“As you know, ‘Wii something’ are the titles that we use only with software that Nintendo has developed exclusively for Wii with the aim to make them marquee titles for Wii. We are developing this game with the aim to make it a marquee party game for Wii.

The developers are spending significant [amount of] time for this title so that they can include elements that are must-haves in a party game as well as making sure that adequate volume of game play are available. We are developing it with the intent that every Wii player will be able to find a game that can be enjoyed. In a game play mode called ‘Living Party,’ there are unique game play only available with the Wii Remote.”

The game will include minigames and Mii support. No word yet on Wii Motion Plus, Wii Speak, or Nintendo Wifi Connection integration. Set to release before the end of Nintendo’s fiscal year (that’s March 2011 for all you normal calendar folks, out there) Nintendo of America has yet to confirm a date for North America. Can we expect a Reggie/Cammie demo at E3? I can only hope.

Gamers compete by guessing the most popular terms in a given web search. At the end of the game whomever has the most correct guesses is the winner. The game is powered by Google’s search engine and can be played in both online and offline modes. Offline mode is said to contain more than 10,000 pre-stored searches. Online mode allows for data to change and adapt due to trends in Google search.

Google search fights can settle many debates. Who’ll fin in a fight between Superman and Batman? Who knows. But in a Google fight- Batman wins 51,200,000 results to 27,600,000.

Mega Man 10 – March 1st

Alice in Wonderland – March 2nd

Calling - March 9th

Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon – March 16th

Sushi Go Round – March 16th

Let’s Play Ballerina – March 16th

Cave Story – March 22nd

How to Train your Dragon – March 23rd

Pizza Delivery Boy – March 23rd

Rooms: The Main Building – March 23rd

Red Steel 2 – March 23rd

Sakura Wars: So, Long My Love – March 23rd

Here are the main highlights, prepare yourself.

Wii

Mario Galaxy 2, sequel to the 2008 hit, will be launching in America on May 23rd! The game is importing many of the great mechanics from the first Galaxy but adds many new elements including new power ups (Nintendo demoed a drill during a boss battle), new worlds, and Yoshi!

Sin & Punishment: Star Successor will be released on June 7th. Sequel to the cult-hit Nintendo 64 game, Sin & Punishment looks to be Nintendo’s answer to hardcore gamers craving something non-Mario but still, undeniably, Nintendo.

Monster Hunter Tri from Capcom is coming to North America, bundled with the Classic Controller Pro, on April 20th. Nintendo confirmed it will also be compatible with the Wii Speak accessory for voice chat. Nintendo is also working with retailer, Gamestop, to provide a demo disc with two quests on March 8th. Also, if your pre-order through Gamestop, customers get 500 points for either the Wii Shop Channel or DSi Shop.

Metroid: Other M, the game being developed by Team Ninja- the studio behind Ninja Gaiden, was also mentioned. A release date of June 27th was announced and while Nintendo was keeping other details quiet, it did promise the press some hands-on time with the game. Expect more details in the near future.

DS

The next iteration of the DS hardware, the DS-XL, will be coming to North America on March 28th for $189.99. The DS-XL is, essentially, a jumbo version of the current model, DSi. Nintendo of America rep, Cammie Dunaway explained the screen is “about ninety-three percent larger” and “fills the gap between portable play and the kinds of social experiences that up until now have only been available on consoles.”

Pokémon Heart Gold and Silver will be launching on March 14th. These are remakes of the Gold and Silver titles that came out for the Gameboy Color. Not much else was mentioned during the event but if you’ve played one Pokémon game, you’re likely aware of what to expect.

WarioWare DIY is hitting store shelves on March 28th! Create your own WarioWare-style microgames. The title will also be available as a WiiWare companion piece.

Augmented reality game, Ghostwire: Link to the Paranormal was demoed, showcasing the DSi’s camera allowing players to take photos and interact with them in-game.

WiiWare/DSiWare

Cave Story has been in development for quite awhile but today Nintendo revealed the WiiWare remake of the PC-community darling will be coming to the service on March 22nd.

