The world used to be divided into two camps: gamers and non-gamers. In the first group: young men. In the second: everyone else. Then came Wii(TM) and Nintendo DS(TM).
The remarkable Wii Remote(TM) and touch screen and voice recognition of Nintendo DS removed the barriers to entry and put video games into the hands of young women, moms, dads and grandparents. Gamers now find they have a whole new population of people willing to join them in their gaming passion. At its media briefing today at the E3 Media & Business Summit in Santa Monica, Calif., Nintendo announced multiple new games and accessories designed to reinforce that bridge and further demonstrate everyone is a gamer.
"Games like Wii Sports and the original Brain Age proved anyone can pick up a video game system and immediately have fun," says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "We're building on that foundation with games and accessories appealing to our current fan base and drawing in even more new players."
New games and accessories not only demonstrate that Nintendo is not going to coast on its momentum, but they also show how the power and versatility of Nintendo's systems have only just begun to be explored. What might the future bring? These are the kinds of "what-if" questions firing the imaginations of consumers when Nintendo dares to explore them. For now, the following is a roundup of Nintendo's major announcements.
Wii
-- Wii Fit(TM): This experience builds on the active-play phenomenon
started by Wii Sports(TM). It comes packed with the pressure-sensitive
Wii Balance Board (name not final) that measures users' actions in fun
aerobic, toning and balance activities. Wii Fit also promotes
communication about health among family members, as everyone can review
one another's progress on a new channel on the Wii Menu. Coming in the
first half of 2008.
-- Mario Kart(R) Wii (name not final): Nintendo's classic racing franchise
goes online. It launches with the Wii Wheel(TM) (name not final), a
steering wheel housing for the Wii Remote that lets veterans and
newcomers compete together. Launches globally in early 2008.
-- Super Mario Galaxy(TM): This amazing achievement by legendary Nintendo
game designer Shigeru Miyamoto inspires awe with its amazing sense of
gravity and fun replayability. Launches Nov. 12.
-- Wii Zapper(TM) (name not final): This unit houses both a Wii Remote and
a Nunchuk(TM) and comes packaged with Nintendo software to show off its
applications. Third-party developers have multiple games in the
pipeline that will use this dynamic new interface. Launches 2007.
-- Check Mii Out Channel (name not final): This free Wii channel builds on
the phenomenon of people creating fun Mii(TM) caricatures. Now people
can show off Miis they have created either on their own or for
Nintendo-suggested competitions. Coming in 2007.
-- Super Smash Bros.(R) Brawl: New characters, new moves and new arenas
highlight this highly anticipated game, which launches Dec. 3.
-- Metroid(R) Prime 3: Corruption: The precision aim of the Wii Remote and
Nunchuk make this one of the best-controlled first-person games ever.
Launches Aug. 27.
-- Third-Party Support: Wii has nearly 100 titles in the works from every
major publisher.
Nintendo DS
-- Brain Age(TM) 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!: This brain-training
game offers more than a dozen new brain-stimulating activities that
challenge the mind. Launches Aug. 20.
-- The Legend of Zelda(R): Phantom Hourglass: This first Zelda game for
Nintendo DS can be played with the stylus and sets a new standard for
the graphics capabilities and immersive play of this system. In Japan,
the game launched in late June and is selling well to both avid and
casual gamers, including female players. Launches Oct. 1.
-- Flash Focus(TM): Vision Training in Minutes a Day: This program is
designed to help users sharpen their "Focus Power" through a series of
fun activities and sports challenges that test hand-eye coordination,
reaction time and peripheral vision. Launches Oct. 15.
-- Third-Party Support: DS has more than 140 titles in the works from
every major publisher.
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