Nintendo confirms titles for DS launch window
But we still don't know which ones will appear alongside the system on November 21st.
Nintendo has officially confirmed that "10 to 12" Nintendo DS titles will be released "in the first 30 days of system availability", with "20 to 25" set to be released by the end of Q1 2005.
However, the platform holder has not confirmed which of the titles will be available when the system launches in the States on November 21st, preferring instead to refer to a "launch window".
In that window we can expect to see Super Mario 64 DS from Nintendo, Madden NFL 2005, Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf and The Urbz: Sims in the City from EA, Spider-Man 2 and "a major title" from Activision, Ping Pals from THQ, Feel the Magic: XY/XX (Project Rub) from SEGA, Rayman DS and Asphalt Urban GT from Ubisoft, and Ridge Racer DS and Mr. DRILLER: Drill Spirits from Namco.
But the only products confirmed for launch alongside the system are PictoChat - wireless communications software built in to every handheld - and a demo of Metroid Prime Hunters called First Hunt, which will be bundled with the unit.
Games will retail "for as low as $29.99", and Nintendo promises a wide range of software will make it out "in the coming months". On the first party front, we can expect to see Mario Kart, the full Metroid Prime Hunters, WarioWare Inc. DS, Animal Crossing, Yoshi's Touch & Go, Advance Wars DS and a new Super Mario Bros. title.
From third parties, we're told to expect GoldenEye: Rogue Agent and Need for Speed Underground from EA, Viewtiful Joe from Capcom, Bomberman from Hudson Soft, Frogger from Konami, "a Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles title" from Square Enix, and other as yet unconfirmed titles.
Yesterday, a source speaking to Eurogamer under conditions of anonymity said there would only be four titles available when the console launched - and that Metroid Prime Hunters would not be one of them. Nintendo declined to comment on the specifics of its line-up for November 21st.
Nintendo's Japanese press conference, meanwhile, has revealed that the Japanese launch of the system will also be accompanied by a Pokemon title, Pokemon Dash, and that Square Enix is also working on a version of Final Fantasy III for the system.
The company is due to hold a press conference in Seattle later today, and we'd expect more details to come out of that.