Max & The Magic Marker is Drawn to Life meets Crayon Physics meets Harold and the Purple Crayon. Already available on PC, the WiiWare version drops on March 8th.

Capcom’s Mega Man 10 continues the 8-bit revival by bringing more great bosses, more insane platforming, and more of that Blue Bomber goodness. Nintendo mentioned that, in response to the last game, an easy difficulty was put in to allow casual players to enjoy Mega Man 10 while hardcore fans will get the same difficulty they’re used to on higher settings.

Bizarre and innovative platformers, Super Meat Boy, as well as And Yet It Moves were also given “Summer” release windows.

By the looks of it, Nintendo is going to have a jam-packed first half of 2010. It’s surprising to see so many top-tier titles getting released between now and mid-Summer. Hopefully, Nintendo still has a few surprises in store for the holidays. Either way, it looks like this event was the company’s answer to, what some have argued to be, a lackluster line-up as of late. There’s no doubt this is, once again, a great time to be a Nintendo fan.

Periodically, the nightmare world takes over, enveloping the town in a thick layer of ice. These sequences give rise to Harry being chased by horrible creatures. As I said before, Shattered Memories does away with any combat from the previous games. Harry is completely defenseless against these monsters and must resort to running for his life. While these moments are a welcomed change of pace, the game suffers a bit from having the danger of being killed separated from the rest of the experience. It’s only during these chase sequences, that Harry can be hurt. When he’s not in the nightmare world, there is no danger. So while players explore the school, the mall, and other places, there’s no real need for concern so long as the ice is at bay. As a result, the game is not very scary once players settle into the comfortable pattern of therapy session, exploration, chase sequence, and repeat. While the game may not be as terrifying as some may like, Shattered Memories innovates where other Wii developers falter.

Silent Hill is not a particularly long game. Most will be able to get through the first play-through in about six hours. Subsequent runs will require much less time as the puzzles don’t change much and, while player’s choices might alter some aspects, the experience is generally similar. I wasn’t bothered by the game’s length for one main reason. The game has got an agenda- it has a story to tell and a fantastic one at that. Perhaps this is why the puzzles are so easy, you almost get the feeling the developers want to push you toward the ending. Once you’re there it’s fantastic. During the credit sequence, the game even suggests a second play-through, encouraging players to make different choices to render different results. I was so floored by the ending and the possibilities of the psychological profiling I immediately began a second game, making entirely different choices. I easily got through it in one sitting in about three hours.

Family Party: 30 Great Games Winter Fun – February 8th

Data East Arcade Classics – February9th

Super Monkey Ball Step & Roll – February 9th

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Justice for All - February 15th

Shiren the Wanderer – February 16th

Free Running – February 16th

Endless Ocean: Blue World –  February 22nd

Sled Shred – February 23rd

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing - February 23rd

Chicken Riot – February 23rd

No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle starts off with a bang. The action is bloodier, the humor is more off-the-wall, and the experience is even crazier than the first. The game is influenced by things as varied as the Kill Bill movies, manga, animé, and even David Lynch films. Series protagonist, otaku, and deadly assassin Travis Touchdown returns in, what executive director Suda 51 considers, a story that’s much darker than its predecessor. Travis is on a mission to cut his way back to the top of the United Assassins’ Association and this time he’s out for revenge. As players assume the role of Travis Touchdown, they’ll behead a Final Fantasy character look-a-like, fight a giant mech high above the city, battle a team of cheerleaders, slice dozens of enemies creating buckets of blood, play with your pet cat, watch as the game repeatedly breaks the fourth wall, and morph into a tiger.

That’s all within the first hour.

The sequel improves upon so many aspects of the original, namely the open world clunkiness and side mission banality. The tedium of moving around the open world of Santa Destroy has now been stream-lined. Instead of driving from place to place, players are given a menu with various locations and fast-travel to each one. While it’s somewhat disappointing to see the developers go this route instead of improving the open world design, in the end it’s a much-needed change. It speeds things along, allowing you to quickly get to the next ranked fight. Between missions comes the greatest addition to the series. Gone are the job missions of the last game that, while fun at times, were usually a chore to get through- especially considering they had to be played repeatedly. In their place are a set of incredibly crafted 8-bit style minigames. Travis will do anything to make a buck whether it’s delivering pizzas, frying steaks for finicky customers, collecting coconuts, or exterminating bugs. All of these jobs are lovingly rendered as bygone products of the 1980s. From the visuals, the audio, and scenarios, the job minigames are so much fun you’ll find yourself going back to them again and again.

