Less than a week now until the Wii hits America, and less than a month until us Brits get the console, I've decided to try and quench my thirst for the Wii by... previewing almost every game that's been announced so far. If there's any incorrect info, I apologise.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Shaping up to be the best game of all time, I'll be taking this home on launch day. The controls for this game have been revised since E3 to incorporate what we all secretly wanted: swinging the remote like a mad-man to make Link smash up Moblins on the screen. An epic storyline and stunning visuals should secure Twilight Princess's success.
Red Steel
Redefining the first-person shooter genre, Red Steel looks fantastic. You are put in control of a katana sword or a gun, and use the nunchuk and Wii Remote to examine the area and blast your weapon to stay alive. The brilliant scenery and locations in Japan actually look HD, with reactions from CPUs being surprisingly accurate. A multiplayer mode should make this game a must-buy.
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2
I must admit, I don't know very much about Dragon Ball Z. The Japanese anime confused and scared me, but the game should be good. I'm unsure about the control method, but I think it incorporates the Wii Remote in the fighting style. Nice cel-shaded visuals, though maybe for DBZ fans only.
Wii Sports
Here's a treat: it comes free with the console! Kind of like Wario Ware Touched! did for the DS, this will introduce you to the Wii console and help you get to grasps with the controller. Baseball, golf, bowling, boxing and tennis all look simple but brilliantly innovative. A good party game but maybe not as fun in single-player.
Call of Duty 3
Another first person shooter set in (I think) World War II. Call of Duty 3 uses the controller like Red Steel does (minus the katanas) and sees you fighting your way through No Man's Land to enemy territory and blasting the hell out of the Nazis (or something). (Why am I talking in brackets all the time? I don't know!) I'm not entirely sure of this game, and haven't been after the news that Wi-Fi was scrapped. Time will tell.
Wii Play
This isn't on the top of most people's lists, but I think it looks fantastic! I'm surprised how hyped I am for it, AND it includes a Wii Remote! There are several minigames in it including a version of Duck Hunt, laser hockey, fishing, tanks and various other fun looking multiplayer games. A very simple 2D style, but should last ages.
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent
Oompah Loompah, Doopety Doo, I have a perfect puzzle for you, Oompah Loompah, Doopety Dee, If you are wise you'll listen to me. What do you get when you take a console game? And tack on some motion bits to make it less lame? A port with a few special bits isn't good. How about a new game, bud? I don't like the look of this....
Excite Truck
A snazzy sequel to the N64/NES classic Excitebike, Excite Truck is looking to be one of the best games of the entire Wii lineup. Unfortunately delayed into 2007, hopefully the European version will have better gameplay and more ingame options. The motion controls are used as if you were really driving it, and you tilt and twist the controller like a steering wheel to try and make perfect landings from jumps. The ability to add your own custom soundtrack using MP3s on an inserted SD card just adds to the fun.
Rayman: Raving Rabbids
Michael Ancel obviously saw the success of Wario Ware before he even planned to make this a minigame manic game. Playing as Rayman, you must hypnotise bunnies using Wii Remote controlled dance moves and play minigames with them to escape from the Rabbid jail. Multiplayer madness will ensue, and this game should win the hearts of quite a lot of people.
Monster 4x4: World Circuit
Basically Excite Truck except you only focus on the racing rather than tricks and landings. A free steering wheel included must be tempting you to buy it...
Far Cry Vengeance
Shock horror, another FPS on the Wii! Far Cry has some nice shiny graphics and an intuitive control system like Red Steel and CoD3, though how much first person shooter can you take?
Sonic and the Secret Rings
Sonic returns to his roots as he speeds along levels, controlled by tilting and stabbing the Wii Remote. Sonic really has gone downhill since the Sega console days, could this be his return to form that he has been waiting for for many years?
Need for Speed Carbon
This game uses the same control scheme as the other racing games for the Wii, and is probably compatible with the steering wheel attachment aswell. Downloadable cars through Wii Connect 24 does sound nice, but it's essentially the same game as the other currently available versions.
Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles
Though only a few details and pictures have been seen, hopefully this can top the might of Resi 4. Wii controls are a must and possibly a shove in the right direction for the Resi series.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
This has apparently been delayed to Q4 2007! Metroid Prime was considered one of the GameCube's finest moments, and hopefully the new controls will make Samus' mission more enjoyable and add an extra layer of depth to the bounty hunting adventure.
GT Pro Series
A port of an American Xbox game with steering wheel controls, this should be a must-have for racing game addicts out there.
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam
It seems Activision are rather generous when they give Nintendo a Tony Hawk's game. This one is exclusive to Nintendo consoles and appearing on the GBA, DS and Wii. Land tricks as you race to the finish in this downhill racing game. One that should appeal to people other than skating fans.
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
This should be one of the first few fighting games for the Wii. The developers are currently unsure of which control scheme to use, so not a lot can be said for this yet, but it should be a treat for those who love the genre.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
If I remember the game correctly, this is an RPG/Adventure/something else combination that allows you to execute special attacks with the Wiimote. Interesting then...
SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab
Hell yes! Minigames and an adventure that look better than any previous SB game. You can control a giant Plankton and destroy Bikini Bottom! PWNED! (As Internet people would say...)
Pokemon Battle Revolution
You can use your DS as a controller in this. Upload your Pokemon from Diamond and Pearl for use in the stadium and compete against players worldwide. Lovely, never turn down the chance to defeat the Japanese.
Metal Slug Anthology
SNK have created the most amount of control schemes to be included in one game out of all the other launch games. Use the Wii Remote, Classic Controller and GameCube controller to command your man and blast your way through the 2D arcade levels in this side scrolling shoot-'em-up.
Rampage: Total Destruction
A monster battling game that pits classics such as Godzilla and others against one another in city-destroying brawls. Not an original concept seeing as most consoles have seen this idea before, but maybe Wii Remote activated destructions will make up for it.
Arthur and the Minimoys
I'll leave you with that name and the thought of David Bowie as an evil overlord before saying that I don't have a clue what this game is about.
Wario Ware: Smooth Moves
Take the success of previous installments, chuck in motion controls and you have a winner.
Fire Emblem
Some remote controlled strategy looks natural on the Wii in this Fire Emblem installment which is out next year.
Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors
Slashing on-screen monsters in a successful RPG has never been so fun, probably because no console has ever used a wireless remote control.
Trauma Centre: Second Opinion
Hack your patients to bits as you create the perfect Frankenstein's monster! I made that bit up, it's really a surgery sim.
Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast
This is a game that followed the suit of Twilight Princess and converted over to the Wii. Supposedly compatible with the bongo controllers, this should be quite an exciting racing game. Here's hoping for wireless bongos....
Super Paper Mario
The third game in the Paper Mario series, this sees Mario teaming up with Bowser and swapping between 2D and 3D dimensions to save the Mushroom Kingdom in this innovatively genius platformer.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Oh here's a good one. The sequel to the GameCube fighting classic, Brawl will use the GameCube/Classic controllers in this multiplayer online game. This was the ultimate multiplayer game on the Cube, I'm guessing this will be better.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
The gameplay actually remains to be seen, but this should be special if online and DS connectivity are incorporated.
Disaster: Day of Crisis
Mother Nature is your enemy in this survival game. The storyline involves a renegade team of Marines or something that have stolen a nuclear warhead for evil purposes. We have yet to see someone playing the game (and some more news since E3) but it comes from the people who did Baten Kaitos, so expect a good game.
Sadness
Sadness is a unique game presented in black and white that focuses on psychological horror and other things that might scare you a bit more than Resi.
Prince of Persia
This has only been announced, so no details are known. This is a completely different storyline to the past trilogy, so the gameplay elements and the whole game should be something new and fresh.
Mario Strikers: Charged
Woohoo, another online game! The new controls and improved graphics make this look appealing, as does the ability to show the rest of the world who are the kings of footy (ENGLAND!).
Bleach Wii
I'm not really into manga and stuff like that, and I have no idea what Bleach is, so don't listen to my opinion.
Chicken Little: Ace in Action
Why couldn't they just leave it at the film and come up with a new franchise? Erm, make it special Disney?
Wing Island
This was thought to be a sequel to Pilotwings when the first screens were released, but it's a completely new game that controls like the Wii Airplane demo, except you can drop bombs. (FTW!)
Elebits
I really loved the look of this at E3. You use the Wii Remote to grab an interactive environment and objects in it to shake them about and uncover little mischievous energy givers called Elebits. It hasn't been done before, but uses the controller in a really unique way.
Wii Music Orchestra
In a really sad, geeky way, I'd buy this just for the fact that you use the Wii controller to conduct an orchestra to play the Zelda theme tune!
Wii Motor Sports
Wii Airplane is the only confirmed game in this pack, but it does look very fun to just duck and dive the controller up and down to control the plane.
Necro-Nesia
Argh! There's a bug on my foot! Let's hit it with a stick! There, gone! OH NO MORE BUGS! Whack, whack, whack. Repetitive gameplay that no one should have to suffer.
Bomberman Land
Online mode and laying bombs with the Wii Remote... Interesting...
Batallion Wars 2 (BWii)
I'm pretty sure online is confirmed. Anyway, you command your troops using the Wii Remote and throw grenades, shoot etc. by pointing. This should be good.
Animal Crossing
If you've played this on the DS then you know this should be special. The game will send messages to you in the console's Wii Message Board, informing you of important events and days. You visit you friends' towns and dig/hack/catch with the Wii Remote. I'm really hyped for this.
Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Smash up opponents with a big metal hammer! You probably know how the controls will work, don't you...
Big Brain Academy
Train your brain whilst getting a workout! I think.
Forever Blue
This is probably one of the most intruiging games. You are just a diver exploring the sea, that's it. But you can meet up with friends online and catch fish and plants etc.