vashivihan
Let There Be Rock
1) Mario Kart Wii (Q2 - April/June)
Nintendo never make the same Mario Kart twice, so we just know Ninty are still sitting on all the really good stuff.
We've seen bikes, mid-air spins and the familiar sight of plumbers and turtles thundering through the cascading Yoshi falls.
But what can it all mean? Will the aerial spins rely on SSX Blur-style wrist contort-ation? For our money (all £3.50 of it), it's got to be at least in part speed boost-related, because the thought of trying to 'snake' around tracks with the Wii controller has our aging arthritic joints creaking in fear.
As for the bikes, these wibbly-wobbly menaces must surely be the physical manifestation of the multiple control systems touted by our man Reggie.
The reappearance of golden oldie tracks shouldn't prove a concern - historically, old MK content doesn't come at the expense of new content, and we'd be blue shell on the final straight surprised if there wasn't a glorious Mario Galaxy-themed finale.
2) Samba De Amigo (Summer)
The Dreamcast was already getting throttled by the PS2's tentacles when Samba De Amigo flew out of the Sega nest in December 2000, but hopefully now it'll get the audience it deserves, on a console with two shaky-shaky controllers that can mimic the maraca. Ole!
That Sega have delegated developmental duties to Gearbox suggests it'll be fairly true to the original (as when they're not working on Brothers In Arms titles, Gearbox earn a crust by porting titles), albeit with an updated track list which we're sure will include the Mario theme at some point.
Downloadable extra songs were available even 'back in the day' on DC, so hopefully we'll get them, too.
If the remote and nunchuk work half as well as the original's mat and maracas, we're convinced that Sega's return to the Copa Cabassa will give you the shakes.
3) Sega Superstars Tennis (March)
So, we've got Sonic, AiAi the ball-monkey, Ulala of Space Channel 5, and Mr Grinny McGrinnington up there.
But who else are Sega going to pluck from their (let's be honest) pancake-thin batch of characters? You just know NiGHTS is going to roll up, and there's a shout for the likes of Toejam & Earl (possible), Flicky (why not?) and Alex Kidd (over Sega's dead bodies).
Whoever makes the cut, we're guaranteed a range of courts in settings more colourful than a docker's vocabulary.
Sumo Digital were responsible for the well received console versions of Virtua Tennis 3, you might recall, and this uses a modified version of VT's engine.
But Sumo haven't just scrawled over Tim Henman with their blue pen; it's very much its own game, packed with neat little touches (such as smashable TVs in Sonic's stage which combust to reveal unlockable extras).
We'd trust Sumo with our first-born children, so we've every confidence this will be a cracker.
4) Wii Music (2008)
This one's undergone more image changes than Madonna's pet chameleon, but it looks like this rhythm game collection's finally going to blend in with the likes of Guitar Hero.
Its main draw a four-player orchestral mash-up, it might not be as flash as Activision's wallet-destroyer, but should prove just as manic.
Our only concern is that some instruments might prove more entertaining than others - point a trumpet in the air, or bagsy the bassoon? Still, multiplayer should be great.
5) Bully (March 7)
So where in the name of Billy Bunter's picnic hamper was this in last Christmas's release schedule then, eh? Did the dog eat it?
Absence only makes the heart grow fonder though. For the uninitiated, Bully (released over here on PS2 as Canis Canem Edit after approximately six middle-aged women got their knickers in a twist) is an inventive GTA-'em-up with a schoolyard twist.
Rather than run around mindlessly kicking softies up the backside, as young Jimmy Hopkins you'll find yourself with a bit more control over your moral destiny; help break-up a volatile playground fight, or wade on in? Attend maths, or kiss girls behind the bike shed? It's up to you, and is what made Bully one of PS2's most inventive games.
Rockstar aren't ones to push half-baked products out the door, so we reckon its prolonged truancy is to make the new bits extra spesh.
Expect motion-sensing fun, which hopefully won't include having to write out lines on a blackboard with the Wii remote.
6) We Love Golf (TBC)
Golf is as close to a sure thing as you're going to get on Wii, but we've already got more golf games than Tiger Woods has yachts. So what makes serial sports day-dodgers Capcom think they can compete?
Well, for tee-off, they've enlisted the developmental services of Camelot, who have been, er, widening our perceptions of the sport for a decade or so now, caddying up the likes of the cartoonish Everybody's Golf on PlayStation as well as the fair (as in fairway! No, wait; as in decent) Mario Golf series of games.
