Mario, Metroid estimates

By Tom Bramwell Published 29 November, 2006

Plus VC timetable, online gaming and arrogance.

Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime has said that American gamers can expect Super Mario Galaxy any time between the end of March and next Christmas.

Speaking to MTV News, Fils-Aime said that Metroid Prime: Corruption is going to be next in the batch of big Nintendo releases, following WarioWare: Smooth Moves, Wii Play (both January) and Mario Party 8 (March).

He also offered some idea of what consumers can expect from Virtual Console. "On every Monday, you can expect between one and five titles... essentially on an ongoing basis," he explained.

And they're working on the rights issues that are keeping games like GoldenEye away, too. "Suffice it to say we would love to see it, so we're exploring all the rights issues," the Nintendo of America boss told MTV.

But what of online gaming? "The first online game will be Pokémon Battle Revolution in Japan, so that is certainly a candidate [to be first] in the US." MTV then hints at other titles. "For the consumer who is saying, 'Gosh, when is Nintendo going to get on board with online play?' The answer is very early in 2007," Fils-Aime specified.

But what's this about arrogance, you're wondering. Apparently it's the difference between Nintendo and Sony and Microsoft. "Are we feeling good about our success? Do we think we can have more success in the future? Absolutely," he began.

"I do think that highlights a difference between us and our competitors: We're not arrogant. We don't view success as a right. We feel we need to earn success every day. And we're going to do that by being true to the gamer." Handbags!

As if to prove the point, he noted that he'll be off to Japan, cap in hand, to do some "lobbying" of his bosses in January. We're told to expect a "plethora" of Wii announcements around then.

One thing he won't be bringing back with him though is the DVD-playing Nintendo Wii, which was mooted a while ago. Asked by MTV whether Wii-DVD coming to the US any time soon, he responded simply: "The answer is no."

Head over to MTV.com for the rest. Nintendo Wii is due to launch in Europe on 8th December.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (49) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • lambtron #1 5 years ago

    Goldeneye - PLEASE!

  • Dizzy #2 5 years ago

    I was totally ready for a Wii... but right now, with all the PC/360 games to play, I decided to wait a bit (only Zelda was on my list anyway), so I will be Wii-ed when the next batch of games come out (mid 2007?)

  • Blerk #3 5 years ago

    Mario Galaxy for next Christmas, then. If you're lucky.

  • NOSAVIOUR #4 5 years ago

    'Speaking to MTV News, Fils-Aime said that Metroid Prime: Corruption is going to be next in the batch of big Nintendo releases, following WarioWare: Smooth Moves, Wii Play (both January) and Mario Party 8 (March).'

    Or the only big release after Zelda and before Mario...

    Give us pilotwings now!!

  • Rambaldi #5 5 years ago

    Why no Wii DVD here? What an utterly ludicrous arse-about-tit decision.

    /slaps Nintendo

    And yes, the porfolio looks as dull as the Gamecube's apart from a smattering of re-runs of old franchices, much like the Gamecube
    Edited by 1 at 29/11/06 @ 09:46

  • lennon #6 5 years ago

    Its looking more and more likely that I am going to get Zelda for the Gamecube and not bother for the time being with Wii.

  • Eraser #7 5 years ago

    Somewhere between March and next christmas. That is March '07 and Christmas '06 I hope?

  • playgen #8 5 years ago

    Next Christmas for Mario!
    Nintendo really really need to hire some more developers, they have had all this time since mario sunshine to make a sequel so its ridiculous. Plus as suspected they dont have many games dues out, and since most people will buy a Wii for Nintendo games, thats really not a good thing. So it seems to me like Nintendo really didnt spend their time well developing Wii games, in the last year or more they havent been making cube games.

  • Steroyd #9 5 years ago

    Nintendo's game release for next year.

    Metroid Prime Corruption----Super Smash Brothers Brawl----------------------------Mario Galaxy.

    For the rest of the year they'll most likely stuff a few party games in between like Mario Party, Warioware and.... oh.

