Nintendo blows its own trumpet

Mike Bantick
Tuesday, 25 November 2008 02:34

Your IT - Entertainment

Riding high in sales still, Nintendo announces its line-up to Christmas and some sales figures to gloat about.

The Wii Fad continues unabated, with Nintendo turning up the heat on the competition in the lead up to the gift giving season.

Independent market research organisation GfK Australia confirmed the dominance of Nintendo consoles in the Australia/New Zealand market, as it is doing around the world.

The Wii reached the 750,000 units sold in 102 weeks, making it the fastest selling console to reach this mark.

But the Nintendo handheld DS is even more remarkable, taking only 194 weeks to set the new benchmark for 1.5 million units shipped.

Nintendo are in the mood to let everybody know the software that will be available to play in your new gifts, so, deep breath, here is the Nintendo December line-up:

Animal Crossing: Let’s Go To The City, available 4 December, sees players step into another world as they customise their own town, house and even themselves! Watch as the days, months and even holidays pass in real time, connect with friends via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and use the Wii Speak™ accessory to talk to Animal Crossing friends anywhere around the world!

Wii Music™, available now, lets players embrace their inner musician with more than 60 instruments from around the world and more than 50 songs. Select the instruments you would like to play, get your family and friends involved, or play on your own. Use your Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk™ as though you were playing real instruments. Wii Music offers a realistic drum kit, when used with the Wii Balance Board™ from your copy of Wii Fit. Mimic playing a drum kit, simply by placing the Wii Balance Board on the floor as foot pedals, and by using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk as drum sticks.

Survive nature’s most devastating catastrophes in Disaster: Day of Crisis - available now – Disaster Day of Crisis is a panic-inducing survival game for Wii. Play your way through a day filled with volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, earthquakes, floods and hurricanes – and a terrorist organisation with its mind on revenge and the power to wreak devastation at its fingertips.

KORG DS-10 Synthesizer is music creation software for your Nintendo DS. Available now, KORG DS-10 Synthesizer is the perfect choice for aspiring musicians and professionals. KORG is one of the world’s top musical instrument producers, and the KORG brand is synonymous with top quality sound. KORG DS-10 Synthesizer contains a sequence keyboard and KAOSS Pad, allowing intuitive note input and control using the Nintendo DS touch screen and stylus.

Kirby Super Star Ultra, available 27 November on Nintendo DS sees players run, float and fight their way through the adventure games as Kirby, gobbling up enemies as they go. Kirby can inhale enemies and spit them out as stars, but the main game play comes from swallowing foes and copying their abilities.

Pok̩mon Ranger: Shadows of Almia Рavailable now Рis an all new Pok̩mon Ranger adventure. The journey to become a Top Ranger, protect nature, and help people and Pok̩mon in need, takes place in the new Almia region, where players can partner with 17 different Pok̩mon to complete a variety of Missions.

 In more strong news for Nintendo, Wii Music was the number one selling console game on its launch week, selling through more than 28,000 copies. Similarly Wii Fit™ spent a period at the number one spot for 12 consecutive weeks following launch; and last week, week 46 2008, was the biggest selling week on record for Wii, with Wii selling through more than 35,000 units