We Love Golf notes that in current Wii golf titles it's sometimes hard to strike the ball with precision, and to remedy this has incorporated a swing meter narrated by - who else? - a talking Wii remote with puny little hands.
This might sound odd, but in practice it works very well indeed. Other things we like: pointing the remote at the screen to activate an animated preview of the fairway. Ace! Ha! Oh, sorry; that's tennis.
7) Wii Fit (Early 2008)
That odd sound you can hear in your left 'lughole' is the collective huff of the Japanese nation sweating off their Christmas pudding in front of Wii Fit.
A successful launch means that the proposed Western release date of early 2008 should be on track (despite the hilarity of Shigsy claiming Stateside gamers might need a larger board).
Us? We're apprehensive and excited all at once. We still take Dr Crygor's WarioWare workout from time to time, so we know that hula-ing, striking poses and nutting footballs can be a right laugh.
On the other hand, the sheer humiliation of watching our fat little Miis struggle under the pressure of a single push-up is not a compelling prospect.
But regardless, anything that might knock Chantelle off the front page of Heat is okay by us.
8) Blue Fang Project (Autumn)
Gave the game away by advertising for a 'senior Wii programmer'. Previous games include Zoo Tycoon, Zoo Tycoon 2, Zoo Tycoon: Dinosaur Digs and Zoo Tycoon DS. What could they be working on?
9) Matsuno (TBC)
That's the Yasumi Matsuno project to you, buster. Yazz was a game director at Square Enix, overseeing projects such as Ogre Battle and Final Fantasy XII.
Little is known of his forthcoming Wii project, although he's a vocal advocate of the ol' shufflebox.
10) Mushroom Men (Spring)
Little tiny plants, awoken by sentience-giving magical cometdust, make like stupid humans by forming tribes and waging war with each other.
Razorblade axes, clothes-peg train tracks and similar Toy Story-ish reappropriation abound in this quirky platformer.
11) Alive (2008)
Taking place in the wake of an earthquake, this action game is apparently striving for real depth in its characters.
It places a greater requirement on teamwork and problem-solving rather than the old faithful (guns 'n' violence), making it an ideal game for females.
So claims Ubisoft's CEO Yves, who clearly has never worked with Chrissy. "Action plus," he calls it. That's not a joke.
12) Project Witches (TBC)
A third-person hack-'n'-slasher which lists among its key features: "sultry girls against satanic monsters".
Coders Revistronic are an unproven commodity, but Project Witches's emphasis on co-operative play suggests that this could be their breakout title.
13) Worms: A Space Oddity (Q1 Jan/Mar)
Right now, we're padding our coats with hot water bottles and plotting our path to chilly Ossett, West Yorkshire, to get an extended hands-on session with A Space Oddity at Team 17's offices - so look out for an extended preview soon.
In the meantime, all you need to know is that this is good old-fashioned two-dimensional Worms with a new-fashioned control system.
Each weapon has its own unique gesture, and the harder you whoosh, whack, wallop or whatever the remote, the more impact it has on screen.
As you can see from these shots, the pop-up book visual style is vaguely reminiscent of Yoshi's Story, and there's four-player online play over Wi-Fi in the pipeline, so we can't wait. In fact, we're off to Ossett now!
14) Blox (Mid 2008)
This is Steven Spielberg's project. It seems simple - underwhelming, even - but that belies a wealth of ideas and potential.
It's an old-school puzzle game that presents you with screens of increasingly complex block structures, which you can prod or pull with your pointer, or interact with in other ways, such as lobbing a ball at them.
Some blocks are 'special' - they disappear when you nudge them, or cause a small explosion. You have to fulfill conditions to pass on to the next screen, such as leveling the field with one throw.
Sound like it's got the life expectancy of a Spinal Tap drummer? Shush - there's a hugely versatile level editor: the demo video showed off a giant Mouse Trap-type contraption.
15) Red Steel 2 (TBC)
Never particularly watertight when it comes to leaks, Ubisoft outdid themselves by confirming a sequel to their flagship Wii launch game in Cannes last June, before cranking the Benny Hill music up to 11 and denying all knowledge at every turn afterwards.
Job ads on the Ubisoft website - searching for a Wii Online programmer at, hey!, their Paris office - would certainly seem to back up their Cannes faux pas.
