Nintendo Wii 2008 Gift Guide

The revolutionary Nintendo Wii console expands its motion filled game catalog along with Lost in Blue: Shipwrecked, LEGO Batman, Wario Land: Shake It!, Mario Kart Wii, Wii Fit, Active Life Outdoor Challenge and SimCity Creator, which features a special helicopter or airplane tour where players can check out their unique creations.

Wii Music (Oct. 20) gives players more than 60 instruments with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers plus a tone text and playback option lets players watch their recordings. The outstanding music lineup also includes Rock Revolution (Oct. 14), Rock Band: Track Pack Vol. 2 (Nov. 18), AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack (Nov. 16), Guitar Hero World Tour (Oct. 26), Rock Band 2 (Nov. 16), PopStar Guitar (Nov. 4), Ultimate Band (Nov. 11), Dancing With the Stars: Get Your Dance On (Oct. 21) and High School Musical 3: Senior Year (Oct. 21). Singers can enjoy Karaoke Revolution Presents American Idol Encore 2 on November 18.

Wii exclusive games include Cake Mania: In the Mix (Nov. 18) and Penny Racers Party: Turbo (Oct. 14), featuring more than 50 customizable vehicles, including Nissan, Toyota, Honda. Other console exclusives include the affordable Sonic Unleashed (Nov. 18), Candy Factory (Oct. 21), Boogie Superstar (Oct. 14), Circus Games (Oct. 21), Monkey Mischief (Oct. 28), Skate City Heroes (Oct. 28), Deadly Creatures (Dec. 22), Ultimate I Spy (Oct. 28), Family Fun Fest Presents Movie Games (Nov. 4) and Cooking Mama: World Kitchen (Oct. 28) and which has new recipes and an animation album.

The customizable MySims Kingdom (Oct. 28) expands the series while considerably reducing the load times. Guinness World Records: The Videogame (Nov. 11) can actually get in the book with a worldwide high score while Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine (Oct. 28) features face offs against Mario Batali, Cat Cora and Masahuru Marimoto.

Games for the kids include several titles from the series of Bratz (Girlz Really Rock – Oct. 13, Slumber Party Game – Nov. 4), Petz (Rescue: Wildlife Vet – Oct. 21, Horsez Club – Oct. 28, Sports: Dog Playground and Petz Crazy – Nov. 18) Imagine (Fashion Party (Dec. 9) and Party Babz (Oct. 28) and even M&Ms (Beach Party – Nov. 11 and Adventure – Nov. 18).

A new set of affordable children’s learning games adapted from the computer versions include Pajama Sam in Don’t Fear the Dark, Freddi Fish: Kelp See Mystery and Spy Fox in Dry Cereal. Players can also grow a fishing company in the very affordable Offshore Tycoon (Oct. 17).

Neopets Puzzle Adventure (Nov. 25), Littlest Pet Shop (Oct. 14), Kitty Luv (Nov. 6) make great options for pet lovers while horse riding titles include Gallop and Ride (Dec. 19) and Barbie Horse Adventures: Riding Camps (Oct. 21).

The off road racer Jeep Thrills (Oct. 14) includes classic World War II models, Wrangler and Compass plus multiplayer racing. Other speedsters include MotoGP 08 (Nov. 3), Yamaha Supercross (Nov. 4), Chrysler Classic Racing (Nov. 4), Bigfoot: Collision Course (Oct. 28) and Monster Jam: Urban Assault (Oct. 28) featuring 12 unique tracks.

SPRay (Oct. 28) features some amazing moves plus plenty of sticking, sliding and, obviously, spraying plus multiplayer games. Movie adaptations include The Tale of Despereaux (Dec. 2). Kung Fu Panda: Legendary Warriors (Nov. 18), Bolt (Nov. 18) and Shrek’s Carnival Craze (Oct. 28). Mystery fans can check out Nancy Drew: the White Wolf of Icicle Creek (Dec. 2) and Agatha Christie: Evil Under the Sun (Oct. 22)

Goosebumps HorrorLand (Oct. 14) has spooky adventures in an amusement park format. Monster Lab (Nov. 5) allows players massive options in enormous creature customization options, battle and exploration. Other multi-console titles include Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (Oct. 21), Disney Sing It! (Oct. 14), Pipemania, Six Flags Fun Park (Oct. 28), WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 (Nov. 9), Ben 10: Alien Force (Oct. 28), Line Rider 2: Unbound and the family friendly Crash Bandicoot: Mind over Mutant, which has co-op play with Crash’s sister Coco.

