7 for '07 - Nintendo Wii

Battalion Wars 2 – The sequel to the 2005 GameCube game, Battalion Wars 2, or BWii as it is more affectionately known, should contain more of the same RTS-meets-third-person-shooter gameplay of the original, with combat ranging from the land, air, sea and...online? Where the last game was berated for its lack of multiplayer, BWii will offer three modes – Assault, where one side defends a base while the other attacks; Skirmish, a more involved match where players fight for control of bases; and a co-op campaign – all through Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. BWii may not be the first Wii title to go online, but it has the potential to reach a more diverse audience than Pokémon Battle Revolution. While we’re sure Nintendo’s collectible monsters still have plenty of (cock)fight left in ‘em, the franchise may never escape its kiddy stigma. That said, despite its cartoon-like appearance, Battalion Wars 2 might find itself more socially acceptable, something quite important for a console reaching out to non-gamers like the Nintendo Wii is.

Cooking Mama: Cook Off – A full-blown console sequel to a Nintendo DS game, Cooking Mama: Cook Off is something of a niche title on this list. The Wii, as most of us know, certainly has taken a more understated approach to graphics, and Cooking Mama more so than others, not only being kid-friendly, but also not being too intimidating for adults either, which is the perfect match for the gameplay. While I won’t jump out there and say the first Cooking Mama was a simple game (as a few of the fast-paced recipes tripped me up), it is certainly one of the easier titles to grasp the concept of: you’re making a meal, so you’ll need to slice, stir, fry and flip. In the last game, this would have been done with the stylus, and you would physically be touching the screen for each action.

For Cook Off, naturally, you’ll be using the Wii-mote, which is just a bit more contextual. Instead of scratching on a screen, just move your Wii-mote back and forth to shake up the pan, tilt it to the side to pour, and make an actual chopping motion to, well, chop…a control scheme that even the most novice gamer should be able to learn. Even though Cook Off is a worthy sequel because it is expanding its horizons, offering two-player split-screen multiplayer and recipes from 10 different countries, Cooking Mama makes our list because of its potential to expand the gaming market more than anything else.

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption – The third and final entry in Retro Studios’ Metroid Prime series is the real mystery title on our list, creating more questions than we have answers. Will it really redefine the FPS on Wii? Will it include online play after all? Will it even be out in 2007? We don’t know the answer to any of those questions yet, but we like to think the answer is yes to all of them. And, of course, just in case it is, MP3: Corruption has easily secured itself a place here.

Manhunt 2 – When Manhunt 2 was announced, you better believe millions of gamers were surprised to come home and find their Wii had actually grown a pair. The idea that Nintendo systems are just for kids is quickly passing, and this game is a major step towards that realization (in fact, Jack Thompson is already making moves to stop it), and that’s why you don’t see this game on the PS2’s list. Helping to overcome the summer slump, Manhunt 2 will involve a different storyline than the first game, this time following a couple of escaped mental patients, though the gameplay should remain true to the original. Several improvements are also in the works, including the ability for the main character to crawl and climb, the ability to slow their breathing and use ambient noise to disguise their movement and allow them to hide better, and using the environment to perform kills. The fact that one of last generation’s most violent and controversial games is getting a sequel is newsworthy enough, but the fact that it is coming to Wii is alone worth a place on our list.

Super Mario Galaxy – At GDC, when Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed that we would indeed be playing Super Mario Galaxy this year, the gaming world gave a collective sigh of relief. No matter how you look at it, this game is probably the most anticipated title on Nintendo’s new system, and for good reason. Just as Super Mario 64 truly ushered gamers into the 3D era, Super Mario Galaxy may do the same for motion controls – anybody who hasn’t yet purchased a Wii (aside from availability issues) may just do so when this game hits. 

From the footage seen so far, Galaxy seems to include a number of classic Mario enemies, from Goombas to Wigglers, even if slightly re-imagined for their new outer space setting. The levels will also be a bit different this time, as you won’t be traversing a single connected world like you’re used to, but instead a number of small planetoids, ranging from the ordinary (asteroids) to anything but (giant, worm-filled apples). And, finally, the graphics may be one of the most important aspects of this game – anyone who says the Wii isn’t next-gen capable clearly hasn’t seen the latest trailer for Super Mario Galaxy, a game that may once and for all prove Nintendo can play with the big boys.

Super Paper Mario – Mario’s latest flip-floppy adventure came in with a whimper, quietly introduced for the GameCube at last year’s E3 and quickly overshadowed by the torrent of all things Wii. While we did our best to give it some love, the sad truth was that no one seemed to care.

So it was no surprise that the game, which features Mario turning the world from 2D to 3D on a dime and solving all kinds of puzzles based on the transformation, was reconfigured for release on Wii. This time out, Mario’s action RPG seems to be more action than RPG, but promises a great time nevertheless.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl – Even until the very day Nintendo released its latest console, Super Smash Bros. Melee topped the GameCube’s sales charts. With that kind of success, and a fan base extending to millions of gamers, expectations for the next game in the series (which started on the N64) are perhaps unnaturally high...but Nintendo is doing its best to meet them in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Although the graphics are certainly getting an overhaul, the classic Super Smash Bros. gameplay seems to be remaining intact – in fact, not wanting to mess with a winning formula, creator and direction Masahiro Sakurai is not even using the Wii-mote for combat (instead, it looks like you’ll be able to choose from your old GameCube controllers or the Virtual Console’s Classic Controller). 

However, that doesn’t mean that the game will be devoid of change, as this series will actually introduce a number of firsts, chief among them, the inclusion of online play and third party characters, like Metal Gear’s Solid Snake, who’ll join a cast of newly added Nintendo favorites, like Pit, Wario, and Meta Knight. We don’t yet know for certain if Brawl will be out this year, but if Nintendo keeps its promise, this could be one spectacular holiday season for the Wii.