Admittedly, Red Steel's edge has been blunted since that launch day (blame the likes of Metroid Prime 3), but its multiplayer had such a whiff of GoldenEye about it that you could almost smell the dam water closing in.
Red Steel often divides the gaming community, but most agree that a followup, free from the restrictions of the oppressive deadlines that plague launch titles, could become one of the Wii's landmark games.
If they make a bit more of an effort to let us see more of Scott than his dismembered, many-jointed arm, that'd be a start.
16) Super Smash Bros. Brawl (10 Feb (US) Not before July (UK))
Not only does our rammed cover represent a myriad of titles winging your way in 2008, but - bar a few characters yet to be announced - it simultaneously represents just one game, the one game to rule them all: Smash Bros.
It's the most comprehensive pick 'n' mix of Nintendo history ever collated, scraping the sweet tub right down to the Sin And Punishment flakes at the bottom.
And for every retro-nod there's a brand spanking new feature to match. Controller remapping, a streaming Wi-Fi battle footage Spectator mode and the return of the special events - rock-hard scenarios designed to push your playing into new realms of skill, and push remotes into new realms of your television screen.
If Galaxy is the Wii's single-player head honcho, then Brawl is the multiplayer daddy, sure to win over new fans with its giddy brand of item-snatching combat while pleasing old hands by including much-loved arenas from Melee.
If we could pick just one past stage to return it would be Zelda's castle, with its sprawling length and underground smash-hole - lo and behold, producer Masahiro Sakurai has made it so.
He's clearly a mind-reader. We're now thinking of a playable Leon S Kennedy with all our mental might. You try it too...
17) Shin'en Project (TBC)
The German developers of Nanostray and various sound tools (most notably for the GBA) have thrown the sauerkraut among the, er, German pigeons by announcing on their distinctly non-English website that they're working on Wii. It'll be their first non-handheld project.
18) Southpeak Pool Party (TBC)
Thirteen variations of billiards, snooker and whatnot. Sadly, the graphics look like they've been drawn using a novelty bendy pen, and some of SouthPeak's recent output has been almost heroically bad.
19) Digital Embryo Project (TBC)
The Cake Mania devs have put down their whisks and hopped on the Wii gravy train, but not much is known about their new project.
It uses the Vicious Engine, but as that's used for everything from Alien Syndrome to Marvel Trading Card Game, that's not much help.
20) Secret Files: Tunguska (Spring 2008)
PC point 'n' click adventure about a girl searching for her father. Actually a pretty good effort, as PC point-'n-clickers go (today's breed are hit and miss). Logical puzzles and a good interface help its cause.
21) N-Space Projects (TBC)
N-Space, the Florida studio behind GC incredi-flop Geist, have been working on numerous Wii titles since 2005.
Last seen working on Call Of Duty 4 DS, they've been asked by Nintendo to provide more 'mature' games. It's like Rare/Microsoft in reverse!
22) Animal Crossing Wii (TBC)
Animal Crossing as an MMO is as natural a fit as your money in Tom Nook's bulging wallet. Nintendo bigwigs have hinted at a number of exciting WiiConnect propositions for AC using the WiiConnect service, while deftly dodging the wider question as to how they'll actually work. However, knowing that the team behind Animal Crossing: Wild World also sculpted the Mii Channel gives us a clue. Our proposal: a special Animal Crossing channel, that lets you send self-crafted messages and items to your friends, as well as a 24/7 global shop. You know it's happening.
23) Disaster Day of Crisis (Spring)
Your homework, if it's possible, is to ferret out a copy of the excellent SOS: The Great Escape on PlayStation 2, because we think that this will prove a worthy re-imagining of the survival action concept. In case you're not hot-to-trot with developers Monolith Soft's inaugural Wii project, you're cast as Ray (a dynamic moniker), a former rescue task force agent faced with a tirade of natural disasters, including tsunamis, earthquakes and a volcanic burp. Monolith Soft's owners - that's none other than Nintendo themselves - reckon the game's going great guns. So don't worry about the lack of fresh info or the relative scarcity of screenshots: this is no disaster.
24) Athletic World (2008)
An update of the 1986 NES title of the same name, Active Life: Athletic World (even saying its full Western name is exhausting) shares two other characteristics with its 8-bit dad; a custom mat controller and an overbearing concern over the condition of your white, flabby gut.