  • JetSetWilly #10 5 years ago

    Will that be more first-party games than Microsoft gave the 360 in a year?

    Don't forget those AAA retro titles coming to you every Monday :)

  • foxy2006 #11 5 years ago

    >disc

    agreed.

    As a supposed 'revolution' in gaming, why is the wii being thrown so much third party crap? It is disappointing to see so many franchises being flogged on the system that were never designed for it's unique control system. Whatever happened to the good old Ninty QC?

  • playgen #12 5 years ago

    Yeah there may not be many great titles on 360, but Nintendos whole reason (or excuse) for making the Wii only slighty more powerful than a Gamecube was quick and cheap development times. Nintendo really shouldnt rely on 3rd party developers, since they could jump ship just as quickly as they did with n64 and cube. Nintendo should be making lots of great games themselves, with some new and exciting franchises, so that they dont need 3rd party devs to be a success, and they are just and added bonus.
    Edited by 1 at 29/11/06 @ 10:22

  • JetSetWilly #13 5 years ago

    The thing is, Nintendo have got to space out their big hitters to avoid cannibalising their own sales. But, as people rightly point out, we really need to see some strong 2nd and 3rd party titles in the interim to avoid history repeating.

    We do not need GameCube shovelware. Yes Ubisoft, I mean you.

  • playgen #14 5 years ago

    Didnt Nintendo say that Mario Sunshine wasnt the main game that they had been programming since Mario64, but just a stopgap release. If thats true then Mario Galaxies has been in development for 10 years! somehow i doubt thats true, and they only started development when they had finalized what the Wii was going to be. But still they have had plenty of time to make this game, Mario and Zelda at launch would have been a killer combination. Now it looks like it could be another year before the most interesting Wii game for me comes out.

  • varsas #15 5 years ago

    It would be great to see Nintendo release more games but it does make sense that they are spacing their titles out. The key to the Wii's success is the sparing use of those titles and 3rd parties coming up with the goods; that's how the DS has suceeded imho. We need innovation from other developers, Nintendo has hinted and shown what can be down with their initial titles and the early builds of their other titles like SMG.

  • GrandpaUlrira #16 5 years ago

    The Wii release schedule already looks a little weak, so early in the console's lifetime. And I'm a hardened Nintendophile. I hope there's a lot of unannounced stuff...

  • SBfistfun #17 5 years ago

    wii? Poo more like

  • JetSetWilly #18 5 years ago

    In his latest blog Matt Cassamassina hints at a game from a major publisher that we don't know exists.

  • rudedudejude #19 5 years ago

    Wii: Play is scheduled for release in the UK December 8th on every online store EG, wtf are you on about Jan release?

  • NOSAVIOUR #20 5 years ago

    Nintendo needs to anounce some more big budget AAA games. First, second or third party, collaborations etc. We need to see/hear about titles which give hope in the Wii's future. After all Ł179 is hardly a mass market price when by the time you get a game and second controller a 360+ game is little more.

    Saying that, it is easy to forget games like project hammer, day of disaster and forever blue.

  • spongebob #21 5 years ago

    I guess Nintendo just trusts that Wii needs just couple of children's titles and it'll sell like DS. Or did you really think that DS would have sold that much without Nintendogs? Do you think kids with DS and Nintendogs even want more games? It's just like Tamagochi.

    If Nintendo doesn't get some really great titles out of the door, Wii might become a kids console which sells no software apart from the one that is included at launch, Wii Sports. I'm already thinking how some might compare it to those plugin to telly joysticks, which include a few games.

    Core gamers will of course understand Virtual Console and wait for Mario Galaxy etc, but what about the rest? Will Wii just become a family toy?

  • Kay #22 5 years ago

    Jesus. The Wii is barely out and already everyone's complaining about the release schedule? Mario and Metroid aside, there should be plenty of hidden gems popping up over the next year, the sort of games that will have been designed with the controller in mind.

