Last year, the Nintendo Wii dominated holiday video game sales. Whenever consoles were available, they sold out very quickly, with stores barely able to keep them in stock. (Surprisingly, that continues to be the case seven months later, in the middle of summer.) The next few months are no exception, thanks to a line-up of top-notch games for the system, including the return of a well-known plumber and another anticipated Smash Bros. game. Let's look at what Nintendo and its third parties have in store for us.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Nintendo, August 28)—Samus Aran returns once again, battling alien threats throughout the galaxy in this latest first-person shooting opus from Retro Studios. Players have a completely different control scheme to work with, using both the remote and nunchuk to maneuver. Although the game lacks online play, Corruption still has enough going in Story Mode to keep players addicted for hours on end.
Mario Strikers Charged(Nintendo, July 31)—Mario and friends hit the soccer field and use power-ups to score goals. Charged not only brings exciting gameplay and slightly revamped graphics, but also online play against other Wii owners.
Boogie (Electronic Arts, August 9)—EA's forthcoming singing and dancing game comes with a USB-compatible microphone and a slew of classic and contemporary dance tunes. Gamers will sing their hearts out, or waggle their remotes to make the funky looking characters bust a move.
Madden NFL 08 (Electronic Arts, August 15)—EA's football series continues on the Nintendo Wii. Players can choose their offensive and defensive weapons and then take to the field, scoring points and tackling the opposition. Incorporated online play and motion-sensitive controls should make this a big hit with the Wii crowd, along with the dynamic graphic engine and free-flowing commentary from John Madden and broadcasting partner Al Michaels.
MySims (Electronic Arts, September 19)—MySims features better interactivity, cute graphics and hundreds of things to do throughout the town in order to establish a good Sim life. The Wii control scheme should feel refreshing for a game such as this, with players completing point-and-click maneuvers with the touch of a trigger.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 (Electronic Arts, August 29)—Tiger Woods returns to the digital world of golf, along with a handful of selected pros and official courses. The previous Tiger Woods developed for Wii showed great promise, thanks to precise motion-sensitive controls and a handful of modes to choose from. The sequel should improve upon this with even more courses, mini-games and other options to make it a must-have for amateur and pro golfers alike.
Tony Hawk's Proving Ground (Activision, October 10)—Tony Hawk and his skateboarding buddies continue to make tracks on the Wii, this time skipping the racing circuit in favor of a more full-fledged trick-laden experience. Players can choose from three different types of skateboarding as they thrash in locations across the U.S., putting Nail the Trick and other maneuvers to good use. The gameplay should see some Wii-specific touches as well, particularly with board spins and other fancy moves. Good luck trying to nail a 900 as easily as Tony can.
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (Activision, October 29)—Put down the Wii remote and pick up Activision's custom-made wireless guitar for some Guitar Hero. The series makes a smashing debut on the Wii with a huge song list, online play, a handful of guitar-playing experts to challenge (including Slash from Velvet Revolver) and enough rock to make gamers stick out their tongues almost as far as Gene Simmons.
Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party (Konami, September 26)—The Dance Dance craze hits the Nintendo Wii for the first time with Hottest Party. Players make use of both the Wii controls and an included dance pad to get their groove on, using fast-paced feet and hand motions to keep up with the beat on multiple hit songs.