Desperate Struggle retains some of the same problems that hindered the last game. The game’s camera system can be very frustrating. In heavy combat situations, my view was often blocked by objects, walls, enemies, and more. There is no camera control other than a re-center button of which I made extensive use. Even with a lock-on system, the camera still lost sight of enemies. This is partly to do with the game’s less-than-stellar level design. Environments in Desperate Struggle felt cramped and bland. They’re usually just empty parking lots, empty buildings, or empty streets. There’s not much life in them and, at times, it felt like there wasn’t enough room to fight and maneuver. They really only serve as platforms for the combat. In a few instances, the poor level design only added to some of the frustation during boss battles. Many of the locations for the ranked matches suffer from the same claustrophobic design. It felt like there wasn’t always enough room to fight, dodge attacks, and still be able to keep an eye on what was going on. This wasn’t the case for every fight but it’s still worth mentioning.

Shinobu and Henry return from the first game as playable characters and the addition is a welcomed one. Shinobu is back from battling in Asia and has, unlike Travis, gained the ability to jump. While it mixes up her fighting style somewhat and allowed the developers to include a platforming puzzle, it doesn’t do anything drastic to the No More Heroes formula.

No More Heroes 2 does something more Wii developers should consider. It gives players the option to control the game via the standard Wii Remote and Nunchuck combo or playing via the Classic Controller. I started with the old standby but switched to the Classic Controller about halfway through and I’ll never go back to the original. Playing with the Classic Controller felt great and, even if some gamers would rather have motion controls, it’s nice to be given the option to use standard controls. This is how third party development should continue on the Wii.

In the end, No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle took many of the things that didn’t work in the first game, scrapped them and, in their place, made a more stream-lined, energetic, hectic, thrilling experience. While I was initially sad to see the open world of Santa Destroy get pushed to the way-side, I can’t argue with the results. Despite still being bogged down by a clunky camera, the game feels much snappier and the 8-bit minigames are simply amazing. Add that to another great cast of epic boss battles, more oddball humor, more style than some game studios craft in a lifetime, and Suda 51 has managed to up the ante on a series I hope is around for a long time.

While I played the most recent entry in the series, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, I was constantly struck by a nagging sensation of deja vu. As I rode the rails across the Kingdom of Hyrule, I felt as if I’d played the game before. I conquered a series of elemental-themed temples, obtained a boomerang, bow, amongst other weapons. The sights, sounds, gameplay, items, and characters were all long-standing staples of the series. It was the third game to follow the visual style introduced in The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker. This “been-there done-that” feeling often made me lose the drive to continue. There is, however, an upside to this pattern.

By importing many of the same assets from Spirit Tracks’ DS-predecessor, Phantom Hourglass, it allowed Nintendo to release a sequel in less time. It would be worse if Spirit Tracks were a bad game. However, the game is good despite feeling so familiar which is a testament to the quality of the core design. There’s a level of refinement that’s occurred as Nintendo has found a set of crucial elements needed to make a game feel like The Legend of Zelda. Puzzles have a style all their own while the combat and controls feel much tighter. The end result is a polished game full of classic Nintendo tropes. While I feel Spirit Tracks is a good game, I’m disappointed it doesn’t do much to move the series forward. While the puzzles are fun, they’re easily bested by series veterans who are wise to their trickery. Change is a difficult thing for any series, especially one as venerable and beloved as The Legend of Zelda. However, Nintendo has done it before.