The packaged-in mat consists of eight pressure sensors (down from 12) in a D-pad formation, and works in conjunction with the remote - key difference to much of Wii Fit here - to provide a cascade of backbreaking minigames. The activities (of which Namco ominously state there are 'more than 10') consist of single-player pursuits such as water rafting, running and jumping and mine cart racing, while certain activities, such as rope climbing and a really weird giant log-avoiding game, require two players to commandeer four pressure sensors each. It looks fun, but another exercise game this close to Wii Fit? It's all a bit much for us.
25) Opoona (TBC)
Be honest - you know this as "the one that only uses the nunchuk". While we're more interested in Artepiazza's upcoming Dragon Quest DS remakes, there's plenty to recommend this child-friendly RPG. The energy-bon-bon-flicking combat might get tiresome over Opoona's 40-hour campaign, but we like the idea of getting a 'proper job' for cash. We're waiting for more English info to arrive on this one.
26) Puchi Copter (Out Now (Japan), TBC (UK))
Unless we're mistaken, this is the latest in the range of cheap (but cheerful!) radio-controlled helicopter games, traditionally developed by Aquasystem and published by Taito, which previously reached our stores via publishers such as D3 and 505 Games (they released the first two PS2 games under the guise of Radio Helicopter at the overdraft-dodging price of £9.99).
The Puchi Copter games are usually pretty decent despite their cheapo production values, frequently involving your chibi-copter in such typically Japanese situations as having to recover a number of randomly-scattered bikinis for a group of girls who've suffered a ransacking at the hands of crows. Mobile phone game merchants Sonic Powered (the developers) are an unknown quantity, but Puchi Copter's weak point was always its controls, so here's hoping the Wii will fix all that.
27) Pro Evo Wii (Q1 January/March)
We haven't managed to wrangle a go on Pro Evo Wii yet - we've only seen it being played by someone else, which explains why we're in two minds as to whether the control system will be genius or not. Tip everything you thought you knew about PES out of your head, and think more along the lines of a football RTS - you make passes by selecting the precipitant with the pointer, while in Free mode you can initiate off-the-ball runs and set-piece movement. Holding the A button will cajole the player in possession to dribble towards the pointer, although having to shake the nunchuk to shoot had some of us shaking our heads in retaliation here at NGamer Towers. We confess the controls had us saying 'er' more times than Arsene Wenger on Mastermind, but we're glad Konami are thinking outside the box on this one.
28) MX Vs ATV Unnamed (March)
Likely to become the showcase version of Rainbow Studio's mudgrinding racing series, due to mid-air stunts operated by waving the controller while steering using the nunchuk. Influential game, that SSX Blur. It's developed by Incinerator, of Disney's Cars 'fame'.
29) Deal or No Deal (Early 2008)
Use a sawn-off shotgun as a Wii remote to obliterate your television set and prevent this tension-free nonsense from polluting your brain further. Hopefully this'll be better than the belief-beggaringly awful DS 'game'.
30) Bomberman Land (March 2008)
Has it really been ten months since we gave this interminable Mario Party wannabe a 'resounding' 60%? With an online WiiWare Bomberman Battle Pack aching to wiggle down your phone line later this year, you'll have to be as bomb-happy as the crew to play.
31) Real Heroes: Fire-fighter (2008)
Sounds like a merry old grin, this. It's a family-friendly action puzzler that "mirrors the challenges and on-the-fly choices firefighters actually face". Such as 'take the stairs, or go down the slide thing'? The 'thinking fire' technology means that unexpected changes to the environment are commonplace. We're ready to fire it up.
32) Draglade (Early 2008)
A rhythm action fighting game that has you tapping in tune with the beats to unleash crazy combos. It was released back in May in Japan to favourable reviews, and is thought by many to be 2008's answer to Ouendan.
33) Space Station Tycoon (2008)
Those of you who have 'crossed the beams' and ventured onto Xbox Live might have played a decent-ish space station management game named Outpost Kaloki X.
From the same team comes this similar station-building exercise, with the concept being expanded on with light puzzling action and the odd "Oh noes an asteroid is coming!!!1!one!" dilemma that requires stringent use of the remote to keep in check.
Oh, and you play as Shawn, a kid who hangs round with a small monkey.
34) Nanaon-sha Project (TBC)
PaRappa/Vib Ribbon developers NaNaOn-Sha have gone absolutely GaGa for single-button gaming.
