The release date for the US is November 16th.  I’m sure that date will make Animal Crossing fans happy but if you want to utilize Wii Speak then you will be talking an additional $29.99 on top of AC’s price.  Get saving those pennies folks.

Format: Wiiâ„¢
Launch Date: Holiday 2008
ESRB: RP (Rating Pending)
Game Type: Community Simulation
Accessories: WiiSpeak microphone (sold separately)
Players: 1-4 alternating, 2-4 simultaneous via Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection
Developer: Nintendo

KEY INFORMATION
If life were an endless vacation, what would you do? Go fishing, collect shells or watch fireworks with friends? Build a snowman, exchange presents with family or decorate your house for the holidays? Take a trip to the city, go on a shopping spree or visit friends from all over the globe? In Animal Crossing: City Folk, life moves at a relaxed pace, but the world brims with endless possibilities.
• There’s always something new to do. In the living, breathing world of Animal Crossing: City Folk, days and seasons pass in real time, so there’s always something to discover. Catch fireflies in the summer, go trick-or-treating on Halloween or hunt for eggs on Bunny Day. If you’re in the mood for something a little faster paced, take a bus to a new urban city area that’s unique to Animal Crossing: City Folk. There you can catch a show at the theater or check out the sales at Gracie’s boutique. But if you don’t show your face back home for too long, your neighbors will miss you.
• Up to four people from your household can live and work together to build the perfect town. Design clothes and patterns, write letters and post messages on the bulletin board for each other, or invite up to three friends to visit your town using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. With the new WiiSpeak microphone, it’s like you’re all in the same room. The microphone sits atop the sensor bar and picks up the conversation of everyone in the room to encourage a more inclusive experience.
• Get to know your neighbors. The heart of Animal Crossing: City Folk is building relationships with the animals in your town as well as with other players. Befriend your animal neighbors by exchanging letters, gifts and favors. Animals can also move from town to town, bringing their memories and stories from their old towns with them. And since animals are notoriously loose-lipped, they spill all the juicy details.
• Express your personal style. Customize your town, your house and yourself by collecting bugs, fish, fossils, art, furniture, clothes and accessories. You can also go to the salon in the city to change your hairstyle and get a Mii™ makeover. Plus, if you design clothes in the tailor’s shop, animals will wear them and maybe even bring them to other towns.

Well we learn from E3 that Wii Sports Resort and The WiiMotion Plus add-on will be bundled together and the current US launch price is $49.99.  i didn’t see E3 live yesterday so I’m interested to know what people thought about this game and WiiMotion Plus.

Well we haven’t even had the Nintendo Press conference yet but Nintendo today saw fit to reveal WiiMotion Plus. What is WiiMotion Plus? Well it’s a Wii Remote add-on which enhances how the Wiimote can be used in 3-D space. In other words with this little device, the Wiimote becomes even more incredible.

Here follows the official Nintendo press release.

Nintendo’s upcoming Wii MotionPlus accessory for the revolutionary Wii Remote controller again redefines game control, by more quickly and accurately reflecting motions in a 3-D space. The Wii MotionPlus accessory attaches to the end of the Wii Remote and, combined with the accelerometer and the sensor bar, allows for more comprehensive tracking of a player’s arm position and orientation, providing players with an unmatched level of precision and immersion. Every slight movement players make with their wrist or arm is rendered identically in real time on the screen, providing a true 1:1 response in their game play. The Wii MotionPlus accessory reconfirms Nintendo’s commitment to making games intuitive and accessible for everyone. Nintendo will reveal more details about the Wii MotionPlus accessory and other topics Tuesday morning at its E3 media briefing.

Hudson are releasing two games this year which I will be sure to try and get hold of.  The first is Kororinpa 2.  Members of this site will all know that I really enjoyed the first title and I’m sure that I will really enjoy the second game in the series.  The second title of interest for me will be Bomberman Blast on Wiiware.

I wonder if anyone on site is interested in a Kororinpa 2?

If you live in the US and want Dr Mario then wait no longer because the game is now available for US gamers. I still have film footage to edit and upload to the web, hopefully I wil get that done later but my advice to you is don’t wait. Oh yeah, get LostWinds while your at it.

Folk have complained over the years regarding Nintendo’s global releases and the chart below helps you to understand why.

For a global release of Super Paper Mario it took 139 days.  For Metroid Prime 3 it took 192 days.  For Pokemon D/P it took a whopping 302 days, that’s almost 1 year.

Let’s just hope that Nintendo continues its recent run of form.

IGN recently filmed their video review for Wii Fit and they posted it onto the web sometime during the night. The film gives you a good idea of what to expect from the package overall.

The original release date for Okami in Europe was July 13th but news hit the web today that its been pushed up to June 5th.  The question of course is will members support Okami.

The following list of games were announced for 2008 today by NOA.

* Fatal Frame IV
* Wii Chess
* Disaster: Day of Crisis (delayed)
* Mario Super Sluggers
* Wii Music
* Kirby
* Animal Crossing Wii

DS

* Glory of Hercules
* Pokémon Platinum
* Band Brothers DX
* DS Air
* Hoshi no Kirby: Ultra Super Deluxe
* Fire Emblem DS
* Wander Donkey

WiiWare

* Dr. Mario Online Rx
* Everyone’s Pokémon Ranch
* Magnetica Twist
* Yakuman Wii

Well the ESRB has rated more titles for the VC and Wiiware and that means Alex Kidd will be heading our way very soon. 

Virtual Console
- Gley Lancer (e10+) - Sega of America
- Alex Kidd in Miracle World (e) - Sega of America
- Biomiracle Bokutte Upa (e) - Konami
- City Connection (e) - Jaleco

Wii Ware
- Home Sweet Home (e) - Big Blue Bubble Inc.
- Helix (e) - Ghostfire Games