When Nintendo made the bold choice to create the cartoonish visual style of Windwaker, many fans cried foul, pleading for a more adult design. It’s a fine line Nintendo must walk between sticking to its own conventions and propelling the franchise into uncharted territory. Majora’s Mask made a similarly daring shift in the creation of the game when it departed from Ocarina of Time’s design by introducing the mask mechanics as well as the three-day cycle. Like Spirit Tracks, Majora’s Mask borrowed many assets from the game that came directly before it. However, it introduced enough new elements to feel fresh. During the NES days, Zelda II: The Aventure of Link defied expectations and followed up Link’s first adventure with a side-scrolling perspective for combat and exploration. The touch-centric controls of Phantom Hourglass took the series’ classic top-down design and introduced a new way to play. While the series has seen some changes over its twenty-year lifespan, the most obvious being the jump into three dimensions, it has since begun to feel stale. Recently, President of Nintendo Saturo Iwata mentioned the upcoming 2010 release for the series’ next Wii entry. With the release approaching it’s given rise to some concerns.

Nintendo needs to mix things up and Wii Motion Plus is not enough. While Nintendo has confirmed the next Zelda will utilize the company’s Wii Motion Plus peripheral, there will hopefully be more to the experience than what we’ve seen from the last few entries in the series. Nintendo will hopefully make more bold choices and give the franchise a much-needed push in the right direction. As I said before, it’s a difficult task for Nintendo. If they change too much, some fans will be upset that they’ve muddled with the series they love so much. Others will see it as another missed opportunity to reinvigorate the franchise. When it comes to Wii sequels, Nintendo has had a mixed track-record this generation. Animal Crossing: City Folk was, for many fans, a disappointment as it felt too much like the previous games. While Nintendo added voice chat support and some minor online features, the potential had clearly not been met. While 2010 is already shaping up to be another great year for Nintendo with the next Metroid title, amongst others, for Link’s next Wii incarnation, fans can only hope Nintendo will push the boundaries of what it means to play a Legend of Zelda game.

Walk It Out (January 12th)

Genre: Action - Developer: Hudson Soft – Publisher: Konami

Move to the beat of over 100 favorite songs and groove to the rhythms as you unlock an exciting in-game world! Extend the experience in bonus minigames. Compatible with the Wii Balance Board and the Wii DanceDanceRevolution Controller, Walk It Out will have you groovin’ your way to a healthier you! (Nintendo.com)

Sleepover Party (January 12th)

Genre: Simulation - Developer: Zoe Mode – Publisher: Ubisoft

Invite your friends to the coolest sleepover party ever with Sleepover Party on Wii! Sleepover Party is the interactive video game that lets you plan and host fun-filled overnight parties with your best friends. With the help of your virtual hostess Aimee, you can plan your party, choose your party theme, build your guest list, create shopping lists, and more. Then have a blast at your very own sleepover party as you play a variety of fun games and activities. (Amazon.com)

The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces (January 12th)

Genre: Action - Developer: Project Aces – Publisher: Xseed Games

After decades of constant war and fighting, the world has finally come to a lasting peace. But with war being an integral part of their lives for so long, the citizens of the world are desperate for a solution to solve this newfound peaceful life of calm and tranquility. To ease this tension and to appease its citizens, the government has started pursuing a new round of wars. These new campaigns are not a power struggle between hostile countries, but rather sponsored events between private corporations with military-trained personnel contracted by each side to do their biding for them. It is the battles fought by these corporations such as Rostock and Lautern and the constant media reports on them that satisfy and replace the basic human instinct to fight using the war as a show. The latest rookie pilot to join the Sky Crawlers, codenamed “Lynx,” is working his way up the ranks and becomes involved in a secret new military project with the goal of making pilots immortal. Join Lynx on his journey to conquer the skies while unraveling the mystery behind the military’s covert new project (Nintendo.com)

Satisfashion (January 19th)

Genre: Simulation - Developer: TechFront - Publisher: Destineer

Step into the world of high fashion! As young designer Grace Styles, you’ll lead the team at the Satisfashion Design House on a journey to the top of the fashion industry. Create trends with the latest fashions, hippest models and funkiest makeup. Show off your hot new looks on runways across the globe and set the fashion world on fire! With each innovative new trend you create you’ll help elevate Satisfashion to the top of the industry! (Amazon.com)