    Besides, having a new Mario, Metroid and Zelda game all in the first year of the new console is pretty special in itself.

    K

  • NOSAVIOUR #23 5 years ago

    ^^^^^^^^^

    Well said!! What the fu@k am I moaning about?!

  • Rambaldi #24 5 years ago

    I'm sorry, but when the only platform exclusive AAA title out for the next 6-9 months is also availale on a preceeding (and equally powerful!!) console, there's something amiss.

  • Dizzy #25 5 years ago

    "If Nintendo doesn't get some really great titles out of the door, Wii might become a kids console which sells no software apart from the one that is included at launch, Wii Sports."

    Well TBH.. Nintendo probably doesn't mind if this happens... they make money on every Wii sold so the aim is to sell shitloads of them and if people are having fun just with Wii Sports... so be it. I personally want a few games before I dive in ;) but Wii is probably not a console like the 360/PS3 where shitloads of games will determine succes...

  • Rambaldi #26 5 years ago

    Selling consoles to make profit without a second thought to games is ok...unless you give a shit about your reputation.

  • dogonwheels #27 5 years ago

    "WarioWare: Smooth Moves, Wii Play (both January)"

    "Delivery estimate: 8 Dec 2006
    * 1 of: Wii Play (includes Wiimote controller) (Wii)
    Sold by: Amazon.co.uk"

    Aagh. Who to believe? I thought I had a cunning way of getting my second wiimote before Chritstmas. Damnit.

  • NOSAVIOUR #28 5 years ago

    Rgb and component cables are not out until the 22.12.06 according to TEAM NINTENDO (nintendos customer services).

    Damn fools

  • Steroyd #29 5 years ago

    Didnt Nintendo say that Mario Sunshine wasnt the main game that they had been programming since Mario64, but just a stopgap release. I

    Ah the fabled Mario 128. ¬_¬

  • bonker #30 5 years ago

    Blimey. no SMG until this time next year then ...

    Having to have serious thoughts re the value of Ł220 for one game (Zelda) tho it be the mother-of-all-games ...

    Hmm, cancel Amazon pre-order or buy and Ebay it in January after finishing Zelda???

  • Rambaldi #31 5 years ago

    @bonker

    Buy a Cube and Zelda for Ł60

  • chupachups #32 5 years ago

    "I decided to wait a bit (only Zelda was on my list anyway)"

    Very good idea, the Wii will be far cheaper in a year's time and there'll be a good selection of games too.

  • foxy2006 #33 5 years ago

    sorry for being a dummy, but can anyone tell me if Zelda Gamecube will be out earlier than the Wii launch?
    thanx in advance

  • Rambaldi #34 5 years ago

    A week later

  • Matsuo #35 5 years ago

    I bet we'll get Metroid in Q2, around April/May, Galaxy will be there at the end of the Summer, around September. Pokemon Battle Revolution and SSBB should be the Wii's big holiday offerings then.

    I don't get it why some people start worrying about the release schedule already. There are plenty of games coming from Nintendo itself beside Mario and Metroid: ExciteTruck, Project Hammer, Fire Emblem, Battalion Wars, Mario Strikers, Super Paper Mario to name a few.
    Don't forget the third party offerings. It's not always about Nintendo games... There should be something for every month.

    Btw, in the MTV interview, Reggie mentions there's gonna be a plethora of Wii news in January. Here's hoping for new game or channel announcements!

  • spongebob #36 5 years ago

    @Matsuo:
    All nice if you are a die hard Ninty fan. If you're not that excited of every franchise they got, the calendar starts to look a bit empty.

  • rock27gr #37 5 years ago

    Wii Play is out on launch here, bu in the USA it is set for January! So no need for worry (for those who expressed such fear)

  • Chim_chimma_nee! #38 5 years ago

    This is probably it for the foreseeable future. If there were any other great games coming out sooner, the hype machine would be at full throttle by now.
    When has a classic just appeared out of the woodwork?