Not long after NaNa's DaDa, a certain Masaya Matsuura, had a few little chats with the press extolling the virtues of both the Wii console and its remit of encouraging simple, elegant game design, the company revealed to the world a simple game named Musika.
It's a one-button rhythm game that plays out to the music on that most unlikeliest of viable games machines, the iPod.
With AAC (the iPod's propriety format of choice) to be replacing MP3 as the Wii's favourite method of squishing songs onto SD cards, we'll totally freak out if NaNaOn-Sha don't attempt to stretch the technology seen in Musika into a full-blown game à la Vib Ribbon, on our blue-faced console friend.
Or how about using images that come from the Photo Channel? Obscure Japan-only followup Vib-Ripple did exactly this on PlayStation.
35) Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (April)
How does the idea of leaving a trail of carnage in your wake, playing as Darth Vader's secret apprentice, grab you? Like a Vader neck squeeze, we'd presume.
This third-person adventure might not be the Wii lightsaber game we've been performing 'saber-dances' for, but there's no danger that using exaggerated motions to hurl hapless Stormtroopers across the universe will be anything less than 100% fun.
The use of Pixelux's advanced physical simulation technology (sounds like there should be a trademark sign in there somewhere) means that wood, glass and other such household materials will splinter and shatter in the same manner as their real-life counterparts, leading us to believe this could be the most fun you'll have this side of a six-pack of eggs and a toffee hammer.
36) Brave (Summer)
Are you ready for generic platforming action? We said: ARE YOU REEEEAAAA...oh.
This coming of age story with a Native American tilt doesn't look too bad, mind; the prospect of canoeing down rapids on the Wii has us squaw-king with delight.
37) Shiren the Wanderer (February)
A double dose of turn-based, randomly-generated dungeon crawling in 2008. On DS, it's an enhanced remake of an old top-down 1995 SNES, while the Wii's Shiren will be an all-new adventure. Expect both to be tougher than stale Weetabix.
38) Speed Racer (May)
From Sidhe Interactive, the makers of PSN/PSP title Gripshift, comes this cutesy combat racing tie-in.
If you're looking at the picture and thinking 'anime' you'd be dead right, but it's worth noting that it's being released alongside the live action movie adaptation.
39) Terminal Reality (TBC)
Terminal Reality, the BloodRayne (and Metal Slug Anthology) developers, currently have a Wii project on the go.
It could be a revival of Demonik, a devil-possession game that got cancelled when publishers Majesco failed to possess their bank manager in 2006.
40) Sudoku (Out Now (Japan) TBC (UK))
Sudoku seems like a slightly less gripping prospect when it's on your television set, doesn't it?
You could just play one of the multitude of free versions on your Wii browser anyway, such as the one at www.miniclip.com/wii/sudoku/en/ - still, it might be good to keep gran happy with for the next 100 years, depending of course on how sprightly she is.
41) Line Rider (TBC)
Normally the only time we venture onto DeviantArt.com is get our daily fix of horrifying Smash Bros fanart, but we tip our fire-engine plumber's caps to over-accented Slovene DevArtist Botjan Cade, who used the community site to debut Line Rider, a hilariously silly internet toy that allows the user to draw lines on a white background and then watch in giddy glee as a monochrome sled-rider named Bosh skates around your creations, occasionally plummeting to a painful and bloody death in the case of line art gone wrong.
Considering you can do this for free at linerider.com, shelling out £20-40 (the pricing hasn't been confirmed yet) is a bit of an ask, though the prospect of sharing our creations with friends over Wi-Fi (as Bluetooth allows on the mobile phone version) is a mouthwaterer.
Expect it to be released alongside a website update which includes colours, sound and the inclusion of a finishing line.
42) Deca Sporta (March (Japan))
How's this for an idea so ingenious you could floss your teeth with it: a compilation of sport-based minigames all on a single disc!
Lawdy, it's a revolution! Actually, to be serious for a second, we're not that cynical, even though on the surface this might look like little more than a a Wii Sports cash-in.
It provides value for money, for one. Or for ten, in fact, because that's how many sports are represented here. For Badminton see Wii Sports Tennis - though it goes at a slightly more sedate pace - but rather more intrigueworthy are some of the more 'out there' events, including Curling, Kart Racing, Ice Skating and our favourite, Beach Volleyball.