Fast Food Panic (January 19th)

Genre: Simulation - Publisher: SouthPeak Games

Create the best restaurant in the world by cooking up yummy dishes, making your customers happy, greeting them when they stop by, and keeping your restaurant squeaky clean in this vibrant and fast-paced restaurant simulation game for Wii and DS. Keeping a top-quality restaurant takes a lot of work, and your waitress will need help-keep the place clean, make deliveries, ring up customers, and more. (Playstation.com)

Marines: Modern Urban Combat (January 26th)

Genre: Shooter – Developer: Destineer - Publisher: Destineer

Get ready for the most intense, realistic military shooter on Wii. Grab the Wii Remote and lead your squad into battle with tactics and strategies used by the real U.S. Marine Corps. Marines: Modern Urban Combat brings the thrills of first person shooters to Wii with intuitive Wii controls, deadly AI, amazing squad dynamics, and more! (Nintendo.com)

Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars (January 26th)

Genre: Fighting - Developer: Capcom - Publisher: Capcom

TATSUNOKO VS. CAPCOM: ULTIMATE ALL-STARS pairs well-known characters from Capcom’s roster of games with some of Japan’s most beloved characters from anime powerhouse Tatsunoko Production.From Capcom’s 30-year history comes characters like Ryu and Chun-Li from the Street Fighter series, Morrigan from Darkstalkers and company mascot Mega Man Volnutt from Mega Man Legends. Tatsunoko’s near half-century of Japanese animation excellence is represented by the likes of Ken the Eagle and Jun the Swan from the Science Ninja Team Gatchaman anime (known in North America as Battle of the Planets or G-Force), cybernetic warrior Casshan and comedic action hero Yatterman No. 1. All together, there are more than 20 colorful combatants to choose from in order to form the ultimate tag team combination. Gameplay will instantly set fighting game fans’ fingers twitching, combining elements from Capcom games like Street Fighter and previous entries in the VS series, TATSUNOKO VS. CAPCOM ULTIMATE ALL-STARS is a fun fighting game designed for all levels of players. Players choose from the combined roster of fighters to create their favorite two man/woman/cyborg/robot tag team, rotating on the fly between the two players throughout the course of each match. Those new to the genre will appreciate the game’s bright visual style and simplified four-button fighting controls. Hardcore Capcom fighting fans will dig in to the game’s depth, uncovering huge Aerial Rave combos and unique Variable Assists, gorgeous Ultimate Hyper Combos, and Variable Combinations that combine the capabilities of two members of the player’s tag-team to unleash huge damage. (Nintendo.com)

No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle (January 26th)

Genre: Action - Developer: Grasshopper Manufacture – Publisher: Ubisoft

The action takes place 3 years after Travis got the meaningless ranked 1st title. Travis still lives in the same motel until he receives a mysterious parcel. Bishop, the only best friend Travis had, is dead. Coincidentally, the beautiful and cold Sylvia reappears in front of him to report the new assassin ranking of #51. Armed with a second beam katana Travis is back to start his long journey that will lead him to the path of revenge…(Nintendo.com)

If you really consider yourself a gamer, you must have either bought, played, owned, rented or at the very least tried the games below. Five 5 represents the five best games on the 5 best systems. From action, to role-playing, to puzzle and first-person shooters, here is the Crème de la Crop

Xbox 360

1. Grand Theft Auto IV
2. Halo 3
3. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
4. Gears of War
5. Fallout 3

Playstation 3

1. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
2. Grand Theft Auto IV
3. inFamous
4. Resistance: Fall of Man
5. Killzone 2

Nintendo Wii

1. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
2. Super Mario Galaxy
3. Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition
4. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10
5. WarioWare: Smooth Moves

PC

1. The Orange Box
2. Crysis
3. World of Warcraft
4. Command & Conquer: Red Alert
5. Diablo

PSP & Nintendo DS

1. Tekken: Dark Ressurection (PSP)
2. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (DS)
3. Dexter (PSP)
4. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PSP)
5. Mario Kart (DS)