they'd get if they launched in spring '07. I predict there will be some bitter publishers because there's only so much disposable income to go around.
Last edited by LMSx on 2006-08-14 07:37pm, edited 1 time in total.
Aw, hell. That's a good five hundred bucks out of my wallet right there. Then there's the DS and its titles, plus the 360 and some of the stuff coming out for it...
Why do you torment me so, game industry?
This has been another blunder by you friendly local idiot.
That's a lot- I guarantee some of these titles will flop. As a Nintendo fan, I'm used to the shit offerings for the N64 and GCN, so this makes me really happy that so many publishers are grabbing onto the Wii....concept...
My fear is that some games will get the shaft, sales-wise, then they'd get if they launched in spring '07. I predict there will be some bitter publishers because there's only so much disposable income to go around.
The PS2 version of Avatar I played at E3 was horrid. Unless deranged anime fans buy it for the name alone, or it VASTLY improves over what I played, I'd expect it to flop.
Some of those games are probably simple ports too, like Marvel Ultimate Alliance, Cars, and Need For Speed Carbon.
This is huge, and there are a lot of other titles not on the launch list that I know are in development. Has there ever been a larger console launch? Anyone know?
I think the Dreamcast came close. I think it had about 20 titles when it launched.
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We'll have to wait until at least the Leipzig Gaming Conference on August 23rd before cost and date become available. I don't know what the hell Nintendo's waiting for, or why E3 was a bad place to announce it.
There's been rumors that MP3 won't be a launch title after all, because they want to create more hype for it.
If it sells more copies, then I'm all for it. Besides, it's not like I can afford all the games I want at once.
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I'm surprised that there isn't a Mario title announced at the initial launch. It's practically unheard of to not have one available with a new Nintendo system.
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General Zod wrote:I'm surprised that there isn't a Mario title announced at the initial launch. It's practically unheard of to not have one available with a new Nintendo system.
Sunshine wasn't released at launch and both the DS and GBA came out without a new Mario title.
General Zod wrote:I'm surprised that there isn't a Mario title announced at the initial launch. It's practically unheard of to not have one available with a new Nintendo system.
Sunshine wasn't released at launch and both the DS and GBA came out without a new Mario title.
Oh. Meh, I guess that's what I get for not having a Nintendo system since the N64 came out. It still doesn't seem right though.
"It's you Americans. There's something about nipples you hate. If this were Germany, we'd be romping around naked on the stage here."
Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors
Far Cry Ubisoft
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers Square Enix
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Nintendo
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Nintendo
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz Sega
Trauma Center: Second Opinion Atlus
Well...7 of them I'm interested in, so that's good. =)
Vohu Manah wrote:Anyone know of any store taking Wii pre-orders?
As of a few weeks ago EB was taking Zelda pre-rders but no pre-orders on the console it self
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LMSx wrote:We'll have to wait until at least the Leipzig Gaming Conference on August 23rd before cost and date become available. I don't know what the hell Nintendo's waiting for, or why E3 was a bad place to announce it.
Nintendo said they're going to announce it in September.
I found this list, assuming it's accurate, the PS2 had 29 launch titles. If the Wii has 28, it's only two away from topping the PS2 for the largest launch of all time. I'd love to see that happen Bump Super Mario Galaxy to launch please Nintendo!
Sony PlayStation 2
US launch: October 26, 2000
* SSX
* Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore
* Tekken Tag Tournament
* Armored Core 2
* Dynasty Warriors 2
* ESPN International Track & Field
* ESPN Winter X Games Snowboarding
* Eternal Ring
* Evergrace
* FantaVision
* Gungriffon Blaze
* Kessen
* Madden NFL 2001
* Midnight Club: Street Racing
* MotoGP
* NHL 2001
* Orphen: Scion of Sorcery
* Q-Ball: Billiards Master
* Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2
* Ridge Racer V
* Silent Scope
* Smuggler's Run
* Street Fighter EX3
* Summoner
* Swing Away Golf
* TimeSplitters
* Unreal Tournament
* Wild Wild Racing
* X-Squad
Bump Super Mario Galaxy to launch please Nintendo!