While we're fairly certain the karting isn't going to come even close to Mario Kart, we still reckon this'll make a nice package that's worth a look, especially if you've got a frat party planned for 2008 and some glimmerthirsty magpies have made off with your Wii Sports. We'll keep an eye on this one.
43) Battlalion Wars 2 (15th Feb)
Battalion Wars Wii has launched Stateside to a largely positive response. But despite being what we refer to as a 'hoot' online, there's no doubt that many will feel that Battalion Wars 2 didn't do enough to differentiate itself from the GameCube original.
Also, the lack of voice chat capabilities over Wi-Fi can prove an issue at times.
Don't let us put you off, mind; it's another slice of mind-lesioningly taxing strategy from the long-running Nintendo Wars series, and there are moments when the action and strategy combine to be more satisfying than a great-dane-sized lasagne.
44) Oboro Muramasa Youtouden (2008 (Japan) TBC (UK))
If we told you that this was the spiritual successor to the PS2's Odin Sphere, you'd probably look at us with a perplexed look usually reserved for... well, for playing games like Odin Sphere in Japanese, because they never did get round to releasing the gorgeous 2D action RPG over here. Swines.
Not that this is any likelier a candidate to wash up on our shores. Drawing heavily from Japanese mythology, we know of at least two playable characters: Girl In Kimono (called Monohime, possessed with an evil spirit who used to be a master fencer; we're sure potential boyfriends will understand) and Mysterious Amnesiac Bishonen.
We know it'll feature 'non-stop battles' using the remote as both a katana and a small throwing sword. Sounds interesting.
45) Fragile (2008)
If you've played the brilliant Baten Kaitos on GameCube - and if you haven't, we're going to prod you in the ribs until you do - this is going to make your year.
Fragile: Farewell Ruins Of The Moon is a new RPG from the same team, and promises to lay on the atmosphere even thicker than BK did.
You play Seto, a young boy alone in a foggy post-apocalyptic world. It's eerie stuff: the Wii remote's your torch as you explore abandoned towns and disused train stations, stumbling on ghosts that, somehow, you fight (screenshots so far show you armed with... a twig).
It looks gorgeous - and that big sky-ball looks like it'll play a key part in your story.
Now, have you played Baten Kaitos yet? (Prod.) Have you? (Prod.) Have you? (Prod.) Have you? (Prod.) Have you? (Etc.)
46) Harvest Moon: Tree of Peace (TBC)
We gave the Japanese version 72%. "It's such a wonderful concept", snarled Kittsy, between biting the heads clean off his flock of chickens and chasing his cows around the farmyard, "but such a crying shame that we have to work around so many glaring flaws to get the best out of it".
The flaws include incessant loading screens between the closest of areas, imprecise motion control and a camera with, ahem, a mischievous attitude.
But hey! There's loads to applaud too, such as the gorgeous island location, the customisation of both your character and your farmhouse, and that renowned Harvest Moon charm that can force a smile out of anyone.
Plus, you get to ride an ostrich. Oh - and early 2008 sees a remake of ace GameCube predecessor Magical Melody hit Wii, too. Lovely.
47) Crossword (Out Now (Japan))
The Hudson Puzzle Series games for Wii are everywhere in Japan. As in, they don't appear to be selling that well.
Don't hold your breath for a translation any time soon, either - the game is kinda letter/language/symbol-specific.
48) Prince Caspian (May)
The first Narnia game impressed us about as much as Peter Mandelson; let's hope Traveller's Tales go back to the drawing board and rediscover some of that Lego Star Wars magic.
49) Gas Powered Games Project (TBC)
Their whimsical name belies a developmental heart of stone, best known for their strategy RPG series Supreme Commander and action RPG series Dungeon Siege. An installment of the latter is the bookie's tip.
50) Wizardology (Autumn)
It's that big book you see in Borders. Codemasters are working on adaptations for all three 'Ology books; this, Dragonology, and the less convincing Pirateology.
On Wii, an action game. On DS, interactive book thing.
51) The Game of Life (TBC)
Totally not what you were expecting. Japanese-centric with heavy use of Miis, it might play loosely like the board game, but some of the minigames are waaay out there.
Like, just off the top of our head, the one where you have to fling faeces at a row of floating bottoms. Note: not a joke.
52) Monster Hunt 3 (2008)
Well, as far as announcements go, this is a big 'un. European gamers might not be too enamoured with the series, but in Japan, it's ma-hoosive.
