What Recession? Nintendo Set to Post Record Profit

With strong sales of the Wii, DS and top selling software, analysts anticipate Nintendo will post a record operating profit of $5.3 billion (yes, with a “b”) for their fiscal year which just ended on March 31st.

With their competitors reeling  (Sony is expected to post record losses), combined with the phenomenal launch of the DSi, which sold an incredible 600,000 in the US and Europe in its first weekend, Nintendo is in a position few other companies can claim: cash rich, sales continuing to rise and a hot new product that will ensure continued success through 2009.

Nintendo Sets DSi Launch Date for United States

Nintendo announced this week that their much anticipated DSi launches in the United States on April 5th with a sticker price of $169.99. Initially, there will only be two colors available at launch - Blue and Black.

Features that come built into the system include two cameras (one on the external body and the second pointing at the user when the DSi is opened) Nintendo DSi Sound and Nintendo DSi Shop. The DSi Sound feature serves as both an interactive voice recorder and music player that allows users to play with their music while they listen to it. Users can access different audio filters or control the pitch and speed of recorded voice or music files to alter voices or change the tempo of a song. The microphone is located between the two screens when the device is flipped open, and there is also a stereo headphone output that lets users listen to music saved on an SD card, even with the screen shut.

Direct game downloads will also be a big part of the DSi’s future. Nintendo is spending a great deal of time, money and effort on their direct download approach. The Nintendo DSiWare application will allow users to load Nintendo DSi with games using Nintendo DSi Points directly to the portable system, just as WiiWare has with Nintendo’s Wii console. Look for their direct download library to grow rapidly.

Nintendo will also be rolling out Rhythm Heaven for the DS and DSi on the same day. While we at MWN haven’t seen it yet, the game has sold more than 1.6 million copies since its July 2008 launch in Japan. It is a touch screen “tap and slide” game where you  hold the Nintendo DS system sideways like a book and tap their stylus on the touch screen to the rhythm of the music.

Nintendo Announces Early 2009 Games Line Up for Wii & DS

Nintendo has announced their new games for the first quarter of 2009.  With over 100 new games, Nintendo looks like it will provide a good balance between the casual player and hardcore gamers. Topping the list is a much anticipated Pokémon Platinum version for Nintendo DS,  slated for a March 22 launch across North America. Other notable titles for the Wii include the enhanced New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis and New Play Control! Pikmin . For the DS: Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon, Personal Trainer: Math and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars.

Below is a partial list of upcoming games for Wii and Nintendo DS. The list is preliminary, so game titles and launch dates are subject to change.

Wii
Activision
Monsters vs. Aliens - March 24

Crave Entertainment
Monster Pals - March
Solitaire & Mahjong - February
Puzzle Challenges and More! - February
Crayola Colorful World - March

D3Publisher
Onechanbara Bikini Zombie Slayers - February
Coraline - January

Destineer
WordJong Party - January
Battle Rage - February
Cradle of Rome - February
Cate West: The Vanishing Files - March
Burger Island - March

Disney Interactive Studios
Disney Sing It: High School Musical 3: Senior Year - Winter

DreamCatcher
Play the World - March

Electronic Arts
NASCAR Kart Racing - Feb. 10
SimAnimals - Jan. 27
TRIVIAL PURSUIT - Early spring

Hudson Entertainment
FISHING MASTER WORLD TOUR - Jan. 6
Marble Saga Kororinpa - Spring

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
DanceDanceRevolution Disney Grooves - March

Majesco Entertainment
Escape the Museum - January
Major Minor’s Majestic March - March

Marvelous Entertainment USA
Little King’s Story - Feb. 17
Rune Factory: Frontier - March

Mastiff
Deer Drive - Jan. 20

NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.
We Ski and Snowboard - March

Nintendo
New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis - March
New Play Control! Pikmin - March

Sega
The House of The Dead: Overkill - February
SONIC and the Black Knight - March
MADWORLD - March

