Nintendo Wii 2010 Gift Guide

Get some holiday cheer on the Nintendo Wii this season. Dance, workout, shoot, and escape into new worlds, familiar franchises, and engaging active environments. NOTE: All release dates subject to change.

Gamers can find the new red Wii hardware bundle on November 7 and try out the new uDraw GameTablet (Nov. 14), which includes a base studio game. The uDraw features interactive drawing/writing capabilities and games like Pictionary and Dood’s Big Adventure. Players can also pick up a Wii MotionPlus controller bundled with the FlingSmash game.

Metroid: Other M reveals more background about heroine Samus Aran with fluid movements and high-quality graphics. Super Mario Galaxy 2 has endless action as Mario navigate a huge starship to each playable world.

Players can also try PokePark Wii: Pikachu’s Adventure, Kirby’s Epic Yarn, Guilty Party, Kirby’s Epic Yarn, Donkey Kong Kountry Returns (Nov. 21), Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition (Dec. 12), and Disney Epic Mickey (Nov. 30).  This last title is also available in a collector’s edition.

The motion capture movements and the graphics impress on James Bond 007: GoldenEye which also features on and off-line multiplayer modes. The title is available in a classic edition with an exclusive gold colored Wii Classic Pro Controller.

Other adaptation games include Wipeout, Despicable Me, Dora’s Big Birthday Adventure, CSI Fatal Conspiracy, Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, Cars Toon: Mater’s Tall Tales, Disney Tangled, Toy Story Mania!, TRON Evolution – Battle Grids (Dec. 7), Yogi Bear (Dec. 7), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (Nov. 9), and Lord of the Rings – Aragorn’s Quest.  More movie adaptation games are also present with titles like Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, and Grease, which has classic sing-and-dance fun for as many as eight players.

Sports games include NHL Slapshot, Madden 11, Backyard Sports Football: Rookie Rush, Shawn Johnson Gymnastics (Nov. 16), DecaSports 3, and the worldwide phenomenon FIFA Soccer 11.  NBA Jam, Shaun White Skateboarding, and Tony Hawk: Shred are slamming while racing fans can speed up with Need for Speed Hot Pursuit (Nov. 16), Chevrolet Camaro: Wild Ride, FlatOut, and Honda ATV Fever.

Fitness games include Nickelodeon Fit (Nov. 8) Jumpstart Get Moving Family Fitness features Brooke Burke, Zumba Fitness (Nov. 18), Get Fit with Mel B, New U Fitness First Yoga and Pilates (Dec. 7), The Biggest Loser Challenge, and Jillian Michaels: Fitness Ultimatum 2011, which now includes a story mode.

Get off the couch and into the game with EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp and EA Sports Active 2, which both incorporate wireless motion tracking sensors. Both of these comprehensive fitness games are available on November 16.

The fitness titles don’t stop there though.  Active Explorer features a special mat, Mii support, and co-operative and competitive fun in varying environments for up to four players.

Game show games are plentiful with Family Gameshow, Hasbro Family Game Night 3, Family Feud 2011, Wheel of Fortune, Hollywood Squares, Deal or No Deal: Special Edition, Minute to Win It, and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

Looking for something unique? Check out Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon where a survivor named Seto encounters a haunted world and players help him link memories together to discover background subplots.

Sin & Punishment Star Successor is a Wii exclusive third-person shooter with impressive graphics, two-player cooperative mode, and four different controller schemes, including the Wii Zapper.

Other Wii exclusives include Just Dance 2, Sonic Colors (Nov. 16), Wii Party, KIDZ BOP! Dance Party The Video Game, Sled Shred featuring the Jamaican Bobsled Team, Battle of Giants Dinosaurs Strike, Samurai Warriors 3, and Karaoke Revolution Glee (Nov. 9).  This singing game lets players unlock clips from the show and features special voice recognition technology for more accuracy.

Music fans can enjoy DanceDanceRevolution, Def Jam Rapstar, Disney Sing It: Family Hits, DJ Hero 2, Rock Band 3, Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, and Michael Jackson The Experience (Nov. 23).  Michael Jackson will feature the famous singer’s memorable music and moves in multiplayer and competitive modes.

Namco Museum Megamix includes 18 classic games and six remixed classics like Pac’n Roll Remix using the Mii characters.

Simulation games include The Sims 3, Sid Meier’s Pirates!, the hair stylist game Busy Scissors, and MySims Sky Heroes. Sky Heroes features split-screen co-op dogfights and unique plane customization.

Platform picks include Ivy the Kiwi, Flip’s Twisted World, and Pac-Man Party (Nov. 16), which has three game modes, more than 50 exciting mini-games and eight characters.

Trauma Team combines medical skills and character filled storylines.  Attack of the Movies 3-D includes four pairs of 3-D glasses and features multiple weapons.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold contains several other prominent heroes and boasts a special Bat-mite link capability with the Nintendo DS version while Gormiti: The Lords of Nature! lets players jump into multiplayer mode any time. Zhu Zhu Pets: Featuring the Wild Bunch comes with or without a Zhu Zhu Hamster toy.

On November 16, Create (Nov. 16) lets players create and explore to unlock rewarding tools while Once Upon a Time has storybook fun for kids. Visit Sesame Street any time with the Cookie’s Counting Carnival and Elmo’s A-to-Zoo Adventure games.

Younger players can also choose from Jump Start: Escape From Adventure Island, Jump Start: Pet Rescue, Kid Adventures Sky Captain, and Club Penguin: Game Day!

Family Party: 90 Great Games Party Pack includes 30 Great Games, Winter Fun, and Outdoor Fun, which has a Wii Balance Board gameplay option.

Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2011 and Cabela’s North American Adventures offer the ability to play with the Wii Zapper controller. Dangerous Hunts also features the Top Shot Elite gun peripheral and comes in a collector’s edition. More nature sports titles include Mathews Bowhunting (Nov. 9) and Reel Fishing Angler’s Dream.

Action fans can enjoy the target only shooter Reload: Target Down (Nov. 9) or the gladiator game Tournament of Legends. Military action games include Tom Clancy’s Hawx 2 (Nov. 9), Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon (Nov. 16), and Call of Duty: Black Ops (Nov. 9), the seventh installment of the successful game series.

Haunted House has affordable fun frights and I Spy: Spooky Mansion lets players spot spooks.

Online game options include archive virtual console classics and WiiWare games like And Yet It Moves, My Planetarium, and Ivy the Kiwi? Mini.

Save those gift cards for the shooter Conduit 2 (Feb. 28), Lost in Shadow (Jan. 4), UFC Trainer (Jan. 31), Top Spin 4 (Feb. 1), Lucha Libre AAA: Heroes of the Ring (Dec. 31), Mr. Bean (Dec. 28), You Don’t Know Jack (Jan. 25), and Titanic Mystery (Jan. 31).