Monster Hunter 3's switcheroo from a PS3 exclusive to a Wii exclusive can be seen as the ultimate turning point in this generation's battle for supremacy.
It arrives just as the Monster Hunter series is reaching somewhat of a critical high, too. Although the meat of the game is a solitary (often isolated affair), things really come into their own online, when hunting in packs against some double-hard monsters.
A variety of nefarious ways to capture your prey - such as laying traps and tagging them on your radar with a paintball gun - means we'll be queuing for it in Japan on launch day.
53) Family Ski (Out Now (Japan) TBC (UK))
Floody hell, pretty soon we'll be going to the gym in order to catch a break from our demanding Wii Taskmaster.
This is the first game to fall off the conveyor belt of Namco Bandai's Family Sports range. Family Jockey (horse racing) and Family Stadium (baseball) should hit later in '08.
No balance board needed here - you use your remote and your nunchuk as your ski poles.
So, to crouch, you rotate both compartments of the controller outwards as if to increase the distance between the poles and your body.
Turning is a precise art, as well - you have to keep the sticks parallel, or else end up nunchuk-over-elbow.
The only 'ski' we're familiar with at the moment is the low-fat yogurt (and then only cos we've scoffed all the Rolo Desserts), but by the look of things, a few hours with Family Ski and the glorious controls, and we'll be aching to hit the slopes for real.
54) Obscure The Aftermath (Mid 2008)
Brought to us by the people bringing Alone In The Dark to Wii, ObsCure II is a refreshingly Scream-like take on the horror genre.
ObsCure II was actually released over here back in September for PS2 and PC (although we'll forgive you for not noticing, as many retailers refused to stock it due to a questionable suicide scene late in the game), but for reasons unknown, the Wii version has slipped into the new year.
The general reception's been pretty good; ObsCure's big 'thing' is that it supports co-operative play, with both players able to switch between six emotionally-skittish teenagers, each with their own skills and drawbacks.
It's silly and fun yet pretty atmospheric at the same time, and we're looking forward to swishing weapon and torchlight alike around on Wii.
55) House of the dead 2 & 3 The Return (Spring)
So that unwieldy title does all the work for us. Two zombie-meltdown on-rails shooters, together on one Wii disc, slathering gore over your telly like blood-butter on a blood-muffin.
Still, don't rely on Sega's US marketing people to get you excited about HOTD2&3R ("This will take gamers back to experience the celebrated first-person arcade shooter that was so popular in the late '90s" - oh, good).
Rely instead on the natural brilliance of the games: tense on-rails gunfights; hilariously cheesy dialogue; bosses so big they'd bang their head on an aircraft hangar door, and multiple endings depending on your sharpshooteringness (made-up word).
Sega's Ghost Squad has become a real NGamer office fave, and this is 'dead' certain (see?) to use the Wii remote - and, if you like, the Zapper - to equally brilliant effect.
56) Gegege No Kitaro (2008)
Party games with a macabre twist - including a race around a graveyard and a football game played with a stone ball - in this tie-in of Shigeru Mizuki's manga series about a young demon boy with hair that can be shot like arrows. Probably Japan only.
57) Tamagotchi (Summer)
Tamagotchi No Puchi Puchi Omisecchi Minna Thank You!, to give it its full name. Translation: Corner Shop 3.
Yet more tame but adorable minigames from the assortment of sentient blobs that 1997 wants back; it did well in Japan.
58) Totally Spies (Spring)
What's France's number one favourite cartoon show all about? Not onions. Not "un leg du frog".
Nope; three valley girl students who also happen to be highly-trained super-spies. It's developed by OUAT, who make those terrible interactive DVD things. Not one to be looking forward to, then.
59) Wild Pet Tigerz (February)
Well, from the get-go you know this one's gonna be all in-your-face with attitude, such is the proliferation of Zs on display.
The second Wild Petz game after this year's Dolphinz DS, expect to be running a small tiger zoo, and most definitely NOT stroking them with your stylus.
60) Zombie Massacre (TBC)
Somewhat like a cross between House Of The Dead and a racing game - but no, we don't mean you'll be customising zombie drivers and a vast array of flashy convertibles.
One player attempts to drop a bomb in the middle of a zombie-drenched city while the other three attempt to keep their undead antagonists at bay using VERY BIG GUNS. We think it sounds brilliant!
this list has some very new and surprising games.heres the link
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=178911