Southpeak Interactive
Roogoo Twisted Towers - Feb. 17
Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball - March 17
Brave: A Warrior’s Tale - Feb. 17

THQ
Paws & Claws Pet Resort - Jan. 5
Neighborhood Games - Jan. 5

Ubisoft
Tenchu: Shadow Assassins - February
Broken Sword: Shadows of the Templars (Director’s Cut) - March

XS Games
Super PickUps - Q1

Nintendo DS
Activision
Monsters vs. Aliens - March 24
Pimp My Ride 2™ - March 24
Animal Planet - March 10

Atlus U.S.A., Inc.
My World, My Way - Feb. 3
Legacy of Ys: Books I & II - Feb. 10
Trackmania DS - March 17

Crave Entertainment
Monster Pals - March

D3Publisher of America
Puzzle Quest: Galactrix - Q1
Coraline - January

Destineer
USA TODAY Puzzle Craze - January
DinoPets - March

Disney Interactive Studios
Phineas and Ferb - Winter

DreamCatcher
Inkheart - January
Learn Math - January
Drivers’ Ed Portable - January
Monster Band - January
Zoo Quest - February
My Personal Diary - February
Music Star: Pop Star - February
Paint by DS - March
Matchstick - March
Dreamer: Top Model - March
Sarah - Keeper of the Unicorn - March
Learn Chess - March
Dragon Master - April

Electronic Arts
Zubo - March
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure - Q1
SimAnimals - Jan. 27

Empire Interactive
Jagged Alliance - Feb. 17

Gameloft
American Popstar - Road to Celebrity - March 9

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
Elebits: The Adventures of Kai and Zero - Q1
Suikoden Tierkreis - Q1
Little Magician’s Magic Adventure - Q1

Majesco Entertainment
WonderWorld Amusement Park - January
Powerbike - January
Our House - Q1
Hot ‘n’ Cold - March

Marvelous Entertainment USA
Avalon Code - February
Flower, Sun, and Rain - March

Mastiff
Moon - Jan. 13

MumboJumbo
Chicken Hunter Star Karts - March 10

Nintendo
Personal Trainer: Math - Jan. 12
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon - Feb. 16
Pokémon Platinum version - March 22

ROCKSTAR GAMES
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars - Winter

Southpeak Interactive
Big Bang Mini - Jan. 6
Roogoo Attack - Feb. 17
Brave: Shaman’s Challenge - Feb. 17

Square Enix, Inc.
FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES®: Echoes of Time - Spring

THE GAME FACTORY
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES - Jan. 19

THQ
Paws & Claws Pampered Pets - Jan. 5

TOMY Corporation
My DoItAll - February

Ubisoft
Jake Power Fireman - January
Jake Power Policeman - January
Imagine Cheerleader - February
JoJo’s Fashion Show - February
Petz Horseshoe Ranch - February
Imagine Family Doctor - February
Imagine Ice Champions - March
Jake Power Handyman - March
My Fashion Studio Paris Collection - Feb. 17
American Popstar - Road to Celebrity - March 24
Broken Sword: Shadows of the Templars (Director’s Cut) - March

XSEED Games
Retro Game Challenge - Jan. 6

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Sells 5 Million Copies

Well it looks like brand power has once again won out over quality. Word is that Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games has sold 5 million copies with the Wii and DS sales combined and since this happened two days ago it’s probably over 5 million by now. While this is great news about the Wii doing well and games selling well on it, it’s terrible news since this is one of the lesser games out there for the system. While Mario and Sonic flies off the shelves truly innovative and challenging games like Zak and Wiki or No More Heroes sit there just begging to be appreciated for how great they are.

I’m not against casual games and I’m definitely not against Mario and Sonic competing but they should do it in a really great game and gamers shouldn’t support a quick cash in like this so rampantly. So here’s what you can do to help. If you bought Mario and Sonic and are now bored with it (highly likely) go back to the store, turn in your copy and pick up Zak and Wiki. Trust me you won’t regret it.

[Via MEGATONik]