The all ages All-Play sports titles include NBA Live 09 and FIFA Soccer 09 (Oct. 28). Jillian Michaels’ Fitness Ultimatum 2009 (Oct. 21) and My Fitness Coach (Dec. 9) provide in-depth fitness guidance. Other sports titles inlcude Summer Sports 2 (Nov. 18), We Ski, Skate It (Nov. 17), plus Shaun White Snowboarding: Road Trip (Nov. 16) and Winter Sports 2, which both incorporates the Balance Board peripheral.

Big League Sports (Nov. 11) features hockey, football, basketball, tennis, soccer and lacrosse (yes, lacrosse) with 26 teams and over 90 collectibles. FaceBreaker K.O. Party (Nov. 11) Ski and Shoot (Nov. 11), the affordable MLB Superstars (Nov. 10), American Pool Deluxe (Nov. 18), We Cheer and All-Star Cheer Squad (Oct. 27), which incorporates the Balance Board, all provide even more active fun. Eclectic sports titles include Professional Bull Riding: Out of the Chute (Oct. 28), Carnival Games Mini Golf (Oct. 20), Ten Pin Alley 2 and Celebrity Sports Showdown (Oct. 20).

Call of Duty: World at War enters battle in the Pacific theater during World War II on November 11 as the similarly formatted James Bond 007 in Quantum of Solace releases on November 4. The new arcade style air combat game, Rebel Raiders: Operation Nighthawk is set in a futuristic universe. Twin Strike: Operation Thunder (Oct. 14) and Ultimate Shooting Collection (Nov. 11) have more military action.

Rayman Raving Rabbid TV Party (Nov. 11) features party fun incorporating the Wii Balance Board. The latest Animal Crossing game, City Folk (Nov. 16), will incorporate the Wii Speak microphone (also releasing on Nov. 16) for voice chat with friends online. Wii RPG offerings including Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World (Nov. 11) and the relationship driven Dokapon Kingdom (Oct. 14), which includes multiplayer game play.

Castlevania Judgment (Nov. 18) features fighting action as the classic series continues with unlockable interaction with the new Nintendo DS Castlevania game, Order of Ecclesia. King of Fighters debuts on the Wii with Collection: The Orochi Saga (Oct. 21). Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Lightsaber Duels (Nov. 11), based on the Cartoon Network television series, features appealing action controls with glow saber peripherals.

Other continuing action series include Rygar: The Battle of Argus (Dec. 9), Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon (Oct. 21), Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution 2 (Oct. 21), SpongeBob SquarePants Featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom (Oct. 20), Tomb Raider Underworld (Nov. 18), Avatar: the Last Airbender (Oct. 13) and Game Party 2 with games from the original and five all-new family games.

North American Hunting Extravaganza (Oct. 14) lets players safely hunt (well, unless that remote flies out of the hand) 20 different wildlife species including coyote, mountain lions, deer, moose and even the mighty grizzly bear. Deer Drive (Dec. 2) provides another hunting option while other less realistic action/shooters include NERF N-Strike (Nov. 4) and Paintball Breakout ’09 (Nov. 18).

Trivia/board game titles include Are you Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Make the Grade! (Oct. 20), TV Show King Party (Oct. 28), Deal or No Deal (Dec. 2), Disney’s Think Fast (Oct. 21) and Monopoly (Oct. 20) while puzzlers like Safecracker: The Ultimate Puzzle Adventure (Oct. 15), Luxor 3 (Nov. 4), Wordfish (Nov. 18), Merv Griffin’s Crosswords (Dec. 2), WordJong Party (Nov. 11), Escape the Museum (Dec. 9) and Rubik’s World (Nov. 4) tests the wit.

Party games are plentiful with Party Games 20: Family Friendly Fun on November 11, which then continues with Family Party: 30 Great Games on December 2 plus Hasbro Family Game Night (Nov. 11) features familiar games plus new spins on classics like Connect Four Power Chips, Boggle Portal Cubes, Reverse Yahtzee and Battleship Barrage.

Be sure to keep the following titles when spending those gift card balances: Neighborhood Games (Jan. 12), Little King’s Story (Jan. 6), CID the Dummy (Jan. 6), the mystery adventure Secret Files: Tunguska (Dec. 29), the puzzler Gravity (Dec. 29), SimAnimals (Jan. 27), Saint (Jan. 1), Neighborhood Games (Jan. 2009) and Indoor Sports (Dec. 31).