Nintendo Confirms European Wii Launch Plans News

Nintendo's attempted return to the top with the looming launch of the Wii took another boost today, with confirmation that the launch line-up would consists of a mighty 27 Wii titles along with 31 Virtual Console games.

Launching across Europe on December 8th with Wii Sports, support from Nintendo themselves is surprisingly weak compared to everybody else with only three titles finished in time for launch, though this does include the hugely anticipated The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, along with Wii Play and Wii Sports. Strangely it seems that Excite Truck will make the Wii's launch in North America, though Europeans will have to wait a little longer before sampling this and other titles such as Atlus' Trauma Centre: Second Opinion (hopefully it doesn't take too long to bring this over).

The full launch line-up includes:

• Wii Sports Bundle (Including the Wii console and Wii Sports - Tennis, Golf, Boxing, Baseball and Bowling)
• The Legend of Zelda : Twilight Princess
• Wii Play (including Wii Remote)
• Call of Duty 3
• Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
• Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam
• Madden NFL 07
• Need For Speed Carbon
• Happy Feet
• Rampage: Total Destruction
• Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz
• Gottlieb Pinball Classics
• Super Fruit Fall
• Disney/ Pixar Cars
• Barnyard
• Spongebob Squarepants: Creature from the Krusty Krab
• Blazing AngelsTM Squadrons of WW II
• Far Cry Vengeance
• GT Pro Series
• Monster 4x4 World Circuit
• Open Season
• Rayman Raving Rabbids
• Red Steel
• Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent
• Impossible Mission (Dec 2006)
• Leaderboard Golf (Dec 2006)
• Tennis Masters (Dec 2006)

In addition, the 31 Virtual Console titles available covers a spectrum of formats including the NES, SNES, Nintendo64, MegaDrive and Turbografx (PC Engine), with classics such as:

NES

• Baseball
• Donkey Kong
• Donkey Kong Jr.
• Ice Hockey
• Mario Bros.
• Pinball
• Soccer
• Solomon's Key (Tecmo)
• Tennis
• The Legend of Zelda
• Urban Champion
• Wario's Woods

SNES

• Donkey Kong Country
• F-Zero
• SimCity

Nintendo64

• Super Mario 64

SEGA MegaDrive

• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Altered Beast
• Golden Axe
• Columns
• Gunstar Heroes
• Ecco the Dolphin
• Space Harrier II
• Toe Jam & Earl
• Ristar
• Dr. Robotonik's Mean Bean Machine

Turbografx (PC Engine)

• Bonk's Adventure
• Super Star Soldier
• Victory Run
• Bomberman'93
• Dungeon Explorer

Intriguingly Nintendo's announcement refers to prices for Virtual Console games "available in 2006", suggesting that these could be adjusted for future releases. As it stands, however, NES titles will be available for 500 Wii Points (£3.35); Turbografx (PC Engine) 600 Wii Points (£4.02); SNES and MegaDrive 800 Wii Points (£5.36); and Nintendo64 titles for 1000 Wii Points (£6.70).

Cards of various Wii Points denominations will be available to buy in shops, and are expected to cost approximately 20 euros (£13.36) for 2000 Wii Points. First-party titles for Wii games will retail for between 49 euros and 59 euros (£34 to £39), with additional Wii Remotes costing 39 euros (£29); Nunchuks 19 euros (£14) and the Classic Controller for 19 euros (£14).

Update: Japanese gamers will be getting a greater choice of Virtual Console titles compared to us Europeans, with the likes of Super Mario Bros., Castlevania IV, Super Mario World, Street Fighter II, and Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, available in the territory from day one. Around fourteen additional Virtual Console titles will be available in Japan compared to Europe, leaving us with one question: why Konami, why Capcom, and why Nintendo??? Surely it's not just a question of localisation...