    I'm putting off getting a Wii until there's a good back catalogue - i.e more than a couple of games.

  • richardiox #39 5 years ago

    After all the guff about not doing what they did with the 64 and GC - eg having decent and constant stream of first party/third party games - they seem to be on coarse to make the same mistake again. Even though they acknowledged it was a crucial failure in the 64/GC launch.

    Like people had said, if Zelda stayed a GC exclusive and came out last Christmas the Wii launch would surely be one of the worst in history?

    Still, getting mine on launch day but really hope they get Metroid, for example out by March. Although my gut instinct is they will feck it all up and Metroid / mario wont surface until 3rd Quarter 2007. So it's just Zelda (GC) to keep us going until then? Wario Ware I'm discounting as it's a mini-games comp (even though I'm sure it will ace).

  • gieltjegitaar #40 5 years ago

    Nintendo will release these first-party games in Japan in 2007, I guess we can expect all of them to make it over here as well:

    Battalion Wars II
    Big Brain Academy
    Disaster: Day of Crisis
    DK Kongo Blast
    (Excite Truck)
    Fire Emblem: Goddess of Dawn
    Forever Blue
    Mario Party 8
    Mario Strikers Charged
    Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
    Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
    Super Mario Galaxy
    Super Paper Mario
    Super Smash Bros. Brawl
    Wii Health Pack
    Wii Music

    Kirby, Animal Crossing and Eyeshield 21 are also confirmed, but no date set.

  • Poorandugly #41 5 years ago

    Wii Health pack?

    /Thinks of joke
    /Resists for the benefit of all

  • Rambaldi #42 5 years ago

    This isn't trolling, cos I kinda fancy a Wii, but really it seems like the same fate that befell the GC is happening again:

    Shovelware cross platfom games that look and play a lot better elsewhere
    Limited range of quality titles based on tired formulas
    Glut of obscure eastern party/platform rubbish
    Not one single truly decent racer

    Please Ninty, prove me wrong.

  • smelly #43 5 years ago

    >"any time between the end of March and next Christmas"
    >They never learn do they.


    ???

    How many microsoft made 1st party games have been released for the 360?

  • Veldaban #44 5 years ago

    "We're not arrogant", says Nintendo boss, then proceeds to slag off journalists for criticizing their launch games.

  • SirScratchalot #45 5 years ago

    I'm kind of curious as to Battallion Wars 2 and Fire Emblem myself. A cookie to the first person who gives me release details!

  • spongebob #46 5 years ago

    I don't get it. The hardware is innovative, yet the software seems to once again stick to the old formula. Of course the way they're played can be different, but seriously, what about experimenting with new IP?

    I am not a big fan of Sony nowadays but at least PS3 will have more new IPs and not just Crash Bandicoot times 10. Even Xbox 360 has decent amount of new IPs among the safe franchises.

    And what Nintendo has? Mario this, Mario that. Fire Emblem. Metroid. Battalion Wars. Hopefully third party devs will amaze us this time around.

  • JSD124 #47 5 years ago

    I was really confused and worried by the Wii Play stuff there!

    Thanks for clearing it up rock27gr.

  • myk #48 5 years ago

    >>I don't get it. The hardware is innovative, yet the software seems to once again stick to the old formula. Of course the way they're played can be different, but seriously, what about experimenting with new IP?

    looking at it the other way, why abandon 20 years of IP just because they want to introduce a new control method? Zelda sells, Mario sells, Metroid sells. I'm sure they have new stuff to release in the same way that they have introduced the Pokemon, Pikmin, Nintendogs and Animal Crossing IP.

  • NegativeZero #49 5 years ago

    Maybe while defending his company as not being arrogant, he can explain why I'll be paying $110 AUD per game (the same as X360 games) when I can import them for $70 AUD from the USA, and why I can import a Wii (with 2-day couriered shipping directly to my door) for $5 more than buying locally...

    If they're making a massive profit from Wii from day one, why do they have to gouge us for 20% extra on top of that? :(