It seems that 2009 is going to be a GREAT year for Wii owners all over the world from third parties but I am absolutely positive that there will be several new announcements that we did not expect from Nintendo. After all, they have yet to announce a blockbuster title for 2009 no? I am going to put on my "hopeful", "optimistic", "pessimistic" and "dream" goggles for this feature. Hope you enjoy it and please feel free to leave comments in the comments sect
ion [duh!] below!
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1. Metroid Prime & Prime: Echoes released as part of the "New Play Control" series.
This year Nintendo unvieled it's plans to release old GameCube titles with Wii controls. Some of them, like Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, is going to feature not only brand new controls but also completely new levels giving owners of the GCN version incetive to purchase it. Right now, if I remember correctly, only three games have been announced for this scheme - the aforementioned Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, Pikmin and Mario Power Tennis. I am almost 100% sure that we will see the first two games in the Metroid Prime series to release using this scheme as well. Why? Well I believe that there two games can benefit so much by giving them Prime 3-esque controls. I would also gladly pruchase a "Collector's Edition" with all three games boxed in one with some art work or Samus figurine (come on Nintendo, you know you want to!). Giving these games Wii controls is enough reason for me to pruchase them again. I wouldn't mind if Nintendo added some extra content though. Who wouldn't love to see Prime 2's multiplayer going online with Wii controls? Count me in!
NB: We could also see The Legend of Zelda The Wind Waker as well as Super Mario Sunshine released with Wii controls. I doubt we'll see Mario Kart Double Dash since Mario Kart Wii is still selling like crazy.
2. Second tier IPs get their time to shine on the Wii.
Super Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Mario Kart and Smash Bros. - Nintendo's biggest IPs have already seen successful releases on the Wii. So what can we expect now from Nintendo? A new Zelda or Mario? I hope not. Don't jump on me just yet. Hear me out. Why do we want another Mario or Zelda? Can't we wait another year or two? Sure we can! Nintendo has loads of other IPs for us. I am still waiting for an annoucement of an F-Zero Wii game. Who wouldn't want to race at 400km/h online? I believe that Kirby Wii is also in development plus IGN's Matt Cassamassina has hinted (understatement ahoy!) several times that Factor 5 is developing a Kid Icarus Wii titles. I have my doubts that it will be released now since Factor 5 has apparently gone bust. Shame, considering what Factor 5 was apparently able to do on Wii (see video below - please note that this is still a rumour). Please Nintendo, if this is true, buy Factor 5's engine and develop Kid Icarus yourself! Or hire all the Factor 5 people... or simply buy Factor 5!
NB: I have not forgotten about Punch Out!! Wii or Sin & Punishment 2 but I am only mentioning games internally developed by Nintendo. I am eagerly awaiting the release of both of those games just like most of you! I also know that F-Zero is usually developed by Sega even though it's a Nintendo-owned franchise. I HOPE that Nintendo does not butcher it to make it accessible to new players, but I do hope that they incorporate the same excellent online experience as the one in Mario Kart Wii - with WiiSpeak functionality that is!
3. Annoucement of first-party WiiWare titles.
I know that we already have some mild first party WiiWare titles. What I mean is that we could see the announcement, and hopefully release, of a new Metroid game - in 2D, with overly gorgeous had-drawn sprites and out of this world animation. I also hope to see a WiiWare release (DS might do as well) for New Super Mairo Bros. 2. I mean how has this game not been announced yet? NSMB was a MASSIVE hit and I don't see why Nintendo hasn't even hinted yet at a sequel.
NB: I am listing only these two since I believe that these two have extremely large potential to be AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA titles in 2D and WiiWare seems like the perfect way to do it.
4. Brand new IP from Nintendo.
This generation Nintendo have given us three new IPs already - WiiMusic, WiiSports and WiiFit. WiiSports Resort, sequel to WiiSports, has already been confirmed for a 2009 release. These are all great and all but were are the epic new IPs from Nintendo this generation? During the GCN we got Pikmin - at excellent take on the stratedy genre from Nintendo. During the N64 days we got Smash Bros. We're entering Wii's third year and yet there hasn't been even a hint of a new IP from Nintendo.
5. Pikmin 3.
Quite self explenatory no? It's been a long time coming but we could make an educated guess that we could see it during next E3 now that it has got its 'big event' status again.
6. Totally outrageous announcements from Nintendo.
Wii 2 with HD in 2010? Wii with HDD SKU? DS 2 with PS3 graphics and Xbox Live online? Ok the last one was a little over the top but who's to say that Nintendo won't annouce it. We've come to expect this stuff from Nintendo now and I fully expect to be shocked and disappointed/happy with Nintendo's 2009 surprise annoucnements.
7. More and more major third-party IPs (old and new) make their way onto the Wii.
We already know that a plethora of major third-party games are being made for the Wii like Dragon Quest X, Monster Hunter 3 and a Tales mothership title but I truly believe that next year more and more titles will be announced for the Wii. We already know about Capcom's Spyborgs, a brand new IP exclusively for the Wii. I would LOVE to see a Burnout iteration on a Nintendo platform for once. Plus rumour has it that Criterion Games are already developing Black 2 for the PS3 and Xbox 360. I would be disappointed, and frankly CG would be stupid, if they don't develop it for the Wii as well. CG, for some reason, seems to hate the Wii. If they don't hate money they should at least consider spin-offs.
Free Radical, if they're not going bust as well, should also have Timesplitters 4 in development for Wii if rumours are to be believed. Komani and EA are also working on major exclusive games for the Wii that have yet to be announced and I expect Ubisoft has something as well apart from Red Steel 2.
8. If developers do go bust, Nintendo would either buy them or recruit some of their developers.
I sure hope so at least. It would be a shame if not. 'Nuff said.
9. New epic franchises from Retro Studios and Camelot Software Planning.
Retro studios are responslible for the GameCube's best game, Metroid Prime and the one of the Wii's too, Metroid Prime 3. I'd love to see what they're working on. I'm sure that this time it will be a new IP and hopefully, it will blow our brains out.
Camelot's best games are also GBA classics: Golden Sun and its sequel Golden Sun The Lost Age. A third game will surely follow someday (or so I've been saying since 2004) but an RPG from Camelot on the Wii has been hinted since 2006. The series needs a revival and I sure hope to see it, even in simple announcement form, in 2009.
10. A major new Wii update.
Seriously what major updates have we got since the Wii released? Except from the added clock or the added transfer speeds what else did we get? Nothing. In January Nintendo will release an update that lets us save everything on an SD card as well as access it through the SD card as well but I want a major update. Maybe a GUI overhaul? Or WiiSpeak channel functionality during games? This would make older games that do not support the featre much much better! I expect Nintendo to advance their online infrastructure and the Wii's communication capabilities.
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I know that none of the above could come true. I also know that they could all come true. I do know that 2009 is going to be a blast and a time for Nintendo to 'redeem' itself after an abysmal 2008 (not counting SSBB and MKWii).
Roo
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