Nintendo is watching its main console rivals hogging the gaming limelight with their GTA:SAs and Halo 2s and reaping the cash rewards and must be thinking how on earth it could have missed the point of next generation console gaming.
An original and innovative company such as Nintendo however, can only plan ahead and 2005 is destined to be the year of the handheld wars. When considering raw power and marketing genius, Sony's PSP seems to have the advantage but, as far as handhelds are concerned, Nintendo is the undisputed champion and the DS seems to carry all the innovations. With pedigree of such quality you would have to be a very brave or foolish man to write off Nintendo's new baby.
Has the Japanese giant learnt from its recent marketing blunders? Will the lessons learnt be enough to assist the DS in its battle with PSP and Gizmondo? Maybe a look at Nintendo's list of titles coming in early 2005, can give us a hint as to how DS will fare, as well as what the company plans for the GC and GBA as well.
The new games will attempt to make the most of the touch-screen and wireless capabilities of the new Nintendo DS, in order to spotlight the innovative features and push home the gameplay advantage Nintendo reckons it has over its competitors. Likewise, owners of Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance SP will also be given new tools in order to bring that advantage to the company's other platforms. New tricks, like using bongos to control characters in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat for GameCube and an internal gyro sensor in WarioWare Twisted! for Game Boy Advance SP will be the first such tools.
Nintendo DS
Feb. 14: WarioWare Touched! from Nintendo
March 14: Pokémon Dash from Nintendo
March: Yoshi's Touch & Go from Nintendo
March: Atari Classics from Atari
March: Pac Pix from Namco
Q1: Need for Speed Underground 2 from Electronic Arts
Q2: Metroid Prime Hunters from Nintendo
May: Ultimate Card Games from Telegames
June: Ultimate Brain Games from Telegames
New titles for Nintendo franchises like Mario Kart, Animal Crossing and Advance Wars remain in development.
Nintendo GameCube
January: Resident Evil 4 from Capcom
January: Virtua Quest from Sega
Feb. 8: NBA Street Vol. 3 from Electronic Arts
Feb. 14: Star Fox : Assault from Nintendo
February: Winnie the Pooh from Ubisoft
March 14: Donkey Kong Jungle Beat from Nintendo
March: Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory from Ubisoft
March: Dragon Ball Z Sagas from Atari
Q1: Mortal Kombat : Deception from Midway
Q2: Donkey Konga 2 from Nintendo
Q2: Fire Emblem from Nintendo
Q2: Geist from Nintendo and an all-new adventure of The Legend of Zelda from Nintendo is in development.
Game Boy Advance SP
Jan. 10: The Legend of Zelda : The Minish Cap from Nintendo
January: Banjo Pilot from THQ
February: Rave Master : Special Attack Force from Konami
February: Shaman King: Legacy of Spirits - Soaring Hawk from Konami
February: Ace Combat from Namco
February: Klonoa 2 from Namco
February: Winnie the Pooh from Ubisoft
March 21: WarioWare Twisted! from Nintendo
March: Mario Party Advance from Nintendo
March: Backyard Baseball from Atari
March: Pac Pinball from Namco
April: Pokémon Emerald from Nintendo
Q2: Fire Emblem 2 from Nintendo
Q2: Ultimate Pocket Games from Telegames